Train From Marietta (25 page)

Luke stepped off the boardwalk and into the darkness. He crossed the street and turned a corner, stopping at a modest two-story house that was set behind the board fence. When he started up the walk toward the door, Kate held back.

“Where are we going?”

“Telephone,” Luke said impatiently.

“Here?”

“Tate say telephone. This,” he said as he pointed, “where telephone at.”

“This looks like someone’s house.”

“Woman here has telephone.”

“Well… all right. I thought that we were going to an office.”

“What an office?” Luke asked, but she knew he was teasing her.

“Never mind,” she said, and followed him up the steps.

After Luke had knocked, the door was opened by a short, middle-aged woman wearing an apron. Her eyes were magnified by the thickest pair of spectacles that Kate had ever seen. She smiled pleasantly as she looked first at Kate, then at Luke, and then back at Kate again. The smell of fresh-baked bread wafted from inside the house. Kate’s stomach growled. She ignored it and said, “I need to use a telephone.”

“Come in.” Kate took Luke by the hand and pulled him into the house behind her. The woman looked skeptically at the Indian boy but kept on smiling at Kate.

“Can I make a long-distance call from here?” Kate asked.

“Where to?” the woman said.

“New York City.”

“I’ve never called New York before, but there has to be a first time for everything.” Kate followed her into the living room where a switchboard had been set up. The large wooden frame that held the contraption stood along one wall next to a picture of a girl on a swinging gate. A dozen wires were plugged into the board. Lights blinked from several more outlets. The woman sat down in front of the board on a well-padded chair and put on a headset. “Do you know the number?”

Kate scribbled it on a pad that lay next to the board. “I’d like to reverse the charges.” She stood back and waited, her heart pounding with anticipation of hearing her father’s voice.

“Operator,” the woman said into the mouthpiece, “this is Merna at Muddy Creek. Connect me with Central. I’m making a call to New York City.” After a brief pause, she added, “Thank you. I’ll wait.”

Turning to Kate, she said, “First we have to go through Dallas, and then Chicago, before we can get to New York.” She turned back to the switchboard when a blinking light drew her attention.

“Operator. Hello, Mrs. Bishop. Yes … I’ll ring Marcia.” She plugged another line into the switchboard.

With each passing moment, Kate’s excitement increased as she came closer to speaking with her father. It was so long since she had heard his voice. She knew that he would be gravely disappointed when she told him about his trusted friend, William Jacobs, being involved in her kidnapping. She was anxious to tell him about the man who had rescued her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Luke move toward the picture that was hanging next to the switchboard. He peered intently at the image of the little girl on the gate. She heard him mutter, “Silly woman.”

A hand on her arm drew her back to the telephone operator. She was holding out a headset like the one that she was wearing. “If you want privacy, honey, I’ll go to the other room.”

Kate accepted the headset, slipped it over her head, and adjusted it for her ears. “Thank you.”

As the woman left, she called back, “Let me know when you’re finished.” Through the headset, Kate heard the phone ringing, then Malcolm’s voice saying, “Tyler residence.”

“Malcolm, this is Katherine,” she nearly shouted. It felt wonderful to hear a familiar voice, even if it was the butler’s. “I want to speak to my father.”

“Miss Katherine?”

“Yes, Malcolm, it’s me. Please get my father.”

“At once!” Through the earpiece, she heard the usually calm butler shouting excitedly, “Mr. Tyler! Mr. Tyler! It’s Miss Katherine on the telephone!” Back into the mouthpiece, he said, “He’s coming, miss.”

Kate glanced at the clock that hung behind the switchboard. It was late in the evening, and it was even later in New York City. She imagined that her father had retired to his room for the night. There was a loud click as he lifted the telephone and bellowed, “Kate! Kate! Is it you?”

“Yes, it’s me, Daddy! I’m all right!” At the sound of his voice, tears began to well in the corners of Kate’s eyes. She swallowed the sob in her throat. “Oh, Daddy! I’ve got so much to tell you.”

“Honey, I’ve been so worried. Where are you?”

“I’m in Texas. In a town called Muddy Creek.”

“Did the bastards hurt you?” he yelled.

“No, no! Your friend in the Texas Rangers sent a man to find me. He got me away from them and brought me to town. He kept me safe.”

