Jodi Thomas - WM 1

by Texas Rain

  “Oh, no,” Dottie whispered.

  “My father blamed my mother. For a long time I could hear them arguing at night. The next morning the bruising on my mother always seemed fresh. Until finally the life just went out of her and she became a walking ghost.”

  Dottie closed her hand over Rainey’s. “She must have loved you. She must have.”

  “I wish I could believe that. All I know is I never want to be in that situation where I have no way out, where someone has control over my life. I love being near Travis. I love the way he touches me. If I could know for sure that I could walk away, I think I’d stay with him forever.” Rainey shook her head. “It makes no sense.”

  “But marriage can be grand.”

  Rainey looked up. “Then why didn’t you remarry, Dottie ? You must have had many offers.”

  The widow took a long drink of her tea. “I’d never have a love like that again, and I’m too old to settle for less. I think I’ll wear black until the day I die.”

  Something rattled in the alley, drawing both their attention. Three men were tying horses to the saloon porch.

  “That’s strange,” Dottie whispered. “No one but delivery men bring horses to the back.”

  Rainey touched her finger to her lips and leaned closer. “This is a magic window. I can hear anything said below.”

  One man, a short barrel-chested fellow, mumbled, “You sure she came alone? I don’t want the Ranger to surprise us.”

  “Yeah, she’s alone, but we’d better act fast. That brother of hers could show up at any minute.”

  A large man dressed in black leaned over the saddle of his horse and ordered, “Kill him if he does. And kill that kid with him if you have to. I don’t want nothing messing this up. I don’t think I could stand another day of you planning to get even. We’ll go in the back and out again before anyone thinks to stop us. By the time anyone outside the house figures out what’s going on, we’ll be miles away.”

  A voice that sounded like Haskell yelled from inside the saloon, “What can I do for you boys?”

  The man in black stepped on the saloon’s back porch and mumbled something.

  Rainey leaned closer, trying to figure out what was going on. She could see all three men below, the one in black at the back door, the stout one between two of the horses, and another of average size and build. He walked across the alley and leaned against the boardinghouse steps.

  Haskell didn’t appear, but his voice sounded nervous when, a moment later, he yelled for Mamie.

  The slave appeared on the back porch of the boardinghouse. “Yes,” she answered.

  “I need you over at the saloon, Mamie. There’s four bits in it if you’ll clean all the tables in the bar.”

  Rainey thought it strange Haskell didn’t step out, but the man in black still framed the doorway to the saloon as if he were guarding it.

  “I have to wait and check with Miz Vivian when she gets back from picking up supplies!” Mamie yelled. “She don’t like me leaving the kitchen when she’s not here.”

  “I already talked to her,” Haskell snapped. “She told me to tell you when the saloon was empty and you could work.” He hesitated a moment, then added, “I’ll make it a dollar if you do a fast job. The extra money can be just between the two of us.”

  Mamie nodded. “I’ll get my stuff and be right there.”

  The three riders moved to the center of the alley. “Once she’s out of the way,” the man in black said almost casually, “go straight in and pick up the girl. Even if some of the boarders are home, they won’t be armed. Just knock them out of the way and get McMurray’s sister.” He nodded once toward the stout man. “Trust me, Seth, this will hurt that Ranger far more than killing him.”

  Rainey jumped back from the window. “They’re kidnapping Sage! She must have come alone to her appointment.”

  Her mind raced. The outlaws Travis had told her about were just below her window. They planned to get even with Travis by taking Sage.

  Dottie was already on her feet. “I’ll get my gun.”

  “I’ll alert them.” Rainey followed, a step behind the widow.

  They’d reached the second-floor landing when Rainey heard the sound of men storming through the kitchen. The faint rattle of laughter came from behind the closed door of the drawing room. The others would have no warning if she didn’t hurry.

  Dottie ran to her room.

  Rainey dashed down the stairs, thinking she could get to the other women, but by the time she reached the foyer, she realized there was no time. She could hear the men moving across the dining room. They’d be in the foyer in seconds, and from there the drawing room was only steps away. Even if the women knew they were coming, there would be no time to escape.

