The train had been traveling its course almost an hour when Buck Wilmington could stand it no longer. He had waited until they were on their journey, but now was the time. Buck had to meet the beautiful woman sitting near the front of their train car. He checked his reflection in the window pane to his right, shoving JD back a bit to get a better view, then he stood and proceeded down the center aisle.
Across the aisle from JD Dunne, Ezra Standish watched with a slight smirk on his lips. He took great pleasure in seeing Buck taken down by the women he so tried to impress. Ezra was sure this case would be no different. He leaned slightly to his left to obtain a better viewing angle. He didn't want to miss this.
As Buck walked down the aisle, his confidence grew. He had always been sure of his charm, and most women were immediately drawn to his easy smile and quick wit. They loved that he was a little rough around the edges, and he worked that to his advantage as often as possible. As he drew near to where she sat, he drew himself up a little straighter, standing tall. He heard her voice before he reached her, then the voice of the man sitting beside her.
"Will we be arriving before dark?" she asked the man. Her voice sent chills down the back of Buck's neck.
"We shall be there shortly before sunset," the man answered, "Please stop worrying." He reached into her lap and drew her gloved hand into his. With a slight pat, he reassured her that all was well.
Buck stopped at their seats, turning to face the couple. He looked at the woman, his eyes dancing. She took his breath away with her smooth porcelain skin and delicate features. She had crystal clear green eyes, the kind that see through a man. Her deep red hair was swept up and tucked under her green velvet hat, which played beautifully off her full, russet stained lips. Buck was overcome by her beauty for a moment, smiling shyly while staring at her. But his smile faded when he saw their clasped hands. The couple was looking up at Buck, questions in their eyes, but no one spoke immediately. Buck looked from the woman to the man, then back to the woman. He forced another smile. He told himself to move forward. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. But he felt the flush creep into his face.
"May I help you?" the man asked Buck.
Buck thought quickly. "Oh, I was just making sure that everything was okay for you. Any problems?" Buck hoped he could hurry this along before his face became too red to cover his embarrassment.
"Are you with the railroad company?" the man asked.
Buck smiled sheepishly, then said, "No sir. I'm not with the railroad. I just..." he searched for words. "My friends and I are..." Again he stopped. What to say? He couldn't tell them the real reason the five of them were aboard. But what? Buck began to shift on his feet, transferring his hat from one hand to the other. "I just like to make sure that people are comfortable. That's all." At this, Buck turned to the older woman sitting across the aisle from the couple and said, "Ma'am, are you comfortable?"
The older woman replied, "Well, actually, I am a bit warm. I would appreciate a better climate. And this filth from the engines is ruining my clothes."
Buck looked at her in amazement, having not expected her to reply. Then he said, "I'll see what I can do about that, ma'am." With a nod to the couple, eyes on the woman, Buck left them and quickly returned to his seat.
Ezra was chuckling audibly as Buck sat. "Well, Mr. Wilmington, it does appear that your charms are of no usefulness on this excursion."
"Shut up, Ezra."
"Believe me, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra continued, "That woman resides on a pedestal higher than you could ever attain."
Buck heard the challenge in Ezra's voice, and responded by saying, "And I guess you can?"
Ezra smiled a slow, languid smile, and said, "Oh, I assure you. I have reached that pinnacle many times." Lost in his thoughts, Ezra continued to smile to himself. Buck sat back and stared sullenly toward the front of the passenger car.
There was little activity as the train moved down the tracks, and many of its passengers began to look for ways to break the monotony. Only so many times could you stare out of the windows and see something new. When a couple of people in the front of the car moved toward the dining car, the woman Buck had admired stood to stretch her legs. She had removed her hat, letting strands of her hair fall loosely around her neck and temples. She reached up to brush a strand from her eyes, and Buck's heart beat a bit faster. He shifted abruptly in his seat, an action that caused Ezra to look over at him. Ezra followed Buck's eyes to the front, resting on the woman. He smiled at the vision, but shook his head when he remembered Buck. Poor man is hopeless.
