Ferguson eyed him, then said, “You’re in love with her, son.”
“That’s one story you can’t ever print: Lawman Thad Jamison in love with the notorious Texas Flame. Can you help me save her?”
The newspaper owner and reporter smiled and said, “I’ll try, son.”
The two men discussed the case in length, comparing and sharing information. It was decided that T.J. would head on to Commanche while Ferguson tried to gather more facts through the sources. If anything was discovered, Ferguson was to wire T.J. in Commanche. If T.J. moved on, he was to let Ferguson know where to locate him. The two men shook hands and T.J. left the San Angelo newspaper.
He returned to the telegraph office and sent another coded message to McNelly, revealing these new facts and plans. By noon, T.J. was on his way to check the hideout which Carrie Sue had mentioned.
There was two hours of daylight left on Wednesday when the Stover Gang and Carrie Sue reached their old hideout west of San Angelo. It was little more than an old lean-to beside the Middle Concho River. Built in a heavily treed and bushy area, only a person riding in the water could see the cleverly concealed structure.
They had traveled for days across undulating fields of shortgrass with trees which often looked like balls of greenery. They had journeyed over lush, rolling hills and passed picturesque mesas and buttes. It had been easy riding, but everyone was tired.
Carrie Sue had not had a bath since the Pecos River, three days ago. She was eager for the men to head into town to Miss Sally’s so she could strip and dive into the river. Along the way, she had been lucky and careful to stay clear of Kadry and Dillon. She hoped she could continue avoiding them until she was gone.
Miss Sally’s, Carrie Sue thought with a grin, was a delightful place for ranchers, soldiers from Fort Concho, cowboys, and other males to visit. The bawdyhouse had plenty to offer with its entertainment downstairs and upstairs. She had been there several times in the past and had gotten quite an eye, ear, and head full of enlightenment. Miss Sally more than liked Darby Stover and his boys. Often she had concealed them while they rested, and enjoyed her establishment.
Carrie Sue was not worried about her brother and his friends going there tonight. Miss Sally had a sly system of corded bells which warned men in certain rooms to flee out secret doors. Miss Sally’s Parlor House was near the edge of town, and it would soon be dark. The men would be able to slip into and out of town without a problem, especially if Darby spent time with Miss Sally as usual.
After camp was set up, Carrie Sue encouraged all the men to go into town for diversion, but Kale Rushton refused. The half-Apache insisted on remaining with her for protection. She and Kale were relieved when Kadry and Dillon decided not to cause trouble tonight by trying to remain there to court her.
When the gang rode off, Carrie Sue glanced at Kale and said, “You stand guard, amigo, while I take a much needed bath. I want to look my best when they bring back that reporter. I hope the boys don’t get too liquored up and make bad impressions on him. We need to clean up our image, not make it worse. I’m sure the man will start out prejudiced toward us, so we’ll have to win him over with charm.”
Kale told her, “Darby warned them to behave tonight because this task is important. The only one he’ll need to watch is Tyler. He still drinks too much whiskey. I worry about him getting us caught. You know Darby and the boys
wouldn’t leave him behind if he got snared. Darby wouldn’t
leave any of us behind to face a rope.” “I know, Kale. He would die for any or all of you.” “You get cleaned up, chica, while I cook us some grub. I’m
as hungry as a longhorn after a prairie fire burned all the
grass.”
It was long after midnight when Darby and his gang returned to camp. Kale Rushton and the redhead ceased their talk and set down their coffee cups. The half-Apache pocketed his whetstone and sheathed his knife before rising to go meet the boys. Two strangers were riding with them, and only one was blindfolded.
Darby dismounted and handed his reins to Kale. He grasped Carrie Sue’s hand and said, “Come with me, Sis; we have to talk, now.”
Carrie Sue realized something was wrong. She glanced at the man between Kadry and Dillon who was staring at her, then took a walk with her brother.
“What is it, Darby? Did anything happen in town tonight?”
“Plenty. Sis, there are a few things you and me need to discuss,” he hinted, locking his eyes with hers.
