by Paige Powers
On her trips with Lou, they lived off the land, and Bianca was happy to use the knowledge that she gathered from Rain and Scout. She was always so happy to show off what she learned. Lou was impressed as usual. His daughter was the apple of his eye, and there was nothing that she could do wrong.
Right now, Bianca tried her best to use all of what she had learned to survive. When she was learning as a child, it was all for fun, or so she thought. The fact that she could so easily recall lessons that she had not thought of in years made her feel safe. Her first attempt at helping her rescuers find her was to leave a trail of berries. She was able to pick a bunch and place them in her apron without Red knowing, when she convinced him to turn around so that she could relieve herself.
She began leaving a trail of them when she rode in the back of the wagon. Red would bind her hands behind her and leave her in the back of the wagon with her mouth gagged as well, so that she could not scream if they were stopped. Bianca managed to sit toward the edge of the wagon and drop the berries. Each time she dropped them, she prayed that someone would understand her clues. Mainly that her brother Scout would be part of the search team and recognize the smashed berries,
Bianca estimated that she had been kidnapped almost seven days before. The first few days were a haze. She was convinced that Red had drugged her somehow, because she had no sense of time. She would just wake up and not know when she had fallen asleep or how long she had been asleep. Bianca was not sure in those first days if she had been asleep or unconscious.
When her memory finally came back, she was able to recall what had happened in her abduction. She had been on the road back from the market. Lou scolded her before she left the house for going out unescorted. He always sent someone from his security with her, but this time, Bianca insisted that he let her go on her own. She had been to the market more times in her life than she could remember, and as far as she was concerned, there was no reason that she needed someone to go with her.
Bianca reminded her father that she was twenty-one years old, and that she was quite capable of doing things on her own. The last thing she wanted was to be seen as a pampered woman whose father controlled her every move. Lou stood before her, gritting his teeth at the thought of letting his daughter go out to town unattended.
He finally gave in, as he always did with his daughter, and let her go. She happily set off, ready to go to market and purchase some flowers for herself, and hopefully some of the pieces from the local artisans. The day was beautiful. Clear sky, birds chirping, warm sun shining down on her skin.
Wagons passed by on the road to the market. People smiled and waved and Bianca remembered thinking that there were a lot of people out on such a beautiful day. The feeling of freedom surrounded her. She had never really had a chance to have so much space away from someone watching over her whether it be her father, Rain, or her father's right hand man, Cylis, who often escorted her to and from the destination of her choice.
She made it to town, enjoyed her afternoon at the market, and started home. Pleased that her trip had been so successful, she rehearsed in her head what she would say to her father to convince him that she should be able to go out on another excursion again on her own.
A wagon pulled up behind her. She heard a man speak to her from the front of the wagon.
"Howdy there. Where are you off to all alone?"
Bianca continued walking, picking up the pace, but politely answering the man so she would not appear to be rude.
"Home. Thank you."
"Well now, maybe I can get you a ride home. Where would that be?"
She took a glance at the person speaking. His face was familiar, but she could not place his identity.
"Just a little ways away." She did not want to disclose much to this stranger.
The carriage came to a stop, but Bianca continued walking. Her heart began racing as she quickened her pace. She hoped that someone else would come along on the road so that she would not be alone with this stranger. No one came along.
Bianca tried to think quickly as the man continued walking behind her, asking questions about where she was going.
"Bianca."
Her body froze. She could not believe that the man had said her name. Suddenly, he was right behind her, and Bianca had no time to let her brain catch up to what was going on.
And in an instant, she saw the world spinning and it all went black.
*
The wagon came to a stop, and Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. It was almost nightfall and she had no clue where they were. Her stomach was growling, and her legs were cramping from being stuck in the same position for hours. She had no clue where they could be going, and she was starting to think that they were riding in circles.
The tarp from the wagon whipped open. "We are going to make camp here for the night."
"Fine. Can you please untie my hands?"
She knew that she sounded a bit frustrated and ornery.
Red grunted. He swiftly pulled her out of the back of the wagon, and set her on the ground. A tingling sensation ran up and down her legs, and she inhaled as best she could to fill her lungs with fresh air.
He regarded her for a moment, and decided to untie her.
"You know that I could run off at any time?"
"I do. And you can leave right now if you choose. Do you know where you are going?"
Bianca hated to be challenged. So she did not verbally respond. It was not worth the power struggle. And he was right. She was not fully aware of where she was at the moment.
"I'm going off to get firewood. We will make camp here for the night."
Bianca watched as Red walked off, not too far to a wooded area. A lake was off to the northern edge of the woods, and she knew that they had just enough time to catch some fish. With Red searching for firewood, she walked off toward the lake, first stopping to find a stick that would work as a fishing rod.
She ripped a piece of string off of her own clothing, and started digging in the ground for worms. Her stomach had been growling and having some fish tonight would be wonderful. Red had fed her relatively well thus far, but she wanted something other than wild game for dinner.
