Under a Falling Star

by Caroline Fyffe

  “Get going, Albert, before I take back my words! I’ll be fine.” She pushed him toward Dunbar.

  With a nod, he untied his horse and jumped out of the car, the horse a ball of fire following in his path. “Stay in the bushes on your way to town,” he yelled. “In case we can’t stop them before they come back.”

  Without another word, Albert grasped the saddle horn and swung into the saddle as the horse galloped away.

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  Dalton dismounted in front of the saloon feeling the sweet tickle of sweat slipping between his shoulder blades. Twenty minutes ago, when they’d first arrived, Frank had exited the bank and hurried down the street to the mercantile. Frank was the only one who knew the combination to the safe, so they’d pulled up to wait on the edge of town until he returned. Dalton sent the two younger brothers, Cranston and the one who seemed afraid of his own shadow, into the saloon, to watch for his and Wallace’s approach. Laine Sadler would sit her horse on the other side of the creek, and try not to draw any attention being she was out of her normal dress. She hid her guns in her odd-looking, overly large saddlebag that was just like those of the rest of the clan. Specially made for the heist, he was sure. Her flaps were turned under for fast retrieval of her weapons if the shooting started.

  Chase Logan stood at the bank’s front door and Thom was across the street. Thankfully, the street was uncommonly deserted. When the banker returned, they’d ridden in. Now, Wallace dismounted on Dalton’s right, and the men they’d sent into the saloon ambled out, following a few feet behind. Wallace gave a small nod to Laine on the far side of the bridge.

  They started slowly toward the bank talking about the storm. With a thumping heart, Dalton nodded to Chase and sent a quick glance to the haberdashery. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to be killed. Until now, Chase had seemed unaware that the two of them had even ridden up.

  Dalton had tried to go it alone, but Wallace squashed that idea instantly. “Just in case you change your mind at the last minute,” he had said with a nasty chuckle, “there’ll be guns on you from both sides—helping you to keep a level head. Whatever happens, you’ll be the first to die.”

  “Here we go,” Dalton mumbled to Wallace. The outlaw gave a small dip of his chin but didn’t respond. Dalton stepped onto the boardwalk in front of Chase. The rancher’s hat was nonchalantly tipped back and he regarded Dalton with drowsy eyes.

  “Babcock, it’s not time for your shift yet,” he said with a friendly smile. “I’m surprised you’d show your face this early in the day.” He chuckled as if his statement were funny.

  Wallace and the two others standing at his back had Dalton fidgety. He didn’t want to be killed either. “Just wondering if anyone has heard from the soldiers we’re expecting from Fort McKinney. I’m getting tired of staying up all night.”

  “Don’t know,” Chase said, his hand resting on the stock of his gun. “It’s been mighty quiet after the storm. Frank just returned. Maybe he went to the telegraph office when he was out.”

  Dalton tried to make eye contact, but Chase wasn’t making it easy. “You’ve heard me talk of Terrence, the tyke I helped on the train? This here’s his pa.”

  “Good to make your acquaintance,” Chase said. Wallace nodded, and the other men leaned against the outside posts.

  “I’ll just go in and ask Frank then,” Dalton said.

  Chase shrugged and Dalton went to step inside, but stopped. He turned back to Chase. “By the way, how’s your daughter? That Jane is just about the cutest little thing.”

  Chase didn’t miss a beat. “We think so, Babcock, but she’s a mite young for you.”

  Wallace scowled. When he tried to follow, Chase put up his arm. “Sorry, you’ll have to hand over your gun if you want to proceed.”

  Dalton stepped inside, a voice in his head warning him to take it slow. He envisioned Chase pointing to Albert’s sign, as he’d done himself for Seth Cotton. He’d planned to try to get the outlaws inside the small building, where fewer people could get hurt, and then take them on.

  Everything that followed next went down so fast Dalton had a hard time discerning it all.

  He turned to tell Chase his friends were okay, but felt a gun jab him in the back. Charlie stood from where he’d been crouching down behind the counter. “Get your hands up and away from your guns,” Axelrose demanded.

