Sweetwater (Birdsong Series) Read online

  Blake stood in the middle of the road looking first one way, then the other. Nothing. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. He ran his hands through his thick hair, nearly frantic with worry. Then he spied a young soldier fairly running down the sidewalk toward the hotel. It was Cassie’s young man, Adam.

  “Adam,” he yelled. “Can I talk to you for a moment, before you go in?”

  “Sure thing, Doc. What can I do for you?” the handsome corporal asked, smiling from ear to ear, obviously eager to be with his girl.

  “You remember Emily? She hasn’t been seen since this morning, before noon. I’m worried about her. Did you see her, by chance?”

  The smile disappeared, replaced by a look of real concern. He shook his head. “You don’t suppose that man from the saloon has her, do you?”

  “I don’t know what to think, but this is unlike her to stay away all day, especially when she knows how worried we’d all be. I have this feeling in my gut, that things are not as they should be. You go on in and see Cassie. She’s waiting for you.” Blake managed to smile. “You do right by her, young man,” he ordered, good-naturedly.

  Giving a small salute, he said, “Yes sir!” and ran inside, leaving a distraught doctor out in the street. Before Blake had everything thought out, his feet were in motion. He hurried to the first building, finding no one there; he rushed to the next—and then the next. From building to building, he ran like a wild man, not asking for permission to enter, just tearing open the doors and stomping in.

  Time was his enemy, and he was coming up empty handed. Occasionally he saw a woman that he thought could be her, but she never was. One husband took exception to Blake putting his hands on his dark headed wife and struck a hard blow to the doc’s abdomen, dropping him to his knees. Not stopping to apologize or explain, Blake staggered to his feet and continued barging in through open and closed doors, alike.

  In the distance Blake could hear feminine voices calling Emily’s name. The girls were searching the other end of town, with Whiskey along for their protection.

  Upon entering the Tumbleweed, Blake could feel the tension in the air. It had always been a seedy and disreputable place, but tonight, it was a cesspool of humanity. His eyes narrowed as he ran his gaze over each and every face in the room. Many men ignored his presence, but a few stared back, daring the young man to do something they didn’t like. The only thing that stopped them from confronting him was the fact they all knew he was the doctor in these parts, and they knew that at any moment, they might be in need of his services. Still, he’d better watch his back.

  The doctor cleared his throat and yelled so that every ear could hear. “Miss Emily Falkenrath is missing from the hotel. I’m not here to cause any trouble. I’m simply trying to find her. I’d appreciate your help if you know anything.”

  He waited for a response. One man got up and left, while several others turned away and got back to their cards. The barkeep grunted and grabbed a towel to wipe the surface of the bar. Blake knew he wasn’t going to find out anything, here. He took a long hard look at the faces in the saloon, committing them to memory. In the future, he would have something to say to each and every one of them. God forbid he should discover their complicity in her disappearance. His hand just might shake while holding a scalpel.

  Just before he turned to leave, an overweight woman, well past her prime, sauntered up to the doc. She looked to be soliciting his affections, when she, instead, whispered a bit of information in his ear. “There’s an old line shack by the railroad yard. It’s abandoned,” she purred as she stroked his groin.

  Blake could barely endure her intimate touch, but he knew she was covering herself. She’d be in danger if anyone guessed she had passed this knowledge onto him. He was grateful to her and smiled, then saying loudly enough for some to hear, “Well, honey, I just might take you up on that later. Keep it warm for me.” Then he gave her a little kiss on her brightly painted cheek and tossed her a dollar before departing.

  Cassie and Adam sat out on the porch swing, smiling and looking dreamily, into one another’s eyes. It was a comfortable silence and they reveled in each other’s company. Adam marveled at how tiny and delicate Cassie’s hands were, while resting in his. Her skin was the color of fresh cream and felt like silk to his touch. He couldn’t get enough of her.

  “Cassie . . . I want you to know that I . . . I . . .”

  “Yes? You what, Adam?”

  “I want to ask you to be my girl. Would you, Cassie? I think you’re the most beautiful and the most wonderful girl I’ve ever met, and I’d be proud to tell everyone that you’re mine. I’d do right by you.”

