He became more serious as the tone of his voice gradually ascended toward an angry one. “Apaches just attacked the work gang slaughtering many.” Blue River shook his head sadly as he concluded, “I arrived with my fellow braves to thwart the slaughter of all involved but witnessed the destruction of the trestle they have been laboring on.”
Digesting the news of the audacious attack, Taylor spat as he yelled, “Son bitch!” he hit the table close to him before he uttered more words. “So that is what the smoke cloud is drifting in from the west! There was a lot of rumors, but almost everyone agreed the Apaches probably got something to do with it!”
Blue River interrupted instantly, “It may be that they had help. The trestle was destroyed with expertise and skill to bring it down in the manner that it was.”
A short silence ensued and then Taylor looked at him suspiciously, “Son, you talk mightily fine for an Injun.”
This was something he heard almost all the time, and it irked him. Blue River stifled an angry retort and glared stonily at Taylor instead. He had no obligation or desire to explain that he had four sisters, each of whom had tutored him growing up whenever he was away from his tribe on his visits to Cedar Ledge.
Blue River instantly cut to the chase again after he had denied satisfying Taylor’s curiosity.
In a very calm tone, he explained, “As I was saying, the trestle’s destruction … Mr. Greystone of the railroad believes that you may have hired the Apaches and aided in the expert demolition of their project.”
He stared closely at Taylor as he queried him, “What say you to the idea that you had a hand in the black evil out at Devil’s Canyon?”
Taylor exploded in a loud voice, “I’d say he’s a damn liar! It’s a frame-up! I killed nobody, except on the field of battle in that war you were just talking about!”
Blue River raised an eyebrow and asked him if Taylor had any training with munitions during the war. When his brother Dutch, who had served, was finally able to talk about his experiences, one of the stories the cavalry captain had relayed was the fact that destroying railroad bridges and sabotaging the rails was a tactic that had been employed by both sides during the conflict.
Not taking Blue River’s bait, Taylor threw his hands furiously in the air and shook his head from one side to the other rapidly. “I don’t want no part of the railroads! That’s true!” He admitted, but he stressed further, “However, that don’t mean I’d break the law to keep them away!”
Blue River probed again to try and force the truth out from the stage line owner. “Not even if you will lose much business when the railroad is up and running through this area?”
Taylor gesticulated frantically to show his disagreement with Blue River.
He exclaimed, “Shoot, boy! It’ll be the early twentieth century before the railroad comes to every town! I’ll make a whole stack of money outta local traffic until then.” Angrily Taylor put his hands on his hips and took a jab at him.
“It’s your kind that has more to lose with civilization creeping in closer and closer. Maybe them savage Apaches made an effort to learn just how to bring down that trestle with TNT!”
After Taylor’s ignorant yells and uninformed claims, Blue River felt the need to school the older man, as he naturally had a better understanding of his people and he seriously doubted the man’s misguided hypothesis. “Most of our men and their families want peace and a good life just like the white man and their families,” he stated emphatically. “As long as the lands we’ve called our own since ancient times keep disappearing, it seems there will always be contention.”
“I don’t know what gives you Injuns the right to call these lands your own. Your kind ain’t got no deeds, nothing in writing. Did your kind lay down their lives to get these lands away from the Mexicans? This land belongs to the United States now, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo done says so!”
The man's ignorance didn't seem worth making his blood boil, so he fought to calm himself. Still, he couldn't resist taking a jab of his own at the man letting him know perhaps he was giving him too much credit.
“Perhaps though you do not know as much about as explosives after all.” He nodded his head towards the door and pressed further. “You certainly do not know about cannons. I saw your artillery, no doubt there because of the name of your company.”
Sounding more confident as he spoke, he explained more, “And yet those are naval cannons from a ship that do not actually fire the cannonballs for which you have named this company. Rather they fire explosive shells instead.”
Although still very weak, Jolie had managed to stagger back into the doorway where he leaned heavily on it, breathing hard. He abruptly interrupted Blue River. "Quit flappin' your gums, redskin. You got no idea what you're talkin' about."
However, Taylor silenced him quickly just as Carnahan who had recovered from the knock to his head pushed his way past Jolie and into his office and stood glowering at Blue River.
He shook his head. “Hold up boys! He’s right. I bought them and some shells from the Navy when I was back east from a ship they were decommissioning. Got a good deal on them.” Taylor exhaled reluctantly as he began to find a modicum of respect for Blue River. “Most people wouldn’t know the difference in what they fire, yet this Injun did. How’s that?”
“My father was a naval officer years ago. He taught me all about ships since I never got to see any living in Arizona,” he professed. “In fact, we’ve got one of these ourselves, just like the ones you have.”
He dropped down into a nearby chair and crossed his arms as he continued. “The judge got it as a souvenir from his days in the service. I still help him fire it off in the backyard every Fourth of July,” he proclaimed.
"I am not here to talk about myself though," he said forcefully, feeling it was time return the conversation back to why he was here. "So, for the record, you deny any involvement and reject the railroad's accusations."
