by Cyndi Raye
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“Here, here! The meeting is about to begin.”
The ballroom was crowded with every single person who lived in Wichita Falls and five miles each way. It was a quarter past the hour, beings Miss Addie refused to start the meeting until every single person who lived in the town was accounted for. Per her request, Jackson had walked the board walk up and down the main street, making sure every business owner closed shop to attend. Satisfied, he returned to the hotel to wait for the meeting to start. Pungent smells of horses, sweat and sweet lilac perfume permeated the air even with the high ceilings of Ben’s hotel.
“Order! Order!” Miss Addie cried out, her voice heard over top the crowd. The town committee was comprised of five men and Miss Addie. She seemed to be the one who always took the lead as the others nodded for her to start. Jackson watched from his place at the back of the ballroom, there to distil order if things got out of hand. He nodded to his deputy as the man made his way to the other side of the room, standing near a overambitious crowd who had been at the saloon earlier. They didn’t need any disruptions.
Jackson whistled. “Let’s all pay attention now.” At his command, the room got quiet. He nodded. “Go on now, Miss Addie, let’s get this show on the road.”
“Thank you kindly, Sheriff Montana.” Miss Addie turned to the crowd, her arm going wide as she scanned the crowd. “We have a problem. How many of you have read the morning paper?”
Some folks nodded while others raised their hands in the air. A rumble of yeahs and no’s dissipated when she clapped her hands together. “Well, for those of you who can’t read, perhaps a lesson in reading at our library here in the hotel would do you some good. We have classes each week. Now, back to the reason you have been called here. An auctioneer is coming to town to auction off distressed women! We can’t allow selling human beings in our town like a piece of cattle.”
Gasps rang through the air. Some ladies held their hands over their children’s ears even though it was too late to keep them from hearing the dreaded words. Jackson glanced at his wife, watching her sweet smile turn to a horrified frown. The soft corners of her eyes crinkled as she searched for him. The moment their eyes met, Jackson knew she was worried about that son-of-a-gun Abbott who tried to steal her to do the same to her as these women he now was going to hold on the auction block. If it was indeed Abbott on the auctioneer end or another no-gooder trying to make a buck off of women’s woe, they were going to stop it.
One of the men from the randy crowd stood. “I don’t rightly see nothin’ wrong with an auction with fine, willing women! They is hard to come by in this town!”
“Here! Here!” A few of the men raised their hands, hollering over top the crowd.
Some of the townsfolk began to raise their voices, arguing with the men who wanted to buy women from this out of town auction.
Jackson was ready for an outbreak. His body tensed as a few of the men stood to defend themselves. His fingers slowly etched to the trigger on his gun. He didn’t expect to harm anyone, but if he had to whip out his pistol to quiet the room, he would do so. When the room quieted down on its own, he searched for his wife to see her standing at the front of the room, alongside Miss Addie. Her hands were pressed together, knuckles white. He wanted to storm to the front and whisk her from the meeting, protecting what she was about to reveal.
He was never more proud of his wife in that very moment.
“If I may have your attention please.” Becky stood very still, waiting for the crowd to quiet even more and the men to sit down. She addressed the crowd of rowdy men first. “The women you are implying about are far from willing. I should know, I was one of them.”
A few gasps rent the air. Jackson watched as she looked each man in the eye. “I didn’t think I would ever have to reveal my past, but I can clearly see I must if it will save one woman from a life she never intended to live. Before I married Sheriff Montana, I was on a train to a small town in Texas to become a mail order bride.”
She looked at him now for encouragement. He nodded for her to go on. “I got duped. Even though I went through a recommended agency, the intended groom fooled us all. When I arrived at my destination there was no husband to be, but a cruel man wanting to enslave me and other women to a life of horrors. I got away, but others did not. I am afraid some of those women will be here tomorrow on that wagon to be auctioned off.”
Miss Addie spoke up. “I will vouch for Mrs. Montana. I knew about her predicament and asked Sheriff Montana to help her.”
Jackson chewed on his bottom lip. Miss Addie knew when to jump in. He could tell the townsfolk didn’t know if they should believe his wife’s testimony, but the moment their trusted Miss Addie backed her up, everyone in the room changed their stance. The air seemed different at once.
“Thank you, Miss Addie. Let me make myself clear, ladies and gentleman. I understand that you do not know me well enough to believe my tale, but it’s all true. This man, if it is the same one who tried to hoodwink me, has stolen these ladies and will try to sell them to the public without any qualms at all. The ladies are not willing, you are made to think they are. They may be so broken down by now or too fearful to speak. We have to save them.”
The crowd roared. Even the rowdy bunch who were most likely three sheets to the wind stood up and clapped, eager to help save these women enslaved.
Jackson stepped forward. “Yesterday there was a stranger at the hotel, hiding his face. I have a feeling he snuck in to see if this was a lucrative place for an auction. Looks like it was to them. We need to stop this now! If we are all in agreement to set a trap, this town will need some help. Who is willing to help?”
One of the townsfolk stood up and hollered above the crowd. “I am. Let’s show these no-gooders this town won’t tolerate such goings on!”
