Yesterday's Rain (Rainy Weather Series Book 2)

by Barbara Goss

  He didn’t take her home at all. He took her down a dark alley, gagged her, tied her up, and put a bag over her head. She’d tried to fight him off, but he was too strong for her. She was aware of her pregnancy and she was afraid of hurting the baby if she fought too hard.

  They'd waited in the alley until it was dark and then he took her to wherever they currently were. She remembered it was a long drive to wherever he’d taken her. He hadn’t harmed her and all the time he was tying her up he kept repeating, “I won’t hurt you, Susannah. You have to trust me.”

  She’d been there three days and so far, no one had hurt her. He said she could scream all she wanted, but no one would hear her because the house was secluded. She was tired of laying on the bed, because the mattress was thin and without support. They bolted the door after they'd untied her, so she was free to roam around the room, and they’d given her a porcelain pot for her personal use. It was embarrassing to have Ben empty and clean it‒the whole experience was demeaning.

  Ben came in with her meals. He sometimes popped in, rubbed her cheek with his hand, said how sorry he was, and then he’d leave.

  At night she could hear voices downstairs. It sounded like a man and woman. She knew the man’s voice was probably Ben’s, but he wondered who the woman was?

  The next time Ben came in, she pleaded with him, “Ben, my back hurts from lying on this mattress; it isn’t the best. Can I have a soft chair to sit on or something?”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” he said. He left and returned with hard wooden chair. “Will this do?”

  “It's better, but not by much. Thank you, all the same.”

  He nodded and started to walk out of the room.

  “Ben!”

  He turned when she called to him.

  “Why are you doing this to me?”

  “I can’t say. No harm will come to you, she's promised me that much. She knows how I feel about you. I’d never, ever hurt you,” he said before closing the door and locking it.

  She? Could he possibly be talking about Cecilia? Did Cecilia even know Ben? Susannah was confused.

  Every time Ben came in she asked him, “Why?” but he never gave her an answer.

  In the morning, Ben came in with a breakfast tray. The meals they gave her were far from nutritious and she feared for her baby's health and safety.

  “Ben, how long do I have to stay here?”

  “She said until—what I mean to say is that I don’t know.”

  “I need more nutrition. I’m increasing, Ben, please.”

  She saw his face transform into surprise and then awe.

  “Really? A baby?”

  “Yes. I need meat, fruit, and vegetables. A diet of only toast and this strong coffee isn't good for the baby.”

  “You aren’t just saying that you’re increasing?” he asked.

  “No, but I beg of you not to tell Cecilia as she might try to hurt the baby. I trust you, but not her. Please, Ben.”

  “I won’t tell her. I don’t want to do anything that might harm you. I’ll try to get you some better food, but it might be difficult without telling her why.” Ben turned to walk out of the room, but then stopped and turned back to her. “How did you know it was Cecilia?”

  “She’s the only woman I could think of who would want to do something like this.”

  “She doesn’t really. She wants to harm Carter, not you. She wants him to feel the loss of a loved one as she had to when he left her for her stepsister.”

  “And for how long does she plan to make him suffer? Poor Carter, he must be frantic. Can you persuade her to finish this? Please, Ben.”

  “I’ll try to get you some better food,” he said as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

  Chapter 12

  Ben came down the stairs to find Cecilia waiting for him wearing a thin nightgown, her hands on hips.

  “What took you so long to deliver a meal?”

  “I thought you were still sleeping,” Ben said. “I had to empty her pot and bring her a chair.”

  “Come back to bed,” she pouted.

  “We need to talk,” Ben said.

  “After we snuggle some more,” Cecilia said. She put her arms around Ben’s neck and pulled him toward the bedroom. Once there, she pressed close to him and they sort of rolled onto the bed, but Ben pushed her away.

  “Wait‒hear me out first,” he said, sitting up. “Your beef is with Carter, not Susannah, so why is she being made to suffer like that? I don’t like it.”

