Sage's patience ended. "I'm Dr. Lander, and my business is none of your concern.” She took a step toward the man as if she fully intended to push him out of her way.

Tony hesitated, then stepped back with a curse. "It's bad for business having you two standing around out here. You've got five minutes, lady.”

Bonnie passed the man, towering over him by a head. "That's four more than we'll need” With a smile, she whispered, "Don't mess with the doc, or you'll be looking up at your own headstone.”

Sage forged ahead. "What business?" she said under her breath.

Tony had to scramble to keep up with the women.

They all moved inside to a small foyer, which split off into several hallways. Tony took the first one on the right and motioned for them to follow. The entire place smelled of cigar smoke, damp dirt, and whiskey.

The first room they passed had several tables inside, but only three men sat near the back, playing cards. From the look of them, they'd been there for days. Empty bottles littered around their table, and a ring of smoke hung over their heads as thick as a storm cloud.

Sage noticed not one of the gamblers even lifted his eyes to watch their passing.

The second room looked more like a saloon. Here the piano played, but no one seemed to be listening. Several men, sailors mostly, drank and talked while two bored barmaids refilled their glasses. Sage couldn't tell if they were the start of tonight's party or the leftovers from last night.

Bonnie tugged on her arm with a sudden jerk. "Look," she whispered, "there's the guy who ran into me on the walk the day we arrived." She raised her nose as if looking down into the bottom of her glasses. "I thought he looked like a nice man; just shows you how looks can be wrong.”

Sage spotted the tall cowboy near the back of the bar. He had a drink next to him, but he wasn't paying it any attention. Instead, he stared out a long, slanted window that looked like it opened into a big room. She couldn't see much, but the sounds of coins being shuffled along with cards drifted from the open window.

"In here, Doctor Miss." Tony pointed toward an open door that looked like it led to an office.

When Bonnie moved to follow, he stopped her with a muscular arm. "One at a time. It's the boss's rules.”

Bonnie looked at Sage in near panic.

Sage hesitated. "I'll leave the door open. Shout if you need me. I'll only be a minute.”

Bonnie nodded once. "Stand where I can see you”

"I will.” Sage forced herself to step into the office.

At one time the place might have been considered nicely furnished, but it, like the building, hadn't weathered well. The couches were tattered, the drapes so old only dust and mildew kept them up, and the carpet was worn to the boards in several spots. French doors opened behind Shelley's desk, and she saw that he could look out into a large gaming room with tables for cards and dice. The place was almost empty.

Shelley moved from behind his desk, tugging on his coat as he came. "Welcome.” he said, smiling. "I'm delighted you've thought about my offer and have decided to change your mind. I’ll be happy to show you my safe, my dear. Several travelers trust their valuables with me."

Sage didn't move. "Thank you. Shelley, but I haven't time. I only came to bring you this.” She tugged the handkerchief from her bag and handed him Barret's watch. "I think your brother would have wanted you to have this."

He unfolded the cloth and stared down at the gift. Big tears bubbled in his eyes.

Sage fought to keep from moving backward, not wanting the man to hug her, even if he was almost a relative. Barret had loved that watch. He'd said his parents gave it to him when he finished school. It was probably the most valuable thing he owned. She only hoped Shelley would treasure it also. Her husband had never mentioned what he wanted her to do with it, but since it bore the Lander name engraved on the back, she thought Shelley should have it.

The clank of a bell sounded from somewhere deep in the house, and shouts of alarm came from the dealers in the main room. The rush of men scrambling seemed to rattle through the house like giant mice running in the attic.

Pocketing the watch, he rushed toward the French doors, trying to see any sign of trouble through the thin lace curtains. "Tony!" he yelled in the direction of the hallway, "get down there and settle everyone down. Tell the newcomers docking that they'll have to come through the front door if they want to get in."

Shelley watched the room below, forgetting that Sage was even in the room as he muttered through the house rules. "No entry in the back, only an exit. Don't want the prospective suckers bumping into the broke drunks leaving.”

Shelley reached in his desk drawer for a pistol. He paused for a moment, fighting to control the anger in his face. "I didn't realize you were still here, my dear. Please stay back while I deal with a slight problem” He slowly opened one of the doors behind his desk and leaned out only a few inches.