The woman moved from her seat and into the aisle, then began toward the back of the car. Buck and Ezra both sat a little taller in their seats. The woman nodded at a few passengers as she continued down the aisle. She moved slowly, as if out for an afternoon stroll. Buck couldn't keep his eyes from moving down the length of her stature, noticing her long legs hidden beneath the layers of her dress. He smiled at his own daydreams. The woman spoke to an elderly couple sitting two rows in front of Buck and JD. Buck could not pull his attention from her. She leaned forward slightly as she spoke with the couple in hushed tones. Her hands formed a cocoon around the hand of the elderly woman, and she smiled broadly while they spoke. Buck couldn't hear their words, but he saw her eyes crinkle at the corners as she laughed softly with the couple. Then her rich voice cut the silence in the car as she laughed heartily at something that was said. Several people on the train turned to look at her, but she never noticed. She released the elderly woman's hand and straightened to her full height. She was taller than Buck had
expected, but this just added to her immense beauty. There was a distinctive air of sophistication about her that could not be dismissed.
As she continued to speak with the elderly couple, she began to notice others around her. When her gaze moved toward the seats where Buck was stationed, both he and Ezra suddenly pulled themselves together. But she never looked their way. Instead, her eyes rested on JD. She paused just a moment, looking intently at him, then realized she was staring and returned her attention to the couple. But she couldn't resist sneaking more glances at him. It wasn't evident to Buck exactly where her attention lay, but he could tell she had diverted her attention from the couple. She soon excused herself and proceeded to the next row, stopping just in front of Buck. But she never saw him. She was looking at JD. And then she spoke.
"Excuse me, sir," her voice brought a hush over the small group of men that included Buck. "Sir?"
JD was absorbed in a book and never noticed her approaching. Ezra leaned forward in his seat and stared expectantly at JD, willing him to take notice. Buck was looking directly up at her, his heart racing at her closeness, but he managed to elbow JD a little too sharply to get his attention. Startled, JD's book flew upward from his hands, causing him to exclaim, "Buck!"
The woman looked down at Buck with little expression, and Buck tried to smile a winning smile. Instead, he looked like a dopey young boy. Her expression revealed nothing. She turned back to JD, who had now seen her standing there, and she smiled. JD's eyes were wide and dumbfounded.
"Excuse me," she repeated to JD, "I'm sorry, but don't we know each other?"
Ezra, still leaning forward in his seat across the aisle, lost a bit of balance and almost slid off the front of this seat. He recovered nicely, but not before Nathan Jackson had a good chuckle at his expense. Ezra seated himself more appropriately, but his attention stayed riveted to JD. Buck, on the other hand, had turned abruptly to his left to look straight on at his friend. His shock was written all over his face.
JD's face, too, was full of surprise. He began to stammer a bit, then closed his mouth and tried again.
"No, ma'am, I don't believe we do."
"Are you sure?" she replied, "I feel certain that I've seen you before."
"Oh," JD said, "I'm sure I would know it if we'd ever met. I don't think we have."
She furrowed her brow and continued to stare intently at JD. She was thinking intently about the situation.
She said, "Are you sure? Quite sure? Do you have people in St. Louis? Perhaps that's where we met."
JD couldn't help smiling, but he shook his head, "No ma'am. I'm sorry. You've got me confused with somebody else."
She nodded, still confused, then said, "Well, okay. If you're quite sure. But you do look highly familiar to me. Perhaps..." Her voice trailed off as she pondered her thought. "Okay. I'm sorry. Perhaps you're right. I must be mistaken. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
"Oh, no bother, ma'am," JD was too quick to say. Buck was still looking at him, and JD finally noticed. Shoulder to shoulder, they began to stare at each other.
The woman turned to leave, and Ezra stood. His sudden movement caused her to stop and look at him. They were barely inches apart. Ezra's smile was charming and his eyes determined.
"Allow me to introduce myself," he began in his best air of sophistication, "My name is Ezra Standish."