Jackson had eyes only for his wife. He gave her a reassuring smile. She was so nervous standing up there in front of everyone. While one after another agreed to help, showing their unity, her face transformed to wonder and amazement watching these folks jump in so quickly.
She needed this town. She needed him. The truth was, Jackson was in love with her. Rebecca was his life, his wife now and he would protect her from all evil. Along with the promise of keeping this town safe, he would do even more for her. They both lived as orphans but found each other at a young age. Now, after all these years, the bond that secured them at a New York City library was still as strong as ever.
He ignored the men who stood in a cluster surrounding him and walked towards his wife, who finally smiled at him, eyes bright with unshed tears.
Chapter 6
Rebecca knew the tears were about to burst forth and dampen her cheeks as surely as she woke up this morning. The way her husband looked at her with pride and love make her realize she was home.
Wichita Falls was her home.
Sheriff Jackson Montana was home.
The love that eluded from her best friend made the tears fall all at once.
He took her outstretched hand. “Becky.” With his other hand, his fingers wiped the tears. He crushed her to him, not caring if anyone paid them any mind. “I love you, Becky,” he whispered in her ear.
She froze. Shivered. Knew that deep down in her heart she loved this man, the one who claimed her as a best friend when she was ten years old. She clasped his cheeks and pulled him closer so she could look in to those dark eyes. “I love you, also. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. You are my life now. You saved me from a horrible fate. I would die without you.”
Miss Addie stood beside them. “Sheriff, there’s much work to do if we plan to oust these hooligans from our midst.”
“It can wait a few more hours, Miss Addie. My wife is hungry and I need to get her some dinner.”
It was as if the man could read minds. How did he know she hadn’t eaten all day, but worried herself sick the moment he told her about the auction. Rebecca peeked around his shoulder to see the older woman�
�s reaction. She expected a stern look but found instead a grin from the woman who practically ran Wichita Falls. She turned away from them to address the crowd of men waiting for direction. “Everyone, Sheriff Montana is right. We need to take a few hours and clear our minds. Go home, have dinner and let’s meet here at seven o’clock. Will that time suit, Sheriff?”
“Sounds fine to me.” Jackson held out his arm. Rebecca sighed before folding her hand around his arm. “Mrs. Montana, let’s go see what Jenna’s Eatery has on the menu for this evening.”
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Rebecca couldn’t help herself. When she saw Hannah, she let out a screech that turned every head in the room. Her old friend turned and stared, then began to shuffle around the crowd in the hotel’s ballroom until they were hugging each other for dear life.
“Oh, Becky! I’m so happy to see you? We tried to get here earlier but my husband was held up with a problem at the ranch. What in the world are you doing here?” She looked in confusion at Jackson as he walked to his wife’s side.
Rebecca laughed out loud. “This is my husband, Hannah. You may have already met him, Sheriff Jackson Montana!”
“I have and I had no clue you were here. I thought you were marrying a farmer?”
“We have so much to talk about. That didn’t turn out so well, but look at you.”
Hannah introduced her husband before the two couples sat together in the ballroom waiting for the committee to decide how to move forward to stop the offenders. After some talk by Miss Addie, Sheriff Montana stood up to offer suggestions on saving the women on the auction block and throwing the offenders out of town. “We will never welcome riff-raff of this sort here in Wichita Falls,” Jackson said, his face stern, his eyes dark. “I am going to need everyone of you to help us pull this off and get these so called auctioneers out of our town.”
“Why can’t we just shoot the sonsofguns!”
Jackson groaned.
“Yeah, we can guard the road to town and shoot ‘em before they get here!”
“No!”
Jackson shut everyone down with one word. When the room was once again quiet, he raised his voice. “There are women who will be in harms way if we shoot first. Our job is to make sure they are kept safe. Do I make myself clear?”
He stared down the others in the room. In that moment, Rebecca was so proud of the man she married. He would face his enemy and strike them down head on, she thought. Truly, her knight in shining armor after all. He was so brave.
“You look like you are smitten, my dear.” Hannah’s words were true.
She gazed over at her friend, who was grinning, admitting the truth. “I am. Do you remember how I told you about my life in the orphanage and the library?”
Hannah’s eyes widened. “No! Say it isn’t so?”
“It is. He is one and the same. My best friend, Jackson.”
“How wonderful. I’m so happy for you, Becky.”
“You’re my best friend, too. Except he was my first.”
The two giggled, then clasped a hand over their mouths when they realized the disturbance they were making.
“You must come to our home next week. We can catch up. Let’s plan for next Sunday.”
Rebecca agreed. When she turned back to Jackson, Hannah’s husband, Max Ward, was standing alongside of him, promising to bring in his ranch hands to help Wichita Falls run the auctioneer’s off. “More than likely they will have a team of no-gooders along to foil anyone from saving the girls. We will be prepared,” Max told the crowd to the agreement of everyone in the room.
Rebecca loved this town, how everyone banded together to save strangers they didn’t know. It was going to be a great life, far away from her start in an orphanage, with a man who made her smile so bright. The one who had her heart.
The friends were abundant here.
Families were growing.
Wichita Falls was a good place.
