Nueces Justice

by Greathouse, Mark

  Soon enough, they were all sharing a tribal pipe, and it wasn’t long before the council broke the circle for the evening. As everyone headed off to their teepees, Three Toes stood alone looking out over the expanse of prairie in the dim moonlight. He wondered about his new-found friend, Captain Dunn, the Ghost-Who-Rides. Had he used his strong medicine once again to defeat another man of evil spirits? He smiled as he wondered whether Luke would return to the young woman on the farm. He sensed that Luke had feelings for her.

  “Three Toes?” Long Feathers came beside his chief. “Are we to ride north to our ancestors’ homes?”

  Three Toes shook his head. “You will go before the full moon. You will lead our people north, Long Feathers.”

  “Are you not joining us?”

  Three Toes found it hard to answer. “I will find you later. I feel drawn by strong spirits to find Ghost-Who-Rides.” He hoped Long Feathers would understand. The Great Spirit was calling Three Toes on a quest.

  “You will go alone?”

  “That is what the Great Spirit tells me.”

  Long Feathers nodded knowingly and headed back to his teepee. Three Toes had just given him an important assignment.

  Three Toes would tell his wives in the morning. For now, he was simply too tired to deal with them. Perhaps he’d impregnated one of them that afternoon, and he’d be father to a great Comanche warrior who would save their people.

  ***

  Cav heard hoof beats galloping behind him. Was that fool Ranger following him? Or was it the girl? He pulled up at a live oak motte and looked back from whence he’d come. He pulled the rifle from its scabbard just in case.

  “Cav!” the woman shouted.

  “Dang,” he thought. The last thing he needed was a woman to slow him down, especially some Laredo whore. “Over here.” He yielded to the inevitable.

  She rode to where he sat astride a pale buckskin horse. She half-smiled as she shook out her red curls. “Are you glad to see me?”

  What was he supposed to say? Damn woman. “What would you like me to say?” Uh-oh, that was nasty.

  A stunned expression swept across her freckled face. There was a sense that tears could flow at any moment.

  “I’m sorry. Guess I can’t believe you followed me.” He dismounted and grabbed her horse’s bridle. “Get down so I can get a better look at you.” Their passionate dalliance in Laredo began to come back to him. She was no sooner dismounted than he pulled her close, joining in a tight, lustful embrace. He felt her body begin to yield, as sensual animal cravings invaded her inner core. She wrapped one leg around him, pulling him even closer. She could feel his rippling muscles beneath the rough cotton fabric of his shirt. This is what her chase from Laredo had been all about.

  In seconds, he’d thrown up her skirt and began madly having his way with her. She locked herself around his hips. Finally finished, Cav broke free of her vice-like grip. He stood above her, looking down at his little Laredo whore as he refastened his trousers. “It’s Scarlett, right?”

  He saw the satisfaction on her face, no doubt delighted that he remembered her name. She smiled up at him, her long eyelashes fluttering down across her eyes. “Can I come with you to Corpus Christi?” she asked.

  As he pondered that eventuality, he got to thinking that he’d be less likely to be discovered with her along. He reasoned that a couple would be less suspicious. “Yes, you can come with me to Corpus Christi, Scarlett.” He said her name again as a sort of bonding sign.

  She stood, straightened her skirt, and hugged him. The thought of the moment of passion they’d just shared lingered between them.

  “We’d better get going,” he said. “I don’t want that Ranger to catch up.”

  She gave him a questioning glance, as if she wondered why he was concerned about Captain Dunn, but didn’t say anything further.

  Together, they turned toward their destination.

  ***

  Luke noticed that Elisa couldn’t stop talking through Bernice’s breakfast. Finally, she stopped long enough to ask, “Do you have time to come out and see what I’ve done to the farm?”

  He gave her offer some thought. He figured Cav and Scarlett wouldn’t be getting so far off that he’d be unable to pick up their trail. That took care of one worry.

  For the other, he was in a bit of a daze. This was a totally new experience, plus he had these new feelings to deal with. He’d certainly never had any lasses in Ireland make him feel this way, and there were many who tried. Perhaps it was something in the Texas air.

  He nodded. “Sure. I’d be happy to come visit.”

