Sweetwater (Birdsong Series) (11 page)

“As a matter of fact, there is one thing. I’d like for you
to put my farm in Emily Falkenrath’s name. She wants a farm, and I don’t care
one way or another about that little patch of dirt I own. I know it’s not
much, but maybe it will make her happy enough to marry me.”

“You sure? It’s worth a pretty penny.”

“Yeah, I’m certain I want her to have it. If you could see
her blue eyes light up every time she mentions her farm—the one that got
away—it breaks my heart, every time.”

“Consider it done, Doc.”

“Thanks.” Blake smiled at his decision. The first
objective in his plan was now a reality, and it was time to go on to the next,
he thought.

Cassie waltzed from room to room as she made up beds, swept
the rugs, and dusted the tables. She hummed a merry tune while radiating sheer
joy at the thought of Corporal Adam Breyer coming for supper. She knew she was
in love with the handsome, dark-haired soldier. She loved the way his hair
shown blue in the sunlight, so unlike her own blonde tresses. Her lavender
eyes were completely different from his deep black ones. They gave off a
compelling air of mystery, which she was unable to ignore. The touch of his
hand on her skin left her feverish and tingling with excitement. Yes, this was
definitely love, she thought, and her handsome corporal was coming to dinner.

Emily had been working off her tension in the flower gardens
in front of the hotel, when the handle on her hoe snapped off. “That’ll teach
me to take out my anger on the poor garden,” she grumbled. Looking around, she
saw no other tool that could be used to finish the rows. Knowing she would
have to call it a day before the job was complete, Emmie made a decision.

“I’ll have to go and have it repaired,” she said. Without thinking,
she grabbed up the handle and the hoe, and marched out the front gate. There
was no time to inform anyone of her leaving, but surely it wouldn’t be a
problem, as it wasn’t even time for the noonday meal. Jasper could have the
handle replaced before she was missed, and she’d complete her chores on
schedule. She walked quickly, intending to be back before anyone noticed her
absence.

Unfortunately, Jasper’s blacksmith shop was several blocks
down from the hotel. She put one foot in front of the other, and walked
briskly past the bank, past the post office, and the doctor’s office. No way
was she going in there!

She continued down the dusty sidewalk, past the Tumbleweed
Saloon, past the boot repair, when she heard the little whimper. It sounded like
a pup in trouble and it stopped her in her tracks. She listened for the sound.
There it was again. It seemed to come from the rear of the boot repair. The
tiny sound was soft and it caused her tender heart to flutter, thinking of the
obvious distress of the puppy.

She turned from the sidewalk and crept slowly between the
saloon and the repair shop, not wanting to scare the young dog. She wondered
what was causing him pain. Perhaps he’d been set upon by a much larger dog, or
maybe his mother had abandoned him.

“Pup?” she whispered. “Where are you, sweetie?”

The sound grew louder. She was getting closer, when she
noticed a rope lying coiled on the ground and running out from under a large
crate. Emily put down the broken hoe and picked up the rope, gently pulling on
its length. It uncoiled and suddenly stopped. As she bent over to lift the
crate, she noticed a large, muddy boot standing just off to her side. Her
heart leapt into throat.
This was a
trap—he’d found her
.

A dirty hand, with filthy fingernails, lifted the crate to
reveal a small black puppy, so thin it didn’t have the strength to stand. Its
small ribs were clearly defined and its round eyes had given up all hope of a
rescue. As she reached for the pitiful creature, a deep laugh rumbled out of
the large man’s chest.

Emily didn’t dare look into his face. She knew what she
would see and she knew she would lose all her courage. The puppy came first,
she vowed.

“If it ain’t that no-good bit of a girl, Emily. Been a long
time, sweet thing,” the ugly man hissed. “You miss yer pappy?”

She slowly stood, still refusing to look at him. Emily
placed her nose into the soft black fur of the pup, willing Blake to find her.
The man’s stench was overpowering, making her stomach seize. Against her will,
tears filled her eyes and her knees began to tremble.

