A Texan's Luck (24 page)

When she disappeared around the corner, the last biscuit vanished from the basket. All three men had been within three feet of her, and none had seen her lift her breakfast from under their noses.

The ranger and Walker hit the door laughing as Riley swore.

An hour later, Lacy watched Jacob Dalton
carry Nell carefully through the doctor's house and out the back door to a wagon waiting in the alley. The tough ranger, who'd lived in the saddle and slept on the ground for so many years he thought it home, couldn't quite keep the tears from falling. If anyone asked him, he'd swear he didn't cry, but Lacy knew his heart was broken. Even if Nell lived, she might never walk, for they'd seen no further movement in her legs.

The child Dalton had checked on and looked after and cared about since the first day he became a ranger no longer answered when he said her name.

No one paid attention to the soupy fog or the bitter cold. They held their breaths while he lowered her into the quilt-covered wagon bed and kissed her cheek as though she were only resting and not near death.

Nell didn't make a sound as they layered first blankets, then a tarp over her in case it rained before Samuel could get home. Finally, the men lifted boards Samuel had hammered together to make the wagon bed look like it was only a load of lumber. He'd even tented the front so that Nell would be covered but still be able to breathe beneath the layers.

Walker stood at one end of the alley, the sheriff at the other, just in case anyone ventured near. But no one but the stray dog paid them a call. For some reason the mutt growled at Walker.

Lacy decided it was probably because the captain had changed into civilian clothes. Though in truth, he looked no less a military man. It hadn't surprised her that he'd chosen a dark brown coat and trousers. Walker must get tired of always wearing blue. But the Stetson amazed her. He'd picked a hat almost as dark as his hair with a finely tooled leather braid around the brim. He'd also packed his army issue pistol in favor of a weapon that hung lower beside his hip.

"She's ready." Jacob signaled to Samuel as he swung up on his horse. "Slow and easy now, old man."

The carpenter nodded and made a clicking sound that started the horses moving.

The ranger tipped his hat to Lacy. "See you at the McKoy place, honey. Take care crossing the orchard. If I get there in time, I'll set a lantern you'll be able to see from the river to guide you in."

"Thanks." Lacy touched Jacob's big gloved hand. "Take care of her."

"Don't plan to stop now." The ranger disappeared into the fog.

For a minute Lacy stood listening to the sounds of his horse and Samuel's wagon rolling away. She wanted to go with them. More than anything, Lacy wanted to demand to stay with Nell, but she knew Nell was safer without her. The fog cloaked them now, shielding them from anyone who might be watching the road. If it rained, Samuel would still guide the wagon safely to Carter's place. The path they traveled would be easy, not as rugged as the one Lacy faced, but tonight, they'd all be back together at Carter's. Tonight they'd all be safe.

Cozetta and the old woman hurried down the steps with bundles of the doctor's laundry. They stuffed a few bags into the cart and left the others to be loaded after Lacy climbed in the back. The girl seemed worried, but the old woman had a determined set to her jaw as if she wanted this chore over as soon as possible. Lacy heard them whispering earlier, as if arguing, but she couldn't make out any words.

She buttoned her coat, pulled on her gloves, and moved toward the little wagon as Cozetta climbed in front and sat on the bench covered by a crude bonnet of sun-bleached rags. The old woman took the reins.

Walker met Lacy at the back of the cart. He draped the quilt she'd made for him out of his father's suits over her head and shoulders. "I know you said use all your quilts for Nell, but this happens to be mine. It'll keep you warm."

He lifted her into the wagon, and she squeezed between the bags. Tossing one bundle to her left, he leaned until the brim of his hat touched the top of her hair. "Take care," he whispered. "I'll be right behind you. You won't see me, but know I'm there. No harm will come to you."

Lacy nodded. He'd been over the plan ten times already.

"When she turns toward the trees, I'll catch up to you. We'll cross the river and the orchard together."

"But your horse?" She looked past him to the magnificent animal pawing the ground, ready to go. Walker's saddlebags as well as her carpetbag were tied to the back of a military-style saddle.

"I'll tie him near the river if it's too dark to lead him through the trees and come back for him at daybreak. He'll be all right. Trooper has a habit of throwing anyone who tries to ride him but me, so he won't be easy to steal."

Lacy snuggled, trying to get comfortable and finding it hard to believe Walker had found an animal who liked him. The cats avoided him. Even the stray dog growled at him.

She grinned. Come to think of it, humans didn't warm up to him all that fast either. But this devil of a horse that looked like he'd gladly stomp on her, waited for Walker's command.

The old woman twisted around enough to give them both an angry, hurry-up glare.

Leaning close to Walker, Lacy whispered, "She doesn't think you're following. Told me to tell you that if you even think about it, you'll be putting me in more danger."

"I'm not—"

Her fingers on his lips stopped his protest as she whispered, "She doesn't need to know."

Walker met her eyes and nodded.

The old woman turned around again and scowled at them.

Walker didn't pull away. He had something to say and planned to say it no matter how long the old lady glared.

Lacy waited, wondering what last order he had in mind. He'd been acting nice ever since she'd kissed him, but she knew it couldn't last.

Finally, he pushed his hat back and leaned an inch closer so that his words brushed the side of her face. "I know this isn't the time, but … if we were alone, I'd be tempted to kiss you again."

She shivered at the intimate tone in his voice. "If we were alone, I'd be tempted to let you."

Chuckling, he straightened. When he glanced back at her, she was surprised at how an honest smile changed his face, making him look younger. He tossed in two more bags of laundry over her. Lacy couldn't stop the grin that spread across her lips. The strange captain had more difficulty with his last words than he ever experienced yelling orders at her.