  Chase shoved Wallace inside, his gun pressed to the outlaw’s side, and pushed him up next to Dalton. The rancher pulled both his and Wallace’s guns from their holsters and tossed them out the door. Glancing outside, Dalton saw Thom run forward, shotgun in hand, as the other brothers turned to run. Dalton wondered about Laine, by the bridge, and whether she’d ride in and try to help, or skedaddle while the chance of escape was good.

  The entire incident was over in a matter of seconds without a single shot being fired. Feeling a wide grin break across his face, Dalton released a lungful of air. Who had sounded the alarm? They’d been ready for the heist, and had performed the scene like a well-rehearsed play.

  Frank stepped out of his office and moved around Charlie. Dalton kept his hands up. He wasn’t going to get killed now.

  “Someone needs to go untie—”

  His words died as Albert stepped through the door, a weapon he must have borrowed in his hand. “Lock ’em up, Thom, Charlie,” he called over his shoulder. “Win and Greg have the woman and are already headed for the jail.” He looked at Dalton. “Good work, Babcock.” A cocky grin spread across his mouth even though his bloody wrists were not a pretty sight.

  “Sorry about that. I had to make it at least a little convincing,” Dalton said, his hands still raised. “I hoped you’d remember the moon and stars comment from when we were blowing the roof. It was the only thing I could come up with.”

  Amusement rose in Albert’s eyes. “That one almost got you laughed out of the group, but you needn’t have worried. I knew before that that you weren’t involved. Question is, how did you know about the heist? If you weren’t in on it from the beginning . . .” He shook his head. “I can’t quite figure that out.”

  Frank still watched him with suspicion.

  “Well?” Albert persisted.

  “When you kept going to the doc’s to see Evan, I began to get suspicious. When I tried to see him myself and Dr. Thorn turned me away, I figured he must have woken up and told you something that you weren’t sharing. I thought he was involved but I didn’t know with who. That all came together at the train. I was just surprised that Pat Tackly is indeed totally innocent. He was the perfect suspect.”

  Albert nodded, then turned to go. “I have someone to fetch back to town.” Thom and Charlie, back from depositing Wallace and the others in the jail, closed in on Babcock. Albert chuckled. “You can put your hands down now, Dalton.”

  That was the first time Albert had called him by his first name.

  “But?” Thom looked confused.

  “He’s on our side, boys. And by the way”—he directed his look toward Thom—“how the heck were you so well prepared? How’d you know they were on their way to town? I tried to get here, but knew it was a long shot.”

  “The other Preston,” Thom answered.

  Albert’s face went white.

  Chase nodded. “The little sheriff.”

  “Nate? Where is he?” Albert looked about ready to bolt out the door.

  “No worries, Boss,” Thom said, chuckling. “I’m sure by now he’s about finished with his second order of fried chicken. He came scuttling into town, but Dwight, in his thick-skulled, meddling way, and not knowing he was your son, thought he was some half-wild child that had been raised by the wolves by the crazy way he was running toward Logan Meadows. He stopped him, he says with good intentions, and was determined to teach him some manners before letting him amongst proper people. But that didn’t slow Nate down. Your boy kicked him in the shins hard enough for Dwight to lose his grip. He scrambled between his legs and was off like a shot s
traight to the jail, where he found me. Because of his fast thinking, we were ready and waiting for the outlaws.”

  Albert gave a long whistle, then laughed. “That’s a weight off my chest. Good boy. He’s learning young.” Albert started again for the door.

  “Hold up one more second,” Dalton said. “If we’re all spilling the beans, I need to know how you knew I wasn’t involved.”

  “Fair enough,” Albert said, turning. “As you suspected, Evan’s recovery wasn’t quite as slow as I had Dr. Thorn report to everyone. After he woke up, I kept him secluded and handcuffed to his bed. Coming so close to death, he’d had a change of heart and wanted to clear his conscience. He swore on his own grave that you and Pat Tackly didn’t have any idea what was planned, but he wouldn’t give up his partners—no wonder, since they were all family.” He smiled and shook his head. “One of the brothers had worked for the Union Pacific and was in communication with Evan, that’s how they knew about the tracks and Three Pines Turn. I’m guessing he’s the one waiting with Terrence in New Meringue. If I had had any lingering doubts after your convincing performance out at the train, your comment to Chase about his daughter finalized it in my head. Pretty smart. Good thing Wallace hadn’t been in town long enough to learn the names of everyone’s children.”