“I think we need us a family reunion, what do you say,
girlie? A good, long one. I hear tell, you got lots of money, now. Sure
could use me some of that, daughter. It’s time you and I got reacquainted.”
He grabbed Emily’s arm so hard, she thought it might break, but still, she
refused to relinquish her hold on the dog. She felt he was her lifeline.

“Where is Emily? She’s missed her lunch. Did anyone check
her room?” Patty inquired. Now that everyone was watching for unexpected
strangers hanging around, it was unlike one of the girls to go off without an
escort.

Cassie answered. “I checked her room and she’s not been in
there. She stopped her work in the flowerbed, too. I know, because she was
going to take some cuttings for me and I never got them.”

“She’s probably with the doc,” Dora stated. “After their
little quarrel, they probably needed some private time to make up,” she
giggled. “Nevertheless, I’ll ask Whiskey to walk about town and see if he can
find her.”

It was late, and Dora was finishing up the dinner menu,
while Patty set the table for the guests. Cassie was out on the porch, waiting
for Corporal Breyer. She smiled as Dr. Donovan entered, looking tired and
hungry.

“Evening, Doc. Dinner’s ready soon. Adam will be dining
with us, tonight.” She brightened.

“Good evening, Cassie. It’ll be good to see your young man
again. He’s a good sort and I approve of his courting you. Is Emily ready for
dinner?” Blake needed to be in her company, even if she wasn’t speaking to
him. Just gazing upon her loveliness made him feel stronger and filled him
with optimism for the future. It had been a rough day. The baby girl didn’t
make it.

“As a matter of fact, she’s been gone all day. We thought
she might be with you.”

“What? All day? Why didn’t someone come and find me?
She’s missing, for God’s sake!” He stormed through the doors, giving not a
thought to the guests lining up for dinner. “Where the hell is Emmie?” he
shouted.

Blake stood in the middle of the road looking first one way,
then the other. Nothing. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. He ran his
hands through his thick hair, nearly frantic with worry. Then he spied a young
soldier fairly running down the sidewalk toward the hotel. It was Cassie’s
young man, Adam.

“Adam,” he yelled. “Can I talk to you for a moment, before
you go in?”

“Sure thing, Doc. What can I do for you?” the handsome
corporal asked, smiling from ear to ear, obviously eager to be with his girl.

“You remember Emily? She hasn’t been seen since this
morning, before noon. I’m worried about her. Did you see her, by chance?”

The smile disappeared, replaced by a look of real concern.
He shook his head. “You don’t suppose that man from the saloon has her, do
you?”

“I don’t know what to think, but this is unlike her to stay
away all day, especially when she knows how worried we’d all be. I have this
feeling in my gut, that things are not as they should be. You go on in and see
Cassie. She’s waiting for you.” Blake managed to smile. “You do right by
her, young man,” he ordered, good-naturedly.

Giving a small salute, he said, “Yes sir!” and ran inside,
leaving a distraught doctor out in the street. Before Blake had everything
thought out, his feet were in motion. He hurried to the first building,
finding no one there; he rushed to the next—and then the next. From
building to building, he ran like a wild man, not asking for permission to
enter, just tearing open the doors and stomping in.

Time was his enemy, and he was coming up empty handed.
Occasionally he saw a woman that he thought could be her, but she never was.
One husband took exception to Blake putting his hands on his dark headed wife
and struck a hard blow to the doc’s abdomen, dropping him to his knees. Not
stopping to apologize or explain, Blake staggered to his feet and continued
barging in through open and closed doors, alike.

In the distance Blake could hear feminine voices calling
Emily’s name. The girls were searching the other end of town, with Whiskey
along for their protection.

Upon entering the Tumbleweed, Blake could feel the tension
in the air. It had always been a seedy and disreputable place, but tonight, it
was a cesspool of humanity. His eyes narrowed as he ran his gaze over each and
every face in the room. Many men ignored his presence, but a few stared back,
daring the young man to do something they didn’t like. The only thing that
stopped them from confronting him was the fact they all knew he was the doctor
in these parts, and they knew that at any moment, they might be in need of his
services. Still, he’d better watch his back.

The doctor cleared his throat and yelled so that every ear
could hear. “Miss Emily Falkenrath is missing from the hotel. I’m not here to
cause any trouble. I’m simply trying to find her. I’d appreciate your help if
you know anything.”

