An Agent for Hope

by Marie Higgins

  Hope must have drifted off to sleep, but the shuffling of feet on the wooden floor brought her alert. She kept her eyes closed, hoping that the others would believe she was still asleep. The excitement in their voices let her know that they were getting ready to leave.

  The back door squeaked when it opened, and a small morning breeze blew through the room. Seconds later, someone walked over to her, so she lay as still as she could. The person’s fingers untied the ropes at her wrists, and then they left. The scent surrounding the person smelled like a freshly cooked meal. Hope assumed it was Kate who had untied her.

  The closing of the back door made Hope open her eyes and scan the room. They were gone.

  Struggling to sit up, she tried not to make sudden movements. Her head still pounded, but the slower she moved, the less it hurt. As she climbed to her feet, she braced the wall with her hands. The room started spinning, so she closed her eyes and breathed slowly, taking calming breaths.

  She started toward the door again, this time it was easier, just as long as she moved slowly. She prayed that Jesse would be all right when she reached him. If he died, it would be her fault... all because she thought she’d make a better agent working by herself. How wrong she was!

  When she finally made it to the door and opened it, the bright sun nearly blinded her. During the time she’d been kept here, the room was dimly lit. Now, the bright light hurt her eyes and made her head injury throb harder. The same symptoms were back, and she squinted against the brightness. Yet, it didn’t matter how difficult this was, she must find a way past it.

  Not knowing how early it was in the morning, she moved toward the stable in the back, hoping that not many people were awake yet. It wasn’t like her to steal a horse, but then she wasn’t really stealing it, since she’d bring it back when she was done using it.

  Luck was on her side, and she found one. It took her longer than necessary to saddle the animal, but soon, she was climbing on top and urging the horse out of the stable. She took off toward Jesse’s hotel, and when she reached it and discovered he hadn’t been in all night, she hurried to her hotel. Once again, she discovered that Jesse wasn’t there.

  Before leaving her room, she grabbed a loaded rifle and Derringer, and of course, another knife that she placed in her oversized boots. She’d thought about changing clothes, mainly because her wig was gone and her long hair shrouded her shoulders, but there wasn’t time to find something else to wear. Jesse needed her now.

  She headed toward the train tracks, knowing that if she followed the tracks, it would soon take her to where she needed to go. Riding the horse became a little easier, or maybe the pain in her head had somehow lessened. It didn’t matter, at least she was able to think clearly.

  Her heart cried for guidance, and at this moment, there was only one person who she could turn to.

  “Dear Lord,” she whispered, “I need Thy help. During this trial of my faith, I have been humbled, and I know that Thou can see me through this because Thou has helped me so much in my life, for which I’m eternally grateful. I pray, dear Lord, that Thou will wrap Thy protective arms around Jesse until I can reach him and help him. Forgive me, Lord, because I have been selfish. I see that now, and I promise to change my life. I need Jesse.” Tears filled her eyes. “I need him more than I can say, and right now, he needs me. Bless me, Lord, to remain strong during this hardship. Amen.”

  JESSE GLARED AT HIS captor, still not believing that the scrawny kid he’d seen at the cabin in the woods was actually the mastermind behind the soon-to-be mother lode train robbery. Frank had originally been in with the others, of course, but as Jesse listened to Robert, Pete, and Kate, as they discussed their next move, Jesse realized Frank wasn’t smart enough to think of this kind of plotting, especially when it came to capturing – and killing – Pinkerton agents.

  Kate and Pete held Jesse’s struggling body in the dirt near the railroad tracks as Robert clasped the iron chains on Jesse’s feet and wrists, but then the kid went one step farther and wrapped the chains around Jesse’s body, keeping him from moving his legs. They were far enough away from town that shouting for help wouldn’t do any good. In fact, if he had to guess his location, he’d say he was somewhere midpoint between Denver and Colorado Springs.

  “Where’s my wife,” Jesse demanded. “You told me that if I came with you, you’d tell me where she was.”

