Dust And Dreams (The Rivers Brothers Book 1)

by Lynn Landes

  “Jeff, I smelled you coming, I even have coffee ready for you.” Solomon grins greeting his friend with a handshake.

  “Your telegram was short, fill me in friend.” Taking a seat on a log, he grabs the coffee and listens intently. They had served together in the army, and he has worked many jobs with him since.

  “I have a tail that I need to shake, he's hostile, but he needs to follow me. I want you to lead him away and buy me the time I need to make it to San Francisco. Did you bring what I asked?” Solomon asks leaning in.

  “Don't I always?” He asks indignantly. Jefferson stands about the same build and height as Solomon. From a distance, they could pass as brothers. He marches off into the trees and comes back with two horses trailing behind him.

  “Thanks, Jeff. I plan on returning as quickly as possible. This is a pure vein. They have no idea what they have here. I'm retiring after this one. You should know I plan on hiring the same crew again. Are you in?” Solomon asks.

  “Of course. I can lead him through town to the docks, then lose him. If I wait till morning to leave that will buy you ten hours or so. The horse is fresh.” They shake hands, and Solomon mounts up and heads out with a smile.

  “I'll see you at the dig in a few weeks. I'll send you a telegram when we're ready to get started.” With that, he is gone.

  The next morning Faith is feeding her newborn daughter and rubbing her tiny hand. She presses a kiss to her palm and whispers, “What now little one?” She'd managed to save some of her pay, but Eustace and Aiden had stopped all payments from coming in months ago. Her savings coupled with what Solomon left for her, totals about one hundred and three dollars.

  A knock sounds at the door and Willow pokes her head in. “Good Morning, I brought breakfast. How are you feeling?” She clicks her tongue when she looks around the two-room shack Faith calls home.

  Hurrying outside, she returns with her arms full of clothes. She lays down the clothes she collected from the church and Faith’s eyes fill with tears. “It’s mostly gowns, blankets, and nappies.”

  “Oh, Willow! Thank you!” she raves as she touches the tiny newborn clothes. “Billy wanted me to wait until he came home to shop…” she rambles, and her voice fades away.

  “You're welcome. Faith I have news, you should sit down and eat. Let me hold the baby.” Gently coddling the child, she watches Faith settle and picks halfheartedly at the food. “Before Solomon left, he came to warn us. The bank has bought Wolfe Ranch from Cassandra. He says we should all consider leaving before Aiden gets back. There's a meeting after Church tonight to discuss it.”

  “I can’t just leave, Willow. I have a job here, and where would I go? What about Billy’s body?” she croaks.

  “There will be no remains sent home, Cassie. They buried him already. He didn't have much with him, Sweetie.” She pauses a moment when Faith drops her head at the news. Faith hopes her friend can't tell it's from relief, not sorrow.

  “I'm sorry to be so blunt, but you must listen!” She leans forward urgently, “Aiden is gone, but he will return. You aren't safe here, and neither is this precious angel of yours.”

  “I don't know what to think, Willow. I'm scared, but…” she starts to say, but Willow interrupts her.

  “If you think losing Billy is hard, nothing will prepare you for the pain of your own child.” She glances down at the baby and tears fill her eyes. “They hurt Jackson bad Faith, and they will do worse to you,” Willow tells her what Eustace and his son did to the Wolfe Family. Then she weeps while she tells them how he forced them to watch as he broke her son's arm.

  Faith is shocked and horrified as her story unfolds. “I will go as soon as I am healthy enough to travel.”

  “No. You will go with us. We're leaving in three days by wagon to San Francisco. From there we are catching a train to stay with my Mother. You should be able to take the train, to the Midwest. I am sure you will be able to find work at another telegraph office.”

  Baby Hope starts to cry, and Faith reaches for her. “I think I will take you up on that offer, Willow. Thank you.”

  “We have to live with some of the choices we've made, maybe if we help you, God will forgive us.”

  Later that evening, Eustace sighs with ecstasy as he remembers the feel of Maria's tight little body. He drinks his special medicine and a warmth washes over his body. Soon, he's weightless, floating above the pain. The medication dulls his senses, nothing hurts, and he is free. Free to think of all the ways he will make Cassie pay.