  “Are you still in love with her?” Cecilia asked, disgusted.

  “I was never in love with her. I just always felt protective of her. She was my friend. I wanted to marry her and take care of her because I like her. Love was never involved.”

  Cecilia moaned and grabbed him again. “Why don’t we get involved right now?”

  Ben took her hands off him. “There will be no more romance between us unless you treat Susannah better. She needs more nourishing foods, fresh air and exercise.”

  “Since you and I have been together I've hardly even thought about what Carter did to me. Strange…” Cecilia said. She lay with her hands behind her head. “What do you suppose that means?”

  “I don’t know, but how long are we going to keep Susannah here? You promised no harm would come to her, but she isn’t getting proper food or exercise, and her back is aching. I won’t have it.” Ben stood. “It’s up to you, but if you don’t do something soon, my part in this is over.”

  “All right. Since Carter doesn’t know you’re involved or even that you know me, go visit him, see how much he’s hurting, and report back to me. I want to be sure he’s heartbroken. Maybe then we’ll let her go if I think he’s suffered enough.”

  “How did you get so mean-spirited?” Ben asked.

  “Me? I’m not mean-spirited.”

  Ben laughed. “You’re not? Then why is there a nice, sweet woman locked upstairs?”

  “It’s called getting even.”

  “It’s not,” Ben said. “You know, the more I see of this side of you, the less I want to have any physical contact with you.” He turned, left the bedroom, and went into the kitchen to see what kind of fruit and vegetables were in the kitchen.

  Cecilia lay on the bed and fumed. She felt she might have been able to love Ben if things had been different. He was a tender lover and good-looking, but he didn’t have a job and his fondness for Susannah was a hindrance. She’d have to do something, but she wished she could have kept Ben as a lover a little bit longer.

  Carter kept the clinic closed. He was thankful he had money in the bank because without the clinic, they had no income. He just couldn’t open the office as usual without Susannah. No one except a town drunk had seen anything, no clues had been left, and he and Nathan had already checked every hotel in town. Where were Cecilia and Susannah? Where was Ben?

  Effie set down a plate of eggs and ham in front of him, but he pushed it away.

  “You have to eat something,” she scolded. “You need to keep your energy up so you can find Mrs. Harding.”

  “But Effie, I don’t have the slightest clue where to look. I feel so helpless. My stomach feels like it’s full of butterflies, and my head aches from lack of sleep. What can I do?” he asked, his head lowered into his hands.

  “I hear someone at the door,” Effie said. “I’ll get it.”

  Carter heard a man’s voice and was about to greet Nathan or Seth, when in walked Ben Turner, wearing a red and black-checkered shirt. Carter stood.

  “Where’s Susannah!” Carter demanded.

  “What?” Ben asked. “She’s your wife‒why are you asking me? I just came to see how she was doing. She’s not here?”

  Carter walked over, grabbed Ben by the shirt collar, and shoved him against the wall. “Where is she? I know you had something to do with her buggy and horse. Where did you take her?”

  Effie yelled, “Carter, let him go, you’re choking him!”

  Carter
looked down and saw that Ben’s face was red and his lips were turning blue. He let him go with a push.

  “If you want to see another dawn, you’ll tell me where my wife is,” Carter snarled.

  “I—I did see her last week. I happened to be walking by when I saw her lame horse. I switched horses with her and saw her safely home. That’s the last time I saw her.”

  “You’re lying, because your horse isn't in my barn and neither is her buggy,” Carter growled.

  “Well, I switched the horses after I let her off.”

  “You’re lying again. Where’s her buggy? Her horse came limping home hours after she’d gone missing.” Carter moved to grab Ben again, but Ben slumped to the floor to avoid Carter’s hand on his throat.

  “I’ll tell you everything, just don’t strangle me again,” Ben said.

  Carter pulled Ben to his feet and dragged him into the sitting room. He pushed him into an armchair.

  “Start talking; I’m listening.”

  “It was Cecilia’s plan. She bribed me to help her,” Ben said.

