Cowboy Charm School

by Margaret Brownley

  “I-I won’t say a word to anyone,” Aunt Letty stammered.

  “Shut your mouth and move!”

  Crouching behind the counter, Kate prayed her pounding heart couldn’t be heard. Oh God. As incredible as it sounded, it all began to make sense. Now that she thought about it, Lucky Lou had been at the bank the day it was robbed. He’d also been at the station after the train robbery, questioning her and others as to what they might have seen. She’d thought it was just curiosity on his part, but now she suspected an ulterior motive. He’d wanted to make sure that no one had recognized him beneath the flour-sack hood.

  It sickened her to think that all this time, a Ghost Rider had been under their very noses.

  “I said move it!” Lucky Lou’s harsh voice made Kate jump.

  “I’m going, I’m going,” Aunt Letty muttered.

  Kate gulped and tried to think. She needed to create a distraction. She glanced around and spotted a box of doggie cakes. Reaching for one, she dropped all the way to the floor and crawled crablike toward the end of the counter.

  Catching Ringo’s eye, she waved and pulled back. Ringo barked.

  “Hush, boy,” his owner rasped.

  Kate held the doggie cake out again, and this time, Ringo tried pulling loose. Jerking on the leash, Lucky Lou turned his head—a mistake. Because Aunt Letty grabbed hold of the gun, and a tug-of-war ensued.

  With no time to spare, Kate leaped to her feet and raced to her aunt’s defense. Fortunately, Lucky Lou was too occupied to notice her.

  “Why, you…” Letting go of the leash, Lucky Lou yanked the gun out of Aunt Letty’s hands.

  Sneaking up from behind, Kate raised the pan and whacked him good and hard over the head.

  He stiffened, and Kate held her breath. She was just about to hit him again when the gun fell from his hand and he crashed to the floor.

  She dropped the pan as if it were on fire, and Ringo jumped back. Rushing to her aunt’s side, Kate checked her up and down. “Are you all right?”

  Aunt Letty leaned against the counter, her hand on her chest. “I’m fine. Just a bit shaken,” she said, staring down at Lucky Lou’s prone body.

  Ringo sniffed at his owner and whined.

  “It’s okay, boy,” Kate said, stooping to run her hand along the dog’s back.

  She picked up the gun and pointed it at Lucky Lou. A spot of red blood oozed from the back of his head where she’d hit him. “I heard you say he robbed the bank.”

  “That’s right. He…he’s the man who knocked me over.”

  “Thank God you’re all right.” Kate looked around the shop. “I need to tie him up.” She undid the ties around her waist. “Where’s your apron?”

  “I took it home with the others to wash.”

  Kate pulled off her apron and dropped to her knees. She wrapped her apron strings around Lucky Lou’s hands, testing the knot to make sure it was tight. “Let me have Ringo’s leash.”

  Aunt Letty tried to grab hold of the leash, but suddenly, the dog wanted to play and ran around the room like a kid out of school.

  After her aunt had made several unsuccessful attempts to unhook the leash, Kate said, “Maybe there’s rope or something in the kitchen.”

  “I’ll see if I can find some.” Looking winded, Aunt Letty hurried to the back room. What seemed to take forever but was probably only seconds later, she returned with ribbons of taffy draped over her arms. “Couldn’t find any rope. This will have to do.”

  Kate stared at her in disbelief. “Taffy. You want me to tie him up with taffy?”

  Aunt Letty shrugged. “It’s the only thing I could find. Maybe it’ll sweeten his disposition.”

  “I sincerely doubt that.” Kate swiped a stray strand of hair away from her face. “I’m not tying him up with that.”

  “Well, we better tie him up with something. You know what happened to Mr. Benson when he forgot to tie up his bull and—”

  “Aunt Letty, please! I’m trying to think.” If only Brett were there; he’d know what to do. “I’ll watch him while you go for help.”

  Lucky Lou groaned, and both women jumped.

  “Oh God. Hold this.” Kate shoved the gun in Aunt Letty’s unwilling hands and lifted a long length of taffy off her arm. I must be out of my mind!

