Begin Reading
Table of Contents
Copyright Page
In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
For Zach, Laramie, Travis, and Jake
May all of your futures be “mint in the bag”
Why?
It’s seven long years since we parted.
And I’m alone, brokenhearted.
Wanting,
Wishing,
Wondering.
Why?
And now you’re near enough to touch,
Ready to help when I need you so much.
And I’m still
Wanting,
Wishing,
Wondering.
Why?
F.S.I.
Prologue
Colton, Montana
July 1924
MADDY ALDRIDGE FROZE as the floorboard beneath her bare foot creaked loudly. In the still dark of the night, it sounded like a gunshot. A warm summer breeze swirled through the open window of her bedroom, but it did nothing to lessen the panic that held her tight. Staring at her reflection in the small mirror over her dresser, her long red hair falling in curls across her shoulders, her green eyes looking black in the darkness, Maddy willed herself to stay still.
The last thing she wanted was for her father to wake up. Silas Aldridge wasn’t the sort of man who would react well to his fifteen-year-old daughter trying to sneak out in the middle of the night. If he were to catch her now, there’d be hell to pay; even if he didn’t take a belt to her, she had no doubt that he’d lock her in her room for weeks.
And that would be far too late …
On the other side of the bedroom, Maddy’s younger sister, Helen, slept peacefully. Most nights, she was asleep as soon as her head hit her pillow, but this evening she’d prattled for over an hour about some nonsense at school. Maddy had been forced to wait impatiently, gritting her teeth.
Maddy had considered confiding her plans to Helen, had wondered if she could be trusted, but in the end had decided it was far too great a risk to take. So instead Maddy had held her tongue, waiting until she was certain Helen was sleeping before getting out of bed.
But then Maddy had stepped on a loose floorboard and made so much noise she was sure she’d awakened the dead.
Seconds ticked slowly past. Beads of sweat trickled off Maddy’s brow and down the sides of her face; she was so fearful that wiping them away would make more noise that she let them crawl down her skin. Each breath she drew was agonizing.
Finally, after several long, nervous minutes, she was certain that no one had heard her. Cautiously, Maddy crossed the room, swung her leg over the windowsill, ducked under the sash, and headed into the night.
High above, the moon looked down on her, full and bright, illuminating outhouses and wood shelters and throwing shadows onto the ground. Maddy moved carefully yet quickly. Running through the dewy grass with bare feet, she wished that she’d remembered to put on shoes, but in the chaotic moments after the floor creaked she hadn’t been thinking clearly. She’d also forgotten her shawl; the night air was cooler than she’d expected, especially for summer, raising goose bumps on the bare skin of her arms and shoulders. But it was too late to turn back.
Maddy didn’t know what time it was, only that it was late, probably sometime just after midnight. Colton wasn’t a bustling town even in the middle of the day; as she slipped between houses, dashed across a dirt road, and then hurried across the church grounds, she saw no one, set no dogs to barking, and noticed only one lamp burning behind a drawn curtain.
On and on she ran, as fast as she could, fearful she would be late.
Colton had been built into the crook between two narrow rivers that flowed out of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The Lewis River ran to the north, while the Clark River meandered to the south. The town was small, surrounded by thick stands of evergreens, and was located only a few miles south of the Canadian border. It was the only home Maddy had ever known and, in only a few short hours, the part of it she loved most was leaving.
Maddy hurried to the bank of the Lewis River, carefully stepping through the carpet of dry pine needles that covered the ground. She gave a silent curse; her bare feet caused her to move more slowly than she liked. Beside her, the river ran low, its water gurgling over rocks worn smooth as eggs. The air was filled with the fresh, sharp scent of pine.
She hadn’t gone far when a bridge loomed up out of the night before her; in the glare of the moon’s bright light, its bare steel frame resembled a skeleton. Breaking into a run, Maddy padded out onto its wooden planks, looking in every direction and growing alarmed.
I’m alone.
Dread began to fill Maddy’s stomach. She knew it was later than she’d promised, but there hadn’t been anything she could do to get out of the house. It’s not fair! If only her father wasn’t so pigheaded stubborn, if only her sister had gone to sleep as usual, and if only—
“I was starting to wonder if you were coming.”
Maddy turned at the sound of his voice, gasping in both surprise and happiness. He was sitting on the bridge’s railing in shadows so deep she could’ve been looking right at him and wouldn’t have known he was there. As she watched, he leaped down, his boots thudding on the planks.
Without saying a word, Maddy rushed to him, threw her arms around his chest, and squeezed him tight. Even though she’d been with him only a few hours earlier, it felt as if days had passed. She wanted to hold on to him, to cling jealously to the warmth of his touch, the smell of his skin, the sound of his voice, and never let him go.
“I’ve been waiting for almost an hour,” he said softly.
“I came as quickly as I could.”