  Cassie blushed as she looked up at him with her huge, lavender eyes. “I don’t know much about you, Adam,” she said, coyly.

  “I’m from a good family. My father is a banker in Kansas City, and my mother is the daughter of a U.S. Senator. I have one sister and one brother—both older than me. Until I met you, I thought I wanted a life in the army, but now, I’m not so sure. My father has wanted me to follow after him. I could make a good living for us, sweetheart.” He grinned. “For our children, too,” he whispered.

  “I’ve never felt this way before. Suddenly, it’s as if my whole life is going to change and I can’t wait to get started. How old are you, Cassie?”

  “I just turned seventeen. But I’ll be eighteen in a year.”

  “Oh. That’s good, I guess.” Adam was silent for a bit, lost deep in thought. Then, he stood up and turned around. He got down on one knee, in front of the young woman in the swing.

  “Cassie, I know I should ask your father for your hand, but since I’ve never met the man—“

  “And probably never will,” Cassie murmured.

  “Will you do me the honor of being my bride when you reach eighteen? I can wait for you, my darling, after all, we have our entire lives ahead of us.”

  Cassie flew into his arms, and covered his face with kisses.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” he chuckled, as he returned her kisses.

  She was crying with happiness when Patty and Dora came out to get some fresh air. “Land’s sake, child. What’s the matter? Have you heard something about Emily?” Dora implored.

  “No. Adam just asked me to marry him when I turn eighteen. I said yes.” She beamed.

  “Well, doggies. Congratulations are in order. I always did like you, young man. You’ve got character.” Dora was giggling like a young girl. “I can highly recommend marriage.”

  “Thank you, ma’am. I’m honored that Cassie has accepted my proposal.”

  He looked at his pretty fiancé and started to fidget. “I have to get back to the fort, now.” The corporal continued to look as if he didn’t know quite what to do with himself. “I guess I should go. I have to leave now, Cassie.” He waited; shifting from one foot to another, while casting a pleading glance at Patty.

  Patty placed her hand on Dora’s back and said, “The corporal has to get back now, Dora. I think we need to finish up the kitchen dishes, now. Yes?”

  “No, there ain’t no . . . oh yeah. The dishes! They’ve got to be done before we can call it a night. Good night, children.” The two women turned around and went back inside the hotel, taking extra pains to close the door securely, behind them.

  “They sure do make a cute couple, don’t they Patty?” Dora mused. “Now, I only have to worry about you.” She laughed.

  Patty gave the older woman a bump with her hip and giggled, “It won’t do any good, Dora. You and Whiskey are stuck with me . . .forever!” She laughed and stuck out her tongue for emphasis.

  “I don’t have a proper ring to give you, sweetheart, but the next time I get into town, I’ll buy you the best one I can find. I’m not poor, Cassie. I want to spoil you and buy you everything you’ve ever wanted. In the meantime,” he struggled with the ring he wore on his little finger. “This is our family ring. All the men wear one. I’d like to leave it with you. Naturally, it is too large for your dainty fi
nger, but would you agree to wear it around your neck?”

  “It’s lovely, Adam. I’d be proud to wear it. And you don’t have to buy me anything. I have everything I want, in you. Kiss me again. Please.”

  “I’d be happy to oblige, ma’am.”

  The handsome soldier took his woman in his arms and kissed her long and hard, stealing her breath away and making her feel lightheaded. Her knees grew weak as tears rolled down her cheeks from sheer happiness. It was heavenly to be held in his strong arms, knowing he felt as she did.

  “I won’t be gone long, sweetheart. Think of me while I’m away. I hate to leave you,” he whispered, as he nuzzled her soft blonde curls, “even for a little while.” Then regretfully, he released his hold on her, promising to return in six days.

  “Stay safe,” she called to him, as she watched him ride away to the far edge of town, not once looking back. He rode a horse well, sitting tall in the saddle. He was as handsome as any man could possibly be, and he was all hers. She had never been so elated—or so sad—in her entire life. With stars in her eyes, she slowly entered the hotel, telling herself that someday, he wouldn’t have to ride away. They’d be together, always, forever and ever. She was in love, and that made all the waiting bearable.

