Shadows Through Time

by Madeline Baker

  “Angie, did he ever hurt you?”

  “No, but he used to get me alone and…and tell me that he would have me, when I was older.”

  Just thinking about it made Kelsey sick to her stomach. “Well,” she said, “no sense in our just sitting around, waiting.” She went into the kitchen, returning with the squares of cloth she had cut out for napkins. “How about helping me finish the hems on these?” It was the last thing she wanted to do but she thought it might help calm Angie if she had something else to think about.

  “Now?” Angelina asked.

  “Sure.” Kelsey threaded a needle and handed it to Angie, then threaded one for herself. Picking up one of the squares, she sat on the settee. “Like this,” she said, and showed Angie how to roll and stitch the edge.

  Angie bent her head to her task, her hands shaking. Watching her, Kelsey feared she would have to rip out every stitch and do them all over again but she would worry about that later.

  Humming softly, Kelsey sent a silent prayer to heaven, praying that Reese would come quickly.

  * * * * *

  Reese tossed another dollar into the pot, then sat back in his chair, wondering what was keeping Kelsey.

  “It’s almost four-thirty,” Papa Joe said, checking his pocket watch. “Do you think we should go look for her?”

  Reese was about to say no when he suddenly found himself on his feet and heading for the door, his cards and winnings forgotten as he walked down the boardwalk toward the house. He was running when he crossed the street. He took the porch stairs two at a time, pounded on the door when he realized it was locked.

  “Kelsey? Kelsey, you in there?”

  He was about to knock again when the door opened and Kelsey pulled him inside.

  “What’s going on?” he asked as she shut the door. “Why aren’t you at work?” He glanced at Angelina, then back at Kelsey. “What’s going on?” he asked again.

  “Angie saw a man she recognized. She thinks her mother sent him to take her back home. She doesn’t want to go.”

  Reese dragged a hand across his jaw. “I’m not sure she has any say in the matter until she’s a little older.”

  Angelina bounded to her feet, her whole body quivering with defiance. “I’m not going back!” she cried. “You can’t make me!”

  “I promised her she wouldn’t have to go,” Kelsey said, slipping her arm around the girl’s shoulders.

  “Come on,” Reese said, “I’ll walk the two of you over to the hotel.”

  “Maybe we should stay here,” Kelsey suggested.

  “No, you’ll be safer at the hotel.” He looked at Kelsey. “What do you want me to tell Pete?”

  “Tell him I had to stay home to look after Angie.”

  He nodded. “Let’s go.”

  Kelsey closed and locked the front door. Angelina kept her head down as they walked down the street to the hotel. Kelsey could feel Angie’s body trembling and once again she wondered what terrible things the girl’s mother had forced her to endure. Mother’s were supposed to protect and comfort their daughters, not sell their favors to the highest bidder.

  Kelsey slid a glance at Reese. He was right—legally, they didn’t have a leg to stand on. But what about moral rights? What about the promise she’d made to Angie? Right or wrong, she couldn’t stand by and let some stranger take Angie back to her mother’s house.

  Reese walked them up to Angelina’s room. At Angie’s request, he went in first and looked around. “There’s no one here,” he said, motioning Angie and Kelsey inside. “I’ll see you two later.” He started toward the door, then paused. “Angie, what does this fella who’s after you look like? What’s his name?”

  “He’s a little taller than I am, with greasy black hair and huge hairy hands. He has a scar here,” she said, tracing a long line down her left cheek. His name is Lynch. Jed Lynch.”

  “What kind of weapons does he carry?”

  “He wears a gun in a holster and carries a little hideout gun in the small of his back.”

  “Does he carry a knife?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen him with one.”

  “What are you going to do?” Kelsey asked.

  “Nothing, but I think I might have passed him when I was leaving the Square Deal. I’m going back to the saloon and see if he’s inside.”

  “And if he is?”

  “I don’t know. I guess the next move’s up to him. I’ll meet the two of you downstairs for supper at six.”

  “Do you think that’s wise?”

  “You can’t hide from the guy forever.”

  “We could leave here,” Angie said, her gaze darting between the two of them. “Go to another town.”