Completely covered, Lacy listened and waited. The old woman slapped the reins, and the mare pulled the wagon forward, rocking Lacy gently against the bags. She shifted as they turned, heading out of the alley. She counted the bumps moving down Main Street. As they rattled out of town, all sound vanished but that of the wagon crushing against frozen earth and the jingle of harnesses.

Lacy listened. Voices were too muffled to understand. Walker's blanket kept her warm as she curled into a ball. She wasn't afraid. She knew he would be close enough to help if they encountered trouble. The rocking of the wagon lulled her to sleep.

Her last thought before dreaming was the memory of her first kiss. It has been so nice, soft and light, but the kiss in the storage room would warm her blood for hours to come.

It was dark when the bags were pulled from around her. Lacy blinked, expecting to see the circle of cabins of the gypsy village or Walker waiting to help her down. But only blackness surrounded her.

At first she thought the fog must be hiding the lights from windows and fireplaces. Surely she should be able to see a hazy glow in the distance. She allowed her eyes time to adjust. Finally a shadow, black on black, moved toward the back of the wagon.

Boots shuffled in the dirt. The sound of leather creaking popped in the night. Another figure joined the first.

"That her?" A stranger's voice shattered the night's silence.

Lacy turned to the front of the wagon, now able to make out the shawled shadow of the old woman sitting alone on the front bench of the cart. She must have been asleep when they dropped off Cozetta. If so, they must now be close to the river.

The old woman hopped down with far more energy than she'd climbed in with. "Of course that's her. You don't think I'd bring you the wrong woman? She's the one Whitaker thought he killed on the road to the McKoy place."

Almost all of the woman's thick accent had vanished. "Now, where's my twenty in gold? We only have a few minutes before that captain of hers I told not to follow probably catches up to us. This one said he wouldn't trail us, but I know he's back there. I saw it in the way he looked at her. He didn't plan to let her go alone."

Lacy squinted, trying to make out the two shadows standing behind the wagon. One was so thin he appeared more tree-shaped than human, and the other couldn't have been much taller than her yet carried at least three times her weight. Even in the dark, they didn't look all that threatening. The thin one jerked with nervous energy, and the fat one whined as they tried to decide what to do.

"Who are you?" Curiosity outweighed fear in Lacy. "What do you want?"

The short shadow removed his hat. "We want you to come with us, Miss Lacy. We got someone who wants to have a talk with you."

"I don't think so." She tried to place the voice, but he didn't sound like anyone she knew. She pushed back against the bench of the cart as far away from the two men as possible.

The tall shadow sprang like a snake, grabbing her, blanket and all, and tugging her out of the wagon. "You're coming with us, miss, whether you like it or not. You're worth a hundred dollars."

"Put me down!"

The old woman snorted. "I thought you said you were getting fifty. If you're getting a hundred, I want forty. After all, I did all the work, even lied to the girl."

The short shadow and the old woman argued while the thin man's arms wrapped around Lacy, pinning her within the folds of the quilt.

"Put me down!" Lacy ordered, more angry than frightened.

She kicked and tried to break free. When she screamed, the short shadow stopped arguing and covered her mouth. It took him several tries, but he clamped his fat hand over her face and shut her up.

"Gag her, Gray. You want her screaming and waking up one of these gypsies?" the short man hissed at the tall one holding her. "They'll come after us."

"You gag her. I'm not turning loose. If she gets three feet from me in this blackness, we'll never find her."

"I can't gag her. I'm keeping her from screaming." He squealed as Lacy sank her teeth into one of his fingers.

"I'll gag her," the old woman complained. "But, you'll pay me fair. If anyone finds out I helped you, I'll be homeless again."

Lacy fought wildly, trying to jerk free from the thin fingers before the old woman got what smelled like a rag tightened around her head. She only managed a short scream before the rag tightened into her mouth. The old woman tied the knot in back, pulling Lacy's hair without care. '

"All right. You win." The tall man stepped away and wiped his hand on his trousers. "I'll give you forty, but you have to slow that captain down you claim is following."

The woman swore a curse at both men as they pulled Lacy into the blackness.

"He'll be riding full-out if he's close enough to hear those screams. So you don't have much time."

Part of the quilt covered Lacy's head and engulfed her, She could no longer hear what the men were saying, yet she still kicked at anything that came near.

She thought she heard one of the men groan just before they tossed her forward. She hit hard against the floor of what felt like a wagon bed, but when she tried to move, walls were on either side of her. Arms no longer imprisoned her, but something did. Then suddenly she was moving with the roll of a wagon, bouncing against the sides of what felt like a box as she struggled to free her arms from the blanket. She had to pull the gag out of her mouth and call Walker before it was too late.

Gasping for breath, she finally pulled her head away from the blanket. She was so surrounded by blackness at first she didn't think the quilt could be off her face. Slowly, fighting the folds and the confined space, she pulled her hand free and touched her face, jerking the rag from her mouth. Then, with terror rising, she reached above her, encountering rough wooden boards.

Lacy traced the space with her free hand as her heart pounded wildly. Wood all around her. Complete darkness.

She pushed on the sides, the top. Nothing gave. She pounded, screaming, but no one answered. Deep down where even nightmares fear to go, she knew.

Not just a box imprisoned her, but a coffin.

A moment after he realized the wagon had
turned away from the river and not toward it, Walker heard a scream. He watched the tree line just across the water, expecting trouble to come riding in hard and fast.

Another scream, quickly muffled, echoed from beyond where the old woman must have turned. Walker felt cold, hard fear in his gut. Not for himself—he could fight off whoever waited in the night—but for Lacy. He kicked Trooper into action. The land grew uneven as he neared the bend. Huge rocks shadowed the path, and mounds of dirt high enough to hide a wagon rose on either side.