Jodi Thomas (18 page)

Sadness spilled over Bailee’s heart. She’d grown close to Piper and didn’t want to think she’d never see the child again. She thought of asking Carter if Piper could visit them sometime but wasn’t sure how long she’d be around to call Carter’s home hers.

“Be packed and at the station at ten,” Riley ordered when neither one of them was interested in talking to him. “We’ll hand the kid over, wait for a freight car to run through, then catch the passenger train about one. I’m ready to get home. There ain’t no tellin’ what that deputy of mine will get into before I return. Wheeler’s good at mopping, but anything else is stretching his brain. I’ll probably find him and that worthless Mosely passed out in my office.”

Carter opened the door for the sheriff.

They could hear Riley still mumbling to himself as he walked down the hallway.

Bailee stared over Piper’s head at Carter. She couldn’t help but wonder if he felt as she did. She wanted them to be alone with Piper for a few hours. Maybe, in some way, they could prepare the child for what might prove a very long day.

Bailee combed her hair while Carter talked to Piper in their silent language.

Once, when Bailee was standing above the child and knew Piper couldn’t read her lips, she whispered to Carter, “I know she’s going back to her family, but part of me wishes she could come with us.”

Carter circled behind Piper. “You don’t know what you ask. She’d break your heart. How would you explain to her that some of the town’s folks will call her ‘dummy’ or think her a freak? How many times does a mother yell at her child to ‘watch out’ or ‘step back’? Only if she stayed with us, she wouldn’t hear. You’d scream and scream, but one day she’d walk right into danger.”

Bailee had never heard him say so much, and each question tore at her heart. He wasn’t just telling her facts, the questions were obviously echoes from his own childhood. The vision of a small boy screaming to warn his mother drifted through her mind. Had he tried and failed the day his mother died?

She faced him, but Carter turned his back to her, closed inside his silent world once more. She wanted to hold him, but she wasn’t sure he’d understand. He might push her away if he thought she offered pity.

“It’s time we left,” he finally mumbled without making a move.

Bailee nodded and collected her things. Piper insisted on carrying her little bag that now was rounded with her old dress and new nightgown. She took Carter’s hand, trusting wherever they were going would be all right, if he were near.

They didn’t say a word as they walked to the station with the child between them. The sky looked as dreary as Bailee’s mood. The streets were Sunday morning empty.

Carter’s words rolled through her mind. He was right. She’d seen how cruel folks could be to someone who was different. How many times had she watched the crippled boy down the block from her old home? He’d walk home every day with kids following behind him, imitating his limp. Carter was right. Piper had relatives and a fine school to attend. She belonged there, not with them.

Both sheriffs were waiting at the deserted station house. Riley ushered Piper and Bailee into a small room to the left of the ticket window while Smith talked with Carter at the door.

“I’d like you to meet Piper’s grandmother.” Riley pointed with his hand toward a woman in her fifties perched on a bench. “She came as soon as she heard. Said her son wanted to stay in Sherman to make arrangements for his wife’s funeral.”

Bailee moved toward the woman in black, but Piper didn’t budge. For a moment, Bailee thought the child either didn’t understand or didn’t recognize-her own grandmother, though such a huge woman would be hard to forget.

“Come here, child, and give your grandmother a big hug.” The woman stretched her arms, but didn’t stand.

Piper only stared.

When Bailee leaned down, she was startled by the fear in the child’s eyes.

“I haven’t got much time.” The grandmother puffed as she stood and built steam. She dropped her arms, forgetting all about the hug. “I’m Mildred Tyler Halloway. The mother of Piper’s father.” She didn’t offer her hand to Bailee or reach to comfort the child.

Her widow’s brooch clanked against the watch dangling from it, a reminder of Southern dead. The piece of jewelry was common, designed to be worn by a war widow until she remarried. Since the war had ended almost twenty years ago, Bailee guessed Mildred Tyler Halloway would carry the brooch to her grave.

“I understand you looked after my son’s child.” She looked up at Bailee. “I thank you for that. I know it couldn’t have been easy.”