  “And ya believed us?” Robert threw back his head and cackled. “We are outlaws in yer mind, so why did ya trust us at all?”

  Jesse swung his gaze to Kate, pleading with her. “Please tell me what you did with Hope. Is she alive?” His voice broke as desperation filled him.

  Kate nodded. “She’s alive.”

  “Where is she?”

  “She’s—”

  “Ma,” Robert snapped, “don’t say another word.”

  Jesse ignored the scrawny kid, keeping his gaze on Kate. “She was in the back of the barbershop, wasn’t she?”

  Kate’s mouth tightened as her gaze jumped from Robert to Pete, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. Jesse could read it on her expression. Hope was there, and she was alive. Now, as long as he could figure out a way to get out of these chains and go get her, he’d be just fine.

  When the last lock was hooked to the chains surrounding Jesse, Robert stood back and silently boasted over his handy work. Nodding, he grinned. “I really don’t see ya escapin’ this time. Frank had been foolish to keep ye and yer wife unbound while at the cabin the other night. I’m not that absent-minded.”

  “No, you’re not,” Jesse agreed with the kid. “In fact, you really fooled me at the cabin while playing the skittish part.”

  Robert’s grin widened. “That’s how I act around Frank. I want him to think I’m scared of him.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it gives me control when I need it. Like now.”

  “Like father like son, eh?” Jesse arched an eyebrow. “But I honestly thought you’d have more sense than Frank.”

  Robert’s gaze narrowed. “What do ya mean by that, Slade?”

  “How many times has Frank been caught?”

  “Five times that I can recall.”

  Jesse nodded. “And yet you think you can pull this off without getting caught?”

  Robert snickered. “The two Pinkerton agents that know anythin’ will soon be dead, anyway.” He shrugged. “That’s why I’m not worried about it.”

  “That’s your first mistake.” Jesse glared. “Cocky men will always let their guard down and get caught. Always.”

  Releasing a growl, Robert swung his fist and connected it with Jesse’s jaw. He braced himself, since he’d seen it coming, but pain exploded in his cheek. Surprisingly, Robert had more strength than he appeared to have.

  “And talkin’ sass to me will only make me want to kill ya faster,” Robert snapped as he rubbed his fist.

  Jesse opened his mouth a few times, trying to stretch out the pain in his jaw. “I just don’t understand why you and your mother decided to follow in Frank’s footsteps.” He glanced at the barber. “And what about you? I never thought you’d sink this low.”

  Pete chuckled and folded his arms. “Do you know what’s on that train?” He pointed in the direction toward Denver.

  “Actually, I don’t.” Jesse shook his head.

  “Several years ago,” Robert took over the conversation, “Ma’s brother, Dalton, had been tryin’ to strike gold, but his luck was as poor as my mother’s. We knew that if Dalton ever fell into some money, he’d never share it, anyway. Frank had taken Dalton on some train robberies, but that just wasn’t Dalton’s thing, but he was determined to strike it rich one day.” Robert scratched his baby whiskers on his chin. “Then about a month ago, Frank found out that Dalton had stolen a mother lode of gold from another thief named Butch. Frank kept his ears open for more news, but his lack of concentration on train robberies was only goin’ to get him arrested. That’s when I devised my own plan,
and step one was to make sure Frank got arrested and stayed that way.”

  Jesse nodded and glanced at Kate. “Is that why you shot him?”

  Anger hardened her face. “Yes, even though I wished I had done it many times before.”

  Jesse swung his gaze to Pete. “But that still doesn’t explain why you are in with them. You’re an upstanding citizen in the community.”

  “An upstandin’ citizen,” Robert added quickly, “who wouldn’t mind sharin’ the loot with us. Besides, we needed some place to store it until we could get it out of town.”

  “Really?” Jesse chuckled. “You promised Pete you would share the gold with him?” Jesse switched his focus to the barber. “And you believed him? Did you not hear what Robert said to me a few minutes ago about being an outlaw and how I shouldn’t trust him?”

  The squeamish look on Pete’s face let Jesse know that the barber was finally starting to think about his options – and possibly, about his mistake in teaming up with Robert and Kate.

