Alexandra's Awakening (Pearson Grove Book 2)

by Caroline Clemmons

  Milton met his gaze. “Probably rather as long as he gets his money.”

  “We might as well turn in, Milton. I can’t think of anything else we can do tonight. Likely to be another long day tomorrow.”

  “I’ll bunk on the cot in your office. I can’t get into the boarding house at this hour.”

  “You’re welcome to use my spare room.”

  “Naw, I’ll be fine here. You take Buddy on home.”

  Virgil bid him goodnight and walked the short distance to his house. Buddy cavorted beside him, apparently happy to be in the open. In spite of the serious situation, he couldn’t help smiling at the dog’s antics. Buddy sure was a lot of company.

  This end of town was quiet with nothing to distract him from introspection. Poor Alexandra and Lula. Both must be half out of their minds with worry. Mrs. Novak concerned him less. Sedation appeared her solution to problems.

  No, he was being unfair. She had intended to remain vigilant until the housekeeper and doctor suggested otherwise. Yet, Alexandra had said her mother knew even less about the family’s finances than she did.

  Somewhere Byron and Ron were at the mercy of a merciless man. Where were they? He prayed they’d be all right and that he could find and rescue them.

  ***

  In spite of his late night, Virgil was up early. He let Buddy into the back yard while he shaved. No matter how much he’d lain awake, he couldn’t think of a better course than he and Milton had come up with last night.

  He moved the coffee pot to a safe place and banked the fire, hoping he would be back home this evening. “Buddy, come.”

  Back at the jail’s office, he found Milton hunched over a cup of hot brew.

  His deputy raised his coffee mug in a toast. “Morning. Horses are saddled and ready to ride when you say so. Haven’t heard anything from the Novak house. Don’t know if they’ve had another ransom note.”

  “Let’s stop by there before we leave town. If they’d heard from the kidnapper, I believe one of us would have sent word. Still, I’d like to see how they’re doing. I reckon I’d better get someone on duty here while we’re gone.”

  “Who you figure, Claud or Rick?”

  “Let’s check with our Fire Chief first.” He looked at his dog. “Buddy, stay.”

  Buddy sighed and plopped onto the old blanket that was his office bed.

  The two men led their horses behind the jail to the fire station.

  Claud Miller had the pump unassembled. “What brings the law this morning?”

  Virgil stopped and patted his horse’s nose. “There’s been trouble. We both need to be gone today. Can you watch the office in case there’s a problem?”

  Rick Tippen stepped from around the back of the pump wagon. “I can finish this, Chief.”

  Claud grabbed a rag and wiped his hands. “Thanks, Rick. I’ll walk on over to the sheriff’s office.” He tossed the rag to the side and looked at Virgil. “Any special instructions?”

  Virgil explained about the kidnapping. “I don’t know how you can get word to us if there’s another demand. Tell the women to hold off as long as they can. We’ll be back this afternoon but it may be late. Oh, and keep my dog until Freddie Pate comes for him, will you?”

  Claud waved as Virgil and Milton rode toward the Novaks.

  Milton remained in the saddle once they arrived. “You plan on being long?”

  “Only the few minutes I’ll need to see if there’s been another note and let the women know our plans for the day.” Virgil dropped his horse’s reins and strode to the front door.

  Alexandra must have been watching for him. She opened the front door before he could knock or ring the bell.

  “We had another note about an hour ago.” She stood aside to admit him to the house.

  He removed his hat as he followed her. “How did you get the note?”

  “A young boy brought it. I didn’t recognize him. He said he didn’t know the man who gave it to him but the man gave him a half dollar to deliver it.” She walked ahead. “It’s right over here.”

  He took it from her and read.

  You have thirty-six hours to raise the cash. If you don’t come up with the five thousand, you’ll never see your menfolks again. You get the money and I’ll let you know where to take it.

  “That gives us until about seven tomorrow evening. Milton and I are going to the quarry now to see if we can find Lonnie or any of his workers. They’ve likely deserted him but there might be one or two hanging around. We’ll be back by this evening. Please, stay here and don’t do anything until we return.”

