“Is anybody here?” She started walking slowly down the darkened hall toward the side door. “Is anybody here?” she called again. When she passed the small closet her brothers used for storage, someone jumped out and grabbed her. His hand clasped firmly over her mouth while a gun pressed against her side.
“Be quiet now, Eva. I don’t wanna hurt you, but I will if you don’t mind what I say.”
She continued to struggle, her nails digging into his arm where it lay across her chest, his palm smashed flat against her lips. She recognized Timothy’s voice. When she sunk her teeth into his palm, he pressed the gun harder against her ribs.
“Stop it right now, girl, or your family will be planning a burying come morning.”
She stilled, but her fingers remained bedded in his arm.
He leaned close to her ear. “I’m gonna let you go, but you better know I won’t hesitate to put a bullet in you if you make a sound.” He pulled her tighter against his chest with the hand covering her mouth. “Do you promise to be quiet?”
She swallowed hard right before she nodded as much as his hand allowed. Slowly, he loosened his fingers allowing her to take a deep, rasping breath. “You nearly killed me, you damn fool. I couldn’t breathe.”
“Girl, you talk worse than the men at the mine. Didn’t your mama teach you any manners?” He pulled her down the hall and into the dimly lit kitchen.
Eva jerked away and glared at Timothy. “Didn’t yours teach you to keep your hands to yourself? What are you doing here, Timothy? I already told you I’m not interested in seeing you in a social way.”
“Don’t flatter yourself, little girl. I’m not here for you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes. “Then why are you here?”
He reached over and grabbed her upper arm before she could pull away. “Your brother and that good-for-nothing Injun will be here soon.”
A feeling of fear washed over Eva. “What do you want with my brothers? They’ve never done anything to you.”
He let her go and pulled a match from his pocket and lit the kerosene lamp on the table. He pulled her closer, holding the light near his face. “Who do you think messed me up?” A large bruise, along with some swelling surrounded one of his eyes, the bruise distending down his cheek.
Eva snickered. “What’d you do to earn it?”
Timothy pushed her toward the stove. “Make yourself useful and make me something to eat. Eggs will do, and some biscuits if you’ve got any leftovers.”
Eva grabbed a match, lit a second kerosene lantern, and then pulled open the door of the large wood-burning stove. The boys always left it ready for a new fire. It didn’t take her long to get a blaze going. She moved the skillet to the front of the stove, dropped a spoonful of butter into it, and reached to grab the bowl of eggs they kept on the table. “Well, I’m cooking. What did you do to earn that black eye you’re developing?” She cracked three eggs into the warming skillet.
“Let’s just say the Injun didn’t appreciate the way I was questioning his woman.”
Eva gasped. “You did something to Kat? What’d you do? Is she all right?”
“Settle down, missy. I didn’t hurt her none permanent. Gave her a strapping to loosen up her tongue.”
“If you really did strap Kat, you’d better get on your horse and get as far away from here as you can. Win and David will put a rope around your neck if you’ve hurt Kat.” She began to scramble the eggs, and took two of the biscuits they’d left under a towel on a plate and placed them in the warmer at the side of the stove.
“Your brother and that redskin don’t scare me. I’m gonna be waiting right here when they get home.”
“What do you want with them?” Eva flinched when he raised his hand and smoothed the hair across the top of her head.
“Never you mind. It’s between me and that woman of theirs.”
Eva’s hand came up to lightly clasp around her throat as her eyes lowered. “You’re crazy, Timothy, as crazy as your father was.”
“Don’t you say one word about my father. He wasn’t crazy. He knew your ma was from another time, and all he wanted to do was prove it. They wouldn’t let him say one word the night they came for him. He pleaded for them to listen, and they just laughed.”
“You were there when he died?” asked Eva.
Timothy’s jaw tightened as he glared at her. “Yes, I was there. They insisted me and my ma both watch. Said it would be a good lesson for his son. Said maybe I’d turn out better if I could see what happens to men that don’t follow the law.”
