Moving closer to her patient, Josie closed her eyes against her current reality. It was easier to think of Kiowa Wells, her friends and the dream that Will would find her and save her. She laughed at herself for such silly day-dreaming, but if it helped her through, she’d dream away.
She didn’t feel these three were a threat, but that the man Richard would be looking for them made her breath catch.
Sometime later, Josie realized she must have dozed, as something jerked her back to the present.
Opening her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the room was lit with a dim light. Case was gone and Buck was playing cards at the table. She remained still, watching Buck as he studied his cards before putting them down. Then she heard it, the caught breath, an almost silent moan of pain. It was that sound which had roused her. Placing her hand on the nearby crate, she slowly rose, muscles protesting from her uncomfortable position.
“Where do you think you are going?” Buck called from the table.
“Just checking on the patient,” Josie answered, finally gaining her feet, legs and back burning as the blood rushed through muscles too long constricted.
Buck posed no further questions as Josie made her way Bull.
“I know I’m not in heaven, so?” the weak voice croaked. The man’s face was flushed, eyes reflecting the fever that was raging through him. His breath caught and that soft moan escaped again as he fought against the pain Josie knew he was feeling.
Leaning in Josie, checking the bandages, said “I’m the doctor. Your friends brought you here against my better judgment, and now I’m taking care of you. It is a bit primitive, but I’m glad to see you’re awake.”
“So you really are a doctor, a woman doctor?” Bull asked, smiling at Josie as she felt of his forehead.
“And the only doctor currently available,” Josie answered.
The man grinned, then passed out again. This time, he seemed to be sleeping a bit more comfortably. Josie cleaned the wound, changed the bandages, then after throwing out the dirty water, she moved to the corner of the room. For some reason, she’d felt safer with something solid at her back.
Relaxing tense shoulders, as she sank into the solid dirt wall, Josie was soon caught in a world of dreams. An old man from some bygone era, perhaps Greece or Rome for he wore long flowing robes. The man as he turned toward her, became younger, so that soon Josie was looking at Will, but a Will in a suit and tie. With Will’s appearance, Josie’s heart rate increased, the need to be held in his arms, to feel safe, to be supported in this situation she found herself in. Then Will began to moan, a wound appeared on his chest, he was bleeding and Josie cried as she could not stop the blood, despite her best efforts. The moaning continued, along with the thrashing, pulling Josie back to the present.
It was her patient who was moaning and thrashing around.
“It’s okay,” Josie crooned over and over as she fought to keep Bull from tearing open his wounds.
Time became a blur as sweat poured down her face, arms and back straining as she worked to keep the man from furthering his injuries. If you are going to be a doctor, then you should be able to handle whatever happens, Josie told herself, renewing her efforts, and finally seeing some success.
So caught up in her job, and the triumph she felt, Josie failed to hear Buck and Case come into the room until she was shoved roughly aside.
“Next time call for help,” Buck said as the two quickly subdued the injured man. Once Bull had quieted down, they left, Case shooting her a look of admiration as he spoke softly, “Good work, but it doesn’t hurt to have help.”
Perhaps it should not make a difference, but Case’s look and words did much for Josie’s flagging morale. She smiled, thinking of a young girl she’d seen in pictures, of the plantation house and the trees with the moss hanging down. She’d dreamed of living in a big elegant house like that at one time. It was a childish dream, a dream she wouldn’t trade for the home she had here, for all the big houses in the country. Here, despite her present circumstances, she was needed, she was living her dream of being a doctor. Soon, she hoped to have a solid enough practice to have a house and office of her own. She loved the town, and the people of her little piece of paradise, her dream was fulfilled.
“No,” she said softly, “you may be needed, accepted as a doctor, but there is a hollow place where love should be.” With her words, a tenuous memory, a memory of being carried to her room by strong arms, and the feel of a soft kiss to her forehead. A feeling of being safe and cared for.
Well, a girl has to have dreams, Josie thought and if this helped her through, then it was a dream she would hang on to.
Chapter 29
Will was about a mile outside of town when he noticed multiple tracks, the dirt torn up around them. It was a small thing, but in the fading light, it was enough to see something had happened here. Leaning close to the ground, checking the tracks against those he’d been following, he saw where someone had hit the ground hard. Casting about in an ever-widening circle he noticed two of the riders took off northwest. Will thought it might be Richard, if it was Richard, and one other. The other three headed southwest, one looking like the horse was carrying an extra person.
Continuing his examination, Will’s jaw clenched when he saw blood. Whose blood was the question. None of the story he was seeing on the ground made any sense, and Josie was in the middle of it. He prayed the blood wasn’t Josie’s, but who was the victim? He knew he should follow the tracks he believed were Richard’s. His need to know what happened to Josie, along with his instinct, made him choose the other set. Will sent up a silent prayer that he had made the right choice.
“Hang in there Josie,” he whispered, hoping that it wasn’t her who had been bleeding.
Heading southwest, Will covered another two miles before daylight finally deserted him. As he stopped for the night, Will kept his fears at bay as best he could. A sliver of moon barely gave enough light to see his hand, but the cooling breeze helped to cool the sweat on Will’s face. If he was stopped, perhaps the others were also. Still, this was a treacherous time for Josie. He hoped no one would harm her.
