Yours Again (River City Series)

by Dee Burks

  The sheriff put a hand on Taos’s shoulder. “I think we need to go get your wife, son.” The room burst into excited chatter as men headed for their horses.

  Chapter 20

  Lawson pulled Samantha down the alley to his waiting horse. Her hands clawed at the slender fingers that grasped her mouth in panicked futility. The late afternoon sun beat down on them as they emerged from between the buildings.

  His ragged breath hovered just above her ear, his words a harsh whisper. “It’s no use trying to fight me.”

  She kicked back with her heels and tried to twist away from his grasp.

  He growled, “I like that spirit, it’s just not very convenient right now.”

  Lawson’s arm squeezed her rib cage as the breath left her lungs. Small spots of light appeared before her eyes.

  “I will win, you know. I have to. This is the only way, for both of us.” He gave one last squeeze as they neared the horse, then let go abruptly to grasp a small rope that was tied to the saddle.

  She stumbled forward until the hand across her mouth jerked her upright. Lawson tried to calm the now-nervous horse. Samantha strained to breathe and frantically darted her gaze around the alley. Not a soul in sight. In fact, it was too quiet.

  Where had everyone gone? She was surrounded by more than thirty people a few minutes ago, surely someone would help her. She had to make some kind of noise.

  A small rock lay on the ground less than a foot away. She inhaled once and glanced at Lawson, who was using his teeth to try to untie the rope. She kicked out as hard as she could. The stone ricocheted down the alley where it plunked up against a metal wash tub. Her shoulders sagged. It was barely enough noise to be noticed at all, let alone alert anyone.

  A movement to the left caught her attention. Two cowboy hats poked around the side of the mercantile. One man slipped around the corner and hid behind a barrel. Lawson yanked and slammed her hard into his chest. He aimed toward the barrel and fired one round. It ricocheted off the building.

  “That’s close enough.” He waited. No one moved.

  Samantha felt his heart pound against her back. She forced herself to calm down. Lawson was cornered and could end up killing her or someone else just by accident.

  “You won’t get away with this.” Her voice trembled a bit. “You can still turn yourself in.”

  He clamped a sweaty palm over her mouth again.

  “No, I’ve come way too far. I’m so close.” His breath was harsh and damp against her ear. “I have everything in order, everything planned.” His fingers dug into her cheek until she tasted blood. “That’s the real secret, you know. Plan carefully, take your time.” He reached out and grabbed one of Samantha’s fists and looped one end of the rope around her wrist.

  He reached out for the other hand. Tears threatened as new fear climbed over her heart. Her elbow connected with his ribs. He grunted and, as his fingers loosened, she tore away and ran down the alley, tugging the rope off and flinging it aside.

  Samantha headed toward Miss Sadie’s. If she could just make it to the building . . . The footsteps behind her pounded the earth and she tried to run faster. Lawson lunged and caught the hem of her skirt from behind, pulling her down in a heap of calico and lace. She dug her fingers into the dirt and pulled herself forward, kicking his hands away as she went.

  “Help! Somebody plea-” The words were cut off as a blow landed against the back of her head, and the world went dark and silent.

  “He whacked her on the head!” Skeeter Jackson came to a skidding stop in front of Taos and the Sheriff at the entrance to Miss Sadie’s. Tall for a sixteen year old, he looked older from a distance. Freckles scattered across his nose gave away his age.

  “How bad is it?” Blake grabbed Taos’s shoulder to keep him there.

  “Not too bad. No blood or nothing.’” Skeeter dragged a sleeve across his nose.

  “Good. You and Jimmy tail him out of town and we’ll be right behind you.”

  Blake turned to Taos. “You can’t let your emotions run off with you. You got to let him get to open country. There’ll be no place to hide and no risk of a long shootout.”

  “What about Sammy?”

  The old law man rubbed his three-day beard. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but it’s probably a good thing she’s out.”

  Taos glared at him.