  She wrapped the sugary rope around Lucky Lou’s ankles, careful to avoid the sharp-edged wheels of his spurs. Ringo sniffed at the candy rope, and Kate had to keep pushing the dog’s cold nose out of the way.

  Holding the gun in one hand, Aunt Letty picked up the leash with the other and pulled the dog to her side. “Sit!”

  Kate worked quickly. Not only was she worried about Lucky Lou gaining consciousness, but the taffy was hardening fast, and it took quite a bit of pulling and tugging to wind it around his leg all the way to his knees. She overlapped the edges to make it as strong as possible.

  She sat back on her haunches with a worried frown. “That’s not going to hold him for long.” The taffy would crumble into pieces with the least little pressure. She only hoped that if Lucky Lou came to, he would be too dazed to figure that out. As much as she hated to think so, it might be necessary to give him another whack.

  Standing, she took the gun out of her aunt’s hand, careful to keep it pointed at Lucky Lou. She wasn’t about to take chances. “How do you know he’s the one who knocked you down?”

  “I knew there was something familiar about the man. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.” Her aunt tossed a nod at him. “Until tonight. You know how he’s always bragging about being shot at three times?”

  Kate nodded. “Yes, and he wears the bullets around his neck.”

  “That’s how I knew it was him,” Aunt Letty explained. “If he moves a certain way, the bullets knock against each other and make a rattling sound. I thought it was keys I heard that day in the bank.” The corners of her aunt’s mouth drooped. “When he walked in tonight, that’s when it hit me. It wasn’t keys. It was his bullets.”

  “Oh, Aunt Letty, you could have been killed.”

  “You’re telling me!” A rueful expression crossed Aunt Letty’s face. “I just wish we didn’t have to waste good taffy on the likes of him. I dread the thought of staying up all night to make another batch.”

  “We’ll worry about that later. Right now, I need you to fetch the sheriff. I’ll stay here. Take Ringo with you.”

  Aunt Letty frowned. “Are…are you sure you’ll be all right?”

  “I’ve got a gun, and I know how to use it.”

  Aunt Letty rolled her eyes. “That’s what scares me.”

  * * *

  Brett raced back to town as quickly as his horse could carry him. Even so, it was dark by the time he arrived, and the main part of town was deserted as he urged his horse along Main Street.

  He hoped to find the sheriff still at the office. Otherwise, he’d have to bother him at home. Neither prospect appealed to him, but he was obliged to keep the sheriff informed of any new leads.

  The light from the candy shop window fanned over the wooden sidewalk. Kate was working late again, and the thought made him ache inside. He envisioned her as she’d looked the night they’d pulled taffy together. Recalled in worrisome detail the way her eyes had sparkled as they’d worked, the way her smile had brightened the room. The way her lips…

  Grimacing, he forced the memories away. He had no business dwelling on such thoughts. No business at all. Not while the man he blamed for his sister’s death still roamed free. He had work to do, and there was no time to waste. Before the night was over, he hoped to escort one, if not more, of the Ghost Riders to the hoosegow.

  Drawing closer to the shop, he willed himself to keep going with nary a glance in the shop’s direction. He might have succeeded had he not recognized the horse tethered in front. The horse belonged to Lucky Lou, and knowing that m
ade Brett’s mouth run dry.

  What in blazes is he doing at the candy shop this time of night?

  Reining in his horse, Brett quickly dismounted and wrapped the reins around the hitching rail. The curtains were drawn, which was odd. The shop’s curtains were always left open, day or night.

  A chilling possibility ran through his mind, and a cold sweat washed over him. Kate was in danger!

  With a hand on the butt of his Colt, Brett ran up the steps to the boardwalk. Whipping his gun out of its holster, he burst through the door.

  And found himself staring at the business end of a pistol.

  29

  Brett took in the scene before him and holstered his Colt. “It’s just me,” he said, relief washing over him. “You can put that thing away.”

  Kate dropped the gun to her side. Rounded eyes stared at him from a pale face. “Oh, Brett, thank God you’re here!”

  Only sheer willpower prevented him from taking her in his arms and holding her close.

  Instead, he extended a steadying hand to Kate’s aunt, who looked about to faint.

