To Tempt a Rogue

by Connie Mason

  Suddenly Kitty had an inspiration she knew must have come from a higher authority. It was dangerous, and it would take the good padre’s cooperation, but it could work.

  She sucked in a steadying breath and asked, “Will you help me, Padre?”

  The priest gave her a startled look. “Help you? What can I do, child? I am a man of God.”

  “Are you allowed to visit condemned prisoners in jail?”

  “Si. Especially those of my faith. But religious persuasion means little if I can help a man find peace in his final hours. What are you asking of me?”

  “Only your cooperation.”

  He gave her a shrewd look. “Why do I get the impression that you are asking more of me than merely offering comfort to a condemned man?”

  “You may not believe me, Padre, but I heard God speaking to me just now. He revealed a way I might save Ryan from the hangman, until his brothers can legally clear his name. Time is so short, I fear they won’t succeed before Ryan is led to his death.”

  “God works in mysterious ways,” Padre Enrico praised. “What did God say to you?”

  “He revealed a simple plan to me. But I can’t do it without your help.”

  “In good conscience, I cannot break the law.”

  “What law?” Kitty exclaimed. “Ryan was tried and found guilty before his trial began! I’m not asking you to break the law, all I’m asking for is your cooperation. I’ll do the rest.”

  Kitty watched Padre Enrico closely, thrilled by the gleam of excitement she saw in his soft brown eyes.

  “What would you have me do, child?”

  Kitty spent the next half hour outlining her plan to the good padre. The longer she talked the more incredulous his expression became. When she finished, he sat back and stared for so long at the large cross hanging over the altar that Kitty feared he would refuse.

  “As I said before,” he began, “God works in mysterious ways. He wouldn’t have sent you here if He hadn’t wanted me to help you. A love such as you have for Ryan Delaney cannot go unrewarded. Love between a man and woman is more precious than gold, and you deserve a chance to find happiness with the man you love. But your plan has many flaws. If Senor Delaney loves you he will not let you sacrifice yourself.”

  “The flaws can be worked out,” Kitty vowed. “What can the law do to me? Certainly not hang me. God won’t let me fail!” she said with conviction. “You’re right, Padre, I should have come to Him first. Now, this is what I intend to do…”

  It was very late when Kitty arrived home. The house seemed eerily quiet as she entered Bert’s room to check on his condition.

  “I’m awake, Kitty, you don’t have to tiptoe,” Bert said from the bed. “I told you, I’m not ready yet to kick the bucket. Did you see Ryan?”

  “Yes, he sends his regards.” Kitty debated whether or not to tell Bert about her plan to free Ryan and decided to wait until tomorrow to make a decision. She knew Bert would forbid it and she hated to disobey him, but she had no choice.

  “Did you see Ryan’s brothers in town?”

  “I spoke with them before they left for Nogales to find Judge McFee. They’re hoping to get him to set a new trial. If that fails, I don’t know what they’ll do. The marshal says it will take a governor’s pardon to free Ryan.”

  Bert’s attention sharpened despite his weariness. “Governor’s pardon, you say? Hmmm. Go have your supper, honey, I need to think.”

  “Good night, Father,” Kitty said, kissing his wrinkled brow. “Sleep well.”

  “Teresa is gone,” Bert said moments before Kitty reached the door. Kitty thought he sounded sad.

  “I’m sorry, Father. I never wanted to come between you and Teresa.”

  “I know, daughter, I know. Good night.”

  Kitty slept late the following morning, ate a leisurely breakfast, and paid a visit to Bert before readying herself for the evening’s activity. She still hadn’t decided if she would tell Bert her plans, for she knew he would try to stop her. She was stunned to see Bert up and moving around the room with the help of a gnarled cane.

  “Father! Should you be up?”

  “I’ve been walking around this room for several days,” Bert revealed. “I’ve even walked to the parlor. I can get around pretty well if I don’t overdo.”

  “But the doctor…”

  “… doesn’t know everything, honey. I’ve got too much to live for right now. Besides, I know you’re up to something and I want to help.”