  They enter the house through the front door and find no resistance. He is alone, as many of his victims were. The women and children went home after church, but the men stayed. They would leave no trace of Eustace for anyone to find. Many in this town carry the scars this man inflicted on their souls and bodies. No one believed in redemption for him. It was time to end this tyranny.

  Fifteen men carrying various weapons, enter the room. “What is the meaning of this?” Eustace slurs out.

  Sheriff Bower steps forward, head held high and announces, “Eustace this here is a lynch mob, plain and simple. You are accused of various atrocities, including murder, intent to murder, rape, abuse and more. Do you have any last words?” he inquires.

  Eustace laughs until tears flow. “You dare to come to me now! Now, that I am wounded, what kind of men are you?”

  The sheriff takes the butt of his rifle and brings it down hard on Eustace’s good arm. The cracking of bone echoes in the room and Eustace screams. “That is for my Jackson!”

  Eustace thrashes in agony and draws his pistol from under the covers and shoots the Sheriff in the throat before anyone can move.

  Someone catches the Sheriff moving him from the room to safety and runs to the doctor. An hour later the mob leaves and everyone circles the house. “Anyone want to speak before we finish this?”

  “May God forgive us for not acting sooner.” A match is tossed, and the house ignites with a whoosh of lantern oil and wood. The mob watches until the house is completely engulfed, no one moves to slow the flames. They look on in sorrow and relief as all their shame turns to ash and cinders.

  Sheriff Bower is buried the next day as his wife and child watch. Willow is a broken woman. Jackson stays by her side and holds on tightly to his mother. Faith watches and wonders what will happen to them now. The crowd disperses, and Faith moves close.

  “Let’s get you home, Willow.” Faith urges rocking the sleeping babe in her arms.

  Willow follows quietly with Jackson, and she joins them as they climb into the wagon and heads to their home. Faith settles the baby on a blanket on the couch and turns to find Willow standing where she left her. The poor woman is pale and in shock. Having just lost her own husband, Faith is not sure how much help she will be.

  “Come on, Willow. You rest, and I will wake you when dinner is ready.” She gently guides Willow to her bedroom and tucks her in. “Try to sleep, now.” She leaves the room and finds Jackson staring at her from the hallway.

  “Jackson? What can I do to help?” she asks softly. The little boy standing before her struggles desperately not to cry.

  “I should have been able to stop him!” he cries out.

  “No, Jackson. Evil like this takes more than one person to stop! Your father loved you, and he wanted to protect you. In time you will come to understand that, until then, take care of each other.” Faith hugs him and cries with him over the loss of his father. When the baby starts to cry, they move into the living room, and she picks her up. Jackson stays close.

  “I need to make some dinner, would you hold her for me while I do that?” she asks him.

  “Really? Yeah, I mean, I’ve never held a baby before.” He says, wiping his hands off on a towel.

  “Me either, until a few days ago.” She waits until he sits in a chair and settles the baby into his arms.

  “Now then, let’s see what your Mama has to eat.” A knock on the door and Faith opens it to find some of the women from the town. They
are somber and all carrying dishes of food. Some have cookies, some have soup, bread, and tea.

  “Thank you, Ladies.” Faith guides them inside, and soon the house is full of the sounds of family and friends.

  Jackson is playing outside with some friends when Willow wakes. She watches him play and makes her decision. She finds Faith nursing baby Hope and sits quietly beside her.

  “Faith I'm leaving this God forsaken town. We are going to stick to the plan, it's time for me to go home. I will take with me only what I need to get home and our savings. If you want to go with us, you are welcome.”

  “I think that is the wise thing to do, Willow. How soon are you leaving?” she asks, lifting the baby to her shoulder she pats her quietly.

  “Tomorrow. Can you be ready to go in the morning?” she asks.

  “I can be. There isn't much I have to have except this little bundle here. I will go back and be back at dawn.” Faith gathers the baby and hugs her friend goodbye. On the way home, she goes to her office and sends a final message to the Western Union office in San Francisco. She tells them she is looking for work and will be in town in a few days.