Eva laid her hand gently on his arm. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. It wasn’t right for them to make you watch.” She turned and poured the scrambled eggs onto a plate, added the biscuits, and walked over and set it on the table.
Timothy pointed to the empty chair, and Eva sat down. He dropped into a chair and picked up a fork. He shoveled a couple of bites into his mouth and then frowned. “They dragged him out of that shack we called home and tied a rope around his neck. Ma pleaded and begged, but they wouldn’t listen. Threw that rope over a tree in front of his own house and strung him up. The whole thing didn’t take more than a few minutes. He cursed them as long as he could, and then he just choked, his eyes getting wider and wider. Then, he got really still, just swinging slowly back and forth. They didn’t even have the decency to take him down after he was dead. My ma had to get his horse to get high enough to cut the rope around his neck.” He pushed the half-empty plate away and glared at Eva.
She patted his hand awkwardly, fumbling for the right words, feeling sorrow for the scared little boy he must have been. “Timothy, you can’t…”
“Quiet!” Timothy quickly blew out the lights in the kitchen, leaving the soft glow from the lantern on the bar in the other room.
Eva heard the sound of voices and bit back a yelp when Timothy grabbed her arm, yanking her from the chair. He pressed the gun against her side. “Not one word. If you give me away, I’ll shoot one of them first, and then you. I’ll make sure I take one of your brothers down with me. Do you understand?” he whispered.
Eva nodded and glanced fearfully toward the door.
Moving quickly, Timothy turned down the wick on the last lantern and pulled Eva to the kitchen door, keeping them to the side in the shadows. The front door opened, and she could hear Kat’s voice.
“What do you mean, a mistake?” Kat walked into the saloon and glanced around.
Win followed David inside. “If we tell the sheriff what happened, he’ll have a lot of questions we can’t answer.” Win laid his hand on Kat’s shoulder. “I think it’s best if we handle this ourselves and don’t tell him anything.”
“Now that’s the smartest thing I’ve ever heard you say, Injun boy.” Timothy watched as they all turned toward the kitchen door.
“Eva, did he hurt you?” asked Kat.
* * * *
Timothy laughed and glanced down at Eva. Tears were streaming down her face. “Not yet, but if you don’t do what I say, I’m gonna hurt her bad.”
David moved to stand next to Kat. “What do you want, Timothy?”
“That’s Mr. Canders to you, boy.” He used his gun to motion toward the bar. “Both of you put your guns over there and move over to the cellar door.” David and Win glanced at each other and then moved to the bar. Slowly, they laid their Colt 45s on the polished surface. “Good, now move over to the cellar door.” He pushed his gun firmly into Eva’s side, causing her to cry out. “Don’t try anything funny, or she’ll be the first one I’ll kill.”
Kat took a step toward the door. “Nobody is gonna try and do anything. Why don’t you let her come over here with me?”
Timothy laughed. “I don’t think so, Miss Future Girl. You move over there with your lovers.”
Kat’s breath caught as she darted a glance at Win and David.
“Yeah, I saw the three of you on your little picnic. It made me sick. How could you let that Inju
n lay hands on you and turn me down when I asked you to have dinner with me? And why would you wanna be with men that did such unnatural, sick things?”
“They’re better men than you’ll ever be.” Kat moved to stand between David and Win.
“Eva, what are you doing here?” asked David. “How did he get his hands on you?”
Her eyes widened, and she bit her lip. Timothy prodded her with the gun. “Go ahead, answer him.”
She sniffed, swallowing hard with tears pouring down her cheeks. “Mama was really upset when you didn’t get back earlier. Papa Beau tried to tell her you were probably staying out at the cabin, but she was making herself sick, so she asked me if I would come over here and wait for you to get home. I’m supposed to go let them know you’re okay as soon as you get home.” She sobbed loudly, wiping at her face with her sleeve. “He was already in here when I unlocked the door. He jumped me in the back hall.” She glared at Timothy. “He forced me to cook him some eggs, and we’ve just been sitting in the kitchen waiting on you ever since.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, little sister?” David asked. “He didn’t do anything to you?”
“As touching as this family reunion is, we’re wasting time.”