  “Don’t listen to him,” Robert growled, aiming his focus on Pete. “We’ll split the gold three ways.” He pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at it. “We’re wastin’ time. Pete, help me carry Jesse to the tracks.”

  Jesse struggled again, but his movements were limited because of the tight chains. Between his three captors, they laid Jesse across the tracks. Robert used another chain, securing Jesse to the tracks and clicking a lock on the chain.

  Helplessness grew inside him, knowing there was no way to free himself. The train wouldn’t see him in time, and he would surely die.

  “The train is scheduled to pass by this area in about twenty minutes.” Robert puffed his chest. “The engineer won’t see ye fast enough, but he’ll still try to slow down the train. That’ll give us the time we need to jump on board from that water tower.” The kid pointed toward the tower about a half mile up the tracks. He leaned down toward Jesse and patted his cheek roughly. “Thank you, Agent Slade, for helpin’ us rob this train.”

  Jesse’s head pounded as he tried to think of a way out, only because he didn’t want to think these were his last moments alive. As Robert pulled away, Jesse glanced at Kate again. “Mrs. Hinchee? Will you tell Hope that I love her?” Robert and Pete laughed, but Jesse kept his pleading eyes on the woman. “Please? I’ve never told her my feelings.”

  The woman’s eyes held a hint of sadness, and Jesse hoped she’d do as he asked.

  Robert kicked Jesse’s legs. “I’ll tell ya what. If yer wife is still alive when we get back to the shop, I’ll let Kate tell her before I shoot yer wife in the head.”

  Squeezing his eyes closed, Jesse tried not to imagine such a horrific way to die. But then, Robert definitely didn’t have any empathy at all. Jesse prayed that if it was Hopes’ turn to die, that it would be quick and painless.

  The faint sound of a train’s whistle blowing made his heart wrench with sadness. Time was running out. If there was life after death, he prayed that he and Hope would be reunited again.

  TEN

  Gradually, Hope was able to push the horse faster toward the direction she knew Robert and his gang were going to be. Off in the far distance, she saw the white cloud from the steam engine riding on the tracks. She had no idea how the gang would hop on the train, or exactly where, but she hoped Jesse was with them and that he was strong enough to leave with her.

  Up ahead on the tracks, there was something large blocking the steeled pathway for the steam engine. She squinted, trying to let her fuzzy vision decipher what the object was. When the object started moving, her heart dropped. Someone was actually lying on the tracks!

  She urged her horse faster, and her vision cleared. Jesse?

  His head turned her way and he shouted her name. Every nerve in her body turned ice-cold, but her mind had jumped alert. She didn’t care about the throbbing pain that came with it, she had to save Jesse.

  She pulled the horse to a stop and jumped off, jarring her headache even more. “Jesse... oh, dear heavens. What happened to you?”

  She dropped to her knees beside him as her gaze moved over every chain and especially, every lock on his body holding the chains together.

  “Oh, my beloved Hope... they hurt you.” His voice was tight with emotion. “We don’t have time to talk. You won’t be able to save me, but you can stop Robert and his gang from robbing the train.”

  Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked rapidly, trying not to cry. “No, Jesse. I need to help you.” She grasped a few chains, trying to pull him off the tracks, but he wasn’t budging.

  “Robert chained me to the tracks. You can’t save me.”

  The train’s terrifying whistle was closer than before. “No, Jesse. I’m going to help you. You’re more important, anyway.”

  She jumped to her feet and scanned the area. Not far from Jesse was the lever that moved the tracks, making the train switch to another track. Hope pointed to the lever. “Jesse, look!”

  Excitement shone in his eyes and he nodded. “You’ll have to grasp the lever and pull down as hard as you can.”

  She ran to the object and wrapped both hands around it. Clenching her teeth, she put all of her strength into pulling the lever... but it wouldn’t move. It looked rusted. She released it and shook her arms. This must be done, or Jesse would die.

