Love on the Line (32 page)

Something was wrong. Georgie pushed herself up off the bed and glanced out the window. Dawn had just begun to lighten the sky.

Then she realized. It was quiet. Too quiet. Why weren’t the fledglings squalling? Cardinals were early risers.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she rose and padded to the living room window. Even though dawn touched the horizon, it was still too dark to see anything through the glass. Without taking time to grab a blanket, she hurried to the back porch and tiptoed toward the ligustrum.

No sound. No movement.

She edged closer, then pulled back. The fledglings were gone. She looked left and right. No sign of them.

Her heart sped up. She knew good and well they hadn’t been taught to fly in the dead of night.

Hurrying off the porch and into the yard, she scanned the trees. And then she saw Prince Albert, his bright crimson coat a fine jewel against the green of the elm’s leaves. He hopped along its branch.

Chit chit chit.
A short, sharp cry of distress. Victoria fluttered down, landing beside him, then repeated the staccato notes.

Georgie whirled back around, covering her mouth with both hands. No.
No. Please, Lord.

But there was no question. Something had snatched up the babies during the night. She saw no sign of disturbance. The ligustrum had no broken branches. The nest wasn’t cockeyed. Everything looked perfect. Except the cradle was empty.

For the first time, she realized how bright and noticeable the woven, colorful ribbon was. A sick feeling churned in her stomach.

Was that what alerted the predator? Was she at fault? Letting out a low moan, she dropped to her knees, for whether it had been snake, cat, hawk, or raccoon, one thing was certain. Edward, Alice, and Leopold were dead.

She rocked back and forth, keening, grieving. How could this have happened? She’d watched over them all night.

But that wasn’t exactly true. She’d dozed off and on, then been interrupted by Necker and Luke. She’d abandoned them completely to rouse Bettina, only to fall asleep the moment she returned. And at some point, something had grabbed those fledglings.

If only she’d stayed awake. If only she’d never left them. Her watery gaze traveled over the utopia she’d created for her birds. Oaks, cottonwood, and elm. Buttonbush, sumac, and honeysuckle. Columbine, Turk’s cap, and coneflower. She’d given them everything they needed. A veritable Garden of Eden.

Yet a serpent had come calling and it had swallowed up the helpless chicks.

No,
she wanted to scream.
They were safe with me. I provided for them.

But they weren’t safe. She might groom her garden to help His creatures. She might set out houses and fill up feeders. But ultimately, it was her Father in heaven who clothed them, fed them, and taught them to fly.

Suddenly, Luke’s words rang in her head.
I’ve sworn to protect. And in order to do my job, sacrifices sometimes have to be made.

Had the fledglings been sacrificed? But why? She looked around her garden. Perhaps it was because some other of God’s creatures needed life. And God in His infinite wisdom had the perfect plan.

She swallowed. It didn’t make the hurt go away. It didn’t keep her from watching helplessly as Albert and Victoria flew down a branch, confused and upset.

Still, she wasn’t God. She couldn’t control the universe and all the living things in it. That, she admitted, was something best left up to Him.

Immediately, Bettina’s face flashed before her. She’d sent a nine-year-old, in the wee hours of the morning, by herself, to a town sixteen miles away. All because she wanted to help where no help had been requested.

This was much worse than leaving a colorful ribbon out. If anything happened to Bettina, Georgie would never forgive herself.

Scrambling to her feet, she stumbled inside just as a knock sounded. She swung open the door, and there Luke stood, nothing short of a gift straight from heaven.

Nussbaum looked even younger than usual, his hair tousled, his glasses missing, his union suit covered by trousers he’d yet to button. Even after a full night’s sleep the man didn’t have any whiskers to speak of.

“Palmer?” He squinted. “That you?”

Luke pushed inside the sheriff’s home. After telling Georgie he was to round up a posse, he’d gone straight to the boardinghouse, lifted some loose planks in his floor, then collected a satchel of handcuffs along with his clothes, hat, boots, gun belt, badge, and Warrant of Authority. It felt good to be himself again. “Go get your glasses, Nussbaum.”

“Look here, what do you think—”

“
Go get your glasses,
” he barked.

The sheriff fell back, then shuffled down the hallway grumbling. A few minutes later, he returned with glasses and a hastily donned shirt. “If you’re comin’ about the lines that were shot down, I already know about ’em. You needn’t have woken me up.”