"What the hell is going on!" he yelled and opened the door wider, revealing what looked like an empty room.

A moment later, shots rang out in rapid fire. Sage jolted backward.

Shelley seemed to straighten in slow motion, closing what was left of the shattered French door. Then he turned toward her and hit the ground, clutching his shoulder. A high-pitched scream of pain filled the office.

Sage ran to him and knelt by his side. Blood bubbled from a hole high on his arm. She clawed his hand away to see the wound as he swore.

"Bonnie!" she shouted as more shots rang out. "Bonnie!" Shelley screamed again that he was dying and she had to help him.

Sage tugged the jacket open and tore the shirt off his shoulder. Blood covered the wound, but when she blotted it, she saw no entry point. The bullet had only grazed him, ripping flesh in a two-inch groove across the top of his arm.

"You're all right, Shelley. It's only a flesh wound. You're all right” She knew black powder could still poison the blood, but if she got the wound cleaned and let it bleed, it would heal fast.

The man seemed intent on playing a grand death scene. "Help me," he cried. "It appears I will follow my brother to the grave."

"Bonnie!" Sage cried again. When she moved to go get the nurse, Shelley's hand grabbed her wrist and begged her not to leave a dying man.

She'd been so occupied with Shelley, Sage hadn't noticed what was going on in the room beyond the French doors. The six men she'd seen in the boat a few minutes before were moving through the room toward her, their rifles pointed and ready to fire. A few of the dealers who hadn't moved fast enough at the sound of the bell were now dead on the floor between the gaming tables.

She managed to stand as two of the robbers crashed through the doors. "Get up, Lander," one yelled. "If I'd wanted you dead, you would be."

They pushed past Sage and jerked Shelley to his feet. One man pointed the barrel of the rifle against his throat, while the other one said calmly, "We want you breathing so you can open the safe. If you cooperate, we'll leave you alive to make more money so we can rob you again one day. If you don't cooperate, we'll kill you and your little lady friend right here and torch the place. That grand safe of yours will sink in the gulf of no further use to us or you."

"I'm not his lady friend," Sage said before she thought to stay quiet. "I'm a doctor, and this man needs medical attention”

They both looked at her as if she were completely mad. And she was more mad than frightened. Shelley, no matter how much of an idiot, was her patient, and these robbers were interfering with her care.

The one with the gun against Shelley asked, "Is that true? Is this little woman a doctor?"

Shelley was too frightened to think of anything but himself. "Yes, it's true, and she's trying to keep me from dying. I've got a weak heart. I could go any second”

"Then open the safe fast” the other man yelled as he kicked Shelley hard enough to push him to his knees.

Shelley followed orders, whining and swearing with every move.

As soon as the safe's door swung out, the man with the gun hit Shelley over the head hard with the butt of his gun. "That'll help you forget about dying." He laughed.

Sage dropped down by Shelley's body. Now the poor man had two wounds she'd have to deal with. As soon as he woke, he'd not only complain about being robbed, he'd probably think he was dying of brain damage as well.

One of the men shoved all the cash in the safe into an old leather saddlebag.

"Got it” he said as he stood. "Wave for the boys to shoot up the place and let's get out of here”

The second man turned to the shattered French doors, waved, and turned back. His black eyes looked straight at Sage. "You're really a doctor?"

"Yes," she said as shots rang out.

"Then you're coming with us." His black eyes danced. "Grab her bag, and let's get out of here."

The other man agreed and, before Sage could fight, they'd each grabbed one of her arms and started back through the shambles of what was left of the gaming room. She almost called for Bonnie, then stopped, suddenly hoping the nurse was still hiding in the shadows of the darkened hallway. Maybe she'd even managed to run free to get help.

When Drum heard of this, he'd kill them all, if the Rangers didn't find them first. She wasn't just some woman in port they were kidnapping, she was Sage McMurray. These two-bit crooks had no idea of the hell they were pulling down upon them.

Sage kicked and screamed and tried to bite her kidnappers, but neither seemed to notice as they shoved her out the back door onto a rain-slippery dock. One held her while the other tied her hands behind her and added another rope at about knee level around her skirts, then they tossed her in the boat with the bag of money. As she drew in air to scream, one of them strapped a gag around her mouth.