Sharon Poppen

by Hannah

  The girl was trying to wrench her arm free from Liam grasp, but at the sound of the sheriff’s voice, her body went limp. She gave up the fight.

  “Girl! I asked you a question.”

  With her head cowered, her long, blond hair hung loosely, creating a curtain around her face. She mumbled something, but kept her face hidden.

  “What’d you say? Speak up, girl. Look at me.” The sheriff reached for her hair.

  Hannah hurried between them and touched the girl’s shoulder just above Liam’s grasp. At Hannah’s nod, Liam released the girl.

  “Cassie, is that your name?” Hannah asked.

  The girl remained frozen in place, as if Liam still held her.

  “Please. We’re here to see if we can help, in any way, to find out who killed this family. Do you know something that would help us?”

  “These folks was sheep people,” explained the sheriff. “Cassie here comes from cattle people. There’s no way she knows anything that could help us.”

  Hannah took the girl’s hand and led her to a porch bench. As they sat down, she nodded toward the house. Liam took the hint and motioned for the sheriff to join him in the kitchen.

  Once they were alone, Hannah tried again. “Cassie, you’re here for a reason. You don’t strike me as someone who would come around thieving, so I have to believe you’re here out of concern for the family. Maybe Rachel and you were friends?”

  Behind the curtain of hair Hannah thought she detected a sniffle. Gently touching Cassie’s blond strands, Hannah eased the left side of Cassie’s hair behind her ear. One tear filled blue eye became visible.

  Hannah smiled and did the same with the other half of Cassie’s hair. The girl’s cheeks were damp as the occasional tear made its way down her face. Hannah felt like crying, too, at the hurt Drake had inflicted on yet another innocent victim.

  “It’s all right. Go ahead and cry. I didn’t even know the family and I’ve been fighting tears too.” Hannah put her arm around Cassie’s shoulder and pulled her close. “We’ll both cry and then maybe we can talk.”

  Cassie chanced a furtive glance at Hannah. Hannah smiled through blurry eyes and felt Cassie’s body firm up with renewed strength. The girl rubbed her eyes and blew her nose with the small piece of cloth she held wadded up in her hand. After a final trio of hiccup sounding sobs, Cassie’s shoulders rose and she pulled away from Hannah.

  “I need to go,” she said, but made no effort to rise.

  “All right. But please, can’t you tell me why you came here in the first place?”

  “I don’t really know. I just felt like I needed to see …, ah …” Cassie turned to face Hannah. “I told her not to trust him. I told her a good man wouldn’t ask her to sneak off to meet him. He’d come and ask her father’s permission.”

  The words rolled out so fast that Hannah wasn’t sure she’d heard Cassie correctly. “Rachel was seeing a man her family didn’t know.”

  Cassie nodded.

  “But the sheriff said that Rachel was either at home or at school with Elsie all the time. Did you know the man?”

  “No, not really. He just showed up in town. Everyone said he was a gambler.”

  More like killer or animal, thought Hannah. She managed to stay calm. “How did Rachel meet him?”

  Cassie looked away.

  “Cassie?”

  She turned back to Hannah. “We’ll …,” she glanced toward the graves, “I’ll get in trouble if I tell.”

  “No, you won’t. I promise. Please tell me.”

  After a few moments that Hannah recognized as some sort of internal struggle, Cassie began to talk. “Years ago, Rachel and I became friends. It was on the playground at school. But when we wanted to visit each other’s house, our folks said no. See we raise cattle and Rachel’s folks were sheep people. Mixing wasn’t allowed. But Rachel and I really wanted to be friends, so we dawdled after school. When we got older, we’d stop at a pond, just off the main road for an hour or so each day. There were lots of bushes and nobody could see us from the road.” Cassie’s voice lowered. “We lied and told our folks that the older grades stayed in school longer.”

  “I understand.” Hannah nodded. “I don’t think you did anything bad. In fact, I think your parents were wrong.”

  “That’s the way we felt.” Cassie almost smiled at Hannah’s words of encouragement.

