Touching the Sky

by Tracie Peterson

“You aren’t going to get away with this,” Laura told Malcolm as he made his way to where she stood between her captors.

  “I already have. If your thievery had done any good, we would have already had to deal with the army. I don’t believe your people were able to make heads or tails out of my notes, and therefore our plan is secure.”

  “You go on thinking that then,” Laura said, “but leave Carissa and me here. Like you said, it’s nearly ten miles to town. It will take us all night to walk it.”

  Malcolm laughed. “You’re both going with us. You’re our guarantee.”

  “What do you mean?” Laura asked.

  “Well, should anyone get sight of us and decide to cause trouble, we’ll have you and Carissa to make them think twice.”

  “So you’re going to hide behind a couple of women, is that it?” She shook her head. “Somehow that seems fitting for you.”

  He raised his hand to slap her again, then halted. “Put her in the first wagon. Put her up front with you,” he told one of the men. “Then put a barrel of black powder at her feet.”

  “I’ll keep Carissa with me,” he said, smiling. “After all, she is my beloved wife.”

  Carissa surprised Laura by spitting in Malcolm’s face. Laura would have applauded the effort, but Malcolm backhanded Carissa with such force it knocked her to the ground. Malcolm kicked her hard in the legs.

  “Guess you’ll never learn, will you?”

  “Stop it!” Laura screamed. “You brute! She cannot bear your cruelty.”

  “Then she oughtn’t to have spit on me.” Malcolm wiped his face, then reached down and yanked Carissa back on her feet. “It’s probably best you die in this fracas, otherwise you wouldn’t have lived long anyway.”

  A shot rang out and one of Malcolm’s men cried out in pain. Before anyone could react, Brandon Reid called out.

  “You’re surrounded, Lowe. You’ve got nowhere to run.”

  Malcolm pulled Carissa in front of him and drew his Colt revolver. “If I were you, I’d back off, Reid. I have the women, and I’m not afraid to use them. If any more shots are fired, I’ll send us all to kingdom come. These wagons are full to the brim with black powder.”

  Carissa struggled against her husband, and Laura fought to escape the hold of her guard. The man only laughed and hoisted her over his shoulder.

  “You need to let the women go,” Brandon countered. “The army knows all about your plans. There’s an entire regiment dedicated to nothing but capturing you and your men. We have the road secured all the way back to town, so there’s no way for you to escape. It’ll go a whole lot easier on you if you just give up now.”

  “Ha!” Malcolm snorted, climbing into the wagon and dragging Carissa with him. “No Yankee ever went easy on a Reb. You know that better than anyone. I’m not listenin’ to anything you have to say, Reid. My men and I are taking this powder and leaving. You try to stop us, and the women die. I’m no fool. I have men waiting for us in town. If we fail to show, they’ll come to our assistance, so it’s best you call off your Yankee army and admit defeat.”

  Laura cried out when her captor threw her roughly atop the kegs just behind the wagon seat. “You sit there and hold on to my shoulders—that way you’ll be a shield to my back. You let go, and I’ll put a bullet in you myself,” he sneered. “Not in a place that will kill you, but it’ll sure make you wish you were dead.”

  Knowing she had to buy some time, Laura did as she was told. It was difficult at best to find a comfortable way to sit on the kegs. She felt as if her breathing would be cut off by the angle of her body and the tightness of her corset. Nevertheless, she maneuvered herself into a somewhat workable position and took hold of the man.

  Brandon had said nothing for several minutes, and Laura wasn’t at all sure what was going on. She tried to pray—tried to focus on what she might do to escape, but nothing was coming to mind for either effort.

  Finally, just when she’d begun to worry Brandon and the men had gone, he spoke. “Look, Lowe, you can’t hope to get away. If you hurt the women, you’re dead men. It’s that simple.”

  “The way I see it,” Lowe said, drawing Carissa across his lap, “I’m the one with the most firepower. Not only that, but I got something you want.”