  “I have to do something. Lula and I are going mad. Mama’s refusing to come out of her room and Mrs. Connor is taking care of her. Ella is here today and she’s trying to help.” She leaned near him. “Actually, she’s in the way.”

  Lula came in from the kitchen. “Would you like breakfast, Virgil?”

  Actually, a meal sounded good. “Naw, we’d better get on our way. Please, neither of you do anything until we get back this afternoon. If for some reason we don’t return, Claud Miller is deputized.”

  Both women rushed toward him with alarmed expressions.

  Alexandra grabbed his arm. “What do you mean, if you don’t return?”

  He patted her hand where it rested on his arm. “Don’t get excited. There are lots of reasons we might be delayed. We arranged matters with Claud so that if we’re stuck somewhere, you won’t be without resources.”

  She frowned slightly and her blue eyes held anxiety. “That’s not how you sounded. You made the situation sound deadly.”

  “I’m sorry I frightened you. Please, stay here where we can find you when we return.”

  Alexandra “All right, but we’re both going crazy trying to keep busy. We need to do something positive to help.”

  “The most helpful thing you can do right now is to remain here in the house and wait. Knit or embroider or play cards or whatever you need to do to kill time.” He kissed her forehead. “I know, bake a pie or two for a couple of lawmen. We’ll be hungry when we return.”

  At least she smiled. “I might consider baking if you promise you’ll be careful?”

  “We’re always careful. I’ll see you later.” He strode outside and climbed on his horse.

  Chapter Twelve

  Byron Novak wriggled to search for a more comfortable position. His hands were tied behind him and his legs were bound. At least Becknell had removed the filthy rags from his and Ron’s mouth.

  Ron whispered, “Careful you don’t call attention to us.”

  The bruise on his face had darkened in the time they’d been captive. When they’d reached the boat, Ron had tried to escape. Becknell had hit Ron with a wrench.

  “Think your jaw is broken?”

  Ron moved his mouth and chin as if testing them. “Naw, but it’s sore as all get out. My ear is still ringing and I can’t see much out of that eye from the swelling.”

  The sun rose higher and sent shafts of light into the derelict boat’s cabin. That’s when Byron spotted the crate near them. Dynamite—and it must be old and leaking.

  His chest locked and he couldn’t breathe. Becknell didn’t plan for Ron and him to leave this boat alive. Should he tell Ron?

  “Son, we have to get as far as we can from that box.”

  “I noticed the water or something wet oozing from the bottom and moved my legs.”

  “It’s not just moisture, it’s nitroglycerine leaking out from old dynamite. I’m afraid he intends to leave us where we are and blow up the boat.”

  “I hope he’ll wait until he has the money. That’ll give Virgil time to find us.”

  Byron nodded but he couldn’t answer. How could the sheriff or anyone else find them? Who else knew Becknell had a boat?

  They’d tried all night to get out of their ropes. The knots were so tight a knife would be required to cut the binding. Neither he nor Ron had made any progress at loosening the cords. They had only raw and bleeding
wrists for their efforts.

  The images of his wife and daughters filled his mind and he closed his eyes against the pain of loss. His life had seemed perfect at last. How could he know a madman would destroy everything he’d worked for all his life?

  All he knew to do was keep praying help would arrive in time to save his son and him.

  ***

  Virgil had only a vague recollection of the quarry, which was barely within his jurisdiction. He and Milton rode for an hour before they saw Becknell Quarry on a sign. The gate was locked. They looped their reins around the gate and climbed over.

  He stood with his hands at his hips. “Lots of equipment sitting idle and rusting.”

  Milton gestured toward a large shed. “If it was mine I’d park it in there when it wasn’t in use. At least that would protect it from the weather.”

  “But, you’d be working today and making a profit. Let’s see if we can find anyone around. I say we stick together.”

  His deputy scanned the area—as Virgil was doing—while they walked. “I agree. I wouldn’t put it past him to pick us off one at a time.”

