Hattie

by Vivi Holt

  The men all looked up at her, and she gasped, her hand covering her mouth. Only now could she clearly see the face of the man who’d ridden with the neckerchief pulled over his face. He smirked at her, laid down his cards and pulled his plate close. “Looks good.” He dug the fork into a thick piece of potato.

  “Hans!” she exclaimed.

  Deputy Hans Bergman grinned at her. “Hello there, Hattie. Nice to see ya again.”

  Chapter 10

  The clip-clop of horses’ hooves on the hard road into town was music to Ed’s ears. He’d been gone longer than planned, but he’d finally found homes for each of the children, though some of those were only temporary. He was exhausted, and couldn’t wait to reach the cozy apartment above his office, fall into bed and sleep.

  He pulled the wagon into the livery and settled the horses. The livery owner was likely already asleep, and he didn’t want to disturb the man. Once the horses were taken care of and the wagon stowed away, he ambled down the street and through the rear door of his office. He carried a bowl outside to the water pump to fill with water so he could wash before he retired. His stomach growled with hunger, but he didn’t have the energy to fix supper. He’d eat a hearty breakfast the next day.

  When he fell into bed, sleep overtook him within moments. The last thought that flitted through his mind was of Hattie. He hoped she’d be glad to see him and couldn’t wait to go to her.

  His whole body ached the next morning after so many days riding in a wagon and sleeping in barns all over the countryside. He rolled onto his side, ran a hand over his tired eyes and set his feet onto the floor, then stood with a wide yawn and arms stretched high. The sun was out and the day looked bright, with only a hint of cool in the air to announce that fall was on its way.

  He dressed quickly and trotted downstairs to open the office. He found it strange that Hans wasn’t in yet – the man was an early riser and usually beat him to work. Lee was nowhere to be seen either. He frowned, tugged his hat from the peg by the door and stepped out onto the porch, peering left and right with a squint. The first thing he wanted to do was call at the Roan Horse Saloon – he’d get a chance to see Hattie and order a big breakfast at the same time.

  When he saw Lee striding toward him, his face broke into a wide grin. He slapped Lee on the back and rested his hands on his hips. “How’s it goin’, amigo?” he asked.

  Lee scratched his chin. “Oye, boss. When you get in?”

  “Last night. I’m just heading over to the saloon for breakfast.” Then Ed noticed Lee wasn’t meeting his gaze. “What is it, compadre? And where’s Hans?”

  “I not know where Hans is. But Señorita Stout told me that he beat Señorita Sweeney. And now Señorita Stout … she’s missing.”

  His heart fell into his stomach. “What? What do you mean ‘missing’?”

  “She came to the office yesterday looking for you. I told her you would be back soon. She told me about Hans and Señorita Sweeney, and she left. She seemed upset, but I no think too much of it – you know how women are sometimes. But I was just at the saloon to talk to Señorita Sweeney, and Señora Yancey said Señorita Stout did not come home yesterday.”

  Ed’s head spun with the news. Where could she be? “Did Sally check to see if her things were still in her closet?”

  Lee shook his head. “Ohhh, I no think to ask! I came here right away to see if you were back. I thought you would want to know.”

  Ed strode off toward the saloon, Lee trotting along beside him. “Thanks, Lee. And you have no idea where Hans is?”

  “No. He disappear the day you left town. At first I thought it was just one of his … you know.” Lee mimed drinking from a bottle. “But he is still not back, no one knows where he is, and what happened with Señorita Sweeney …” He trailed off into mumbled Spanish – a prayer, a curse, Ed couldn’t tell.

  Ed’s nostrils flared. He’d just returned to town and already he had two missing persons. Where could Hans be? Had something happened to both he and Hattie? He pushed through the swinging doors and into the saloon. “Sally?”

  She smiled from behind the bar, her blonde hair tucked loosely behind her ears. “Sheriff Milton, yer back. How good to see ya – we’ve missed ya ‘round these parts.” She set two shot glasses on the bar and poured whiskey into each. “Take a seat, gentlemen.”

