by Peterson, Tracie; Davis, Mary; Hake, Kelly Eileen; Stengl, Jill; Warren, Susan May
When Nathan turned his back to retrieve a drink he’d poured earlier, Amy bolted for the back door. She had managed to get it open before Nathan slammed her against it.
“I won’t say anything!” Amy exclaimed without thinking. Nathan was twisting her arm behind her so violently that she thought she’d pass out from the pain.
“I thought you didn’t know anything,” Nathan sneered. “How can you say anything about something you didn’t hear?”
Amy knew he’d caught her and she hung her head in dejection. “What are you going to do with me?”
“That, my dear, does present a problem,” Nathan said, pulling her back to the chair. “I have no desire to kill anyone over a matter of a mere several thousand dollars. Still”—he paused to push her into the seat—“I won’t have you mess this up for me.”
Amy said nothing, waiting and watching while Nathan contemplated her fate. “I suppose,” he continued, “if I can keep you out of the way until after the job is done, I won’t have to kill you.”
Amy blanched at his statement, making Nathan laugh. “Don’t worry, little Amy. You just cooperate with me and I’ll figure this out. Otherwise—well, let’s just say, it won’t be a merry Christmas at the Carmichaels’.”
Chapter 10
Amy struggled against the ropes that bound her hands and feet. She tried to yell, but the gag Nathan had placed firmly over her mouth muted any sound that came from her throat.
Quieting for a moment, Amy listened to hear if Nathan was still in the building. He had dumped her in the storage closet with orders to keep quiet or else. When he told her he had to get her horse out of sight, Amy knew he meant business; she could hardly believe this was the same man who had courted Angie. “Please,” she had tried to say through the gag, but Nathan locked the closet door and left her alone in the darkness.
He had tied her hands tightly behind her back so she would have no chance of freeing herself. Nevertheless, Amy worked at the ropes until her wrists were chafed and sore. She felt her eyes fill with tears, but she refused to give in to her misery. Somehow, she had to get out of this.
Angie finally made her entrance into Smith’s General Store, only to find Amy already gone. Betty assured her that Amy had gone in search of Angie when her shopping was completed, so Angie took the time necessary to finish her own Christmas shopping, certain that Amy would return any minute. When she didn’t, Angie started to get worried. After paying for her things, Angie went outside and looked up and down the street.
The sun was already well to the west, and Angie knew they’d stayed a great deal longer than they should have. Noticing Ed Anderson as he came out to lock up the bank, Angie ran toward him.
“Ed, have you seen Amy?” she asked breathlessly.
“Angie!” Ed grinned. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to town?”
“Didn’t know myself until just today,” Angie replied. “I’m looking for Amy. She rode in with me to do some shopping, but now I can’t find her.”
Ed laughed. “Deer Ridge isn’t that big. She must be around here somewhere. Did you check over at the post office—or maybe Miller’s Hotel? You know how Mrs. Miller likes to visit.”
“You mean gossip—and no, I hadn’t checked there.” Angie smoothed her hair and smiled up at Ed, but her lips were still tight with worry. “I was visiting with Mrs. Miller earlier, myself. Maybe Amy and I just crossed paths.”
“That’s probably it,” Ed agreed. “Would you like me to walk with you over to the hotel?”
The worry eased from Angie’s face. Ever the flirt, she batted her eyes and extended her arm. “I would simply love it!”
Passing by the store again on their way down Main Street, Ed noticed the solitary horse that stood outside. “You girls didn’t ride double, did you?”
“What are you talking about, Ed?”
Ed pointed toward Angie’s horse. “You said you rode in together. Did Amy ride her own horse?”
“Yes, yes, she did,” Angie replied. She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe she was mad at me for taking so long and she got tired of waiting for me. I’ll bet she rode on home without me. That would figure.”
“Sure would.” Ed laughed. “I guess the joke’s on you for taking too much time visiting around the town.”
Confident that this was true, Angie allowed Ed to help her up onto her horse. “She’s probably already home sitting safe and warm in front of the fireplace.”