  They checked building by building. In the third, they discovered a man. At first, Virgil had thought him dead, but closer inspection revealed the strong smell of alcohol amid loud snores while the man snuggled up to a shotgun.

  After moving the firearm out of his reach, Milton shook the man’s shoulder. “Hey, wake up.” He sent Virgil a look and rolled his eyes. “Whew.”

  Sputtering and cursing, the man sat up. “Who are you and what call you got to be here?” He reached around him as if searching for his gun.

  “I’m Deputy Milton Sprouse and this is Sheriff Virgil Witt. Who are you and why are you here?”

  The man rubbed his face as is scrubbing away sleep. “I’m Roy Pharr, the night watchman. My job to be here.”

  “Where’s your boss, Lonnie Becknell?”

  “Don’t know, I ain’t his momma. He keeps his own hours.”

  Virgil moved in close as his nose could stand. “Anyone else around?”

  “How would I know. I ain’t the day watchman.” He chortled as if he were clever.

  Virgil would be surprised if this man knew anything except where the liquor was kept. “All right, go back to dreamland and we’ll keep looking around.”

  “You better not bother nothin’ or the boss’ll be mighty mad. He’s out of sorts lately anyway since his old lady up and left.”

  “Thanks for the warning.” Virgil closed the door behind them.

  They continued their search. What passed for an office held little to offer other than overdue bills.

  At one of the sheds, the padlock hung loose. Virgil stopped and prickles raised the hairs on his neck. He removed the lock and opened the door slowly. “Milton, this doesn’t look good.”

  A box labeled dynamite had been opened. He leaned down and examined the sticks.

  He looked up and met Milton’s gaze. “Man, look at these.”

  “Quarries always use dynamite. What am I supposed to see?”

  Virgil pointed to the moisture around the crates’ bottom. “Look here, the sticks are sweating.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “They’re unstable and sweating nitro. You never know what will set them off.” Virgil moved back toward the door.

  He continued, “After I left the farm, I worked railroad construction cutting a pass through a mountain. Only stayed with that for six months, but long enough to learn more than I ever wanted to about explosions.”

  Milton’s eyes widened and his mouth gaped before he recovered. “You worked with dynamite?”

  “An old man sort of mentored me. He said people have fired a bullet into a box of those old sticks without an explosion. Other times, a rat or mouse walking by was enough movement to set off a blast.”

  Milton peered around. “Hey, this looks like a space where a box used to set.” He squatted on his heels. “Couldn’t have been gone long because the moisture on the shed floor still looks wet.”

  He stood and rejoined Virgil. “Let’s get out of here fast. What if Lonnie has stored one of these wherever he has Byron and Ron? We have to find the two quickly.”

  “We’ve searched the quarry. Don’t have any idea where else they could be. The father-in-law has already sold the house where Lonnie and his wife used to live.”

  Virgil shut the door to the shed and closed the padlock in place. At least that would keep someone from wandering in. “There has to be some place he hides and we have to find it.”

  “I say we nail that Pharr to the wall and see what he’ll tell us.”

  Virgil removed his hat and used his handkerchief to mop his brow. “Whether he can or not, we need to find out if dynamite is missing.”

  They strode toward the shed where they’d left the sleeping man. The door was open and the man had disappeared.

  Virgil looked around. “He’s gone. Probably went to warn Lonnie.”

  Milton picked up an empty whiskey bottle. “Or to get more alcohol. Or both.”

  “Let’s ride by where Lonnie used to live. If the new owners haven’t taken possession, he might have broken in to camp there.”

  The new family had moved in two weeks ago. They hadn’t seen Lonnie but said they’d been warned about the man.

  The husband nodded toward the house. “Got a good price on the place because of the threat of that man, Becknell. He came around the day we moved in and I told him everyone in my family is a crack shot and that he’d be smart to avoid this place. Haven’t seen him since.”

  At the small riverside store, owner Horace Brady insisted he had no idea where Lonnie might be.

  As they left, Milton glanced back. “He was flat out lying.”