  “It’s a thought,” Reese said, though it was a decision that would have to be up to Kelsey. If they moved, she’d have to give up looking for a way back to her old life, as well as her new business. He knew what it was like to be on the run. It was a lousy way to live.

  “We’ll talk about it tonight,” Reese said, giving Angelina a reassuring smile. “I’ll see you later, downstairs.” He gave Angie’s shoulder a squeeze, kissed Kelsey on the cheek and left the hotel. Whistling softly, he walked slowly back to the Square Deal.

  Stepping into the saloon, he glanced around but he didn’t see anyone who fit Lynch’s description.

  Grunting softly, Reese threaded his way through the crowd to his table in the back corner.

  “We were beginning to wonder if you were coming back,” Neff remarked. He shuffled the deck and dealt a new hand.

  “I was hoping you weren’t,” Booth said mournfully. “The only time I win is when you’re not here.”

  “What do you want from me, sympathy?” Reese asked, taking his seat.

  “That’ll be the day,” Booth said, picking up his cards.

  Reese looked across the table at Papa Joe. “Would you mind going back to the hotel and looking after things?”

  “Something wrong?”

  “Not yet.”

  Papa Joe looked at Reese a moment, then scooped up his cash. “I’ll catch ya later.”

  Reese nodded, then glanced at the two men left at the table. “Either of you gents notice anybody new in town?”

  Booth shook his head.

  “There was a new fella in here a short while ago,” Neff said.

  Reese picked up his cards. “Black hair, scar on his cheek?”

  “Yea. I overheard him ask the sheriff about a girl. Can’t remember her name.”

  Reese felt a tightening in his gut. “Angelina?”

  “That was it,” Neff said, nodding. “This fella a friend of yours?”

  Reese shook his head. “Did you hear what the sheriff said?”

  “No. What’s this all about?”

  “Nothing.” Reese glanced at his cards, but his mind wasn’t on the game and he folded his hand early.

  “Well, I’ll be!” Booth crowed when he won the pot. “Hell must have froze over when I wasn’t lookin’!”

  “Could be,” Reese agreed. “Deal me out.”

  Leaving the saloon, he strolled down the street, thinking about Lynch and turning over the possibilities. He could take the man aside and tell him flat-out that there was no way he was taking Angelina back to her mother’s brothel, but he had a feeling that threats wouldn’t cut it with a man like Lynch. They could try hiding Angie until the man gave up and left town, but Reese doubted if that would work, either. Too many people had seen Angelina. Maybe the girl was right, maybe they should just pack up and leave town.

  Reese stopped in at the Red Queen, but there was no sign of Lynch and no one remembered seeing him there. He had a drink and then headed back to the Square Deal, eager to see Kelsey and to make sure everything was all right.

  All they could do was wait until Lynch made his move.

  * * * * *

  Angelina didn’t want to go to school in the morning, nor did she want to leave her room to have breakfast.

  Kel
sey agreed to let her eat in her room and after seeing how frightened Angie was, she also agreed to let her stay home from school.

  “But you can’t hide out up here forever,” Kelsey said. “It might be better to confront this guy and get it over with.”

  Angelina shook her head vigorously. “You don’t know him! He won’t take no for an answer.”

  “I’m sure Reese and Papa Joe can make him see reason.”

  “What if they can’t?” Tears welled in Angie’s eyes. “I can’t go back there. I just can’t.”

  With a sigh, Kelsey drew Angie into her arms. “I won’t let you go back,” she said, and hoped she wasn’t making a promise she couldn’t keep.

  “Wash your face and brush your hair,” Kelsey said, patting Angie’s back. “I’ll go down and order breakfast.”

  “All right,” Angie said, sniffling. “I’m sorry to be such a bother.”

  “You’re not a bother. I’ll be right back.”

  Angie locked the door behind Kelsey, then splashed water on her face. How had Lynch found her? She shuddered at the thought of going back home and facing her mother’s wrath. Charlotte Ridgeway had a fierce temper. Angie had felt the back of her mother’s hand on more than one occasion. She didn’t want to think about what her punishment would be for stealing money and running away, although she couldn’t imagine anything worse than bedding Mr. Wellington. He was old and fat and he smelled bad. She couldn’t go home, she thought. She just couldn’t.

