Manny's Triumph: Sequel (Secrets In Idyll Wood Book 2)

by Marisa Masterson

  Entering Olsen’s Mercantile, Manny immediately spied Mrs. Olsen. It was her gossipy husband he needed though. Tipping his hat to her, he inquired, “Is your husband around?”

  She greeted him with a raised eyebrow. “What do you need with Mr. Olsen?” For once her hands were still, not cleaning as she usually did while she talked.

  Manny did his best to calm the panic that ate at him as he forced his voice to take on a normal tone. “I’d like to ask if he saw the sheriff leave. Maybe with a group of men?”

  Her mouth tightened, with irritation Manny thought. The condescension was evident in her voice as she answered, “Well, I can see out a window too, you know. He left about two hours ago. He had your brother and that desk clerk from the hotel with him. None of his deputies, which I thought was odd since all of them were armed like they had formed a posse.”

  Thanking her Manny left the store. As he exited, relief at seeing Frederick Sittig and another deputy outside of the jail filled him. Hart stood speaking with them.

  Crossing to them, he hurriedly filled them in. “The sheriff took Ram and one other tough-looking guy and headed out about two hours ago.”

  Frederick nodded his head and moved to mount his gelding. “Cleared out the guns, I noticed. Glad I brought my own in. You two,” he gestured to Manny and Hart, “had best get a weapon from the mercantile before we head out.”

  Mrs. Olsen didn’t act as if it was odd that Manny returned to the store or that both he and Hart purchased shotguns and asked for plenty of shells. As she placed the ammunition in a small box for them, Katharine Bushnell entered the store and headed in Manny’s direction.

  He held up his hand to stop her as she approached. “My wife and another lady have been taken. I don’t have time to argue with you.”

  This stopped the determined woman. “Taken? When?” The sympathy and concern on her face increased Manny’s alarm rather than comforted him.

  “Sometime within the last hour. The sheriff abducted her, best as we can figure out.”

  When Manny slipped the detail out, Mrs. Olsen froze. Turning to him she fearfully said, “You mean Carl was spouting real information when he came in warning us about the sheriff?”

  Manny ignored the woman who might have been able to prevent Zelly’s and his wife’s kidnapping. He only nodded and focused back on Dr. Bushnell who seemed to have something important to tell him since she laid a hand on his arm to gain his attention.

  “I’ve been asking around,” the woman began, “And I know where they will take the women. All of the girls duped into coming as maids were taken to one specific brothel.” Mrs. Olsen joined the conversation and asked the woman with whom she’d spoken. Dr. Bushnell only shook her head and clamped her lips tightly together.

  Picking up their shotguns and the shells, the men followed Katharine Bushnell out of the mercantile. Asking her to share her information with the deputy sheriff, they walked over to the men who waited atop their horses.

  As she spoke, Deputy Sittig nodded his head and said he’d heard of the place she mentioned. She stiffened and glared at the lawman who admitted to knowing about the brothel, but the man ignored her look. Instead, he urged Hart and Manny to mount up and prepare themselves for a punishing ride.

  Chapter 8

  Carlene had been enjoying a rare afternoon alone in her little home. Greta Hoffman had shooed her out of the house, declaring they were caught up with work and Carlene deserved a little time to herself. Gratefully she’d walked through the dried grass, admiring a group of geese flying overhead. Somewhere she’d read that when they fly close together like that, a group of geese was called a plump. What an odd word, she’d idly thought. And how nice to finally have the time to have idle thoughts!

  Once home, Carlene had scrubbed the cabin’s floor and then decided she’d get the laundry done early that week. Even though it was late afternoon the clothes could freeze overnight. It would help them dry the next day. As she put a large kettle filled with water on the top of the little potbellied stove, a knock at the door surprised her.

  Being sure the pot sat securely on the stove, she then moved to the door. Zelly Bahr stood on the stoop. At Carlene’s confounded look, the woman fidgeted nervously and rushed to explain. “Aunt Greta wanted to rest and insisted I leave the house to visit someone. You’re the only one I’m comfortable coming to see.”