The woman smiled a cool smile, lowering head just a bit to look evenly into Ezra's eyes. She said, "Good afternoon, Mr. Standish," then turned on her heel and walked back to her seat, leaving Ezra standing alone in the aisle, confidence diminished. To Ezra's right, Nathan could not help laughing. He said, "Got right up there to her level, didn't you, Ezra?" Ezra released a slight "hmmph" and returned to his seat.
As the morning wore on, the dining car filled with weary travelers in search of some excitement, and soon the four from the train car made their way there. Ezra found an unsuspecting candidate for a friendly game of cards, and soon a small crowd had formed around them. Ezra worked with his target for a lengthy stretch of time, sure enough of his competitor's skills that he allowed him to win several hands before cleaning him out thoroughly in the end. As the man's luck ran out, several other men felt sure they could do better, and soon there were men waiting for their chance to play against Ezra. Ezra was in his element, holding court and relishing the attention. JD was sitting alone at a table nearby, mostly keeping to himself. His thoughts had been on his girlfriend Casey most of the day, replaying an argument they had just as he was forced to leave for this job. He still couldn't figure out what exactly had started the discussion, but he was sure it must have been his fault. She had been so angry, she hadn't even told him goodbye. He couldn't wait to return to Four Corners and smooth things over.
JD didn't notice the woman approach his table. It startled him when she spoke.
"Hello again." Her voice was so smooth and full that the atmosphere seemed to divide when she spoke. JD looked up to see her smiling at him. He could only manage a weak "Hello."
"May I join you?" She asked with uncertainty, but her gaze was confident that he would say yes. He did.
"I am sorry," she began, "about earlier. I felt sure that we had once met. I still see a familiarity but can't quite place it."
JD smiled. "I have one of those faces that makes everyone think they know me."
She laughed a quiet laugh. "I see. Well, perhaps that is the case here." She extended her hand to him and said, "I am Amelia Eagan."
JD shook her hand and returned the introductions. She pondered the name a moment, trying to make a connection, then shook it off when nothing registered. She said, "Are you traveling far?"
JD replied, "No. We're getting off at Ridge City. We’re on the way back." JD had been counseled not to reveal much in the way of details about their job. The money on the train had to arrive safely, and they were the ones responsible to make that happen. A lot was at stake, and they really couldn't know who to trust. His cautious answer seemed to go unnoticed.
"You mean you and your friends? Those men who were sitting beside you in the passenger car?" She was trying her best to sound only somewhat interested, but her mind was working constantly forming questions that sounded such.
JD answered, "Yes, ma'am. We're all together.
We work together. This was more difficult than JD anticipated. And surely this woman wasn't someone he needed to be cautiouos about. Still, JD knew he would have to face Chris Larabee if any information leaked from him, and that was something JD did not want to do. He tried to shift the conversation to her. "Where are you going?"
"We are stopping when you are. After that, we're not sure yet." She hoped that sounded equally as vague as JD's answer, but she couldn't judge for certain.
"Oh," JD remarked, "Are you and your husband on a vacation or something?"
She smiled to herself, something that made her look slightly embarrassed, then said, "We are thinking of moving to another area. This is a sort of research effort. We hoped to find a place we might enjoy for many years."
JD said, "Like starting over?"
She nodded, a slight sadness in her eyes, "Yes. Starting over."
A loud exclamation arose from the table commandeered by Ezra. Another unlucky soul. JD and Amelia drew their attention there. The crowd began to thin around the table as fewer men chose to play against Ezra. JD smiled at the scene, very aware of how it would all turn out in the end. One more young man decided to try his luck and sat across from the gambler. Ezra almost hated to take on this gentleman, knowing his youth would cause him to defeat himself. But then again, Ezra rarely turned down an eager volunteer.
The man who had been sitting with Amelia in the passenger car stepped out of the small crowd surrounding the card game, searching the room until he saw Amelia. He hurried over to the table where she sat with JD.
