by Dee Burks
A sharp knock on the door made Samantha jump.
“Yes?” His eyes never left hers.
“Mr. Lawson, I have a client waiting in the lobby,” a voice answered.
“I’ll be right out.” He hadn’t moved an inch. His steely gaze completely frazzled her nerves. “We will come to an arrangement.”
She nodded.
“You will not say a word to anyone about anything you suspect. Otherwise, I assure you that you will be an orphan once again.”
She had no doubt he would follow through on any threat he made. Of all the times she had let her thoughts flow right out of her mouth, this time it was serious.
“Of course, I was merely speculating. I can admit when I’m wrong, and clearly I was wrong about you.” She managed a half smile.
“I would expect no less from my fiancée.” Lawson loosened his grip, but the knife remained within an inch of her nose. “And when I come for you, you will see me. Understand?”
Fiancée? She really didn’t care if he thought she was the next queen of England right now, although that was more likely than her agreeing to marry him.
“Of course, I’d be lucky to be with you.” The words tasted like bile, but she had to get out of this office alive.
Lawson stepped back and slipped the weapon into his pocket. He yanked his vest down and tugged at his cuffs, once again cold and distant. “Please give your aunt my greetings and let her know we’ll be setting a meeting to work out the details of our engagement tomorrow.” He walked to his desk as if nothing had happened and dismissed her with a flip of the wrist.
Samantha ran.
Chapter 2
New Mexico Territory
The stage rocked along the mountain trail toward River City. Samantha was much more refreshed this morning following a night in the St. James Hotel in Cimarron. After four days on the train from Boston to Raton, New Mexico, and then another two on the stage to Cimarron, Samantha had been completely worn out. The stress of constantly looking over her shoulder had taken its toll.
This morning the stage was packed with five adults and two small children, all headed to River City. They started out before dawn, and thankfully both children slept soundly in their parents’ arms. She’d not slept a full night since the meeting with John, and even now her mind was still in a daze. Mattie had immediately called her lawyer as well as the authorities the minute Samantha arrived back at the brownstone.
It was clear that Samantha was in the most danger as John’s plan centered around her. She shuddered at the thought of his vile tongue on her skin and rubbed her knuckles against her chest to try and remove the memory. None of the other passengers in the coach noticed or paid her any attention. She was grateful to have her thoughts to herself for a while. Just the thought of his touch was enough to risk life and limb to get away.
The stage swayed rhythmically as the sun peaked over the mountains and highlighted the small but rapidly flowing stream next to the trail. She’d forgotten how incredibly beautiful this part of the country was, and somehow it seemed so much more vibrant and wild than she remembered. The overly civilized atmosphere of Boston was a far cry from this wild territory, and she liked this place. She liked it very much.
The decision for her to disappear until John could be dealt with was an obvious choice. Without Samantha, John couldn’t get his hands on Mattie’s money even if he tried; Samantha was the only heir. But if she stayed in Boston, everyone was in danger. If he could kidnap Samantha—and she had no doubt he would stoop to that—then he could easily do away with Mattie. They all decided that Samantha would immediately leave until the authorities could be apprised and John dealt with.
Only Mattie knew she’d come here. No one else had been told in case John had eyes and ears among some of Mattie’s other confidants or friends. At this point they couldn’t afford to trust anyone, and they agreed that there would be no communication between them that might tip someone off as to her whereabouts until their suspicions could be proven and John was no longer a threat.
She hadn’t wanted to leave Mattie, but her aunt insisted she go. The Williams’ didn’t know she was coming, but Mattie assured her they would have no problem with a sudden arrival. At least she would be completely safe with three grown men to protect her. It might be a month, maybe longer but she had to get away from Boston and from John. She knew he could follow and was completely paranoid the four days on the train jumping at every loud noise or unexpected sound. After she arrived in Cimarron, she was reasonably sure he hadn’t followed. At least not close enough to catch her before she reached the ranch.
The stage from Cimarron to River City today seemed to plod along the ever steeper terrain, and though she relished being in the mountains once again, she was anxious to reach her destination. There was so much she’d forgotten: the crisp clean mountain air, the streams that gurgled and bubbled their way along, and the wildlife that seemed to be everywhere along the trail.
She breathed deeply and enjoyed the peace for a short time. But once the children arose, the ride through the mountains grew much more tedious. As the hours dragged by, the day warmed the inside of the stage to an almost intolerable level, making the children and adults uncomfortable and moody.
Large rocks jostled the passengers until Samantha almost landed in the lap of the man across from her. He was older, but distinguished and looked at a large pocket watch frequently. He winked at her and she looked away, not wanting to make any connection with anyone. Her hands strained and cramped trying to hold on until suddenly the trail opened up into a wide valley and the road smoothed. They picked up speed and she smiled, only a few more miles now. Her heart raced with anticipation.
