“Xenia is sound asleep, Ty. I’m not sure she’ll wake up before morning, but I left her door open in case she calls.”
“Maybe I should sit with her,” Mea Ann put a sleeping Johnny on her shoulder. “I can rock my baby in there as well as in here.”
Chapa waved her back to the rocking chair. “I’ll go back and sit with her in a minute. I wanted to hear what Ty said happened to that sweet woman.”
“Forget the coffee, Aunt Chapa. We’ll get some after I tell you what occurred in town.”
She nodded and took a chair near the door to the hall. “I can hear Xenia if she only turns over from here.”
Mea Ann looked doubtful, but Ty knew his aunt was telling the truth. She had sensitive ears. Always had had. That’s why he and Wilt could never get away with things they shouldn’t do when they were young.
Ty began his story. “You know Xenia wanted to go to Deer Meadow to see if she could find out why her uncle had sent for you two ladies to come to Arizona.”
“Did she find out?”
Ty didn’t answer her question. “I’ll get to that in a minute. When we arrived in town, I got her registered at the hotel and then went to the sheriff to check on Seymour’s arrest record.”
“You mean that terrible hotel clerk let her stay there?”
Ty smiled. “Mea Ann, please let me finish the story, then you can ask me all the questions you want to.”
“I’m sorry, Ty. I’m just surprised he didn’t throw you both out.”
Ty continued to tell them about their day. About Sheriff Ferguson telling him Seymour Longstreet had not been arrested in several months and that arrest lasted only a few hours. About taking Xenia to dinner at the hotel dining room and then about going to handle some personal business.
He paused to take a deep breath, then continued. “I went back to the hotel to get her because she wanted to visit with the sheriff and I’d promised to take her. When she didn’t come to the door of her room, I tried to open it, but it was locked. When the clerk didn’t have another key, I shot off the latch and went inside. The room was in shambles and there was blood on the bed. I was afraid Xenia had been kidnapped—or worse, killed—but I couldn’t figure out why. I sent for the sheriff and was about to leave the hotel to search for her when I heard a crash in the room Lou Bullins was staying in. The sheriff and I broke down that door and that’s where I found Xenia.”
He tried to control his temper when he added, “He’d kept her tied in a chair, and from what we could figure, she kicked over the table when she heard the commotion in the hall. She must have wanted to let me or someone know where she was. When the sheriff and I broke in, I got her back to her room and sent for the doctor. He came and attended her. As soon as Jesse said she was able to travel, I brought her here. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next in Deer Meadow, and I felt she’d be safer here than anywhere in town.”
“Of course you had to bring her here.” Chapa said. “We’re not going to let anything else happen to her.”
“I knew you’d say that, Aunt Chapa. By the way, the doctor said you should change the bandages tomorrow and give Xenia some of your special tea because it seems to work.”
She laughed. “I planned to do that.”
Mea Ann had tears in her eyes. “Why do you suppose Lou Bullins kidnapped Xenia?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out.” He glanced at his cousin. “You’ll help, won’t you, Wilt?”
“You know I will. I like Xenia, and I sure don’t want anything else to happen to her.” He glanced at Mea Ann. “And I don’t want anything happening to you, either. We’ll make sure you’re both safe here.”
Mea Ann blushed and looked away. “Johnny’s asleep now. I’m going to put him in bed and then go sit with my sister.”
“I’ll sit with her.”
“I know you would, Chapa, but I really want to do it. I should have been with her, and then this wouldn’t have happened.”
“I understand why you feel that way, Mea Ann, but there’s no way you could have gone with her with your bad foot.” Ty took a deep breath. “I’ve been telling myself that it wouldn’t have happened to her if I hadn’t left her alone in that hotel room.”
“You don’t need to feel guilty, Ty. You didn’t know Lou Bullins was going to kidnap her.”
“No, I didn’t, and I’m going to make sure nothing like that ever happens to her again.”