“I was starting to get awfully worried,” he said, gently stroking her hair. “I’d decided that if you didn’t show up in the next five minutes I was going to march over to your house and bang on the door until you came out.”
“My father would have answered with his gun.”
“You know I’m not scared of him. Still,” he chuckled, “it’s probably for the best that you showed up when you did.”
Maddy knew that he meant it; though he was only three years older than she was, he’d always seemed sure of himself, confident, almost fearless, as if there was nothing he couldn’t do as long as he set his mind to it. He wouldn’t let anything get in the way of his dreams, not even Silas Aldridge’s worries about his daughter’s well-being. It was one of the reasons Maddy had fallen in love with him, and one of the things she’d miss most.
“I still can’t believe you’re leaving,” she said.
“Me either,” he answered.
“It’s for too long!” Maddy whined, knowing that she sounded like a child.
Placing his fingers under her chin, he raised her face up until their eyes met. “I’m not going away forever,” he explained. “I’ll only be in Boston for a couple of years. Once I get the schooling my father’s so insistent on, I’ll be back. Then we can start our life together.”
“We can get married—”
“And build a house, have some children, and grow so old our faces are nothing but wrinkles.” He laughed, trying to cheer her up. “Everything we’ve dreamed about will come true. All we have to do is be patient.”
“It’s just that … that I’m so … so scared,” Maddy said as tears filled her eyes. She’d prom
ised herself that she wouldn’t cry in front of him, not tonight, but knowing how long it would be before she saw him again was more than her heart could bear. “What if you decide you’d rather live there?” she began, spilling all her worries. “What if your father says that he wants you to go somewhere else after you’ve finished with school?”
“Maddy, stop,” he tried to interrupt her.
“What if you meet someone prettier than me?” she kept on, tears streaming down her cheeks. “She could be smart and funny! You could fall in love with her and never think of me ever again! I don’t know—”
Before she could say another word, Maddy felt his lips press against hers and, in that instant, all of the emotions she’d struggled against fell away. Desperately, she clung to him, squeezing his arm as she returned his passion. More than ever, she wanted their embrace to go on forever. Unfortunately, it couldn’t last. He broke their kiss and wiped away her tears tenderly.
“I’m coming back for you,” he said softly but firmly.
“Do … do you promise?” Maddy asked.
“Of course I do.” His eyes searched hers, intently. “I love you.”
“And I love you, Jack.”
Maddy folded herself into his embrace, her head upon his chest, secure in the promise they’d made to each other. She allowed herself to believe him, to believe that nothing, not time or distance, would keep them apart for long.
Chapter One
Morningside, Washington
June 1931
JACK RUCKER WAS LEANING against the bar when the front door of the speakeasy was knocked off its hinges and sent crashing inward, followed by a dozen policemen all brandishing billy clubs and a couple of men in suits wielding axes. In an instant, everything around him became chaotic. All of the men and women who’d been enjoying a taste of illegal alcohol jumped to their feet in panic, desperate to escape their approaching arrest. The air was filled with cigar smoke, shouts, and, soon after, the sounds of violence.
“Get your damn hands offa me ’fore I…!”
“…all under arrest!”
“Would you just quit hittin’ me with that thing and I’ll…”
But Jack didn’t so much as move, his eyes never leaving the bartender.
The speakeasy originally had been a coal cellar down a darkened alleyway from a decrepit vaudeville theater. There were no windows and the inside, even with its high ceiling, made him feel cramped, almost claustrophobic. An assortment of chairs and tables had been set out and empty apple crates stacked to act as a makeshift bar. Jack had seen every nook, cranny, and dingy corner in the week he’d been coming in the door. Now it was in even worse shape.
The scruffy-bearded bartender had been pouring a drink when the police forced their way inside; the man had been so startled by the sound that he’d dropped the glass onto the floor, where it shattered. But his surprise didn’t last long; one second later, he looked right at Jack. Maybe it was because Jack was a newcomer to the speakeasy, or that he didn’t appear shocked by the appearance of so many cops: either of those things might’ve given him away. It was obvious that the bartender knew the truth. Jack could only hope that he would run for it or, even better, just throw up his hands in surrender.
Instead, the bartender chose to fight.
“You no-good, rotten son of a bitch!” the man bellowed as he hurried to get around the pile of crates.
Jack cursed silently. All night, he’d been wondering who he’d have to fight. Whenever the law arrived, there was sure to be a brawl. Unfortunately for him, his job was to find out who was in charge, stay close, and learn everything he could. In the time he’d been coming to the speakeasy, that person was the bartender.
Now Jack was going to pay a price for his curiosity.
The bartender looked to be no stranger to fighting. Thick muscles knotted his bare forearms and his clenched fists seemed carved out of stone. His chest resembled an oak barrel and he was the tallest man in the room. Even his face showed signs of past brawls; an angry white scar zigzagged from cheek to chin. A couple of his front teeth were missing. Jack knew he was in for a tussle.