They finally pulled into River City by late afternoon. She disembarked and nodded a farewell to the other passengers. Grabbing her small valise, Samantha walked along the main street of a town she hadn’t seen in more than nine years. River City looked so different from when she’d left, although she recognized a few stores. When she was a child they were newly built and full of patrons. Now most were either empty or abandoned, a mere shadow of their former selves. Back then the town had bustled with people everywhere and more than a hundred homes crowded below the bluff at the end of Main Street. She’d played with other children outside the small schoolhouse and had even thrown rocks off the bluff into the creek below. The schoolhouse looked to be in disrepair, and it was much smaller than she remembered. The weathered logs of the building sank toward one corner as if it was someone’s forgotten project.
The River City of her childhood was now part ghost town, part boomtown with the saloon, hotel, and Miss Sadie’s Gentleman’s Club being the most prominent buildings. There were still barely visible foundations from homes that had been moved elsewhere, but she refused to allow it to dampen her spirit. She clutched the small valise that Mattie insisted she take a little tighter. Traveling light meant she could go quickly and mostly unnoticed as she traveled and now, after days of getting on and off trains, up and down on stages and back and forth to a hotel, she was exceedingly grateful she hadn’t brought anything larger.
Samantha walked all the way to the end of Main Street and up along the road that circled around the bluff to the top, her breath now coming in short gasps. The elevation was affecting her, but she continued on despite the protest of burning lungs. Once at the top of the bluff, the cemetery took up some of the flat ground, but the rest was still vacant. Samantha took in the view from all directions: the mountains to the west, Baldy Peak to the north, and the valley stretched out to the north and south. The river flowed right beside the trail that led to the pass. The feel of this place was so much bigger, grander than she remembered, no matter how the town appeared, and she felt excitement welling up in her throat.
She was home. Really home. Samantha reached out her arms and pointed her face to the sun. She breathed deeply and spun around, still not quite believing she was really here. Something in her heart lurched into motion once again. As if so
me clock that sat dusty and forgotten had suddenly chimed once again.
A rumble in the distance got her attention. Clouds darkened the western sky behind the peaks and she remembered the stage driver say that rain might be expected later. It didn’t give her much time. She could wait in town another night, but now she was almost within sight of the ranch. She refused to wait another minute.
Chapter 3
Taos Williams rode into the tiny mining town of River City in the northern mountains of New Mexico Territory. His body tense, he scanned the buildings for any sign of threat as he slowly rode his large chestnut gelding down the main street. River City had, as short as ten years ago, been the county seat and biggest settlement in Northern New Mexico. But now, with the initial gold boom a distant memory, it had shrunk to only a few hundred residents. There were one or two companies still mining some productive veins, but everything else had mostly petered out.
That was until a couple of months ago. Discovery of new placer deposits in the Placer River and a new vein of lode gold up on Baldy Peak had people streaming in again, but not nearly at the volume they had been coming a decade earlier. Still, the town was shifting into boom mode again.
The good news is that it meant higher prices and a larger market for their cattle close to home. Driving them through the mountains to the railroad wasn’t the most efficient as far as time or revenue was concerned. But he and his two brothers Charlie and Darren, had done what they had to do the last few years, which is why they survived the post-boom downturn when so many other cattlemen had to pack it in.
Taos noted a few men he didn’t recognize leaning against the railing of the saloon, but that was a regular occurrence these days. New people arrived with every stage, and there was no way to keep up with who was who, especially since he didn’t come to town unless he absolutely had to.
The men eyeballed him as he rode past but none made a move. Used to be this town was a happy go lucky old fashioned boom town, but this year had turned neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend. An extended drought dried up creeks and springs all over the valley, and now with miners competing with ranchers for what little water remained, things had reached a fevered pitch. Last week’s incident down at Bear Creek had brought things to a head as several cattle had been found shot dead, presumably by miners.
The whole town was a cinder box waiting on a match—both figuratively and literally. One shot could potentially start a full blown range war that would put the Lincoln County war to shame. While the timber and forage pastures were so dry right now that even a wayward spark or lightning bolt could start an inferno that would sweep through the valley destroying what little remained of the town or the livestock. Every single person seemed on edge and with very good reason.
Some of the best water in the valley was on the Williams’ ranch and Taos was under no illusions that there were some who would use just about any means to get their hands on it. He’d had offers from other ranchers and even mining companies to divert some of the water on their ranch, but he’d turned them all down. Water was life in this valley and once it was gone, you were done. He had to protect what was his, and he’d do it at any cost.
Taos reined up at Hardin’s Mercantile and tied up his horse. The nervous atmosphere of town made his horse dance a bit in front of the hitching post. He stroked the gelding’s neck and spoke softly, calming the animal. He didn’t really blame the horse; having to be around the people of River City made him just as jumpy.
Spurs jingled as Taos strode across the planks in front of the building. The bell above the door alerted everyone in the store to his presence, and as usual when he went anywhere in this town, conversation stopped and they all stared. It’s not that he wasn’t used to it, but it was still a little awkward. He ducked into the store, feeling much taller than his six-foot-three frame and completely out of place among the women shopping.