“Oh, thank God!” her father exclaimed. “I’ve been worried sick. Those goddamn bastards! I did everything they asked of me. They said they would let you go.”

“Did you pay the ransom?”

“I paid it, every damn dime! I’ve been waiting for the last twenty-four hours for them to call me and tell me where to find you. I hadn’t received the call and was afraid that I’d never see you again.”

“Daddy, you won’t get a call. There’s something that I need to tell you.” Kate paused and took a deep breath. She knew that what she had to say would be difficult for him to hear. “One of the kidnappers was Edwin Jacobs.”

“What in the hell?” he shouted.

“It’s true. He and two other men took me from the train and drove me to a cabin out in the wilderness. They kept me there while they waited to get the ransom money.”

“That son of a bitch! What will I tell his uncle?”

“Wait, Daddy,” Kate said as she drew another deep breath. “Eddy was blackmailed into kidnapping me. He didn’t want to do it, but he was following someone else’s orders. In the end, he decided to go along, thinking he could protect me, and he did to a certain extent.”

“Whose orders?”

Kate hesitated before she answered. “His uncle’s, William Jacobs.”

Silence was all that she received from the other end of the line. She knew that her father would believe her but that he would be in shock that the man who had helped him to build Tyler-Jacobs Steelworks had betrayed him.

John Tyler asked hoarsely, “Are you sure?”

“One of the men with Eddy was a lowlife named Squir-relly Do you know him?”

“I’ve heard of him. He’s Felerri’s kid. His father’s a big-time crook here in the city.”

“Several times, Squirrelly mentioned something about William. From that, and a couple of other things that Eddy said, I learned that William was behind it. He had me kidnapped to get your money.”

“I can’t believe it!”

“It’s true, Daddy.”

“I’m so glad that Lila and Susie aren’t here. They’re at another one of those god-awful parties for Senator Forrest. They’ll both be devastated when they find out William and Eddy are involved.”

“You need to be careful, Daddy,” Kate warned. “William never planned for me to come back.”

“Oh my God!”

“He won’t hesitate to hurt you. Don’t tell anyone else unless you have to.”

“You’re right,” John agreed. “But I’m more worried about you. I’m going to call my friend Lyle Holmgaard in Waco and let him know you’re in Muddy Creek.”

“We’ve sent him a wire.”

“Then stay right there until he arrives. I’m coming to see you too. Where can we find you?”

“I’ll be with the man who rescued me. His name is Tate Castle. The Ranger will know where to find us.”

“You can trust Lyle. When you see him, tell him I want these men prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“I will. Daddy, I need to go,” Kate said. “The man who rescued me was badly hurt and I need to tend to him.” As happy as she was to speak with her father, she worried about Tate and wanted to go back to him.

“I understand. It’s wonderful to know that you’re safe.”

“I love you, Daddy. I’ll call again as soon as I can.” “

I love you too, honey.”

“Use your head, Tate. You know that I can’t let you go home tonight. I just sewed you up. You won’t be doing Emily any good if you bust open your stitches and bleed to death.” Dr. Duval stood back from the cot, put his hands on his hips, and shook his head.

“I need to let her and the Gomezes know that I’m all right,” Tate complained. “They were expecting me back home days ago. I need to get the horses ready that I’ve sold to the army. They’ll be here by the first of the month to get them. I’m leaving tonight.”

“Do you want to head home only to have to turn around and come right back? That’s what will happen if you’re foolish enough to leave here tonight.”

“I’m telling you …” A loud knocking on the door interrupted Tate. “Wait and find out who it is before you open the door, Doc. Could be those men looking for us.”

Dr. Duval nodded and called out, “Who is it?”

“It’s me—Kate.”

After letting Kate and Luke into the office, the doctor closed the door and turned the key in the lock. Kate immediately went to where Tate lay and placed her palm on his forehead. She lifted it and looked at the doctor.

“Have you taken his temperature? He feels feverish.”

“I’m not feverish,” Tate insisted. “I’m just sweating. It’s almost July, you know.”

“Doesn’t feel like sweat to me,” she countered.

The doctor pulled a thermometer from a drawer and handed it to Kate. She looked down at the man on the cot with a frown on her face. “Open your mouth and don’t fuss.”

