Within an hour, Laura sighted six blue-clad soldiers approaching the ambush site, one leading a loaded mule. She tensed as the unsuspecting men reached the concealed villains, who leapt from hiding with weapons at the ready and shouted at them. Two startled horses reared and whinnied, almost unseating their relaxed riders; the other animals pranced about, pawed the ground, and snorted in agitation. The surprised troop struggled to regain control of their nervous mounts.
Laura was relieved, since Jayce was involved, that no shots were fired and no innocent man slain. She realized she could have left the scene earlier and gone to warn the payroll carriers of trouble ahead. But that action would have revealed her prior knowledge of the crime, terminating her mission and preventing her from tying Jacob Adams to the evil deed. It also might have endangered Jayce’s life if the soldiers had decided to flank the gang and sneak up on them, then do battle.
The vulnerable soldiers discarded their weapons, no doubt as ordered, and dismounted with hands lifted in surrender and with scowls on their faces. Though rifles had been resting across their thighs, they had lacked the time to raise them to their challengers. The captives were bound, and their horses’ reins were secured to trees.
That action implied the gang was going to allow the men to free themselves and escape, as even their weapons were left behind when the villains left the scene. Before trailing her targets, Laura decided to alert Jim later to the soldiers’ location, in case they failed to get out of their bonds and didn’t arrive at the fort within a reasonable time. She sneaked from her position and followed Jake’s cohorts, using the same precautions she had employed between the fort and the ambush site.
Another hour of traveling rugged terrain ensued before Laura saw Jayce and the other three Galvanized Yankees halt and dismount as Captain Bart Reno rode ahead and alone. With added caution, she shadowed the traitorous Union officer until he met with his leader and turned the stolen payroll over to him. The two men spoke for a few minutes before Reno headed back the same way he had come, taking the pack mule with him and concealing their trail as he did so.
Laura focused the fieldglasses to settle her gaze on her uncle’s face as Jake checked one of the four bulging sacks filled with Union currency. The look on his face was one of greed, elation, and arrogance. For a moment, her heart chilled and hardened toward her relative, and no nibblings of guilt troubled her about what she was doing to him. As in the past, Jacob Adams freely chose his treacherous and illegal path; this time, if it led him to prison, it was his own fault. She admitted Jake had endured many tragic losses, but so had countless other people who hadn’t turned to crime to appease themselves. It was bad enough to be a thief, but to help prolong a horrible war was inexcusable.
Laura followed Jake to what appeared to be a long-abandoned mine and watched him disappear inside the door-size opening, bags of money suspended over his shoulders and carrying a lantern. She could not risk getting any closer to see where he hid them, but she had discovered the secret location of his misbegotten cache.
After Jake rode away, Laura debated taking a peek inside the mine, but decided against that action. She saw where Jake concealed the lantern in some bushes near the entrance, so darkness would not be a problem. Yet, she reasoned, a man as evil and cunning as Jake, might have snares or traps set for intruders.
Without delay, Laura headed for the fort. She returned the horse and thanked the soldier for unsaddling and currying him, smiling and chatting cordially to mask the pain she felt. Once inside the cabin, she poked and fueled a dying fire back to blazing life, sat on the sofa before it, and let warm tears of heartache flow down wind-pinkened cheeks.
Jayce had broken his promise to her about not doing anything to get into trouble. But if she confronted him about his deceit, she would have to explain why she had followed them; that in turn would lead to revelations about her work back East for the Union. As a loyal Rebel officer, he could hate her for spying on the Confederacy. Information she had supplied to Ben could have gotten him or his friends or acquaintances slain or captured. Now, he had gotten entangled in Jake’s crimes, and in her final mission. She was torn between loyalties to him and her father, and those to her country and President.