  When she tried again, the lever moved slightly, but the tracks didn’t switch – not even a little. She growled and tried one more time. Nothing. There must be something that was stronger than her.

  She glanced around the ground, searching for a fallen tree limb or something very similar, but trees were not in the area, which meant, there were no tree branches.

  Suddenly, her mind opened. I brought a rifle!

  She darted toward her horse and the saddlebag. The chugging of the train’s wheels sounded closer than before. Her heart beat wildly, but she didn’t dare look toward the train, yet. That would only make her more anxious.

  Hope slid the rifle out of the pouch and dashed back toward the lever. Up ahead, the train turned around the bend, heading for Jesse. Had the engineer seen them? But when the train’s whistle lasted longer and came faster, she prayed they had seen Jesse lying on the tracks and that they’d stop the train.

  Using the rifle, she swung it against the lever over and over, whacking it as hard as she could. But the danged thing hadn’t budged the lever. Tears blurred her eyes and she tried one more time. A crack ripped through the air, and the rifle in her hands shifted. But as she gazed in horror at the broken rifle, her heart sank. It hadn’t done anything to move the lever.

  “No!” she screamed, throwing the useless weapon on the ground. Think, Hope! She pushed her fingers through her hair as frustration filled her, tightening her chest that much more. Suddenly, her fingers brushed against a hairpin. She yanked it out, looking at it. Her mind opened up as the memory of her childhood friend taught her how to pick locks using a hairpin.

  She ran back to Jesse and fell to his side. “Which chain is the one that attaches you to the tracks?”

  “This one,” he said, moving his fingers to pull on the chain.”

  The train’s whistle was louder this time, but seconds later came the squealing grind of the train’s wheels trying to stop the iron beast coming toward them at full speed.

  She couldn’t stop herself this time. She peeked over her shoulder toward the train. It was much closer. There was no way it would stop in time, either.

  She turned back to Jesse and slid the hairpin into the lock. Tears filled her eyes and slid down her cheeks, but she continued to blink them away in order to see what she was doing.

  The train’s whistle continued to blow until she wanted to scream. The noise was not helping her nerves.

  Jesse lay still, watching her, but she didn’t have time to look into his dreamy eyes and confess her feelings. Determination rushed through her as she continued to try and pick the lock.

  Suddenly, the lock clicked... and opened. She gasped loudly, as
did Jesse.

  Hope yanked on the free chain, loosening it from the tracks. Jesse struggled, assisting her. Once the chain was released, she grasped the other chains around him, using them to roll him on the tracks.

  She didn’t need to look to see how close the train was to them. The squealing of the tires and heat from the engine on her back, let her know.

  Finally, she was able to roll him off the tracks. She jumped toward him. The air from the engine blew against her legs, but thankfully, she pulled away from the train mere seconds before it could hit her.

  Her tears fell faster now as relief swept over her. She continued to pick the two other locks that still had Jesse chained. Within minutes, they were unlatched, and he pushed them off his body. As he reached for her, she fell against him, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

  “Oh, Jesse... I can’t believe—”

  “Shhh, it’s okay.” He kissed her forehead, pulling her body closer to his.

  Finally, the train came to a stop well past the area where Jesse had been laying. Silently, she said a prayer of thanks for the Lord’s help. She wouldn’t have been able to do it without Him.

  He withdrew slightly and touched the bandage around her head. “Are you all right?”

  She nodded. “Just a little dizzy and I have a headache, but I’ll live.” Her heart clenched with deep emotion as she gazed into his caring eyes. She wanted to tell him everything that had been on her mind yesterday and today, but that would have to wait. “Jesse, Robert—”

  “Yes, I know.” He jumped to his feet. “Did you bring another gun?”

  She nodded and pulled out the Derringer from her overcoat pocket. “This is all I have now that the rifle is broken.”

  “It’ll work.” He briefly kissed her on the lips and pulled away. “You stay here, I need to stop—”

  “No,” she said quickly.

  His eyes widened. “No?”

  “No more, Jesse. I’m tired of working apart. It’s better if we’re together.”