Whispers on the Wind

by Brenda Jernigan

  Carter turned to her, and Mary was thankful that it wasn’t broad daylight. “Possibly,” he finally admitted, then added, “a good lawman always checks out every possibility.”

  “Glad to hear it,” Mary said, and then cursed herself silently for not keeping her mouth shut. Up ahead, she could see the town lights and not too soon, for her. At least the topic of conversation would change.

  As they drove down Main Street, Mary was surprised at how large Windy Bend looked. It wasn’t as big as Denver, but it was a good-sized city compared to most little towns. “What is that?” Mary asked.

  “It’s the Victor, our newest five-story hotel,” Carter told her.

  “It boasts one hundred fifty guest rooms," Judith added.

  Mary gazed at the hotel. “It is hard to believe that you have so many visitors to this small town.”

  “After the gold strike two years ago, the town has been growing, "Judith said.

  As they continued down the street, Mary noticed the lampposts with gaslights on top of each one. They lit up the entire street In the middle of town the Butte Opera House stood, an impressive three- story brick building nestled between all the wooden structures.

  Carter pulled back on the reins. “I’ll help you ladies out, and then I’ll park the buggy down at the livery.” He jumped down and walked over to his men. “You boys enjoy yourselves for a few hours. Just be sure you stay out of trouble.”

  “Yes, boss,” they said with a nod, and rode off down the street.

  “Carter, you go with the ladies, and I’ll park the buggy,” Rick suggested.

  “Fine,” Carter replied as he reached up to help Mary down. She hadn’t taken one step before she was jerked roughly back. Her skirt had caught on something.

  She tugged on her skirt. “I’m afraid I’m stuck.” Carter chuckled. Then he reached around Mary and pulled the material free. “There you go.”

  His closeness heated her face more than any fire could. “Thank you,” Mary murmured.

  Carter offered his arms to both women, “Ladies.” One on each side and holding his arms, they walked into the building past a man taking up money.

  Mary looked around Carter to Judith. “People are paying good money to hear us sing?”

  “Yes, they are, a whole thirty-five cents. The money goes to keep the opera house in good condition,” Judith said. She glanced up at her son. “Did Hank say that he was coming tonight?”

  “Yes, he did. He’s still moving a little slow, but I’m sure he will perk up when he sees you after the performance.”

  “Well, then. "Judith stopped and turned toward a hallway that seemed to lead behind the stage. “We’ll see you after the performance.”

  Carter leaned down and kissed his mother on the cheek. “Good luck. We’ll be in the fifth row.”

  Mary sighed. “Good. I might need rescuing if the audience starts throwing things.”

  Carter and Judith both laughed, and then Carter said, “Not a chance. I’ve heard you sing.”

  Mary watched him walk away. He’d actually given her a compliment, but he hadn’t kissed her on the cheek. She quickened her steps to catch up with Judith. Carter probably hadn’t realized what he was saying.

  Mary followed Judith as she walked down a short hallway to the back of the stage, growing more nervous with every step. She prayed she wasn’t going to embarrass herself when she stepped out on stage.

  She also prayed that no one would jump up and holler, “Murderer!” And at that thought, she realized she was doing a very foolish thing.

  Chapter Eight

  Backstage, Mary stood next to Judith while she chatted with some of the locals who acted as stagehands during performances at the opera house. Judith explained what she and Mary would be doing, and two of the men moved a piano into place.

  The murmur of voices grew on the other side of the curtain as the auditorium filled. Mary thought about peeking out between the curtains to see how many people were out front, but then reconsidered. She was already nervous enough. She just might flee if she saw a bunch of strangers staring at her.

  “How many seats are out there?” Mary asked.

  “A thousand,” Judith said without a second thought. Then she had the stagehands push the piano again, to where Judith thought that they would have better lighting.

  Mary wished she hadn’t asked. She clasped her hands together to keep them from shaking as she glanced around, trying to keep her mind off her jitters. The theater was impressive. It looked like something she imagined one would find in a city like Boston or New York. Mary had read about such places, but never dreamed she’d be performing in such an impressive building.