After an initial grumble, Taylor sucked in a deep breath before responding, “Well, know this Blue River, you’re wasting your time poking around here trying to pin any massacre on me." He beat his chest twice and eventually said, "I'm an honest businessman!"
The entire room fell into a hush as Blue River fixed his gaze on the three men that attacked him earlier. They stewed in a deep anger as his mocking gaze caught theirs. He cleared his throat and spoke again ending the silence.
“Your associates strike me as men who look comfortable operating on the other side of the law.”
His gaze traveled back to their head, Taylor, before he chided, "It would take little imagination to see them doing your bidding."
For the first time since he regained consciousness, Carnahan spat and snarled, “Who are you to come in here and make accusations! You’re just a dumb Indian who ought to be getting himself back to the reservation!”
Blue River smiled thinly, his front teeth slightly escaping his mouth, yet when he spoke his voice was one of a cold hardness. "I promise you, Mr. Carnahan, I am not as unfortunate as many of my brothers and sisters who now have to call these reservations home. I told you before that I am Blue River of the Yavapai among other things and one of those things is …"
Blue River stood up from the chair and began to wander around the office. “… being one of the owners of Cedar Ledge,” he finished, pride seeping into his voice.
The men stared blankly at each other becoming mute as they sought to recall where they had heard that name before.
“What the Christ are you talkin’ about now, redskin? What’s this Cedar Ledge?”
A look of dawning understanding swept over Taylor’s face as he interrupted any response Blue River might have made to Carnahan. “Now hold on a minute! Cedar Ledge … that huge ranch down Alamieda way?”
He leaned forward towards Blue and inquired, “The Wilde family, right?
Carnahan postured next to a potbellied stove. “You heard of this place?” he asked anxiously.
Taylor wasted no time to respond. “I have.”
He caressed his mustache as his eyes narrowed, "It is indeed the ranch of a judge. You men might have heard about it as well if he called it what a whole lot of people do —Half Breed Haven—on account of all the kids the old man has. One of every stripe, by all accounts."
He pointed towards Blue River as he concluded, “So I’m guessing Blue River here is the Indian one.”
A mocking grin appeared on Blue River’s face again just as he bowed and snickered, “At your service.”
The older man in the grey suit, who held a blood-soaked handkerchief on his still bleeding nose, plunged into the conversation, too.
“Even if you are, what are you doing right in the middle of all this?” he demanded. His voice was mumbled as his injured nose interfered with his utterances, but he still managed to fume, “That ranch is a long way off from here!”
Jolie, the first man to face Blue River’s wrath chimed in, “I was wondering the same thing, Mr. Stephens!” He stared at Blue River “What’s your involvement?”
Blue River found his way back to his chair again. He sat and crossed his legs just looking up at the curly-headed man and then to the others.
“The first attack some weeks ago destroyed the railroad ties. We were supplying them.” A hard look swept over his handsome features. “Our men were killed,” he said, the tone of his voice betraying the anger as he remembered the cheerful face of Carter Burnham, a man who had been more than an employee, but a friend as well. “With this new attack, I am not going anywhere until the threat has been ended and justice brought to bear.”
His eyes coolly appraised the owner of the stage line who had just taken his seat behind his desk.
“And if that means you, Mr. Taylor, so be it.”
As a form of defense, Taylor immediately responded, banging his desk with a meaty fist before he spoke, “I don’t take kindly to threats!”
Blue River, in turn, didn’t let his response become cold before he fired back, “If you are as innocent as you say, then you shall need not fear me.” He reduced the volume of his voice as he calmed, “If you are behind this, you have been warned.”
Blue River jumped up immediately after that, his eyes making a final sweep of the office and the men that had been arrayed against him before he made his exit.
“Now I’m off to the livery to keep a promise I made for a friend.”
He turned swiftly and strode out the door not glancing at the four men whose eyes bore into him like drills.
CHAPTER 5
Sadie had conveniently settled in her hotel room. Not only had she exchanged her dirty dress for sparkling new one, she had taken her bath as well. The pleasant smell of bathing lotion had engulfed the whole room, and Blue River could easily separate the aroma of the meal they had almost finished from the awesome scent of the lotion that welcomed him when he entered her room.
They were seated close to the window of the room, and he had spent most of his time admiring her as they discussed varying issues while dining on the food that had been brought to the room. He had wisely chosen to avoid the dining room on two counts: The first being people were jumpy enough as it is with talk of the attack. Secondly, he recalled Honor Elizabeth had told him that when she had tried to dine there when she and Whip had been in town, as a negro she had been turned away at first until Whip had forcefully put his foot down, not allowing his beloved daughter to be discriminated against. Blue River had enough going on that he didn’t need to be arguing with the restaurant people to gain entry. Besides, he enjoyed being with Sadie in the privacy of her room. When he had first arrived, he had noticed the delight in her eyes as they took in his bare torso with its rippling muscles from all the hard work he did lumberjacking in the mountains of Cedar Ledge.