  She had to do something. She’d seen how the brothers loved Sage. They’d all be heartsick if something happened to her.

  Rainey’s gaze fell on a fur-lined blue coat hanging on the peg by the front door. It hadn’t been there when she’d placed her cape by the door. It had to be Sage’s.

  In a run she grabbed the coat and whirled it around her, pulling the hood up just as the men stormed the foyer.

  “There she is!” one yelled. “Grab her before she gets back outside.”

  Rainey didn’t see which man seized her. She was afraid to show any part of her face. She didn’t see him, but she felt his crushing grip as he lifted her off the ground and threw her over his shoulder.

  Cocooned in the folds of Sage’s coat, Rainey heard the drawing room door open and then screams. The man carrying her ran through the house, bumping her against furniture as he moved.

  “Stop!” Dottie’s voice yelled. “Stop or I’ll shoot.”

  “Keep going!” one of the men yelled. “Get her out of here! I’ll cover you.”

  A shot sounded. Then another.

  Rainey cried out in pain as the man carrying her bounded down the stairs with her bumping against his shoulder. She heard horses and shouts but couldn’t make out words.

  Someone shoved something over the hood of her coat and she felt it slide down, blocking out the little light that could seep through the coat. Then she was thrown roughly over a horse. A moment later a man’s knees slammed, one against her cheek, one at her thigh. Whoever had climbed behind her on the saddle didn’t care that he was hurting her.

  “Get her out of town fast!” someone shouted. “If she struggles, hit her upside the head a few times. Nobody will hear her crying through that sack, and if she has any sense, she’ll stop yelling.”

  “Where’s Frank?” the man holding Rainey yelled.

  “He’ll be along. Go. I’m right behind you.”

  Then the horse moved beneath her and they were off.

  She didn’t struggle. Her arms and hands were trapped inside the coat.

  The horse turned at what she guessed was the end of the alley. She had no idea where she was going, or why. All she knew was that she’d just been kidnapped.

  These evil men had planned to take Sage, not for money, but to hurt Travis. What would they do when they discovered they had the wrong woman?

  What would Travis do?

  CHAPTER 25

  TRAVIS RETURNED FROM THE COURTHOUSE WITH Duck. He felt like his brain might explode any minute. He’d never been asked so many questions. The lawyers were polite, but gave no hint if he’d answered their questions correctly. They’d simply told him that they would be in touch.

  Frustrated and hungry, he decided nothing about this trip was going as planned . . . except, of course, Sage’s shopping. He’d found Rainey, but she didn’t seem to want more than a friendship from him most of the time. His leg grew stronger each day from all the walking he did, but he knew he was weeks away from climbing back on a horse. Dr. Bailey had examined him and seemed hopeful that he’d heal, but cautioned him that it would take time and care. The doctor had also gotten close enough to Duck, thanks to a toy train set in his study, to determine that the boy would recover, at least p
hysically, from his ordeal.

  Travis walked into the Baileys’ home and found Mike Saddler pacing the sitting room. He sat Duck down and faced the young Ranger. “Waiting for Sage?” Travis asked, deciding to take Rainey’s advice and stay out of his sister’s life.

  “No, sir.” Mike crushed the brim of his hat in his hands. “I was hoping Sage was with you. I came with news about the Norman brothers. They’ve been spotted in town.”

  Travis had to give Duck his attention for a moment. The boy was hungry and tried to pull him toward the kitchen.

  “Just a minute, son.” Travis stood his ground. “And?” he said to Mike, guessing there must be more the young Ranger needed to say. If he’d come to warn Travis to arm, it was unnecessary.

  Mike swallowed. “And we think the target may be your sister.”

  “What?”

  “We all thought it would be you, or maybe the judge, but a man fitting Seth Norman’s description was seen following Sage.” Mike looked sick. “I had the feeling we were being followed this morning when we were riding. I kept my gun ready but never saw even a man who looked like one of the Norman brothers.”

