The Texan's Reward

by Jodi Thomas

  When she sat, he stood behind her, his hands resting on the back of her chair.

  No one spoke until the women drank a few swallows of coffee.

  Nell leaned forward and whispered, “Is it safe to talk?”

  “No one will hear us over Brother Aaron,” Parker answered, “but we need to talk fast. What have your heard, Nell? Where is Jacob?”

  Nell looked confused. “I thought he was with you.”

  The old sheriff shook his head, and Harrison related the last few words he’d had with Jacob.

  Nell took another drink trying to make sense of what was happening.

  “I waited here for half an hour, then thought I’d walk down to the café and see what was keeping him. The place was still open, but no one even remembered seeing the ranger. I checked in every open door between the café and the saloon where he’d left me. Nothing. Most folks were huddled inside waiting out the rain, so I returned here.”

  The sheriff picked up the conversation. “When Harrison showed up alone, I got worried that Jacob may have found trouble or passed out because of his weakened condition. The man would tell me he was fine even if he were bleeding all over my floor.” Parker scrubbed his face with the palm of his hand. “I took a deputy and two lanterns on rounds. We checked every alley turning off of the main road. No ranger anywhere.”

  “What could have happened to him?” Nell whispered. Jacob couldn’t have just vanished in the rain.

  Harrison rested his hand once more on the back of Marla’s chair. “Our hope was that for some reason he’d gone home. I even checked to see if the buggy was gone. We thought maybe he walked to your house. You showing up here crosses off that possibility.”

  “Who knows he’s missing?”

  “Pretty much all the men outside,” Parker answered. “They were kind of waiting around to watch him take the boy out tonight. Most of them wanted to try to talk Jacob into traveling with them, but I figure they’re about ready to give up and call it a night. They’ll need their sleep come morning when they haul off these three.” He pointed to the bedrolls in the left cell. Two of the men were snoring. The third was staring out the back window as if he expected help to show up.

  “When Jacob and I parted at the saloon doors, he was going to meet the man in charge of the posse. A man named Kelly.” Harrison rubbed his neck.

  “Yeah,” Parker added. “Only Kelly’s been by here asking me why the ranger never showed up at the café. He says if Dalton doesn’t claim Hank by morning, then the boy goes with the posse as part of the gang.”

  “I don’t know where Jacob is, but I know he wouldn’t want that.” Nell had a feeling that if the ranger was able, he would have already been here.

  “Exactly,” Harrison said. “I’ve even got the orders releasing Hank back in the ranger’s custody, but I don’t think those men would let me have the boy on behalf of Jacob even if he signed the form.”

  “I would,” the sheriff said, “if I thought you could get past them men. I got a bad feeling that these killers are going to get what’s coming to them before they have their day in court. I don’t much worry about those three, but the boy bothers me. He’s not like them. He thanks me ever morning for the mush I feed them for breakfast. Can you believe that?”

  “Maybe we could take him,” Nell planned aloud. “Harrison, you and Hank could run for the wagon at the last minute after Marla and I are already in it.”

  Harrison shook his head. “The boy’s hurt badly, and the doctor is too afraid to come over to even examine him. Too many people in town don’t think he should dirty his hands. He’s in no shape to walk out, much less run.”

  The sheriff agreed. “Even if you made it to the wagon, the preacher would never be able to outrun men on horseback in an old wagon.”

  Nell fought down tears. If Jacob were here, he’d barrel his way through all the trouble and act so tough no one would challenge him.

  But Jacob wasn’t here to help the boy. In a few hours the posse would be boarding a train with the killers and Hank if she didn’t do something.

  “We’ll wait for Jacob,” Nell whispered. They were all silent for a while. Brother Aaron preached on, getting more wound up about the demons of hell. At one point, a little after midnight, he opened the door and asked the men still on the porch to come in so that they could hear better.

  They all declined.

  One of the outlaws woke up and screamed that he was already in hell after listening to Brother Aaron for two hours. Then, yelling over the preacher, the prisoner listed all the ways he’d like to kill Brother Aaron. The preacher took the heckler as inspiration and marched on with his sermon.

