The Iron Horseman (3 page)

She
shivered. She didn’t want to think about the consequences. She’d still lived at
home with her mother to maintain a façade of normalcy, but her life was far
from normal and now that her mother was gone, she just wanted to get away from
the city. She wanted to live her life and now she didn’t have to hide who she
really was.

“You’ll
be needing some extra weaponry.” Annie opened the closet to reveal a wall of
strapped guns and daggers, and shelves full of concoctions from the apothecary
along with the vessels used to transport them.

Cadence
pulled her decorative single shot pocket pistol from her corset and laid it on
the table, followed by a fine handled dagger from her boot and a pearl gripped
six shooter from the folds of her skirt. She lifted her foot onto a wood-backed
chair and raised her dress just enough to expose the derringer hidden in the
garter a few inches above her knee. She pulled it and rested it alongside the
others.

“I
think I’ve got what I need,” she said with a satisfied grin as she imagined the
rifle that lay with her already packed luggage. “For now,” she added.

“Don’t
be arrogant, Cade. It doesn’t become you,” Annie chastised, but shut the
wardrobe nonetheless.

Cadence
returned her weapons to the inner workings of her clothing and dropped her foot
to the floor—ruffling the skirt layers to hang properly. “I wish you could come
along,” she said matter-of-factly.

Annie
turned to look at her and simply smiled. “You’ll do a fine job.”

Annie
Kramer had been working with the agency for a few years longer than Cadence,
but something in her vigor and excitement for the job had changed as of late.
Her eyes were dim and her demeanor short.

“Are
you all right, Annie?” Cadence asked, suddenly concerned for her friend. She
took a step forward, but Annie turned and reached for the door.

“Of
course.” She looked back at Cadence and smiled meekly. “I’m just a little tired
is all.”

Cadence
mustered a smile, but although she couldn’t place it, something was wrong. Then
it hit her. Annie had worked with Sir, Mister, Doc, or
whatever-he-liked-to-be-called Durant quite a few times in the past and she
wondered why Mr. Pinkerton had not chosen the woman for this assignment. She
was the obvious choice.

“There’s
something else,” Annie said, handing Cadence a folded piece of paper. “An agent
has been compromised. He sent word that he found something big, but we haven’t
heard from him in days.” Annie took Cadence’s hands in hers. “I’m sorry, Cade.”

“I
thought this was just a simple delivery and protection detail.”

“Mr.
Pinkerton is sending two male agents along with you. They’ll apprise you on the
way.”

“Annie,
I—”

“You
mustn’t keep them waiting.” Her friend motioned out the door.

Cadence
held her ground for only a moment, scrunching her eyes into slits and staring
at the woman. Something was terribly wrong, but it didn’t take long before she
relented, grasping the material of her skirt and lifting it from the floor as
she left the room.

The
train would leave at eleven and she needed to be on it.

Wouldn’t
her father be surprised when she showed up at the homestead just outside of
Bryan, new Wyoming Territory?

She
smiled.
Surprised indeed.

Once
she climbed into the black carriage that would take her home, she opened the
note. The name of the missing Pinkerton agent stared at her with bold clarity.
Eamon Walker.

Her
father.

Unofficial
Wyoming Territory

The
echoing sound of a lonesome train whistle sounded in the distance. Levi
Redbourne’s ears perked up and his head followed the sound. He set his bags up
onto the platform, tossed two bits to the liveryman, and took Apollo’s reins,
securing him to the hitching post next to the station.

Finally.

Three
towns along the railroad route had already met with untimely
disasters—unexplained fires, missing livestock, and miles of broken fences.
Normally, he would have just thought them coincidences, but something in Levi’s
gut told him otherwise. It was only those designated as rail towns that were
being hit. Supplies and knowledge of farming and ranching were vital out here
and part of his job was to ensure they would survive the harsh winters. Along
with the provisions, each settlement needed to be equipped with at least a
sheriff and deputy.

While
Flat Plains had been spared any incidents thus far, Levi had worked with the
townsfolk to assure that patrols kept watch during the evening hours—at least
for now. He would be grateful once the railroad was finally completed and hoped
that would see the end to the rabble-rousers that obviously didn’t want that to
happen.

Hissing
steam released into the air as the train came into view. It moved even slower
than usual and it seemed to be making an odd clunking sound.

“That
can’t be good,” Levi said as he stroked Apollo’s neck.

It
took several more minutes, but the engine finally came sputtering to a rest in
front of the station followed by Levi’s sleeping compartment and a mixture of
several other coaches including the dining car, a livery, and numerous supply
cars.

Levi
hopped up onto the loading platform, grabbed his first bag and tossed it up
onto the landing of his compartment, then the other. He turned to see a few
townsfolk who had gathered around and waved.

Thud.
Thud.

Both
of his bags had been thrown back down onto the platform at his feet and he
looked up to see the conductor, a short man with a thick blond mustache and
spectacles.