“If you give me a minute,” Ed said, “I’ll go saddle up my horse and ride part of the way home with you. I promised Ma I’d bring out some supplies tonight for her baking, so I’ve got to go that way anyway.”
Angie’s face lit up, and her frustration with Amy disappeared. “I’ll wait right here for you.”
Dark had nearly fallen by the time Angie finally rode into the farmyard. She’d had the most wonderful time with Ed, and she was still wearing her dreamy expression when her father met her in the barn.
“I was beginning to get worried,” Charles said, helping her from the saddle.
“I’m sorry, Pa. I took time to try and find Amy, and before I knew it, the sun was sinking lower and lower. Ed Anderson rode out as far as the creek with me, so I didn’t have far to come alone.”
“Alone?” Charles frowned. “Where’s your sister?”
Angie’s mouth dropped open. “You mean she’s not here?”
“No.” Charles’s voice was flat. “What made you think she was?”
“We separated in town because I went to see Mrs. Miller at the hotel. She’d promised to make me some lace as a Christmas present for Amy. I stayed too long I guess, ’cause when I headed back to the store, Amy was already gone. I went to look for her after I finished my shopping, but I couldn’t find her anywhere.” Angie twisted a curl around her finger nervously. “I saw Ed Anderson locking up the bank, so I went and asked him if he’d seen Amy. He hadn’t, but he offered to look for her with me. That was when we noticed her horse was gone.”
“Amy’s horse was gone?” A frown lined Charles’s normally cheerful face.
Angie nodded. “We figured she’d gotten mad at me for taking so long and had headed home on her own. That’s why I came on home myself. I thought she’d be here.”
Charles was already pulling the saddle off Angie’s horse. “You give this horse some feed and water. I’m going back in town to look for your sister. Tell your ma what happened, but try not to tell it so as she worries too much. Amy’s probably still looking for you, so there ain’t no reason to get her frettin’.”
Angie nodded. She was starting to feel anxious for her twin. Amy was not the type to act irresponsibly, Angie realized, and she should have known Amy would never have gotten mad and left her. Angie quickly cared for the horse and hurried inside to tell her mother what had happened.
Amy knew it was only a matter of time before Nathan returned. She pondered what he might do with her in order to keep her from spilling his plans. She still couldn’t fully comprehend that the handsome young lawyer planned to rob the town of its harvest money.
Without even realizing what she was doing, Amy began to pray. Lord, she thought, I need help out of this one, for sure. Please send someone to rescue me. And keep me from the harm Nathan Gallagher plans for me. Please, she added, help me not to be afraid. It was only a brief prayer, but it strengthened her spirits, and Amy began to have hope that she would somehow escape.
Waiting there in the dark, her mind turned to thoughts of Tyler. He would be arriving any day now, and Amy wondered if he would be the one to find her. She fell into a daydream where Tyler rode up to Nathan’s office and pulled her out of the closet, into his strong arms. How terribly romantic, she thought, and had to laugh at her nonsense.
She’d no doubt be home long before Tyler returned. But thinking about that was just as romantic, for then he’d ask her to marry him, and she would of course say yes. She fell deep into another daydream.
The sound of someone entering the law
office caught her attention. She began to pound her feet against the floor and threw her shoulder against the wall of the closet. The door to the closet swung open, and light from a lantern blinded Amy’s eyes for a moment. “Quiet down—or else,” Nathan whispered harshly.
Amy sat still while her eyes adjusted to the light. Nathan placed the lamp on the floor and began searching his pockets for something.
“I’ve decided to take you out of here,” he said while pulling a handkerchief from his pocket. “I have a problem, though. I can’t very well parade you down Main Street, now can I?”
He laughed at Amy’s expression and continued. “I paid a visit to Doc Taggert. Well, actually to his office. You might say I allowed myself entrance through the back window in order to retrieve this.” He held up a corked bottle of liquid.
