by Lynn Landes
“Can I help you, Sir?”
“Yes, I’m looking for my wife, we had a spat,” Fred grins at Bubba. “You know how that goes right?”
Bubba frowns down at Fred, “She do that to your face?”
“What? Oh no, of course not. Have you seen her or not?” Fred snaps.
“Nope,” Bubba shouts at another stable hand, “Not that way, put her in stall four!”
“Are you sure, I thought I saw her duck in here.” Fred glances around and starts to walk around.
Bubba steps in front of him, “This is a place of business, we don’t have time for this. I can guarantee you that we don’t harbor runaway wives in here.”
“Bubba where you want the hack?” a man shouts.
“Back door,” Bubba turns back to Fred. “Especially a red-head. Do you need to rent a horse?”
“No, thank you.” Fred sneers and leaves. Bubba keeps working for a few minutes until he’s sure he’s gone.
“Alright lil’ bit, come on out,” Bubba calls.
“Is he gone?” she asks.
“Yep, for now. My hack is on the side, I’ll take you to the station,” Bubba says.
“Why?” Savannah demands.
“Is he your husband?” Bubba snaps back.
“He wishes!” Savannah declares.
Bubba smiles and his eyes crinkle. “I don’t like men who scare women. You coming?” he calls as he stomps to the side entrance.
Savannah picks up her skirt and runs to keep up with his massive stride.
“Thank you, Bubba,” she murmurs.
“Don’t thank me yet. Sit on the floor, and I’ll cover you with a blanket. With that hair, you are hard to miss.”
Savannah scrambles inside and wipes at a stray tear, as he covers her with the blanket.
A few minutes of a rough ride and she feels the hack come to a stop. The blanket is jerked from her head, and a massive hand helps pluck her from the dark. Savannah squeaks as he sets her on her feet and waits for a second to allow her eyes to adjust to the sun.
“How much do I owe you?” she asks.
“Keep it, you’re going to need it, I think,” Bubba snaps.
Savannah smiles up at him, and he grins in response. “Any daughter lucky enough to call you Father is surely living a charmed life.”
“Yep, that’s how I think of it. Take care lil’ bit,” he jumps into his hack and rides off.
Chapter 26
Savannah rushes through the crowds, being sure to stick close to any woman that is walking the same way. She helps a young mother fighting with her children. When she finally gets to the ticket counter she asks, “Has the Central Pacific train arrived yet?” she asks.
“Yes, she’s unloading now and will have to be refueled. It will be on track six for boarding soon.” The man points and gives her directions.
Savannah glances around, looking for Fred, “Thank you,” she murmurs and sighs in relief, hurrying in the direction he gestured.
One side of the station is heavy with people unloading and collecting their bags, while the other side is empty as it waits for the refueled train to arrive.
A hand seizes her arm and shoves a sharp object into her side. “Thank you, indeed. S. E. Ward, you’ve made my job very difficult.” His hand squeezes her arm tightly when she starts to struggle.
“What do you want?” she stammers.
“Walk, or I’ll blow a hole clear through your side, Miss Ward.” He starts walking, keeping Savannah close to his side. Soon the crowd of people begins to thin as they all hurry to their destinations. “I’ve had enough trouble from women,” he hisses marching her along to the empty tracks.
“I’ve got money,” Savannah offers.
“Not enough,” Fred snaps and keeps walking, ignoring her stumbling beside him.
“How did you find me?” she asks, hoping to buy some time.
“Idiot said, red-hair. I never said that my wife had red hair.”
“Please, let me go. I don’t know what this is about, but I can pay…”
“Savannah?” A man’s voice shouts from behind her.
Fred whirls and watches as Eli gives a wave of his hand to the men, he’s with, and they start to spread out.
“Eli!” she whimpers and sags with relief.
“Stay back!” Fred snarls, and he counts. Six men! Rooster and four men have blocked the exit, and all of them are holding pistols.
“Release her!” Eli demands.
Fred backs away, jerking her in front of him to shield his body. He pulls the pistol from her side and shoves it under her chin, causing Savannah to gasp in terror.