  “Wonderful. Let’s head out as soon as I get my supplies,” she said, smiling at him with that charming way she had.

  A scant hour later, they climbed aboard her wagon, Luke next to her on the seat and the big grey stallion tied behind as they headed out of Nuecestown.

  ***

  “Jefe, mira la ciuded.” One of the Caballeros Negros alerted Perez, pointing in the direction of the road out of Nuecestown.

  Perez watched as Luke and Elisa left in the wagon. He wondered where they were headed.

  “Hmmm. A dónde van?” It was a rhetorical question. “Vamos a seguir.” He motioned them to follow him. They’d keep their distance to see what sort of opportunity presented itself.

  About an hour later, Perez watched as Luke and Elisa climbed down from the wagon, unhitched the mules, and loaded a few supplies inside the house. A young boy joined them on the steps at the front of the cabin.

  Perez was determined to remain patient. He didn’t know if the woman or even the young boy could shoot, so was concerned at minimizing his risk. He watched as the woman gave what appeared to be a tour around the property. It looked as though the Ranger was holding her hand. This would make his revenge even sweeter. He determined to overcome Luke and rape the woman before the very eyes of the Ranger and the boy.

  ***

  The sun was soon high overhead.

  “Can I cook up a bit of lunch for you, Luke?” Elisa asked.

  Luke smiled. “That sounds perfect, Elisa. I’ll need to get back afterward, though. I do have my Ranger duties.”

  Elisa thought about the difference between Luke and Sheriff Whelan. In her admittedly biased judgment, her Texas Ranger was by far the better man.

  She cooked up some beef she’d been saving for a special occasion. Unlike Bernice’s pot roast, Elisa knew just how to bring the perfect flavor and juices from the meat. Soon enough, the three of them were seated at the little table in what served as a kitchen.

  Elisa could tell that Luke was thoroughly enjoying her cooking. It confirmed what her mother had told her about good food being the way to a man’s heart. They had just about finished when they heard a shout.

  “Senor Dunn, salga, por favor.”

  Luke had no idea who was calling. A quick look out the window revealed eight nasty-looking hombres. They were armed to the teeth.

  “Quién está aquí?” Luke offered the inquiry in his halting Spanish laced with Texas twang and Irish brogue.

  “Mi nombre es Carlos Perez.” Perez knew he was being watched. “He venido a materte. Me robaste el ojo.” It was Perez at his boldest. Let your prey know you were there to kill him and why.

  Luke quickly realized this was the rustler he’d chased off near Corpus Christi. He must have cost the man an eye, and now he sought revenge.

  “Rendirse y yo le perdomo a la mujer.” Evidently, Perez figured he’d at least try to lure Luke into surrendering by promising not to harm the woman.

  Luke was not falling for that old trick. He looked at Elisa. He’d go down fighting for her.

  As Luke was deciding his next step, there was a faint whoosh, then another. Two of the Caballeros Negros fell from their horses with arrows in their backs. Perez’s odds had suddenly been reduced. He wheeled his horse to face the new threat. He could see nothing. Another whoosh and another bandit fell from his saddle.

  “Vamonos!” Pere
z yelled, and he and his remaining men turned and galloped away as fast as their horses could carry them.

  “Elisa, stay here.” Luke cautiously emerged from the cabin about the time Three Toes appeared.

  Luke quickly recognized the chief. “My friend, you are a welcome sight.” Luke stepped forward and hugged the Comanche war chief, who was caught off guard by Luke’s expression of thanks.

  Elisa joined them. “Luke, who is this?”

  “This,” he said proudly, “is Three Toes, a chief of the Penateka Comanche. We have become friends.”

  Elisa smiled at the chief, even though her only encounters with Comanche had not been positive experiences.

  “Thank you.” That was about all she could get out in her amazement.

  “What brought you here, my friend?” Luke asked.

  “I heard your call.”

  Luke wasn’t going to doubt Three Toes.

  “I see that you came back and buried your warriors.” Luke had noticed the stones piled over the bodies of the warriors killed in the attack on Elisa’s farm. “I tried to respect your Comanche brothers.”