Amy shied away, trying to scoot back against the closet wall. She was only too certain of what Nathan had in mind. He uncorked the bottle and poured a liberal amount of the contents onto his handkerchief before continuing. “This way, it will be a lot easier on me and you both.”
Amy shook her head furiously. She kicked at Nathan when he moved closer to her. Her strangled protests couldn’t make it past the gag, but Nathan understood their meaning well enough.
“Don’t fight me, Amy. I can’t let you spoil this for me. I’ve worked too hard and too long on this. You’re a good girl and I don’t want to hurt you. Now just cooperate with me and it’ll all be over in a short time.”
Amy felt a scream rise up inside her, only to die as Nathan pulled her forward. He held the cloth firmly against her face, and in spite of her thrashing from side to side, the chloroform did its job. Amy had a burning sensation in her nostrils and throat, and then the darkness overtook her.
She came awake slowly, almost like she’d been a part of some strange dream. She lifted her aching head and tried to focus on the images around her, but nothing made sense. Dropping her head back, she waited for a few moments, hoping her head would clear before she tried to lift it again.
Her lips felt sore and dry, and she ran her tongue across them. She remembered the gag then—it was gone! With that memory, everything else came back to her. She was lying on a bed somewhere, and she swung her legs over the side, realizing that the ropes had been cut from her hands and feet. She sat up, her head swimming.
Her head pounded with the echo of each beat of her heart, and her throat was scratchy and sore from the chloroform. When she could finally focus a bit better, she noticed a small table across the room from the bed. On it, a lantern offered the room’s only light.
Amy got to her feet slowly, testing her weight against her wobbly legs. When she felt confident she could stand, she walked to the table and inspected the items on top of it. Nathan had left her a jar of water, a loaf of bread, and the light.
Looking around the room, Amy surmised that it must be a dugout or root cellar. She climbed the two dirt steps that led to a wooden door and pulled at the handle to open it. It wouldn’t budge—but then she really hadn’t expected it to. Heaving a sigh, she stepped away and took a more careful inventory of the room’s contents.
There was the makeshift bed she’d been lying on, the table, and nothing else. Overhead was the dirt and grass ceiling that was typical of dugouts, but with no stove and no hole in the roof for a flue, Amy decided this must be someone’s deserted storage cellar.
She returned her gaze to the table, then again to the door, and at last sat back down on the bed. She was trapped without hope, and the silence of her prison broke her like nothing else could have. She lay back on the bed and began to sob.
Chapter 11
Charles Carmichael pounded on the door to the general store. After several moments, Jeremy Smith’s scowling face appeared in the window.
“You know we’re closed,” he called from behind the glass.
Charles was undaunted. “Jeremy, have you seen Amy?” he bellowed.
His expression erased Jeremy’s scowl. He opened the door and shook his head. “Not since earlier when she was shopping.”
The lines in Charles’s face grew deeper. “She’s missing,” he said heavily. “I’ve looked all over for her. I covered the miles between here and home as best I could, but I didn’t see any sign of her anywhere. I was hoping she’d be somewhere still in town.”
“I’ll get my coat and a light,” Jeremy said. He knew no one would be able to rest until the young woman was found.
“I’m going to ride out to the Anderson place,” Charles said. “If they haven’t seen anything of her, then I’ll bring George and his boys back with me to help with the search. Would you get the men together here and wait for us?”
“Sure thing, Charles. We’ll be waitin’ for you right here.”
Confident that Jeremy would help, Charles mounted his horse and rode as fast as he dared to the Anderson farm. Snow was beginning to fall as he dismounted, but Charles barely noticed. He charged toward the house, ignoring the barking dogs, but the commotion brought George Anderson to the door before Charles could knock.
“Charles!” George exclaimed. “What are you doing out here on a night like this? A guy would have to be pert near crazy to brave the winds tonight.”
“You haven’t seen Amy, have you, George.” Charles’s words were a statement rather than a question. He wiped the snowflakes from his face, and took a deep breath. “She went into town with Angie and never came home.”