  Hannah risked a return smile. “You’re a good girl, Cassie. Rachel was lucky to have you for a friend. Now, can you tell me how she met the gambler?”

  “Well, since we graduated, it was harder for us to get together, so I managed to get my folks to let me go to town one day a week for supplies and Rachel would lie and tell her folks that she was going to study with Miss Elsie. Then we’d meet and spend some time at the pond. One day, I couldn’t get away and couldn’t get word to Rachel. The next time I met her, she was all dreamy about this man she’d met. Said he showed up at the pond. Told her he needed the fresh air away from town. She said he was handsome and didn’t treat her like a child. He told her about all the places he’d seen in his travels. Told her that a pretty girl like her could have all her dreams come true if she didn’t stay cooped up in one place. When I met her the following week, all she would talk about was Drake.”

  At the sound of his name, Hannah winced as if in pain.

  “Are you all right?” Cassie asked.

  “Yes,” Hannah nodded. “Go on. Please.”

  “Well, she was meeting him daily out at the pond.” Cassie hesitated and added, “She even snuck out some nights to meet with him.”

  “Did you meet him?”

  “Once. I showed up at the pond hoping Rachel would be there and … well … I … ah, you see Rachel wasn’t expecting anyone and her clothes were …”

  Hannah touched Cassie’s hand. “It’s all right. Rachel would want you to tell me, if it will bring the killer of her family to justice.”

  “Do you think Drake did it?”

  “I don’t know. That’s why I need to know everything you can tell me.”

  “Well, while Rachel got all her clothes back on, Drake stayed on the blanket. His chest was bare and he was barefooted. He smiled up at me and asked Rachel to introduce me to her friend. Then he flirted with me to the point where I could see Rachel getting angry.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I left. Then the next time I saw Rachel, she said he was flirting with me to see if she really loved him. Rachel said he wanted her to leave with him when he left town.”

  “Something must have happened that she didn’t leave with him. Did she say anything to you?”

  “The day before …” Cassie paused and bit at her bottom lip. “Rachel came over to my place. My mother was napping and the rest of the family was busy with chores. She was really upset. I got a horse and we rode off until we found some trees that would give us some privacy. She said Drake was leaving town. He wasn’t taking her. She said he laughed and told her she was one of the easiest girls he’d ever talked into …, uh …, to letting him…” Hannah nodded with understanding. “He said she was stupid to believe he loved her. She said he roughly grabbed her when she said she was going to tell her father. He said she’d be sorry if she did. Then she said he bit her lip as he kissed her and threw her to the ground.”

  “Did she tell her father?”

  “No. She asked me what she should do? I told her not to tell anyone. I tried to talk her into forgetting that evil man and just go on with her life.”

  “Do you think she did?”

  “I’ll never know. Maybe I should have gone with her and helped her to tell her parents. Or maybe we should have just run off together.” Cassie’s voice broke and another tear made its way down her cheek. She stood up. “I’ve got to go.”

  Hannah walked her to the edge of the porch. “Cassie, don’t be too hard on Rachel or yourself. I know this Drake and he has a terrible charm about him. Young girls like you would be easy prey for him.”

 
; Cassie nodded. “Thank you.” She looked over at the graves. “I hope whoever did this gets caught so this won’t happen to anyone else. I loved Rachel like a sister and I’m going to miss her so much.” Cassie turned away from Hannah and hurried over to her horse. She left for home without a wave goodbye.

  Hannah considered the things Cassie had said as she watched the girl ride off. How many lives will he ruined before he is stopped? Think, she told herself. Think. Where would he go? Dear God, is Cassie on his list? So deep in thought was Hannah that she jumped at Liam’s voice.

  “We heard everything. It was Drake. He did this terrible thing.”

  “I know he did.” Hannah turned to the sheriff. “Can you get the Texas Rangers to get some posters out. I can describe him if they’ve got someone who can sketch him.”

  “I reckon they can, but I don’t rightly see that we can prove it was this Drake fellow. Nobody saw them together, except for what Cassie says, and nobody saw this actual killin’.”

  “But you heard what Cassie said.”