  “I agree but what can we do? Even if we forced him to go with us to jail, we can’t force him to talk and don’t have grounds to arrest him.”

  “I’ll bet there’s moonshine on his premises.”

  Virgil shook his head at the deputy. “Man really got under your skin, didn’t he?”

  “I don’t like being lied to. If we’d searched, I figure we’d have found violations.”

  “Likely but right now I’m more interested in finding Lonnie or figuring out where he has the Novak men stashed. This makes almost eighteen hours since they were kidnapped. I hope he’s at least giving them water.”

  “Probably not. I don’t think he plans on them going free.”

  “I’m afraid you’re right. All the more reason to move fast.”

  ***

  Alexandra paced the parlor.

  Lula laid aside the book she’d been staring at. “Stop pacing. Surely there’s something we can do besides sit here and worry.”

  “Virgil told us to stay here, but surely it’s all right if we walk around the yard. Let’s go to the fence and pet Buddy.”

  Lula rose to her feet. “That’s a great idea. Maybe we could bring Buddy here. I’ll bet he’s lonely.”

  “What can we use for a leash? Virgil has been training him but I don’t know if he’d obey us. We don’t want him running loose.”

  “Do you have an old chemise or petticoat we could tear into strips?”

  “My old clothes burned, remember?”

  “Oh, of course. Let’s use my old petticoat. It’s little more than a rag anyway.”

  “Wonderful. We can use Mama’s sewing scissors.”

  The two raced upstairs to Lula’s room.

  Lula opened a drawer and pulled out a petticoat. “Here it is. I don’t think we’ll need scissors.” She ripped a strip from the bottom.

  Alexandra wasn’t too preoccupied to notice the garment was the kind of dingy no amount of bluing would help. The fabric was worn thin and had been patched neatly in a couple of places. Once again, she was struck by the differences in their lives.

  Guilt punched her in the stomach for the way she’d treated Lula and talked about her. Alexandra was trying to be a better person. She’d try to make up to Lula
for all the mean things she’d said to and about her.

  After they’d knotted the strips into a long length, they hurried down the back stairs and out to the back yard.

  At the fence, Alexandra called “Buddy. Come here, Buddy.”

  Buddy barked and raced to the fence. Freddie Pate came around the side of the house.

  Puzzled, Alexandra asked, “Are you taking care of Buddy?”

  “I feed him lots of days. I always check at the jail first. Since the sheriff’s gone, I knew I needed to bring Buddy here.”

  Lula leaned over the fence to pat the dog. “We want to take him home with us until the sheriff comes back. Would you help us?”

  Freddie shifted his weight and frowned. After mulling over the request, he said, “I reckon it’d be all right.”

  “We’ll go around to the front gate.”

  The two girls sped around the fence to the front.

  Freddie met them there. “He’s already had his food but he gets thirsty. Be sure and give him a big pan of water.”

  Alexandra fixed the makeshift leash to Buddy’s collar. “Freddie, you are the most industrious boy I have ever heard of. By the time you’re grown, you’ll be wealthy.”

  A wide smile appeared on his face. “I hope so. Now that Pa is working at your bank, I get to keep the money I earn.”

  Across the street, Mrs. Tucker came out on her porch. “Yoo hoo, Miss Novak.” She tottered down her walk.

  Alexandra worried about the lady who didn’t seem steady on her feet. “We’ll come over there, Mrs. Tucker.”

  Lula whispered, “Oh, dear, Virgil told us to stay at home.”

  “There’s nothing to be gained by taking a chance on Mrs. Tucker falling.” Aloud, Alexandra said, “Come with me, Lula. She wants to meet you.”

  Freddie took the petticoat leash. “I’ll watch Buddy for you.”

  When they reached the lady, she was all smiles. “How nice to see the two of you together. I’m so glad you’ll soon be sisters. You look as if you should be.”

  Alexandra took her arm to guide her toward her home. “Thank you, Mrs. Tucker. We haven’t come to visit because Papa and my brother have been kidnapped. We’ve been so upset.”