What Will struggled with was why had Josie been taken? Was it part of the robbery? Was the robbery a diversion to grab Josie? Was Richard behind all of this, and if so, why? The other question was who were the other three? Were they the ones who’d escaped with Richard?
Question after question ran through Will’s mind, the breeze and darkness conspiring to relax him. He drifted into a sleep of exhaustion, deaf to the sounds around him.
While Will was searching for clues, Richard was cursing his luck. Gone was the silky demeanor he thought he projected to the world, the debonair man of the world; in its place, the true Richard, the rough, uncouth person he truly was. He sat with his back against the brush, its prickly branches digging in, adding to his discomfort. The dark had overtaken him and now there was not even enough light to find fuel to make a fire. Everything had been going wrong in his life since William Murphy had reentered it. Now, even his means of revenge was gone, along with Dutch and the money from the store.
“Should’ve known Dutch would take off,” Richard told the emptiness around him. “And him with the bag of money!
“But never mind, it’s the woman is important now,” Richard decided. It would be like Murphy to come to the aid of a woman in distress, look what happened back on Pond City. Oh yes, the woman was the key, for Richard was sure that she meant more to Murphy than anyone realized, perhaps even Murphy himself.
Richard squirmed, trying to get comfortable as he ran scenarios in his mind, scenarios where he succeeded. Where those who had slighted or done him wrong were suitably punished. He’d find those three, or maybe two if his shot was true, and get that woman back. Once he had her, she would be the bait that would bring Murphy to him. No one could evade his vengeance, no one.
With a smile, Richard thought of how much pleasure he would feel as he exacted his revenge on his p
rey. He would have Murphy begging before this was over.
“First the woman, then Murphy. If I miss the other three, they’re next and then Dutch and the money,” Richard declared, loving the sound of his own words as he spoke to the dark sky, a sky that suited his mood.
Dreams of success, of satisfaction, of being the best followed Richard as he dozed off. Just before sleep claimed him, he decided he had the perfect plan, no matter, he had no idea how to implement it.
Smiling at his plans, Richard slept while Dutch continued his journey westward, not stopping, despite the dark. Richard was crazy, getting even more so with every defeat he experienced. That thought drove Dutch farther and farther away from the area.
The woman who was the center of Will’s and Richard’s thoughts was fighting exhaustion and worry about the patients in Kiowa Wells and the one she was caring for now.
To the east, the townspeople and those from the outlying areas were preparing to head out to aid in the search for their money and their doctor. Amos, Micah and Fresch were making plans to cover the area and how best to communicate, should anyone find anything.
It was Fresch who spoke for everyone when he said. “A woman doctor might not be normal, but then our Doctor Forrester isn’t a normal doctor, and she’s important to us, so we need to find her, and while the money is important, it can be replaced, she can’t.”
All those who heard him nodded their heads, surprised, for Fresch was a man of few words, and rarely such complimentary ones. He had added, “And if anyone tells her I said that, you’ll have to answer to me.”
The sun’s rays hit Will’s eyes, rousing him from his sleep. As he rose his back popped as he stretched. Those same rays shone on Richard, who’d slept the night away and now awoke, ready to enact his plans.
Will tightened his belt as he saddled his horse, realizing in all the excitement of the last two days, not only had he forgotten to eat, but he’d also failed to take any supplies in his rush to find Josie. He had water, so missing a meal or two would be worth it if it would bring Josie back. She might never be for him, but he would save her for the good people of Kiowa Wells and that someone who—. Will stopped the thought of someone else the minute it popped into his head. He couldn’t see Josie with anyone else, he wanted her to be with him for the rest of his life, but he knew his life was not good enough for her.
Will headed out in the direction the trail had been heading when night had fallen. He’d traveled only about two miles when he was brought up by signs of someone making an effort to wipe the trail clear of tracks. It seemed Will had hit a dead end.
Trying not to give in to frustration, Will slowly set about working at what tracks or lack of tracks told him. Will could see where someone had ridden in circles, wiping their and any other tracks away.
Had it been one of the three or someone else who didn’t want these people to be found? Finally, Will located the brush that was used. Tracks from there led almost due south. While he’d lost time, Will felt he had something to build some hope on.
Two miles north, Richard finally found fuel to build a fire. He’d sat there, taking time to warm himself, and was now throwing out the extra food and coffee from his breakfast. The one thing Dutch did well was cook, Richard thought. Well, he’d not have to eat his cooking much longer, for soon he’d make the woman do the cooking. That, among other things, was what women were for. Perhaps he’d keep the woman after it was all said and done, Richard thought. She might prove useful.
As Richard headed out, he took in the empty land around him. He knew there were people around, but they wouldn’t know anything about those he was looking for. For that matter, after he and Dutch left, after the woman jumped off his horse, Richard had no idea where the three may have gone. It made sense to him to head back to where they diverged and try to pick up the trail there.
The sun was fully up by the time Richard returned to where he’d lost Josie. There, he found the blood and tracks, overlaid with the set of tracks made by a lone rider.