  “Yeah, but you heard her say she lied to her folks. Maybe she’s just lying about this Drake fellow, too. I’m tellin’ ya, he didn’t draw the Rangers attention, at all.”

  “Sheriff, after listening to Cassie, I have no doubts.” She looked up at Liam.

  He nodded. “It was Drake. We need to –

  A shot rang out.

  Hannah rushed to the edge of the porch. “That shot came from over there.” She pointed in the direction Cassie had taken. They hurried to their horses and with Liam in the lead; they raced off to be sure Cassie was all right.

  Reaching the top of a small rise, the trio looked down in horror.

  “Cassie!” Hannah screamed and reached for her gun.

  Chapter 33

  A Snake in the Grass

  Cassie’s long, blond hair flailed wildly as a man twice her size shook her like a ragdoll. At Hannah’s scream, the man turned to see Hannah as she reached for her gun. Without releasing Cassie, the abductor managed to draw his own weapon and aim it at Hannah.

  “Hold it there, girl!” Sheriff Beechum grabbed Hannah’s arm. “That’s Cassie’s father.”

  While maintaining her aim, Hannah asked, “Cassie’s father? You sure?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  “Then why is he shaking her and who fired the shot?”

  “Let’s go find out.” Liam spurred his horse toward the girl and her father.

  The man re-aimed his gun at Liam.

  “Cassie!” yelled Hannah. “We’re coming down. Ask your father to lower his gun.”

  After words were exchanged between father and daughter, the man lowered his weapon, but held tightly to Cassie’s arm.

  “Sir. Cassie.” Liam nodded when he was within a few feet of them.

  “What you been doing with my daughter?” the man demanded.

  “Just talking.” Hannah dismounted and walked toward them.

  “About what?” he asked.

  “Cassie,” Hannah looked at the frightened girl, “may I tell him?”

  Despite her father’s furrowed brows of concern and warning, Cassie nodded.

  “Sir, Cassie had some information that might prove helpful in finding out who killed Rachel and her family.”

  “Tain’t possible. We don’t mix with them sheep folks. Now tell me what’s really goin’ on here.”

  Something in Hannah’s eyes and the memory of her words of comfort bolstered Cassie’s courage. She looked up at her father. “Papa, I do know things.”

  “Things?”

  “Please let go of my arm and put your gun away. I’ll tell you everything.”

  His grip tightened slightly, then he let go and slipped his gun back into his holster. “All right, girl, now you tell me what you know and how you come to know it.”

  “Hold on a minute, Cooper,” the sheriff broke in. “What the hell was that gunshot we heard?”

  Cooper nodded his head toward some deep grass. “Snake. Just as I come upon Carrie, she was backing up from a rattler. Damn thing was coiling up. Scared me to death. My hand was shaking so bad, I’m surprised I got him.”

  Liam walked his horse over toward where Cooper had nodded. “Here it is. Big one!”

  “Come away, Liam,” Hannah called.

  Liam took a moment to relish the concern he detected in Hannah’s tone and dismounted. “Make a great belt.”

  “Liam!”

  “Go on with Cassie. I’ll be fine. I’m going to skin this snake.”

  Hannah shook her head and turned her attention back to Cassie. “Tell your father what you told me.” She hoped her smile brought some comfort to the girl.

  “Papa, Rachel and I met in primary school and we’ve been friends ever since.” She paused for an expected explosion. When it didn’t happen, she glanced at Hannah and then went on to repeat to her father everything she’d shared with Hannah. “So, Papa, I had to come over to …, well I needed to see Rachel …” her voice broke as tears began to fall.

  Cooper reached out and pulled his daughter against his chest. His face was twisted with indecision and compassion. “Girl, I hate to see you hurtin’ like this, but you go ahead and cry. Your mama says a good cry always makes her feel better.”

  Liam kept busy with the snake, while the other adults exchanged glances over Cassie’s misery. When she calmed somewhat, she stayed in her father’s embrace, but eased back to look up at him.

  “Are you mad with me?” she asked.

  “No. Not mad. Maybe a little ashamed, because you had to keep secrets. Secrets that almost got you killed.” He pulled her against him again. Cassie’s arms circled his waist as she nestled into his comfort.