"Amelia, you must come witness this," he spoke in excited tones to her, not bothering to look at JD at all. "It is quite amusing. All those fools, eager to lose their money to such an apt swindler. Quite extraordinary."
JD smiled at the man's intuition. He saw right through Ezra. Amelia looked at JD, prepared to excuse herself, but JD stood. He suggested they all join the spectators. They worked their way toward the front of the group and watched closely as Ezra relieved the young man of all he brought to the table. Quite easily, in fact. It was almost a shame for the game to end so quickly. Ezra thanked the young man and the crowd for a profitable afternoon, then excused himself. He had stood only halfway from the chair when Amelia spoke up.
"I'd like to try a hand, Mr. Standish."
All attention turned to face this woman who dared challenge such an experienced player. JD's shock was more than evident. Ezra remained in mid stand, hovering over the chair with eyes of surprise and intrigue. Amelia's companion spoke to her a little too loudly.
"Amelia," he began, "This is not a friendly game. Perhaps you should allow others to take their chances and spare yourself."
"Nonsense, Dante" she said to her companion. Then, turning to Ezra, "I'm sure Mr. Standish enjoys challenges of all sorts."
Ezra relaxed a bit and smiled slyly, "I do, ma'am. That I do. Please." He gestured for her to take the chair opposite him.
Ezra explained his game of choice, the stakes, and his particular slant on the rules, always trying to keep it interesting. He thought, at first, of allowing her to win a hand or two, to boost her confidence, then decided against it. It wouldn't do to build a woman's hopes and then dash them horribly. No, he would spare her the most embarrassment and end this quickly.
Amelia studied the cards, listened intently, and took on a look of fierce concentration. She didn't want to appear stupid but knew it would take all of her reserve to hold her own against this man. The game began. Ezra worked quickly, hoping to shake her enough to see her strategy early. But, she did a fine job of remaining stoic. He thought he saw her eyes betray her once as she studied her hand, but he couldn't be sure. Just as he began to call her on what he was sure was her bluff, she made the final move. They laid their cards down. Her straight beat his two pair. She had won.
Ezra's eyes were larger than JD had ever seen. He couldn't speak. He didn't even look up at her for a moment, then couldn't help himself. She was smiling brightly, thrilled at her accomplishment. Ezra was trying to figure out what had actually happened. Amelia collected her winnings and stood to leave. The crowd was clapping at her performance, congratulating Dante as well. Before she moved to go, she extended her hand to Ezra.
"Thank you, Mr. Standish. Well played." Ezra looked up into her eyes with a steady gaze. She met his gaze with a steely one of her own. The unspoken words could have filled the entire train. Amelia smiled at him and walked away. Ezra looked down at the table and shook his head. How could he have let this happen?
+ + + + + + +
Amelia returned to her seat in the passenger car, alone for a moment. She was pleased with her win, although she kept this pleasure to herself. No need to draw undue attention. As she took her seat beside the window, she felt the stirring of another person sitting beside her. She was surprised to see Ezra slumping beside her. His hat was drawn low on his brow, partially covering his eyes, and he was looking at the seat in front of him. She shifted in her seat slightly to face him, but he did not turn toward her immediately. She waited for him to speak.
"You're very good," Ezra said in a low rumble, "Very good. I never saw you comin'." Amelia did not speak but stared at him evenly, a hint of smile at the corners of her lips. She looked at him with narrowed eyes. He turned toward her and stared into her eyes. The two were evenly matched for just a moment. An unspoken affection played on their faces. Ezra broke the silence.
"You are not exactly what you appear to be, I imagine."
She smiled, "On the contrary, Mr. Standish. I am exactly what I appear to be. A woman of taste, of enterprise, of simple pleasures, who enjoys a good game of cards."
Ezra lifted his hat a bit, looking at her from a different angle. "I suppose you learned these ‘games of cards’ from your social circle of distinguished associates?"
