Riker had heard from the doctors that the tide had turned after his injury had swept him off the battlefield amid the thunderous artillery barrage. He was, of course, delighted that the South would not overrun the North, but he, like Lincoln, took no pleasure in the statistics Stanton had gleefully rattled off. He'd known plenty of people from the South, and most of those bodies littering the field of battle were the rank and file. Humble men like himself, not the evil slave owners he despised who kept other human beings in bondage for their own selfish profit. They were just men doing their duty and had paid for it with their lives.
"More than half a division wiped out, left either dead or captured, and that includes all fifteen of the regimental commanders among the enemy!" Stanton continued to crow. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw McKenna bristling on the other side of the bed.
“There are a lot of women out there who will never see their sons, husbands, and brothers again. May the Lord have mercy on all the lost souls … on both sides,” McKenna said edgily. Stanton looked momentarily rebuffed, and whatever he was going to say next was cut short by Lincoln clearing his throat.
“Nash, you know that I am here on personal reasons, but those aren’t the sole reasons. There is business to be had here, and that is why the good Mister Stanton is joining us today.”
“After being kept waiting in the hallway, I might add,” The man said haughtily, and again Riker’s attention was drawn to McKenna who inhaled sharply at the man’s disrespect, and he would be damned if he didn’t blame her. Riker appreciated the work Stanton was doing in the war effort, but he respected Abraham more than any man alive. Still, it was Lincoln who had put together what some considered a team of rivals and that had included Stanton. Judging by Lincoln’s non-reaction, he assumed the president was either used to or immune to the man’s surliness. But why was he here in his hospital room?
"Well, now that we are all here; it's time to either fish or cut bait—and I say we fish!" Lincoln exclaimed heartily as he turned his head towards Riker. "Earlier, you asked me how I knew you had been wounded. I've been keeping tabs on you for some time now, son, and that is because I've had something special in mind for you and I wanted to know where you were at all times," Riker turned away from the president and Stanton for a moment to look at McKenna to see if she had any idea this was coming, but her look told him she might have been in on Lincoln's surprise visit, but this was a complete surprise to her as well.
Stanton coughed for a moment before speaking, "Captain Riker, you are going to be a pioneer in a sense. You see, Mister Lincoln and I have been planning ahead for what comes after this war is over. It is admittedly early still, but we feel Gettysburg is the beginning of the turning of the tide in this war. What we are planning is not something that we see eye to eye on, but we've come up with a compromise."
Riker said nothing, only listening as Lincoln spoke next, “Edwin here would like to see the military take on a large role in the South once this war is won and the secessionists are put down. His plan would be to divide the South into several districts overseen my military governors until such time they may be readmitted to the Union. I am of the understanding troops will be necessary, but I believe that their numbers need not be anywhere the on the level Edwin is suggesting. Yes, we will still need to utilize the governors, but the number of troops trying to reintegrate the South back into our proud Union should be reduced but supplemented by a special breed of lawman."
Riker’s mind was whirling. The government was already planning for after the war that hadn’t even been won yet, but then he came to a sobering realization. Of course, they were! If the South succeeded in breaking away for good, America would be only a shadow of its former self with two uneasy nations forced to share a continent. Abraham, Stanton and the cabinet knew the truth—failure was not an option. The union must prevail. It would prevail!
"That's the compromise we worked out, young man," Stanton began as he paused to pull out a cigar. As he lit it, he looked down at him. "We are calling the program Military Marshals at Large or just Military Marshals if you prefer. We need to have lawmen in place across the South that have the outward appearance of a federal marshal, but who can command the backing and resources of the military if so needed. Therefore, these marshals shall retain their military rank but only be uniformed when absolutely necessary as the president wishes us to look as little like an occupying force as possible. The president believes the Southerners will be more open to patrolling plain-clothed marshals out to keep the peace and restore order in a land that frankly we expect to be quite chaotic for some time after the guns fall silent. Such lawmen, he believes, will not be seen as the occupying force that the regular military will sure to be looked upon."