“No!” she cries.
Dayton is collecting his bags when the crowd starts to shout and run towards the street. “They’ve got guns!” A women screams and runs.
“What’s happening?” Someone shouts and his heart stops when he hears, “A man’s taken a women hostage!” Savannah?
Dayton runs through the thinning crowd and almost shouts out loud. He’d know that hair anywhere, a man is holding Savannah with a gun shoved under her chin. The armed men spread out. Dayton draws his pistol, meeting Eli’s eyes with a nod.
Fred watches Eli’s eyes flick behind him, and he whirls around screaming “Get Back! I’ll shoot her!” and backs up towards the train tracks.
Savannah frowns in confusion for a moment when she sees him. Recognition has her blue eyes flying open wide with relief, “Dayton!” she sobs, and tears fill her eyes at the sight of him. When she tries to walk toward him, Fred squeezes her arm tighter.
“Don’t move!” He shoves the pistol under her chin again, pausing all movement and backs away towards the vibrating tracks. A train is coming!
“Release her, and we’ll give you whatever you want!” Eli pleads.
“Trust me, she’s not worth the trouble,” Fred snaps.
“Dayton,” she pleads, jerking on the arm choking her.
“You want her? Catch!” Fred shouts, and everything happens at once. Fred whirls and shoves Savannah screaming onto the tracks below.
Without a second thought, Dayton runs and jumps the four feet to the tracks below. The whistle on the approaching train blows as Dayton reaches her. “Savannah!”
Her eyes flutter open for a second, only to roll back when he scoops her up and runs out of the path of the train onto the empty tracks beside it. The wind buffets his body, and he shields her from as much of it as possible.
Fred runs, shoving into the group of people watching, only to have a punch sending him flying back to the ground at Eli’s feet. Rooster and the men close ranks on Fred. “You like to hurt women and children?” Rooster demands and flicks out his rope. In a matter of seconds, he has Fred flipped and tied like the animal he is.
Eli leans down and growls, “No one hurts my family.”
Fred starts screaming and cussing, but Rooster shuts it down with a dirty cloth shoved into his mouth.
Dayton struggles to the other side of the tracks towards the service steps and climbs up with Savannah. Gently, he places her on the ground, taking in the condition of her body. He runs his hands over, pleading with her to wake up.
“Come on, Savannah, open those beautiful eyes for me.”
Her eyes flutter again and fly open wide with panic before she starts to struggle. “It’s alright, you’re safe,” Dayton murmurs.
Savannah stills, and lifts a bloody hand to cup his scruffy face, “Dayton?”
“Yes,” he laughs, covering her hand with his, “I found you.”
“You look terrible,” she mumbles and starts to sob. She tries to pull away, but he’s not ready to let her go yet.
“You scared ten years off my life. I need a minute, please.” He lowers his forehead to hers and presses a kiss to it just as a large shadow falls over them.
The click of a pistol has his blood, running cold. “Savannah, is this man a friend of yours?” Eli demands.
“Yes,” Savannah weeps, “he’s from Kentucky.” She la
ughs at the absurdity of the moment, and just before the pain hits her she hears Eli shout.
“Let her go, Kentucky! The doctor’s here,” and the world fades to black.
Dayton glares at the men surrounding them and sighs with relief when a doctor pushes them back. “Give me some space,” he shouts and turns to Dayton.
“Son, you’re going to have to put her down and tell me what happened.”
“A man threw her back onto the tracks,” Dayton answers as he lays her gently on the decking and stands back to let the doctor do his job.
“Has she woken up yet?” The Doctor asks and lifts her eyelid.
“Twice, but she keeps passing out,” Dayton answers.
“Is that blood yours?” Eli demands.
Dayton looks at his hands and blanches. “No,” he replies hoarsely.
The doctor turns her head and finds a gash on a raised bump behind her ear. “Alright, we need to get her to my office. I think her arm is dislocated and she may have a concussion.”
Dayton whirls, looking for the man who hurt her and rage floods his body when he sees him on the ground. Eli watches, allowing Dayton to run and kick him in the stomach a few times before they grab him and pull him back. “Let me go!”