  Carlene stepped back from the door and held her arm wide to indicate Zelly should enter. “You are more than welcome. It’s just that I was surprised you’re here since we just saw each other at lunch.”

  She wondered at sweet Zelly’s lack of friends and quizzed her about it. “Really, I’m happy to have your company as I do the laundry, but why do you say there’s no one else you’d like to visit. Didn’t you grow up in Idyll Wood?”

  Zelly ducked her head. By the way that the woman wrung her hands, Carlene realized her question upset her friend. “Never mind, Zelly. Forget I asked that.”

  Raising her face to look at Carlene, Zelly shook her head. “No.” Sadness colored her voice. “I’d be more than happy to tell you about life with the woman who raised me.”

  Explaining to Carlene that she’d been taken out of school as soon as she’d learn to read and do sums, Zelly created a vivid picture for Carlene of the isolated life the young woman had lived. “If it hadn’t been for Rebecca Hoffman, I wouldn’t have had any friends. She’s very dear to me and Hart works for her husband so you can see that she’s still looking out for me.”

  For a moment silence stood heavily between them. Carlene didn’t know just what to say. Then a silly thing popped out of her mouth. “How incredible that we’re both orphaned.”

  The statement didn’t mean much, but it had the power to erase the tension that had been in the air. After that, Carlene told Zelly what life had been like in the orphanage with many children and only a few adults to tend to them. “I had one woman who focused all of her free time to nurture me, Sister Magdalena. She’s the one who forced Manny to marry me, bless her. What a good turn she did me by that.”

  For the next hour, the women continued to chat about their very different childhoods. While Carlene scrubbed out the few clothes she and Manny had dirtied, Zelly rinsed and hung them on the short line that stretched from the cabin to the small lean-to shed Manny used to house Brownie.

  Finished with the laundry, Carlene intended to start supper. The nicker of a horse alerted them to the visitors outside the cabin. Before Carlene could get to the door, it burst open and three men forced their way inside.

  With their guns drawn, they surrounded the women. Carlene would have been frightened except that she recognized the sheriff among them.

  Looking in his direction and with a great deal of confusion evident by her tone she asked, “Sheriff, why are you in my…”

  The man’s chuckle cut her off and a frisson of fear made the hair on the back of her neck stand. “Tie her up Cully. Ram, you take care of Mrs. Bahr there.” As the men hurried to obey him, Redmond held twin colt revolvers, keeping them trained on the women.

  Carlene expected that timid Zelly would be terrified by the men and flashed a glance at her. Rather than being afraid, the woman’s face evinced anger. As Carlene watched Ram tie the other woman’s hands behind her back, Zelly snarled, “How’d you get involved with this, Ram? Manny told me you promised not to bother me anymore.” She ended that comment by spitting on his boots.

  Oh, my clean floor! Then Carlene realized that she had a great deal more to worry about than those recently scrubbed planks.

  Ram growled back at his prisoner and yanked the rope hard as he tightened the knots. “Shut up Zelly. This is your fault.” Taking a bandana, he tied it across her mouth and behind her head to be sure she wouldn’t say anything else. “If you hadn’t made Redmond put me in jail, he couldn’t have forced me to be a part of this. I’m no white slaver!”

  Redmond laughed, “You are now boy!” At that moment, Carlene realized that she hadn’t escaped.
What had started that night at Halderson’s hotel continued with the sheriff’s actions today. The sheriff would make sure she ended up at a brothel after all.

  Since she hadn’t been gagged, Carlene decided to confront the man. “We’re not girls unwittingly applying for jobs that don’t exist. We’re wives with homes of our own. Be the lawman you pretend to be and let us go.”

  That same chuckle that sent shivers of fear down her spine issued again from Redmond. “Nope, you are a potential threat to my operation dear Mrs. Strong. And Zelly there, why she’s been in town making noise about me letting Ada go. You two problems are about to disappear.