  With a grateful smile, she slumped against the counter. “I never thought I’d say this, cowboy, but am I ever glad to see you.”

  Ringo barked and wagged his tail. “Sit!” Kate said, and the dog sat, his tail thumping against the wood floor.

  “It looks like you have everything under control,” Brett said, still fighting the urge to take Kate in his arms. She sure did look like she could use some comforting. Instead, he took the gun out of her trembling hand and set it on the counter. “You okay?”

  She nodded, her lips curving upward. “I am now.”

  The look on her face made his knees feel weak, and he immediately drew his gaze away. Reminding himself that he was there in an official capacity, he focused on Lucky Lou’s prone body. “What happened?”

  “Kate bashed him over the head,” Aunt Letty said.

  Not sure he could believe what he was seeing, Brett dropped on his haunches for a closer look. Narrowing his eyes, he probed the man’s arms and legs with a finger. “Is that…taffy?”

  “Yep,” Aunt Letty said proudly. “Made fresh tonight.”

  “It was the closest thing we had to a rope,” Kate explained.

  Brett lifted his gaze to hers. “How did you know… I mean…why did you knock him out?”

  Both Kate and her aunt started talking at once. Unable to make hide or hair of what they were saying, Brett held up his hands. “Whoa. One at a time.”

  “He’s one of the Ghost Riders,” Kate said.

  “How do you know?” He’d only that day figured it out himself, though he still had no proof. All he had was suspicion, and that wouldn’t stand up in a court of law.

  Aunt Letty folded her arms across her chest with a disgusted frown. “He’s the one who knocked me down at the bank.”

  “Are you sure?” Brett asked.

  “’Course I’m sure.” Aunt Letty gave her head an emphatic nod. “Remember I told you I thought there was something familiar about him? It was the bullet casings.”

  “What?”

  “You know,” Aunt Letty said. “The ones he wears around his neck for good luck. If he moves a certain way, they make a tinny sound, like keys. Only they sound hollow.” Arms folded, she gave a nod of satisfaction. “Soon as he pulled his gun out, I knew I was right.”

  Brett quirked a smile. Talk about irony. “Well now. I’d say his luck has finally run out.”

  He patted Lucky Lou down as much as the taffy allowed, but found no weapons. Only a money clip and what he now knew was a dog whistle. He examined the metal loop on one end and slipped it onto his little finger. Sure enough, if held the right way, it did look like a ring. Could that be what Dusty had seen?

  “You don’t seem particularly surprised that Lucky Lou robbed the bank.” Kate studied him. “Did you suspect him?”

  Brett stood. “Not until today.”

  “Was it the bullets?” Aunt Letty asked.

  “It was the peppermint candy, right?” Kate said.

  “Neither. It was Kate’s telegraph key—”

  “Leaf,” Kate said with a sniff.

  “Sorry,” he said. “But you have to admit it did look a little like a telegraph key, and that’s what got me thinking. I couldn’t figure out how the Ghost Riders were always one step ahead of the law. But your candy reminded me of something. I once walked into the telegraph office and found Lucky Lou and Flash arguing. Didn’t think much of it at the time. But then I realized that if anyone was in a position to decipher the sheriff’s encrypted notes, it was Flash.”

  Kate’s eyes widened. “You think Flash—?”

  “That’s what I hope to find out.”

  “What about Lucky Lou?” Aunt Letty asked. “Was it the argument that made you suspect him?”

  “Not at first,” Brett said. “The problem was I couldn’t figure out how our friend here robbed the bank and managed to be on the scene afterward.” He held up the silent whistle. “This might be our answer.” He indicated the dog with a nod. “Let go of the leash, Kate.” She did as he asked, and he let the money clip fall to the floor. The dog immediate grabbed it with his teeth and ran to the door.

  Kate’s forehead furrowed. “I’m not sure I understand.”

  “Ringo is the fourth Ghost Rider.”

  “What?” Both Kate and her aunt exclaimed in unison.