  Relieved, Dalton couldn’t hold back his smile any longer. “Another silly signal, but I was praying it would work and Chase didn’t blow my head off. Now, if you don’t go fetch Susanna back, I just might do so myself. Never know which way her wind is blowing.”

  “I do,” Albert said, charging through the door. “And I can tell you, a tornado is coming my way.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  At the sound of thundering hooves, Susanna peered around the trees she was walking through to see Albert galloping her way. The storm had passed, and a bright spring day had taken its place, a little on the breezy side, but still, a vast improvement over what it had been just an hour before. As he drew closer, her heartbeat increased. She’d told him she loved him—and her world had not collapsed. Even though she was nervous, she couldn’t wait to hold him in her arms.

  He halted a few feet away and dismounted. His eager face made tingles swirl through her body. He dropped his reins and hurried forward, but slowed as he got closer, a somewhat shy look, one she’d never seen before, emerging on his face. He stopped and let her close the distance.

  “So, it went well?” she asked, unsure of what to say. “You got there in time?”

  He studied her face, then said softly, “I did. Not that it would have mattered much. Nate was under the train. When he heard what was planned, he snuck away and warned the town, even outwitting Dwight, who’d tried to stop him.”

  He looked so different, so cautious. He’d always been so in command. She had to take a breath to calm her racing heart. “A true Preston.”

  A smile creeped onto his face. “That’s my boy.”

  They stood together in the road, alone for as far as the eye could see. He held out his hand. The moment she placed hers in his warm palm, he pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms. “Susanna.” His voice was tortured, and he buried his face in her hair, which had long since come loose of its bounds, and breathed in deeply. “Susanna,” he said again, this time barely a whisper. Leaning back, his lips found hers.

  Susanna’s lips melded with his, soft and compliant. No hesitation now, her arms slid up his chest until they were wrapped effectively around his neck, giving as good as she got. Their first kiss in front of the bank had been such a surprise, he’d hardly had time to enjoy it before it ended. Not so now. He’d been thinking about this one ever since she’d said “I love you,” right before he’d ridden away. He wondered if she’d object if he hoisted her into his arms and carried her under the bushes where they wouldn’t be found. For several long minutes they stood locked in each other’s embrace, exploring territory that was new to both. Breathing heavily, they finally parted, the light of love shining in her eyes.

  “Does this mean I can openly court you? You know my history. You know I kept important issues from you. If I could change the past, I would. So you wouldn’t have been hurt. Out of everything, that haunts me the most.” He didn’t like the uncertainty in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  “Albert, I have things in my past I need to share. Things that may change the way you think about me. You see, I haven’t been totally honest with you, either. I’ve been too embarrassed to—”

  He pressed a finger to her lips. “There’s nothing you could tell me that would change one wit how I feel. Not one. If your answer is yes, and I can court you, we’ll have plenty of time for sharing later. Right now, I just want to hear you say that you feel the same.” He stepped back, whipped off his hat, and hollered as loud as he could up to the sky. “I love Susanna Robinson! And if she’ll still have me, I want to make her my wife!”

  Laughter burst from Susanna’s lips, and Dunbar pranced nervously, the poor horse’s eyes wide with surprise.

  Feeling very pleased with himself, Albert turned and shouted it again in the opposite direction, loving the happy smile stretched across her face.

  He clamped his hat back on. “Well, you never answered my question. You’re getting more than you’d bargained for now that Nate’s shown up in Logan Meadows, but he’s a very good boy. I think you could love him.”

  She slipped back into his embrace and lifted her face for another kiss, and he was more than happy to oblige. The kiss was gentle and sweet and more than promising. After several long moments he pulled back, his senses soaring. The sincerity and depth to her gaze did marvelous things to his heart. “Well?”