When she found everything that she needed, she continued down to the lake. It was just before nightfall, and she knew that she would be able to catch a decent amount of fish if she started now.
Bianca rolled up her pants and stepped onto the banks of the water. Casting her line, her good fortune began. The fish were practically jumping out of the water at her.
"What do you think you're doing, girl?" Red ran down to the lake where Bianca was successfully catching dinner.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" she asked, with a curt edge to her tone.
"I ain't never known any women that fish."
Bianca looked over at him. "Well now you do. I'm hungry, aren't you?"
Red grunted again. "I'm going to start the fire."
He trudged back up the hill toward the camp site. Bianca finished, and had caught four medium sized fish. That would definitely be enough for the both of them for dinner.
She brought her catch back to the camp.
"Impressive."
"Thank you, I think."
Red took the fish, gutted them, filleted them, and put them over the fire.
"You look so much like your mother."
Bianca's hand shook, and she almost dropped the food she was eating.
"What did you say?"
Red shrugged. "You look just like your mother."
"And how do you know my mother?" Just the thought of the man that abducted her speaking of her mother enraged her.
"I've know your father for a very long time. I knew your mother as well, long before I knew your father."
Bianca's head was spinning. "Are you serious?"
Red nodded. "I am."
"Tell me what you knew about her then." Bianca wanted her words to come across as a challenge, but she was actually hopeful to learn something
new about the woman she did not know.
"She was a strong woman. Meek, but strong. Had a lot of fight in her, but always so calm, so quiet. Samantha was caring and loving. The type of person that cared for everything and everyone."
"You speak as if you knew her well."
Bianca watched as a smile came over Red's face. It was as if he was strolling down memory lane.
"I did know her well. She and I were courting before your father came along."
Red's words took the wind right out of her.
"What?"
He paused for a moment. "Yes. Samantha and I were courting long before your father came along. We were engaged to be married in fact. I messed that up. Went on the lamb and by the time I came back, Samantha was married to your father. And he never failed to remind me that I had lost her.
"So I tried to move on, but it was hard to watch Samantha move on with Lou. Then she was pregnant with you, and I knew that there was no way that I would ever get her back. And then," Red paused.
"And then what?"
"Do you know anything about the day that your mother died?"
The words were caught in her throat. "No. I don't."
Red bit his lip, contemplating something.
"I don't know that I should tell you then."
Bianca jumped up. "You must tell me." There was no way that she would let this opportunity to hear about a part of her life slip by.
Red stared in to the flames of the camp fire. He spoke slowly at first.
"I had just returned to Eagle Valley after being away for about a year. I thought that it would be easier if I went away. But when I came back, it was much harder. Your mother had just birthed you, and you were still such a baby. Myself, I was known more as a renegade. So I steered clear of Samantha. I never wanted to hurt her or interfere with the life she had made for herself.”
"I was starting to take on dangerous jobs. Sharp shooting, hits, all kinds of things. Anything to make ends meet. And to be honest, I had a death wish because I was watching the woman that I love with another man. So I took a job on that was extreme. I was asked to take out a local rancher. Getting a job, I often did not get much background information on the person I would be working for. Instead, I would just get information about my target, where the target would be, and I would get half the pay up front, the rest when the job was complete.”
"To make a long story short, I tracked this rancher to where I was told he would be. A small house in the woods. I went to go and complete my job, only to find your mother there as well. I remember my heart dropping out of my chest. There was no way that she should have been there. I raced to her, as she was yelling to me to clear out of the way because I was going to get ambushed.”
"Instead of me being hit, she was."
A tear rolled down Red's cheek, which he quickly wiped away.
"She fell in my arms, and just before she passed, she explained that Lou had set me up. He wanted to get rid of me so that I would not be a problem for him or her. I ran to safety, holding her. Taking cover. Once I was out of harm's way, I laid her down in the forest and left town for good. But I can never fully stay away from Eagle Valley. Your father became a big time rancher, huge money, and yet he never paid me. I guess there was never really a job to do, but I feel like he should have paid me for all that I lost that day."
Red and Bianca sat in silence, the crackle of the fire and the sound of wolves howling the only sounds.
"Thank you for sharing that. I never knew what happened on the day she died."
Bianca was amazed how her heart hurt, yet felt so settled at the same time. It was also ironic that the very person that kidnapped her was the same person who shared some of the only information she knew about her mother. She leaned back against a large log, trying to let all that she had just learned sink in.
Chapter 5
Not knowing Bianca at all made her seem like this mythical creature. Hearing Lou Simmons talk about how much he loved his daughter, then to hear Scout go on and on about how smart and loving and caring his sister was made Boyd want to meet her even more.
It would be interesting to know if she measured up to all that they spoke of. With the way that they spoke so highly of her, it seemed that it would be impossible to be as perfect as everyone made her out to be.
