by Caryl McAdoo
“Yes, we could be at that diner I’ve told you about in Mount Pleasant day after tomorrow. Then if we take the trace through the Cuthand bottoms, we could be there by noon Thursday. Auntie never eats before two on a holiday.”
“Sounds like you got it all worked out.”
“Maybe, but it’ll be hard doing almost thirty mile a day.”
Wallace laughed. “When we were chasing Buffalo Hump and his band of merry men, I remember plenty of days we made better than forty.”
“True, but we didn’t have a baby gal, two ladies, and a little wild man in tow.”
“I say we go for it. I’m past ready to meet Rebecca.”
Levi glanced around. “Really? I figured you’d already made a choice.”
Wallace made his I’m-all-balled-up face. “We’ve talked about her some. Confused, partner. Laura knows why I came with you in the first place.” He spit. “I can’t see breaking the girl’s heart, but I don’t want mine broken, either.”
The captain laughed. “The real Bitty Beck may not be the Rebecca you’ve been sparking in your dreams all these years.”
“I’ve put some considerating on that. She probably won’t even look at me twice, but I owe it myself to keep my powder dry. Once we’re there, who knows? Laura may not want anything to do with me, either.”
Levi waved him off. “Whatever.” He stepped back and looked up at the sun, still overhead but a degree or two toward the western horizon. “We best get after it.”
Wallace headed toward the wagon. He hated riding the hard bench, but he enjoyed the time with Laura. She made him think more highly of himself.
That gave him more optimism regarding Princess Rebecca up there on that sky high pedestal. Maybe if he and the royalty did hit it off, Rebecca might let him adopt the girl and her baby.
That image brought a smile. Well, maybe just Lacey. After all, she had been named after him. That night while he stood, or rather sat his watch, he decided he needed to tell Laura about his mother. He hated it that he’d lied to the girl, but that was before, back when he didn’t deem the truth all that important; except with Levi, of course.
On the road the next day, he tried a couple of times to open the conversation, but he’d take a breath, and she’d start another story or ask another question or excuse herself to see to the baby.
Finally, with the sun getting low in the west, he blurted it out. “I lied to you.”
“Lied? You skunk. What’d ya go fibbing about?”
“My mother.”
She scooted sideways and stared at him. “What were it? Now tell us true, I can take it. Cain’t ‘magine what you had to lie about, though.”
“Well, she didn’t own a ladies’ dress shop back east like I said. She was a sporting lady in New Orleans.”
“A what?”
He looked over hard; her expression said she really didn’t know. “A harlot. A whore. A prostitute.”
“Oh.” She ducked her head. “Sorry, Wallace. I can understand that might be a thing that a body wouldn’t go spreading around.”
“When she got pregnant with me, she was older than most of the other ladies in her house on Bourbon Street. Said she kept a few coins to pay the butcher when she found herself in that condition. But decided instead that she’d had enough of the life and used the money to buy herself a ticket west.”
“She still kicking it around?”
Wallace had to smile. Why didn’t she just ask straight out? “No, she died the winter of ’35.”
“Why, you’s just a little ol’ whippersnapper back then, weren’t ya?
He started to remind her that she was only fifteen now, the same age, but a smattering of cabins came into view. “Hey, what do you know? Looks like we made Mount Pleasant just like the captain figured.”
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Levi crossed the little spring-fed creek then led them up the hill toward Titus’ Trading Post. Several new sawed-board buildings along the double-wide trace road sported signs offering to liberate the grangers or teamsters from their hard earned coins.
Tinker, tailor, watchmaker, and many more advertised their services if you had the money.
A barber’s red and white pole caught his eye, but as much as he would like a hot bath and shave, he wanted more to get a room and stick his feet under a table in that little diner he loved so much.
Folks hurried about, but still nothing that compared to the foot traffic in the capital or even Nacogdoches. For sure, the little town was growing, just like Texas. If the idiots in Austin and Washington could work things out, and it became a bona fide state, it should really boom.