Mea Ann gave him a smile that he didn’t understand as she started out of the room.
Wilt got to his feet. “Let me help you, Mea Ann. I’ll carry Johnny for you. Looks like you’re still having trouble walking, and I don’t want you to fall with the baby.”
“I am having a little bit of trouble.”
Wilt moved beside her and took Johnny. “Now, lean on me and I’ll get you both safely to your room.”
Ty glanced at Chapa with a question in his eyes.
He knew she was thinking the same thing he was when she winked at him. His cousin was falling in love with Mea Ann Poindexter. And he was falling fast.
Chapter 10
Seymour Longstreet looked at the account book again. There was no way to make it look any better, even to himself. The saloon and the bordello had lost money for the sixth month in a row. How was he going to stay open if something didn’t happen soon? Where are those damn nieces? I’ve got to get them here so I can contact Franklin and let him know what I’ve done with his daughters.
There was a knock on his door. He slammed the ledger shut and stuffed it into his desk. “Come in.”
Little Lil came into the office.
“What’s your problem this evening?” Seymour snapped at her.
She looked scared. “I don’t have a problem, Seymour. Sassy told me to come and thank you for this beautiful new dress.”
“I heard some old drunk codger ripped yours off you last night and it wasn’t wearable.”
“No, it weren’t, but I was going to try to sew it before I had to go to work tonight.”
“Sassy told me about it, and as you know, I’ll buy you four dresses a year because they do get torn occasionally. I went to the dress shop this afternoon and this will be your second dress. Since you came to work here in the middle of the year, you won’t get no more until next year, so be careful. You know things can get rough in the wintertime when the cowboys come in cold and mad. You need to get it off quicker when you and a customer get to your room.”
“I’ll be careful, sir.”
“I hope so. I got this extra pretty one for you because Miss Hubbard had it ready. It’s a little more expensive than I usually spend, but I want my girls to always look beautiful. I don’t want them around the customers in rags. We have to make every man in town realize we run the best saloon and house of pleasure in Arizona, and our girls always look their best.”
“I know you do, Seymour and I promise I’ll do a good job repairing the torn dress so I can use it as a backup.”
“Don’t just cobble it up. Your sewing ain’t that good, and I know as careless you are with your clothes you’ll need that dress for a backup. It has to be sewn perfectly. Take it to Miss Hubbard tomorrow and I’ll take the price she charges you to fix it out of your pay.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you again, Seymour.”
He nodded. “It’s time for you to get downstairs. I’m sure customers are coming in already. I don’t want you to miss out on a paying buyer. Maybe one of the Eldridge cousins will come in. They always pay good.”
“I’ll hurry down.”
He shook his head. “I need to get more women in here to work. You don’t know any, do you?”
“No, but how about your nieces? Aren’t they coming?”
He frowned. “How do you know about them?”
“I’ve heard some of the men talking about them.”
“What are they saying?”
“I’m not sure I understand it all, but they’re saying they’re betting on who is going to get to go to th
eir rooms first.”
“I see. Now, get on downstairs.”
She hurried out the door.
Seymour didn’t want to drag out the account book again. He poured a drink from his crystal decanter and downed it.
I wonder why that crazy peddler was being hauled off to jail when I went to get Little Lil’s dress. Whatever it was, I hope it wasn’t serious. I won fifty dollars off him last night, and I hoped he’d try to make it back tonight so I could get a little more off him. It won’t make much of a dent in what I owe, but if I can get him really drunk, I could win a bundle. Maybe I should consider bailing him out of jail.
He poured himself another drink, swallowed it without taking a breath, slammed his glass down, stood, and hurried downstairs to see if he could win some money tonight.
****
Xenia opened her eyes and realized she was in the bed she slept in at Ty and Wilt’s ranch. The room that was across the hall from the one Mea Ann slept in. How did she get here? She looked around, but her eyes wouldn’t focus. She closed them again. Oh, my head hurts. She lifted her hand and felt the bandage. What in the world has happened to me? Why do I feel so bad?
