Cera's Place (20 page)

“Why, Sonya, is that a joke?” Mary Beth’s eyebrows rose in mock surprise. “That’s so unlike you, being humorous and all.”

“Now, ladies, bring the claws in,” Isaac admonished the group. “We’ll stop here for the night. If all goes well, we should get to the winery by noon tomorrow. There’s a river a short distance through those trees. Mr. Tanner and I will water the horses first, and then you ladies can freshen up in private.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Jake asked Isaac in a low voice as they led the horses away. “Letting the women go off by themselves? I think one of us should be with them at all times.”

Isaac scowled. “I didn’t realize you were on intimate terms with all of them, Mr. Tanner, but I shouldn’t be surprised. With the speed you got Cera in your bed, you can probably get the rest to follow easily enough.”

“I’m not talking about watching them bathe,” Jake retorted harshly, not bothering to hide his anger. “I’m talking about letting them wander off into the woods unprotected.”

Isaac shook his head. “Mr. Tanner, I was married for twenty years. The one thing I learned is women need their privacy, especially when it comes to personal tasks.”

“I’m sure they do, but the one thing I’ve learned traveling this land is to expect the unexpected. We don’t know what’s in these woods. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and what’s your problem with Cera and me? What have I done to offend you?”

“You just said it yourself. I’ve seen your type come in the saloon many a time—war-weary drifters, damaged beyond repair. You stay in one place for a while until the itch to move on becomes too great. You’re always going to be running from your demons, Mr. Tanner, and you’re going to break Cera’s heart when you leave.”

Reaching the river, Jake stopped and faced Isaac. “You’re wrong about me, Mr. Knappe. I love Cera and I’m staying for as long as she will have me.”

******

As Cera followed the path out of the trees, she came upon Isaac and Jake standing toe-to-toe glaring at each other. Nearby, the horses shifted nervously as they drank from the river. Having seen her share of saloon fights, she knew the next few seconds were crucial to defusing the situation.

“Isaac’s wrong about something? Now there’s a first.” She tried to sound lighthearted, as she walked toward the fuming men.

Isaac frowned and took a step back. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he focused on a spot across the river. Jake turned toward the horses and muttered something under his breath. When he rubbed his hand soothingly over his horse, she let out a soft whinny in reply.

Cera petted the neck of one of Isaac’s horses and sighed. Men could be such idiots. “Stop it,” she ordered.

Surprised, the men looked at each other and then back at her. Isaac opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted.

“You heard me,” she continued, pointing her chin at them. “It stops right now, right here. There are more important things going on than the pissing contest the two of you are bound and determined to have.”

With a barely audible grunt, Isaac nodded at Jake. Turning away, he trudged back up the path.

Cera moved so she stood on the other side of Jake’s horse, causing the horse’s eyes to widen. “What’s her name?”

“Oneida.” At the sound of her name, the horse turned and nuzzled Jake’s neck.

She smiled at the horse’s reaction. “That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful horse. What does it mean?”

“It means…It means ‘the one searched for’.”

The appropriateness of the name wasn’t lost on Cera. “She’s a mustang, right?”

He nodded.

“How long have you had her?”

“A man I helped out a few years ago gave her to me.” Jake reached into his pocket, pulling out an apple and a knife. He sliced the fruit and gave each horse a section.

“You’ll spoil them.” She chuckled as Oneida sniffed Jake’s pockets looking for more.

“I hope so.” He finally looked at her.

The mixture of sadness, hope, and love in his eyes made her heart stop. When it started again, there was an unfamiliar, yet welcomed, feeling. If she had to describe it, she would have said it felt like home. It was as if her soul had found a safe place to live.

She moved around Oneida, ignoring the horse’s protests. Sliding in between Jake and the horse, she whispered, “Jake, I …”

The sound of rustling dresses came from the trees. Seconds later, Ginger called out, “Woo hoo! You all decent?”

As the ladies approached the river, Jake groaned, “Red, you’ve got some timing.”