“And you are asking Nash to be one of these Marshals at Large now?”
“Yes and no, McKenna,” Lincoln said warmly with a smile flashed in her direction. “Obviously he can’t be down in the South while the war is on, but we wish to try him out in the field to test the concept, only we plan to be doing it in the West.”
"Why there?" she asked as Stanton made a harrumphing noise from his seat, making it clear his belief women should be seen and not heard.
“Miss Riker, we think the West is the perfect place to test the concept of a paramilitary/federal marshal. Crime is on the rise there. The bad men of the West are taking advantage of the distraction of the war back east and the gap left by able-bodied men who headed across the Mississippi to fight on either side. Much like Nash here gave up his position as the sheriff of Santa Barbara,” Stanton finished as a blue cloud of cigar smoke curled about his head in wisps.
“I can’t think of a better man for the job,” Lincoln beamed as Stanton rose to his feet.
"Once you are recovered, report to the White House for further details and instructions and be prepared to ship out. You're going to have a wide territory to cover. The whole Southwest, in fact." Stanton nodded to Lincoln. "Mister President, I have to be on my way to attend a further debriefing from my generals concerning our recent victory in Pennsylvania." He turned to Riker. "Make us proud with your work, lad."
“Yes, sir. I won’t let you down, sir.” And with that Stanton was gone leaving the three old friends alone in the room.
“Abe, is Nash to be the only one of these marshals? Operating alone? No partner or deputies?” McKenna asked, concern rippling through her voice.
“Just for now, but after this accursed war is over I plan to see dozens like him all over the South helping to restore order … bridges between the military of the North and the Southern people. There is going to be a whole lot of folks that will be needing protection, I fear. Especially all those fine colored folks who are going to find themselves free when this is all over. That is sure to raise some issues amongst the Southern aristocracy that won’t accept their way of life is over.”
“But now it’s just going to be him?” she said still clearly worried.
“For now.” Lincoln reached into his vest and pulled out a pocket watch. “I’m afraid that I am going to have to shake a leg very soon. This president thing seems to command every hour on the face of a clock.” He laughed good-naturedly. “But before I go I wish to catch up with both you on all you have been up to. Folks that know me know that I like to talk,” he said with a smile, “but here in this room, I am going to be the one to do the listening. So, have at, you two, let me hear it all.”
CHAPTER 27
DALTON’S CREEK
Riker gingerly sat up and rested against the headboard, and Callie readjusted herself, so she was sitting up next to him with her head drooped on his shoulder. His eyes had taken a look as if he was staring off into infinity.
"What President Lincoln envisioned was just another of his plans and dreams that … that died with him across the street from Ford's Theater. Without Lincoln to hold his leash, Stanton went full bore with his plan to split the South into military districts swarming with troops. President Johnson eventually removed h
im and just barely survived impeachment, as you may recall. In all the battling and political posturing going on in Washington, McKenna and I were mainly forgotten about. We continued our duties, reported in, and received our pay, but there was no one giving us assignments. That was until President Grant got elected. When he found out about us and reviewed our reports, he cottoned to the idea."
Callie drew her index finger across his chest and up his collar bone. He liked the feel us her warm breath touching his skin as he continued. “To make a long story short, the idea of Military Marshals aiding the South during reconstruction was moot with Stanton’s military districts in place, so Grant tasked us to stay on in the West and keep up our work. Since then he’s added more of us to canvas the lands west of the Mississippi. We still patrol on an informal loop, but on occasion, we are given assignments where our skills are needed, and laws are found to be needing enforcement. That’s one of the things McKenna is doing besides collecting our pay. She’s touching base with the War Department to see if there is any place that could use our help. Most of the time we just stumble onto trouble like we did here in Dalton’s Creek.”