  It was a standoff. Laura bit her lip to keep from crying out or saying anything that might distract Brandon or the other men. If she could just remain completely still, perhaps even the driver would forget her presence.

  God, help us, please. It was the only prayer she could pray.

  After another few minutes, Malcolm spoke again. “I’m losin’ my patience, Reid. I want you and your men to leave right this minute. I want you headin’ all the way back to town. If I so much as see a shadow movin’, I’ll shoot one or both of these women. And just so you know I’m serious, I’ll start with Laura.”

  “Fine. We’ll go.”

  Laura felt as though Brandon’s words had knocked the wind from her. Go? How could they just go?

  “Move out now and ride hard,” Malcolm demanded. “Move out and don’t even think of trying to ambush us. I know this area better than you could ever hope to. When we come down that road, it’d better be deserted.”

  Malcolm addressed his men then. “Once they’ve been gone ten minutes, we’ll move out.”

  For what seemed an eternity, Laura and the others held their position. Laura felt the damp chill cut into her body. Her knees ached from the way she’d pinned them beneath her, and her back felt afire. She longed to know that her sister was all right, but there was no hope of that just now.

  When what seemed like far more than ten minutes had passed, one of the men called out to Malcolm. “We gonna get out of here, boss?”

  “Indeed. Dismount and take the women. Make your way to the boats.”

  Laura pulled away from the driver as he turned to take her in hand once again. She fought him, but he was much too strong and in a matter of seconds had her off the wagon and back over his shoulder.

  Fear gripped her like a wild animal. She felt a sense of frantic confusion. Brandon would expect them to head down the road; any ambush or countermeasure would be planned for that very thing. He wouldn’t know about the boats. She hadn’t even known about them.

  Her captor came alongside Malcolm, who was foisting Carissa off to a man on his right. “Bind them both good and tight and throw each one of them into a different boat. We’ll split up and get out of here. Head to that cove I told you about. We’ll meet up there and decide what’s to be done.”

  “You want to just leave this stuff here?” one of the men questioned Malcolm.

  “We don’t have a choice. They’ll be setting an ambush up for us on the road. Leastwise if Reid is even half as smart as I think he is, that’s what I’d do.”

  “You can’t hope to get away from here,” Laura said. “If they were able to follow you here, they know all of your hiding places. Brandon is no fool.”

  Malcolm turned on her and yanked her head up and back so hard that Laura saw stars. Her back was bent painfully back toward her captor’s head and all the while Malcolm seemed to twist his fingers deeper into her hair.

  “Sister, dear, I will take special delight in closing that mouth of yours once and for all. You may think you know exactly how this is going to play out, but you don’t. See, I’m a man who learned early on in the war to never count on anything going as planned. I was more than prepared for Reid’s little stunt here tonight. Believe me, I’m far from worried about how this is going to play out.”

  “You should be worried,” Laura said despite the pain. “Brandon will stop you. I know because I’ve been helping him these last few months. I know things about you and your plans, and Brandon knows even more. You haven’t fooled anyone. They know all about your hiding places. They know about your contacts. They’ll soon have all of you in jail.”

  “If they do,” Malcolm replied without emotion, “it’ll come at the cost of your life.”

  Bra
ndon waited in the darkness with Tyler and two other soldiers. They’d sent the others ahead a ways to hide additional teams of four all along the road to town. He knew they would have to let Lowe make the next move, but it was hard to wait. The man was an animal, and he would kill Laura and her sister with very little provocation.

  “It’s been nearly fifteen minutes,” Tyler said, using a match to check his watch. There wasn’t so much as another sound except for the distant wash of waves upon the shoreline.

  Brandon had a bad feeling about all of this. When twenty minutes passed, he felt they’d been had. Getting on his feet, he decided to leave his horse and make it on foot back to the shack.

  “If we go by way of the beach,” he told Tyler, “we can sneak in from behind.”

  “I’m with you.”

  Brandon turned to the two soldiers. “Go find the others and make your way back on the double-quick. Stay in the shadows and keep hidden. Don’t let them know you’ve returned. They have to be there—there’s no other way in or out.”