  There were several men milling about, checking on the curtains. She was watching them when she caught a glimpse of a stranger in a green plaid coat standing in a corner, apparently doing nothing but staring at her. His hair was slicked back with pomade and he was smiling at her.

  A plaid coat ?

  Her heart raced. Quickly, she looked away. What was it about the plaid coat that nagged at her memory? It was true that one usually didn’t see such brightly colored material, but that wasn’t it—it was something that she couldn’t put her finger on.

  She glanced at him again. His hand started toward his face. Her stomach tightened. A box fell with a big crash, drawing her attention away. She jumped and swung around.

  Mary gasped and reached for Judith. “W—who is that man over there?”

  Judith turned in that direction. “Who, dear? I don’t see anyone.”

  Mary looked again, but the man was gone. She sighed. “Perhaps I just imagined him.”

  Judith shrugged, then returned to her conversation. Mary didn’t really listen because she knew she’d seen the stranger and something about him made her feel very sick. What a strange reaction to have, she thought

  Green plaid. She squeezed her eyes shut to help her remember. Where had she seen a coat similar to the one he had on? In the back of her mind, there was a vague memory just out of reach. Again she tried to bring the picture forward, but the image of the coat was replaced with blood.

  Her eyelids popped open and her breathing quickened. She tried to keep her fragile control. My God! It matched the piece of fabric she’d found in the cabin. She’d forgotten all about it. Could that stranger have been in the cabin that night? But who was he?

  When she returned to the ranch she was going to search the pockets of her old dress for the scrap of material. Maybe holding the slip of fabric would help her remember who the man was.

  Judith touched Mary’s arm. “This is Mayor Higgins. He will introduce us, "Judith explained. “Mayor, this is our houseguest, Mary.”

  “Welcome to our town,” Mayor Higgins said with a smile. “Folks are mighty pleased to have you perform for us.”

  Mary returned his smile and some of her tension eased. “They haven’t heard me sing yet, Mayor. They could change their minds.”

  The mayor’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “As long as you don’t sound like you’re calling cows, they’ll love you.”

  “Take your places,” the tall stagehand on the far left called out

  The mayor ducked in front of the curtain to announce the upcoming performance. A flicker of apprehension coursed through Mary as she nervously clenched her hands again.

  Judith moved around the piano and took her seat on the piano bench. “Mary, I want you to stand to my left beside the piano. I want our audience to hear that lovely voice loud and clear.”

  Mary began to tremble. “I like that idea because it will give me something to hold on to,” she said. “I feel like I’m going to faint.”

  “I know you’re nervous, Mary, but once you begin to sing you’ll forget all about it. Just remember the folks from Windy Bend are simple townsfolk, and they will be happy to hear your beautiful voice. This concert is a real treat for them. "Judith sighed. “I’m feeling a little queasy myself, so I must be just as nervous as you are.”

  “Your f
ace is a little flushed.” Mary peered at Judith. “I know I asked you before, but are you sure you’re feeling all right?” And then a thought occurred to Mary. What if Judith was sick and couldn’t perform, leaving Mary to sing by herself? That was a quick and disturbing thought which made her stomach clench tighter.

  Judith gave her a slight smile, one that really didn’t reach her eyes. “I will be fine. I’m just a little tired from getting everything ready. Besides, if something happened to me, I know you’d be glad to entertain our audience.” She had a sly smile on her face.

  Mary laughed, easing the tension for the moment “I wouldn’t count on it” She didn’t think Judith was telling the truth, but the curtain had started to rise and Mary couldn’t say anymore.

  Judith began playing as the curtain slowly rose and they glanced out at the audience. Mary was so glad that she didn’t have to sing the first song because if she wasn’t holding on to the piano, she’d have crumpled to the floor in a heap. Her legs were shaking so badly, they could hardly hold her up. Where was the brave adventuress she used to be?

