Country Wishes

by RaeAnne Hadley

  I was tempted to turn around and kick Picket into a run, but the old mare didn’t have it in her, so I waited for him to draw up near me.

  Maybe I was over-reacting. The man probably had business at the Long ranch and Mildred told him to follow me. But how would she know where I was headed?

  My belly churned. Anxiety caused me to tremble. Even if the man meant me harm, there was no way I could escape. I scanned the area frantically, hoping one of the men from the ranch might be working out this way. My heart sank with disappointment, only cattle dotted the landscape.

  The man pulled his horse alongside me, far too close for comfort.

  “Miss Miller.”

  I swallowed hard. “Sir, you have the advantage of knowing who I am, but I don’t know you.” I spoke with a calmness and bravery I was far from feeling.

  The man tipped his hat and smiled. I shuddered at the sight. What teeth he had were stained yellow, the result of over indulging in chewing tobacco, I figured.

  “Mr. Albie Sims at your service, ma’am. He bowed slightly from the waist.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Sims, but as I have already reached my destination and am very familiar with where I am going, your services are not required. Good day to you, sir.”

  I turned around in the saddle, urging Pickett to step forward. The horse was brought to a sharp stop when the man reached out and jerked back on the reins.

  The sudden stop caused me to lose my balance and I tumbled to the ground. For a moment I lay face down in the dirt, a sharp pain in my chest fixing me in place. I gulped at the air in an attempt to replace what had been knocked from me when I’d fallen. I squealed when the pain intensified and grabbed hold of the right side of my ribs.

  When I lifted my head, a pair of dusty boots filled my vision. Allowing my eyes to travel upward, I caught sight of the gun holstered on the man’s left hip. My gut insisted I was in deep trouble.

  “Come on, enough with the niceties. We need to get outta here before someone sees us.”

  I turned onto my backside, ignoring the burning pain, and scooted away. I’d hoped to push to my feet and run.

  His laugh was maniacal and reaching down, he hooked his hands under my arms and dragged me onto my feet as if I weighed no more than a sack of potatoes.

  I screamed when burning pain tore through my chest, it was like a hot poker was lodged in my ribs. Dizziness overwhelmed me. Nausea washed over me and bile rose in my throat. I struggled and attempted to free myself from the horrid man’s grip, but it only served to make him angry and he held me tighter.

  “Let me go!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

  “Not happening, honey.”

  “Don’t call me honey, I’m not your honey! Why are you doing this?”

  “Apparently you set your cap for Millie’s man and she ain’t happy. She needs you out of the way.”

  Sheer terror caused me to freeze in place. “Are you going to kill me?”

  “Now, honey, I ain’t no killer. Nah, I’m just gonna take you up into them their mountains, find a cave and leave ya there until the coyotes and mountain lions get ya. Millie can go about consoling her man and he’ll turn his interest to her.”

  “Please, don’t do this.” I begged for my life.

  “I have to. I promised my kid sister that I’d make everything right for her. She looks up to me and knows I always give her what she wants. She was mighty upset when she found out her man was courtin’ you and asked me to do something about it.”

  Tears welled in my eyes, fell free and burned tracks over my cheeks. They weren’t caused so much by the fear of dying, but by the thought, I’d never see Max or my mama again.

  If you want to see Max again, fight!

  I struggled violently against the man’s hold. Screamed, shouted, even stomped on his foot. It was like trying to dislodge a mountain, the man was huge. I bit at his arm and didn’t see the fist coming, but when it connected with my face below my left eye, pain shot through my head and I slipped into darkness.

  MAX

  On entering the house, I kicked off my boots and left them on a rack by the front door. My hat was placed onto a hook above. I was tired and ready for a hot bath after a long day. The parlour door was ajar, and I padded toward the room.

