A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy) (14 page)

"You look very nice in that suit, by the way."

Darvi looked up at him innocently and asked, "You

don't think I should blacken a few front teeth?"

Dakota put his arms up in surrender.

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'I'm not going to live that one down, am I?"

"Oh, I don't know about that," Darvi said playfully. "If

you happen to see a certain uncle of mine and perhaps

mention to him that I was a perfect angel on this trip, I

might see my way clear to forget what you said."

Dakota laughed again.

"I'll do it"

Darvi smiled up at him. "Thanks for everything,

Dakota. I can't tell you how good it was to see Merry and

then hear of your revival as well."

"I like that," Dakota decided. "My revival. That just

about sums it up."

Darvi didn't want to get teary again, so she said

nothing. Not one who liked waiting for the train whistle to

blow, she said goodbye right then. Dakota gave her a great

hug, one that Darvi gladly returned, and then stood and

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watched her get on board. He searched the windows and

waved when he spotted her, but as soon as she looked

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down at her lap, he turned away. It was going to be wonderful

to get home, but he hated to see Darvi go. He walked

back toward the hotel and livery, his heart a mix of emotions.

Halfway to the hotel, Dakota stopped in midstride. He

didn't know why he hadn't thought of it sooner, but he

could keep in contact with Darvi. The whistle had already

blown, but he knew if he hurried he could get her address.

He arrived back in plenty of time, but she was not at the

window. Thinking she might have moved, he quickly

searched along the cars, surprised not to see her. When the

train began to pull away, he comforted himself with the fact

that he could get her address from Brace. Dakota turned

again toward the hotel but froze before he'd walked five

steps.

Moving along between two men was a woman: strawberry

blonde and wearing a navy suit. Dakota wondered if

he was seeing things even as his feet began to propel him

in that direction. He wasn't overly concerned. After all,

why would anyone take Darvi from the train?

His own teasing about trouble following her now came

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to mind. With no definite plan, he picked up the pace just

as they entered a crowded area of downtown Aurora.

%r%r

Darvi could not believe this was happening. Where the

men had come from she couldn't say; she had looked up

and there they were, one of them already taking the satchel

from her side. Any protest she had died in her throat upon

seeing the knife. The man hadn't pulled it from its sheath,

but he'd made sure she saw it before their eyes met For this

reason, Darvi instantly obeyed his order to accompany

them from the train.

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She now walked between them, much faster than she

would have on her own, the town passing rather swiftly.

She nearly lost her footing at one point. Starting to gasp/

she felt something hard press against her side. That these

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men meant business was more than clear.

Darvi was working to keep her head when they suddenly

turned down an alley. They were at the side and then

the back of a building almost before she could think.

Almost. Deciding that she wasn't going to comply any

longer, Darvi began to pull on the hand holding her upper

arm, just as she opened her mouth to scream. She didn't see

the fist that came down on the top of her head, so when

blackness crowded in she had no idea why.

"3'"'3'"

Dakota had spotted them again and even knew what

alley they turned down, but to his amazement, there was

no one in sight. He couldn't even find three distinctive sets

of footprints in the gravel. Sure that he'd misjudged, he

tried the next alley down but could see that it was too far.

"I know this is where they went," he said under his

breath as he continued to study the buildings. "I just don't

know for sure that it was Darvi."

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Dakota had a look around that brought him to a door in

the back, but it was locked. Not a man given to flights of

fancy, he wondered what to do next. Finding out if Darvi

had actually left on that train was nearly impossible, but

that would have settled his mind. He tried to assess

whether or not he had actually seen anything amiss. The

woman did not look upset or forced, but she certainly had

Darvi's coloring.

Dakota was at a loss. He'd planned to send word to

Brace that he'd gotten Darvi off safely, but right now he

could not even do that. For the time being he found a bench

in front of the general store and sat down to think.

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#-$

"You knocked her out?" Eliot asked in outrage.

"She started to struggle," the taller of the two abductors

said, defending himself, but a look from Eliot quieted him.

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"When do we get paid?" the other tried, but he shut up

when Seth's eyes grew as black as his brother's.

Neither man dared to comment when Eliot opened the

door, his message dear. As soon as they were gone, Eliot

and Seth stared down at Darvi and then at each other.

"How hard do you think he hit her?" Seth asked.