Tate stared at her silently for a moment. She wasn’t sure if he would cooperate. Finally he opened his mouth, and she slipped the thermometer under his tongue. With her finger and thumb, she pinched his lips together.

“Mmm mm mmm.”

“Don’t talk,” Kate ordered him. She looked at the doctor and winked.

“He bucks me every step of the way,” Dr. Duval said. “He follows your instructions better than mine.”

Kate pulled the thermometer from Tate’s mouth, held it up, and then handed it over to the doctor. Dr. Duval looked at it closely and frowned. “Your temp is up a degree. No reason to be alarmed. At least not yet.”

“You’re only saying that because you don’t want me to go home.”

“Now that I know you have a temperature, I insist that you stay here for the night. End of conversation.” Dr. Duval turned his back and began to sterilize the thermometer.

“You should listen to what the doctor says. You’re in no condition to be moved.”

“I’m needed at home,” he protested.

“What you need is to get some rest. We can go out to your ranch in the morning.”

“But if I stay here, I’ll have to find somewhere for you to stay.”

“She can stay right here,” the doctor offered. “There’s a little room with a cot just off this one.”

“Would I hear him if he needed me?” Kate asked.

“It’s right here.” The doctor opened a door that was connected to the surgery. A small cot stood against one wall. It was no more than ten feet from where Tate lay. “If he starts moaning in pain in the middle of the night,” Dr. Duval said with a grin, “it’s because he wants you to come keep him company.”

Kate smoothed the hair from Tate’s forehead, then left her hand lying gently against his ear. “That solves that problem. Now there’s no reason for you not to stay the night.”

Tate was reluctant but, with a sigh, gave in. “All right. But I’m leaving first thing in the morning, even if I have to steal a wagon to do it.”

“Then you’d be in jail instead of at home.” Kate rolled her eyes at the doctor. “I swear, he’s the most bullheaded man I’ve ever met!”

“What ‘bullheaded’ mean?” Luke asked. “Tate don’t have bull head.”

Chapter 24

I
NSIDE THE SMALL ROOM IN DR. DUVALS OFFICE,
Kate prepared for bed. The doctor considerately provided a teakettle of warm water, a towel, and an old flannel nightshirt.

“This isn’t very fancy, but it’s clean,” the doctor said.

“It’s fine. I’m eager to get out of these filthy clothes.”

“If you need anything, my room is just beyond the office. Just call out. I’m a light sleeper.”

“Thank you for everything, Doctor. I’ll check on Tate during the night. If his temperature is up, I’ll wake you.”

After the doctor had left, Kate washed herself from head to foot and slipped the nightshirt over her head. It was large, covered her from shoulders to knees, and was much better than her torn skirt and bloodstained blouse.

She opened the door a crack and looked out. The doctor had left a dim light on. She could see Tate on the cot. His head was turned toward her, his eyes open. She glanced down to be sure that she was covered with the big nightshirt, then pushed the door open and walked barefoot into the room. She made her way to the cot, knelt down, and placed her palm on Tate’s forehead.

“Are you hurting? Is that why you’re not asleep?” “I hurt in places I didn’t even know I had.” “Aren’t you glad that we didn’t try to leave tonight?” Before Tate could argue the point, she said, “Let me go and get the doctor. He’ll give you something for the pain.” “No, I don’t want anything that’ll make me sleep.” “Then what can I do? Do you want me to tell you a bedtime story?”

“I’ve always been partial to the story of the three bears.” “I thought you might like Sleeping Beauty.” She laughed softly.

“You’d better go to bed. You’ve had a rough day.” “Not any worse than the four or five days before this one. I’m starting to get used to it.”

“It isn’t every day that someone saves a man’s life. You did it two days in a row. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here in this bed complaining about how much I hurt. You were as calm as anyone I ever knew.” “What did you expect me to do?” “What I’d wanted was for you to do as I told you. When Hayden attacked us, I told you to run.” Smiling, he added, “I suppose I should be glad that you didn’t.” “I don’t always do what people tell me to do.” “I’m beginning to find that out.” Tate’s hand dropped down and covered hers where it lay on the cot. He held it tightly. “You’re a woman to ride the river with, Katherine.” In an imitation of Luke’s voice, she said, “What that mean?” Tate pulled her hand up and held it on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat through his shirt. “Cracking jokes? You must be feeling better. It’s either that or you’re getting sassy.”