"You could say," she explained, "that I found those circles lacking a bit of, well, adventure, which I found in other, uh, circles. The smile that played between them was quite intoxicating, and she began to draw nearer to him. An observer would believe they were traveling together, perhaps young lovers. The attraction was not missed by either of the two.
Ezra prolonged the moment of closeness for a time, enjoying the banter. Amelia held her own, unsure of where this would be leading but excited about the possibilities. A voice coming up the aisle behind them drew them back into the moment; they drew away from each other slowly, eyes still locked. And then Ezra smiled at her in such a way that it was contagious. She drew her bottom lip under her teeth to avoid laughing.
"You're a fine adversary," Ezra said to her, preparing to leave, "but the next time we are in the same game, I'd rather us work in tandem. I have no desire to lose to you again."
Smiling, she said, "But you're the best, aren't you, Mr. Standish? Surely you wouldn't allow that to happen twice with the same opponent?"
Ezra replied, "True, I am the best. But I am also a man, and, as such, am sometimes distracted by the more delicate attributes that a woman brings to the table."
In her most innocent voice, Amelia asked, "Is that what happened today?"
Ezra drew a long breath. "What happened today will not happen again, I assure you. You played well, using one of my favorite tactics in fact, although it is so simple I hardly use it myself anymore. But that will not happen again. While I am quite adept at recognizing a con and at revealing a cheat, which, I might add, you are, I also do not dismiss the possibility that I may have been otherwise engaged. Amelia felt the blush rise in her neck, but smiled at him nonetheless.
Their conversation suddenly closed when Dante Eagan appeared at their seats. Ezra rose to leave, stepping into the aisle but turning to look at Amelia once again. He smiled a wide, teasing smile, then tipped his head and touched the brim of his hat with one finger.
"Another time then," he said to Amelia, who returned the nod. Ezra smiled to himself all the way back to his seat. JD and Buck had watched the entire scene between Ezra and Amelia, as much as they could see, and it was painfully obvious that Ezra had worked his way into her graces. Buck was immediately jealous, but refused to show it. Fortunately, Ezra did not discuss the woman when he returned to his seat. Buck didn't talk to him at all.
Chris Larabee joined Buck, JD and Ezra in the back of the passenger car. Nathan had taken his turn guarding the safe containing the money in order to give Chris some time to relax. But Chris knew he would not relax until the money was safely delivered to Four Corners. They were on schedule so far, about halfway to their destination, where the five of them would then transport the money. From there, they would await the stage carrying the courier who would deliver the cash to its new owner. It was a large sum of money, entrusted to them only because the new owner believed they were the only ones who could deliver it with little trouble. They did not even know what the money was to be used for, but knew it would help one man do something good for a fledgling town. Chris agreed to help because Judge Travis assured him that only a handful of people knew about the transport. Still, with money, there was always the possibility of trouble.
Chris stood in the back of the car, surveying the scene from a shadowy corner. Few of the passengers noticed him at all. It was a quiet ride for everyone, and this helped ease some of Chris's fears. When Amelia walked down the aisle toward the back of the train, he couldn't take his eyes off her. A smile threatened to cross his face, and a slight flicker rose in his eyes. He did not move but continued to watch.
Amelia felt more nervous about this than she had about approaching JD. There was a purpose in that, at least. This time, she was moved by emotion. Dante had warned her to leave it alone, but she just couldn't. There was something about Ezra Standish that she wanted to explore. She was determined to spend as much time with him as she could during the remainder of their journey. But it was JD's voice that brought attention to Amelia, causing the three men to look up at her before she was prepared for it. When JD called her name, and all eyes were on her, she immediately lost her ability to speak. With startled eyes she simply stared ahead, not really looking at any of them. JD repeated her name, thinking she might not have heard the first time. This was enough to draw her out, and she looked over at JD and smiled weakly. She didn't hear what JD was saying to her, but she politely looked his direction while he spoke.
Chris watched her from his corner, quickly realizing that she was only being polite to JD. He stepped forward to the end of the aisle, standing directly in front of her, a few feet away. She was lost in a daze and did not see him move.