Laura’s troubled mind remembered the mysteries about his knife, his past whereabouts, and his many verbal deceits. What if Jayce had been a Rebel spy, she mused, who had met and visited her while reporting to his superiors in Richmond? What if he had discovered her covert activities and the items in the cellar, but had decided, because of honest sentiments of love—to keep his findings a secret, even from her? What if he had agreed to his new rank only to provide him with a chance to escape and return to the South, but had changed his mind after being reunited with her? Then this opportunity had arisen, a way to aid his side while also remaining at hers. She felt trapped: she loved and desired Jayce, yet was disappointed and mistrustful.
She wondered how Reno had convinced her beloved to join his gang, as Jayce Durance didn’t seem to possess a criminal or violent streak. Then again, he was a soldier and adventurer. Being an intelligent and honorable man, surely he realized the Confederacy was a lost cause. How could he think what he was doing was patriotic to the South when it would cause more death and destruction? She wondered why Jayce and the other Galvanized Yankees weren’t allowed to see Jake, the man for whom they took such risks. If Jayce learned her uncle was their leader, would he stop helping those villains to avoid incriminating her father and herself?
Laura did not allow her tears to continue very long; she knew they resolved nothing; and would make her eyes telltale red and puffy if she had a visitor. Her heart was filled with anguish and raged in defiance at fate’s cruel intrusion on her life. She was angry with Jayce and wanted to shake some sense into that handsome and misguided head, but she couldn’t do that until she figured out a way to extricate him from his recklessness.
Before sundown on the following day, Laura walked to the Wrights’. She took them a basket of freshly baked treats as an excuse should anyone observe and question her. Though her friendship with Emmaline should disguise her visits there, she couldn’t take a chance of arousing suspicions. She told the Wrights about what happened yesterday. An alarmed Emmaline responded first to her news.
“You did what? That was foolish, Laura. You could have been killed or captured by those vicious men. You could be buried out there somewhere and no one would have known what happened to you.”
Laura remained silent and alert as Jim tried to calm and silence his wife, then finally saying, “Let me talk with Laura alone. Find something to do in the kitchen, please.”
After Emmaline nodded and left the room, Jim asked Laura, “What possessed you to trail those men and endanger yourself?”
“I remembered the payroll was coming in yesterday and I saw Captain Reno and our suspects leaving the fort, so I wanted to see if they were going to steal it, which they did. Now we know for certain my uncle is their leader, but it appeared to me as if Reno is the only one who knows Jake’s identity. Frankly, I can’t imagine why any man would work for an unknown leader, but perhaps I’ll learn that answer another time. As to why I did it, I certainly can’t obtain evidence sitting around. If I don’t do something to resolve this matter, there was no reason for me being sent here and no reason for me to stay.”
“I know you want to do all you can to help stop the war, Laura, but you shouldn’t take such risks.”
“Perhaps you’ve forgotten about my work in Virginia and why I was chosen for this task; I’m accustomed to taking risks and facing challenges, and experienced at talking my way out of precarious situations.”
“I know about your qualifications, Laura, but it’s different out here. The terrain is different and unfamiliar; so are the hazards and the conditions under which you have to work.”
“Obviously President Lincoln, General Grant, and Benjamin. Simmons have faith in me and my skills; or I wouldn’t be here. Right, sir?”
Laura wa
tched Jim pace the floor, frowning and taking deep breaths. It seemed to her as if he wanted to tell or ask her something, but couldn’t make up his mind about doing so. She had not told him Private Durance was with Reno and his men on Wednesday, but Jim probably knew that. Perhaps he wondered why she hadn’t mentioned Jayce, since he was her assigned escort. If Jim thought her omission was odd, why didn’t he ask for the names of the “suspects” who were with Reno? Jim seemed trustworthy, but perhaps he wasn’t telling her everything he knew or was duping her for a personal reason. Perhaps he didn’t want her to solve the crime because he wanted the money and gold—or a share of them—for himself; perhaps he had sided with the Rebels and wanted to hinder her investigation while distracting suspicion from himself. If Jayce whom she knew so well could fool her, she reasoned, it would be easy for a stranger to do so.
