by P. Creeden
Chapter 14
Josie
As the men haggled with the Apache over how many jugs of hard cider they had, how many they could get, and how much they wanted for them, Josie found children playing a game with sticks over to the side of the village. The children ran around in various stages of undress, their skin bronzed by the bright sun overhead and glistening with sweat. The children were less than ten years old, and a yellow dog chased several of them about, trying to get in on the fun.
The children were fat, happy, and very healthy looking. Their energy was in distinct contrast to the children of the farmers less than six miles away. The land here was doing better, and the river seemed to flow better at their banks. Though she hadn’t seen a dam, Josie wondered if what the upstart farmers had said was true. Where the Apache keeping the water for themselves and starving the farmers downstream?
Several shouts caught her attention as three men with a pack mule came riding in from farther north. Blood flowed down the front of the leader’s shirt. Josie rushed over with her medical bag. The Apache shouted several things in their own language, and panic ensued. Billy frowned as did the others who, like her, didn’t know what was going on because the Apache weren’t speaking in English. They lay the man who had the injury down on a stretched-out hide. Finally, Josie turned to Billy and the others. “What’s going on? Why aren’t they helping him?”
The interpreter shook his head. “Our medicine man is on a spiritual quest. He will not return until the next new moon.”
Josie gripped her medical bag. She had already learned from others that the Apache liked to take care of their own. They may not take kindly to her interference, but for now, she couldn’t just stand and watch. She leapt forward and rifled through her bag. “Do we have any whiskey or hard liquor?”
The interpreter’s eyes went wide. Then without a second thought, he shouted something to the two men who had been traveling with the man who’d been injured. Once a bottle of liquor was brought to her, she opened it and poured a bit on the wound. The man hissed.
Josie met eyes with the interpreter. “Tell him that it will help ease the pain. I’m going to be cutting here to take out the bullet. He may want to bite down on a piece of leather.”
“He says he is strong; no need to bite down on leather,” the interpreter gave the injured man’s reply.
Josie nodded and grabbed her surgical knife. She poured a bit of the whiskey on her knife, hoping it would take away some of the pain when she cut in past the surface. Then she held down the man’s shoulder with one hand while she began to make the incision. The sharp knife cut in easily, and Josie was careful not to cut into anything but the soft tissues, keeping in mind the anatomy of the man’s shoulder. When she hit something hard, where there shouldn’t have been bone, the man growled.
“The bullet,” she said to herself as she poured more whiskey on the wound before she reached into the cut with her fingers and removed the lead pellet.
She couldn’t help but smile as she dropped it into Billy’s waiting handkerchief. He smiled down at her. With a nod, she poured more whiskey on the wound, knowing that the alcohol hurt a lot when it first hit but then had a numbing effect so that she could work on the wound and the patient would have less pain overall. She got her surgical needle and thread and began sewing the wound shut, leaving an open area at the bottom for drainage.
Once finished, she turned to the interpreter again. “The bottom of the wound is open to allow blood and other fluids to keep from building up inside the injury. If he has pain or anything other than blood and water come out of the wound, he should either pour more whiskey on it or pack the wound with salt. Both are going to sting badly but will help with the healing.”
The interpreter blinked at her and then relayed her message to the injured man. The other men who’d originally come with the injured one grabbed him by the arms and helped him stand. After the man gained his feet, he narrowed his eyes at Josie and then spoke, in English, “Medicine woman, how can we pay you for your help?”
Josie blinked. “You speak English?”
He pointed to his companions. “We trade with the white man in several villages. Must learn white man’s tongue.”
Billy patted her shoulder. “I actually met them earlier this week in the general store.”
The other man nodded toward Billy in response and then turned his attention back to Josie. “We pay. Do not want any debts. Name price, Medicine Woman.”
For a moment, Josie chewed on her lip. Then finally, she said, “The farmers around the camp have been struggling in the drought. Their crops are poor, not healthy like yours. Their children are sick and dying, not running and playing, like yours. They are your neighbors and they need help. If there is some way that you can help them, that would not only benefit me, but your neighbors, too. Good relations with the people around you will keep peace and save lives.”
The trader blinked and then slowly nodded. He said something in Apache to those nearby. Then he turned back to Josie. “We will help them because they are our neighbors. And because you have asked. Though we might see our neighbors struggling and want to help them, no one accepts help when they have not asked for it. We would like to help them but know that they would be too proud to accept if we offer. If you are willing to be our interpreter, we will help the families that are our neighbors.”
Josie’s heart soared. That was all that she could ask from them.
Billy
Billy and Josie made arrangements with the tribe to go to the first house that was close by. The shock on the farmers’ faces to see the Indians come onto their property was enough to make Billy understand that the prejudices that kept them from accepting help were the same ones that were getting ready to start an unnecessary conflict. Once Josie and Billy explained to the families what was going on, the tribe members showed the farmers how to build ditches and other things to manage the water flow on their property to gain the best use of the river nearby. Afterward they showed what produce to plant in the dry soil for best use. The tribe then shared jugs of cider vinegar—even better than hard cider—to help with the immediate effects of the scurvy on the families who had been struggling.