  His knuckles whitened around his hat. “After I left here, I circled by the office and heard the report myself. I came straight back here.”

  Travis couldn’t breathe. “Where is Sage now?”

  “Dr. Bailey said he took her over to the Askew House about half an hour ago. She told him she couldn’t wait any longer to see what the three sisters were working on. The doc said she told him she’d wait for you to pick her up there.”

  Travis headed out the door with Duck right behind him.

  Mike followed. “She said she’d be at least two hours, so we know she’s safe.”

  “We know no such thing.” Travis swore. “Did the doc see her in?”

  “Of course.”

  Travis slowed, telling himself he was overreacting. Mike and Dr. Bailey had done all he would have done. At the time they didn’t know Sage was a target. If she was a target. He was the one the Norman brothers wanted, not Sage. “Are you sure about this, Saddler?”

  Mike nodded. “Dillon rushed in at the office to tell everyone and then left to go look for you. I just stopped by to tell the Baileys and then planned to stand guard at Askew House until Sage finished. We can’t let her on the streets alone until this threat is over.”

  “We’ll both stand guard.”

  Mike took a deep breath as his long strides matched Travis’s. People moved out of their path as the stormed toward the Askew House.

  Travis stopped and lifted Duck. The tiny boy had been running to keep up. “It’s all right, Duck,” he said. “We’re going to get Sage.”

  As he hugged the boy to him, he said to Mike, “If this is true, I’ll kill all of them for even thinking about bothering my sister.”

  Mike nodded. “I’ll help you.”

  They walked on at as fast a pace as Travis could handle.

  They turned the corner where the Askew House stood just as Sage ran out, her braid flying. “Travis!” she yelled. “You’re here!”

  Travis felt his heart slow to normal as she ran down the steps toward them. She looked upset. He could deal with that. He could deal with anything as long as she was all right.

  But before he could shift Duck in his arms, Sage ran into Mike’s embrace. The young Ranger hugged her wildly, lifting her off the ground.

  “Thank God you’re safe,” Travis said. “We were worried someone might try to kidnap you.”

  To his surprise, when Sage turned to him, her eyes were filled with tears. “Not me, someone else!” she cried. “They stormed the house from the back to take her. We were all scared to death. One of the boarders shot one of the men.”

  Travis hurried up the steps knowing Mike would get Sage in safely. The young Ranger hadn’t turned loose of her since the hug.

  Stepping into the foyer, Travis heard women crying a moment before he saw a man dressed in black lying in a pool of his own blood. Travis glanced back and nodded once to Mike before stepping farther inside.

  The foyer seemed so dark after coming in for the sunlight that it took him a few seconds to see the widow.

  Dottie Davis sat on the third step of the wide stairs, both her hands around an old gun. “I had to load it,” she cried. “It took only seconds, but I was too late.”

  Mike moved to the body and knelt over the man. He lifted one shoulder, revealing a leaking chest wound at heart level. Meeting Travis’s gaze, Mike shook his head. “Dead” was all he said.

  Travis sat Duck a few steps above the widow so he’d be out of view of the body. He leaned down to see the widow’s face. “You got him, Mrs. Davis. You weren’t too late. The intruder is dead.” He touched the widow’s arm with one hand as he pried the gun from her fingers. The black lacy sleeve of her dress was soaked in blood. “You’re wounded, Mrs. Davis. You’ve been shot. We’ll get you taken care of right away.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Dottie shook her head. “I missed.”

  “No.” Travis never knew what to do with women after a gunfight. He wasn’t sure reminding her that the man she’d shot was dead would help. “You missed who?” he finally said.

  Dottie looked up at him with so much sorrow in her eyes, Travis swore he felt a chill. “I missed the man who took Rainey. She must have put on Sage’s coat trying to fool them. She made it to the door before one grabbed her.”

  “No.” Sage moved to the stairs, her face pale with confusion and fear. “Why would someone pretend to be me? Why would the men be after me?”