  Sitting on the bed, she thought back, remembering how it had been. Charlotte slept most of the day, as did the other girls. Angelina had cleaned the downstairs while they slept, emptying the ash trays, sweeping the floors, dusting the furniture, shaking out the rugs, washing the dirty glasses left from the night before. She had filled the cigar boxes, made sure the liquor cabinet was well-supplied. She had washed her mother’s clothes and hung them out to dry, washed the windows, swept the walkway, turned away customers who showed up too early. In the evening, when the girls were downstairs having supper, she had quickly made their beds, changing the sheets, if necessary. And the next day, she did it all again and always, in the back of her mind, the fear that she would end up in one of the rooms upstairs.

  Too upset to sit still, she began to pace the floor. If she could only convince Danny to marry her, all her problems would be over. She had failed to seduce Reese, but she wouldn’t fail with Danny. All she had to do was find a way to get him alone.

  * * * * *

  Angelina felt better after breakfast. When Kelsey said she was going to go over to the house until it was time for her to go to work, Angie decided to go along.

  “Are you sure?” Kelsey asked. “I thought you didn’t want to leave the hotel.”

  “I don’t, but there’s nothing to do here.”

  “Maybe if you wear a kerchief over your hair and keep your head down, no one will recognize you,” Kelsey suggested.

  Angie agreed and a short time later, they were busily sewing the last of the table linens.

  “I think we’ll be able to open next week,” Kelsey said. “We have everything we need.”

  “I’ll bet you’ll be glad to stop working at the saloon,” Angie remarked. She folded the napkin she had hemmed and laid it aside.

  Kelsey nodded, although, to be honest, she was going to miss seeing Reese. It was nice to look up and see him at the back table, to meet his gaze and feel it move over her like a caress.

  Yes, she would definitely miss that.

  At three-thirty, Kelsey locked up the house.

  “Where’s Papa Joe?” Angelina asked as they walked back to town. “I haven’t seen him lately.”

  “I stopped by his room this morning and he was still in bed. Said he didn’t feel good. I need to look in on him before I go to work.”

  “Is he sick?”

  “He has gout. It flares up on him from time to time.”

  “Oh. I hope he’ll be all… Kelsey! It’s him! Lynch!”

  “Where?” Kelsey glanced up and down the street.

  “There!”

  Angie pointed at a man standing in front of the barbershop. A man who saw them at the same time.

  Flicking his cigarette into the dirt, Lynch strode toward them. “Angelina! Wait!”

  Angie grabbed Kelsey’s arm. “What’ll we do?”

  But it was too late to do anything.

  “Hello, Angelina,” Lynch said in an oily voice. “Your mama’s been worried about ya.”

  “I’m fine,” Angelina said, her voice quivering.

  Lynch’s gaze moved over her. “Mighty fine, I’d say. I’ve come to take you home.”

  “I’m not going.”

  “Sure you are.”

  “You heard her, Mr. Lynch,” Kelsey said, taking a step backward and drawing Angie with her. “She doesn’t want to go.”

  Lynch looked at Kelsey for the first time. “Mind your own business,” he warned. “Let’s go, Angelina.”

  “You heard the lady. She doesn’t want to go.”

  Relief washed through Kelsey at the sound of Reese’s voice.

  Lynch’s eyes narrowed as he turned around. “I’m gonna tell you the same thing I told the lady,” he said curtly. “Mind your own business.”

  “I’m afraid she is my business,” Reese replied. “Now back off.”

  “She’s going with me,” Lynch said. “She’s underage and her mama wants her back.”

  He leered at Angie and licked his lips. “When we get home, you’re gonna be my business.”

  Angelina shuddered.

  A muscle worked in Reese’s jaw. “Get the hell out of here, Lynch.”

  Lynch’s hand caressed the butt of his gun. “Who the hell are you?”

  “I’m her bodyguard,” Reese replied, his voice deceptively mild. “Now get out of here.”