Before Bailee could answer, the woman turned to Riley. “Where’s that train? I thought you said it would be here before eleven. I’ve been waiting over an hour as it is.”

“It must be running a little late.” He lowered his voice, trying to be patient. “I know you’re ready to be gone. This must be a hard journey for you to make.”

Carter joined the group, but didn’t speak to Mrs. Halloway. He stood behind Bailee listening.

Bailee searched her brain for something, anything, to say to the woman. “I’m very sorry about your loss,” she finally managed to whisper.

“A great loss,” Mildred agreed. “One of many I’ve suffered in my lifetime. One of many.” She brushed her brooch, her badge of mourning. “I was surprised to learn my son’s offspring survived. She’s been nothing but pampered from the day she was born, and now with my son overcome with grief, she’s left on my doorstep.”

Bailee opened her mouth to speak, but Carter’s hand on her shoulder held her back. He didn’t need to tell her anything, she knew he wanted her to remain silent. Bailee reminded herself that Mrs. Halloway was in grief. She surely didn’t mean to sound so cruel.

The widow reached to pat Piper’s head, but the child stepped away and faced Carter, her hands flying frantically.

Carter folded to one knee as the grandmother lunged, silencing the child with one hand over both hers.

“Tell her to stop that crazy signing!” Mildred snapped. “We’ll have no more of that. My daughter-in-law might have thought it wonderful, but I think not.”

When Carter didn’t move, she raised her voice. “Tell her no more signing. I don’t want to see her hands moving like that ever again.”

Bailee opened her mouth, determined to give the woman a piece of her mind in language she could clearly understand. But Carter’s gaze caught hers, holding her with his plea for silence.

Mildred was impatient with Carter’s hesitance. She grabbed Piper’s chin and turned the girl’s face up. “They tell me you can read lips. That’s all you need to do for now. When you learn to write, I’ll read your notes. Until then, you’ll be silent with both your mouth and your hands.”

She squeezed Piper’s hand and dragged the child in her wake. “I hear the train coming. We’ve no time to delay. Come along little one.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Thank you, Sheriff Smith and Sheriff Riley, for your help. If one of you will see the body’s loaded, I’ll get the child on the train.”

The old woman glared at Carter as if she thought him silently challenging her. “It’s my understanding that until a few generations ago, no one tried to train children who can’t speak or hear. They just let them be the animals they were meant to be. Wasting good money on school for her is no better than trying to talk to a horse.”

Riley, who followed behind her, mumbled, “What’s wrong with talking to a horse?”

The sour taste of panic filled Bailee’s mouth. She didn’t want this woman to take Piper. She could guess what the child’s life would be like from this point on with a grandmother who didn’t understand and a father sick with grief. Yet, the woman was her grandmother, maybe Piper’s only relative besides her father. Bailee had no right to the child or to stop her from leaving.

Carter said nothing as he followed them onto the train. Bailee wanted to take the child from the old woman, if only for a few moments, but the grandmother wasn’t turning loose of Piper’s hand.

They made sure Mrs. Halloway was seated. Piper wouldn’t turn loose of her bag when her grandmother demanded she put it on the overhead rack. Mildred might have ripped it from the child’s arms, but she suddenly became aware of all the people on the train watching her. Carter and Bailee were of no importance to her, but she didn’t seem to want to make a scene.

Bailee fought down tears as she kissed a frightened Piper good-bye. “I’m sure she’s afraid.” Bailee tried to keep her voice calm. “What with the wreck and all. Maybe putting her on a train again so soon isn’t a good idea?”

Mildred nodded. “I suppose so, but there’s no other way to get home, so she’ll just have to get over any fear.” She patted Piper’s knee, more a warning than comfort, then clamped her hand over both of the child’s.

Carter knelt, blocking the aisle. “I’d like to say good-bye to her in sign.”

Mildred looked like she might object, but too many other people watched.

Carter waited until Piper looked at him. Without any emotion, he signed only a few movements, then stood and left.

Bailee had no choice but to follow. She wanted him to fight for the child. Tell her grandmother she didn’t deserve to raise such a precious little girl. If he fought, Bailee would stand beside him. She’d do all she could, even if it meant the sheriffs had to drag them both off to jail.