  * * *

  Emily struggled in vain, against the ropes that tied her securely to the rickety chair. She strained against the filthy rag her stepfather had stuffed into her mouth to silence her voice. Thanks to the blow from his heavy knife handle, her head felt as if it were splitting down the middle, causing great difficulty in focusing her eyes. She tried to think of a way to get free, but it was useless. It took all her strength to avoid getting sick while gagged, and possibly choking to death. Lucas certainly wouldn’t come to her aide.

  “She was a slut, you know. Yer precious ma was no damn good.” Lucas slurred his vicious attacks against Emily’s mother. He’d been drinking for hours. “Yer her blood and you got that dirty part in you. I’m gonna cash in, while I can, ‘fore you get old and ugly like she did. She weren’t worth a plug nickel by the time she died.”

  Emily didn’t want to listen to the hateful man, but she had no choice. She knew that her mother had given up on life even before she took up with Lucas. He was her last hope of a normal life and he had proven to be the worst of the lot.

  When she closed her eyes, she could still hear her mother cry out in the night, after suffering a severe beating from her husband. In a drunken rage, he’d broken her arm and knocked out more than one tooth.

  He also took great pleasure in disciplining the children. Dusty was so frightened of the man, he would stay gone for days at a time, knowing that when he eventually returned home—which he always did—he’d suffer a worse beating. Although Emily was small for her age, being four and five years old, she was his personal slave. He’d yell for her to fetch this, hunt for that, gimme it. When she was too slow to do his bidding, he’d cuff her up along side of her head. Once, he turned her over his knee and spanked her bottom, remarking on what a fine little butt she had.

  “That brat, what killed your ma, weren’t mine. She’d lay with anythin’ in trousers. Damn good thing it killed her. Saved me the trouble from drownin’ ‘em both.” He took a good long swig from the jug resting on his lap. He wiped his wet lips on his dirty sleeve and belched loudly and proudly.

  “You thought you was too good for the likes of me, so you ran off, but I showed you and those old busy bodies you lived with. I hope it taught you a lesson, missy. You ain’t never gonna be able to outthink me, little girl. And if you bring other folks into yer problems, you’ll just get them killed, too. Was it worth it?”

  Emily knew what he said wasn’t true, but it was close enough. She couldn’t stifle the sob that tore from her throat. The tears overflowed her eyes spilling onto her blouse. Sam and Alice had been so kind to her. They weren’t afraid of her stepfather and had paid for it with their lives. Maybe what he said was true. “Dear God,” she prayed, “don’t let Blake get hurt because of me.”

  The drunk started laughing and coughing at the same time. He looked as if he could pass out at any moment. But, he stubbornly went on.

  “I’m finally gonna get what’s mine. You own that fine hotel ever’body talks about. That means that you got plenty o’ money, I reckon. I’m gonna ransom you off for five thousand dollars. Yep, that’s about right, I figure.”

  She shook her head, no. It was ludicrous for him to think she had that kind of money. If she did, she’d rather he shoot her dead than give him one dollar. Her hatred for this man far surpassed any other emotion she had ever felt.

  Lucas stared at the beautiful brunette struggling with her ropes and laughed. “You are mighty luscious, Emily,” he licked his fat, wet lips. “You’re good enough to eat, fer sure. Too bad I need the money, or I’d have me a taste o’ you and compare you to yer ma.”

  How much was she going to have to endure, she wondered? His comments were making her sick to her stomach, while filling her with an uncontrollable rage. If she had her hands on a gun, she would, without a doubt, kill him, just to shut his mouth.

  He took another long drink and sighed with satisfaction. “I ain’t stupid, girlie, no matter what you may think. I reckon you ain’t got the full five thousand, but yer friends will be able to raise it, I’m a thinkin’. And they will, too, cause they love you. Ha! They don’t know the real you, do they, sugar pie?” He scratched his belly and placed the jug on the floor while he stood up. I gotta take a piss. Don’t go nowhere, eh?” He chuckled to himself as he kicked open the rear door and disappeared into the darkness.