  “Now hear me out. Once he gets out of town, they’ll probably be riding double on one horse. They can’t make very good time.”

  “He won’t need much time.”

  “If he intended to kill her he already would have.”

  “There’s worse things than dying.”

  The sheriff nodded in agreement. “We’ll have ’em before he can even stop to catch his breath.”

  Taos nodded.

  Shouts from the end of the street drew the men’s attention. Sonny Harper rode toward them at breakneck speed on a chestnut mare. He skidded to a stop and threw the blankets that were heaped on the back of the horse to the ground. “He’s lit the brush on fire.”

  People started running as more noticed the smoke rising just beyond the last buildings of town.

  Sonny jumped off his horse and grabbed the blankets. “It’s at the edge of my place and headed down the valley toward town.”

  Taos glanced around him as people panicked. All of these people’s livelihoods were in danger, and possibly their very lives, and Samantha was in the arms of a mad man. He couldn’t let these people suffer for something that he could have prevented. His heart burned for Samantha, but he couldn’t go after her until the disaster right in front of him was averted somehow.

  Blake and Taos grabbed the blankets and ran to the well right on Sonny’s heels. They soaked them with water then rode in the direction of the smoke. A thin orange line hugged the ground, sending billows of white smoke into a cloudless blue sky.

  Small groups of men stood next to the leading edge of the fire, beating the flames with the wet blankets. Young boys rode their horses to and from the well, keeping the line supplied with more blankets. Taos waved Sonny down.

  “Where’s your stock?” he shouted over the fire noise.

  “Most of them are down just below the tree line on the south side of Placer Creek.” He cast a worried look in the direction of the fire.

  “We need to move them. One good gust and this thing will jump the creek and head straight up the ridge.”

  Sonny nodded his agreement and looked at the line of men. “We can’t spare any help.”

  Taos yelled at two of the boys that were delivering blankets. “Can you two round up a few head for us?”

  “Yes sir!” Marly and Devin Ward rode to him. They looked like identical twins, though Marly was a full year older at fourteen.

  Taos spoke to the boys for a minute, and then he sent them off and rejoined the line. One hour turned to two, then just as they seemed to be getting control a large gust of wind sent flames over the creek and up the slope.

  Several men paused to watch and then went back to putting out the flames around them. Taos raced across the creek and up the other side. He pounded the flames and shouted for help.

  Sonny grabbed several newly wet blankets and urged a few men to come with him.

  “Just let it go Sonny. It’ll burn itself out that direction, we need to focus on the town.” Tom Banks leaned against a wagon and drained a large cup of water, trying to catch his breath as a couple of other men brought more blankets.

  “There’s two boys over there rounding up stock. If we don’t get to them, they don’t have any way out.”

  Men pounded the earth with renewed fervor. The terrain posed the biggest challenge. Fire raced across the valley floor and they struggled to follow, trying to keep it from getting into the tree line. Growing darkness offered no help as the fire glowed further and further ahead of them. Small groups of pine and aspen burst into flames, one after another.

  Taos stood and stared.

  Blake joined him. �
�We’re not going to catch it.”

  “No.”

  “Those poor kids.”

  “They’re alright. If they did what I told ’em to, then they’re all right. We just have to find ’em.” His eyes scanned the darkness. Where were they? The fire had already raced across half the valley.

  “Hey!” One of the men yelled. “I found one of the horses.” They raced to the spot and stared at the carcass which still smoked. There was no sign of a human nearby though. The smell of burnt horsehair filled Taos’s nostrils. The animal lay with its mouth open and tongue hanging out and Taos thought this had to be the worst way for an animal to die. Several of the men turned away.

  “Saddle’s still on,” Blake mumbled, “Probably got spooked. The boy must be close.”

  The group walked a wide circle, peering through the darkness at the ground. None wanted to find anything, but the search continued.

  A distant cough grabbed every man’s attention.

  “Devin, Marly?” Blake called.