  “Except for the water, sir,” the younger of the two soldiers interjected.

  Dread washed over him. The idea of Lowe and his men leaving by sea had never entered Brandon’s mind. What a fool he’d been!

  He didn’t wait any longer but headed for the beach at a dead run. If the man was right, Malcolm had already had twenty minutes to make his escape.

  27

  This time not only were Laura’s hands bound, but her ankles and knees, as well. Her captor—the same man who’d carried her from the wagon—now dumped her without care into a small boat. Laura fell hard and barely kept her head from smashing against the wood. She muffled a cry of pain and hurried to scoot away from the man. It was next to impossible, however. She really could do very little but wriggle, and that wasn’t getting her anywhere very fast. The man only laughed at her efforts, further aggravating Laura. She supposed the same was being done to her sister, but because of the darkness she couldn’t tell.

  “You must be a grief to your mother,” Laura told the man as he yanked her into place.

  “My mother is dead,” he replied in a growl. “Now shut up.”

  Two men climbed into the boat with her, while another two pushed the small launch into the water. The two men near her took up oars while the man who had tied her climbed in just as the boat slipped into deeper water. Laura wanted to call out to Carissa but feared what might happen if she did. Malcolm was in no mood for discussion, and he might hurt Carissa if she tried to answer Laura’s inquiries.

  Praying came hard. Usually in times of need, Laura had found talking to God to be the easiest thing in the world, but just now her tongue seemed tied. They were being taken away from Corpus Christi. Brandon would surely follow, but would he come in time?

  I don’t know why this is happening, God. Don’t you see? Don’t you care? We need your help. Laura closed her eyes and tried to still her spirit. Her questions wouldn’t resolve anything. Lord, I don’t understand, but I’m trying hard to trust you. Please give me courage.

  “Halt!”

  Laura heard the voice and knew it was Brandon calling from the shore. She couldn’t see him, but his presence made her smile. Malcolm seemed less delighted.

  “I thought I told you I’d shoot these women if you didn’t leave,” Malcolm yelled back.

  “I made the mistake of thinking you were a gentleman,” Brandon replied. “Instead, I find I’m dealing with a coward who hides behind the skirts of women.”

  “I’ll hide wherever it serves my purpose.” Malcolm laughed. “And you know full well I’m no coward.”

  “Then return the women. We’ll let you be on your way if you’ll set Laura and her sister free.”

  “You hold no power now, Mr. Reid. On land you may have had half the army at your command. But here on the water, I feel quite comfortable. Farewell.”

  Laura heard him order the men to double their efforts and pick up the pace of rowing. She felt a moment of despair and tried to loosen the ropes on her wrists. Her skin burned painfully as she fought the binding. It was no use. She wasn’t strong enough to budge the hemp.

  She stopped as she caught the sound of Carissa crying. It pained her so much to know her sister was suffering at the hands of that madman. She wanted to scream at him to leave Carissa alone but knew it would do no good.

  Dear Lord, please intercede on our behalf. We have no hope but that which is in you. She prayed this over and over, taking comfort in the words. Our hope is in God, she reminded herself. God never fails.

  A sound caught her attention. The disturbance obviously drew the attention of the men, as well. “What’s that?” one of them called out.

  “Sounds like a steamer,” someone answered.

  Laura strained her eyes to see in the moonlit waters. Around the bend she saw a dark form rise like a beast from the waters. Lights along the rails could soon be seen. The small ship advanced much faster than the men could row, and to Laura’s surprise was upon them before they knew it.

  Malcolm was cursing a stream of obscenities when the ship’s captain called down. “This is Captain Clairmont of the United States Navy. You will return to shore immediately or be fired upon.”

  “We have hostages,” Malcolm returned. “Two women. We won’t be forced to shore, and if you try, I’ll throw them overboard one at a time. Starting with this one.”

  Laura could make out her sister’s form in the boat some ten feet away. Malcolm lifted her in his arms. “What’s it to be?” he called out.

  “You have no hope of escape, Mr. Lowe. We will block your way for as long as needed.”