Though he wasn’t as large as his foe, Jack was hardly a pushover. Turning to face the bartender, Jack caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror that had been hung crookedly on the wall behind the bar; tufts of dark hair poked out from beneath his longshoreman’s cap and his eyes were narrowed, determined. He planted his feet, squared his broad shoulders, and raised his hands, ready to give as good as he got.
But then something strange happened.
Just before the bartender reached Jack, a fist cocked and ready to be thrown, his eyes wide with fury, the man’s feet suddenly flew out from under him, slipping in a puddle of booze that had been spilled when the police arrived. For a moment, it was as if he were frozen in mid-air, high off the ground, before crashing painfully to the ground, the back of his head cracking against the floor. The man’s eyes were wide with both shock and pain before fluttering and then closing, his head lolled to the side as he fell unconscious.
I reckon they don’t call me Lucky Jack for nothing.
Suddenly, a half-filled glass of whiskey whistled past Jack’s face, mere inches from hitting him. It shattered against the wall behind the bar, barely missing the crooked mirror; pieces of glass rained onto the floor as dark alcohol stained the bricks. His heart thundered in his chest.
It didn’t take long for Jack to learn who’d thrown the glass. Ten feet away stood the bartender’s right-hand man, a lackey who usually guarded the door. He resembled a badger, short and stocky, with a long nose and a lip curled up to reveal filthy teeth. Even as a policeman brought his club down on a drunk next to where he stood, the man’s narrow eyes never left Jack, burning with unrestrained hatred. The man showed no interest in trying to get away; his focus was solely on getting revenge.
I don’t think I’m going to be lucky enough to avoid this one.
Without wasting any more time, the thug stepped menacingly toward Jack, a low growl rising from his throat. His first punch was thrown with anger, a wild, looping right; Jack saw it coming a mile away and easily ducked under his opponent’s outstretched arm, staying down low to throw a short left into the man’s ribs. The tough grunted as the air whooshed from his lungs, but Jack held no illusions that the blow would be enough to stop such an obviously dangerous man.
“You’ll…you’ll have to do more than that,” the man snarled.
“I aim to.” Jack nodded.
This time, when the thug raised his fists, he feinted first with his right to draw Jack out of position before firing a left. Jack had seen it coming, but the man was as fast as a snake and the punch clipped the tip of his chin before finishing against his shoulder. Though it was a glancing blow, it still stung like hell. If one of those were to land flush…
But Jack was no slouch when it came to fighting, either. With his hands held defensively in front of him, he shot off a couple of punches that snapped the man’s head straight back, then landed a hook to the jaw that wobbled his opponent’s knees. The thug managed to throw a weak punch that Jack batted harmlessly away, before immediately attacking again. The heavy’s nose crunched beneath Jack’s fist and the man toppled over, falling onto his back with a loud thud. His eyes rolled back slightly, looking glassy.
“Stay down,” Jack ordered him.
But there was still enough fight left in the man for him to disagree; desperately, he tried to claw his way to a sitting position. With his shoe, Jack drove the man back to the floor hard, without mercy.
“I told you to stay down!” he repeated.
This time, the man understood that he was defeated, the tension dropped from his shoulders, and he stared up at the ceiling.
A thin smile curled at the corners of Jack’s mouth. “You’re under arrest by the authority of the Bureau of Prohibition.”
“So the Jack Rucker luck came through again.”
Jack stood in front of Elmer Pluggett’s desk, trying hi
s best not to appear too pleased with the praise he was receiving. Rare afternoon sunlight streamed down out of the Seattle sky, shining through the office’s tall windows and falling across the Bureau lieutenant’s desk. Outside the closed door, the sound of typewriters and bits of conversation could be heard.
For the last half hour, Jack had told his superior officer about his activities in Morningside that had ended three days earlier. In great detail, he described how he’d traveled to the border town as directed and within hours had overheard a man talking about a speakeasy with a direct connection to illegal booze runners operating out of Canada. Over the course of the next week, Jack had frequented the bar and gathered as much information as possible: how big an operation it was, who was in charge, and, most important, where they got their liquor. No opportunity was missed to emphasize the lengths to which he’d gone to do his job. Finally, once he’d obtained what was needed, the bust had been set up. In the end, more than two dozen people had been arrested and the smuggling operation destroyed.
“In all my years on the job,” Pluggett went on, “I can’t say I’ve ever known someone so darn lucky. What do you reckon the odds are that the fellow you heard talking about the tavern would spill the password for getting past the doorman?” He shook his head. “Hard to believe.”
“I was fortunate, sir,” Jack admitted.
“If all the men working out of this office were as lucky as you are, Rucker, there wouldn’t be a drop of alcohol to be had west of the Rockies and I’d be sitting in a nice, comfortable office back east.” The Lieutenant grinned ironically, his eyes narrowing. “Or maybe we’d all just be out of a job.”
By Starlight Page 1