  A little after one, all but a few of the men outside were gone. The sheriff had taken pity on the prisoners and handed each a pillow to block out the preacher.

  Parker leaned back in his chair. “One good thing, with the rain and the extra men guarding, we didn’t have a mob outside shouting for revenge.”

  Harrison accepted his fifth cup of coffee from Marla. “If a mob had shown up, we’d turn Brother Aaron loose on them. He’d shout them down and see it as a full house to preach to.”

  Marla refilled the sheriff ’s coffee when he raised his mug. “You know, since you showed up, my coffee is getting better. I don’t know what magic you did, Marla, but I could drink this all night.”

  Marla whispered, “I washed the pot.” She smiled at Harrison when he laughed.

  Nell had been thinking of a plan and decided now might be a good time to talk about it. After all, the preacher’s voice couldn’t last much longer. In the rainy night there was nothing more to do to find Jacob, but they could help Hank.

  She held her hands out, and they all leaned in close, layering their hands over hers as if they were all in prayer. Not even the sheriff ’s deputy sleeping by the desk a few feet away could have heard them.

  “I have an idea,” Nell began, and the others looked at her, already with her even before they heard the plan.

  When Nell straightened, they all lowered their hands and nodded once.

  Mr. Harrison stood first. He walked over to the coat rack, picking up first his coat, and then layered Nell’s velvet cape beneath it. Then he asked if he might make a final check of the boy. The deputy was too tired to walk with him to the cell. He just handed Harrison the keys. After all, the boy was in no shape to escape.

  Next, Marla told the preacher to get the wagon ready.

  Brother Aaron nodded and carried his sermon outside.

  Marla rolled Nell back to the last cell as Nell demanded to say one last prayer to those she feared were about to die.

  The sheriff yelled to the deputy that these folks were finally saying their farewells, and he thought everyone should help them along.

  The deputy nodded and opened the door as Harrison walked out, tipping his hat and handing the keys back to the deputy.

  A few minutes later, Marla pushed the wheelchair with an invalid wrapped in a velvet cape out the door. The sheriff dropped a paper on his desk, then oversaw the lifting of the chair into the bed of the wagon. He said his good-byes as the preacher tied the ropes in place. Then Brother Aaron stood in the wagon and blessed them all before pulling away.

  Parker ordered the deputy and three of the posse to keep an eye on things because he thought he’d call it a night. The posse moved inside, huddling against the stove even before the sheriff was out of sight. As the door closed a cheer reached the street as the posse found the coffeepot full and hot.

  None of them heard the back door open a few minutes later and a slender woman slip out.

  Harrison was waiting in the alley with the buggy by the time Nell moved slowly down the two steps. She used the railing to brace herself and fought to keep from falling.

  If he’d been a minute later, he would have had to pick her up from the mud.

  He helped her inside the old buggy, wrapped his coat around her, and drove toward home.

  She shivered against him, and he put
his arm around her, but the bookkeeper didn’t offer the warmth her ranger always did, and Nell couldn’t stop the tears from silently falling as she worried about what might have happened to Jacob.

  Harrison patted her shoulder. “You all right?”

  She sniffed and nodded. “I would have never made it without the bars to hang onto. Then I only had one step through the door, and there was the rail waiting for me.”

  “Dalton would be proud of you,” he said. “That one step may have saved a boy’s life.”

  The others were unloading the wheelchair as Harrison pulled up to the house. He and Marla laced their arms and carried Nell all the way to the fireplace. Then Harrison and the preacher made a sling out of one of the blankets and lugged the boy up to the attic.

  Nell watched them all struggling from her seat on the couch. Gypsy raced past them to make up the bed that had once been Nell’s in the tiny attic room. Mrs. O’Daniel, her hair back in rag twists, was shouting orders as she climbed the stairs beside the boy.

  Wednesday woke up and carried the baby downstairs so she could sit with Nell and ask questions while they watched everyone else go up and down the two flights of stairs. Wednesday spread a quilt over them both and huddled next to Nell with her baby in her arms.