  Later that evening, Faith is looking around her tiny house after packing the few things she wants to take with her. Looking around she realizes that Billy left her a long time ago, she was just in denial. Each time he left, he was gone longer and longer. He was no husband to her, and she isn't sure he would have been a father to their child. “Thank you, Billy. The one good thing from our marriage was this little treasure. I will take good care of her.”

  Hope wakes, and Faith picks her up, “Everything is going to be okay sweetie, and tomorrow we are going to San Francisco! Not even a week old and you will be going on a train. You are quite the adventurer.”

  Chapter 18

  Cassandra rolls over and reaches for Dalton only to wake up alone in his bed. A single yellow rose rests on his pillow with a note for her. She smells the rose, smiling softly and reads,

  Good Morning, beautiful.

  Thank you for a wonderful night, I look forward too many more evenings in your arms. I had to run to the bank for a meeting with Mr. Wells. I will be back soon with our Train tickets.

  Love, Dalton

  “Meeting with Mr. Wells?” Realization dawns and she leaps from the bed and runs naked to her room.

  No. the visions she had was of him leaving the bank. “Oh, God!” she pulls on her undergarments and travel dress, socks, and boots then runs a brush through her hair. Next, she twists her hair up and secures it in a bun before swiftly moving to the service bell.

  “I need a carriage ready immediately to take me to Wells Bank.” An image of Dalton being shot repeats in her mind. Oblivious to how she appears, she runs for the elevator. She rushes through the lobby and into the courtyard and runs to the waiting carriage.

  “How fast can you get me to Wells Bank,” Cassie demands holding a twenty-dollar bill.

  “Since you put it like that, climb up front. We will be faster if you are up here.” The young man waits until she is seated taking the money and they shoot out of the courtyard and into the street. Cassie holds on for dear life as he maneuvers through Market Street like a pro.

  Solomon rides hard pushing the fresh horse all night. He is ten hours ahead of his tail. Jeff will shake him and meet him at the dig. He rides straight to Wells Bank. Dirty, dusty and determined Solomon skips the lobby and knocks hard on Harry Well’s office door. He doesn’t wait long before he tosses the door open.

  Harry smiles and leans back, ignoring the outraged gasp from Mr. Edwards. “Sir, we are in a private...” he starts to say, but Harry cuts him off.

  “Solomon, I see you made it back in record time.” He rises up to greet his old friend.

  “Harry, we need to talk,” Solomon demands and walks over to the bar to pour himself a whiskey.

  “Gentlemen, I have a pressing matter here that needs my attention, we can finish after lunch. Dalton, you will want to stay for this.” Harry suggests.

  Solomon turns at this and takes a good look at Dalton, while Harry closes the door behind the retreating men.

  “Dalton Rivers, meet Solomon Abbott, Surveyor. I sent Solomon to Wolfe Ranch to survey the mine for us. Did you get the other information I requested,” Harry inquires?

  Solomon shakes his head and tosses a small bag tied with a string to Harry. Inside is pure gold dust. “That vein is pure alright. Though the townsfolk are trying their best to strip it.” Solomon smiles with a glint in his eye. “They are looking in the wrong place. It should be a six-month job. The same crew I had last time, Harry.”

  “What of Cassandra Wolfe’s history?” Dalton asks.

  “You are gonna need to top me off for this, and get one for yourselves,” Solomon says darkly. “My source tells me that the Wolfe family was sharing in the profits of the mine with the town, but what her family didn't know is that it was being stolen from them. Any who opposed met with accidents.”

  “Eustace and Aiden Daniels, banker and son. They own the town.” Solomon stomps to the bar thinking of Willow’s bruised face and the weeping.

  He turns back, furious now. “They are animals who murder for sport, Harry. Her family was executed, one at a time.”

  Dalton sits heavily and listens.

  “It gets worse. This Eustace brings woman and children from local Indian villages or indentured servants from San Francisco to torture for pleasure. They never last long. The sheriff said they were forced to participate, or they would kill his wife and son. It’s a miracle Ms. Wolfe lasted as long as she did.”