  Rowan was seated in her favorite chair and glanced up from the book she’d been reading. I’d never known anyone who read as much as my sister, except maybe Edward. His was all college reading though, our sister read for enjoyment

  My sister lowered the book to her lap when I entered the room. Abigail wasn’t with her and I felt a pinch of unreasonable disappointment. It was coming on dark and deep down I’d known she’d be gone home. Edward and I hadn’t been able to get home for the midday meal. Pa had us working in the back pasture which was farthest away from the house and too far to come home for a meal and go back again.

  “Abigail gone home?” What a stupid question to ask.

  Rowan frowned. “She didn’t arrive.”

  “It’s not like her to not be where she says she’s going to be. I’ll ride into town after supper and check on her. Maybe she’s fallen ill.” Something I couldn’t quite figure niggled at me.

  My sister stood, her ankle was much better and apart from walking with a barely detectable limp, she was now moving around much more freely. She crossed to where I stood, placed her hands to my shoulders, tilted her head back and gazed into my eyes. I could see tears pooling in them.

  “Can you go now, Max? I’ll ask mama to keep supper warm for you.”

  I took a moment to study her face. Her normally ice blue eyes were dark with fear.

  “What’s wrong, darlin’? What’s got you so worried?”

  “I don’t know.” A tear broke free and ran down her cheek. “I just have an awful feeling that Abigail needs our help. I’m worried sick, something’s not right. Please, Max, go and check on her now.”

  She burst into tears which set me on alert, it wasn’t like her to become so upset. Even when she’d fallen from her horse and injured her ankle, there hadn’t been so much as a trembling lip. I gathered her into my arms, she was shaking. I ran my hand over her silky hair and down her back in a soothing motion.

  “I’ll go as soon as I tell mama.” I set her away from me and thumbed away her tears. “I’m sure everything’s all right so try to stay calm.”

  Her breath hitched on a sob. “I’ll tell mama, please go now.”

  I hugged her before again assuring her that everything was probably okay. Heading back to the door, I pulled on my boots, slapped on my hat and headed to the stables to saddle Phantom.

  I entered the diner and noticed Abigail’s mother placing plates of food in front of two customers. The establishment was extremely busy being a Friday night. Aromas of spices, meat frying and sugary sweets assaulted my nose as I crossed the room and my stomach grumbled.

  Abigail’s ma saw me and weaved through tables until we stood face to face.

  “Max, did you bring my wayward daughter home?” She peered around me. “Where is she?”

  “She’s not here?” Nausea took up residence in my belly and I had an awful feeling it was there to stay for a time.

  Mrs. Miller paled. “I haven’t seen her since she left for your ranch this morning.”

  I rubbed a hand across my mouth. “She hasn’t been at the ranch, we thought she might be ill which is why I came to check on her.”

  Where was she? Ominous thoughts gathered in my mind like clouds in a stormy sky. Had she fallen from her horse? Had one of the varmints, who lived on the outskirts of town in one of the mining camps, taken her?

  “Max!”

  I swung around on hearing my brother’s voice, strode across the dining room and stood before him.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “After you left, I went out back to lock the chickens up for the night and found Picket grazing out behind the hen house. Abigail’s reticule was hanging from the saddle horn. Pa called the men together,
they’re on foot and searching the sides of the road which leads into town. We figured maybe something spooked the horse and she was thrown. Pa sent me to tell you and Abigail’s ma and said to start searching the road from this end.

  Mrs. Miller burst into tears at the same time Christopher Parker pushed through the door and entered the diner. He rushed to her side and pulled her into his arms. “Bess, what’s wrong, darlin’?”

  “Abigail’s missing.” She cried.

  Christopher turned toward Edward and I. “What’s happened?”

  I shoved my hands deep into the pockets of my jeans and shifted on my feet. “Abigail was supposed to visit with Rowan at the ranch today and she didn’t arrive. A horse turned up with her reticule hanging from the saddle horn. It seems the horse may have been spooked and she was thrown.”

  The notion didn’t sit well with me. Picket was too darn lazy to be spooked by anything. Things weren’t adding up.

  “How long have you known she was missing?” Christopher’s concern for Abigail was clear in his voice.