Chapter Twenty-one
“What is it, Darby?” she asked when he continued to stare at her.
“We got that newspaper man and he was plenty willing to come along for the story. Sally said he’s the best in Texas and a fair man. Name’s William Ferguson. We’ll give him our side tomorrow.”
She smiled and hugged him. “That’s wonderful, so why the sullen face? And who’s the stranger with you?” she queried.
He replied to her last question, “Cliff Thomas. He was at Sally’s tonight. I can use another man on the next few jobs. He rode with us when you were in Sante Fe all those months.”
“That was years ago, Darby. You sure you can still trust him?”
“Yep, and it hasn’t been years since our last job together. He rode with us after that ranch mess in Laredo and other times while you were holed up in camp.”
“Why haven’t I met him before?” she asked.
“He didn’t come to camp between jobs. You know I never let many extras visit our hideout and see you; they met us other places. Now that your poster’s out, it isn’t necessary to protect your identity. That time we were on the trail for weeks, Cliff was with us. He’s always been careful, so his face isn’t known. He’ll make a perfect scout for us like before. Don’t worry about him; he’s a good man.”
“I’m confused,” she murmured. “If everything went so well in town, why are you acting so strangely? Was Sally mad at you?”
“Nope. Sally was better than ever tonight,” he responded with a devilish grin. “She’d never betray me and the boys. What has me spooked is that friend of yours, T.J. Rogue, and your wanted posters.”
Carrie Sue became alert. “Was he in town? Did you meet him?”
The auburn-haired man leaned against a tree. “He left yesterday morning, I’m sorry to say, ‘cause I’d like a few words with your sweetheart about his feelings for you. If he loves you, maybe he’ll help you escape when I get you some money. Least he can do is protect you in camp while me and the boys are raiding. He must be trying to locate you or he wouldn’t be in this area. Too bad he’s gone.”
Carrie Sue wondered if T.J. was heading for Brownwood to battle Quade Harding like he said not long ago. If so, he was in danger. Quade had tried to kill him once and probably would try again. Or, he could be riding for Commanche just to see if she was there. Should she try to reach him, or was that a crazy idea?
“Cliff told me something real strange, Sis. Your posters were recalled by the Texas Rangers right after they were released. Most of them didn’t even get put up anywhere. Cliff only saw two or three, ‘cause they were yanked down quick as a wink. He said they weren’t up any other place he’s been lately. And that story about you in the papers was called a mistake. Now, the Rangers are claiming that new poster is Carrie Sue Stover, but you aren’t the Texas Flame. They’re saying that old poster is her and it ain’t you.”
“I don’t understand,” she murmured in total confusion.
“Quade told the law he was using your poster and reward to save your life until the real Texas Flame was captured. He said he was afraid you’d be killed by mistake before he could clear you. The law told Quade he couldn’t put one out on someone who isn’t a criminal, so they called them in. How do you make that out, Sis?”
She appeared baffled. “What could Quade be up to? It’s crazy. T.J. showed me a poster, and Martin Ferris had one, and that sheriff who came to my room had one. For them to be called in so swiftly, a lot of them got loose! Are you s
ure Cliff’s telling you the truth? I’ve never heard of wanted posters being withdrawn.”
Her brother added, “I asked that newspaper man, and he said the same thing: no posters are out on Carrie Sue Stover with your picture, only one about a redhead called the Texas Flame. Mr. Ferguson said Quade Harding told the law they had the wrong woman. Said you’d worked for him for a long time and couldn’t be involved. Quade vowed you two were together when the Flame was spotted riding with us. He’s withdrawn his reward offer for Carrie Sue Stover.”
She was shocked and alarmed. “Quade is crazy, but he’s smart, too smart to pull this ridiculous stunt. How can helie to the law? Doesn’t he realize they’ll discover the truth and arrest him?”