Kat took a step toward Timothy. “Then tell us what you want so you can get the hell out of here.”
He dragged Eva over to the cellar door, his fingers biting into her arm. “You already know what I want, Kat, and I’m gonna put a bullet in Eva if you don’t give it to me.”
“What does he want?” Eva cried out.
Kat groaned. “He wants to know how to call the red glowing circle that brought me and your mom here.”
Eva sniffed. “But it can’t be opened from this side. Mama’s been trying for years, and she says it only goes one way.”
Timothy shook her arm. “Then you’d better hope she’s wrong, little girl. Everybody down the steps, and I caution you, gentlemen. Do not do anything that will get your sister killed.”
Kat took David’s and Win’s hands and moved toward the open door. She glanced down the steps and stopped. “Timothy, we need some light.”
“Get the lamp, but be very careful.”
Kat walked over and picked up the lamp and then slowly walked back to the door. She started down the steps, the others following close behind her.
“Move over to the back wall, away from the stairs, and keep your hands where I can see them.” Kat turned and whispered to her men. “Keep quiet unless I’m talking to you,” Timothy snarled. He glanced around the room. “So, where’s this glowing red circle you told me about?”
“I told you, it only showed up when it was ready to transport me here. I don’t know where it went after it dropped me off.”
Gritting his teeth, Timothy turned the gun toward Kat. “Where was it when you saw it last?”
“It first appeared on the wall behind you. It was about even with the middle, and then it started to grow larger.”
He pulled Eva around to face the wall, keeping the gun pressed against her side. He studied the wall thoroughly, even putting out his hand to caress over the painted surface. “I don’t feel anything strange.” He glanced back at Kat. “What were you doing before it showed up? Maybe you said something that triggered it.”
“I was stumbling around down here in the dark, looking for my friend. She’d disappeared, and I was trying to find her. I don’t remember saying anything other than calling out her name.”
“Then do it.”
Kat frowned. “Do what?”
“Call out her name like you did back then.”
Kat looked up at David and grimaced. She pulled at her collar, rubbing her neck, and cleared her throat. “Anna, where are you?”
Timothy watched the wall and cursed. “There had to be something else you said. Something must have triggered it.”
“I don’t remember saying anything else. It just opened on its own.”
“Think, damn you,” Timothy screamed. “Think hard.” He pulled Eva close and slipped his hand over her shoulder, his fingers settling over her breast.
“Don’t touch me.” Eva tried to pull away, her body trembling.
“Maybe if I entertain your friend here, it’ll help bring your memory back.”
“I don’t think I said anything else. Leave her alone, you pathetic asshole. Don’t you think I’d help you if I could? I don’t wanna see anything bad happened to the people I love.” She took two steps away from the men, glaring at Timothy. “I wish the portal would open and take you away from us,” she screamed.
“Oh my God,” David cried out. “Look!”
Timothy pulled Eva around and gasped. A small red area had appeared in the center of the wall. He looked at the circle with a feeling of awe. That circle represented a way out, a way into another world. He pulled Eva back as the circle grew larger, and stared at Kat. “I knew it was here. You were right, Pa.”
“Timothy, listen to me,” Kat said. “Just because the circle is here doesn’t mean it will take you to the future. It might not even be here for you. Maybe it came back for me or Anna.”
“No!” David grabbed Kat’s hand. “We’re not letting you go.”
“It doesn’t matter who it came here for because I’m the one that’s going.” Timothy pulled Eva closer to the wall. She tried to pull away, but his grip tightened.
“You can’t be sure it’ll take you to the future,” Kat yelled. “What if it only goes back in time? You could end up in the past when only the Indians lived here, or worse, maybe as far back as the dinosaurs. Do you really wanna take that risk?”
Timothy ignored her, moving slowly forward until his gaze riveted on the growing circle.
“Timothy, please let Eva go,” Kat begged. “Nobody will stop you if you wanna go through the portal.”
He shook his head, his hand firmly clamped on Eva’s arm, the gun still pressed against her side. Slowly, he took a step forward.