  Fear for Carissa overtook any fear Laura might have felt for herself. Carissa couldn’t swim—even if her hands and feet had been unbound. Not only that, but the water would be terribly cold—nothing like the tepid warmth of summer.

  “Looks like you’re gonna go swimmin’,” one of the men said, taking a firm hold on Laura’s arm. He laughed and pressed his face to her neck. “Pity too, you smell so sweet and all.”

  Laura jerked away, but he held her fast and laughed again. “You ain’t gonna go nowhere until I say so.”

  “This is your final warning,” the captain called again. “Return to shore and surrender to the troops there.”

  By now, Laura could see some lantern light coming from the shore. They were probably no more than ten yards away and the forms of men were taking shape.

  Malcolm seemed uncertain what to do. Laura could hear his men questioning him, asking for directions . . . but he remained silent. Without warning, he stood in the boat. “You want the women—you can have them.”

  Then she heard a splash and Laura screamed as her sister sank in the black water. A shot was fired and then another. Laura’s captor took hold of her and threw her overboard without warning. The first shock of cold water took her breath, and then the heavy hold of the sea began to drag her downward. Laura fought with all of her might to reach the surface. By doing a strange little waving kick of her legs, she was able to come to the surface momentarily, but then the water again dragged her downward.

  She heard the shots being fired and knew the men were battling for their lives. No one would have time or the ability to rescue her and Carissa. Reasoning left her and despair permeated her soul. She was to die. Die in the black waters of the Gulf—never to be seen again. Once more she fought to wriggle her way to the surface and barely broke the water for a breath. Her efforts were futile, however. She couldn’t fight the pull of the water.

  The last bits of air escaped her lungs, and Laura fought to hold her breath. She felt the black cold hand of death tighten its grip around her. She thought of her family and of Brandon. If she were to die, it would be with his image fixed in her memory.

  Something pulled at her hair. She felt the persistent tugging even as she drew in a mouthful of water. Someone had come to rescue her—but it was too late.

  Laura opened her eyes briefly, certain she’d be staring into the face o
f God, but instead she found herself facedown on the shore—the taste of sand in her mouth. Someone was pressing hard against her back and she was coughing and sputtering as if she’d never get the water out of her lungs. She began to shiver, shaking so hard that her teeth chattered between the coughing spells.

  Without any gentleness, she was rolled to her back and lifted into strong arms. “Laura! Laura, don’t you die on me,” Brandon was demanding.

  She smiled and closed her eyes. “Wouldn’t think of it,” she murmured.

  When next she opened her eyes, Laura found herself in her own bed. She frowned for a moment and wondered at the horrible images of guns, black powder, and water. So much water. Had it been a dream?

  She rose slightly, surprised that two lamps burned full on the bedside tables. A man knelt beside the fireplace and stoked the fire with a poker. Rubbing her eyes, Laura shook her head. What had happened? The events of the night came back in a rush. Malcolm had taken her and Carissa hostage. She tensed as the man rose from the hearth and turned.

  “You’re finally awake,” Brandon said, the relief in his tone evident.

  Laura looked at him in confusion. “What happened?”

  “You very nearly drowned.” His expression still held a look of worry. “How do you feel?”

  She fell back against the pillow. “Weak. Tired—more tired than I’ve ever felt before.”

  “Nearly dying will do that, I’ve heard.” He sat on the chair beside her bed and took hold of her hand. “The doctor believes you’ll make a full recovery, although there is some concern of pneumonia.”

  Laura closed her eyes, unable to resist the pull of her weariness. Then an image of Carissa came to mind. She tried to sit up, but Brandon put his hands on her shoulders.

  “Just rest,” he commanded.

  “But my sister . . . Carissa,” Laura demanded. “Where . . . what happened to her?”

  Brandon pushed her back against the pillows. “She is fine. Tyler got to her in time. Your mother is passing back and forth between your two rooms. I had to fight quite fiercely to be allowed to remain here with you. However, I finally convinced your father.”