  “We’re not here to drink.” Ed marched to the bar and rested his hands on the counter. “Where’s Hattie? Lee said she didn’t come back to the saloon yesterday. Have you seen her?”

  Sally shrugged. “Nope.”

  “Did you check her room?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “No, Sheriff, I didn’t think of that, simple as I am,” she remarked sarcastically.

  He crossed his arms. “I meant, did you notice whether her things were still in her room?”

  “Let’s go and see, I guess.” Sally waddled from behind the bar, the ever-present dishtowel over one shoulder. Ed followed her up the stairs and along the narrow hallway. She stopped at a paint-chipped door and raised a hand to knock. A voice called softly for her to come in, and she pushed the door open and poked her head through. After a few words with the occupant, she opened the door wide and motioned for Ed and Lee to follow her inside. “Sheriff, Lee, you know Daisy.”

  Ed strode directly to the closet and flung the door open. “Are these her gowns?” he asked Daisy, who sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes downcast. Then he got a good look at her and shivered. “What the …? Did Hans do that?” He hurried to her side and squatted in front of her to take a closer look.

  “I told Deputy Lee, I’m fine. I just had a little accident.” Daisy shifted away from him on the bed.

  “Accident? You look like you were in a bar fight!” He stood, clenching his fists at his sides, and glared at Sally. “You let this happen?”

  Sally stared at him defiantly. “Don’t get on yer high horse with me, Ed Milton – he’s yer deputy!” She flounced off in a swirl of skirts and petticoats.

  Ed frowned. And Hans was nowhere to be found. “You can tell us the truth, Daisy. We’ll protect you, I promise.”

  “Ye will?” Daisy seemed surprised.

  “We will. He’ll never do this to you again.”

  Daisy stared at her stocking feet, gathering her courage. “It was him. It was Hans. And it ain’t the first time, neither.”

  Ed swallowed hard and his fingers twitched. He’d like to get his hands on his deputy, but he had to focus on finding Hattie first and worry about Hans later. The deputy had probably skipped town, afraid of what Ed would do when he found out about Daisy’s injuries. He knelt in front of Daisy again. “Do you know where Hattie is? I really need your help – she’s missing and I’m worried about her.”

  She raised red eyes to meet his. “If I knew where she was, I’d tell you. But she never came home yesterday. She was just supposed to be gone for a few minutes – she went to find you, then she’d come back. When she didn’t, I just assumed the two of you were together … but when she never showed up for supper or bedtime, I knew somethin’ was wrong …” Tears rolled down her cheeks and she sniffled.

  “Thank you, Daisy.” Ed stood quickly and marched to the door. “Let’s go, Lee.”

  Lee ran after him down the hall. “Where we going, boss?”

  “Gather a posse together. We’re going looking for Hattie.”

  Lee paused, then called after him. “But we don’t know where she is. Where are we going to look?”

  “Just do as I say – I’ll meet you back at the office.” As he left the saloon, Ed considered the possibilities, but try as he might, he couldn’t think of a reason for her sudden disappearance, not with all her belongings still at the saloon. As he crossed the street his stomach growled, but once again he ignored it. Breakfast would have to wait.

  Hattie rolled over on the hard boards with a groan. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, felt a tug and heard a jangle. Jack had chained her to a support beams in the grimy, damp cabin he’d tak
en her to. She opened her eyes and stared up at the patchy roof above, grateful at least for fine weather. But still, she was a captive.

  Her arm ached where Jack’s fingers had bruised her and her back throbbed in the places he’d struck. Tears pricked her eyes as memories flooded back. She’d hoped to win Jack’s trust so he might let down his guard and she could escape. After supper, when the men had returned to their drinking and card-playing, she’d tried to sneak out the back door, but Jack had caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, beaten her repeatedly and chained her to the post. The reality of her situation now clear, she’d cried herself to sleep on the cold wood floor.

  Now she took a slow, deep breath, sat up beside the post and crossed her legs beneath her skirts. The men must still be asleep. They’d retired sometime in the night – she’d stirred as she heard them clamber drunkenly into the adjoining room – and now she could hear snoring emanating from within.