As they rode along through the mountain trail, Boyd considered how the woman might be getting along. Was she safe? Had Davies harmed her at all? Did Davies plan on harming her?
It had been almost a week since her abduction, and they had not heard a word at all that she had been found. That meant that they would definitely still need to stay out on the quest to rescue Bianca Simmons and that most importantly, they would need to successfully bring her back home to her father.
"Once we cross through the range over here, we will be nearing the town of Whitney. There we can stop at the telegram office and send word of where we are and see if there is any other word about my sister."
Beau and Boyd nodded in the affirmative. Boyd took in the beauty of the mountain range. They were so expansive. He had never seen anything like it back home.
After several more miles, they approached Whitney. It looked like the rest of the towns they had been through. Small, orderly, and linear. The towns here out West were very simply built. There were no large plantation homes on lush green acres. There were only houses and buildings made of clay and something Scout described as adobe brick. The ground was red, and there was not as much grass as he was used to seeing.
Lakes and water were sparse, making it refreshing to see them when one did. The heat was more dry, not the humid heat that he was used to in South Carolina. With so much difference in the landscaping, Boyd never felt like he could get enough. Being in Arizona felt right. Being a U.S. Marshal felt right.
"How can I help you all?"
As Boyd, Beau, and Scout entered the town, they were met by a posse who promptly rode up on horses. The man in the front that spoke wore a badge and a large brimmed hat. He was surrounded by four other men, who expertly held the reins to their horses with one hand and the other hand on their guns.
"Afternoon, Sir. We are U.S. Marshals, on a hunt for a kidnapping victim. Just passing through, looking around here for her. And if we can, we need to send a telegram please." When Boyd spoke, he tried to keep the peace and stay calm. He flashed his badge.
"All right. You may enter our fine town. Telegram office is right on the main street in the center of town."
The lead of the posse flashed his badge as well. "I'm the sheriff in these parts. How long will you be staying?"
"Not long sir. Long enough to send and receive a telegram."
The men parted and allowed Boyd, Beau, and Scout access through. They traveled slowly, with the posse following close behind them.
Once they reached the telegram office, the men dismounted and tethered their horses. Boyd's body was sore from riding so long and he was happy to stretch his legs.
Scout walked inside the office, ready to send a telegram to his father and let him know where they were. Scout left the office, and suggested that they all go out and get something to eat. The sheriff suggested that they go over to the Elk Lodge and get something to eat and a bit of rest before moving on.
The food was filling, and it was nice to take a quick nap for about an hour. Once Boyd awoke, Beau was outside tending to the horses.
"Are we ready to get out of here?"
"Just about." Beau continued to groom the horses. "Scout is at the telegram office. Simmons sent a response."
"Maybe it's good news."
Beau shrugged. "Maybe. It's getting a bit exhausting being out here looking for this woman that we've never met."
A tinge of anger surged through Boyd in response to his brother's comment.
"What do you mean, Beau?"
"I'm just saying. This rich man just has three people out searching for his daughter. Two of the men are newly officiated lawmen."
"I still don't get w
hat you are trying to get at, brother."
"Look. By all accounts, Lou Simmons is a rich and powerful man. His one and only daughter goes missing, and he doesn't have search teams out looking for her. He just has her brother and two new lawmen out looking for her. It doesn't make sense to me. Does it make sense to you?"
Boyd tried to take in what his brother was saying. "I see what you mean. But I can't believe any foul play would be involved. What kind of man would do that to his own daughter?'
"We really don't know any of these people to make a judgment either way."
"You do have a point, Beau. But I don't want our opinions to get in the way of the work we are assigned."
They quieted their conversation as Scout approached.
"I just got a telegram from my father. Apparently Red Davies has sent a ransom request."
"I knew that was coming soon."
Boyd agreed with his brother. "At least that is a step toward negotiation."
Scout shook his head. "You just don't understand. There is no negotiation with a man like Red Davies."
"Scout. There is room for negotiation all of the time. Especially in instances like this."
Scout stepped forward, jaw clenched. "I'm usually a pretty peaceful person. But in this instance, I would not mind if there was no negotiation. Why should I be considerate of a mad man?"
"Family comes first. I understand, Scout. But the point of this entire thing is to get your sister home safely, and to make sure that Red Davies pays for kidnapping your sister."
"I agree with Beau," Boyd replied. "We want to capture him and make him pay. Revenge does not always feel as good as you think it will. Let's be level headed."
Beau nodded. "Level headed is the key. May I ask how much the ransom is?"
"That's not the point. If it was five dollars or a thousand dollars, there is still a ransom on my sister's head. And Red Davies is out there with Bianca, somewhere we can't make sure she is not being harmed."
Beau placed a reassuring hand on Scout's shoulder. "We are with you a hundred percent of the way."
As they hitched the horses to ride, the posse approached them.