  Three Toes smiled appreciatively. “I told you, Ghost-Who-Rides. You are not like other white men. You have strong medicine.” He took Elisa’s hand. She reflexively wanted to pull back her hand as memories of the wild Comanche coming at her flashed through her mind, but she found herself allowing Three Toes to grasp it.

  Three Toes looked deeply into her eyes. “This man will keep you ever safe. Be loyal to him, trust in him, and love him.”

  With that, he turned to Luke. “I must catch up with my people, my brother. I will see you in another place. We are leaving this land.” He said the final sentence matter of factly. He mounted his pony and was soon gone. No tears. No sad good-byes.

  Luke looked about the clearing in front of Elisa’s cabin. “Seems that every time I visit, we have dead bodies to get rid of.” It was a bit of sick humor. “I’m thinking we deliver these critters to Sheriff Whelan.” He dragged the bodies over to the wagon and lifted them in one by one. It was a distasteful task and, while Luke was thankful to be done with it, he wasn’t quite ready to leave. He moved the wagon away from the cabin a bit, as it wasn’t an especially appetizing sight.

  He walked over to where Elisa was standing in the doorway and looked down at her expectant expression. “Well, we’ve barely finished lunch. We’ll take care of this later.” The bodies of the Caballeros Negros in the wagon weren’t going anywhere.

  “Mike, would you please clean out the mule stalls?” Her brother dutifully headed toward the stable without question. “Captain Dunn and I have some matters to discuss,” she called after him. “Oh, and be sure to clean your boots before you come back into the cabin.” She knew that the boot cleaning would be a noisy affair and give fair warning of his return from the chore.

  She looked at Luke. “What are you standing there for? We have lunch to finish.” And she headed into the cabin with Luke close behind. They sat back at the table, only this time Elisa pulled her chair around next to Luke. She’d been talking to the ladies around Nuecestown and at a couple of neighbor spreads. She was cautioned to not be too forward. A woman didn’t want to scare away a man by coming on too strong. Aggressive women did whoring; not sparking. She’d do well to follow their advice.

  Luke shifted uncomfortably.

  “What is Ireland like?” she asked.

  The question hit Luke like a bolt from the sky. He started telling her his story, and found himself becoming more comfortable with her. He told the tales of his family and Ireland, of the clans and sects, and the heathers of County Kildare, of the Great Famine and the British, of the religious persecution, and why he immigrated to Texas. A few minutes quickly turned into an hour.

  Soon, they heard Mike beating his boots with a stick near the front door. He’d be a bit hungry and thirsty after his chores in the stable.

  Elisa realized they had only a few more minutes of privacy. She placed her hand over Luke’s. “I want to learn more about you, Luke Dunn.”

  There was an awkward moment. Luke looked down at her next to him. Their faces were just inches apart. As if by some strange force, he found himself bringing his lips to hers. The sweetness was overwhelming.

  Just then, Mike burst through the door. Elisa blushed. Luke pulled back and gasped.

  Mike gave a knowing look inappropriate to his young years.

  “I was telling Captain Dunn that we were worried that those bad men might return.” Elisa gathered her wits. “Perhaps you can go with him this afternoon to take those men to Sheriff Whelan’s office.”

  “Will you be safe, Sis?”

  Luke stepped into the conversation. “You have a brave sister, Mike. She killed Comanche. I think those bandits are long gone. She should be safe with you and me gone for an hour or so.”

  They hitched the mules back up, Mike joined Luke on the seat, and off they went to Nuecestown.

  They hadn’t gone far before Mike started up his chatter. How did you catch Bad Bart? Who was that Comanche? Why did you become a Texas Ranger? Who are you going to capture next? What kind of gun do you use? Does your horse have a name? What did you do to your hand? Why do you squeeze that bandana? Where are you from? There seemed no end of questions, and Luke did his best to answer them in a way that a young boy could fully appreciate.

  “Let me ask you a question, Mike.”

  “Sure…I mean, yes, sir, Captain Dunn.”

  “Have you given any thought to the three dead men in our wagon?” Luke asked him.

  “They were bad men. They smell.”

