Twilight of the Coyote

by Ron Schwab

  I walked closer to the cave opening and yelled, “Kate, whoever’s in there, it’s Trey. Bureau of Investigation. It’s safe to come on out now.”

  Gramps walked over to the gate and grabbed the dead man’s foot and dragged him away from the opening. I swung the gate open and saw a gray mass of ghostly figures moving slowly toward me. The images began to separate as they shuffled into sunlight, and I saw a band of bedraggled Sioux girls, some with blankets tugged about their bodies and others half-dressed in scraps of male garments. But where was Kate? I immediately thought of the earlier barrage directed toward the depths of the cave. Had she been hit? Killed?

  “Where’s Kate?” I asked a tall woman, who walked several steps ahead of the others. She wore a shirt that barely reached her hips and was otherwise naked.

  “She is not injured. She is tending to a witch.”

  Witch? What was she talking about? I started walking briskly toward the back of what seemed like a huge burrow carved into the mountain. I heard Gramps from outside the cave directing the former captives to the stash of their clothing, which he apparently had come across at the campsite downslope from the ledge.

  “Kate,” I called.

  “Back here,” she replied. “Turn left when you reach the end.”

  A few moments later, I made the turn and found her kneeling by someone wrapped in a blanket. The darkness kept from ascertaining more. Along the opposite wall, I could make out two more figures who appeared bound and possibly gagged given the unintelligible mumbling that was coming from that direction.

  “One thing,” I said. “Are you okay?”

  She stood and stepped into my arms and wrapped her arms about my waist, burying her face in my chest. “I will be,” she said. “I will be.”

  She clung to me tightly for some moments before she lifted her head and said. “I stink. My breath is rancid. But if you can stand it, a kiss would be nice.”

  What could I do but oblige? And our lips lingered. If this was what it was like to kiss a stinky woman, I would take stinky anytime. But I knew at that instant new struggles lurked on the horizon.

  When Kate pulled away, she explained. “This woman is severely injured. She may die. She desperately needs medical attention. We should get her out of here and into the sunlight where we can see what can be done.”

  “What did these men do to her?”

  “They didn’t do anything to her. Marta had to shut her up and possibly overdid it a bit.”

  “I see.” But, of course, I did not. “I’ll see if I can carry her. My grandfather is with me. He’s had some experience with injuries. He might be able to help until we get her to a hospital. What about those two?” I pointed to the two figures on the other side of the shaft. “And who are these others?”

  “Prisoners.”

  This was becoming too complicated. “You can explain later.”

  I carried the injured woman outside, trying to pretend my back didn’t notice but aware that I had just incurred my most serious injury of the adventure. Gramps and several of the Sioux girls were tossing green branches of ponderosa and grass on the fire. Two of the girls seemed to be having fun putting a blanket over the fire and then yanking it away to release dark clouds of smoke.

  As I placed the injured woman down in the grass some distance from the fire, I asked, “Smoke signals?”

  Gramps chuckled, “Hardly. But it ought to catch somebody’s attention.” He nodded at the woman. “What have you got there?”

  “Thought you might look at her. She’s unconscious. Her head and face are really scrambled.”

  Gramps knelt and examined the woman Kate called Maybelle. “Looks like somebody took a sledge hammer to her face. She’d look better without that pug nose.” He cupped his hands over her battered nose and seemed to be manipulating it some way. Then he jerked, and the crunching sound made me shudder.

  “Ow, that hurt,” came a sleepy voice from the patient.

  Chapter 45

  KATE

  It had taken several hours for the sheriff’s department, ambulances, firefighters and other emergency responders to arrive at the chick coop, and, of course, not far behind, the newspaper crowd. The press horde was overpopulated because of the president’s presence in the Black Hills, and he had not offered any headlines lately.

  At Bing and Trey’s insistence, Kate stepped into an ambulance with Marta and Raven and made a trip to the hospital. That evening, as she was being released, Trey stopped by the hospital to confirm she was okay, which she had not required a physician to verify. She felt fine.

  “I’m going to be tied up meeting with law enforcement and completing reports the next few days. J. Edgar is obsessive about written reports, and I’m already in trouble. I have a feeling I’ll be ordered back to Washington. But we need to talk soon.”

  She had found that encouraging. She had a bond with Trey she could not quite define yet, but the thought of not seeing him again terrified her. “My father and Stretch are on their way in to pick me up. You will call me when you’re free then?”

  “Of course. But there is something you must do immediately. Gramps told me about the reason your mother and my father died on the same date. It was not coincidence. It’s not for me to explain. Ask your grandmother about it. I believe she knows the story. I’m certain your father does. Tell her you’re entitled to the truth.”

  “You are not making any sense, Trey,” she had said.

  He had taken her hand and kissed her softly on the lips and said, “I love you, Kate. No matter what.” Before she could reply, he had turned and walked out of the room, leaving her head spinning with confusion.