  Kitty sent him a startled look. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “You might as well tell me, Kitty. Whatever it is, I want to be a part of it.”

  Kitty worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she pondered her options. Telling Bert what she was planning could be detrimental to his health. But letting him sit home and stew could be equally disastrous. Whatever she decided could go either way where Bert’s health was concerned.

  “Kitty, honey, I insist you tell me,” Bert said. “I can handle it.”

  The decision was made. “Very well, Father, but sit down first, this might take a while.”

  Bert perched on the edge of the bed, his gaze intent upon her face. “What are you planning?”

  Kitty knelt at his feet and grasped his hands. “Do you recall Padre Enrico from the mission outside Tucson?”

  “Of course. I haven’t seen him in ages, but I remember him. What’s he got to do with anything?”

  “I was so distraught after visiting Ryan yesterday that I stopped at the chapel to pray. I’m not a regular churchgoer, but I know there is a God and I wanted to ask his help.”

  She paused to catch her breath. “I met Padre Enrico and the words just poured out. Something about him made me unburden myself when he encouraged me to talk to him. The padre was appalled to learn that an innocent man was going to be hung. Unlike the marshal, he believed me, believed in Ryan’s innocence, and he offered assistance.”

  “What! I’m sure the good padre would do nothing to break the law.”

  “He’s not going to break the law. I am,” Kitty confided. “I’ve devised a plan to break Ryan out of jail.”

  Bert started violently. “Leave that to Ryan’s brothers, honey. They’re better equipped to deal with such things.”

  Kitty rose and glared down at Bert, hands on hips, her face hardened into determined lines. “I’ve ridden with outlaws, remember? I know how they think, how they react to certain situations, and I think I can pull this off.”

  Bert gave her a skeptical look. “Perhaps you should tell me exactly how you intend to accomplish this feat on your own.”

  “It’s simple, really,” Kitty said as she began to pace. “Here’s what I intend to do.”

  Perched on the edge of the bed, she told him in detail how she planned to break Ryan out of jail. “Padre Enrico told me of a hiding place where Ryan would be safe until his brothers found a way to clear his name,” Kitty said after she had outlined the details to Bert.

  “Absolutely, positively not!” Bert exclaimed in horror. “What makes you think Ryan would allow you to sacrifice yourself for him?”

  “Well,” Kitty admitted, “that is going to be a problem. But what can the law do to me except keep me in jail for awhile? If I’m willing to make the sacrifice, Ryan should be willing to let me do it.”

  “There is no way I’m going to let you go into that jail robed like a priest and change places with Ryan.”

  “You can’t stop me,” Kitty said truculently. “I knew you’d say that, that’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”

  “Basically your idea has merit,” Bert mused. “Where does Padre Enrico intend to hide Ryan?”

  “There’s a cave on the side of the mountain behind the mission. Years ago his parishioners used it to hide from marauding Indians. Padre Enrico agreed to lend me one of his robes and to keep Ryan’s hiding place a secret. He says he can do so without lying. I trust him.”

  “What makes you think you can fool the
marshal?”

  “I intend to pull this off during the marshal’s dinner hour. The deputy doesn’t know me, and my face will be covered by a hood. I intend to provide some kind of diversion and steal the key to Ryan’s cell when the deputy’s attention is diverted. I’ve been to the jailhouse enough times to know where the keys to the individual cells are kept. It won’t be too difficult to steal the key when I create the opportunity.”

  “How do you propose to do that?” Bert asked.

  “I… I’ll think of something.”

  “That settles it,” Bert said with more strength than he had displayed during the entire time Kitty had known him. “I’m going with you. It’s going to take two to pull this off. Ryan’s brothers haven’t returned yet, and you said yourself they are being watched. It’s unlikely they could help even if they were in town.

  “It’s partly my fault Ryan is in this situation and I’m going to help you free him,” Bert added. “I’ve had some thoughts on how to get him a pardon. But it will take time, and time isn’t something Ryan has right now. How many days before his hanging? Three, four?”

  “Three, Father, that’s why I have to act quickly.”

  “That’s why we have to act quickly,” Bert clarified.