  As the man named Cully pushed on her back to move her out the door, Carlene pretended to trip and kicked her shoe off. It was the only clue she could think of leaving to let Manny know she didn’t wander off on her own. After all, what woman goes for a walk with only one shoe!

  Outside, the two women were put on the backs of one horse. Redmond took its lead rope and the group set off in a direction that took them into the woods and away from the main house and the help it promised.

  Starting the trip late in the afternoon, the men decided to call a halt for the day about an hour after total darkness cloaked the trail. No moon or stars penetrated the cloudy night to help them see. When a deer raced out of the woods, startling the horse it crossed in front of, they stopped for the night.

  Cully lifted each woman from the horse and ordered them to sit on a fallen tree not far from where he’d tethered the horses. Wanting warmth on this cold evening, the man proceeded to collect branches and soon had them lit.

  Returned from relieving himself behind a bush, Redmond roared at the man. “Are you an idiot? A rescue party could be following us. They’d see that for sure.”

  Before Cully could douse the blaze, a branch stamped and, at the same moment, Carlene heard a revolver’s hammer being pulled back. Redmond pivoted toward the sound and, in a flash, drew and fired one of his colts.

  Evidently, his bullet missed its mark since an answer shot dropped the crooked sheriff to the ground. Though she saw that he lay unmoving, Carlene didn’t feel safe. She hissed, “Roll backward,” to Zelly. Both flipped off of the tree and hid amongst the undergrowth around it. Peering through the bushes they watched to see what Ram and Cully would do.

  Deputy Sheriff Sittig stepped into the small clearing, gun pointed on Cully. Slowly, the outlaw moved as if he intended to place his pistol on the ground. Then, with lightning speed, he raised his hand to shoot while still leaning forward.

  The deputy must have anticipated the action. As quick as Cully’s movement had been, the deputy’s response was speedier. Cully fell to the ground even as Carlene’s ears heard the blast from Sittig’s handgun.

  Meanwhile, Ram had moved to put the horses between himself and the rescue party. With a mixture of relief and fear, Carlene watched Manny appear out of the woods and move toward his brother.

  Did the man want to get shot? Why wouldn’t he stay hidden?

  Shotgun leveled in his brother’s direction Manny stood to the side of Ram. He had a clear shot since there were no horses between himself and his brother at this angle. Ram’s revolver was also pointed at his brother. In a moment that seemed endless, Carlene saw each stare at the other.

  In that time, Hart and another man Carlene didn’t recognize also came out of the clearing on the opposite side of Ram. They pointed shotguns in her brother-in-law’s direction. Hart called, “Come on out Zelly, Carlene. You’re safe now.”

  Both ladies did their best to rise, but the action proved to be difficult since their hands remained tied. Putting their backs against each other, they counted and then pushed up out of the bushes. As if they could communicate without speaking, the two women stood their ground. Not wanting to distract the men, neither lady rushed to her husband. It would have to be enough that the men could see each was unharmed. After all, Ram still hadn’t surrendered.

  After assuring himself of his wife’s safety, Manny ordered his brother, “Throw down your gun, Ram. I don’t want to shoot my brother.”

  “Nah,” his brother angrily responded, “I can’t do that. I don’t want to shoot my brother, either.” With a rapid movement, Ram aimed his gun at Zelly, “But, I won’t be sorry to shoot her.”

  Before Ram could pull the trigger, a blast from Hart’s shotgun felled him. He groaned and held his hands to his gut. Manny raced to his side and threw himself to his knees, placing a comforting hand to his brother’s shoulder and not looking at his stomach.

  Swallowing convulsively, he forced himself to say the words. “You aren’t going to make it Ram. Before it’s too late, you need to repent. Tell Christ you’re sorry and believe in…”

  Ram’s words cut him off. “It’s her fault. Zilly Zelly Fuller. If she hadn’t told…” Coughing followed by a gurgle from Ram’s throat stopped him from saying more. And then he was gone.