  Not only did she see a sea of people with all eyes focused on them, there were three stories of seating, and four box seats with hand-painted angel medallions on the front The two balconies were something she’d never seen before. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes as Judith led her into the next song.

  Mary opened her mouth to sing but nothing came out. She stood there, blank, amazed, and very shaken. Her gaze darted to Judith, who smiled and nodded to her. She played the opening phrase again.

  Mary shut her eyes and began to softly hum the melody. Then she grew more confident and began to sing. Her voice came out clear and crisp, showing none of the nervousness she felt As she lost herself in the lyrics, she discovered that she enjoyed singing. Funny, she’d never sung much, but she found it was different from anything she’d ever done before and she was surprisingly good at it

  And, thank God, the audience wasn’t throwing anything at her—yet.

  Carter watched Mary closely. She appeared scared to death, and for a moment he thought she was going to be sick. When she opened her mouth and nothing came out, his heart ached for her. He was certain she was going to dart behind the curtain.

  But she didn’t.

  And for some reason, he felt his chest tighten with pride. The girl had gumption. She stood proud. Mary was breathtakingly beautiful, and it was really hard not to watch every move that she made.

  “I’ve never heard a voice like that,” Rick said from beside Carter. “She could be a professional singer for all we know.”

  “Could be, but I doubt it If she were experienced, she wouldn’t be so nervous. Instinct would kick in. However, I do agree the woman can definitely sing. It is almost like we’re listening to an angel.”

  The audience oohed and aahed through several songs, and finally, after the last song, the audience leapt to their feet for a standing ovation. The clapping continued until Judith agreed to one more song.

  When the final note had been played, Judith held out her hand to Mary, and they both went to center stage to take their bows.

  The clapping and cheering were very loud and seemed to go on forever. Mary couldn’t believe the reception that they were receiving. She wanted to share her happiness with someone. She searched the first few rows for Carter, and there he was. He was smiling at her as if he were very proud.

  Mary smiled with sheer pleasure. She was so happy to have not made a fool of herself. The applause was still thunderous as Mary looked further to the back. There, she glimpsed a man in the very back of the center aisle wearing a green coat.

  “There he is again,” Mary whispered to Judith as they took yet another bow.

  Suddenly, two loud explosions rang out, drowning out the applause. Mary screamed as a burning fire entered her body. She reached out for Judith as she crumpled to the floor.

  Mary looked around in confusion. What was happening? Somebody had shot her. Panic was rising within Mary, but she wasn’t quick enough to catch Judith because Mary was slowly sinking to the floor. Her legs refused to hold her up any longer.

  The audience panicked.

  Mary heard the commotion all around her. She tried to hold on, but she was slipping fast “Somebody help me,” she whimpered as she sank to the floor.

  Chapter Nine

  Carter leapt out of his chair.

  His heart had lodged somewhere in his throat, but his gaze never left the prone forms of Mary and his mother. From where he stood, he could see blood on Mary. My God, had someone just shot them both?

  He had to shake himself out of this stupor he seemed to be in. He hadn’t even looked for the shooter as any good lawman should because he wasn’t able to take his eyes off the people he cared for on the stage.

  Don’t let them die, he prayed silently.

  There was a sea of people between Carter and the stage, and everyone was shouting and pushing as they surged toward the back of the theater. Every one of them was in his way.

  “They’re dead!” someone in the crowd shouted.

  Carter’s panic soared.

  One woman screamed as she was pushed to the floor in the panic to escape. “Calm down,” Carter shouted, “so no one gets hurt.”

  He had to get to the stage. “Rick. You try to find out where the shots came from if you can get through this damn mob. I’m going to make my way toward the stage.”

  “God Almighty, I can’t believe this happened,” Rick yelled, trying to be heard above the crowd. “You don’t think ... ?”

  “I don’t know,” Carter snapped as he shoved his way down the aisle and into the sea of people. “Make way, I’m coming through.” He felt like a fish swimming upstream. “Settle down, folks,” he said as he pushed his way through the crowd. “Everyone will get out safely if you remain calm.”