  Hattie tugged at the chain, pulling her wrist bindings taut, and wriggled her hands, opening and closing her fists and twisting them around, searching for a weak point. The noise of the links rubbing against each other would be enough to waken a sober man, and she grabbed at them to silence them, but their snoring continued. She narrowed her hands and pulled hard against one binding, grimacing, her mouth opened in a silent scream.

  One hand came free! The act left ugly red welts on her skin, but she still grinned with delight and began to work on the other wrist. The pain almost made her sob, but she wasn’t about to give up. Finally her other hand slipped free – she held it close, rocking back and forth with her eyes squeezed shut until the pain ebbed.

  She looked up and her shoulders slumped.

  Hans stood in front of her, leaning against the frame of the bedroom door. His shirt was untucked, his hair stuck out in all directions, and he looked her up and down with bloodshot eyes. “Well, well. Aren’t you clever? We’ll have to make sure to tighten those bindings the next time. That husband of yours is too soft – didn’t want to hurt you. But I’m not worried about that.”

  He walked over, grabbed her wrists and yanked her to her feet. She cried out in pain, and he pushed her against the cold hard wall. “There’s no use trying to escape, m’lady. Not a soul around these parts for miles. No one to help you. You’d have a better chance of being eaten by a bear or starving to death than getting back to town. So fix it in your mind to stay put. Got it?”

  She nodded, whimpering at the stinging in her wrists.

  He grinned and released her, but didn’t back away. “So here we are, all alone. Jack won’t be awake for hours yet. It’s just you and me.”

  His breath stank, and she couldn’t help but notice his blackened teeth beneath his swooping mustache. She smiled at him, put her hands against his chest … then shoved him backward as hard as she could. “You keep your hands off me!” she yelled.

  Hans stumbled, then caught himself and laughed. When he grabbed her again, his fingers were like pincers on her arms and she struggled beneath his grasp. His eyes narrowed and he shook her hard, smacking her head against the wall. Her vision blurred.

  The click of a hammer being cocked broke the silence. Then a gravelly voice rasped, “Step away from my wife, Hans.”

  Hans released her and spun around. She could see Jack over his shoulder, and the shotgun Jack was pointing at Hans’ head.

  “What do ya think yer doin’?” Jack snarled.

  Hans raised his hands in mock surrender and stepped toward the gun. “Just caught her trying to get away. She got out of the chains and was trying to escape again, Jack.”

  Jack’s eyes clouded with uncertainty. His gaze rested on Hattie’s face, and she felt the blood drain from it under his glare. “That so? So ya didn’t learn yer lesson last night.” He lowered the barrel of the gun slowly and straightened his back. “Mind ya don’t try it again, girl, or ya’ll be regrettin’ it. Tie her up.” He turned and walked out the front door, slamming it shut behind him.

  Hans turned on her, his face red with anger. “He’ll get his when the time comes. And so will you.” He grabbed her wrist and dragged her back to the pole. When he fastened the chains around her wrists this time, he cinched them so tight her fingers began to go numb. With a smirk, he went out the door as well.

  Hattie winced and leaned against the post, tears smarting in her eyes. How could she ever escape? Would she spend the rest of her life with these men? Would they kill her? The remnant of hope hidden in her heart since her capture evaporated, and she wept.

  Chapter 11

  Ed wiped his face with his handkerchief and sighed deeply as the rest of the posse picked its way up the winding trail between the trees behind him. They’d been searching for Hattie for a week now, and the rest of the men were tiring of it. They were done with the daily hunting trips and just wanted to spend an evening at home with their families. None believed they’d find her.

  Except him.

  Where was she? She could be holed up anywhere between Coloma and the Canadian border by now. There were miles of woods in every direction, and they hadn’t even crossed the river to search the other side. And he hadn’t heard a thing about his deputy’s whereabouts. At this stage, everyone was certain Hans had played some part in Hattie’s disappearance – including Ed.

  He made up his mind. They’d investigate the crest of this hill, then head back to town. It would be dark before they got there as it was, and some of the men were already complaining among themselves when they thought he couldn’t hear. He knew he couldn’t continue asking them to help him search.