JD's monologue had broken her determination, and she scrapped her original intentions, planning to return to her seat. Dante had been right; it was foolish of her to pursue someone like Ezra Standish. There was nothing to be gained in it, outside of momentary pleasure. She made her apologies, never allowing herself to look at Ezra, then turned to leave again. A voice she instantly recognized stopped her at once. She stood still, not sure she could even turn around. But she knew she had to face the man who had called her name. She did turn, and suddenly she looked directly into the eyes of Chris Larabee.
"Hello, Molly." He was smiling at her, and she just wanted to run away the moment she saw him. She also didn't want to go anywhere at all.
She swallowed hard and said, in a voice that sounded too shaky for her liking, "Hello, Chris."
Chris smiled a little more openly, then moved forward to speak to her. She stiffened and couldn't move. He reached her in one step and placed both his hands on her shoulders, leaning toward her in a too familiar way. She managed to lift her hands and place them on the upper portion of his arms, then succumbed to the desire and hugged him. His hug was tighter than she had expected, and she felt her breath slip away in an instant. She was losing control of herself and knew she had to leave. At the risk of being too abrupt, she made some excuse about needing to return forward, then hurried back to where Dante waited. He was standing at his seat, looking toward the back of the car. He had recognized Chris's voice as well, surprised to hear Amelia's childhood name being called, and stood to watch the scene play out. He was sure this was not a good sign for their plans.
When Amelia had returned to her seat, she cast one last glance backward. Chris was still standing in the aisle, smiling, and he nodded to her when she looked back. Amelia was visibly flustered and quickly ducked her head and sat down. Dante and Chris looked at one another a little longer, but no love was lost there. Finally, obviously uncomfortable with Chris's presence, Dante sat down as well.
Chris was amused at the little scene. He dropped his head and smiled, giving way to a slight chuckle. Buck, on the other hand, was not amused. It appeared that everyone on this train was making a connection with this woman but him. And he was the only one who really wanted to make a connection! JD echoed Buck's thoughts when he said, "You know her, Chris?"
Chris's smile had not faded, and he said, "I used to."
JD continued, "Yeah? Wow. I never would have thought that. She said she was from St. Louis. She and her husband are planning to make a new start somewhere down here."
Chris looked over at JD, head tilted in question. "Her husband?"
JD nodded, "Yeah, that man she's traveling with. The one sitting up there." He pointed toward the front of the car.
Chris looked back toward the front. "That ain't her husband, JD."
At this, Buck suddenly looked up at Chris. Ezra tilted his head toward Chris but did not look around. This was interesting.
Chris met Buck's attention and said, "That's her brother. Not her husband."
JD's face contorted with confusion. He knew she had said he was her husband. Hadn't she? Or had she? Yes, he was certain of it. Why did she lie?
Buck took the news differently. A smile came across his face so bright it may have rivaled the sun. Suddenly, this little train ride had promise again. He began devising a plan.
As the afternoon wore on, Amelia grew restless. The trip itself, with the plan they were following, made it last forever. But now, with the presence of Chris Larabee, the day was quickly becoming the longest of her life. Dante sensed her discomfort, and he tried to draw her attention to matters of importance. Anything to take her out of her introspection. But she would have none of it. She couldn't stop thinking about Chris, knowing he was so close, and she desperately wanted to turn around and catch one more glimpse of him. But she dared not. When she could sit still no longer, Amelia retreated to the dining car. At least she could escape the constant fussing of Dante.
She sat alone at a table in the corner, watching the countryside as the sun began to dip lower from the sky. She desperately wanted this trip to end. She was anxious to reach their stop, make their fateful meeting, and leave this territory for good. The longer the trip, the more nervous she became. And if things did not work precisely as planned, she wasn’t sure she could go through with it.
Amelia's worries so consumed her that she didn't notice Chris until he stretched one long leg over the back of the chair opposite her and sat down. She sat motionless when she recognized him. But his smile disarmed her, and she could not help but smile back. He was still the most intoxicating man she had ever known.