  It seemed like an eternity passed before Carter finally reached the far end of the stage and climbed up the steps. To his surprise, he found Mary sitting up. Carter breathed a great sigh of relief. Thank God, she was alive. He whispered a silent prayer of thanks as he rushed to her.

  “Someone tried to kill me,” Mary said, a little dazed. “I think it was the man in the green coat.”

  Carter noted the blood on her sleeve. “Are you hit anywhere else?” He looked her over, frantic that he’d let someone else he cared for be hurt. “I’m sorry I let this happen to you.”

  “I don’t think I’ve been hit anywhere else,” Mary said. “Carter, there wasn’t anything you could have done to prevent the shooting. You were not on duty.” Mary looked toward Judith and gasped. “Y- your mother.”

  Fear gripped Carter around the throat as he turned toward his mother. How could he have forgotten her? He leaned over her.

  He’d already lost his father and his sister; God couldn’t take his mother, too. Carter felt for a pulse and prayed that he’d find one as his gaze quickly swept her body. He didn’t see any blood, but he knew two shots had been fired.

  Thank God, her pulse was strong. So why was she on the floor? “I don’t see any wounds,” he said, puzzled. “Maybe she fainted from the noise. But that doesn’t sound like something my mother would do.”

  Mary placed her hand on Judith’s forehead. “My God, she’s burning up with fever. I asked her earlier if she felt bad, but of course she denied that she did. She must be sick.”

  A man dressed in a black suit climbed the steps up to the stage. “Can I be of help, Carter?” he asked as he slipped on his spectacles.

  “Doc Moore. It’s my mother.”

  “Don’t know what this town is coming to,” Doc Moore fussed as he stooped down to examine Judith. “Shooting in the opera house. In all my born days, I’ve never heard of such a thing.” He pulled up Judith’s eyelids and looked into her eyes. He searched over her body with his hands. “No wounds.” Then he felt her forehead. “Yep, that’s it”

  “What Doc?”

  “I suspect your ma has finally gotten herself a fi
rst-class case of influenza. Bit surprised she hasn’t been retching.” Moore straightened. “And this young woman might need a bullet taken out of her arm, or if nothing else, to have it bandaged. Get both of them to my office so I can work on them with the proper equipment”

  Carter helped Mary stand. Just the sight of the bloody sleeve made his jaw tighten. He wanted to find the bastard who would dare shoot a woman. And he railed against himself. How could he have been so careless to let his guard down? For one night, Carter had just wanted to be an ordinary citizen, so he’d left his gun in the buggy. He hadn’t even bothered to scan the crowd as he would usually have done because he’d grown up with these people. Why hadn’t he looked for strangers?

  He noticed that Mary’s face looked pasty and pale. If she fainted on him now, he’d have one hell of a mess. Doc Moore was too old to carry anyone. “Can you walk by yourself?"

  Mary held her arm, which blessedly had gone numb for the moment, tightly against her chest She knew the numbness would disappear later and she’d feel it like the devil, but for now she was all right “I think I can manage.”

  Carter removed a handkerchief from his breast pocket, wrapped it around her arm just above the wound, then tied it tight That should slow the bleeding until Doc can look at it”

  Mary waited for Carter to lift his mother into his arms and then Mary followed him out of the theater. Thankfully, the crowd had cleared inside, but most of them milled around outside, waiting to find out what had happened. Carter didn’t take the time to tell them anything as he hurried past everyone to the doctor’s office, two doors down from the opera house.

  Mary felt dazed and a little confused. Everything had happened so quickly. Had somebody tried to kill her? Why? Could it have been the man in the plaid coat? And the big question was, would he try again? It now became a necessity for her to remember the man before he tried the next time.

  Doc Moore unlocked his office door and held it open so Carter could go through. Carter turned to get his mother through the door, then looked back to make sure Mary was right behind him.