The Ghost Riders

by James J. Griffin

  “Jim, that looks like Father Clermont’s buggy in Doctor Watson’s carriage shed,” she said. “I hope nothing has happened to Mary Jane.”

  “I doubt it,” Jim said, trying to reassure her, despite the sinking feeling in his own gut. “Bert would’ve told us if anythin’ had.”

  “Julia, I’m positive Jim’s right,” Cindy added. “But there’s only one way to know for certain. You hurry inside. I’ll wait here for you.”

  “We’ll stay here until you come back, too, Jim,” Captain Storm added.

  “All right. Be quick as I can,” Jim said. He and Julia hurried into Doctor Watson’s house, where he maintained his office. Father Clermont was in the parlor with the physician.

  “Good morning, Jim,” he said. “I’m certainly pleased to see you’re home. How long will you be staying? And good morning to you, Julia.”

  “Mornin’, Father,” Jim answered. “I’m afraid I’ll only be here long enough to try’n pick up a lead as to where to find the hombres who did this.”

  “I see. Well, please stop by the rectory before you leave. I’ll bless you and your men. I’ll pray the Lord keeps you safe, and grants you success in your endeavor.”

  “I’m obliged, Father.”

  “Father, how’s Mary Jane?” Julia asked.

  “She’s pretty much the same, but she is awake. She’s aware both her parents are gone. Learning that was very hard on her, of course. As far as her condition, Doctor Watson can tell you more,” Father Clermont answered.

  “Mary Jane is doing quite well, considering the extent of her injuries,” Watson said. “Her recovery is still very much in question, as well as whether or not she regains her sight, but I’m pleased with the progress she has made, so far. And she has been asking for Charlie. Do you have any idea when he’ll be home?”

  “He should reach town sometime later today,” Jim answered. “Doc, it’s important I speak with Mary Jane, if it’s at all possible. I’m hopin’ mebbe she saw or heard somethin’, anythin’, which might help us track down the outfit which is behind all these raids.”

  “Of course,” Watson said. “I can only allow you a brief visit with her, however. She needs lots of rest to regain her strength.”

  “I won’t need long,” Jim said. “Just enough time to ask her a few questions.”

  “Jim, Julia, I have to get back to the church to say morning Mass,” Father Clermont said. “Jim, don’t forget. Stop and see me before you leave town.”

  “Count on it, Father.”

  “Good. Doctor, I’ll return this evening to visit with Mary Jane again.”

  “You’re welcome anytime, Father. Quite often, what I as a physician can’t heal for the body, the Lord seems to heal for the soul. Good day.”

  “Good day, Doctor. I’ll see myself out.”

  “Jim, right this way,” Watson said, once the priest had left. “Julia, you know the room.” He led them to a back room, brightly lit by the rays of the rising sun streaming through the east-facing windows. Mary Jane lay covered with blankets. Her face was a mass of bruises, and a cloth, held in place by a bandage wrapped around her head, covered her eyes.

  “Mary Jane, it’s Doctor Watson again. Jim and Julia are here.”

  “Jim’s here? Oh, Jim, I’ve been praying for you and Charlie to get home. Is he with you?” Mary Jane asked. Her voice was hoarse from the smoke she’d breathed in, while trapped in the burning store.

  “He’s not, but he’ll be here sometime today,” Jim said. “I’m certain his first stop will be to see you. Mary Jane, I’m so sorry for the loss of your mother and father. They were my good friends, and I’m certain I’ll miss them almost as much as you will. Doc Watson tells me you’re starting to recover. You just listen to him, and you’ll be better before you know it.”

  “Mary Jane, you already look a bit better than you did yesterday,” Julia added.

  “I wish I felt better,” Mary Jane said. “And I wish I could see you.”

  “You will, in time,” Julia assured her. “And once Charlie’s here, I’m certain that will help speed your recovery.”

  “Jim, I need to remind you this visit has to be brief,” Watson said. “We can’t overtax my favorite patient. Mary Jane, Jim wants to ask you some questions about the night of the raid. I told him that would be all right, as long as he didn’t take too long. You still need plenty of rest.”

  “All right, Doctor.”

  “Mary Jane,” Jim said. “I’ve really only got one question, but you may have more than one answer for it. Do you recall anythin’ about that night, or anythin’ about the men involved? Anythin’ at all?”Mary Jane hesitated before replying.

