* * *
After a long day spent on the road between Lampasas and Simpson Creek inspecting possible holdup sites, Thorn and the other two outlaws reported back to Griggs, recommending a location where the road ran between two outcroppings of rock just after a sharp bend in the road. The driver would be forced to slow his team to make the turn and would not be watching for danger, only to be presented with a line of outlaws, guns trained on him, when he came around the rocks. The place was ideal from the standpoint of having a thick cover of trees, as well as a little creek running nearby to water the horses, yet was far from any ranch or cabin. Better yet, it was an easy distance from a cavern with a hidden entrance that would be the perfect place to hide and guard the kidnapped mayor’s wife until the ransom had been brought to an agreed-upon location and left there. After the ransom was paid, Mrs. Gilmore would be escorted close to Simpson Creek and let loose. She would walk back into town, unharmed and grateful to be alive, but unable to describe her captors because she would have been blindfolded during her captivity. They would take care not to use each others’ names while they had her in their custody.
“Sounds perfect,” commented Griggs, after they’d discussed it over supper.
It was even more ideal for another reason. Thorn had noticed a draw nearby, where the lawmen whom he would have warned of the kidnapping could lie in wait to ambush the ambushers. It was far enough away from where the outlaws would be that any slight noise they made wouldn’t be heard by the gang, but it had easy access to the road. Thorn would need one more trip into Simpson Creek to set it up. He’d send a message to the Rangers—State Police, he corrected himself—and notify Bishop so the sheriff could coordinate plans with the other lawmen in the area.
“Yeah, boss. After that,” Tomlinson said with a grin, “we can spend the rest of our lives sippin’ tequila and cuddling with our pretty senoritas across the border. I kin hardly wait.”
They’d all be starting new lives after the kidnapping, Thorn thought, but not the leisurely lives of ease in Mexico they had planned. Instead, the outlaws would be starting years in prison, if not life sentences. Some of the more violent ones had deaths on their records, and might end up facing a hangman’s noose. And with God’s help, he’d have a new life, too, Thorn thought, with Daisy at his side, and no need to ever again draw a gun on another human being.
* * *
Daisy ladled out vegetable soup into two bowls and sliced a loaf of crusty bread for her meal with her son. Though it had been perhaps the tastiest soup she had ever made, there weren’t many takers among the restaurant customers. As warm as it had been at midday, and even still at suppertime, no one had wanted hot soup, so Mr. Prendergast had criticized her for making it. Only now that darkness had fallen had the heat of the day begun to abate.
But hot or not, Daisy was hungry. By the time she had finished talking to the sheriff, there had been no time for a dinner break and she had had to dive back into cooking.
“Why don’t we thank God for the food first?” she gently chided Billy Joe, seeing that he had already devoured half his soup. She folded her hands together and said a quick grace.
“How was business at Miss Ella’s café today?” she asked a few minutes later, hoping to break the silence punctuated only by the sound of a hungry boy slurping soup.
“Okay...”
So much for that conversational gambit, she thought wryly, as Billy Joe turned his attention back to his bowl.
“Did you see your friends after your shift was done?”
He nodded, but didn’t meet her gaze.
“What’s wrong?” she finally asked.
He glanced at her, then shrugged. “Now they’re making fun of me for having a job,” he groused. “They said I was more fun when I didn’t have to be so responsible.” He said the word with contempt. “They said my nails were clean as a girl’s from all the dish washing.” He held his hands out to show her.
“And what do you think of what they said?” she asked carefully, wondering if she would make things worse with her question.
He shrugged again. “I don’t care what they say.” But his posture said he did care, and had been hurt by their words.
“And what do you think Mr. Dawson would say about your being such a dependable worker?” she asked.
“‘Ain’t none of them earning wages to help their families,’” he said, doing a creditable imitation of Thorn’s deep, drawling voice.
She saw him square his shoulders as he spoke, and was encouraged by that. Even if he never returned, Thorn had made a positive impact on her son’s behavior.