Laura scolded herself for permitting her imagination to run wild, as Jim was the one who had carried out a preliminary investigation and gotten the culprits’ names and other clues for Ben. In fact, Jim had been chosen to help with the case because he had reported his plot suspicions to Washington in late November, long before she and her father had been selected to come there. For Ben and General Grant, Jim’s claims had added credence to what they already had learned from a Union agent.
Maybe what she perceived in Jim was just wounded male pride or envy that she was accomplishing what he could not. Even so, that did not account for his strange looks and behavior at times, nor Emmaline’s. That nagging doubt about her contact caused her not to divulge the payroll’s hiding place. To test his reaction, she asked, “Do you believe they should have assigned a male agent to this task instead of a female, Major Wright? You don’t have to worry about injuring my feelings or pride, so please be honest with me.” She saw him shrug and grimace as if she’d touched a sensitive spot.
“I suppose I should admit I thought a man was needed for the job, but you’ve done as much as one of us could do, maybe more.”
To relax him, Laura jested, “See, honesty isn’t so hard and it’s good for the soul. And we are on the same side.” So, what are you keeping from me? For Jayce’s benefit, she pointed out, “One thing that pleased me about those Galvanized Yankees is they didn’t kill those soldiers. I—”
“There have been woundings and killings in the past, Laura, so they are dangerous and cunning men. Don’t forget the Galvanized Yanks are bitter and resentful ex-prisoners of the Union, no matter how well they hide or control those feelings.”
“Was one of those deaths Mrs. Wiggins’s husband?”
“I don’t think so; he was slain when he tried to resist bandits during a robbery. It happened before the Galvanized Yanks got here and went to work for your uncle. But Reno and Jake could have been involved. There have been a couple of killings since the gang started operating.”
Laura was thankful those crimes were committed before Jayce joined that band, and prayed no more would occur to deepen his trouble. She continued her explanation, “I was planning to come over and tell you where to find those soldiers if they failed to free themselves and reach the fort within a few hours. When they almost beat me back, it wasn’t necessary; and I didn’t want to be seen coming to visit you so soon after I took a long ride during one of those incidents.”
Jim nodded his approval. “That was smart of you. As soon as they reported what happened, I sent out a patrol to search for the robbers but it returned clueless, as expected. When I told Jake the news, his explanation of his absence until last night was that he was in town in one of those brothels. Of course, I couldn’t go checking out a superior officer’s claims.”
“After I stopped following him, he could have gone there to provide a cover. My time and daylight were limited, so I had to hurry back before my excuse was questioned.” If jealousy and ego were problems for Jim, Laura hoped her next words halted them. “May I ask a big favor?”
“What is it, Laura?”
“After this matter is settled, could you take all of the credit for resolving it? Since it’s my uncle who’s responsible, I would rather no one, especially Father, knows I was a part of it. I realize Uncle Jake is a criminal and traitor, but he is family, my father’s only brother.”
“I can try to keep your part a secret, but it might not be possible. You could be needed and called as a witness against him and the others. Also, the President and General Grant might heap lots of public praise on you, and I’m not in a position to tell either man what to do.”
Her mind fretted, Testify against…Jayce? She couldn’t. She wouldn’t. She must find an escape path for him. “I don’t want any praise, Jim; I’m only doing my patriotic duty. Please, ask them to keep my name out of it; they owe me that for helping them.”
“I’ll do my best, Laura; I promise.”
She recalled a confusing point and queried it, “One last question: why don’t they put more guards on the payroll and gold shipments to prevent thefts? Or keep their routes a secret from everyone; at least until the last minute so no attack plans can be made?”
Jim chuckled and said, “That’s more than one question, but I don’t have answers to any of them. In view of our past trouble, what you point out seem logical steps; so I’ll suggest them to those in charge.”
Laura was eager to keep Jayce out of future harm, so she said, “If the shipments and schedules are protected better, there won’t be any new crimes to solve, and no payments will be made to the Confederacy.”