  The widow leaned back. “We heard them planning it from the window in Rainey’s room. We couldn’t get down both flights of stairs fast enough. I didn’t find the gun in time to stop them. Maybe Rainey thought if she grabbed your coat and ran out the front door, she’d be safe and she’d get them out of the house. I don’t know. It all happened so fast.”

  Travis straightened. His heart felt like it might break through his ribs.

  “Oh, Travis!” the widow cried. “I’m so sorry. I know how much she means to you.”

  “How much who means to you?” Sage watched her brother as if she’d never seen him before. “Travis, did you know the woman they kidnapped? Why did they do it?”

  Mike answered from just behind Sage. “They thought Rainey was you.”

  Sage glanced from Travis to Mike. “You knew the kidnapped woman, too.”

  Mike nodded.

  “No!” Sage yelled. “No!” She stomped her foot as if she could banish all the pain before her away. “I don’t even know a woman named Rainey. How could she know about me? How could she risk her life for me?”

  “Because,” Travis said almost calmly. “I told her all about you.”

  The three sisters were huddled in a corner by the drawing room door. They were crying and holding on to one another.

  Mike moved toward the door. “I’ll round up a few of the men and be back ready to ride. They can’t have gone far.”

  Sage shoved her tears away with the palm of her hand as she gained a bit of control. “Bring an extra horse, Mike, I’m going with you. If some woman is willing to risk her life for me, I can return the favor.”

  Both men answered, “No.”

  Mike didn’t take time to argue further; he disappeared.

  Travis stood and put an arm around his sister. “I need you to stay here. I have to have someone I can trust.” His sister was shaking, but she wasn’t falling apart. She would have made a good Ranger, he thought.

  Sage shook her head. “But she’s kidnapped because of me.”

  “Not because of you. You’re not to blame for those men. I’ll find her, I swear, but I need you here to watch over Duck and the Baileys. I’d give anything if I could be two places, but I can’t. When the men find out they have the wrong woman, they may come back for you and if Duck or the Baileys are in the way, they’ll be killed.”

  Sage nodded. “If they return, I’ll be waiting and armed.�
�

  Travis saw it then, the McMurray spirit in her. All her life he’d worried about her, protected her, and now he knew that she would take care of herself.

  “You’ll have Mike to help. He’s young, but he’s the best.”

  Sage straightened and reached for Duck.

  Mrs. Vivian rattled up in her carriage. While she was screaming and demanding to know what was going on, Travis loaded the widow and Sage, with Duck in her arms, in Mrs. Vivian’s carriage and headed toward the Baileys.

  While Travis changed into his leather trousers and his winter coat, Dr. Bailey bandaged the widow’s arm and Sage unpacked the guns.

  When Travis stormed toward the door, he noticed Sage had strapped a double gun belt around her waist. “Dottie’s agreed to stay with me until you get back to help with the boy.”

  Travis nodded. The widow would be good with Duck, and the doctor would see that her wound was treated properly.

  “Be careful,” Sage whispered as she followed him to the door.

  “I will,” he answered as he kissed her head. “Make sure everyone is safe. Don’t leave the house, and keep a gun within reach.”

  Duck blocked the door. Travis knelt on his good knee and pulled the boy to him. “I have to go,” he whispered, “but I swear I’ll be back.” He had no idea how much the boy understood of what he said. But Duck had seen the blood and heard the screams. He knew what Travis had to do. “I have to go save Rainey. She’s been kidnapped.”

  Duck nodded and stepped back as though he understood. Tears silently ran from his blue eyes. Sage moved behind him and held his shoulder as Travis left.

  A few minutes later he pulled the buggy up to the boardinghouse just as the Rangers rode in. Seven men, all ready to ride for as long as it took.

  Dillon was already ordering the men to spread out and enter the alley from either side.

  Mike jumped down from his mount. “We’ll bring her back.”

  Travis moved close to the young ranger. “I need a favor,” he asked.