Billy Joe laid his spoon down. “Ma...” he began, unusually hesitant. “Ma, I miss Mr. Thorn.”
“I do, too, Billy Joe,” she admitted.
“When’s he coming back?”
Now it was her turn to shrug. She dared not tell him anything about the plans the gang had to kidnap the mayor’s wife, and Thorn’s role in thwarting it. It was safer right now for her son to believe Thorn was really an outlaw. And if he didn’t know about the planned kidnapping, then he wouldn’t be filled with worry about it—the way she was.
“I don’t know, son. Soon, I hope.”
“Me, too. I think he’d like to quit outlawin’ and marry you.”
She had risen to slice a couple pieces of the cake she had brought home for dessert, but now she was so astonished at what Billy Joe had said that she nearly dropped the knife.
“You do?”
Billy Joe nodded with enthusiasm, then wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “I think you should marry him, Ma. He’d be a good pa. And you wouldn’t have to be alone when I grow up.”
Sometimes Billy Joe said the most astonishing things when she was least expecting them, she thought, feeling the pricking of tears in her eyes. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about Thorn. She knew she loved him, and believed him when he’d declared he loved her. But she still didn’t know what kind of life they could have together. The future for the two of them would depend on what he did, on how he kept the promises he made.
“Well, you keep him in your prayers, Billy Joe, and if it’s God’s will, it will happen,” she said. Please, Lord, let that happen. “Remember, ‘trust in the Lord with all thine heart...’”
“I will. I want it to be soon.”
Oh! Me, too, son. You can’t imagine how much. She wondered how Billy Joe would like finishing his growing-up years on a ranch, working at Thorn’s side. He wouldn’t have his no-good friends in Simpson Creek to pal around with and to lead him down bad paths. His life would be full of rigorous chores and hard work, but somehow she didn’t think he’d mind too much, with Thorn as his stepfather.
* * *
“So you don’t think the widow will follow you to Mexico?” Griggs asked, when Thorn broached his request to go to Simpson Creek for a last visit with Daisy before the kidnapping. “Sure you’re not underestimating your charm, Dawson? You need some lessons in romancing? I’d be glad to give you some tips. My woman can’t wait to join me across the Rio Grande, though she knows she’d better continue to please me, or I’ll trade her in for a dark-eyed Mexicana.”
Thorn tamped down the urge to punch Griggs in the face for even mentioning Daisy in that tone, as well as the temptation to voice exactly what he thought of the treacherous waitress who had made Daisy’s work life so miserable and who was willing to risk the life of the mayor’s wife just to satisfy her own greed.
“Naw, I don’t reckon she’ll leave Simpson Creek,” he said, carefully keeping his tone neutral, as if it didn’t matter all that much. “She’s got the boy to think of, and I don’t reckon she wants him living with an outlaw... And I don’t think she’d much like living in a country where she’d be a foreigner.”
“Maybe she’ll change her mind when she realizes you’re kissin’ her goodbye forever,
and she’ll leave her son behind,” Griggs suggested with a snicker. “Don’t reckon she’ll have another chance for a good-lookin’ fella like you to leave his boots under her bed, ’specially with that young cub of hers around.”
Thorn set his teeth, knowing his control would eventually slip if the outlaw kept jawing as he was. It was useless telling a man like Griggs that his feelings for Daisy were more honorable than that. “Maybe she will, but I don’t think so.”
“All right, go make your farewells tomorrow, but be back in time to get some shut-eye. The day after that’s our big day, and I need all my men to be 100 percent on their toes.”
* * *
“Here’s the last order,” Tilly said. “It’s the mayor. I’m going on my break, so I’m sure he’ll be glad to have you bring him his meal rather than me. And don’t expect me back real soon,” she added, as she pushed open the kitchen’s back door. I’m going to go eat at Ella’s café.”
“Why? There’s plenty of catfish left,” Daisy pointed out.
“Ugh! You know I hate fish,” Tilly snapped. She gave an elaborate sniff. “The whole kitchen stinks of it.”