“I’m
sorry, Mr. Redbourne,” James said heartily, “but I am afraid the train won’t be
leaving ‘til morning.” He stopped at the foot of the stair and pulled a watch
from his vest pocket. “There’s a problem with the water injector pump. We’ll
need to have a new one crafted by the local blacksmith.” He leaned closer to
Levi. “There
is
a blacksmith in this little town, right?”

Levi
pointed to the tent with a wooden sign that read,
Smithy
. Although, he wasn’t
sure the blacksmith, who was young and still new to the trade, would be up to
the task. Too bad his brother Ethan couldn’t be here. He’d have new parts
molded in no time at all.

“Good,”
James said. “While the smithy is making the part, we’ll have to refill the
water tanks manually. Then, I figure the crew and our,” he cleared his throat
and sent a fleeting glance toward Levi, “passengers can disembark and have a
stroll through…” he looked toward the main street, “…town.”

“Passengers?
This train was supposed to be comprised only of crew and supplies. No
passengers. What happened?”

James
shrugged. “One guess.” He glanced out at the crowd that had gathered around the
station.

Thomas
Durant. It had to be. The man was the ingratiating Vice President of the Union
Pacific Railroad and generally got whatever he wanted.

Levi
closed his eyes. He was tired and the last thing he wanted was to entertain
some hoity-toity businessmen from back East. At least the trip to River City
would only last a few hours. He could simply greet them then retire to his
compartment for the remainder of the trip. He imagined that James would take
good care of them.

“I’ve
already checked out of the hotel, so I’ll just leave my bags in my
compartment.” Levi motioned to the coach with his sleeping quarters. The coach
wasn’t the same type of luxury sleeping compartment as was often afforded the
train’s important guests, but it was a place to sleep—small as it was.

James
stood in front of the short metal staircase. “I’m sure the proprietor would be
happy to give you back your room. It will be much more comfortable.” The man’s
face twitched, his moustache scrunching up briefly toward his eyes. “I’m afraid
we haven’t had time to prepare it for you.”

Levi
eyed the man warily, but said nothing.

“If
you’ll excuse me, sir, I need to head back up to the tinder car to tell Festus
where he can find the smithy or we may be here a lot longer than expected.”
James still stood in front of the sleeping car’s entrance.

“You’re
up to something, James.”

“I’m
sure I don’t know what you mean, sir.”

“Okay,
I’ll play along.” Levi glanced over at the hotel. “You’ll know where to find
me.” He hopped down off the platform, grabbed his bags, and untied Apollo.
“Come on, boy. Back to the livery for a few hours, then we’ll go for a ride.”
He led the horse to the stables and offered the liveryman another few coins for
his trouble.

With
this delay, he would have the time to help the men put the roof on the new
permanent structure that would house the mercantile, the sheriff’s office, a
trading post, and a post office. It was almost complete and it was about time
the General Store could be moved from the temporary tent into the building. The
bank, Day’s End Hotel and Restaurant, livery, and two saloons all stood of
their own accord on the opposite side of the street, but all were joined with a
well-constructed boardwalk.

As
he made his way over to the store, it seemed awfully quiet and wondered where
everyone had gone. A small group of young children dashed from the mercantile
with sticks of hard candy protruding from their mouths.

“Need
some more hands?” he asked the robust woman who ran the place as he stepped
into the mercantile tent. “Seems the train’s not leaving for a while.”

“Ah,
Mr. Redbourne. I’d heard that the train was delayed. What happened to your
friend?”

“My
friend?” Levi asked.

“The
fella you was in here with earlier. Tall. Young.” Mrs. Dowdry placed a large
jar of confections down on the counter, then wiped her hands on her apron.

“I
think you’re mistaken me for someone else,” Levi said with a laugh. “This is
the first I’ve seen you today.”

“Unless
there is someone in this world who has your same smile and good looks…” She
didn’t finish, but cleared her throat.

It
can’t be. Unless…

“Nah,”
he said aloud.

“I’m
sorry?” she asked.

“It’s
nothing.”

“Well,
I’m afraid there’s nothing that can be done on the new building without more
nails. We’re all just waiting on the new blacksmith, bless his heart. Don’t ask
me how they let that happen, but well, the smithy, he’s a little…” The store’s
proprietress looked as if she was searching for a polite way to finish her
statement. “…slow,” she finally said with a gracious smile. “A group of them
are heading over to Emaline’s for some supper. Can I help with you with
something?”

He
shook his head.

Levi
appreciated how the people here were always ready and willing to help each
other. It reminded him of home. Stone Creek, his home town, had grown into
quite a bustling little community, but you could always count on the people
there. He loved that about small towns and got that same feeling here in Flat
Plains. Levi tapped on the counter and turned to leave.

“Thank
you, Mrs. Dowdry,” he said as he ducked under the tent flap and walked back out
into the sunlight.