  Now was her chance, Emily thought. “Please, oh please,” she prayed and begged as her bloodied fingers tore at the ropes. She managed to tip the chair over, but she landed on her hands, making it even more impossible to loosen the infernal knots. She was still wriggling and struggling when her captor returned.

  With one swift and powerful move, he righted her chair and cuffed her across her already swollen face. “Where the hell do you think yer a goin’, missy?”

  He was standing too close. His dark, cold eyes clouded over as he drooled down one corner of his mouth. Unsteady on his feet, he leaned toward Emily, smelling of her hair. Suddenly, he took his fat tongue and licked up the side of her cheek, making her skin crawl and her stomach hurl. She couldn’t help it. Vomit filled her mouth and forced the nasty rag out, and onto the man’s repugnant face. He hollered in disgust, as he was covered in her filth and bile. Lucas threw a hand over his mouth as he damn near lost the contents of his own stomach, and ran for the door.

  Emily would have laughed had the situation she found herself in, been less dire. She knew that when he returned, she would be severely punished. He was very drunk, but that wouldn’t curb his need to inflict pain on someone smaller and incapable of defending herself.

  “You bitch!” he growled. His eyes were red and wet from his obvious retching outside the shack. His shirt was stained and sour smelling, causing Emily’s eyes to water. He reached down, causing her to flinch in anticipation of the fist she expected to land in her stomach, but that was not his intention. His fingers grabbed the front of her blouse and gave it a quick pull, sending buttons flying in all directions. Groping again, he tore at her chemise, exposing her breasts to his lust filled eyes.

  “Ooh, mighty pretty, missy. You sure look good. I think I’ll have just a taste.”

  The door opened and a very surprised Dusty walked in. “What’s going on, Lucas? What’s she here for, and why is she all tied up?” His face was filled with the revulsion he felt at seeing his beautiful sister tied up and obviously being abused by his crazy stepfather. “What the hell have you done?” he yelled, as he rushed to Emily’s side. He reached around to fumble with the knots. “Let her go, old man!”

  Dusty didn’t hear Lucas come up from behind him until it was too late to defend himself. A beefy fist landed just above his kidney, knocking him to the floor. It was quickly followed by a boot to his s
tomach, repeatedly. The young man had no chance of fighting back. Soon, he was unconscious and incapable of helping his sister.

  “Stop it! You’ll kill him!” Emily screamed.

  “It wouldn’t be no big loss. I ain’t gonna share the loot with him, noways. I’ve been thinkin’ of goin’ it alone fer some time now, and now’s as good a time as any, I guess. Where was I?” He smiled at Emily, imagining all the things he was going to do to her. Of course, he wouldn’t harm her in a way that would detract from her value.

  “You been with a man, daughter?” he demanded to know, as he held her face tightly, between his thumb and forefinger.

  Emily shook her head.

  “I can tell if you’ve spread yer legs. I advise you not to lie to me, girl.”

  “No. I’m still pure.” Emily held out hope that perhaps he wouldn’t defile her in that way, knowing she was an innocent.

  “Pure, hell!” He spit on the floor. “Ain’t no woman pure. You’re all of the devil and no good.” The big man started to weave back and forth from too much alcohol and excitement. “I’ve got to lie down fer a minute, then I’ll get to you, girlie. Don’t try nothin’ foolish.” He practically stumbled to the pallet on which he slept, hidden in one corner of the room.

  Five minutes or so passed, before Emily noticed Dusty moving very slowly and carefully, at her feet. Putting a finger to his lips, he looked back at the old man. Lucas seemed to be resting his eyes, or if they were extremely lucky, he had passed out. Upon his knees, Dusty finished untying the knots, letting the ropes drop silently to the floor.

  Dusty’s eyes asked Emily if she could make it? She nodded, and the two of them, slowly stood up, their eyes never leaving the sleeping man. Quietly, they stepped ever closer to the door, taking extra pains not to make a sound. It seemed to Emily that the beating of her heart was loud enough to wake the dead, and that included Lucas.

  The latch on the door was old and rusty, as were the hinges. It would make noise—but would it be enough to alert Lucas? Dusty released the latch and it clicked in place, the hinges creaked upon opening and, sure enough . . . the monster had been awakened.