  “We’re over here.” Taos watched as the boys appeared out of the darkness.

  The men greeted them with much back slapping and cheering.

  “You don’t have a scratch on you! How’d you get behind the fire?”

  Devin looked at Taos. “We did what you said.”

  “Yeah,” Marly joined in. “He said if the fire caught us to find a clear spot and lay down with them wet blankets over us.”

  “The fire went right around us.” Devin held out a hand to Taos. He shook it. “Thanks, Mr. Williams. If we hadn’t done like you told us we’d been goners for sure.”

  The fire raced toward the ridge of mountains and away from town. Blake ordered several men to oversee the last of the effort to distinguish the flames close by.

  Blake and Taos finally climbed aboard their horses to follow Lawson.

  Sonny rode up next to Taos.

  “You outta go on home, Harper, and get some sleep,” Blake said.

  “I’d like to ride along if you don’t mind.” He coughed a little, “Half my stock’s dead and nearly all the forage is gone off my land.” He looked over at Taos. “Sure appreciate the effort, though.”

  “I’m sure you’d have done the same for me.”

  Sonny grinned, “I’d like to think so. Anyway I’d sure like to help you find her.”

  “Appreciate it.” Taos nodded.

  Blake added, “Not only does Lawson have kidnapping on the list, he damaged a lot of property and damn near killed two kids. The man will be lucky to see sunrise.”

  Taos agreed, and if he got a chance he would make sure John Lawson never took another breath.

  Gray fuzz gave way to dim light as Samantha tried to shake the ache out of her skull. Her groan was stifled by a handkerchief stuffed into her mouth.

  Great, another handkerchief. She wiggled her tongue. At least this one was silk and didn’t crunch. Thank God for small favors.

  The wood floor was cool against her forehead and helped the throbbing in her brain somewhat. She pulled herself to a sitting position. Her hands were bound and her muscles sore and stiff. The pounding in her head intensified as she concentrated on staying upright. It was impossible to tell what time it was from the dim light in the window. It could be evening, she thought, then discarded that idea as her muscles ached terribly. It must be morning.

  The small, sparsely furnished room contained only a bed and washstand. It didn’t look like a hotel of any kind. A hairbrush lay next to the water pitcher and small framed tintypes hung on the wall. This had to be someone’s home, but whose? They couldn’t be that far away from River City yet. Unless she was unconscious longer than she thought. Who would Lawson know here?

  The fog in her mind cleared slowly. He couldn’t know anyone. As far as she knew he had never been west of Pennsylvania. Footsteps clicking down the hall interrupted Samantha’s sleuthing and she stared at the doorknob. Her heart raced as the door opened. Lawson stepped inside and closed it behind him.

  “Oh, good. You’re awake.”

  He looked calm and poised, as if he had come to take her on a stroll in the park. He walked over and knelt to help her up. Samantha shrank back. His hands were surprisingly gentle.

  “You don’t have to fear me, you know.”

  He guided her over to bed. She sat on the edge and pulled away from him. His eyes roamed over her body and an uneasy tremor snaked through her.

  “You created this situation. Though I won’t hold it against you.” He chuckled lightly as if scolding an errant child. “Someday we’ll laugh about this little escapade. It’s a good thing I came to get you. I hate to think what would have happened to you in this Godforsaken place.”

  Samantha glared at him as he paced restlessly around the room. Shock was the only thing that registered in her mind. She didn’t think she could stand any more rescues in her life. Why did men think it necessary to tie up a woman and gag her in order to save her?

  “If you had accepted my original offer we wouldn’t be here.” He stopped and smiled. “Though this will make a wonderful story to tell our children someday.”

  “Nmm mommonn hmmonn!” The handkerchief vibrated with the frustration of her muffled words, and Lawson’s patronizing smile made her hands itch.

  “I shall consider myself lucky to be spared what I’m sure was a very unladylike response.” He gazed out the window. “You have a number of habits we will endeavor to work on together. In time you will see this was for the best. You’re lucky I’m a very patient man.”