  “About thirty minutes. I got in from working and our sister, Rowan said Abigail hadn’t shown up. She was adamant something was wrong and insisted I come into town to check she was okay. I thought Abigail might have fallen ill and came to see if there was anything I could do. After I left the ranch, her horse was found.”

  I nervously twirled the hat in my hands while Edward repeated that Pa and the men were already out searching.

  Christopher frowned. “I’ll get some men and we’ll get to searching, too.”

  “We’ll have to search on foot with lanterns, it’s too dangerous on horseback now it’s dark. Edward and I will join you.”

  “I have spare lanterns in the kitchen, I’ll go get them.” Mrs. Miller wiped at her eyes, Christopher leaned in and kissed her cheek.

  “We’ll find her,” he reassured.

  The scraping of chairs on the wooden floor drew our attention and we watched as several men, who had heard our conversation, stood.

  Donny Alexander, the sheriff’s deputy, approached us. “I’ll let Sheriff Wayne know Miss Miller is missing and we’ll gather in the town square in ten minutes.”

  He headed for the door; eight other men followed him out.

  When Mrs. Miller returned from the kitchen, she handed me, Edward and Christopher a lantern. She stood on tiptoe and kissed Christopher’s cheek before turning to me.

  “Please find Abigail, Max, she’s all I have.”

  I placed a kiss to her forehead and managed a slight smile. “We’ll find her, I give you my promise.”

  Please Lord, let it be a promise I can keep.

  The three of us left the diner and waited outside in the town square. A couple of other men were already waiting, and we headed to join them.

  I sent another prayer to the good Lord above, asking him to keep the woman I cared about, safe until we could find her.

  Chapter Nine

  MAX

  The moon had been full a few nights earlier, it was a shame, we could have done with it to aid with our search. Pa and the men searched from the ranch toward town while I joined Edward, the sheriff, his deputy and a dozen other men scouring the area from town toward the ranch.

  Lanterns were swung back and forth, illuminating the bushes on both sides of the road. When we met up with Pa and his men at around the halfway mark a few hours later, there had been no sign of Abigail.

  A sliver of moon hung overhead. Coyotes howled in the distance. Cattle lowed softly while mamas called to their babies.

  Men milled about, speaking softly and waiting for further instruction from Sheriff Wayne. My stomach grumbled loudly, and I remembered I hadn’t eaten anything since mid-morning when Edward and I had helped ourselves to an early lunch which had been packed for us by ma.

  “Okay, men, listen up.” Sheriff Wayne urged us closer to where he stood and waited until everyone appeared to be paying attention. “It doesn’t appear Miss Miller was thrown from her horse; we would have found her if she had. To be perfectly honest, I just can’t see Picket being spooked by anything. She’s too darn lazy to be scared by another critter and rear up. It’s too dark and dangerous to start checking the mountains on horseback, so we’ll assemble in town again at first light in the morning.”

  My gut churned at the thought of Abigail being out in the night. Alone. Maybe injured. At the mercy of coyotes and mountain lion. Tears burned the backs of my eyes, but I held them back.

  Christopher approached, a worried expression on his face.

  “I don’t much care what the town gossips think, I’m going to stay with Bess tonight. There’s no chance I’m gonna leave the lady alone with her fears for her daughter. I’ll be ready and waiting in the morning.”

  “I reckon it’s a good idea to stay with her. Keep a close eye on the lady because knowing Bess, she’s likely to start off searching alone with no regard for the dark or her own safety. She’ll be beside herself with distress when we don’t return with her daughter. I’ll bring Grace and Rowan with me in the morning, they can keep Bess company while we continue the search.” Pa slapped Christopher’s back.

  “We’ll be able to cover more ground on horseback once it becomes light. Please tell Mrs. Miller, we’ll find her daughter.” I nodded to Christopher before he turned to leave.

  Pa squeezed my shoulder. “Come on, son, ma will be waiting for news and there’s nothing more we can do out here tonight.”

  The posse dispersed – we headed to the ranch, the other men, back into town.