  Now she was seated in the kitchen with Grandma Beth. Kate had pondered overnight Trey’s insistence on her confronting her grandmother, and possibly her father, about the coincidental dates of death of Deuce Ramsey and Coleen Connolly. This morning she had made a decision and had approached her grandmother, who had been noticeably unnerved and sent Stretch to find her father, who was tending to a lame horse in the stable, “Tell him to get his butt to the house. You can take care of the horse. Owen’s not a horseman anyway.” Stretch had tossed Kate a look that said there was something brewing, and she suspected he was more than glad to retreat to the stable.

  Beth placed two steaming cups of coffee on the table and sat down beside Kate. “Your father needs to be a part of this. We can talk more later, if you wish. Understand that your father views this differently than I do, and with some cause. But carrying anger too long can eat you up inside and force you to close your eyes to possibilities that might bring joy and fulfillment to your life. It is sad when that happens, but it is the choice of the one who bears the anger.”

  “Anger? Choices? Grandma, I’m getting tired of all this mystery and dancing around whatever happened ten years ago.”

  The front door slammed, and Connolly stomped into the kitchen. “It doesn’t look like there’s an emergency here. Stretch said you wanted to talk to me immediately.”

  “Would you care for some coffee, Owen?”

  “No, just tell me what your trouble is, so I can get on my way.”

  “Sit down,” Beth commanded. “Kate wants to know about Coleen’s death, and it’s time.”

  His face turned scarlet and he hesitated. “I don’t know why,” he said, but obeying Beth’s order.

  Beth said, “Kate says Trey has been told the story. They seem to care for each other. Until they met, this was unnecessary and pointless. I still don’t think it’s relevant to their relationship, but I know you think differently, and it’s time to lay out all the cards.”

  Kate said, “What is this all about? You are both driving me crazy.”

  Connolly said, “Your mother was an adulteress, Kate. That’s it. A slut. A whore. She spread her legs for Trey Ramsey’s father. And, fittingly, she died with him on a battlefield in France.”

  Kate felt her breath had been sucked away.

  “Owen,” Beth snapped. “You speak that wa
y about my daughter once more and Stretch and I are finished here. I’m damn tired of your anger and bitterness tainting all of our lives, especially Kate’s.”

  Connolly’s eyes shot sparks. “Don’t threaten me, Beth. Stay or go. Nobody’s irreplaceable.”

  Beth ignored him and turned to Kate. “I didn’t want to tell you this behind your father’s back, but he couldn’t resist sharing all the information he dug up about your mother’s death, so I will tell you what we know, my way.” She turned to Connolly,

  “And you shut-up, Owen, until I’m finished. Then you can have your say.”

  Beth told the story of Deuce and Coleen as it had been extracted from military records and conversations with several of Coleen’s fellow nurses. Kate listened spellbound, silent tears streaming down her cheeks as her grandmother spoke.

  “That’s what I know,” Beth said when she concluded the story. “The military files don’t tell us what was in the hearts of these two people. But the manner of their deaths speaks for them, I think. I love my Coleen, and I was always proud to be her mother. I still am.”

  Owen got up and pushed his chair harshly aside. “Nothing changes that they were sinners. They betrayed those who foolishly trusted them. They’re buried together. I hope they’re burning in hell together.” He glared at Kate. “Stay away from that young Ramsey. If you don’t, you’ll never see one acre or one cow from the Shamrock Ranch.” He turned and walked out of the room.

  Kate watched her father leave. She could understand his pain and anger. She had known betrayal by persons she thought were friends. And it stung. But this had been ten years, and the betrayer was long dead. What more punishment could he seek?

  “Grandma, I just don’t know what to make of this.”

  “I don’t know if it makes any difference, Kate. I have never told your father this . . . no reason to hurt him further . . . but your mother loved this Major Ramsey. She wrote to me several times before she was killed. She struggled with the scandals that would face her, and she was uncertain what would happen after the war ended. She could just not fathom living without him. And you should know she was not happy in her marriage to your father. She said she needed distance to sort things out, and that’s why she signed on for active duty in the Army Nurse Corps.”

  And what did this mean for her and Trey? Her father had made clear that Trey Ramsey in her life shut her father out of it. She had never known Owen Connolly to change his mind on anything. But she loved him, and she loved the ranch. Knowing what she did now, was it possible to disregard her father’s feelings?

  Chapter 46

  TREY

  I sat in front of Bing’s desk in the sheriff’s office. Bing had left for a few minutes to check with Sheriff Johnson about something, and my mind had turned to Kate, as it tended to do. Two days had passed since I spoke with her at the hospital. I had tried to ring up Kate twice. The first time her grandmother said Kate was outside doing chores, but she would ask her to call back. I had not heard from her, so I called again this morning before I drove in to Rapid City. This time Beth Ridgeway had apologized profusely and explained that Kate was not up to talking with me now. I told her I had been summoned back to Washington and would be leaving on tomorrow morning’s train. I said it was important for me to speak with Kate before I left. She promised to do her best for me.

  Bing returned and sat down. “Why so glum?” he asked. “You’re a hero. The BI’s scored major points with the public. Of course, Hoover has jumped in and is claiming all the credit.”