“Maybe my luck is changing,” Richard spoke out loud. “It seems Murphy may already be on the trail. If that’s the case, I need to find the woman first.”
From the direction of the town, Richard heard the noise from a large group heading his way.
“It took them long enough,” Richard smirked. “Nothing I need worry about,” he finished, taking off in the direction of the lone rider.
Chapter 30
As the day was coming to an end, darkness had started its invasion of the sick room. Josie rose from her chair next to her patient to light the lamp when an arm encircled her waist, hand covering her mouth, shutting the scream she’d no time to start.
Before she could stomp the foot of her captor, a voice hissed, “Quiet, and nothing will happen.”
Josie remained motionless, neither responding yes or no. The tableau remained until Bull spoke, his voice hoarse, but still commanding, “Let her go, Buck.”
“So you’re awake. We’ve been worried.” Came the voice from behind Josie.
“No thanks to your constant harassment of my doctor,” Bull added with a smile, but Josie also detected something underneath.
Josie wondered who would relent first, her patient or captor. Either way, she was probably going to be the loser. Glancing around she took in everything, knowing she was in control of her destiny at this time. Her mind screamed no, she wasn’t ready, but her body was making peace with what was to come, what she felt she was going to do.
“I was just going to,” Josie’s captor started, his grip easing just slightly. It was enough to allow Josie to take a deep breath, air filling starved lungs.
“Then why sneak in, and grab the good doctor?” Bull interrupted.
Silence grew as Buck pondered the question. Josie felt his stomach clench and unclench. Buck’s arms spasmodically tightening, so much so the breath was again forced from her body. He seemed nervous.
“That’s what I thought. Now let her go and don’t ever try that again.”
Josie felt herself being pulled back. What could Bull do? Josie thought, he’s still in no shape to stand, let alone fight. She didn’t know how it would turn out, but she could not remain passive. Now that the shock had worn off, it was time to take a hand in her own fate.
As Buck lifted his left foot for the next step, Josie stomped hard on the right foot, twisted and let herself fall. She felt his arm tighten as he struggled for balance, only to fall forward, arm releasing her to break his own fall. She twisted free, quickly struggling to her feet, ready to move away.
As he fell, Josie heard a snap, followed by a screech of pain.
All thought of running fled as Josie quickly lit the lamp. Buck lay on the ground, his wrist bent back at an awkward angle, bones pushed against the skin like a rock just pushing out of the earth.
Bull raised up at the sounds of struggle and when the light hit Buck lying on the floor, a curse filled the air.
“Just what did you think you were doing?” Bull roared. “That hand is useless. What if someone tries to—” he sputtered to a stop.
Reaching down, Josie cradled the injured wrist in her hand. Carefully she examined the injury.
Taking some of the larger kindling wood, Josie fashioned a splint for the wrist and forearm.
Tearing her petticoat, she bound it tightly saying, “I don’t know if this will hold, though if you’re
careful, it should heal, but I’m not sure how much use you will get from it in the future.”
Buck cast his eyes down, then looking up, pain and something else were in his eyes, as he said, “It was stupid, I’m stupid, but you’re just so beautiful.”
Of all the things Josie might have expected, this was not it. All she could think to say was, “Why?”
“I’ve done all I could to wipe out any tracks we may have left, but it won’t fool—
What happened?” Case asked, coming in from the outside.
From the bed, Bull croaked, “Buck decided he wan
ted to spend time with the good doctor.”
“So, what happened to the arm?”
Chuckling, Bull answered, “Seems the good doctor can not only treat a patient, she can also—,”
“It was an accident,” Josie interrupted.
“She can take care of herself, even with fools,” Buck finished.
“Well, now that’s settled, as I started to say, I’ve wiped out what tracks there were, but I don’t know how long it’ll fool a good tracker.”
Josie wanted to ask why they needed to hide out, but felt she would be laughed at. Her expression must have given her away, for Bull answered, “We don’t want the man who took you finding us until I’m back in a shape to deal with him.”
“But what about anyone else?”
“We didn’t do anything wrong, least not this time, “Case added, “so I figure anyone from town will be hunting the other two.”
Josie pondered the words of both Bull and Case. Perhaps she should be frightened, especially after the incident with Buck, but she wasn’t. Moving back to her chair, Josie yawned, attempting to make herself comfortable. She needed to get some rest, and now seemed as good a time as any. The sound of the three talking softly helped to lull her into a light sleep.
“Buck, that was a stupid trick,” Bull told him.
“I just wanted to talk to her, I hoped to not wake anyone. I didn’t mean anything.” Buck’s pain-filled voice sounded in Josie’s ear.
“Next time, just ask,” Josie’s voice floated out. “I would love to spend time talking with you. You’re a very nice person, just give yourself a chance.”
Case headed back outside, his dislike of being indoors driving him. Buck took a cover and walking to the chair placed it over Josie, as he softly asked, “You have someone special?”
The question brought Will’s features to mind as Josie murmured, “Will, Will Murphy.”
Josie's Dream (Grandma's Wedding Quilts Book 9) Page 11