“There’s still some sliced roast beef from yesterday,” Daisy offered. “I could fix you a sandwich.”
“Don’t bother,” Tilly replied. “I need some fresh air, after all this fish smell.”
The kitchen did smell of fish, but what could they do but use up what Mr. Prendergast had hooked when he’d gone fishing the previous day on the San Saba River? He was so proud of his catch. Fortunately, most of the restaurant’s patrons were fond of fried catfish.
Daisy sighed as Tilly exited the back door without another word. Walking down to Ella’s café at the other end of town and waiting for her order to be cooked before she could even begin eating, the waitress would be gone much more than her allotted half hour. But Mr. Prendergast never seemed to mind, even though Daisy had to do double duty, waitressing and cooking, while she was gone. At least she would be able to greet Mr. Gilmore without Tilly looking jealously on, she consoled herself. Perhaps Tilly even had the grace to be ashamed to face the mayor, knowing what the outlaw gang had planned for his wife. Surely even Tilly would have to feel a little ashamed of herself when faced with the woman’s husband. But Tilly’s conscience was really none of Daisy’s concern, so she pushed those thoughts out of her head and set to work frying the mayor’s catfish.
“That looks delicious,” Mayor Gilmore said a few minutes later, when she brought it out to him.
“I hope you like it,” she told him. “Mrs. Gilmore will be home from her trip soon, if I remember rightly?”
“Tomorrow, if all goes well,” he replied, beaming. “I’ll be a happy man.”
It was all Daisy could do to keep smiling, knowing about the planned kidnapping, but not being able to say a word of warning. She felt so guilty. It would have been better if she hadn’t known anything about it, she thought. She’d be in an agony of worry till it was all over. But if she hadn’t known about it, Thorn couldn’t have set up the ambush that would hopefully result in her rescue and Thorn’s release from his dangerous lawman-in-disguise role, she reminded herself, and felt a little better.
“I’ll pray for a safe journey for her,” she murmured. “Enjoy your meal, sir.”
The day dragged after that. Now that she’d been reminded that the kidnapping was to be tomorrow, she couldn’t help wondering if Thorn would come to see her, and what he was doing today. Were all the plans in place?
Tilly came back after being away for an hour—far longer than she was supposed to be gone, and unapologetic as ever. “I had chicken and dumplings at Ella’s café—very tasty! Oh, and I had a nice chat with your son,” she announced breezily as she came in through the back door. “You didn’t tell me he was working there.”
Why would I? It’s not as if we ever have a friendly conversation, Daisy thought, even as she wondered what Tilly and her son would find to talk about. Aloud, she said, “I didn’t? Yes, he’s quite proud of earning a wage.” She didn’t like the idea of Tilly speaking to her son, and wondered what they could have talked about. Billy Joe knew how Tilly treated his mother, after all, and he tended to be protective of her, sometimes to the point of being rude to those who he believed snubbed her. But Tilly exaggerated a lot; likely the “nice conversation” had been no more than an exchange of hellos.
“I could have sworn I saw that nice Mr. Dinwiddy riding into town as I reached Ella’s,” Tilly remarked. “You remember him? That traveling parson who came to the dining room the other day?”
Daisy froze. Was Thorn in town, disguised as he’d been when he came to the restaurant?
“Oh? Did you say hello?”
Tilly shrugged. “I waved, but the man rode right on by as if he didn’t know me,” she said with a sniff. “Maybe it wasn’t him, after all, but he looked like him...”
“Now that you’re back, I’m going to take my break,” Daisy said. “Don’t worry, there’s no one new in the dining room so far.” Had Tilly seen Thorn in his disguise? Was he even now in Simpson Creek?
“Aren’t you going to take some of that delicious catfish to eat?” Tilly asked snidely, just as Daisy reached for the doorknob.
She shook her head. “It’s all gone. The mayor asked for seconds, he liked it so much. And I already ate while you were gone,” she said. “I nibbled that roast beef between orders, since I was so hungry, so I’m just going to take a walk and get some fresh air.”