“Well, now, we just couldn’t wait any longer to wash this dust away,” Ginger breezed on, oblivious to what she was interrupting.

Cera forced a smile. “Hi there, ladies. Let’s wash up. It’ll be dark soon and I’m starving. I’m sure Li wants to get us all fed before we lose the light.” She gave Jake’s hand a small squeeze. “We can talk later.”

He nodded. “Sure, but if it’s all the same to you, I’m going to stay close by while you freshen up.”

“Now there you go again, trying to get a peek at my drawers,” Ginger teased. “I’ve told you I’m not interested.”

Jake chuckled. “And I think I’ve made it clear, Red, you’re just too much woman for a poor man like me to handle.”

“Well, then, I guess we both lose. Come on, girls, let’s do our business. Cera’s hungry and you know that’s not a good state for her to be in!”

*****

After washing and stowing the supper dishes, the group arranged their sleeping rolls. Though used to working past midnight, no one complained about an early bedtime after the tiring day on the road.

A pale full moon shone overhead, lighting up the night sky. Shivering in the cool air, Cera stepped closer to the crackling campfire. As she stared into the dancing flames, scenes of the burning saloon appeared before her eyes. Mesmerized, an ill-boding feeling swept over her. Tearing herself away from the fire, she did a mental head count of her friends, but only got to eight. “Where’s Hu and Sadie?”

“They were here a minute ago helping me with the dishes,” Mary Beth replied.

“Maybe they went into the woods to relieve themselves,” Ginger suggested, walking to the edge of the clearing. “Hu! Sadie! Are you there? Please, answer if you are!”

In reply, chilling laughter rang out. Everyone froze but Li, who grabbed a shotgun from his pack and headed toward the sound.

“Now, hold on there,” a voice said from the trees. “Put the gun down. We have the China doll and the colored girl, so don’t do anything stupid.”

Li slowly placed the weapon on the ground and looked with uncertainty at Cera and Jake.

“Whoever you are, quit your hiding and show yourself!” Jake called out into the darkness.

The voice laughed again. “Now, you ain’t in any position to give orders. I’m the one in charge and you’ll do what I say—or else.”

Scowling, Jake yelled, “And what would that be?”

“For now, you’re going to let us be on our way. We’re taking these girls in case you decide otherwise. Mr. Biggs wants to meet with you. You have something he needs.”

“How about we give it to you now?” Cera offered, determined to save Hu and Sadie. “Wouldn’t your boss be happier if you came back with it? Let the girls go and we’ll give it to you.”

“No, y’all stay put,” the voice demanded. “We’ll make the exchange when we’re good and ready.”

They heard the sound of horses galloping off and then silence.

Picking up his gun, Li ran toward the road with Jake on his heels.

“Stop!” Isaac shouted after them. “They’ll hurt Hu and Sadie!”

“Isaac, we can’t let them get away.” Cera followed Jake and Li. After a moment’s hesitation, the rest of the group joined her.

As Jake hunkered down by the road, Li saddled his horse. Cera hurried over to Jake’s side. “What did you find?”

“Fresh tracks—two horses—leading back to the city and this.” He handed her a torn piece of silk.

She crushed the cloth in her fist. “You’re going to follow them?”

“Yes, unless you have a better idea.” He moved to his mustang to saddle her.

“I’m going with you.”

Hearing this, Isaac broke off arguing with Li and turned on Cera. “Everyone has to calm down. We can’t go off half-cocked without some kind of a plan. What if
their
plan is to divide us up? Who’s going to protect the ladies while we’re off following the tracks?”

“You, David, and Li will stay behind,” Cera replied.

“This is just what we argued about at the saloon. You can’t go in with guns blazing. They will kill you!”

She waved a hand at Isaac’s words. “So be it. I’m tired of doing nothing. It ends tonight.”

“Tanner, surely you don’t agree with her?” Isaac appealed to Jake. “You and Li should go. Tell her to stay.”