Eliot lifted one of Darvi's eyelids and shook his head.

"She's out cold."

"Here, let me move her to the davenport. She's going to

topple out of that chair."

Seth lifted her easily, amazed at how light she felt, nis

heart pumping with very real fear that they had hurt the

influential Annabelle Hewett But something else happened

inside of him when he laid Darvi back against a

pillow, her face so pale that he was startled. Trying not to

hear his own heart pounding, Seth placed his fingers

alongside her neck. He picked up a steady beat and hoped

it was only a matter of time until she woke.

"She's prettier than her picture," Seth commented as he

stood to full height, looking down at their guest. Eliot came

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over to look, his gaze somewhat dispassionate.

"Things must be better for her. Even knocked out, she

looks better than the last time I saw her."

"I don't know."

"We could throw a little water in her face," Eliot joked,

but Seth frowned. For some reason the idea repelled him.

He knew she could be vicious with her words, but knocked

out cold, Annabelle Hewett looked rather young and vulnerable.

"I'm going to get something to eat," Eliot proclaimed,

heading toward the kitchen of the apartment that Jared

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kept in town. Its rear exit to the alley had come in handy

many times over.

'Til join you/' Seth added, his eyes on Darvi until Eliot

called again.

"You'd better bring that bag of hers so we can check it

out. You never know what a lady like that might be

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packing/'

'~$r%f

Darvi woke in confusion. Before she even opened her

eyes, she tried to think why the top of her head felt bruised.

Her memory returned with a jolt, but she continued to

keep her eyes closed. She didn't know where she was, but

it might be to her advantage to let whoever had taken her

think she was sleeping.

"She's coming out of it," she heard a soft male voice say.

She finally gave up and opened her eyes. She did not find

the men from the train. These men were tall, well dressed,

and good looking. Darvi thought they might have rescued

her and began to sit up.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"Don't you know, Miss Hewett?"

Darvi nearly looked behind her. "Were you talking to

me?"

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Both men smiled, thinking she was very good.

"We're glad you stopped to see Mr. Silk," Seth now

went on smoothly. "Unfortunately you've missed him. He would like to see you/ however. In fact he's asked us to extend a dinner invitation to his home at your earliest convenience."

"Who is Mr. Silk?"

Eliot looked cynical, but Seth began to ask himself just

how hard she'd been hit.

"So when can we set a date?" Eliot pressed on.

"A date for what?" Darvi asked, beginning to wonder if

she had really awakened.

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"Miss Hewett..." Seth began patiently.

"Who is Miss Hewett?" Darvi demanded.

The men's faces grew hard, and Darvi came to her feet,

albeit awkwardly.

"Where am I?" she tried again.

The men just stared at her.

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Darvi walked to one of the room's windows and looked

out. She knew it was still Aurora, but she couldn't quite

picture where. She'd been tired the night before and eager

to get on the train that morning. Was it that morning?

"Is it still Wednesday?"

"Yes."

"Do you have the time?"

"Miss Hewett/' Eliot tried this time.

"Stop calling me that."

"All right, Annabelle, why do you wish to know the

time?"

"That's enough!" Darvi's voice cracked with enough

force to surprise even herself. She stared at them, eyes

furious, her hands coming out to make her point

"I don't know whaf s going on here, but you will stop

calling me that name. My name is Darvi Wingate. I was on

the train this morning bound for St Louis when two men

threatened me with a knife and removed me from my seat

I want some answers, and I want them now."

"I should have known she was going to make this

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hard," Eliot said to Seth.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right Lef s give her some time

to think."

The men filed from the room then, and Darvi was completely

confused. Her attention strayed around the small

living area as she searched for answers, so she was startled

when one of the men returned.

Seth handed Darvi her satchel.

"I thought you might want this."

Darvi took the bag.

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"The gun is out," he added, holding her eyes for long

moments before exiting once again.

I have to think, Darvi told herself, trying to ignore the

headache. With that her eyes caught sight of the door. Bag

in hand, she went to it and found it open. Hating to leave

her gun and thinking she might be dreaming after all, she

began to walk out onto a wooden landing that led to a tall

flight of stairs. There was a door at the bottom. She was just

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closing the apartment door when she heard, "Did you lock

that door?"

Darvi didn't even bother to catch the latch. Knowing

she'd been found out, she lifted the front of her skirt and