"How are you, Molly?" His smile simultaneously calmed her nerves and flustered her.
"I’m well, Chris," she replied, "And you?" He nodded slightly in response. There was a brief pause, during which she saw his eyes inspecting her face, finally settling on her eyes. He was still smiling.
"You look well," he said, his eyes teasing her, "And you’re using your full name now? I guess life’s been pretty good to you?"
How she wanted to tell him the truth, but she risked it not. Better to play the game as planned than run the risk of any complications.
"You were the only one who ever called me Molly," she said. "No one else even knew that name. I hadn’t even heard it for years until you said it earlier. Oh, the memories that flooded my mind when I heard your voice." She realized that her emotions had begun to take over, so she quickly spoke again. "And yes, I have enjoyed a good life of privilege and education."
Chris smiled even more and shook his head slightly.
"That was always important to you," he said, a trace of sadness in his voice.
Amelia fidgeted a little at his comment. In an effort to shift the focus, she asked about him.
"What are you doing now, Chris?"
He chuckled, thinking over his answer just a minute, then said, "Believe it or not, I’m helping out some people in a small town near here. Trying to make it safe for their families. What you might call a hired gun."
Her eyes widened at his statement, and though she tried to cover her astonishment, she failed. Fortunately, Chris knew nothing of her anxiety and assumed she was shocked because she knew his past, and his present was such a contrast to it.
"Hard to believe?" he asked her, "I know. But it’s true. There’s a little town that was in need of some cleanin’ up, and I got asked. Then, I figured I might as well stay on for a while. Been there longer than most anywhere, I guess."
Amelia felt warmer than she liked, growing more nervous by the minute. She couldn’t believe her bad luck. As if this wasn’t difficult enough, now she had to contend with Chris Larabee and a badge. Could things get any worse? She dared not consider the possibilities. To keep his suspicions down, Amelia asked about his family.
"How is Sarah? You have a son now, don’t you?" She was unprepared for the fading of his smile and the instant cloud that settled about him. He looked down at his hands, quiet for a long moment, then spoke before she could stop him.
"Sarah and Adam were killed in a fire a few years back."
That was all he said, and he did not look at her, but the impact was as if the chandelier above them had suddenly collapsed. Amelia fought to draw a breath, but she couldn’t. She was almost gasping, and the tears in her eyes immediately spilled onto her cheeks, dropping onto the table covering below. She fought to maintain some composure, but it was impossible. She struggled to speak, but no words formed, and finally she simply looked at Chris and waited. Her lower lip trembled as she watched him.
When Chris looked up, he was not surprised at her appearance. He had expected no less from Sarah’s friend. He knew the subject would come up if they talked long enough, and he was prepared. He had learned long ago how to steel himself against these emotions, and even Amelia couldn’t penetrate it. But her reaction was certainly testing his armor. In an effort to help comfort her, he reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. Their eyes met, and Amelia swallowed hard to fight back more tears. They sat quietly for the length of time it took her to settle down. Sarah was not mentioned again.
Somehow they managed to move past the difficult topic, choosing to focus instead on old memories, things that happened before Sarah. They had not seen each other since Chris had met the woman he would marry, but Amelia had shared a very important part of her life with him. He was, she reminded him, her first love. And he reminded her how dangerous it had been for her to love him.
"You always were too stubborn," he said, only half teasing her. "I don’t know how many times I tried to make you leave."
"And I told you I would never leave," she said with a smile, "You were the most exciting man I’d ever met." She paused, considering, then added quietly, "You still are."
If her statement affected him, he didn’t show it to her. Instead, he smiled again, and said, "I remember that you almost got yourself killed more than once. You made me crazy."
That drew a smile from her, and she offered, "That’s the way I kept things. Off-guard. You were easier to handle that way."
He laughed heartily. "You never got a handle on me, Molly. Never."