“Easy, Kentucky, Savannah needs you here, not in jail for murder,” Eli reminds him.
“Who the hell are you?” Dayton snarls and jerks free. He paces away, struggling to stop the anger ripping through his body. Every time he closes his eyes Dayton sees her reaching for him and falling backward screaming his name.
Eli grins. “Eli Irwin, and you are?”
“Dayton Patrick,” he replies and watches the doctor tie a makeshift sling around Savannah’s shoulder to support her arm.
“Alright, Mr. Patrick, just who the hell are you and why is this man after Savannah?”
Dayton turns and stares Eli down. “That’s a long conversation, and right now I need to be with her.”
Savannah wakes and groans in pain, struggling against the light and nausea that’s beating at her. “Ohh!” She groans. Her body hurts, and the pain in her arm is excruciating. “Dayton?” she calls and the Doctor smiles.
“He’s right here, Miss Ward. We’re going to go to my office across the street. Can you sit up?” Savannah sits with the doctor’s help and struggles not to vomit.
“It’s across the street. Tell me, what else hurts and are your legs affected?”
Dayton rushes over, and Eli watches his entire demeanor shift. Instantly, he gentles his touch and scoops her up, avoiding her dislocated arm. “She’s not walking anywhere.”
Savannah, burrows in his neck, hiding her face from the sunshine and stares of those around her. “Dayton, will you take me home?” she murmurs.
“Yes, Angel, I will,” he promises.
“Thank you,” she weeps and closes her eyes against the pain.
Eli watches with a grim look on his face. “We’ll meet you at the doctor’s office. I’m taking this trash to the Sheriff.”
Dayton pauses and glares at Eli, “He goes nowhere until I speak to him.”
“Of course.”
Chapter 27
“Miss Ward, my name is Doctor Stanton, but most people call me Doc.”
Savannah stares at him, taking in the silvered beard, spectacles and kind bedside manner. “It’s nice to meet you, Doc,” she whispers. His wife covers her with a blanket and takes the bloody bowl of water and rags from the room.
Savannah is sitting on a cot wearing her blood-stained chemise in a room at the Doctors house. He prods around the shoulder, causing her to bite back a scream of pain. Her long beautiful curls are tangle free, thanks to Mrs. Stanton, but the bruises, scrapes, and gash on her body stand out harshly against her porcelain skin.
“Alright,” he pats her good hand. “I’m just gonna come out with it. You have a nasty gash and bump that will cause a headache for a while, but you’ll live,” he grins and glances at Dayton with a little trepidation.
Dayton refused to leave her side, insisting that she needed him with her. The absurdity of the moment strikes her, but she agrees to let him stay. For some reason having him near her makes the pain less intense.
His black eyes are watching every move with barely concealed rage.
“The shoulder is dislocated, thankfully, I don’t think the arm is broken. Can you tell me what you remember?” Doctor Stanton asks.
“He tossed me backward,” she looks up at Dayton with traumatized eyes. “I tried to stop my fall,” she sniffs and tries to sit up, only to groan at the pain.
“Easy now,” Doc says pushing her back. “You did fine, Miss Ward, but I need to reset it.”
“Doc, I was a nurse in the war. I know what you need to do,” she whispers, glancing at Dayton.
Doctor Stanton quickly hides the surprise and wipes his hands on his pants and glances at Dayton. “Son, if you can stay, I will need help to reset it.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he promises, more for Savannah than him.
Mrs. Stanton returns with a bit of cloth rolled up for her to bite down on. “The morphine will help soon, Savannah. This is so you don’t bite your tongue,” she murmurs and steps back. Savannah closed her eyes and nods. “The morphine will also help you relax and allow the muscle around the shoulder to relax.”
Doc points to the hall and Dayton takes the hint. “We’ll be right back.”
“Are you sure you’re up to this? Maybe you should wait outside,” Doc starts just as Dayton follows him.
“I’m not leaving her,” Dayton snaps.
“How’s the patient?” Eli asks as Bubba steps inside, swallowing up what little space is in the entry.