  “Where is Susannah?”

  “Cecilia has her locked in a room in her house.”

  “House? She has a house?”

  “Yes, on Hilltop Road.”

  “Take me there, now!” Carter ordered.

  Carter pushed Ben out of the house, hitched two horses to his buggy, and drove off with Ben in the passenger's seat. Carter figured it would be slower to take the buggy, but when they found Susannah, it would be easier to take her home. As they rode, Carter questioned Ben more.

  He had to shout to be heard over the horses as he pushed his team to their limit.

  “Is she all right?”

  “Yes, I took good care of her; I’d never hurt Susannah.”

  “You have hurt her. She belongs with me.”

  “She’s unharmed,” Ben tried to assure him.

  “What in the world would make you do such a horrible thing? Susannah was your friend.”

  “Cecilia gave me a place to live, meals, and—”

  “Don’t tell me; I get the picture. If one hair on Susannah’s head has been hurt, you will pay!”

  Carter saw Ben swallow hard in fear.

  When they finally pulled up to the house Ben had pointed out, Carter flew out of the buggy, tore the front door open nearly breaking the hinges in the process, and raced up the stairs. The door to the only room upstairs had an open padlock hanging from the door.

  I thought you said she was locked in the room,” Carter said, knowing full well he wouldn’t find Susannah in the room. He opened the door anyway, looked around, turned, and grabbed Ben by the collar again.

  “Where is she?”

  Ben tried to shrug, given the position he was in.

  Carter pushed him away and rubbed his throbbing temples.

  “She was in here! Honest,” Ben said.

  Carter took one more look around and then raced down the stairs.

  “Cecilia? Come out here,” He yelled.

  Carter checked every room. Cecilia wasn’t anywhere, and neither was Susannah.

  “Was this a wild goose chase, Ben? If it was‒”

  “No, she was being held upstairs. You saw the lock. Cecilia must have taken her somewhere else.”

  Carter collapsed on the sofa and rubbed his temples again.

  “Do you know she's increasing? She’s going to have a baby.” He groaned. “God help me, I have to find her.”

  Ben nodded. “She told me about the babe. She asked me for more nourishing food, so I found her some fruit and vegetables.”

  “Why would Cecilia suddenly take her somewhere else?” he asked.

  “I gave her a sort of ultimatum, to stop this nonsense, and until she did, I wouldn't have—well, you know. Then she asked me to find you and see if you were suffering. She wants you to suffer for what you did to her. She really doesn’t want or need to hurt Susannah.”

  “Go on,” Carter said, tired.

  “I left and she must have decided I couldn’t be trusted anymore because I was protecting Susannah, putting Susannah before her, and she didn’t like that.”

  “I need your help, Ben. We have to find Susannah.”

  “I’ll help you, Carter, but I haven’t a clue as to where she would have gone.”

  “Think, Ben. Did she ever mention another place? Maybe before she bought the house?”

  “She was going to get another hotel room, but she figured there’d be no way to get Susannah into the room without someone seeing us and if she screamed, we’d alert the whole place. That’s when she decided to draw money from her bank account and buy a house,” Ben said.

  Carter shook his head. “Can you think of anything else, anything at all?”

  “Wait! At first we couldn’t find a house that was isolated and she considered taking Susannah back to her mother’s house, in St. Louis.”

  “Then we’ll go to St. Louis.” Carter led the way to his buggy. They stopped at Carter’s house, Effie packed them a basketful of food, and they were off to St. Louis.

  Chapter 13

  Cecilia hitched the horses to Susannah’s buggy, pocketed Ben’s gun, and went in the house to get her captive.

  She led Susannah out of the door and as they walked to the buggy, she warned her that she was miles away from anywhere, and that no one would hear her scream. She gave Susannah a boost into the buggy.

  “Here’s how this will go: I have a gun in my pocket. If you so much as try to call out or signal anyone, I’ll shoot you, and that will assuredly cause sorrow for Carter. Come to think of it, I might just do it anyway, though I'd prefer things not to get messy.”