But Carter hadn’t said a word. In fact, he’d kept her from saying anything.

Bailee stopped cold halfway down the aisle. She turned to retrace her steps to the grandmother as the train shifted and began to roll out.

There was no time and nothing she could do. She whirled, running to catch up with Carter and Riley. They only had a few minutes to get off the train safely. She couldn’t look back. She couldn’t have the memory of a frightened Piper forever in her mind.

They pushed their way from the train as the last passengers climbed aboard.

“Well, that’s done!” Riley yelled above the noise as he headed back to the station. “Can’t say as I liked the grandmother much, but kin is kin.”

Bailee agreed with him and turned to take Carter’s arm.

Her husband wasn’t at her side. She glanced back to see him running after the train like a madman. It was moving too fast for him to jump back on safely. A thought flickered across her mind that if he planned to say something, he should have done it on the train.

The truth slapped her in the face. He had! He had said something before he left. Only he’d said it to Piper.

She bolted after him just as a tiny body clutching a small carpetbag jumped from the steps of the train right into his arms.

Carter swung her, carpetbag and all, around like a human windmill as he fought to slow his pace and the last of the train sped past them.

“What the hell!” Riley yelled.

“No.” Bailee smiled, remembering the pattern of hand signals she’d seen earlier that morning when Piper had signed to Carter. The same sign Carter had knelt and said farewell with. “Run like hell.”

“
W
AIT!” RAIN BEGAN TO SPLATTER IN HUGE DROPS AS Sheriff Riley ran toward Bailee and Carter. “Stop!” he yelled in anger and panic. “The child has to go!”

The train paid no heed to his cry as it picked up speed with each revolution of the wheels. The engine’s hollow cry echoed across the stormy sky, whitewashing all other sounds.

A few feet from Carter, Riley realized Piper’s escape was lost. He folded forward, his words coming between jagged breaths. “Even if her grandmother turns around at the first stop and comes back”—he gulped in air before continuing—“it will take her hours to return. What are we going to do with the kid until then? How can we keep her safe?”

Carter said nothing. Piper held to him as if to life. Bailee stood solid at his side. She wasn’t sure what would happen, but she’d promised to stand beside him and, right or wrong, that was what she planned to do.

Smith finally reached them. He was slower than Riley, but no less angry. He pointed a thin finger at Carter like a weapon. “She’s not safe with any of us. Everyone in town knows we were keeping an eye on her. Even if you leave, it wouldn’t be hard to track you down, Carter. I had every deputy in town riding on that train to see her safely home. Now I’ll have to send a telegram and get them back as fast as possible.”

Riley agreed. “All three of you could be dead before the grandmother gets back. The men who robbed the train know they’ll be hanged if caught. They can’t afford to leave a witness.”

Smith paced out a square, nodding at Riley’s words as if keeping time to music. “She would have been better off with her grandmother. In a few hours she would have been home with her father.” He sang Riley’s chorus one more time.

Bailee had no argument to defend against the lawmen’s rage. The sheriffs were right, but somehow it hadn’t been fair to send Piper with that horrible woman. Yet, by saving her, Carter may have put the child’s life in great danger. At least with the grandmother, she’d be away from this place and hopefully out of the outlaws’ range.

Carter showed no sign of turning loose of Piper. He faced the two lawmen and let them yell until their steam vanished like that of the train‘s, then he said calmly, “That wasn’t Piper’s grandmother.”

“What?” both men chimed at once. “How do you know?”

“Piper told me, or tried to before the woman stopped her hands. It took me a while to guess what she’d been about to sign.”

“And you figured it would be your word against the old woman’s, so you risked the child’s neck letting her jump from the train?” Riley reasoned.

“No,” Carter answered. “It would have been Piper’s word against the old woman’s. Who would you have believed?”

The lawmen looked at each other.

“Mrs. Tyler Halloway had no reason to lie,” Smith ventured.

“Unless she was paid by the outlaws.” Riley’s head bobbed so fast it could have been on springs. “We both commented on how fast she got here. The woman would have to have been standing at the station in Sherman when she got our telegram to have made it so fast.”