  ABIGAIL

  My head felt like a herd of elephants had taken up residence and were stampeding. The pain in my head was unlike anything I’d ever previously endured and my entire body felt numb. I fought my way through the fog of my mind and memories of what had happened flooded back. Pain stabbed at my chest when I attempted to take a deep breath.

  Peeling my eyes open, I tried to focus on where I was. The surroundings were bathed in darkness, had night descended? How long had I been here? Wherever here was.

  My vision seemed to be severely limited, bringing back the memory of taking a fist to the face. It was highly likely I had a swollen, blackened eye which didn’t have the capacity to open. Regardless, around me remained shrouded in black.

  I attempted to move and screamed out in pain when I found myself pinned to the ground with limited movement. My wrists were bound together and attached to an immovable object above my head. Both legs were spread wide and also attached to something which couldn’t be moved. I was completely helpless, fixed onto my back, unable to sit up or roll onto my side.

  The seriousness of my situation triggered a crippling fear throughout me. Mr. Sims had said I was to be left in a cave, at the mercy of wild animals. He hadn’t been lying. The mere thought of being torn limb from limb by a coyote or mountain lion had me turning my head and expelling the meagre contents of my stomach.

  The position I lay in was becoming more uncomfortable, there was a definite chill in the air, and I shivered. Tears flooded my cheeks. Closing my eyes, I sent a prayer to the good Lord above.

  Please dear Lord, guide Max to me before it’s too late, but if your wish is for me to die, please let my death be a quick one.

  I focused on sounds echoing around me. The flapping of wings and familiar squeaks in the darkness left me no doubt, I was surrounded by bats. I realized I was in a cave and my heart missed a beat. How was I to be found? Word was, there were hundreds of caves in the mountains around Hopeful. Men could search for months before I was found and it would be too late.

  The ropes bit into my skin when I fought against them, desperate to be free. My ribs burned in agony. The sound of my screams echoed around me and the fluttering of the bats became frantic.

  Please find me, Max, before it’s too late.

  The thought of never seeing him again terrified me. I twisted and pulled at the ropes and felt warm liquid dripping over my skin. The pain in my ribs sent spikes of overwhelming agony
surging into my head and I wasn’t sorry when tentacles of darkness dragged me back into their depths.

  MAX

  At dawn the following morning, pa called the men together. They were informed, Tom – our foreman, and Billy, would be staying at the ranch to take care of what couldn’t be set aside. The rest of us would head into town and take part in the search for Abigail.

  While pa, Edward and I, along with four ranch hands, rode our most trusted mounts, Ma drove the buggy she and Rowan were in. Our progress was slower than I would have liked, but we couldn’t risk having the wheels of the buggy hit a rut. It would send the vehicle toppling over and injure them both.

  My brother and I took advantage of the slower pace and searched the sides of the road once again. I hoped a piece of clothing or jewellery glinting in the early morning sunshine might draw our attention.

  I felt deflated after the failure of the previous search. Worry, churning deep in my belly, threatened to evict what little breakfast I’d forced down at ma’s insistence.

  When we arrived in town, pa escorted ma and Rowan to the diner while the rest of us made our way to the rendezvous point in the town square. I glanced at the old wishing well and said a quiet prayer for luck as I passed.

  Men were arriving from every direction, there were at least double the number who had taken part in the search on the previous night. Once word got around one of our own was missing, I had no doubt volunteers would seemingly appear out of the woodwork.

  We all dismounted, and I left Phantom, in the care of one of the ranch hands, as did Edward, and approached some of the other men where we made small talk.

  It seemed an eternity had passed before the sheriff and deputy strode toward us, a rolled-up canvas in the sheriff’s hands. Moments later, pa hurried over with Christopher.

  “Christopher.” I nodded. “How is Mrs. Miller?”

  He rubbed a hand across his mouth. “She’s not doing well. I’m glad your ma and sister are staying with her today.”

  “They didn’t hesitate to offer when we told them we hadn’t found Abigail.”