  Behind Manny, Hart spoke softly. “I aimed for his arm, Manny. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let him harm my wife. He’s done enough to her already. When he pointed that gun at her…” Making a choked sound, Hart swallowed whatever he had been about to say. His still-bound wife hurried to his side, laying her head against his chest to comfort him. Carlene watched her whisper to her husband, and he untied the rope.

  Sorrow for her husband sat heavily on Carlene’s heart. She wanted to rush to him as Zelly had done with her spouse. However, her relationship with Manny was much newer than the other couple’s. Would he want her near him while he grieved? She couldn’t be sure, so she did nothing.

  By the dying fire, Carlene thought she saw Manny look her way. But he seemed to be staring at his brother’s body so she must have been mistaken.

  Watching Deputy Sittig and her other, unnamed rescuer tie bodies onto horses caused Carlene to shiver. With her hands still tied she inched closer to her husband, wanting his nearness even if he’d rather be left alone. At her movement, Manny’s eyes connected with hers in the very dim light. He held his arms open to her and she rushed into them.

  When she didn’t hug him, Manny stepped back from her and looked down at her hands. “Forgive me, Carlene. I should have gone to you immediately.” Rather than say anymore, Manny untied her hands and rubbed them to help the blood begin moving through them. “When I saw him fall, I had to go to his side, Carlene. It was my last chance to try to connect with my brother.”

  His voice cracked with a sob. With her hands now free, she reached up and pulled his head to rest on her breast. Petting his hair, she gave him what comfort she could as his tears wet the front of her dress.

  Epilogue

  Manny held tightly to Carlene’s hand as they stood on the platform of the depot. Zelly and Carlene shouted to be heard over the noise of the train that had just pulled into the station.

  Once Hart returned with the tickets, the two couples exchanged a goodbye. “I’ll cut out any articles I see about our kidnapping and send them to you,” Carlene promised Zelly. Manny smiled at his wife’s love of newspaper clippings.

  Then a thought had him turning serious. He cautioned the other couple, “Watch out for Ada Fuller, or whatever her true name is. She could be headed in your direction, you know.”

  Zelly denied the possibility. “Ma’am doesn’t like me so why would she try to find me? No, we’ll never see her again.” Hart’s face revealed that he didn’t believe that, though. His jaw, Manny noticed, hardened at the possibility of trouble with the crazy woman.

  Manny pushed the topic. “You know people heard her muttering threats against both you and your husband, Zelly. Don’t take any chances with her.”

  At the conductor’s call of, “All aboard!” Hart grabbed the carpet bags resting near Zelly’s feet and urged her forward and into the train car. Manny and Carlene watched through the windows of the car as their friends found seats and waved. Waving back, Carlene leaned into Manny’s side and sighed. “It’ll be quiet and lonely without them.”

  Manny chuckled,
“I could use a little quiet.” Lowering his face, he kissed his wife’s hair. “At least you’ll have Mrs. Hoffman and those rascal boys for company…as well as your husband who loves you.”

  Carlene pushed away from him and stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. “The first time anyone ever uses the word love with me and it’s at a noisy old train depot. Really!”

  Ignoring the people around them and the noise, he swept an arm around her hips to pull her close. Tipping back his hat, Manny kissed his wife. She was his reward for facing up to his fears and addiction. Because of her, Manny truly felt like he’d triumphed.

  Author’s Note

  White slavery and forced imprisonment in brothels truly existed as a problem during the time period of this novel and was connected with the logging camps. Too many people in positions of authority believed these women had been prostitutes prior to their abduction and deserved no protection. In fact, it was Bushnell who began to term it as white slavery. Because of Dr. Katharine Bushnell’s work and influence, the Kate Bushnell law was passed in 1888. It became a crime in Wisconsin to abduct unmarried women and force them to work as prostitutes. Unbelievable that this wasn’t already a law!

  To read more about Katharine Bushnell, I suggest checking out https://bit.ly/2KpQrtR

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