  “Cassie told me she blew the mine, if that's true, how's it still a pure vein?” Dalton asks.

  “She did a number on the house, but she only helped us by blowing the mine, it will make it easier to break the ore up for processing. What she did do, was stop Eustace. He's recovering, and the other five didn't make it out alive. Aiden, his son, is about eight hours behind me. He's coming for her.”

  “He won’t ever touch her again.” Dalton snarls. “We need to get all this paperwork finished up, Harry.”

  “I agree, it's time for you to go.” Harry sorts through a pile of papers on his desk.

  Cassie can see the bank, but the crowded streets won’t allow the carriage through.

  “Just stop, I can run the rest of the way.” She is leaping down before he can say anything else. In her mind, she keeps seeing Dalton, falling forward with that empty look in his eyes. Using her shoulder, she forces her way through the crowd and down the street. Arriving at the bank a shadow passes in front of her and she looks up, her heart almost stops.

  Jeb Williams smiles at her through his dirty, broken teeth. “Where you off to in such a hurry, Mrs. Rivers?”

  Cassie spins to move and finds his brother, Boomer blocking her path. “We were just looking for you.” Boomer smiles and grabs her arm. Jeb grabs the other arm, and she starts to struggle.

  “Release me!” she screams, but no one stops to help.

  They quickly drag her into the alleyway beside the bank. “No one cares, Mrs. Rivers. We can do whatever we want to, and no one will try to stop us!” Boomer releases her arm and laughs, while Jeb throws her against the brick wall.

  Cassie sees stars for a second when her head thuds into the brick behind her. Jeb steps in at her, and she brings the flat of her palm upward, striking him in the nose. She's rewarded with a sick crunch of splintered bone and blood erupts down his face. He screams, falling to the ground. Using her surprise advantage, she runs towards the busy street, screaming for help.

  “Get her, Boomer!” Jeb screams, holding his bloody nose and picking himself up off of the dirty brick pavers under him.

  Boomer roars and runs down the alley grabbing Cassie in a few steps by her hair and jerking her from her feet while skidding to a stop.

  “Yeah, fight back. I like it when they fight.” He leans close to her ear and whispers, “The last one fought for hours.” He licks the side of her face, and s
he gags trying to jerk away. “I'm gonna take my time with you, pretty lady.” He grabs her breast and squeezes it roughly. Cassie's scream is interrupted by Jeb's hand slapping her face, leaving a bloody swollen lip.

  “There will be more later, Bitch! No one breaks my nose, you will pay for it!”

  A door opens, and everyone looks up as they hear light conversation and laughter. Dalton exits with Mr. Wells, and they freeze. The gray of Dalton's eyes turn to molten silver as he realizes what he is seeing.

  “What the hell? Cassie!”

  “Dalton?” Cassie whispers in relief and horror.

  Dalton roars and springs like a cat clearing the distance between him and her assailants in a few long strides.

  Harry follows drawing his pistol from under his jacket. He points it at Boomer who is holding Cassie tightly by the hair.

  Boomer quickly jerks her in front of him for a shield. Thinking better of it, he tosses her towards Harry and runs. Harry catches Cassie and puts her behind his body.

  All sound fades as Dalton's animal instinct to protect her calls to his soul. He bull rushes Jeb into the brick wall across the alley, driving the air out of his lungs in a whoosh. As Jeb bends over to catch his breath, Dalton throws an uppercut at him, flattening his nose even further with another jet of bright red blood. Both of Jeb's eyes are blackened and swelling shut. He sits leaning against the wall holding his head in pain as Dalton draws back his boot intending to knock some teeth out.

  Before the blow falls, Boomer hits Dalton across the back of his shoulder with a board he picked up from nearby. Dalton is stunned for a second as he crashes to the hard brick in a rain of wood splinters.

  Jeb staggers to his feet yelling at Boomer, “Hit him again! That fucking bastard…” His words start slurring together as the blood from his nose continues running down his face filling his mouth causing him to cough and spit.