  “That’s right.” Brett said. “I suspected there were four, but I never imagined one was a dog. After Lucky Lou knocked your aunt down, his buddies took off. Since he tends to be a nervous type, he worried that your aunt might have recognized him. So he ran to the alley, pulled off the flour sack, and used the silent whistle to call his dog. Once Ringo took off with the loot, Lucky Lou then returned to the bank as a spectator. I guess he wanted to make sure your aunt couldn’t identify him as a Ghost Rider.”

  Aunt Letty scoffed. “We should have known. Remember the day they replaced our window? Lucky Lou kept asking if you’d recognized the man who ran into the shop. I thought he was just curious. Now I know he wanted to make sure his identity was safe.”

  Kate frowned. “So, what you’re saying is that he just hid in plain sight while his poor dog did the dirty work.”

  Brett nodded. “That’s what the mutt has been trained to do. He grabs any booty dropped in front of him and runs. Probably hides things somewhere that Lucky Lou finds later.”

  Aunt Letty brightened. “I just thought of something. Remember when Harvey Wells showed us that silly purse he invented?”

  “And Ringo ran out the door with the roll of money that dropped to the floor,” Kate added.

  “And Lucky Lou called his dog back with this,” Brett said, holding up the silent whistle.

  “I can’t believe you were able to figure all this out,” Kate said. Her face softened in admiration, and his heart skipped a beat.

  “Me neither,” Aunt Letty added. “I would never have put all those pieces together.”

  “But what about the other one?” Katie asked. “You said there were four. But Lucky Lou, Flash, and Ringo only add up to three.”

  “Thanks to you ladies, my job just got a whole lot easier. You two are experts at pulling taffy.” He tossed a nod at the unconscious man on the floor. “Me? I’m pretty good at pulling out information. As soon as Sleeping Beauty here wakes up, he’s going to tell me the name of the fourth Ghost Rider. Least he will if he knows what’s good for him.”

  * * *

  Brett sat Lucky Lou against the wall and slapped his face gently to bring him around. He then escorted his prisoner to the jailhouse. Lucky Lou did more groaning than talking, and Brett got nowhere with his questions.

  Still, he kept hammering. There was no time to lose. Should Foster get wind that one of his men had been caught, he would take off, sure a
s shootin’.

  “Got hisself a good bump on the head,” the sheriff said, yawning. “I say we get some shut-eye and try again tomorrow.”

  Though it was well after midnight by the time Brett returned to the boardinghouse, he could hardly sleep. God, don’t let Foster slip through my fingers yet again.

  At the first crack of dawn, Brett jumped out of bed and quickly dressed. In short order, he left the boardinghouse and raced to the sheriff’s office.

  It wasn’t often that he got a warm welcome from Keeler, but today he did. The generous bonus the sheriff stood to gain for the Ghost Riders’ capture had done wonders for his disposition.

  “Any luck getting him to talk?” Brett asked, indicating the upstairs jail cells with a nod.

  Keeler shook his head. “Haven’t had time. Just got here.”

  The sheriff said more, but Brett didn’t wait to see what it was. Instead, he took the stairs two at a time. Only two of the four cells were occupied. One cell contained a man curled up on the floor, snoring.

  By the looks of it, Brett wasn’t the only one who hadn’t gotten any shut-eye. Lucky Lou didn’t look so good that morning, but Brett suspected it had more to do with the lump on his head than a lack of sleep.

  Lucky Lou sat on a cot, back propped against the wall. He yawned and knuckled his droopy, red eyes.

  Ringo suddenly appeared by Brett’s side. After sniffing the cell of the snoring man, the dog plopped on the floor and crossed his paws.

  For several moments, Brett said nothing. He had no proof that Flash was involved, only suspicion. Without Lucky Lou’s cooperation, he didn’t trust the sheriff to arrest Flash with so little evidence. And even if he did, it would be too late. It was only a matter of time before news of Lucky Lou’s arrest leaked out. As soon as Foster One heard that his partner had been caught, he’d take off, and Brett could lose him for good. Without Lucky Lou’s confession, he had nothing.

  Lucky Lou scratched his belly and cast a disapproving glance at the snoring man in the next cell before addressing Brett. “If you think you’ll get me to confess to somethin’ I didn’t do, you’re plumb loco.” He yawned. “Right now, I just want to sleep.”