* * * *
Suddenly, the room felt cold, and the air seemed to be drifting away. Eva felt dizzy and moved forward with Timothy. He tightened his grip on her arm, and she felt Kat’s hand on her shoulder as the darkness closed in around her.
She was falling through a vacuum. Suddenly, Kat’s hand loosened and slipped away at the same time Timothy’s fingers were torn from her arm. She was alone, cold, fearful, falling in a black void. She couldn’t seem to draw a breath. When the lack of oxygen began to claw at her lungs, a small, white light appeared in the distance. She fell, moving closer and closer to the tiny pinpoint of light.
For just a moment, everything stilled, no movement, no light. As her fear escalated, a blinding flash caused her to shut her eyes, and she was thrown violently forward. She could breathe again, although the air smelled dank, and she could feel a thick dust in the air that seemed to coat her mouth. She swallowed, trying to get rid of the unpleasant taste. Trying to get her bearings, she found herself sitting on a dirt floor. Cautiously, she reached out one hand and then squealed when it hit something hard. “Dang it!” She rubbed her finger over the palm of her hand. “Feels like a splinter.”
She listened, trying to hear if she was alone. Feeling the dark closing in, she whispered. “Timothy?” When there was no answer, she struggled to her feet, grabbing hold of some boxes that was stacked next to her. She could feel her heart racing and tried to slow her breathing. “Okay, Eva, calm down. You just need to figure out where you are.” She started moving forward cautiously, inching one foot out in front of her at a time. “So, where are you, Timothy? You got me into this. It’s only fair for you to be here to share the risk.”
When she came to an even larger stack of crates, she ran her hand across the top to see if she could figure out what they were. When something small and furry ran across her hand, she screamed, pushing away from the cart with both hands. “Where the hell am I?”
Chapter 2
2014
Officer Tony Grandy slammed on the brakes of his Dodge Durango,
throwing up gravel and dirt behind him. He wasn’t surprised to see the standard white pickup truck of the park rangers parked outside the crumbling old saloon in Hamilton. He knew Ranger Zachary Carlson would be somewhere near. It was two years ago today that two young women had vanished from the ghost town without a trace. Tony had been on duty when the 911 call had come in from one of the women. Miss Katarina Elizabeth Evans had reported her friend, Anna Lorraine Oakland, missing. The two women had been vacationing together when they stopped at the old town to do some research for a book Miss Evans was writing, according to friends. It had taken him twenty minutes to reach the scene after the victim disconnected her call, but by then it was too late.
There had been no sign of either woman. The only evidence they’d been there at all was the abandoned Ford Escape registered to Katarina Evans. That was also the first time he’d met Park Ranger Zach Carlson. He’d arrived on the scene just a scant two minutes behind Tony. The two men had searched all the buildings thoroughly, even hiking up the hill to search the old Silver Bell Mine and Belmont Mill. They’d found footprints that could have been a small woman, but no other clues. The women had just vanished without a trace.
The investigation had hit him hard, and Ranger Carlson even harder. He’d only been on the job about a month when he’d responded to the call. The two men had investigated together, off and on over the first year, learning a lot about the two women, but getting no closer to solving their disappearance. All that time spent together had brought the men together, not exactly friends, but closer in some ways. He’d never admit it to anyone, but he felt a strange pull to be closer to the shy ranger.
Tony threw the truck in park and cut the engine. Grabbing his hat, he unfolded his five-foot-eleven-inch frame out of the vehicle and stretched his arms over his head, rotating his neck back and forth. Slamming the door shut, he moved forward. There wasn’t much left of the old mining town. Two buildings were still standing, but he knew the local residents were petitioning to have the area razed. Nobody really considered it historical, mainly just an eyesore and danger to the children they couldn’t keep from exploring the so-called ghost town. The area had an unremarkable history as far as he was concerned. Its greatest claim to fame being the women’s disappearance. For six months after they disappeared, the news crews, psychics, and ghost chasers went over the area with a fine-tooth comb and didn’t find a thing.
Forever Eva [Sequel to When Kat's Away] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 2