  “I’m… I’m not certain,” she said. “It’s all so hazy. We were just closing the store when the town was attacked. The raiders threw a torch into the store, and shot my father through the window. Then, four men came inside. One of them tried to… tried to…” She broke down, sobbing.

  “It’s all right, Mary Jane,” Jim said. “Take your time.”

  “He tried to molest me!” she burst out. “My mother tried to stop him. She pulled off his mask before they killed her. I ripped off his bandanna when I tried to break free of him. I saw he had a scar on his left cheek, from just under his eye, almost to his chin.”

  “Mary Jane, that’s the first real clue we’ve had about any of those hombres,” Jim said. “Thank you. Did you happen to notice anythin’ else about him?”

  “Yes. He was tall, but not thin. He had a good-sized belly. I remember that from him pressing up against me. He had reddish hair, and light brown eyes. They looked almost yellowish. He also had another scar, just above his… his…”

  “Where, Mary Jane? Where?”

  “I, I can’t say it,” Mary Jane stammered. “I just can’t.”

  “Mary Jane, this is important. Anythin’ you can tell me might lead me to the man who did this to you. Now, where was that other scar?” Jim insisted.

  “It… it was… on his belly… just above… his…” Mary Jane struggled to find the proper word she could use. “His… manhood. In fact, the scar ran a little way down the side of that. I noticed it when he tried to…”

  “You don’t need to say any more, Mary Jane,” Jim said. “Thank you. I know that wasn’t easy for you to tell me. You’re doin’ just fine. Can you recall anythin’ else?”

  “I… think so. One of the other men tried to stop his partner from attacking me. He said they didn’t have enough time, and their boss would get angry if he found out what he was tryin’ to do to me. He called him Cannon. And Cannon, the one who tried to molest me, called his partner Stonefield.”

  “Did they survive the explosion?”

  “I believe they did. No, I’m positive they did. They pulled me into the street. Another man told them to let me go. They did, and ran for their horses.”

  “That’s two names, and a description,” Jim said. “Mary Jane, I’m really impressed you recollected all that, especially after what was done to you. What you’ve given me just might be the information I need to run those renegades to ground, once and for all. If the Rangers ever take gals into the outfit, you’d make a fine one. One to ride the river with. I’d bet my hat on it.”

  “A fine gal?” Mary Jane said, with a weak laugh.

  “There, that’s better. You’re smiling,” Jim said. “That’s a good sign. And no, I meant a fine Ranger. As far as you bein’ a fine gal, there’s no question.”

  “Jim, Julia, I hate to cut your visit short, especially since you really haven’t had any time with Mary Jane, Julia, but I can’t allow her to become overtired,” Watson said. “You can come back this afternoon, if you’d like.”

  “We will be back, and Charlie will be with us,” Jim said. “Mary Jane, you rest until then.”

  “Yes,” Julia added. “We’ll see you again, later today.”

  “Thank you,” Mary Jane said. Her eyes closed.

  “Doctor?” Julia said, alarmed.

  �
�She’s just drifted back to sleep. That’s not unexpected,” Watson explained. “Most patients who have had traumatic injuries such as Mary Jane has suffered will fade in and out of consciousness, quite a bit. It’s nothing to particularly worry about. Jim, before you leave, I have something for you. It’s right here.”

  Watson opened a cabinet drawer and removed a circular object, which he handed to Jim.

  “There wasn’t much left of any of the bodies in Jarratt’s store, mostly just a few bones. Four were found, the skeletons of three males and one female. The males were most likely Mike Jarratt and two of the raiders. Marcy Pratt was hidin’ across the street. She saw four men go into the store, but only two came out. They had Mary Jane, but dropped her just before the explosion. Marcy said they tried for their horses, but the animals ran off, and they chased after them. The female skeleton, I can only assume it was Bethea, had that clutched in its hand. I don’t know if it means anything or not.”

  “That confirms what Mary Jane said, that two of the men who hit the store survived,” Jim said. “Lemme take a closer look at this thing.”