  Nell smiled and circled her arm around the girl’s shoulders. She might be a mother, but a part of Wednesday was still a child herself.

  Finally, Harrison and the preacher came down, saying they would take care of the horses. A few minutes later, Marla hurried past them to the kitchen to warm soup. The men were back from the barn by the time Mrs. O’Daniel came down with a report.

  “He’s weak,” she said. “Don’t look like he’s had nothing to eat for a few days, or water as near as I can tell. He’s beat up bad, bruises in the shape of knuckles all over his chest and back. His face looks like it must have hit the wall a few times. I got him to look at me a few times, but he turned away, acting like he didn’t want my help.” She shook her head. “I’ve seen that kind of blank stare before. In mothers who lose one too many babies, in widows after they bury their spouse. He’s not thriving. He don’t care if he lives.”

  Nell fought back tears. “He will live, won’t he?”

  The nurse shrugged. “Looks like I got my work cut out for me. He’ll recover; I’ll see to it if I have to force food down him. I figure I owe him one. He saved my life. Now I’ll do my best to save his.”

  Nell knew she had to do her part, too. “Gypsy, burn his clothes tonight.”

  The housekeeper nodded. “I’ve already got them rolled up in a ball. I’ll get rid of everything, even his boots. We’ll have no trace he’s here except in the attic.”

  Mrs. O’Daniel straightened. “I need to say something before this goes any further. I was against you going tonight. I always figured it was wrong to meddle with the law. But if I’d known they’d hurt that boy, I would have stormed the jail myself. Tomorrow, you’ll find the ranger, but tonight you and the others did a good thing here.”

  “Thank you.” Nell smiled at her. “That means a great deal to me.”

  Harrison and Marla carried Nell upstairs. She didn’t miss that he held the shy cook’s hand a moment longer than was necessary, but neither of them looked at the other as they left her room.

  Nell heard the clock chime three, knowing dawn would come slowly without Jacob beside her.

  CHAPTER 28

  NELL HAD JUST FINISHED BREAKFAST WHEN SOMEONE pounded on the front door. She’d been talking with Harrison about where to look for Jacob and the hope that her ranger might have returned made her heart race.

  Only it wouldn’t be Jacob. He never knocked.

  Harrison crossed to the study, while Gypsy went to open the door.

  Nell wasn’t surprised when Sheriff Parker and two other men rushed into the room. The entire household had been waiting for someone to call.

  The two strangers nosed around like hunting dogs near a fox hole, but the sheriff removed his hat politely.

  “I’m mighty sorry for the inconvenience, Nell, but these men are with the posse from Fort Worth, and they wouldn’t leave with the others this morning. They seem to believe a man escaped from my jail last night, even though I have a signed paper showing that Ranger Dalton picked up his prisoner.”

  “They think the paper was false?” Nell tried to act calm as one man boldly opened the door to the kitchen, while the other poked his head into every little reading cove.

  “Oh, they think the paper is real. They just don’t believe the ranger ever came by for the prisoner. It seems they had men watching for him who claim he never showed up. But when I got to work this morning, the paper was on my desk, so he must have stopped by when no one was looking.”

  The older of the two men faced Nell. “The sheriff knows that would be impossible. One of my men would have seen him. We’re searching your house, miss.”

  Nell lifted the huge Colt from her lap. “Not without my permission.”

  The stranger’s eyes widened.

  For a moment, Nell thought he might be dumb enough to go for his gun.

  “I may be in a wheelchair, but I assure you I have no handicap when it comes to my aim. Ranger Dalton taught me to shoot before I was ten.” She leveled the Colt to his heart. “Now, you’ve insulted the sheriff and myself. I suggest you start this visit over unless you’d like to be carried out of my house.”

  The stranger glanced at Parker, realizing he would get no help from that corner. “You’d let her shoot me?”

  Sheriff Parker didn’t hesitate. “And then testify on her behalf.”