Luke opened his jacket to reveal his badge, then handed the sheriff his papers. “I’m Lucious Landrum, Texas Ranger of Company ‘A’. I need to get a posse together.”

“Lucious Landrum?” Nussbaum huffed. “You’re no more Lucious Landrum than I’m—”

“Read the warrant. I don’t have a lot of time.”

The tone somehow penetrated and Nussbaum scanned the document, looked up, then scanned it again. “You’re not Luke Palmer?”

“No.”

“Then, who’s gonna fix them telephone wires?”

He barely checked the impulse to roll his eyes. “I need to make some arrests, but time is of the essence, so I’d appreciate it if you’d help me put together a posse.”

“Who ya wanna arrest?”

“Arnold Necker, Peter Finkel, and Clem Ragston.” He left out Duane and Blesinger for now. Since they both lived in town, he didn’t want word reaching them before the posse was on its way. Still, the names on the list left a bitter taste in his mouth. Comer would not be among those he captured today. With communication cut off, there was simply no way to send for the rest of his company.

He’d considered going with Necker and trying to take Comer alone. But if Duane’s story was accurate, then the gang would have their guns out by the time Comer made an appearance. Luke might be able to disarm them if he caught them off guard, but his chances wouldn’t be too good with that many men holding loaded pistols in the ready position. Besides, he had an uneasy feeling about Necker. Something just didn’t sit right.

Nussbaum returned the warrant. “Do you have any idea who them men really are?”

“Yes.”

The sheriff scratched his neck. “Well, if ya get yer Rangers to go along, I might come with ya. But nobody round here’ll bring ’em in.”

“What about your deputies?”

Nussbaum shook his head. “Not them, neither. Ya don’t know them fellers like we do. With the way they’re scattered, we might get the drop on one or two, but that’d leave a lot more to get the drop on us. Why, we’d be full o’ lead ’fore the sun’s even up.”

Whipping off his hat, Luke pointed south. “They’re planning a train robbery for later today. People’s lives are at stake. If I could do it alone, I would, but we need to hit the houses simultaneously. Surely you can persuade your men to cooperate?”

“ ’Fraid not. Nothin’ short of a company o’ Rangers could go after those men and come out alive.”

“We don’t have time to wait for my company. I need to round them up within the next few hours.”

Nussbaum opened the door. “I’m right sorry, Palmer.”

“It’s Landrum. Lucious Landrum. And if I had such pitiful deputies, I’d discharge them on the spot.”

The sheriff wasn’t moved. His fear of the Comer Gang clearly outweighed any pride he had over his deputized crew.

Luke jammed on his hat. “Fine. I’ll go out there alone. All I need is one fearless man with nerve enough to drive a hack.” He poked Nussbaum with a finger. “You give me the name of that man and I’ll come back with a load of criminals.”

“You’ll come back in a coffin is what you’ll come back in. Now, good night—or good morning, or whatever it is.”

Barely suppressing his anger, Luke stormed out the door. House by house, he roused men from their beds with his request. One driver, that’s all he needed. He asked the doc, the judge, the fire chief, the banker, the blacksmith, the tanner, the livery owner, even the milliner. On each occasion the door was shut in his face.

Time had run out. If he didn’t leave within the next half hour, he’d miss Duane, Blesinger, and possibly the others. There was only one person whom he hadn’t asked. One person who he knew would face the enemy square on. One person who’d risk everything.

Standing on the familiar porch beside a green bench, rattan rockers, and a porch swing, he opened the screen, then knocked on the bright blue door of Georgie’s cottage.

She thought she’d seen him in his Ranger’s garb, but clearly she hadn’t. His transformation was every bit as dramatic as that of caterpillar to butterfly. His quality Stetson and long-sleeve shirt offered the only bit of white he wore. Everything else was black—leather vest, string tie, trim pants, worn chaps, polished boots.

But it was the row of cartridges in his hand-tooled belt, the enormous emblem-buckle of gold and silver, and the pair of pistols at his hips which drew her attention.

She allowed her gaze to travel back up the length of him until his denim-colored eyes snagged hers.

“Bettina’s on her way to Industry,” she said, her brain starting to work again. “By herself. I have to go get her. Can I borrow your horse?”

“No, I need it. And I need you.”

She shook her head. “But, I—”

“No one would join my posse.”