The wives of the farmers had tears in their eyes. Each household took to heart all that the tribe had to teach them and recognized that the Apache referred to them as neighbors which made everyone feel at ease. They traded some of their beef and hogs for more produce from the Apache and an alliance was formed between the tribes and the farming families. After Billy checked with the same three farmers who had been talking to him about starting an uprising, he felt relieved that it seemed they’d all found a peaceful solution to the matter.
On the cart ride back to Camp Verde, Mr. Woods sang a sweet lullaby as the night sky leached the last bit of sunlight off the horizon. And for once, the old man sang in tune. Looking overhead, Billy felt as if he could see all the stars in heaven. Then Josie’s warmth snuggled up against him, and her head fell against his shoulder. He peered down at her and found that she’d fallen against him in her sleep. His heart pounded in his chest. The cart jiggled after hitting a rut, and Billy had to put an arm around Josie to keep her steady and from falling in another direction.
It had been a long day. Billy had been tired, but now that Josie’s nearness had his blood pumping hard through his veins, he got another shot of energy. He continued to hold Josie against him as he spoke softly to Mr. Butler. “I’ll need to report to the lieutenant all that we learned today, and that the conflict between the farmers and the Apache has been resolved. Are you willing to be named as a witness to that?”
Mr. Butler lifted a brow, but nodded, narrowing his eyes at Billy. “I’ll do that. But if you don’t mind me asking, exactly who are you?”
Billy smiled. There was no longer a need for him to remain undercover. “I’m Billy Hogge, Pinkerton Agent, and this is my wife, Doctor Josie Hogge—also a Pinkerton.”
Mr. Butler huffed a laugh. He shook
his head. “I didn’t doubt for a minute that lady was a real doctor. Her passion for her patients’ health seemed to run from one side of the territory to the next. But I had no idea she was a Pinkerton. Is that right?”
“That’s right,” Billy said with a nod. “She’s quite a talented woman.”
With another laugh, Mr. Butler said, “Perhaps if I could have ever found a woman like that, I wouldn’t still be a bachelor. Be sure to hold onto that one.”
At the words of the man’s advice, Billy found his arm tightening a little protectively around Josie. Sam Butler was right. Billy really did want to hold onto Josie. He didn’t want to let her go. He didn’t want an annulment when they got back to Denver. But now, he just needed to get up the courage to tell her, and somehow convince her, that he was good enough to be her husband. How was he going to do that when he didn’t believe it himself?
Chapter 15
Josie
The next morning, Josie awoke late. Fresh-brewed coffee and sizzling bacon smells intermingled and filled her nose with heavenly aromas. She was starving, and when she sat up on the cot in her tent, she suddenly realized that she had no idea how she’d gotten there. The last thing she remembered was riding in the cart on the way back from the farms. How’d she ever gotten into the bed? She must have been utterly exhausted to have forgotten entirely.
Her stomach growled, and she realized suddenly that she didn’t remember eating supper the night before, either.
“Morning.” Billy’s deep voice and wide smile greeted her.
She rubbed her face and squinted at him. Her face always felt a bit puffy in the morning, and her hair felt a mess, even though she’d yet to look in a mirror. How could he look at her with a sparkle in his eye and not make fun of her for being a frightful mess after just waking? With a sigh, she said, “Morning” back to him, and her voice sounded extra groggy.
He smiled again and drew to his feet. “I’ll give you a few moments alone to get cleaned up, and then we’ll have some breakfast.”
She nodded her thanks to him and then watched him exit the tent. Much of her body felt sore from being on a cart nearly all the day before or working with the families to get started on implementing the things they were learning from the tribe. But she headed over to the wash basin and cleaned up and then did her best to fix her hair with the small mirror she had in her steamer trunk. After twenty minutes, Billy returned, and Josie felt much more human.
He’d brought back with him some bread and jam and began toasting the bread on the skillet. “I got these from the innkeeper. He surely is enamored with you. Everyone in this town is. Coming here, you’ve saved so many lives.”
“Me?” Josie asked incredulously, “If it weren’t for you, we’d never have been able to get the farmers and Apache to agree to work together. Like I’d said before, you have a way with words.”
He set a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast with peach jam in front of her. “If I have a way with words, you have a way with your hands and your courage. If you hadn’t jumped in and helped the chief’s nephew with the bullet wound, I don’t know that the tribe would have agreed so readily to help.”
“He was the chief’s nephew?” Josie blinked at him.
Billy huffed a laugh as he took a bite of his toast and nodded.
“I guess we’ll need to report in with the lieutenant today.”
After taking in the spoonful of eggs he’d had halfway to his mouth, Billy shook his head. “Actually, Mr. Butler and I gave the report last night. You were asleep and couldn’t be roused.”
She blinked, “You did?”
He nodded. “I’ve already made arrangements after breakfast for Mr. Butler to take us by cart to the train-station, so we don’t have to rent a coach. He offered.”
The fork slipped from Josie’s fingers and clattered on the table. “So soon?”