  Jim examined the object, a round, smoke smudged, turquoise stone. He turned it over in his hand. Marks on the back seemed to indicate it had been mounted on something, most likely silver, which had melted away from the intense heat of the fire that had consumed Jarratt’s store.“I don’t know if it means anythin’ either, Doc,” he said. “But I’ve never seen anythin’ like this in Jarratt’s store. Did you, Julia?”

  He showed Julia the stone. She shook her head.

  “No, I’ve never seen a stone like that in the store.”

  “That means it was most likely bein’ worn by one of the raiders,” Jim said. “Probably the one who tried to rape Mary Jane, the one she said was called Cannon. I’d wager Bethea yanked this off him when she pulled the mask off his face. Doc, I’m gonna take this along. Mebbe someone, somewhere, will recognize it. Now, I really need to get goin’. I’ve got a lot more people to question. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

  “Of course, Jim.”

  Jim and Julia both kissed Mary Jane lightly on the cheek, then took their leave.

  “Julia, how’s Mary Jane?” Cindy asked, as soon as they came outside.

  “She seems a bit better,” Julia answered.

  “More importantly, she was able to give me the first real leads on those Ghost Riders,” Jim said. “Julia, where are you two headed now?”

  “We’re going to the Methodist Church,” she said. “Cindy promised Reverend Patterson we’d help him set up a shelter for those who have lost their homes. That’s what all the food I’ve brought is for, to help stock its shelves.”

  “Okay. I’m going to see Banker Stubbs next. I understand he’s doin’ business out of his house, until the bank is rebuilt. Then I’ve got a few more people to talk to. I’ll come get you at the church as soon as I’m done. Or once I see Charlie and Ty ride in.”

  “All right. I’ll see you later.” Julia gave him a quick kiss, then climbed to the buckboard’s seat and picked up the reins. She slapped them on the horses’ rumps, putting the team into motion.

  “What do you want us to do, Jim?” Captain Storm asked.

  “I figure it’d be a good idea to comb through what’s left of the buildings,” Jim answered. “Mebbe one of you’ll come up with somethin’. Chuck, Eddie, you stick with the Captain. Smoke, you take J.R. with you. We’ll meet at the livery stable, say in about two hours.”

  “That seems like as good a plan as any,” Storm said, with a shrug. “C’mon, boys, let’s go.”

  ● ● ●

  Jim interviewed every person in town who had survived the attack of the Ghost Riders. However, not one of them was able to provide more information. It was a very frustrated Ranger who met his partners at Hal Munson’s Livery Stable.

  “Howdy, Jim, pull up a barrel and have a seat,” Hal invited, when Jim arrived. The rest of the men were already there. “I’d offer you a pull on the jug, like these boys just had, but I know you don’t drink anythin’ harder’n sarsaparilla.” He spat out a long stream of tobacco juice. “Got coffee keepin’ warm on the stove if you’d like.”

  “You mean that coal tar you try’n pass off as coffee?” Jim said, with a laugh. “Sure, I’ll get myself a cup.” He went inside, got his coffee, then returned and sat down.

  “I hope some of you had better luck’n I did,” he muttered. “Except for what Mary Jane gave me, and the stone from Doc Watson, no one else was able to give me any information at all.”

  “We didn’t do any better,” Smoky admitted. “I talked to a few folks, too, just in case they might’ve recollected somethin’ after they spoke with you, and we went through every buildin’ we could. Didn’t find a thing that’d help.”

  “How about you, Hal?” Jim asked. “You see anythin’ of those men? And how’d they miss your stable?”

  “Plain, dumb luck, Jim. Tad Purdy, that boy who’s a bit touched in the head, came by for a visit the night everythin’ happened. He left the barn door open and all the horses got loose, except for my Becky. They took off outta town like the devil hisself was after ’em. The entire bunch was two miles away from here before I was able to catch up with those ornery cayuses. By the time I was able to round ’em up and drive ’em back to town, those Ghost Riders had been and gone. It was sure lucky for me I guess they figured, without any horses to steal, it wasn’t worth burnin’ down my barn. Even luckier they came from the opposite direction from which the horses went.”

  “I’d say,” Jim said. “Hal, supposedly some of those hombres didn’t make it, but got killed. What happened to their horses? You have any of ’em?”

  “Nope.” Munson shook his head. “There were two in front of the store that got killed by the explosion. Any others must’ve been taken along by the raiders, because there weren’t no more. Reckon they didn’t want to chance anybody findin’ out who they were by somethin’ in the dead men’s saddlebags.”

