The Curse of Jacob Tracy: A Novel (48 page)
Read The Curse of Jacob Tracy: A Novel Online
Authors: Holly Messinger
Tags: #Fantasy, #Western, #Historical
“I have never been certain.” She looked at her hands, wiped clean but still twisted in her apron. “After you insisted on that foolish mission to Idaho, I realized how like him you were—and I feared you would sacrifice yourself to the cause, as he did. He said once, the only thing that kept him from falling into despair was to bear in mind the people he
did
save, and how many more remained who could not save themselves.” Her smile was bitter, ironic. “I cannot save myself, Mr. Tracy. I am asking you to help me.”
The simple, humble words cut him to the quick. He could guess what that admission had cost her, and he had an urge to reach out, take her hands at least, but one didn’t touch a lady uninvited. The idea made him uncomfortable, suddenly.
Maybe he did have a soft spot for her. But it wasn’t a romantic poetry, courting-on-Sundays kind of feeling. It was the same protective instinct he had toward his sister Emma, and Boz, and the Baptists, and all the young cowboys who’d ever worked under him. She might be feeding him snake oil again, but if it was manipulation she had done it right this time. He could no more refuse a plea like that than he could cut off his own foot.
And since he meant to go after Mereck anyway, he’d be a fool not to take every advantage. So he said, “I want to kill that son of a bitch. Can you help me with that?”
Her gaze sharpened. “It is my sincere intention to try, Mr. Tracy.”
“
Can
he be killed?”
“Everything has its antithesis. We have only to find the means.” She pursed her lips, searching his face. “And I believe you are the means I’ve been looking for, for quite some time.”
Trace put out his left hand, palm up. Miss Fairweather slid hers into it, cool and tingling with that strange affinity between them.
“Then I reckon I’m your man,” he said.
Much gratitude is extended to my writer’s group, for their advice, enthusiasm, and eagerness to debate the etymology of obscure colloquialisms. Special thanks to Aly for composing Sabine’s Latin spells, and Micah for providing just the right insight at a particularly rough point in the revision process.
Thanks to my mother, who gave me some of my best early writing advice (“Nobody enjoys reading present tense, dear”), and Dad, who has always had the most unwavering faith of anyone I’ve met, and taught me not to be swayed by the world.
And thanks to Sit, who taught me to wait.
HOLLY MESSINGER
lives in a bohemian town in eastern Kansas, where she writes in coffee shops and sews costumes for a living. Her costumes have appeared at some of the world’s biggest cosplay events, including Hulu’s launch party for
The Awesomes
at San Diego Comic Con. She also appeared as a judge on the premiere season of SyFy’s
Heroes of Cosplay
. Holly’s short fiction has appeared in
Baen’s Universe
and
Beneath Ceaseless Skies
. This is her first novel. You can sign up for email updates
here
.
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CONTENTS
March 1880: A Short Trip to Sikeston
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Press.
THE CURSE OF JACOB TRACY
. Copyright © 2015 by Holly Messinger. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
Cover photographs: Sky, Bats, Church, and figures © Shutterstock; Wild West Town © Dreamstine.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Messinger, Holly.
The curse of Jacob Tracy : a novel / Holly Messinger. — First edition.
pages cm
ISBN 978-1-250-03898-2 (hardback) — ISBN 978-1-4668-3431-6 (e-book)
1. Curses—Fiction. 2. Saint Louis (Mo.)—History—19th century—Fiction. 3. Ghost stories. I. Title.
PS3613.E78927C87 2015
813'.6—dc23
2015034667
e-ISBN 9781466834316
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First Edition: December 2015