He rode to the barn behind the trading post and dismounted. Fished out a five-dollar gold piece and handed it to Rose. “Down the street just a way, there’s a boarding house. Get us two rooms if you would be so kind. Head on back quick as you can. Wallace and I will meet you directly at the diner right across the street there.” He pointed, and she handed over the reins to Wallace’s gelding.
“I can do that. Should we gather some things now?”
“We can do that after supper. Go on ahead before some pilgrim and his swarm of urchins wander in and take all the rooms.”
She laughed. “Yes, sir. Anything else, sir?”
Long as she was asking, he sure could go for a kiss and a hug, but that wouldn’t do, not yet anyways, and for sure not in front of everyone.
For a fleeting second, he lingered on that thought then made himself focus on the here and now. “No, that’ll do. We’ll meet up after we see to the stock.”
Wallace jumped down, took the baby, then helped the girl as she eased off the wagon. Soon enough, the mules and horses were stalled, hayed, and grained.
The tack hung on wall pegs, and the horse blankets draped over top rails to dry. Levi nodded toward the diner. “Get us a table. I want to see if Mr. Titus is around. Figured he’d have showed before now.”
“Want me to go ahead and order?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Anything in particular?”
“Whatever. Nothing in that place is bad.”
Levi stopped at the trading post’s front porch and glanced down the street while Wallace strolled on toward the diner. Rose and Laura hadn’t started back yet. He had a bit of time to see if Titus had any news.
He turned to go inside, then froze at the sight he witnessed through the store’s big front window. He cupped his hand over his mouth and whistled two low notes.
Wallace stopped, spun, and pulled his pistol. Levi drew his own and busted through the front door.
Nick Ward had that Arkansas toothpick of his held to some lady’s throat. Andrew Titus was pulling gold coins from behind his display cabinet and stacking them on the counter.
Levi pointed his pistol at Ward. “Drop the knife, Nick.”
“Hey, what do you know? It’s the boy ranger.” He turned the lady toward him. “You ain’t going to shoot. You’d kill her. Then I’d cut you into little pieces.”
Levi stepped closer. The lady pled with her eyes. Obvious terror kept her from speaking. “Do as I say, Nick, or you’re a dead man.”
Ward extended his left hand, exposing a small revolver, and smiled his wicked grin. “Looks like we got ourselves a Mexican standoff, Baylor.”
“I don’t think so.”
Ward’s mouth opened, but before a word passed his lips, his head jerked skyward. He dropped both knife and gun. The lady skedaddled. Wallace walked around from behind him.
He turned. “Rusk, I should have known.” He took one step then fell face down on the plank floor.
Wallace bent over, pulled his knife out of Ward’s back, then smiled. “Hey, Nick, how you doing?” He toed the dead man and shrugged. “Not too good, I guess.”
The lady looked from Levi to Wallace then Ward. Her hand clutching her neck, she exhaled, filled her lungs, then screamed. Titus ran around the counter and wrapped his arms around the woman.
He faced Levi.
“I was never so glad in my life to see anyone as I was to see you walk in that door.” He looked back. “You must be Wallace Rusk.” He stuck his right hand out, still holding the lady with the other. “Thank you, sir.”
Wallace stepped forward and shook it. “My pleasure.”
Titus held the woman out at arm’s length. “Are you alright, Weezie? Did he cut you?”
She rubbed her neck. “No, but that horrible man scared ten years off my life.” She thanked both Wallace and Levi then hurried out, like being in the same room with the corpse of a cold-blooded killer was more than she could take. “I’ll be back later for my things, Andrew.”
Titus raised both hands, palms to Heaven. “The Lord sure is good. Sending me Levi Baylor and Wallace Rusk just as Nick the Knife was about to…” He closed his eyes. “I don’t even want to think what he might have done, much less speak it.”