Wrinkles formed in Billy’s forehead. “The case is solved. As Pinkertons we don’t generally stay around long afterward.”
Panic gripped Josie as she thought about everything that had happened since they’d been in camp. Could Ruth really take over for her from this point? Would the treatments she’d prescribed work well enough without her here to make adjustments? Would things still be okay if she left now?
A hand reached across the table and took one of hers. Billy’s warm hand enveloped her fingers, giving her instant comfort and easing some of the panic she’d felt. His eyes met hers. “Everything’s going to be okay. And the lieutenant assured me that there is a doctor heading this way to take your place. He’ll be here by the end of the week.”
She let out a slow breath and squeezed his hand back before he let her go. And then she realized that the people in Verde were likely to be fine, but would she be okay? She’d gotten so accustomed to the comfort and safety provided to her by Billy, would she be okay without it? It felt like love. She knew he was just doing his job, but it felt like he loved her. And even though she was useless to him, she loved him too. And when they got back, they were expected to get this pretend marriage annulled. Her heart fractured in her chest at the thought, and her next mouthful of eggs felt dry, like sawdust, going down.
How was she supposed to go on without him?
Billy
With hands around Josie’s waist, Billy helped her down from Mr. Butler’s cart. The gentleman helped Billy get the steamer trunk and the rest of their belongings from the back and put them into the hands of the porter.
With a wide smile, Mr. Butler removed his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his kerchief. “It’s been a real pleasure having you all come out and help our little Camp. Everyone is better for it in so many ways.”
Josie beamed. “Thank you for saying so. I believe Camp Verde will always have a special place in my heart.”
“I don’t reckon anyone would mind if you all came to visit. Don’t hesitate to do so,” he said with a laugh.
Billy shrugged and shook the man’s hand. “Thank you for the offer. We may take you up on it.”
“You do that!” he said as he hopped into his cart and turned Bessie around. Then he pulled on the reins and gave a big chuckle. He pointed to the west. “Would you look at that?”
Even though it was miles away, the flat land let them see it. Rain poured down from dark clouds that piled on top of each other. Though they couldn’t be sure that the rains were reaching Camp Verde, they could hope that they were. Billy shook his head. “Well, I’ll be...”
“Looks like I’ll be chasing a storm all the way home.” His smiling eyes looked back upon Billy and Josie. “I hope you all have a safe trip, and God bless.”
“Same to you!” Josie cried as they watched the man point his cart back down the road they’d come from. “He’s got half a day’s journey. I hope he doesn’t mind getting too wet.”
“Somehow, I don’t think he’ll mind at all,” Billy said with wonder. He peered down at Josie and saw the sparkle in her eyes. Her mood had been a bit sad while they were packing and saying their goodbyes to the town. Even on the ride out, she’d seemed to be filled with worry. Now that she was standing on the train platform, her mood finally felt good enough that he took a deep breath and decided that now was as good a time as any to convince her that they should stay married.
But then her eyes looked up into his and the words froze on his tongue. She was so beautiful. Everything about her. How could he ever be good enough to—
“Let’s stay married,” she said suddenly.
He blinked down at her, confused. “What?”
Shyly, she swallowed hard, and her eyes wavered back and forth between his. “I know that I’m a mess, and I don’t have a lot to offer you. I know that I’ll never be a perfect wife, but for you, I’d like to try.”
He just stared at her, his lungs burning, and then he realized he was holding his breath. The only thing that could make it past the lump in his throat was another, “What?”
Her eyes filled with worry and sadness. “If you don�
��t want to give it a try, I understand, but—”
“No!” Finally, his tongue unfroze, and she winced at his word as if he was rejecting her. “I want to give it a try... no, that’s not right. I want to stay married to you. I love you, Josie. And you’re not a mess—it’s me that’s a mess and has nothing to offer you, but I want to be the best husband I can be to you if you’ll agree to stay married to me.”
She shook her head and blinked. “Did you just say you love me?”
He swallowed hard and rubbed the back of his neck, heat rising to his cheeks. He nodded.
A small smile tugged her lip upward, as stepped closer to him and whispered, “Please say it again.”
His heart leapt as he stepped closer to her and whispered, “I love you.”
Her smile grew. “I love you, too.”
And he couldn’t hold back any longer. He leaned in and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her gently into him. He drew his lips closer to hers, but hesitated the moment they shared breath, doubt flickering across his mind. But then she closed the distance and pressed her lips against his. A flame ignited where their lips touched and spread throughout his body so that his toes and his fingertips tingled. Stars flashed through his vision as she gripped his shoulders with her tiny, perfect hands. She tasted so sweet.
He didn’t know how long they stood there, on the platform, kissing but soon the train’s whistle blew, and the conductor yelled, “All aboard!”
They pulled apart only to realize that the platform was completely empty, and the conductor was looking directly at them, as well as every passenger pressed against the windows of the train. Heat flooded Billy’s cheeks and went straight to the tips of his ears. He ducked his head and peeked at his wife. Josie smiled up at him, grabbed his hand, and tugged him toward the train.