She paused when she heard a slight snore at the right side of the bed. Her heart began to pound. Was someone in the room? Though it hurt, she turned her head toward the noise and forced her eyes to open. It took a minute for them to adjust to the dimness, but when they did, she relaxed. She was safe.
Ty was sprawled in the rocking chair beside her bed. His hat was on the table beside her, and his dark hair had fallen across his forehead. His shirt was untucked, and he had removed his boots. They sat beside the chair.
Though Xenia had no idea why Ty was in her room, she liked having him with her. Maybe it was because she felt at peace with him here. She started to smile, but it hurt, and she groaned.
Ty straightened and leaned toward the bed. There was a look of fright in his eyes. “Did you say something, Xenia?” he asked in a whisper.
She tried to speak, but it hurt to move her mouth.
He leaned closer to her. “Are you waking up?”
She wanted to ask him what was going on, but she couldn’t get any words to come out of her mouth. She nodded. Even that hurt.
He patted her shoulder. “Don’t try to talk, sweetheart. We’ll discuss everything later. Just relax and rest.”
She didn’t understand why she needed to rest, but she wasn’t going to argue with him. It felt good to lie here and not be afraid any longer. Again she tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. She tried once more, but it was too hard. She couldn’t do it. Why? She knew she should give it one more try, but she began to feel drowsy. No, I don’t want to go to sleep. I want to ask Ty some questions. Why can’t I talk?
Ty now stood and leaned over her. He was talking, but his words weren’t clear. She tried to concentrate on him, but she felt herself slipping away. Please, don’t let me go to sleep, Ty. I can’t keep myself awake. You have to help me…
****
“Xenia, come on. Open your eyes again. I know you wanted to say something, but I couldn’t understand you.” Ty touched her shoulder. He wanted to touch her face, but it looked too swollen, and he knew it had to be sore. He didn’t want to cause her any more pain. “Come on, sweet lady. You can do it.”
The door to the bedroom opened and Chapa stepped inside. “I thought I heard talking in here.”
“I was trying to get Xenia to wake back up.”
Chapa walked over to the bed. “Has she been awake?”
“She tried to tell me something, but nothing came out of her mouth.”
Chapa looked him over. “What are you doing in here with your shirt out and barefoot?”
“I couldn’t sleep and came to sit with her in case she woke up.” He raised an eyebrow. “How about you? It’s not time to get up to start breakfast.”
“I woke up and thought I’d check on her.” She sat in the rocking chair he’d vacated. “Why don’t you go on to bed and get a couple more hours sleep? I’ll stay with her.”
“But what if—”
“Don’t worry. If she starts talking, I’ll call for you.”
“Why don’t you go back to bed and let me stay here, Aunt Chapa?”
“I wouldn’t be able to sleep. Besides, it’s not proper for you to be in an unmarried lady’s bedroom. You know that.”
“To hell with being proper, Aunt Chapa. I’m responsible for what happened to her, and I want to find out why Bullins did this. I’m hoping when she wakes up she can tell me something that will help me find out.”
“I know you want to solve this, Ty, and you should. But you shouldn’t feel guilty, because there’s no way you were responsible. If that man was determined to hurt her, he would’ve done it one way or the other.”
“Not only did I leave her where he could get his hands on her, I should have seen this coming.”
“What makes you say that?”
“When we were under attack at the way station, she and Mea Ann were much more help than he was and they had never been around anything like the raid there.”
“You mean they didn’t panic?”
“Not at all. Xenia insisted on learning how to load the guns so she could be of use, and Mea Ann was determined to keep all harm away from Johnny.”
“And that Bullins man didn’t help?”
“He did send a few shots out a window, but he complained all the time. That should have shown me his character. Then, when he was so rude to the sisters about the baby and I made him ride on top of the stage, I should have realized he’d try to get back at them.” He shook his head. “I only wonder why he didn’t try to get me instead of Xenia. I was the one who ordered him around.”