“I’d like to hear the answer to that,” Bubba says softly.
“Eli, Bubba, nice to see you. Miss Ward is beaten up and has a dislocated shoulder. We’re just about to set it,” Doc answers. Eli curses softly and glances at Bubba.
“Mr. Patrick is going to sit behind her and brace her. Savannah will try to pull away from me. Don’t let her. Sometimes it pops back in quickly, sometimes it can be… difficult. If we’re lucky, she’ll pass out.”
“Lucky?” Dayton snarls and runs a hand over his face.
“What’s wrong, Kentucky, too much?” Eli teases.
Dayton glares at him and stomps back into the room with Savannah.
“He’s about to blow, Eli, and I don’t blame him. She’s beat up, scratched and bruised, not to mention the headache. It’s a miracle he got to her before the train.”
“Train?” Bubba asks hoarsely. Guilt is pushing him hard. He should have stayed to make sure she was safe.
“I’ll explain in a minute, Bubba. Can she be moved after Doc? I’m taking her home with me. Bubba brought a carriage to make the ride home comfortable.”
“I suppose so. Once you get her settled, someone has to sit with her for the next few hours to keep her awake. It’s not safe for her to sleep just yet.”
“I don’t think he’ll leave her willingly, Doc,” Eli explains.
“Yeah, I figured as much. The silent ones worry me more than the ones who rage.”
“I know what you mean. I, myself, find it healthier to pound out my frustrations. I may have to let him do that before we leave,” Eli grins.
“I prefer whiskey,” Doc snaps.
Mrs. Stanton checks her bandage and steps out to get a clean dressing. “I’ll be right back.”
Dayton sits quietly, staring at her. Savannah turns her head to look at him and frowns. “You don’t have to stay, I’m fine alone.”
“You don’t look fine to me,” Dayton grumbles and softens his tone as a tear breaks free from the corner of her eye and rolls back into her hair.
“Thank you for noticing,” she teases.
“I notice everything about you, Miss Ward, I always have,” Dayton utters.
Savannah turns to look at him in surprise. “What?”
Mrs. Stanton returns, “She’s ready.” Doctor Stanton walks
in behind his wife.
“Mr. Patrick you sit behind her and wrap your arms around her,” Dr. Stanton says. Dayton climbs behind her and pulls her back against his warm body.
“My Daddy is going to kill you, Dayton,” Savannah giggles.
“Maybe so Miss Ward, but I will die knowing what it feels like to hold heaven in my arms.” He presses a kiss to her temple.
Mrs. Stanton looks at her husband and wipes a tear from her eye.
A few minutes later, Eli jumps when Savannah starts screaming. She begs and pleads for Dayton to help her before finally succumbing to the pain and blacking out.
Eli accepts the shot of whiskey from Mrs. Stanton with a trembling hand and shoots it back. Bubba paces and runs a hand over his face. Guilt is pressing him hard.
Dayton explodes from the room, “I’m going to kill him...” only to be stopped by Eli. “That’s the second time you’ve stopped me,” Dayton shouts and shoves Eli, rocking him back on his heels.
“Dang, Kentucky, you’re stronger than you look,” Eli blocks him again from leaving.
“Move,” Dayton snarls.
“No, Savannah…”
“Don’t say her name again,” Dayton barks and stares at Eli, taking in his size, he’s big and muscular. “I may be smaller than you, but I guarantee you will wish you’d not stopped me if you don’t step aside.”
Eli stops smiling, “She’s not the only one he hurt, Mr. Patrick. He hurt my fiancé and her three-year-old son before going after Savannah.”
Bubba growls, “I have information you may need.”
Both men stop moving as they listen to Bubba tell how he met Savannah earlier that day.
“He said that he was her husband?” Eli gasps.
“Yep. I didn’t believe it. She insisted that he wasn’t,” Bubba growls.
“Talk, Patrick! Why is this man trying to kill, Savannah?” Eli shouts.
Dayton’s hands are shaking from holding Savannah. He’ll never forget the sound of her screaming and pleading with him to help her. “It’s complicated,” he says hoarsely.