“Harding’s never been worried about lying to the law. He’s done it plenty of times. I think Curly wired him from Tucson and told him you weren’t with us anymore, that you were starting a new life there. Harding was probably afraid you’d get killed before he could reach you, so he pulled that trick about the poster to get it called in. Don’t you see, Sis? You aren’t wanted now. Your name’s been cleared. When I get you some money, you can get away clean.” He tugged on a golden red curl and advised, “You need to cut this long hair and use some berries to darken it ‘cause some folks have seen it. Thank goodness you were always masked. We’ll make up a name for our famous sidekick and your past will be destroyed.”
Carrie Sue paced in deep thought. Something wasn’t right. Curly was killed right after seeing her, so he couldn’t have wired Quade. Unless he wired Quade from El Paso after visiting Darby and told his boss she had quit the gang. It was like that sneaky Quade to disclaim her poster and guilt to give him time to locate her. Once she was cleared, he would assume he could force her to marry him! She related her conclusions to her brother, who agreed with them.
“You can always say you escaped Tucson because you were innocent but you knew no one would believe you. Good thing you didn’t harm that sheriff and make yourself look guilty. This’ll clear Rogue too.”
She scoffed, “Until Quade admits he lied just to entrap me, or one of his hirelings does. It’ll never work, Darby. There’s something weird going on, and the law won’t be fooled very long, if they’re fooled at all. This could be a trick to ensnare Quade. They have to think it’s odd that he’s reversing his story. They’ll figure out he lied and be on my trail again. I still have to vanish to be safe.”
“You’re right, Sis. I was too excited to think straight. Here in Texas, you’ll always be Darby Stover’s little sister. We’ll let Harding help us clear you before I silence him forever. Once you’re gone and Quade’s dead, the law can’t get to you or the truth. Let’s get back to camp. We’ll go over this again later.”
He straightened up to leave. “I plan to hit the San Angelo bank tomorrow while you hold Ferguson captive here, talking his ears off. Then, we’ll strike a gold coin shipment at Big Spring. Sally read a customer’s telegram about it, a marshal who’s to be there Monday to escort it to El Paso with his deputies. Me and the boys will take it on Sunday before they arrive. Gold coins can’t be traced and they’re worth plenty. Your freedom’s in sight, Sis. You be sure to convince that newspaper man you’ve never ridden with us.”
“That won’t work, Darby. The minute Quade is dead, one of his men or hired detectives will come forward with the truth and I’ll be on the wanted list again. He must be paying them plenty to keep them silent.” Her violet-blue eyes enlarged and she frowned. “We know where he’s getting the money for hush payments and our reward offers, from those frame jobs he’s pulling. I have to tell Mr. Ferguson the truth so he can help us. Besides, people saw me in Tucson living as a woman killed during one of our robberies; that’s too coincidental. It will make things worse for us, for me, if I mislead that reporter and the facts come out soon. People, especially the law, will assume that if we’ve lied about one thing, we’ve lied about others and we’re no better off than before. He can get the truth out and lessen our perils.”
Darby sighed heavily. “I guess I’m too tired to think straight. You’re right, Sis. We need to unmask Harding and get you out of here.”
William Ferguson spent hours questioning the men and taking notes. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. He didn’t mind that his legs and chest were secured to a chair when the gang got ready to leave camp to rob the bank in San Angelo. His hands were left free for writing and he promised not to pull any tricks with Carrie Sue, his guard.
Carrie Sue watched the eight men gallop away before taking a seat before the newspaper man with a pistol in her lap. She urged, “Please don’t try anything, Mr. Ferguson, because I don’t want you making me into a killer. Things have gotten desperate for us with that other gang on the loose, so I can’t take any chances with my brother’s life. It’s time everyone learned the truth about us. I’m glad you came so willingly to hear it and report it.”
They talked until two o’clock with the man taking down every word. Carrie Sue told him she was the Texas Flame and that Quade Harding had lied about knowing that fact. “Hopefully that will get him into deep trouble with the law. If they’ll start investigating him, maybe they’ll uncover other crimes. He’s up to something, and I don’t want to get entangled by his deceit.”