“Must be because he knew he’d never be able to subdue you. He probably figured Xenia and Mea Ann would be easy prey.”
Ty had to smile. “If you could see the disarray in her hotel room, you’d know she wasn’t as easy to capture as he thought she would be.”
“What do you mean?”
“You could tell she put up a good fight.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. I can tell that little woman has the fire in her.” She gave his arm a gentle punch. “I bet she’ll even fight with you if you did something she didn’t like.”
“You’re right about that, because she already has.”
“Now, that’s something I want you to tell me about.”
“Not now.” He bent and picked up his boots. “I’m going to get things together to go to town this morning.”
“You just went to town yesterday.”
“This time, I’ll be doing some detective work.”
“I’ll have breakfast ready before you go.”
He nodded and left the room. Though she probably already knew, he didn’t want to tell her he was going to find out who was behind Bullins attacking Xenia. He was still certain the man wouldn’t have done it on his own unless he thought there was a lot of money involved. Sure, the man disliked Xenia, but the peddler had a streak of yellow down his back as wide as Arizona Territory.
****
Ty ate the eggs and bacon Chapa cooked before anyone else got up. He gave her a big hug then went to the barn, saddled his horse, and was about to ride off when he heard someone coming in. He glanced around and saw Kerry hurrying toward him.
“Thought I saw you out here. I need to talk to you.”
“Talk fast. I have to get to town.”
“I think you’ll want to hear this before you go.”
“Oh?” He dropped the reins and glared at the cook.
“Vester and Newt went to the saloon in Deer Meadow last night.”
“That surprises me. I didn’t think Vester cared to be friends with any of the hands since he told me he would be leaving after roundup.”
“He told all of us that, too, but Newt said he saw him sitting in the saloon drinking a beer at a table by himself and you know how friendly Newt is. He joined him. Of course, Vester
growled at him and told him he saw enough of him on the ranch. Newt paid no attention to his grumpiness and sat down, anyway. When one of the women came over to talk to Newt, Vester didn’t complain anymore. Seems none of them had bothered to be nice to him until Newt came in. I guess they like Newt.”
“I can understand that. Everybody likes Newt.”
“True, and he certainly had a strange tale to tell when he got back.”
“What kind of tale?”
“He said they overheard one of the businessmen from town telling another one that he’d put in a bid for one of Seymour Longstreet’s nieces.”
Ty frowned, but he didn’t want to let Kerry know he’d heard about Longstreet’s scheme to trick his nieces into working in his saloon. “That makes no sense.”
“I’m telling you the truth, Boss. They kept listening, and Newt swore, and Vester begrudgingly backed him up, that from what they heard the men saying, Longstreet is offering a choice of his two beautiful virginal nieces to the highest bidder. The next highest bidder gets the niece the first man doesn’t choose.”
“What the hell? Are you sure Newt and Vester weren’t drunk?”
“They may have been a little soused, but as you know, Newt is a full blood Apache and Vester is half some tribe or other. The businessmen didn’t try to keep their voices down because they didn’t think these men were smart enough to understand what they were discussing.”
“That’s probably the truth. Too many people still believe those of us with any Indian blood are idiots.”
“It was when they heard one of the men say the Miss Poindexter he saw in town yesterday was a beauty, and he figured her sister was pretty, too, that they listened closer. They both knew the women you and Mr. Wilt brought here carried the name Poindexter, and they decided you better know what they heard. Especially after the one lady was hurt in town yesterday.”
“How did the men know the ladies here were named Poindexter?”
Kerry smiled. “Boss, don’t you realize you can’t keep secrets around here? The men in the bunkhouse usually know what’s going on before you in the big house know. It’s not a bad thing, and sometimes it’s helpful to know what they’re thinking and saying.”
Xenia’s Renegade Page 12