She leaned forward so she could look him directly in the eye, “You haven’t told me how McKenna became your deputy and about the two of you and President Lincoln. How did you make his acquaintance? To become so friendly with him?”
“That’s a story for another time. Let’s just say McKenna and I saved his life long ago. A bond was forged that day that would stay in place until the end of his life. A life cut short far too soon. Look at the greatness he achieved. Imagine what might have been,” he said wistfully, knowing that if he continued talking, he would slip into a deep melancholy over his lost friend. That and the pair of siblings were always highly reluctant to relay the tale of saving Lincoln’s life, even with people they liked very much like Callie who he was coming to adore. It was a personal decision on their part. In the years since his death, the man’s legend had grown, and he was becoming one of the most revered men to have ever held the office, mentioned right up there in the same breath as Washington and Jefferson. The Rikers had no wish to do anything that would diminish the great man and that included relaying how Lincoln had once needed to be rescued by a pair of wet behind the ears teenagers.
They had saved him once, if only they had been able to do it a second time. Riker’s heart carried such heaviness around in it. They had come back east from California to attend the president’s second inauguration and had remained in Washington after it was over. Riker had become eager to return to the West and had declined an invitation for him and McKenna to join him for a play he was going to attend the following evening. McKenna had wanted to stay, but she had deferred to his wish to leave. The haunting memory of their train being flagged down as they headed westward with the news that the president was dead would forever gnaw at him. Yes, it was high time to bring his tale to an end rather than go down this road again and the torment that accompanied it.
A somber silence fell over the hotel room then and remained in place for some time until finally, she drew closer still and whispered in his ear. "You're his legacy, Nash Riker. One who is much needed. I need you, my father needs you, all of this town needs you. In the years that come when people ask who liberated Dalton's Creek, I'll look at them and say, it was Lincoln's Lawman who saved us all! We’ll get to that future, at this moment, what I care about is the here and the now because it’s time." she said as she repositioned herself. Callie's generous breasts swung back and forth as she straddled Riker, looking down into his face with a lusty smile. Slowly her hand traveled to the hem of the blanket and with gusto she yanked it back, exposing him.
With satisfaction, he watched the slight raise of her eyebrow as she took in the sight of his curved cock rising above his balls like a scimitar. The same hand she had used to strip away the blanket quickly found itself gripping her prize. With a tantalizing slowness, she began to stroke.
“Now what do we have here? Goes past your belly button.” she chuckled as she playfully slapped his large, thick stiffening cock against the muscles of his upper abdomen.
“Exactly what you see, Miss Callie Beckett.” he replied teasingly too, happy to be moving past the events that led to his current life.
"Then you don't mind if I inch downward to take a better look then?" she whispered, desire glinting through her blue eyes. He nodded, and she shook her head as if to say she didn't need his consent in the first place. This was no surprise to Riker. She carried herself like a maverick and likely was just as hard to corral.
While he watched with keen interest, she began to trace the edges of his brawny chest with her lips, reaching for the hard edges of his sides and then briefly tickling his abdomen with her juicy tongue. By the time her lips got to his crotch, his shameless cock had risen so high, it seemed like a tall mountain.
“Yes, it indeed is what I see.” Callie moaned trailing her tongue all the way around its head before taking as much of his entire eight-inch length into her mouth as she could.
He wasn’t prepared for the warmth that coursed through his thighs, but he so welcomed it. He stared down to her flowing blonde hair shaking as her head bobbed up and down. Instinctively, he gripped a few locks and began to move, thrusting deep into her throat. This seemed to trigger her further as her lips sucked his cock harder and all he could do was begin his thrust anew, ramming deeper and faster down her throat.
As one hand gripped his shaft, the other small and delicate hand squeezed his balls and he let out a loud groan, unable to hold back his rippling ecstasy. "Come here!" he yelled.