William Ferguson knew Quade was not responsible for the poster ruse, but he could not tell her. “When I print this story, new posters will go out on you. This is a big risk, Carrie Sue.”
“I know, but it’ll unmask Quade Harding. I hate him.”
“Why didn’t you stick to Harding’s lies and go free?”
She sighed wearily. “The law is too smart to be fooled very long, Bill. The truth would eventually come out and it would start over again. This is my one chance to tell our side. Your story can’t clear us, but it can reveal the truth and help people understand.”
Ferguson knew he couldn’t print this story and endanger Thad Jamison’s mission or risk having Quade expose the Ranger’s demands. When it was over, he would print everything. He needed to get these facts to the lawman who might link up with her again soon.
In Commanche, T.J. was resentful over the two telegrams he picked up and read. His Ranger superior and the president still refused to consider a pardon for his love, and he was ordered to stay undercover as T.J. Rogue. That meant, no Brownwood and Harding yet. After he checked out the hiding place Carrie Sue had mentioned, he would decide what action to take next. It was frustrating. How, he worried, could he help her and protect her if he couldn’t locate her? If anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself. How could he live without his heart and soul, for she had stolen them. If he could just see her and reason with her, tell her the truth and convince her to comply with his plans.
In Stephenville, between Fort Worth and Brownwood, a train robbery was carried off by the alleged Stover Gang. One of the men was wounded while getting away. The masked Quade Harding reined in his horse, pulled his rifle, and shot his hireling to make certain he was dead and couldn’t expose him. Before passing out, the outlaw saw Quade pull the trigger.
In San Angelo, the unmasked gang of Darby Stover was also having bad luck. After robbing the bank and handing the clerk a golden red lock from the Texas Flame, the frightened man pulled a small pistol from beneath the counter and shot the last man out the door: Cliff Thomas, who had turned to warn the people to stay quiet and motionless.
Walt Vinson checked Cliff quickly and said he was dead. Darby ordered the men to flee, and the gang got away with success.
In the Stover camp, Carrie Sue and William Ferguson were still talking, but she was calling him Bill now, as requested. She had given him their history and he had told her his impressions before and after meeting them, which pleased her. He believed the account of their frame and who was behind it. He told her about the witness he had found, the man who had been killed before speaking with the law.
“I can’t print anything as fact without proof, Carrie Sue, but I can quote your statements. I think e
very newspaper in the country will print this. Everyone will be excited by it and wonder about your guilt. All you need to do is alert the authorities to Harding’s mischief. They’ll start an investigation which should help you. It won’t clear any of you, but it will get many of those charges dropped. The shorter and weaker the list, the better your chances for a good defense when you’re all captured. You have to face facts, Carrie Sue, criminals don’t get away with their illegal deeds forever. What will happen to you?”
“As soon as the story’s printed, I’m leaving. I may go to California, or Mexico, or Canada, or back East. I might even take a ship and get further away, maybe to England or one of those beautiful islands. I have to find a safe place to start over, Bill. You understand why I can’t be clearer on that fact.”
“Of course I do, young lady.” He sent her an encouraging smile. “People want to know what makes honest folks go bad; this story will teach them something, maybe prevent other youngsters from taking the law into their own hands. It should also put a halt to the Hardings’ crimes. After all these years, his treachery might get you justice in that matter. Is there anybody who can help you?”
Carrie Sue looked up from her evening meal preparations and gazed at him sadly for a moment as she thought about her lover. Where was T.J.? What was he doing and feeling? Would he trust her and want her back after her desertion and lies? Would any proud man? “No one. I told you what happened every time I tried to go straight or seek help.”
“Those are some strong points in your favor that I believe the law will find of great interest, if you get a judge and jury who’re fair. It’s a shame you got in so deeply before this trouble could be cleared up with the Hardings. Those boys, too. They don’t seem like bad fellows to me, not even that Kale Rushton. I could tell he didn’t want to reveal anything about his experiences, but he did that just to help the rest of you. I don’t often come across loyalty and love like that.”
Kiss Of The Night Wind Page 40