  “I can’t let you do this, Father. Your health … two weeks ago you were on your deathbed.”

  “I know I’m dying, honey, let me do this for Ryan while I still can. God knows Ryan gave me something more precious than my own life. Now, stop jawing and let’s devise a plan that will work. One that Ryan will agree to. You and I both know he’d never let you take his place in jail while he walked away free.”

  Kitty flushed. In the back of her mind she did know that Ryan would balk at her plan, but her stubbornness was as strong as his. And when push came to shove, he had no other choice.

  “The trip to the mission will be easier on me if we take the wagon. I want to preserve my strength for the walk to the jailhouse. Or perhaps we can ride the mission’s mule,” Bert said, warming to the subject. “I’m sure Padre Enrico will loan us an extra robe. Does the marshal’s office have a rear door?”

  Kitty thought a moment, then nodded, recalling the door at the back of the office.

  “Good. I can divert the deputies’ attention while you steal the key to Ryan’s cell. When we leave, I can create another diversion while Ryan sneaks out the rear door. He can meet us at the mission and go immediately into hiding. I think you should stay with him. I’ll inform Ryan’s brothers when they return.”

  Kitty liked Bert’s plan better than her own. But she still wasn’t convinced Bert’s fragile health would allow his participation. “I don’t know …”

  “Well I do, honey. You can’t deny me this chance to thank Ryan for all he’s done for me. Having you in my life, if only for a short time, has made my final days worth living. Never forget that. Why don’t you go find one of the hands and arrange for a wagon. And don’t forget to pack food, blankets, and anything else you and Ryan will need during your stay in the cave. Hopefully your stay won’t be too long. I’m going to get Ryan pardoned if it’s the last thing I do.”

  Kitty feared it would be the last thing he did. “Are you sure, Father?”

  Bert looked her right in the eye and said, “Very sure. Let me know when all is ready. I hope the marshal cooperates and goes out for his supper as usual tonight.”

  “So do I,” Kitty said reverently. “Why don’t you rest while I take care of the details. And Father, thank you.”

  Kitty and Bert arrived at the mission late that afternoon. Kitty drove the team while Bert rode in the wagonbed, propped up by quilts and pillows intended for the cave. When they reached the mission, Padre Enrico seemed surprised to see Bert but said nothing as he helped Bert from the wagon and instructed Kitty to drive it around to the back of the chapel where it couldn’t be seen by passersby.

  Padre Enrico guided Bert to his small adobe house and settled him in a chair. “Don’t scold, Padre,” Bert advised. “I’ve made my mind up to help my daughter and that’s final. We are both grateful for your help.”

  The priest rocked back and forth on his heels as he searched Bert’s face. “I can see you’re determined on this course, Senor Lowry,” he said, “but perhaps you should wait here for your daughter to return.”

  “No, Padre, I’m going with Kitty,” Bert replied. “She can’t possibly carry this off by herself, and we don’t expect you to involve yourself in this more than you already have.”

  “Saving innocent souls is my calling,” Padre Enrico intoned. “God never told me how I was to do this. He left it to me to find those souls most in need of my help. Your daughter’s story touched me deeply. God would wish for such a grand love to survive and prosper. I hope that one day I can baptize their daughters and sons. I must go now and show Senorita Kitty where to take the supplies she brought.”

  Kitty sighed in relief when she saw Padre Enrico approaching the front of the wagon. He had taken so long she’d feared something had happened to Bert.

  “Is my father all right?” Kitty asked as the priest hoisted his considerable bulk onto the wagon seat.

  “He is resting,” Padre Enrico said. “He is determined to help you, and I must confess I feel better about this with your father beside you. I did not like your idea of taking Senor Delaney’s place in jail. I feared the marshal would react unfavorably and keep you incarcerated. God has shown you another way, child. Who am I to gainsay God?”

  “Which way, Padre?” Kitty said as she took up the reins.

  “Follow the narrow path toward the mountains,” Padre Enrico said. “I will point out the cave when we reach it. The way will be rough, for few wagons have traveled this trail, but I believe we can make it.”