He waited for a response. One man got up and left, while
several others turned away and got back to their cards. The barkeep grunted
and grabbed a towel to wipe the surface of the bar. Blake knew he wasn’t going
to find out anything, here. He took a long hard look at the faces in the
saloon, committing them to memory. In the future, he would have something to
say to each and every one of them. God forbid he should discover their
complicity in her disappearance. His hand just might shake while holding a
scalpel.

Just before he turned to leave, an overweight woman, well
past her prime, sauntered up to the doc. She looked to be soliciting his
affections, when she, instead, whispered a bit of information in his ear.
“There’s an old line shack by the railroad yard. It’s abandoned,” she purred
as she stroked his groin.

Blake could barely endure her intimate touch, but he knew
she was covering herself. She’d be in danger if anyone guessed she had passed
this knowledge onto him. He was grateful to her and smiled, then saying loudly
enough for some to hear, “Well, honey, I just might take you up on that later.
Keep it warm for me.” Then he gave her a little kiss on her brightly painted
cheek and tossed her a dollar before departing.

Cassie and Adam sat out on the porch swing, smiling and
looking dreamily, into one another’s eyes. It was a comfortable silence and
they reveled in each other’s company. Adam marveled at how tiny and delicate
Cassie’s hands were, while resting in his. Her skin was the color of fresh
cream and felt like silk to his touch. He couldn’t get enough of her.

“Cassie . . . I want you to know that I . . . I . . .”

“Yes? You what, Adam?”

“I want to ask you to be my girl. Would you, Cassie? I
think you’re the most beautiful and the most wonderful girl I’ve ever met, and
I’d be proud to tell everyone that you’re mine. I’d do right by you.”

Cassie blushed as she looked up at him with her huge,
lavender eyes. “I don’t know much about you, Adam,” she said, coyly.

“I’m from a good family. My father is a banker in Kansas
City, and my mother is the daughter of a U.S. Senator. I have one sister and
one brother—both older than me. Until I met you, I thought I wanted a
life in the army, but now, I’m not so sure. My father has wanted me to follow
after him. I could make a good living for us, sweetheart.” He grinned. “For
our children, too,” he whispered.

“I’ve never felt this way before. Suddenly, it’s as if my
whole life is going to change and I can’t wait to get started. How old are
you, Cassie?”

“I just turned seventeen. But I’ll be eighteen in a year.”

“Oh. That’s good, I guess.” Adam was silent for a bit,
lost deep in thought. Then, he stood up and turned around. He got down on one
knee, in front of the young woman in the swing.

“Cassie, I know I should ask your father for your hand, but
since I’ve never met the man—“

“And probably never will,” Cassie murmured.

“Will you do me the honor of being my bride when you reach
eighteen? I can wait for you, my darling, after all, we have our entire lives
ahead of us.”

Cassie flew into his arms, and covered his face with kisses.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he chuckled, as he returned her
kisses.

She was crying with happiness when Patty and Dora came out
to get some fresh air. “Land’s sake, child. What’s the matter? Have you
heard something about Emily?” Dora implored.

“No. Adam just asked me to marry him when I turn eighteen.
I said yes.” She beamed.

“Well, doggies. Congratulations are in order. I always did
like you, young man. You’ve got character.” Dora was giggling like a young
girl. “I can highly recommend marriage.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I’m honored that Cassie has accepted my
proposal.”

He looked at his pretty fiancé and started to fidget. “I
have to get back to the fort, now.” The corporal continued to look as if he
didn’t know quite what to do with himself. “I guess I should go. I have to
leave now, Cassie.” He waited; shifting from one foot to another, while
casting a pleading glance at Patty.

Patty placed her hand on Dora’s back and said, “The corporal
has to get back
now
, Dora. I think
we need to finish up the kitchen dishes,
now
.
Yes?”

“No, there ain’t no . . . oh yeah. The dishes! They’ve
got to be done before we can call it a night. Good night, children.” The two
women turned around and went back inside the hotel, taking extra pains to close
the door securely, behind them.