  She played with the hair curling around his ear. Red-hot tingles shot down his neck and plunged deep into his belly. Since she was so agreeable, he dipped his head toward her lips, but she held him off with a hand to his chest.

  “I say two Prestons are better than one.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she studied his face. “And I love him already. But, for his sake, I don’t want to rush things. He has enough adjusting to do without adding a wedding and a new mother into the mix. He’ll let us know when the time is right.”

  “I totally agree. And it’ll give me plenty of time to show my girl around town on my arm, steal a kiss now and then, walk out on Sundays, and take buggy rides. All the things we couldn’t do before. I want to have them all.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  Pa, when’re we goin’ froggin’?” Nate grumbled, standing obediently in front of Albert’s highboy as his father combed his hair. He’d asked the same question every day for the past two weeks, but one thing or another had always gotten in their way.

  First, the Denver bank had finally shown up with an army regiment of their own, a reinforced stage, and a detailed plan to safely move the million dollars to San Francisco, much to Albert’s and Frank’s relief. Best of all, they planned to pull out tomorrow. But before that, right after the army detail he’d sent for arrived, the Union Pacific made it to town with a load of new track to lay and fifty workers to do it. Between sending Evan, Laine, Wallace, and the rest of the Stone gang back to Fort McKinney, and the arrival of the Union Pacific and the bankers, Albert had had precious little time for his boy and Susanna.

  That was about to change.

  He whisked the floppy hair on Nate’s head one way, inspected his work with a critical eye, and then tried the opposite direction. “Soon, Nate. The railroad men are almost finished with the new track. In the meantime, another engine is on its way from the opposite direction to hook onto the caboose and pull the train that’s been stranded back to the nearest train yard. Once all that’s finished, I’ll have all the time in the world to do anything you like.”

  “The tracks will go around the wreck?”

  “Yes, sort of. Not around in a circle but alongside and past. This time, a good distance away from the ridge so there won’t be any more rockslides, intentional or not.” And hopefully no more deaths. He flipped the hair back in th
e first direction again. “I can’t get this to work. You need a haircut, and soon.”

  “But what about froggin’?”

  Albert stepped back, smiling down at his son. “If it means that much to you, we could skip the May Day celebration today and go right now.” They had plans with Susanna, but she’d made it clear in no uncertain terms that Nate came first. If plans changed because of him, that was fine.

  Nate’s face scrunched up in deep thought. “I guess we can wait till later.”

  “Oh, you’ve seen the maypole we put up and don’t want to miss the fun, is that it?”

  Nate nodded, looking serious and grownup. “That’s right, Pa. We may as well do both.”

  “My thoughts exactly. Now skedaddle out of here so I can tend to my own beautification. We don’t want to be late. And please close the door on your way out—”

  Nate dashed out of the room, flinging the door closed behind him. It slammed, rattling the windowpane.

  “—gently.”

  “Sorry, Pa,” Nate hollered.

  Albert began unbuttoning the top button of his sleep shirt but his gaze strayed to Floria’s trunks sitting along the wall still untouched. What was he waiting for? A personal invitation? He’d avoided the unpleasant task long enough. What if there was something important inside? Something that needed tending? He should just do it and get the chore off his mind. Most likely it was a bunch of clothes and shoes, but two trunks? That seemed excessive, even for Floria.

  He pulled one across the floor to his bed, then sat, the mattress dipping with his weight. Lifting the latch, he opened the finely built travel case, and rested the top back on its hinge. Just as he’d thought. Clothes. He just looked, not wanting to touch her belongings. It seemed intimate, and it had been many years since they’d been such.

  This was ridiculous. Nate would get impatient to go. Albert picked up the corner of the top dress, and looked below. Another garment. He repeated the process. So deep inside, he finally had to lift the top articles out and set them on his bed. Two pairs of fancy boots and some satin slippers lined the bottom along with two reticules, shawls, and a few unmentionables. The money he’d sent home for her support hadn’t been put in the bank.