  Luke forced a gentle, understanding smile. “Yes, they were bad men, and yes, they certainly do have an odor. But they were men, Mike. They were born, had mothers and fathers, grew up, perhaps had some trade or skill, but somewhere at some time they turned bad. Something went wrong in their lives, and they were not able to deal with it. Why might that happen, Mike?”

  This tested young Mike’s mettle. He strove for an answer, but could only offer an inquisitive expression of, “Why?”

  “They lost hope, Mike. They lost the faith and trust in God that would have led them down a path to resist the bad things.” He saw that Mike understood him. “I’ve never met a lawbreaker here or even in Ireland that had faith in the higher power of God.”

  Mike nodded. “I think I understand, Captain Dunn.”

  “So these aren’t just the bodies of bad men we’re hauling to Nuecestown, Mike. These are men who lost their way. It’s sad. We can be forgiving, Mike, but it doesn’t pardon the sinner from punishment. That’s why men like me bring lawbreakers to justice.”

  Mike considered Luke’s advice. His young mind turned, adjusting to the life reality Luke had just shared. Mike was having to grow up fast, and life lessons would often not be easy. He liked the idea of Luke being around.

  Soon, they’d deposited the three dead Caballeros Negros behind the sheriff’s office with a note to Whelan, and headed back to the farm. Mike was suddenly silent.

  “Why so quiet, Mike?” Luke asked.

  “Are you leaving us tonight?”

  Luke understood. Here was a youngster who’d lost his parents and brother. The men in his life had abandoned him through no fault of his own. “I must leave, young man. It wouldn’t do to have a man stay overnight in your cabin with your sister being unmarried. People would say some nasty things about her.” He noticed Mike’s crestfallen face. “But I’ll be around. I’ll always try to be around.”

  Mike was quiet for a while longer, then mustered up the courage for his most important question. “Do you love my sister?”

  Luke stopped the wagon and gazed thoughtfully, first at the horizon and then at Mike. The thought of the kiss ran through his heart. “I reckon I might. Yes, it seems so.” He chucked at the mules and urged them on.

  The wagon lurched forward, and Mike sat with a satisfied smile on his sweet, still boyish face. “I like you, Captain Dunn.”

 
They pulled up at the corral. “Can you unhitch these mules, Mike?”

  “Yes, sir. I sure can, Captain Dunn.”

  Luke headed for the cabin. He smelled some good cooking going on as he drew closer. “Anybody home?”

  The door opened. “You have an appetite?” She stood before him wearing the new blue dress she’d made special just for him.

  “You sure are pretty, Miss Corrigan.”

  The meal was wonderful. Luke thought how he might grow used to this life. Why, Elisa as likely cooked better than his own mother.

  “So you’re headed back to Nuecestown this evening?” she asked him.

  “You know I must, Elisa.” His expression said he didn’t want to but had to.

  “Will you visit tomorrow?”

  “I expect so, but then I must get on to Corpus Christi. I need to do my duties.”

  Elisa sighed. “Can we take a walk?”

  By now, the nearly full moon lit the landscape, and there were stars as far as the eye could see. Elisa led him down the well-worn path toward the creek to a rocky outcrop. There they sat on a rock, listened to the gurgling creek below, and gazed up at the majestic prairie sky.

  “We have beautiful skies in Ireland, Elisa. But nothing so grand as here in Texas. Here the horizon seems to never end. And the stars…they’re like a million Irish fairies and pixies dancing and glittering across the night sky.” It came easily to Luke. Out on the Strip alone at night where the only noise seemed to be the blinking of the stars, he’d learned to appreciate the magnificence of it all. He’d even studied them such that he was able to navigate by the heavens.

  She was taken with the image Luke painted. The starry sky had become an image of their souls. She’d never imagined that this tough Texas Ranger, who’d just disposed of a much-feared desperado and fought Comanche, could have such a vulnerable side. None of the men in her life ever showed such feelings.

  “I’m happy, Luke. I’m so happy you came back.” She moved just a bit closer, so they were barely touching.

  Luke put his arm around her shoulder. There was something in her closeness that aroused urges within him that he hadn’t felt since leaving Ireland. The low sound of her breathing in the silent night caused his thoughts to drift to imagining how it might feel to pull her close, to hold her body against his, to love her as she ought to be loved. “I’ll always be here, Elisa.”