Now with dinner over, they had shared a laugh about Sadie’s skills in being able to get the birthday cake in one piece all the way to the trestle project before all had gone to hell out there. Soon his gaze, however, turned outside the window as Sadie spoke. Despite her wonderful presence, his mind started to be drawn back towards the attacks on the Grand Western. He still couldn’t rule Taylor out, but something was telling him there was a sincerity about the man. He kept lousy company for sure, but was he really in league with the deadly Apaches?
Sensing his attention wandering, Sadie sought to real him back in by attempting to engage him with a question.
“… and I am so excited,” she said joyously. “Father says this fall he is going to grant me my wish of so many years and send me to Vassar College. It’s back east. Have you ever been east, Blue River?”
She paused for two seconds, and when he didn't answer, she returned to talk about her choice of colleges. "I don't know how we can afford it since my brother and sister are already enrolled in two of the finest schools in the east." She nodded a few times as she spoke further, "I really didn't think I would get to go Vasser but … Blue River?"
She made a show of sighing loudly when she noticed the Indian was lost in his stare, looking out the window. As expected, Blue River snapped to attention again and spoke sincerely.
“Apologies Sadie. I am sorry. What is this Basser place?” he asked, trying to focus in on what she had been saying.
Since his question confirmed he was ready to listen to her, Sadie responded aptly, “Vassar. It’s a wonderful college for women nestled away in the lovely Hudson River Valley in New York.”
Seeming more interested in the topic, Blue River looked thoughtful, “The Hudson River! I have long heard of it. My father’s first wife, her family I am told operated a steamship on that very river. She was the mother of my sister Cassandra and brother Dutch.”
He took a deep breath before he continued, “So this Vassar place you wish to attend?”
Sadie was still far from convinced that Blue River was particularly drawn to the discussion, and she grinned as she said, "You don't have to pretend you are interested Blue River. If you started talking about the intricacies of lumberjacking, I do not believe I could feign interest in that."
Blue River quickly apologized. “I’m sorry. It’s not that,” he murmured candidly.
“I was just noticing that the smoke cloud from the trestle has completely …” He looked around for a split second and wondered, “What’s the word …”
“Dissipated!” he exclaimed, finding it.
He looked directly into Sadie’s sharp eyes as he concluded, “I suppose your father and his remaining men have put the fire out.”
Reluctantly, Sadie, responded, “I suppose they have.”
“The fire may be out, but the carnage remains.” He said in a pessimistic tone as he threw his head down and shook it disappointingly, “I never wish to see men die senselessly.”
Looking across the table at her, he wished not to think about the string of deaths the trestle project was accumulating. Still, he knew as bad as it had been, it paled given the alternative and decided to tell her so. “The only way what happened out there could have been worse, is if it claimed the life of an innocent and charming woman like yourself.”
His last statement definitely worked some magic as Sadie smiled uncontrollably, as she rose from her seat and walked behind him. Her hands eventually found their way to the young man’s shoulders.
“Perhaps some might call me charming, but I am not as innocent as you may think.”
Surprised about what he had just heard, Blue River turned his head to look at her, “How do you mean?” he inquired.
Spontaneously, Sadie swung her body around, hiked up her green dress and straddled him on his chair. Blue River seemed surprised, but he covered that up with a grin. Sadie whispered quietly into his right ear, choosing her words carefully.
“Would an innocent girl do something like this, with a man she didn’t even know twenty-four hours ago?”
Blue River slightly quivered as her voice faded in his ear, her warm breath a gentle balm.
Then, he nodded in agreemen
t to what she said. “I suppose she wouldn’t.”
His last statement appeared to be a cue as Sadie launched her two hands into his hair, she ran her fingers through, deftly undoing his braids until its length flowed freely down to his shoulders.
“I love your long hair,” she cooed as she stroked it. “So few white men would ever let theirs grow this long.”
Dancing to her tunes, Blue River responded solemnly as well. “It is the only way I’ve ever known.”
Sadie continued to flirt with the young man, her voice dripping with seduction. “A handsome man you are, and brave. I knew, just knew when I saw you through those flames before …”
Her fingers continued to stroke Blue River’s hair as she pressed further, “When you promised you would save me … I knew you would.”
Licking her lips lustily as she bent her head towards him. In his ears, he heard her say, "I would trust you with all of me; any part of me at all."
Almost immediately, she drew her face closer to Blue River and kissed him before he could blink. Mildly, she bit his upper lip with her incisors before she slid her tongue into his mouth, reaching for his tongue. Sadie licked his wet tongue for a few seconds. Adeptly, she moved downwards to suck his lower lips as well. The tenderness of Blue River’s lips kept her latching onto them as if they were strawberries.
As scintillating as the foreplay was for Blue River, he was quick to snap out. He did enjoy every bit of it but reluctantly, he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed the enthralled Sadie backward slightly. Immediately, he cautioned her calmly, “You don’t have to do this. I seek no reward or payment for my actions at the burning train.”
"That's not why I am doing this…" She clucked as she stroked his hair to the back once more and stared fixedly at him blinking rapidly as a sly look swept over her, "I'm doing it because I want to!"
Disaster At Devil's Canyon: Blue River Wilde Western Adventure (Half Breed Haven Book 7) Page 8