She blinked. “No one? Was it because of their loyalty to Comer?”

“For some. Others—like the sheriff and his deputies—refused out of fear.”

“What about the men in your gun club? Did you ask for their help?”

“They all said no.”

“Even Mr. Lee?”

“The lawyer and his wife went with the Patricks to Jefferson.”

“I’m sure the mayor would help.” She shook her head. “No, wait, he’s in Austin.”

“Believe me, I’ve asked the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker. No one in the entire town is willing.”

She nodded. “It’ll be all right. You can ride to Industry and intercept Bettina on your way. Once the two of you arrive, you can put a call through to your captain and arrange to have more Rangers brought in.”

“There’s no time. I’m going to round them up myself, one at a time.”

“By yourself?” Her lips parted. “But how?”

He glanced at the horizon. “May I come in?”

“Oh!” She jumped back. “I’m sorry. Of course.”

Stepping inside, he shut the door. He’d been in this room a thousand times, but never had he filled it the way he did now. It was as if he’d grown ten feet in the last two hours.

He removed his hat, then combed his fingers through the hair above his left ear. “I can’t do it completely alone. I need someone to drive the hack.”

“You mean there wasn’t one man in the entire town who’d drive a hack for you?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

She propped her hands on her hips. “Well, that’s ridiculous. Why, anyone could drive a hack. Even me.”

His gaze held hers.

Her stomach dropped. “Oh my. Do you, do you want me to drive the hack?”

He shifted his weight. “You wouldn’t have to do anything. I’ll haul them in and keep them covered between locations. But you’ll have to hold them at gunpoint while I go inside each home.”

She pressed a hand against her waist, then covered it with the other. “You don’t understand. I sent Bettina
by herself
to Industry.”

“I heard you and I appreciate it. Hopefully she’ll make good time.”

“She’s nine years old, Luke. She can’t walk all the way to Industry.”

“And I can’t round up Comer’s gang without help. You’re my last hope, Georgie. If I don’t intercept these men now, this minute, innocent lives will be put in danger. And not just men, but women and children. Many children. Children Bettina’s age and younger.”

She thought of the little girl who’d stood beside her during the robbery back in February. “Comer won’t hurt them.”

“Don’t fool yourself. The only reason no one has been hurt is because no one has challenged him. Putting your trust in his ‘good nature’ is about as safe as sharing a tree with a grizzly.”

“What about Bettina?”

“That girl’s about the most resourceful thing I ever did see. Matter of fact, if you don’t come with me, I just might go get her to drive the hack.”

She paled. “You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.” His blue eyes had turned to points of gray. This was the Lucious Landrum she’d read about in the papers. But somewhere in there was also the Luke Palmer she knew and loved.

“The girl needs protecting.”

Like the fledglings?
The thought seared through her mind with such vehemence she stumbled back two steps.

“The folks on that train need protecting, too,” he said.

She swallowed. She couldn’t be two places at once, but she knew someone who could. And she’d just have to put her trust in Him. “I won’t be able to hold the prisoners at gunpoint. I’ve never shot a gun in all my life.”

“And hopefully you won’t have to. I meant to take you out and teach you, but there just hasn’t been time.” He rotated the hat in his hands. “I think it might work in your favor, though. If the fellows knew you could shoot, they’d figure you wouldn’t be able to actually kill one of them if the need arose. But if they discover you don’t know how to shoot, they’ll be worried you might shoot them by accident—which is a distinct possibility. That alone may keep them from giving you any trouble.”

“What if they give me trouble anyway?”

His eyes turned steely again. “Then you point and pull the trigger.”

She placed a hand against her throat. “I see. Well.”

If she went with him, it would mean leaving Bettina in God’s capable hands. It would mean losing her job. It would also mean ridding the state of men who preyed upon others.

She took a deep breath. “When do we leave?”

The tension left his shoulders, his eyes filling with relief and appreciation. For the first time, he looked like the Luke she knew.

Grabbing her hands, he flipped them up and kissed them on the palms. “Thank you. I’d kiss you properly, but I’m not allowed. We need to leave in about twenty minutes. I’ll go get a hack and horse from the livery. Meanwhile, put on something which allows you to move as freely as possible.” He whipped open the door, then leaned back in. “Not your trousers, though. You hear?”

She nodded, then scurried to her room as soon as the door closed behind him.