Levi smiled, digging into his vest pocket. He pulled out a silver dollar and extended it. “Here, sir. We stalled our mules and horse and threw them some of your hay. If this isn’t enough, just let me know.”
Titus held his hands up. “No, sir-ree. I’m not taking one red cent from either of you for the rest of my natural born days. I couldn’t pay you enough for what you saved me. Don’t even think about trying to give me any money.”
Levi figured he’d say that but wanted to offer anyway. “Well, seems we have made a mess. Where’s your mop?”
“Don’t you dare. I’m sure once Weezie Nichols gets herself together, there’ll be plenty of folks who want to come and gawk.” He laughed. “I may have to stay open late tonight.”
As the shopkeeper predicted, a few folks slipped in the door and went straight to look at Ward. Levi took Titus aside. “Wallace and I are going across the street to get us a bite of supper. You folks got a marshal?”
“Yes, sir. We sure do.”
Levi fished Ward’s flyer from his duster’s inside pocket and thumbed the bullet holes smooth. “A little target practice. I’d appreciate it if you’d get him to sign off on this for me.” He handed the paper over.
Titus studied the flyer a moment then smiled. “That’s a right nice reward, and you two rangers earned every nickel of it. I’ll be pleased to see to it.”
Levi tipped his hat, proud the man didn’t ask for a cut. He caught Wallace’s eye, even though he was busy telling the story to the small crowd that filled the store.
“You ready?”
He nodded then excused himself. “You didn’t know I was born ready, Captain?”
Just as he neared the entrance, Charley burst through. Levi snatched the boy up. “Where’s your mama?”
“I’m right here.” Rose stood in the door with Laura and Lacey right behind her. “Are you hurt?”
“No, ma’am. We’re fine. You ladies all set to eat?”
Charley wiggled. “No, me want to see the bad man.”
Levi held tight and looked to Rose questioning her with his eyes.
She seemed indecisive. “I don’t know.”
“Please and thank you.” The boy put his hands on Levi’s cheeks and turned his face to him. “Me want to see my night horse man.”
Levi set him down, but kept a hold of his hand and walked back with him. The crowd parted like for Moses or something. He stuck his boot toe under Ward and flipped him over. The cold-bloodiest killer he’d ever known stared at the ceiling, a pained expression frozen on his face.
Charley bent over and tweaked his nose. “You not bad now.”
Levi picked the boy up and headed toward the door. “Ready to eat now?”
Charley nodded then leaned in close. “Me count coup on him.”
“Yes, you did.”
Rose reached for Charley, but he shied away, wiggled down, and ran across the street. She stepped in close to Levi. “Sure seems to me that the Lord certainly had you in the right place at the right time.”
Levi didn’t answer. He didn’t have any answers when it came to God, but if there was indeed an Almighty, why would he allow a killer like Nick Ward to walk His earth in the first place?
Why arrange it so that he walked in when he did? What if… He stopped that runaway thought before going any further. Everything had worked out, like it always did.
Maybe he was blessed, but by who or should he say whom? Aunt Sue would know. Man, how many times had she corrected his grammar over the years? Sure would be good to see her again.
Rose bumped her shoulder against his. That seemed about all the contact either allowed themselves here lately. “What are you smiling about?”
He stepped onto the diner’s front porch. “I was thinking about Aunt Sue, being home.”
“Today’s Tuesday, right?”
He held the door open for her. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Think maybe we could wait to go see Charles on Friday, Lord willing?”
Charley ran to him and grabbed his hand. “Partner, come on. Me got table.”
Levi smiled at the boy, then his mother. “If the creek don’t rise.” And that’s all he answered her with. But to himself he added, sure, Friday would be soon enough. He would definitely visit Nightengale, but without her and the boy.
After his last bite, Wallace leaned over, kissed Lacey’s little head, then winked at Laura. “Captain’s been touting this diner for years, but it can’t hold a candle to your cooking.”