  “It doesn’t matter who gets credit. We got a lot of bad guys put away one way or another. Hoover has called me back to Washington, but I may turn in my resignation when I get there.”

  “You’re not serious? I’d sell my firstborn to get in with that outfit.”

  “Really? Then why don’t you apply?”

  “I’ve checked in to it, but Hoover’s looking for college boys these days. Guys like yourself with accounting backgrounds, or lawyer-types.”

  “But they waive this for promising recruits with law enforcement backgrounds. You’ve helped the BI with a major case. If you like, I’ll see what I can do.”

  “I’m not expecting anything, but I’d welcome any help.”

  “I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything.”

  “It would be great if we could work together again.”

  “That means I’d be staying with the BI.”

  “I’m betting you will.”

  “Anyway, I’m leaving the case in the hands of your office and the state of South Dakota. The feds are going to back off and let the state file and prosecute the charges. Willy and Bull Bullock will testify. Bull and Boss will likely go away for life. Bull did some killing and committed rapes, but he doesn’t know we can’t prove it. It appears George Many Knives and someone unidentified committed the murders Gabe and I came here to investigate. One will get away with it, but George already got the death penalty.”

  Bing added, “And Spud Fisher will go to prison for a long time for assault and rape among other things. I think Willy will be out in five years. There’s no evidence he did actual physical harm to anybody or understood fully what he was involved in.”

  I said, “I’ve got to talk to Gabe and Clara at the hospital. It’s been good for him to have her here. It won’t be long before he’s back in Washington at a desk job. Then I’ve got to hustle out to the game lodge and pack. I’m on the train in the morning, but you know how to contact me.”

  “What about the gal?”

  “What gal?”

  “You know. Kate. You two seem a good match.”

  “The verdict’s out.”

  Chapter 47

  KATE

  Kate had enjoyed lunch and dinner at the State Game Lodge with the president and first lady on several occasions since she was freed from the chick coop. She loved them dearly. Grace Coolidge always put her at ease, and the president, with his dry wit, made her laugh. She noticed most guests at one formal dinner did not pick up on the president’s sense of humor, and she thought that sad.

  One day, joining the first lady for afternoon tea, they discussed Kate’s plans. “I am returning to college this fall,” Kate said. “I have decided to complete my degree. I can easily graduate next spring.”

  “A wise decision. That pleases me.”

  “After that, I don’t know. Once, I thought I would return to the ranch. Now I have doubts. You do know the story of Trey’s father and my mother, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do, dear. Not all of it. But enough. Does that have something to do with your separation from Trey?”

  “Yes. I didn’t tell you I went to the railroad station the morning he left town. I almost called out to him, but I didn’t.”

  “That’s too bad.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m married to Silent Cal, but I don’t let him get by with it in private. A husband and wife must talk to each other. People who care about each other must talk.”

  “You think I should talk to Trey?”

  “Why not? Even if it’s only to say goodbye. I am meddling, I know, but I fail to see how whatever your parents did, or did not do, should have a bearing on what choices the two of you make.”

  “You think it’s silly, don’t you?”

  “I do.”

  As Kate was leaving the game lodge later that afternoon, Agent Starling passed her a note. She read it before she stepped into her Model T. It read: “Kate, I would be honored if you would come to my office at the Rapid City High School promptly at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. Thereafter, we will travel to the game lodge for lunch. Uncle Cal.”

  This was beyond strange. Her dad was going to be irritated she was missing another day’s work, although she was caring less by the day.

  Chapter 48

  KATE

  August 2, 1927

  Kate arrived at the president’s summer office at the high school shortly before ten o’clock. The number of cars in the parking area su
rprised her. School was not in session, and she knew the parsimonious president had been accompanied to South Dakota by barebones staff. Edmund Starling spotted her in the hallway, and, stone-faced, nodded for her to follow him. He led her through a side door into the president’s office.

  The president was at his desk and gave her a closed-lips smile and motioned her closer to his desk. Reporters with note pads were filing into the room, pressing latecomers against the wall as it filled up. The president was sitting at his desk with a scissors in one hand cutting up legal-size sheets of paper with something written on it. There seemed to be a short message on each small rectangular piece, some handwritten, others typed. Kate noted that some of the messages were on carbon copies.

  The president stood up and handed one of the notes to Kate and then walked around his desk and began passing out the slips to the reporters. “There will be no questions,” he said.

  As the reporters examined their notes, they made mad rushes to the door, and Kate feared someone would be injured in the melee. Kate looked down at her own message. The president had given her a slip with his original handwriting on it. The note said, “I do not choose to run for president in nineteen twenty eight.” It was not dated, and it was not signed.

  When the president returned to his desk, he introduced Kate to a distinguished looking gentleman who had been standing a few paces away. The man was Senator Arthur Capper, the Republican U.S. Senator from Kansas and publisher of several farm journals she had read.

  Senator Capper rode back to the game lodge with the president, and Kate drove behind the small convoy to join the first couple and Senator Capper for lunch. The thought came to her that she was becoming surprisingly comfortable with her hobnobbing with the government elite. But why not? They were just people, not gods, although she had met a few who did not realize it.