As much fresh air as I can get between the restaurant and the sheriff’s office, anyway. Maybe she’d be in luck and find Thorn there, making plans with Bishop about tomorrow.
Chapter Thirteen
It was hard to tell which man was more startled when she threw open the door of the sheriff’s office, Thorn or Bishop. Both men jumped to their feet.
The sheriff found his voice first. “Miss Daisy? Is something wrong?”
Thorn just stood there watching her, his eyes asking the same question. She saw that he was dressed as Dinwiddy, the traveling preacher, just as Tilly had said.
“I thought you might be here. Tilly said she saw Mr. Dinwiddy riding into town.”
Thorn grimaced at that. “Yes, I saw her. I was hoping if I didn’t wave back, that’d convince her she was mistaken about recognizing me. Guess it was too much to hope for that she’d be occupied with work if I came to town during the day.”
“She should have been,” Daisy agreed grimly. “But she is now, so she won’t know I came here. I had to see you, Thorn...” She felt suddenly awkward, with the sheriff looking on. “I—I was wondering if everything was in place for tomorrow...when Mrs. Gilmore comes back on the stage. The mayor was in the restaurant, and he’s so pleased she’s coming home.”
The men exchanged looks, and then Thorn turned back to her. “Yes, all the arrangements are made. The sheriffs’ offices in the area know where we’re stopping the stage, and they’ll be lying in wait not far from us, ready to capture the Griggs gang. But you shouldn’t be here, Daisy—it’s too dangerous. I don’t think Griggs had anyone follow me to town, but I can’t rely on it. Someone might see you...”
“I—I’ll go out the back way,” she murmured, and headed for the rear door. Before she could push it open, though, Thorn caught her wrist.
Bishop suddenly became absorbed in a pile of wanted posters on his desk.
“Daisy, it’ll all be okay,” Thorn assured her, looking down into her eyes. “Before you know it, Griggs’ll be behind bars and we’ll be able to start a life together.”
“I’m praying for you,” she said, and then she was in his arms, and he was kissing her, and she quite forgot there was anyone else in the room but the two of them.
* * *
“Tilly tells me she had a nice chat with you at the café,” Daisy said that evening as she watched
her son pick at his food. She’d saved a serving of catfish for him, but perhaps he preferred catching them over eating them, she mused. He seemed distracted, almost as if he was as consumed with thoughts of tomorrow as she was. But he didn’t know anything about the planned kidnapping of the mayor’s wife.
“Yeah. It was okay,” he mumbled, keeping his eyes on his plate.
“Was it? What did you two find to talk about?” Daisy asked, trying to keep her tone one of mild interest.
Billy Joe shrugged elaborately. “Nothing much. You know...how did I like working for Miss Ella and Mr. Bohannon, that sort of thing. She was nice...”
Nice? Tilly was never nice unless there was something in it for her, Daisy thought tartly, and immediately chastised herself for the uncharitable idea. Maybe the woman was trying to reform, and it would be a shame if no one gave her credit.
“Maybe you’ll like dessert better than you did the catfish,” she stated, bringing out the bowl she’d kept covered until now. “Peach crisp.”
“Yum!” Billy Joe said appreciatively. But Daisy thought he still looked preoccupied.
“Yes, well, it’s getting late. Finish up and then it’s time for bed.” She wasn’t sure she would be able to sleep a wink, but Billy Joe would probably be sawing logs inside five minutes.
“Ma, I love you,” Billy Joe said a few moments later, after he had eaten every last crumb. “You’re the greatest ma a guy could have.”
“I—I love you too, son,” she murmured, watching as he walked out of the kitchen, down the hall and into his room. It wasn’t unknown for him to say “I love you” to her, but he didn’t say it often, and now the timing struck her as odd. Had he sensed something was about to happen tomorrow?
* * *
Thorn returned to the outlaw camp before time to turn in, as he’d agreed, only to find that Tomlinson and Pritchard were missing around the suppertime campfire. When he mentioned it to Griggs, however, the outlaw leader was unperturbed.
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