She smiled, looked from him to Sassy then Levi and back. “Stop it now. Why, my cheeks’ll be redder than Miss Rose’s hair iffin you keep at your fibbing.”
He winked again; her smile didn’t match her words. “I’d not lie about such a thing, and I ain’t bragging; it’s just God’s truth.”
Before she could protest more, Levi stood. “He’s right, Laura, you have a special talent. But even the cook should have a night off now and then.”
After more howdies, glad-hands, and pats on the back than Wallace could count, he found himself and Levi alone in the room Rose had secured.
He grabbed the only chair and dragged it to the window then sat and fingered the curtain back. “You remember that hombre Ward rode with? Whatever happened to him?”
Levi sat on the bed and went to pulling his boots off.
Wallace threw his chin at his friend. “Need any help there?”
“No, I can pull off my own boots. Didn’t we shoot him in Laredo?”
“Maybe. You’d let Rose pull your boots off if she was here.”
Levi set the left boot down. “She’s not here.”
“Whatever. I’m thinking that was a different curly wolf in Laredo. Anyway, Ward usually rode with someone. Best be on our toes.”
Levi waved him off. “When aren’t we? I’m past tuckered out; go ahead and take the first watch.” He swung his legs onto the bed and laid his head on the only pillow. “Thanks, partner.”
Wallace didn’t respond. He gazed out the window. For the first time in his life, he regretted having to kill another human being; not that Ward didn’t get his just desserts.
If he’s killed a hundred times over, that wouldn’t equal his cold-blooded meanness. He thought back to when he’d counted the man a friend.
Like he and Levi, Nick Ward had been in that first Texas Ranger troupe. It bothered him that the man was probably burning now. If he’d taken him alive, could he have led him to the Lord?
“Think ol’ Nick’s in hell?”
Levi opened one eye. “If there is such a place, I hope so.”
The captain appeared to be asleep then raised up. “Partner, you didn’t have a choice. If you hadn’t thrown your knife when you did, I would have taken a shot. And who knows?
“That lady might have gotten hurt or worse, even if I missed her and hit only Ward. He probably would have slit her throat on the way down. You know, like a frog kicking in the frying pan. Not to mention that pea shooter he had pointed at me.”
“You’re right. I know it.”
He lay back down. “Self defense, plain and simple. Ward had a black hear
t. We found that out the hard way. Wasn’t any hope for him.”
“Well, maybe, but I would have liked to talk to him first.”
“When I get there myself, I’ll remember to tell him how bad you felt about killing him.”
Wallace ignored his friend; didn’t want to go there. He’d been praying for Levi every day since he got himself saved. He’d also been asking for the exact right time to talk to his partner about the condition of his soul. How could anyone think they were going to hell and not do something about it?
Levi treated it like it was the same as going to the West Texas badlands or something.
He leaned back and went to watching out the window. He and Levi hated surprises. A man didn’t last long in Texas unless he kept his guard up.
As he moved his eyes slowly over the street below, he wondered when Titus would be in the next morning. Be nice to get Laura something that fit her better.
Maybe a new bonnet, too.
One with flowers on it.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
False dawn came as it did every morning before the sun showed its face. The roosters went to bragging, and a few early birds took to the street hunting that next dollar.
Levi watched for a bit, then stood and reached for the ceiling. The ache in his back barked, but he ignored it. “Hey.” He touched Wallace’s shoulder. “You going to sleep your life away?”
His partner opened his eyes. “Sun up?”
“Not yet.”
Wallace threw the blanket off then swung his feet over and sat on the side of the bed. “Think Titus is open?”
“Maybe, why?”
“I want to get Laura and the baby some things.”
Levi nodded. He’d like to get on the trace, but picking up a few more things would be nice. “Get your boots on. We’re burning daylight.”
He didn’t tiptoe past the ladies’ room, but he soft walked for sure. Hard to shop for someone when they were looking over your shoulder. Halfway to the trading post, the establishment’s front door swung open, and the man himself went to sweeping his porch.