  Nell fought down a smile as the stranger reconsidered his campaign.

  “May we please look around your house and grounds for a member of a gang who may be a killer? We have reason to believe he is not in the custody of the ranger but has escaped.”

  “I’ll know your name,” Nell said.

  “Kelly. Anthony Kelly, miss, and I assure you we mean you no harm.” He looked at Parker. “Tell her, Sheriff, that we’re not here to hurt her or anyone in her household. For all we know, the killer could be preying on this poor, helpless woman, holding her prisoner and forcing her to say what she’s saying.”

  Harrison stepped from the study, a rifle resting in the fold of his arm. “No one is holding Miss Nell against her will. Do not also presume that she is unarmed or helpless.”

  Gypsy lifted the gun left by the front door and added, “I can never hit anything, but say the word, and I’ll give it a try.”

  Kelly lost all his huff and puff as fear flashed in his eyes. “Stop this, Sheriff.”

  “Way I see it, this lady, all helpless, has a right to protect herself in her own house. I told you not to come in here pushing people around. Most folks in this part of the country don’t take well to being bossed for no good reason.”

  Kelly knew when to cut his losses. “I apologize. In my anger and panic at fearing I may have let a killer go free, I stepped over the line. I hope you will accept my deepest regrets.”

  Nell smiled and lowered the gun. “I will, and I’ll allow your man to search upstairs, providing he doesn’t disturb anything. You are welcome to look through the barn and outbuildings, provided we understand one another that you will never storm my house again.”

  Kelly looked surprised that she would make such an offer. She caught the flicker in his eye and knew he was thinking that anyone allowing a search would have nothing to hide.

  He nodded toward the younger man. “Sammy, look upstairs, but make sure you disturb nothing.”

  The man nodded and took the stairs two at a time. The first door he tried, everyone downstairs heard a woman’s scream.

  Sammy stumbled backward, almost tumbling down the stairs.

  A moment later, Mrs. O’Daniel appeared, her robe wrapped around her like a towel. “How dare you come into my room while I’m dressing!” She looked down at the sheriff. “Sheriff, thank God you’re here. Arrest this man!”

  “I’m
sorry, ma’am. I didn’t see nothing, and what I saw I’m real sorry I looked at.”

  Kelly appeared irritated. “Get on with it, Sammy. I’ll meet you at the horses in five minutes.”

  He touched his hat with two fingers as he glanced at Nell and disappeared back through the open front door. Gypsy waved him good-bye with the old gun still in her hand.

  A few minutes later, Sammy climbed the small flight of stairs to the attic room.

  Nell heard him open the door, then start apologizing again. He stumbled his way down to ground level. When he reached Nell he asked, “Did you know what you got in the attic?”

  “What?” Nell closed her hand around the gun in her lap.

  “You got a young woman with her dress open, and she’s feeding her baby. Should she be doing that in public?”

  “She was in the privacy of her bedroom.” Nell tried to look angry. “I believe you were the one out of line.”

  Sammy’s face turned scarlet. “I’m real sorry. I never seen a woman doing that before. Not all open like that.”

  He was out the door so fast, Nell didn’t have time to laugh. A minute later she heard them ride away.

  Mrs. O’Daniel and Wednesday appeared on the landing, both smiling.

  “Well,” the nurse finished buttoning her uniform. “We did our part.”

  “How did you think of it?” Nell had to ask.

  Wednesday giggled. “Gypsy told us if a man sees a little skin, he don’t see nothin’ else in the room. So I set on Hank’s bed with him right behind me and started feeding the baby.”

  “And I decided I’d get whoever came up the stairs rattled before he even got to the attic. I may have shown an inch too much, I fear, for the fellow almost tumbled down the stairs.”

  “Do you think we’ll get arrested?” Wednesday asked.

  “Not if they didn’t find Hank, and even if they had, you could hardly be arrested for feeding your baby.”

  Wednesday smiled. “I’m going to go back up and sit with Hank for a while. It’s something I can do to help, and it is a quiet place to feed DH.”