  “Before you ask, Jim, Hal did take the gear off those dead mounts,” Captain Storm said. “Me’n Bert have already gone through it. There was nothin’ we could use.”

  “So we ain’t a whole lot better off than we already were,” J.R. said.

  “No, we sure ain’t,” Jim agreed. “You know, one thing’s really been stickin’ in my craw. Why’d those raiders hit San Leanna, of all places? Every last one of their other attacks has been much farther west. Why’d they ride so many miles to strike here?”

  “That’s been gnawin’ at my guts, too,” Smoky said. “There’s a lot of towns between here and Brady they could’ve hit. And San Leanna’s darn close to Austin. They took an awful long chance, hittin’ a place so close to a big city, let alone the state capital. Seems it would’ve been a lot safer for ’em to stay out in the tall and uncut, where the law’s stretched real thin, and it’d be easier for ’em to just disappear into the brush. Makes no sense, them hittin’ here.” He took a last drag on his quirly, then tossed the butt into the street.

  “I dunno.” Jim thumbed back his Stetson and wiped sweat from his brow. “All I do know is this is the most aggravatin’, frustratin’ assignment I’ve ever been handed. After all the time we’ve spent lookin’ for ’em, with no luck, those so-called Ghost Riders, now havin’ killed a bunch of my friends, includin’ my boy’s in-laws, are still ridin’ high, wide, and handsome out there somewhere, probably laughin’ at us, and gettin’ ready to hit another settlement. And we have no idea where.”

  “Jim, I know it’s got to be drivin’ you half out of your mind, not bein’ able to come up with that bunch,” Storm said. “Heck, I’ve been rackin’ my brain, tryin’ to figure out their next move. I still don’t have any more idea about that than you.”

  “Wait a minute. I just thought of somethin’,” Smoky said. Excitement gleamed in his dark eyes. “Jim, remember that night we came to town, to have supper at O’Malley’s, then some drinks at Beau’s place?”

  “Yeah, I sure do,
Smoke,” Jim said. “Our nice, relaxin’ evenin’ in town that was ruined by the hombres who tried to rob the O’Malley’s restaurant.”

  “Yeah. And remember what that one man said, just before he was hauled down to Doc Watson’s? The one Don stuck in his gut with that meat fork?”

  “Sorta. He said the town would pay for what we’d done,” Jim answered. “That don’t mean anythin’. Lots of men make threats like that all the time.”

  “Yeah, but what if those three were part of the Ghost Riders, mebbe just passin’ through, mebbe scoutin’ out places to raid,” Smoky replied. “That’d explain why San Leanna was their target. Once word got back to the rest of the outfit their pardners had been killed right here in this town, they’d be bound and determined to get revenge, just like that hombre said would happen.”

  “You could be onto somethin’, Smoke,” Jim said. “Hal, you took in those three men’s horses, to sell ’em for the town to cover the buryin’ costs for those hombres. You happen to recollect what color those broncs were?”

  “I sure do, Jim,” Hal answered. “Two were gray, and one was a real light blue roan.”

  “The same color mounts as the Ghost Riders use,” Jim exclaimed. “That’s gotta be it. Good work, Smoke.”

  “I’m just glad I recalled what the dyin’ renegade said that night,” Smoky answered.

  “So we’ve got two last names, one man’s description, and a turquoise stone,” J.R. said. “And now the reason they attacked San Leanna. That’s not much to go on. But it’s still more’n what we had yesterday.”

  “It’s a start,” Jim said. “All we have to do is keep pluggin’ away, and we’ll come up with the Ghost Riders. Bet your hats on it, all of you.”

  ● ● ●

  Jim and his partners left their horses at the livery stable for feed and rest, then spent the next several hours poking around the ruins of San Leanna, hoping against hope to come up with a few more clues. At noon, he and the other men met Julia and Cindy at the United Methodist Church, where Cindy and Smoky were members of the congregation, for dinner. Cindy introduced the Rangers, as well as the McIlroy boys, to the church’s pastor, Reverend Donald Patterson, his wife, Elizabeth, and their daughters, Elisha and Ruth, as well as several other parishioners who were helping prepare the shelter.