Taos had never been overly popular with people in town and that certainly included the women. Even when he was younger he had kept to himself and didn’t mix much; his height had made him an uncoordinated and abnormally skinny teen. He’d put on a good sixty or seventy pounds since then, all of it muscle, but that had only made him feel like a hulking beast. Then he’d married and when that went south, a terrible image was planted forever in people’s minds, courtesy of his wife.
Even now, years after his she had fled the territory, people still treated him like a leper. He learned years ago that there was no way of convincing anyone that his wife had lied about everything that had happened in their short marriage. The story was just too juicy for the townspeople to drop.
Mr. Hardin greeted him with a nod and took the list Taos offered, gazing at it through the half glasses that sat on his nose. The man’s wife smiled, “It’s a fine day today, isn’t it Taos?”
He nodded, “I suppose it is.”
“Might even rain if we’re lucky,” Mrs. Hardin smiled at him while her husband gathered the items in his order.
The Hardins had known Taos’s father for years before he died and had gone out of their way to let Taos know they didn’t give a hot mouse turd what anyone said about him. Mrs. Hardin always made a point to speak to him even if no one else in town did. He appreciated her effort, but he knew it was no use. She probably did, too, but it was still nice to at least see a friendly face.
Once his father had died, there had been nothing to stop the rumor mill from working overtime. Jake Williams had been larger than life and had the kind of personality that could win over anyone about anything. Taos often thought the man should have run for office, but Jake was content to stay on the ranch after his wife died and raise his three boys. Taos only hoped he’d be as good a father to his son, Tommy.
Taos’s brother Charlie had the same personality as their dad, and as annoying as it was sometimes, it certainly came in handy on occasion. He wished Charlie had been around today to take care of this little chore, but he’d been escorting a prisoner over to Taos for Sheriff Blake as he often did, and wasn’t due back until late this afternoon.
“Taos! Taos Williams!” a female voice squealed.
He groaned inwardly and pretended not to hear. It was one of Mertie Mae Morrison’s daughters. He wasn’t sure which one, but it really didn’t matter; they could both scare off a whole flock of crows with their screeching.
“Mr. Williams?”
He turned toward the girls’ mother. Mertie Mae Morrison was never far from her precious offspring and she looked ready to pounce on Taos today. A tall hawk-beaked woman with an abnormally long face and teeth too big for her mouth, Mertie Mae’s face closely resembled that of a horse. Taos had no idea how a man could kiss a woman like that and not have his horse look at him funny every day afterward.
“Mr. Williams, I’d like to discuss some business with you, if you don’t mind.”
Oh boy. He knew exactly what kind of business she wanted to discuss, and he absolutely did not want to hear it. Mertie Mae was determined to foist off those girls of hers on someone and if she could get some water for her parched farm out of the deal, he was sure she would consider that a win.
“Uh, I’m just picking up a few things. I’ve got to be on my way.”
The woman gave him a disbelieving glare. “It won’t take but a moment and I’m sure you have time to spare in your social calendar.”
The comment drew a few whispers from the handful of spectators and instantly pissed him off. She couldn’t resist pointing out he had absolutely no social calendar and preferred it that way. The last thing he wanted in his life, or his son’s life, was a meddling woman.
“Actually I don’t, Ma’am. I have a meeting. “
She didn’t budge.
“At the saloon,” he leaned forward for emphasis and saw her twitch. Mertie Mae was a bible thumper and wouldn’t dare follow him into the saloon. He didn’t really have any business there, but if he had to hide out and have a shot of whiskey to get rid of her while Hardin filled his order, then so
be it.
“Fine, but I intend to discuss this business with you as soon as possible.”
Taos never ran from confrontation. In his mind it was better to get it over with than have to face it another day. “Look Mertie Mae, I’m not interested in your girls,” he cast a glance at their embarrassed faces and instantly softened his reproach. “I’m sure they will find someone who cares for them and settle down, but I am not going to marry one of them. Ever.”
Mertie Mae lowered her voice, “Well, perhaps we can come to another arrangement. No need for you to get into the same situation as before.”
Taos actually thought about popping her one right on that hawk-bill nose of hers. Not that it would do the rumors about him any favors. What kind of mother basically sells off her children to save livestock?
Taos towered over the woman, purposely crowding her, “If you are planning to sell your daughters’ virtue to the highest bidder that is your business, but don’t expect me to be one of those bidders.”
Mertie Mae sputtered, “Well, I never! I had no such thing in mind. Come on girls.” She stomped out of the mercantile and he turned back to Mr. Hardin, who had a hard time concealing his grin.
Mr. Hardin winked, “I added a few of those lemon drops Tommy likes so much, if that’s okay.”
Taos nodded and picked up his order, leaving without another word. He packed the items carefully in his saddle bags and grabbed the saddle to swing up. He glanced up at the bluff that rose about fifty feet above the town at one end of Main Street.
The bluff had the best view in the whole valley of the surrounding mountains. He’d never understood why the town had decided to reserve that prime spot for the dead, but they had. The last time he was up there was his father’s funeral. The old man wanted to be placed next to his wife instead of on the ranch, and they’d honored that request. Taos hadn’t been back up there since.