  Kelsey’s arm tightened around Angelina. The tension between the two men was palpable. A dozen or so of the townspeople stood along the boardwalk, pointing and whispering. Surely Reese and Lynch wouldn’t resort to gun play!

  Hands fisted at his sides, Lynch held Reese’s gaze. “This ain’t over,” he said brusquely and walked away.

  Angelina sagged against Kelsey.

  Reese watched Lynch until the man disappeared into one of the saloons farther down the street. “Come on,” he said, taking Kelsey by the hand, “let’s go.”

  “Do you think we’ve seen the last of him?” Kelsey asked as the three of them walked to the hotel.

  Reese shook his head. He had seen men like Lynch before. When they wanted something, they never gave up.

  Chapter Twenty

  Papa Joe agreed to stay with Angelina while Kelsey was at work. Knowing how scared Angie was, Kelsey was reluctant to leave her but Papa Joe assured Kelsey that they would be just fine. And after seeing the determined look on her grandfather’s face and the rifle he had brought with him, “just in case”, she believed him.

  “I’ll bring you both something to eat when I go to supper,” Kelsey said, glancing from one to the other. “Do you want anything in particular?”

  “Roast beef and all the fixin’s for me,” Papa Joe said. “What about you, Angie?”

  “Chicken and dumplings.”

  “All right,” Kelsey said, giving them each a hug. “See you soon.”

  Kelsey found herself glancing over her shoulder time and again as she made her way down the street to the Square Deal. She was relieved to see Reese sitting in his usual place at the back table. Just seeing him was reassuring.

  Kelsey was glad to be at work. It gave her something to think about besides Lynch although every time there was a lull, she found herself wondering how Angie and Papa Joe were doing and what Jed Lynch was up to. There was something about that man that made her blood run cold.

  At six-thirty, she went to the hotel and ordered dinner for herself, Angie and Papa Joe.

  Reese insisted on going with her and she didn’t argue. She didn’t think she was going to feel safe
again until Jed Lynch was no longer a threat. She said as much to Reese as they made their way upstairs.

  “I can handle Lynch,” he said.

  Remembering how he had “handled” the men who kidnapped her, combined with the tone of his voice, left no doubt in her mind that he could, indeed, handle whatever trouble came along.

  Reese knocked on the door; a moment later, Papa Joe asked, “Who’s there?”

  “It’s us, you old fool,” Reese retorted, “open up.”

  “Everything okay here?” Kelsey asked, stepping into the room.

  “No worries,” Papa Joe said. “Let’s eat.”

  Kelsey sat on the edge of the bed. She looked up several times to see Angie staring at her oddly. “Is something wrong?”

  “No, but…” Angelina looked over at Papa Joe, then took a deep breath. “Is it true, what he said?”

  “I don’t know.” Kelsey shivered with a sudden premonition. “What did he tell you?”

  “He said you’re from the future, both of you. Is it true?”

  Kelsey blew out a sigh, unable to believe her grandfather had done such a thing. What had he been thinking? What was Angie thinking?

  “Is it true?” Angie asked again.

  “I’m not sure what he told you,” Kelsey replied. “He’s quite a story teller, but it’s true that we came here from the future.”

  Angie’s eyes glowed with excitement. “It sounds like a wonderful place! Will you take me there?”

  Kelsey scowled at her grandfather. “I don’t know if it’s possible.”

  Angie glanced at Reese, then back at Kelsey. It was easy enough to read the girl’s mind. She was wondering if Kelsey was going to take Reese when she went back to her own time, or if she was going to leave him behind.

  “Well,” Kelsey said, “it’s time for me to get back to work.” She pinned her grandfather with a look. “We’ll talk later.”

  Papa Joe managed to look abashed but not particularly guilty.

  Kelsey collected the dishes and stacked them on the tray. “Be careful.”

  Papa Joe executed a snappy salute. “Sir, yes sir!”

  “Very funny,” Kelsey muttered.

  She was still fuming as she and Reese walked down the street to the saloon. “I can’t believe he told her that! What if she tells someone else? People are either going to think I’m crazy or a…a….I don’t know, a witch!”