  They bounced along the uneven trail, dodging stately cactus and skirting sagebrush. When they came to where the mountain began its upward incline, Padre Enrico said, “Turn left.” Kitty obeyed. Several minutes later, the priest said, “Stop! There it is! See that ledge? It is only a short climb from here.”

  “I don’t see a thing,” Kitty said, straining her eyes.

  “That is what makes it a perfect hiding place. The cave is behind that thick growth of sagebrush growing on the ledge. Come, I’ll help you stow the supplies. If I remember correctly, there is a good selection of cooking pots and a stack of firewood inside. There is also an underground river feeding clear, cold water into a pool back a ways from the entrance. That is what makes the cave unique. You can bathe in the pool and still drink the river water before it flows into the pool. My people have hidden here many times in the past.”

  A half hour later all the supplies Kitty had brought were stored in the surprisingly large and pleasantly dry cave. She had worked up a sweat and hoped she’d have time to wash away the stench before going to the jailhouse. She wished she would have had time to tell Ryan about their plan, but it was too late now to worry about small details.

  Bert was waiting for them in the priest’s hut. Kitty searched his face and was heartened to see a bit of color staining his cheeks. She prayed this escapade wouldn’t be the death of him and knew the doctor would have apoplexy were he to learn of Bert’s plans.

  “It’s growing dark, Kitty,” Bert said. “Shouldn’t we start for the jailhouse now? I hope the good padre has robes for both of us.”

  “I have robes,” the Padre said. “They are patched and worn thin, but people are accustomed to seeing priests poorly garbed. Come with me, Senorita Kitty. I will show you where you can wash up before you don the robe.”

  “Thank you,” Kitty said gratefully. “Can you manage alone, Father?”

  “I will help him,” the padre said. “I usually ride my mule into town. Old Pepito can carry both of you. He is mild mannered and will give you no trouble. Before you leave, I will give you my blessing.”

  Dusk was settling when Kitty and Bert rode into town on Pepito’s broad back. As luck would have it, they arrived just as Marshal Pringle left the jailhouse
and walked across the street to his favorite restaurant.

  “Are you all right?” Kitty asked softly as she hopped off Pepito’s back and helped Bert dismount.

  “Don’t worry about me, honey,” Bert said. Kitty thought he sounded a bit breathless, but he dismissed her fussing with a wave of his hand.

  “You’ll not have much time to filch the key after I create a diversion,” Bert warned, “so be prepared to act swiftly.”

  Kitty nodded, pulling the hood of the robe forward to conceal her features and adjusting Bert’s hood in the same way. “I’m ready,” she said with more confidence than she felt.

  “Let me do the talking,” Bert cautioned.

  The deputy was seated in the marshal’s chair with his feet propped on the desk. When he saw the two priests enter, his feet slammed down on the floor.

  “Good evening, my son,” Bert said. “I am Padre Carmello and this is Brother Ambrose. We have come from the mission to offer last rites to the condemned men.”

  “That would be Durango and Delaney,” the deputy replied. “The marshal is having his supper, but I see no harm in letting you offer your services to the prisoners. Fifteen minutes is all I can allow you. Unless you want to wait an hour for the marshal to return. He’s the only one who can grant you more time.”

  “Fifteen minutes will do,” Bert said. “Bless you, my son.” He made a crude sign of the cross over the deputy.

  Suddenly Bert staggered backward. At first Kitty was alarmed, until she realized Bert was creating the diversion he’d promised. And it seemed to work, as the deputy leaped forward to steady Bert.

  “Are you all right, Padre?” the deputy asked.

  “Yes, my son. I have been fasting all day in preparation for the holy day tomorrow. Perhaps a little water, if you would be so kind.”

  The moment the deputy turned his back on her to administer to Bert, Kitty sprang into action. Edging around the two men, she backed against the wall where the keys hung. When the deputy walked across the room to scoop up a dipper of water from a pail, she stealthily removed the key with the number 4 written on a tag and hid it in the folds of her robe. By the time the deputy handed Bert the dipper of water, Kitty had returned to Bert’s side.