  “How can I help?” His question directed at both the sheriff and Hannah.

  Hannah smiled. “You already have. By listening to Cassie, you’re now in the loop. We just need you to keep your eyes and ears open to anything that might lead to more information on Drake.”

  “That’s it?” asked Cooper.

  “For now,” answered the sheriff. “We’ll let you know if we need anything more from Cassie.”

  Cooper helped his daughter up onto her horse and then mounted his. Cassie smiled at Hannah.

  “Thank you, Cassie. I appreciate your courage in coming to help Rachel. Take care of yourself.”

  Cassie waved a shy farewell as her father said goodbye. “Ma’am, sheriff. Be careful. That Drake fella sounds like a real bastard. Hope ya find him soon.” Father and daughter urged their horses toward home.

  The sheriff summed up their situation. “Well, thanks to Cassie, we pretty well know who probably did the killin’. I need to get back to town and get a wire off to the Rangers that we got a suspect.”

  “Good idea, Sheriff.” Hannah turned to Liam who had just flung the skinned snake into the deep grass and was making his way back to his horse.

  Holding the intricate patterned skin out for Hannah to see, Liam made an offer. “Need a belt?”

  She shivered. “No. Don’t bring it any closer.”

  “Aw, come on. It’s just some old scaly skin.” Liam continued toward Hannah with the snake stretched out in offering.

  “Liam, no!” Hannah urged her horse a few steps back.

  Liam grinned and continued forward. “Well, well, well. What have we here? Hannah is afraid of something?”

  “Liam, please.” Again she backed up.

  Liam stood next to his horse. He raised the skin up and was about to continue to tease when he locked onto her eyes. The genuine fear gripping her took all the fun out of his teasing. He lowered the skin and stuffed it into a saddlebag.

  “Sorry, Hannah, I didn’t know there was anything that could scare you.”

  Hannah shot a glance of fear-laced anger at Liam, jerked at the reins of her horse, and trotted off to join the sheriff heading back to town.

  “Hannah, wait.” Liam called. “Let the sheriff go on. I think we need to check out the area a little more. Maybe there’s som
ething we’ve missed.”

  With her back to him, she slowed her pace. “No!”

  “Come on. I’m sorry. It’s still early. We’ve plenty of time to do some sniffing about and still get back to the hotel by dark.”

  The sheriff chuckled.

  “You think what he did was funny?” Hannah reined her horse and shot the sheriff a look of surprise.

  “Well, maybe not funny, but the boy sure cares about you and I think he was just trying to get your mind off this Drake fellow.”

  Hannah risked a glance back at Liam who had his hand on his saddle horn, but didn’t seem ready to mount. He looked serious as he nodded his head toward the deep grass and touched his finger to his lip as if it were a secret.

  She glanced in the direction Liam pointed and turned to the sheriff. She smiled. “Perhaps you’re right. I do get obsessed about Drake. I guess it would do Liam and I good to spend the afternoon checking out the area.”

  “Good decision, girl. I’ll contact the Rangers and meet you for supper at Sadie’s. Hopefully, I’ll have some word back by then on what they intend to do. And, you can bring me up to date on anything you and Liam might uncover.” He spurred his horse and headed back to Blanco.

  Chapter 34

  Railroad Men

  Hannah watched until the sheriff was out of sight, then, at a snail’s pace, she moseyed back to Liam. The grin on his face widened with each step of her horse until she sat above him. He leaned forward and kissed her thigh.

  “Couldn’t resist me, could ya?” He reached up for her.

  The warmth of his breath had dampened the material of her britches and generated a tingle to the skin below where the kiss has been planted. As always, his show of affection penetrated her attempt at control and she found herself at a loss for words. She allowed him to lift her from the saddle and let him pull her to his chest for a gentle hug. It lasted just a moment and then he reached for her hand. He began to pull her toward the grass.

  “Wait,” Hannah pulled back. “Where’s that snake?”

  “The snake is way over yonder.”

  “I’ve heard they travel in pairs.” She refused to walk any further.