Reverend Mercer spun around.

“What is the meaning of—”

Cole drew his revolver.

The gunshot cracked across the lake.

The bullet struck the wood beside Mercer’s head.

“Where is she?”

Mercer’s face went pale.

“The water is judging her.”

Cole cocked the hammer.

“I asked where she is.”

Mercer pointed.

Cole threw down his gun belt.

Then he dove into the lake.

The water closed over him.

He plunged downward.

The cold was brutal.

He couldn't see.

His lungs began to burn.

He swept his hands through the darkness.

Nothing.

Then his fingers touched fabric.

He grabbed it.

A body.

He found the rope around her ankles.

His knife flashed.

One cut.

Two.

Three.

The stones dropped away.

Cole wrapped one arm around her waist and kicked upward.

They broke through the surface together.

His men pulled them toward shore.

Cole laid Lillian on the ground.

Her skin was pale.

Her lips were blue.

She wasn't breathing.

“Come on,” he muttered.

He pressed his hands against her chest.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

Nothing.

He forced air into her lungs.

Again.

Then suddenly Lillian coughed.

Water spilled from her mouth.

She rolled onto her side and gasped.

Cole sat back.

Alive.

Lillian opened her eyes.

They were bright green.

Full of terror.

“You're safe,” Cole said.

She looked around at the crowd.

“Safe?”

Cole followed her gaze.

Reverend Mercer stepped forward.

“You have interfered with God's judgment.”

Cole slowly stood.

“God ain't the one drowning women.”

His voice became colder.

“You are.”

Mercer pointed at Lillian.

“She has no husband. No protector. Her own father refuses to claim her.”

Cole looked down at the trembling woman.

Then he took her hand.

“Well,” he said.

“That’s easy to fix.”

Mercer frowned.

“What do you mean?”

Cole looked at Lillian.

“What’s your name?”

“Lillian.”

“Lillian what?”

“Hart.”

Cole nodded.

Then he turned toward the preacher.

“She has a husband now.”

The crowd erupted.

Lillian stared at him.

“You can't be serious.”

Cole looked at her.

“I’m very serious.”

Then he faced Mercer.

“You're going to marry us.”

The crowd exploded into shouting.

Some demanded that Cole be arrested.

Others accused him of interfering with God's will.

A rock flew through the air and landed in the lake.

Lillian remained seated on the wet dock, still struggling to breathe.

She couldn't understand the man standing beside her.

Cole Maverick.

She had never seen him before that morning.

Yet he had risked his life for her.

Now he was asking her to marry him.

“You don't know me,” she whispered.

Cole looked at her.

“No.”

“You don't know whether I'm guilty.”

“I know you didn't drown yourself.”

“That isn't proof.”

“No.”

He looked toward the lake.

“But it's enough for me.”

Lillian stared at him.

Reverend Mercer stepped closer.

“This is madness.”

Cole's eyes hardened.

“You tried to murder an innocent woman.”

“She is a witch.”

“You got proof?”

Mercer hesitated.

“I have God's word.”

Cole smiled without humor.

“Funny. I don't remember God signing your name on it.”

A few men in the crowd lowered their heads.

Mercer turned red.

“You cannot interfere with the law of Red Hollow.”

Cole glanced at the men surrounding the preacher.

“Looks like your law has a lot of guns pointed at it.”

Behind Cole stood Elijah Turner and several ranch hands.

They had followed him down the ridge.

These were not frightened farmers.

They were hardened men.

Men who had survived cattle wars, border fights, and gun battles.

Mercer understood the difference.

Lillian looked toward her father.

Daniel was still standing among the crowd.

She suddenly felt nothing toward him.

No anger.

No hope.

Only emptiness.

Cole crouched beside her.

“You want to live?”

She stared at him.

“If I say no?”

“They'll throw you back in.”

She looked at the lake.

Then at the crowd.

Then at the preacher.

“Marry me,” Cole said.

Lillian's heart pounded.

“You don't even know me.”

“I know enough.”

“And what happens afterward?”

“We figure it out.”

“You could be worse than Silas Granger.”

Cole's expression tightened.

“I could.”

He paused.

“But I won't.”

Something in his voice convinced her.

Not trust.

Not yet.

Something else.

A possibility.

A door.

She looked at the lake one final time.

“Yes.”

The word was barely audible.

But Cole heard it.

He stood.

“You heard her.”

Mercer refused.

“I will not perform this mockery.”

Cole's hand moved toward his revolver.

“You will.”

The preacher stared at him.