Li nodded. “I agree. The soldier and I go.”

Cera sidestepped the group and mounted the horse that Li had saddled. As she kicked it into a gallop, she heard Jake curse her name. Two minutes later, thanks to his mustang’s speed, Jake caught up. He leaned to the side and grabbed her reins, pulling her horse to an abrupt stop. Pitching forward, she grabbed the saddle’s horn to keep from toppling headfirst off the horse.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She reached for the reins, but Jake doubled them around his fist and held tight.

“I could ask you the same question,” he snapped back.

“I’m not going back, so let’s not waste time arguing. They can’t be much farther ahead.”

“I know you aren’t, but Isaac was right about one thing—we can’t go in without a plan. I want to save Hu and Sadie, but I’m not going to risk losing you.”

Trying to suppress the panic in her stomach, she took a deep breath. “What do you think we should do?”

Relief flashed across Jake’s face. “I figure they can’t travel all night. If they’ve been following us all day, their horses will give out on them eventually. So, they’re going to have to bed down. We track them to that point and then go in silently. If these men are anything like the thugs that beat me up, they’re all muscle and no brains. They won’t be expecting us to fight back. We should be able to surprise them easily.”

“Then let’s get going.” She took her reins from Jake and nudged her horse to a trot. The trail was easier to follow at the slower pace, but Cera wished they could go faster. She tried to concentrate on the road, but thoughts of what the men might be doing to Hu and Sadie circled in her mind.

Five miles later, Jake held up a hand, stopping them. He pointed to where the tracks veered off into a small grove of trees. They dismounted and led the horses back up the road a few feet. Taking Cera’s reins, he looped them around his saddle horn. He whispered in Oneida’s ear and then motioned for Cera to follow him.

Before they entered the woods, Jake nodded at her full skirt. “Do you have anything on under that? It will be easier to move without it.”

Frowning at his request, she replied, “Yes, I got drawers on, but I’m a bit short on clothes at the moment, so we’d better come back for it.” Ignoring Jake’s eye roll, she removed the Derringer from her pocket and stepped out of her skirt.

Once they were within the maze of trees, they spotted the glow from a campfire. Moving noiselessly, they worked their way toward it. Cera recognized the two men sitting by the fire as Quinn and Lewis, Biggs’ personal guards. A short distance away, Hu and Sadie lay hogtied on the ground. She grabbed Jake’s hand. Lifting her chin at the thugs, she pleaded with her eyes, but Jake shook his head.

“We wait,” he mouthed.

Biting her lip, she knelt in the bushes. Jake did likewise, wrapping his arms around her. She welcomed the warmth from his body, but she also realized he didn’t trust her to stay put.

The men passed a bottle back and forth for a while and then stretched out for the night. Cera waited impatiently until their snoring drowned out the noises coming from the nearby night creatures.

Jake gestured to the horses tied up on the other side of the clearing, pantomiming that she should lead them away. He pulled out his knife and pointed to himself and then the girls. Immediately, she shook her head at the plan and reached for the knife, but Jake was faster. With a stiff arm, he placed a hand on her chest and mouthed “too dangerous.” He pointed at the horses, but again she shook her head. Giving in, he handed over the knife. Before she could lose her nerve, she shoved the Derringer into her waistband and slipped away.

Getting down on all fours, she crawled to where Hu and Sadie were curled up. Every few feet she stopped to listen to the uneven snoring of the men, while her own breathing roared in her ears.

When she reached the girls, Sadie’s eyes widened at the sight of Cera and then darted to where the men slept. Cera laid a hand on each of their shoulders, giving a reassuring squeeze. After freeing Sadie, she began sawing on the ropes wrapped around Hu’s ankles. She was almost through the rope when the girl’s legs suddenly jerked and Sadie screamed. Looking up, Cera sensed more than saw the shotgun butt coming fast at her head. Rolling to the side, the blow struck her shoulder instead. Ignoring the pain, she pulled her gun and leapt up to confront her attacker.