  But he couldn’t give up. If it came down to it, he’d keep searching for Hattie on his own. She had to be somewhere – she couldn’t simply vanish into thin air …

  A wispy trail of smoke near the summit of the hill signaled the presence of a cabin. His eyes narrowed – he wasn’t aware of anyone living in this area. It was possible a settler had moved in. He didn’t know the whereabouts of every settler in the area, it was too big a space and too many people were staking claims every season for him to keep track of. But why would anyone settle at the top of a hill, where you couldn’t farm or graze?

  He signaled the rest of the crew toward the smoke and urged his horse forward to lead the way. Soon they came upon the cabin. A few tins and scraps were scattered around the clearing where it stood, and three horses stood under a lean-to beside the structure, sheltering from the heat. It didn’t look like a family home – no garden, no wagon, and no animals besides the horses.

  The sheriff held up a hand to halt the posse’s progress, then climbed down to hide behind the thick trunk of an oak. He peered around the tree, squinting through the falling darkness. There was movement inside the house – from what he could see through the narrow window, there looked to be at least two men inside.

  He crept over the dusty ground, knees bent and head low, then stopped still beside the window. With a quick, smooth movement he grabbed the window ledge and peeked over the sill, then quickly he lowered himself back to the ground and scampered back to join the rest of the men.

  Lee stepped forward to hand him the reins to his mount. “What you see, boss?” he whispered.

  Adrenaline coursed through Ed’s veins. “It’s them. Hattie’s inside on the floor – I think she’s chained to something. And I saw Hans, dozing in a chair. There’s at least one other man, but I can’t be sure how many exactly. There are two rooms and I could only see into one.”

  Lee’s eyes flew wide. “Dios mio – Hans did kidnap her!”

  “Looks that way.” They mounted up and rode back to join the rest of the group. “All right, listen up,” Ed hissed to the others. “There’s two men, maybe more, and a woman in there. Yes, the woman is Hattie Stout – she’s chained up in the middle of the room. There’s another room behind it, possibly more men in there. They’re definitely armed. And one of the men is Hans Bergman.”

  There was a general murmur in the group at his revelations.

&nbs
p; Ed gave orders for where each man should stand and how they’d enter the cabin, and they all dismounted to tie their horses to the trees. As each man checked and readied his weapons, Ed crept back toward the cabin, leading the way forward. He moved slowly up the stairs and across the porch, shotgun in hand. He tried the front door, and found it wasn’t locked. He pushed it open gently as he cocked the hammer on his weapon.

  The door creaked as it swung open. Hans jumped to his feet and dove through the bedroom doorway just as Ed’s shotgun blasted a hole in the chair he’d been sleeping on.

  Hattie screamed, just as the rest of the posse stormed the cabin. A shot resounded from the second room and the other men all took cover. But Ed crawled across the floor to Hattie, who was weeping with her head against the planks. He put an arm around her and held her.

  She glanced up at him, her eyes wide with terror as shots rang out around them. “Ed … I can’t get these off,” she whimpered, holding up her wrists.

  He nodded and tugged at her bonds, but they were fixed too tightly. He pulled again, harder this time, but still no luck. Leaning his head against hers so she could hear him, he said, “I’m sorry, Hattie, but it’s going to hurt. I’ve got to get you out of here – you might be shot if you stay. Can you manage it?”

  She nodded and shut her eyes tight as she held out her wrists toward him.

  He bit down on his lower lip, took a grip and pulled. He could see the pain written on her face, but she didn’t utter a sound. Finally, the chain slipped from one hand, dripping blood as it clanged to the floor beside her. He quickly removed the other one, then took her in his arms and carried her outside as the shooting continued behind them.

  He ran back to the horses and set her in Fire’s saddle. “Wait here – I’ll be back soon. There’s a shotgun if you need it.” He pointed to the weapon stowed in a scabbard on his saddle.

  She grasped his arm as he tried to head back. “Please don’t leave me, Ed,” she pleaded.