By this time Ed and Jack had joined their father at the door. “I thought she’d ridden out ahead of Angie,” Ed said. “I helped Angie look for her until we noticed her horse was gone. We figured she’d gone home.”
“If she headed toward home,” Charles said, fear making his voice gruff, “she never made it. I’ve got Jeremy Smith getting the men together in town. I wanted to ask—”
“No need to ask, Charles,” George interrupted. “Boys, get your brother and tell your ma what’s happened.”
Ed and Jack quickly returned with Jacob, closely followed by Emma Anderson. “Is there anything I can do, Charles?” Emma asked.
“Pray,” Charles suggested. “Just pray for her safe return. I know your prayers will be joined by an awful lot of others petitionin’ God for the same thing. I just have to believe that Amy will be safe in our Father’s hands.”
“I know she is,” Emma said firmly. “And I’ll be praying for both her and for you men as you search.” She reached out to squeeze Charles’s hand, then watched as her family prepared to leave with Charles.
“Bar the door, Emma,” her husband told her as they left. “We don’t know what’s amiss and there’s no sense taking chances.” He kissed her lightly on the cheek, picked up his rifle, and followed his sons outside.
Alone in the cold, damp room, Amy shivered and hugged her arms around herself. She was grateful she still wore her heavy coat, but she was still cold. She pulled the thin bed blanket around her to add to her coat’s warmth and tried to breathe slowly and calmly. She could do nothing now but wait. Surely Nathan wouldn’t just leave her here to die; after all, he had provided food and water for her.
She got off the bed and paced back and forth across the room, trying to warm herself by moving around. Her thoughts turned to home, and she bit her lip while her eyes burned with tears. Her parents would be frantic, and Angie would blame herself. Amy breathed a silent prayer that God would ease their worry, and she asked again for a speedy rescue.
She tried to focus on pleasant thoughts and not give in to the fear and hopelessness of her situation. She was uncertain how long she had been unconscious, and she wondered what day it was. Days might have already passed, she told herself, and rescue could be very near. Clinging to that hope, she ate a small piece of the bread, allowing herself no more than a brief swallow of the water. She knew rationing could be essential, because she had no guarantee that Nathan would return to supply her with more.
As the hours dragged by, she spent most of her time praying and remembering. The air gre
w colder, and she feared she might freeze to death before anyone could find her. She felt more and more sleepy, but she knew sleeping could be dangerous in the cold, and so she forced herself to stay awake by reciting Bible verses and signing hymns.
“Father,” she said aloud. Even the sound of her own voice was welcome in the silence. “I need a miracle. I don’t know what’s happening out there or even where I am, but You know, and I know You’re watching over me. Please let them find me in time, Lord—and if not, then teach me how I can help myself get out of this.” She didn’t add a closing “amen,” for she knew her prayer would continue again when the stillness became too much for her once more.
Tyler approached the Carmichael farm with the giddy excitement of a schoolboy. He’d arranged to have three weeks away from his circuit, while another rider took his place during his absence. During those three weeks, he intended to make plans with Amy for their wedding.
Snow covered the ground now, and Tyler was reminded of the storm that had kept him at the Carmichaels’ long enough to share his true feelings with Amy. He smiled to himself, thinking of how worried she’d been about her sister’s feelings. That was one of the things he loved most about Amy. She was always looking out for the folks around her before ever considering her own needs.
Without stopping at the house first, Tyler went directly to the barn. He cared for his horse and then ran across the yard to the house. Slightly breathless, he knocked on the door. A red-eyed Dora opened it.
“Tyler!” she gasped in surprise. Her face twisted with emotions that Tyler could not identify, and then she turned to her husband. “Look, Charles, it’s Tyler.”
The skin on the back of Tyler’s neck prickled when he saw how haggard both of Amy’s parents were. They ushered him into the kitchen without a word and motioned him toward a seat. When Dora and Charles had sat down with him, he leaned toward them, waiting for them to speak.