Jim smiled. “You are as smart and cunning as General Grant believes; I apologize for underestimating you.”
“Thanks for the compliment. Well, I should get home now; it’s late. Tell Em good night for me and I’m sorry I upset her.”
“She likes you, Laura, so she doesn’t want anything bad happening to you; neither do I, so please be extra careful from here on.”
“I will. Good-bye, Jim. I’ll see you when I have another report.”
As she left the stockade and glanced toward the noisy corral, Laura saw Jayce and the other villains returning from their wicked deed. She averted her gaze with haste, fearing her expression would expose her deep turmoil. I’m not going to letyou get taken away from me, Jayce Durance! I just have to figure out how…
* * *
Laura and Jayce went for a ride the next morning; it turned out they mostly walked their horses to prevent creating a breeze since the sun hadn’t warmed the air more than a few degrees and the day was still cold.
She wanted to extract clues about his feelings and motives, and to give him subtle warnings about potential perils of his actions. She began, “Father said we shouldn’t go far from the fort after that trouble on Wednesday with the payroll theft. He also told me about other robberies in this area. Would you ever be tempted to get rich quick by doing anything like that?”
“Why, Laura Adams, I’m surprised you would ask such a question, even though I can tell you’re joking,” he teased with a grin. “I couldn’t take something that didn’t belong to me, that I hadn’t earned. But I’m glad you’re mine or I would be tempted to steal you.” After checking their surroundings for privacy, he leaned toward her to kiss her lips. He wished his hands weren’t gloved so he could caress her pinkened cheek or her hair wasn’t covered by a wool scarf so he could stroke her golden mane. He yearned to have her fully, but that wasn’t possible today. Yet, just seeing, talking with, and touching her briefly were wonderful.
As Jayce’s warm mouth chased away the chill on her lips, Laura wanted to feel his flesh against her fingers but her gloves, too, prevented that pleasure. As they separated, she looked into his blue gaze; she wondered how a man with his gentle touches, passionate kisses, and tender expressions could have a single wicked bone in his body or risk losing the things he claimed he wanted most in life. Her judgment of him couldn’t be that wrong, so he must be doing what he was because he truly believed he was justified. Why, she fretted, couldn’t he realize he was mistaken? On the other hand, what would she be doing and fe
eling if it was her side that was facing defeat…
Laura didn’t want to ponder her answer as they began moving again. She asked Jayce, “How will the Army pay its men with the payroll gone?”
“We were told we’ll be given credit at the sutler’s until the payroll is either recovered or replaced. It shouldn’t create a hardship for anyone.”
“I certainly hope they send more soldiers to transport and guard it next time. Don’t you think it’s suspicious that the thieves knew which route they were taking and knew the exact time to strike at them? It sounds to me as if somebody who possessed that knowledge planned and carried out the crime. If I were in charge, I would make a list of those enlightened people and investigate them.”
“So would I, but we aren’t in charge here.”
Butyou’re involved with those evil culprits. Please escape that snare. Don’t force me to choose between savingyou and doing what’s right. “They must be terrible men because they’ve wounded and killed men.” They commited crimes, Jayce, lethal offenses! And I’m going to keep stressing that point until you grasp it! “The woman Father is seeing in town, her husband was slain by robbers; it might have been the same gang because the crimes were identical, except there was no shooting this last time. When those thieves and murderers are caught, they’ll be hanged or sent to prison for life.”
“Some things are worth dying for if necessary to protect them: the woman you love, home, children, parents, country, honor, and peace.”
“You’re a soldier and past adventurer, so risking your life is as natural as breathing to you.”
“Now that I have you, woman, I’m careful about risking my neck.”
“I hope so, Jayce. I love you, and couldn’t bear to lose you.”
“Don’t worry, Laura, you won’t lose me; I promise.”
“You wouldn’t ever break your word for any reason, would you?”
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