The Valeron Code Read online

  ‘I’ve got to talk to the mayor,’ Wyatt said. ‘She will want to be a part of our conference.’

  Rod spoke up. ‘I’ll inform Lynette Brooks. She’ll want to be there too. She’s the town editor. Whatever we decide, she can make it public in a special edition of her newspaper.’

  ‘Everyone figure on meeting at the saloon in one hour,’ Wyatt outlined. ‘Shane, you and Cliff will watch the prisoners during our meeting, because you aren’t up to date on what all is going on.’

  ‘Right,’ Shane agreed. ‘We’ll see to it that no one gets out of line.’

  Mason walked through the entrance way of the newspaper office and right into Lynette’s arms. She hugged him for a long time, before finally leaning back enough to kiss him. When she stood back, Mason saw tears in her eyes.

  ‘It’s over,’ he told her gently. ‘Rutherford and the others are in jail.’

  ‘When I heard shooting, I was—’

  Mason bent down and kissed her. ‘It’s over,’ he assured her a second time.

  ‘What will happen now?’

  ‘Wyatt is setting up a meeting. You are to be there, along with the mayor, your brother, and the rest of us. Everything will be ironed out and you will have a major story to write.’

  A smile came to her lips. ‘I didn’t tell you, because I was afraid something might go wrong.’

  ‘Tell me what?’

  ‘Well, from the time you arrived, I started sending my editorials to the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. They not only published my last three articles, they are going to buy everything I write. As some of their news is also picked up by newspaper outlets back east, I will make more selling them what I write than I will on local sales and advertising.’

  ‘That’s great!’ Mason praised. ‘You’re a success.’

  Lynette put her hands up to his face, brushing his cheeks as she slipped her fingers around behind his neck. Her features were soft and inviting, her eyes glowing with enchantment and desire.

  ‘Mason,’ she whispered huskily, ‘I want us to be together. When the shots rang out, I nearly died, fearful you would never return.’

  ‘I’m here,’ he said, as tenderly as his deep voice would allow. ‘And I’m not going anywhere.’

  ‘Do you think you could be satisfied to set print and help me run this newspaper?’

  He didn’t answer in words, he pulled her into his arms and explained it with his actions.

  Shane and Cliff stopped atop a knoll and took a moment to look back at Deliverance.

  ‘I wish we could stick around for the trial,’ Shane said. ‘I’m curious as to how much time some of those boys will serve.’

  Cliff remarked: ‘Jared figures Rutherford and Dealer will hang. That ought to suit him.’

  ‘A lot of changes are going to take place. Richard is moving to Deliverance – taking possession of the dead banker’s house – and will assume running the bank. He’s going to keep the housekeeper and make everything right concerning the crooked interest rates. Then Landau is helping Bernie to take over the saloon. He is going to use whatever excess money there is to pay back the high taxes the other businesses have paid out.’

  ‘And Wyatt will have to find a good man to take over as sheriff. He said Julia knew of a ranch hand who had been a deputy once. He’ll probably stick around long enough to show the guy the ropes.’

  ‘As for me, I’d have liked to see my brother up to his elbows in ink.’ Cliff laughed. ‘I’ll bet his hands are blue for the wedding next month.’

  ‘Reckon you can pay Tish to watch Nessy when we return for the blissful event.’

  ‘No way,’ Cliff was adamant. ‘I’ll bring my girl along with me in one of the carriages from the ranch. I can’t afford your sister’s rates.’

  ‘Let’s kick up some dust,’ Shane said. ‘We’ve a long ride ahead of us.’

  ‘I’m with you, Cuz. Let’s make tracks for home!’