  Samantha struggled against her bindings. It was one thing to be carried off by an evil man. Yet quite another to be at the mercy of a crazy one. Lawson watched her with detached interest as one watches a mouse try to free itself from a trap.

  “Your aunt would like to see you.”

  Samantha went completely still.

  “She isn’t dead . . . yet.” Lawson sat very close to her

  Samantha’s heart pounded wildly.

  “I never intended for her to get in the way. She just wouldn’t go along with things.” He shook his head then shrugged his shoulders.

  “It can’t be helped now. The plan is already in motion.” He looked into her face.

  “If you will agree to accompany me and not try to alert anyone, I’ll take you to see her one last time.”

  One last time. Just the thought made tears spring to her eyes. She stared at the floor. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of this twisted man.

  “You think about it, and I’ll return shortly for your answer.” He swept out the door like an actor in a dramatic play. If only it was a play.

  Samantha searched for some sense of logic in his thought process. Mattie. He was probably lying, just stringing her along so she would cooperate. Mattie must already be gone. Samantha laid herself over on the pillow. Tears rolled down her face. Her thoughts jumbled together except for one: The pillow smelled like old socks.

  What if the whole thing was a lie? She popped back up. Why else would he be so desperate unless he thought he might be found out? Hope sprang into her heart. Even if he wasn’t telling the truth, what choice did she have? Bound like this she had no way to escape. Her only hope was to gain his trust, to do as he asked.

  To a point.

  She stared at the ceiling. It was a difficult game to dance on the spider’s web and not get caught. Games weren’t her strong suit to begin with; she just didn’t have the patience for them. She tumbled scenarios through her mind to practice her reactions. She had to be convincing, calm, docile.

  Docile?

  Okay, not a word previously found in her vocabulary. That would be the hardest part, playing the submissive, passive female. She had to keep her thoughts from showing on her face and her mouth shut.

  I’d have a better chance if I left the handkerchief stuffed in my mouth.

  That cynical thought almost made her laugh. Taos would love to see this little debut of her acting skill. Her shoulders slumped. She certainl
y never dreamed she would leave him standing at the altar, even if it happened to be in a whorehouse.

  Now that was a story she wanted to tell her children. Make that her and Taos’s children. If Lawson hadn’t stopped them, she would be married by now and out of his reach. She looked out the window to a view of trees and thick forest. She would have been greeting the day lying in Taos’s arms and looking forward to a lifetime of loving him.

  She sniffed as one last tear rolled into oblivion. He would follow. Wouldn’t he? He had to. He seemed so willing to do anything, even get married, to keep her from Lawson. It wouldn’t be long until he showed up to take her back home. Home with him. Where she belonged. In the meantime, she would concentrate on getting away from this evil criminal.

  She schemed and planned for almost an hour. When the door reopened, she would be ready for the performance of her life.

  Chapter 21

  Lawson returned an hour later, untied Samantha and prodded her toward the door. Last night’s ride left her more than a little stiff. Not to mention somewhat rumpled.

  She paused in front of the mirror. When she was five their dog had carried one of her little rag dolls to the porch. The red yarn hair was caked with mud, one eye was missing, and it was covered with dog slobber. If only she looked that good. He motioned for her to hurry.

  She quickly freshened up and then stepped into a large room, which turned out to be the main room of the house. The structure was larger than she anticipated, with a stone fireplace, kitchen, and sitting area on one side and two bedrooms on the other. The furnishings were modest but quite clean and bright.

  Samantha blinked as her eyes grew accustomed to the morning light streaming in through the front windows. Convincing Lawson she would be agreeable had been much easier than she anticipated, and she fully intended to keep up the act. It was easy to be convincing when her life depended on it. Tears threatened as panic took hold of her emotions. Samantha forced a deep breath and tried to focus on one thing: escape.