It
pained him to admit, but Emaline Granger cooked some of the best meals he’d had
since being home at Redbourne Ranch. His stomach agreed. It had been a few
hours since he’d eaten his breakfast of warm bread with huckleberry jam and
scrambled eggs. He mentally added ‘good cook’ to his ongoing list of what he
would appreciate in a wife. He’d made up his mind to stop in at the restaurant
and tell Emaline, the proprietress, that he’d be staying the extra night and
ask for his room back.

The
town had really pulled together this last week as they worked on completing the
building where the Day’s End Restaurant and Hotel had taken up residence. As he
stepped inside, Levi saw the pride Emaline had taken in adding the finishing
touches to her establishment. He hadn’t really noticed them before, but frilly
purple curtains now adorned the windows and lavender cloths draped the tables
topped with freshly picked wildflowers. And even though she only had two of the
beds to furnish seven bedrooms, she already had guests bidding for accommodation.

“Did
you forget something, Mr. Redbourne?” Emaline asked as she stepped from the
kitchen with two plates of food in her hands. The young spinster stared at him
with wide, expectant eyes. “I’m sorry I couldn’t wait on you myself earlier. It
seemed there was a problem with some of the furniture I ordered in from Chicago
and well…” she closed her eyes with a slight shake of her head. “Never mind.
Aren’t you heading out today?”

“You
did wait on me this morning, Emaline. At breakfast. Remember?”

“Of
course,” she said.

Levi
nodded, satisfied.

“And
again just a half hour ago.”

The
whole town seemed to have lost their minds.

“I’m
just looking to get some supper, Em.” He motioned to the group of men sitting
around one of the larger tables in the room. “Fried chicken, if you’ve got
any.” Levi smiled.

Emaline’s
eyebrows furrowed together. “All right,” she said slowly, the words drawn out
as if she didn’t quite understand. “I can’t believe you’re still hungry after
all that roast and potatoes. It must cost a fortune to keep you fed,” she said
with a grin. “Just one moment and I’ll have a fresh batch out.”

Wouldn’t
he know if his brother was in town? It was too much of a coincidence. Tag was
on a drive. Why would he be all the way out here in Flat Plains? Redbourne Ranch
didn’t have any contracts this far west. At least, not yet. Levi bent down and
looked out the window. People bustled by as they went about their day, but he
couldn’t see anyone who remotely resembled any of his brothers. And it wasn’t
that big of a town.

She’s
mistaken.

Emaline
delivered the plates still balancing in her arms to their proper tables and
returned with a smile, all confusion gone from her lovely face. “I still have
the rest of that cobbler, if you’ve changed your mind as well.”

“I’ll
take some of your cobbler anytime,” he said with a grin and a wink.

Emaline
shook her head, but beamed up at him. “Please have a seat anywhere you like.”

“Thanks.”
Levi took a step into the dining room. “Oh, Em? You don’t by chance still have
my room available, do you? Looks like the train’s staying the night.”

“Sorry.
Just rented it out about a few minutes ago. To a pretty young thing too. You
can have one of the others if you’re interested. We can spread a pile of
blankets on the floor.” She grinned.

He
was not going to sleep on the floor. “No, I’ll be fine. Thank you. I think I’ll
spend the night on the train.” He had a perfectly good sleeping compartment. He
just needed to find out what James was hiding.

Levi
took a seat next to the table of men who’d been working on the new structure.
Mealtime was fairly uneventful, except for the fly that buzzed the sheriff’s
daughter’s face, causing her to dump her soup into her lap. Levi felt a sense
of relief when she excused herself to clean up as he would no longer have to
listen to her endless chatter.

“So,
how long do you think it will be before the train connects through California?”
one of the farmers asked from across the aisle. The man’s brothers had all
headed West searching for gold and Levi knew how hard it was to be away from
family.

Everyone’s
attention suddenly turned to and settled on Levi. He was sure they all had
better things to do that sit around listening to him. “Next month,” he said
with an affirming nod. He took another bite of his mashed potatoes and ignored
the stares still aimed in his direction.

Someone
tugged on his shirt sleeve. He looked up to see Mrs. Cavanaugh, a portly little
woman with a near white braid hanging down the side of her.

“Earl
and I would love to have you stay with us for the night,” the woman said,
patting him on the forearm. “I know you’ve already checked out of your room
here and since my son and his family won’t be visiting for a few months, there
will be plenty of room.”

It
sure would beat sleeping on the floor upstairs.

“That
would be lovely, ma’am. Thank you.”

The
older woman beamed at him. “Supper’ll be ready at seven,” she said, squeezing
his cheek. She reminded him of Lottie.

Levi
used his napkin to dab at the corners of his mouth, set it atop his plate, and pushed
himself away from the table. The woman’s eyes followed him as he stood, her
neck craned backward so far he thought she might tip over. He took a step back,
bowed slightly with a tip of his hat, and smiled.