He pulled her up to face him, spending a second to stare into those compelling blue eyes before lowering his own to the comfortable sight of her full round breasts, he manhandled her perspiring body until she was laying on her side next to him. He kissed her then, allowing his hand to gently squeeze one soft breast as one of his fingers massaged the nipple hardened by her sexual excitement. When she inched closer to him, obviously desiring more of his touch, he held her butt and pulled her closer, breaking off their kiss.
"My turn Callie." he groaned as he inched lower, traveling the length of her curvaceous body with his lips. Once he had traced kisses down through the jumble of golden hair above her sex, he reached her shapely thighs. His powerful hands worked to widen her legs and he buried his head between them, tasting the arid warmth of her honeywell.
“God!” she cried out as one of her fists pounded the mattress.
She could call out to all the gods in the heavens if there were more than one, he thought to himself. Aroused beyond all recall, he hungrily sucked and probed her with his tongue as passionately as he could. He rubbed her sensitive button with his finger too, smiling gratifyingly when she shivered in response to his touch as her moistness began to flow. As his tongue burrowed deep inside her pleasure hole, she buried her fingers in his hair, gripped hard and groaned out the word, "More!"
Callie had begun to thrust against his lips and he moved his head left and right, smashing his lips against her dripping wet canal. When she let out another groan, teetering close to her climax, he dipped a finger into her, renewing whatever pleasure that coursed through her entire body.
“Oh my God, Riker!”
It was what he wanted; getting her to lose herself in immeasurable desires for him. Once she thrust her last against his lips, her thighs shuddering violently as he pulled himself up and buried his cock deep between her sugar walls.
“Riker!” she screamed again.
His name echoed through the walls of the hotel room over and over again as he drove her to another climax with each thrust of his cock. She buried her fingernails into his back, drawing blood from his scar and pulling him towards her so he could ram into her harder than he almost dared. The bed rocked back and forth as if it were on the verge of collapsing.
“Just like that, Riker.” she urged. “Damn it’s been so long and you’re so damn good!”
He had lost whatev
er shred of control he had too. Pulling her with him, he rolled on to the bed on his back and let her lay atop him. Taking the cue, she sat over his waist, turned so she could have her back to him and then slowly pulled his cock back into her wet folds.
“Yes, Callie!” he murmured as he marveled at her tightness. It felt absolutely wonderful. Words gave away to loud moans from the pairas she rode his cock as if her life depended on it. Callie bobbed up and down, bucking her ass all over his thighs. His slick cock jolted in and out of her as she moved and tightly gripped his thighs.
Close to climax, Riker reached forward to grip her breasts. As she thrust vigorously, he gripped harder, surprised with the way her breasts got fuller and rounder in his palms. Eventually, she let out a loud whimper and gripped his thighs tighter as she climaxed against him. He did the same too, letting out a soft groan as his body convulsed beneath hers.
His exploded inside her and he grunted with relief, as he pumped hot wave after wave into her, closing his eyes, until he had nothing left to give her. Callie moved atop him, slipping his softening rod out of her and then gliding next to him at his side once more. They said nothing to each other – there were no words left to be spoken. Riker pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her as she let out a long sigh and closed her eyes too, both knowing it was some of the best sex they had ever had.
Spent the pair lay in each other’s arms with Callie’s head and one of her hands resting on the Riker’s expansive chest. They were waiting for their bodies to recharge, fully intending to go at it again wondering if they could top themselves. Riker was more than willing to find out.
CHAPTER 28
BLACK ROCK PASS
The rays of the morning sun had yet to spill in down into the pass as the fiery globe hadn’t risen high enough beyond the eastern wall of the canyon. In the half-light, McKenna sat naked swaddled in her travel blanket next to the slowly dying embers of the fire that burned through the night. She was alone now; Red Horse had said his goodbyes just before first light. He was eager to get to his new job and get started on what to McKenna sounded like a lucrative bit of business.
Six-Guns Or Surrender (Lincoln's Lawman Book 1) Page 17