  “Why are you doing this?” Susannah asked.

  “I’ve already told you: I want to hurt Carter,” she said.

  “You already have. Let me go, please.”

  “We’re going to St. Louis. I’ll tell people I’m accompanying my mentally ill sister home, so they won’t believe a thing you say or do.”

  “Shouldn’t we wait for Ben?” Susannah asked.

  “Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? You seem to have a knack for getting around him, but whatever it is he sees in you won’t work on me, so just sit there and be quiet.”

  Susannah knew Carter would be searching for her, but he’d never have found her, given the isolated location. He also would never think to look for her in St. Louis, either—or would he? Maybe going to St. Louis was in her favor because it was Carter’s hometown, and the Harding family still lived there. He had to know Cecilia was behind her abduction, so maybe he’d look for her in St. Louis, where Cecilia still had a house.

  Susannah decided she'd bide her time.

  They rode for hours before Cecilia stopped at a small inn.

  “We’re going to rest our horses here and have a quick bite to eat. Behave, or I won't order you anything to eat, got it? And my gun is in my pocket, always aimed at you, so don't try anything cute,” Cecilia said.

  A stable boy came out and unhitched the two horses in order to give them feed and water, a service many of the better inns provided for a small fee.

  Susannah was docile and followed Cecilia into the main room of the inn, because she needed nourishment for the baby more than she desired her freedom at that particular moment. She noticed a bar where several men sat drinking beer or whiskey, and tables along the walls for travelers to eat. Cecilia led her to the table farthest from the bar and ordered her to sit.

  A provocatively dressed young woman walked over to their table and said, “Howdy, folks. What will you have?”

  “What’s your special today?” Cecilia asked.

  “Corned beef and cabbage,” the woman said.

  “Bring us each a plate, please. I’ll have a mug of beer and my sister will have…” Cecilia looked to Susannah. “Water?”

  “Could I have milk?”

  “Give her milk, then,” Cecilia said.

  While they waited for the meal, Susannah studied the room, looking for ro
utes of escape. If she made a bolt for the back door, she knew Susannah wouldn't hesitate to shoot her or holler that her mentally ill sister was on the loose.

  She studied the men at the bar. Most of them looked like farmers, dressed in old, soiled clothing. One of two of the men looked like they could be travelers, as they were dressed in dark colors, and wore hats and gun belts, and when one of them walked across the room, his spurs clicked as he walked.

  The woman brought their meal and Susannah ate heartily, as it was the first hot meal she’d had in days. She drank all her milk and though she never did care for cabbage, it was a vegetable and nourishing so she ate it all.

  The serving woman came back to remove their plates and asked, “Will you two be needing a room for the night?”

  “How far is it to the next inn?” Cecilia asked.

  “About forty miles, in Alexander,” she said.

  “We’ll take a room, then. Can you give us a room away from others? I’m taking my sister home from the insane asylum and she sometimes gets a bit loud,” Cecilia said. “And could you let the stable boys know we’ll be staying?”

  The woman looked at Susannah and backed away a bit. “I see. I can give you the last one at the end of the hall, then, and I’ll let the stables know you’re staying the night.”

  Cecilia took a large wad of money from her pocket, paid the woman for the meal and the room, and stuffed the money back into her pocket. Susannah noticed she put the money into a different pocket than the one in which she carried the gun.

  Susannah thought she might have a chance to escape if she'd be able to stay awake until after Cecilia had fallen asleep, and then she'd sneak out and drive her buggy back to St. Joseph.

  Just as Cecilia was pulling Susannah through the inn toward the stairway, a fight broke out at the bar. Two of the cowboys she noticed earlier were holding one of the farmers at gunpoint, demanding his wallet. The serving woman fled like a flash into the kitchen in an effort to get out of the line of fire, should the man shoot, while the barman ducked behind the bar, and all the other patrons fled the inn.