Bad men like John Abbott were not welcome. She hoped he was leading the auction so she could watch as he was driven from their town. He deserved what was coming to him. These men of Wichita Falls wouldn’t put up with anyone dirtying up their town.
Except a tiny minuscule of fear reared its ugly head telling Rebecca John Abbott would not go lightly.
The meeting adjourned for the night. The two ladies said their goodbyes, promising to meet up soon.
Jackson held her hand on their walk back to the tiny cabin he was given as part of his job as Sheriff. Rebecca squealed with delight at the pretty yellow daffodils spreading their way across the front walkway. She bent over to pick one and coyly placed it in her hair. Looking up at Jackson, she smiled, her eyes wide and hopeful.
Instead of smiling back, the look in her husband’s eyes told her a different story. He lifted her up and with a booted foot, kicked open the door to carry her over the threshold once again.
A giggle erupted from somewhere deep in her throat. Being married to this Sheriff was going to be quite a journey.
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“The plan is simple. We wait until the auction is set up and the girls are brought out from the wagons. Once every single woman is in our sight, the men in the front two rows will move them out of danger at the count of three so keep yourself alert at all times. Max’s men will come in from behind and run them out of town. Everyone clear on their position?”
The men nodded. One farmer, who had stopped at the saloon before gathering in the square, brought up a valid point. “What will we do if they bring one lady out at a time. Saw that in Californy a few years back.”
Jackson was prepared for anything. “Then we switch gears. Max has a bag full of money to pay for the women. We don’t want to encourage that to be done but we have to make sure the women are not harmed. I don’t think it will take much for the auctioneer to have any one of the women put to their death if they figure out we are trying to rescue them. If we can’t get them away safely the first time, we pay their price.”
“They’ll keep on doing such sinful things like this. How will that save other women.”
Jackson grinned. “We don’t plan to let them off so lightly. Max Ward has some friends in high places. They will be interested in putting these men behind bars. For right now, Max’s men will come from behind and get them no matter which way it goes. Be prepared for anything. Keep your head down and the women in safe quarters.”
As the crowd dispersed, three covered wagons rolled down the street, kicking up dust as the overworked horses came to a halt in front of the saloon. Two men jumped from the front covered wagon, carrying a hammer, nails and some papers. They began to post flyers on the front of the saloon and several other businesses in the general area.
“Fine people of Wichita Falls, you are all invited to attend our auction in two hours. We’ll be set up right here in front of the saloon. Come one, come all at high noon!”
Jackson stood watching from across the street as one of Max’s men pretended to stumble from the saloon. “What yer selling, mister?” he asked, slurring his voice.
“You can read, can’t you?
The man nodded. “I sure can but my eyesight’s a bit dazed today.”
“Fine women is what we are auctioning today. You come back at noon then. Bring your friends.”
“Let me take a peek at what ya got in them wagons. Then I can tell my friends. I got an awful lot of friends who like to spend their wads.”
The husky built man slid from the front of the first wagon. “Alright. You can take a peek. Don’t dally too long.” His burly hand slid open the back of the covered wagon so the man from the saloon could stick his head inside.
“No talking to them!” His voice boomed. As Jackson watched, he heard voices and mumbling before the man was physically pulled back from the opening. “Go on now! Don’t be greedy! Bring your friends. We got eight of ‘em here! Another seven in the next wagon. In the last is a feisty creature, she’ll be our main attraction.”
The man from the saloon sauntered acro
ss the street straight towards Sheriff Jackson as the man from the first wagon went inside. Jackson noticed two guards standing firm on each side of the covered wagons. As he guessed, there was no slipping in to rescue the ladies before the auction.
“Jackson, that’s him! John Abbott!” His wife waved her arms back and forth, trying to get his attention. She was at the Land Office, far enough away from the saloon so no one would notice her. Jackson had to make sure Abbott didn’t see her. He didn’t want the Auctioneer to get spooked and high-tail it out of town before they could rescue those poor, distressed women.
He directed her to go inside and began to walk towards the Land Office as if he were taking a stroll. The armed guards at the covered wagons watched him warily since he was the sheriff. Jackson stared back at the men hard. He wasn’t about to show them any fear.
He opened the door and entered the Land Office, sliding in between the twenty or so men who hid inside, waiting for his direction. “Thanks for letting us use your office, Dawson.”
“Let’s get this over with,” Dawson told him. He sat at his desk by the window, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not taking a liking to any kinds of trouble these days. Let’s run these varmints out of town.”
“Here, here!” another one said.
Sheriff Jackson held up his hand. “Listen up, folks. These men will not hesitate to pull the trigger. Those guards are not playing around. They will try to kill you. Let’s make sure all the women and children are tucked inside their homes. I need three men to go from business to business and order the ladies and children off the street. Troy, Luke and Bob, the three of you take the main street. Coy, Mack and Robbie, get on over to the mill and make sure the wagon is ready to start rolling out of town at five minutes until noon. We’ll use that as a cover.”
He turned to Rebecca. “You stay here inside this building. Don’t leave under any circumstances. If he see’s you, there may be even more trouble. Promise me,” Jackson said, his voice stern and yet filled with all the love he had for her.