The corners of her eyes crinkled as she smiled, and she pressed her lips together. This was true enough. They playfully bantered about the old days, and their romantic interlude, of sorts, eventually finding themselves in the middle of a full-blown flirtation. It felt good to let her guard down for a moment. And she hadn’t smiled this much in many years. If this could only last longer. But the moment ended, and they both decided they should return to the passenger car. It was Chris’s intention to talk more with her, but that changed when they entered the car.
The minute they walked into the car, Chris sensed the danger. He immediately looked to the back of the car where his friends had been stationed. He saw Ezra perched strategically in a corner, waiting for a moment to act. Ezra’s head moved slightly to point Chris in the direction of the problem. Chris slowly moved his eyes toward the right and noticed a man hovering at the back of the car, eyes shifting nervously and looking forward toward the front of the train car. Chris looked in front of the man, catching Nathan’s attention. Nathan ran one finger across the brim of his hat to signal that he only saw one man. Chris nodded so slightly that it was almost undetectable. Then he remembered Amelia.
He reached out toward her to move her forward, but she had turned to see why he had stopped and their eyes met. She saw the change in Chris’s eyes, and her own eyes widened a bit. She had seen these eyes so many times before, and she knew to expect trouble. She looked hard into his eyes, a little fear surfacing. He moved one hand to the small of her back and placed his other hand on her arm, applying a little pressure to turn her around and move her forward. She began to turn around, but stopped when she heard the click of a gun being cocked. Too fast, she turned to her left and was met with a man standing abruptly from his seat on the first row.
The sudden movement caused Chris to jump too quickly into action, reaching for his gun while pulling Amelia back and shoving her behind him. With Amelia between them, both men had time to pull their guns, but Chris was the one taken by surprise. The man from the first row placed his gun directly in front of Chris’s nose. Chris stopped his draw in mid-air. He couldn’t see Amelia anymore, but he stopped worrying about her. She had been in situations like this with him before, and she could take care of keeping herself out of the way. He fixed his focus on the man in front of him.
The man took Chris’s gun and moved behind him. Then he told Chris to ask his friend in the back of the train to sit down. Chris told him to ask for himself. The man hit Chris in the middle of the shoulders and shoved him down the aisle, remaining where he was. Chris turned to face the man, squaring off. He was waiting for an opportunity to go for his second gun. Just wait...
The man yelled at Ezra to sit down, and after a long moment, Ezra complied. He watched the other man in the back corner every step of the way as he rounded the seats and sat down. Ezra was confident that this would not last long, but he wasn’t sure what Chris’s plan might be. JD, Nathan and Ezra stole a few glances at each other to keep in sync, preparing themselves for anything. The man in the front of the car told Chris to take a seat with his friends. He wanted them all together so he could keep his eye on them all at once. As Chris sat down beside Ezra, the man began to explain to the passengers how this was going to play out.
"No one here is gonna get hurt, and no one is gonna be a hero. We’ll just do what we came to do and you people will stay where you are. If you don’t try to be brave, we won’t bother you any longer than we have to."
Chris watched the man intently, and when he met Chris’s gaze, Chris narrowed his eyes in challenge. The man had a momentary spark of fear, a spark Chris read immediately, but the man shook it off quickly, straightened himself up and moved to the back of the train. Stopping in front of Chris and Nathan, he told his partner to remove the guns from the four men. JD began to stall a bit, but Chris glanced over at him slowly and nodded to give up his guns. JD clenched his jaw and did as he was instructed. When the first man was satisfied that the odds were now in his favor, he took the guns from his partner and backed up the aisle to his previous position. Chris noticed a slight movement on the first row, just behind where the man was headed down the aisle. Then he remembered Amelia. He felt a sudden tightening in his chest, and grumbled a low "No..." Ezra heard the word, looking at Chris and following his eyes toward the front. He saw her, too, and echoed Chris’s fears.
Ezra whispered, "What does that woman think she is doing?"
Chris growled, "She’s stubborn."
Ezra said, "That’s great. Just great." Ezra began to think of a contingency plan for the inevitable moment when this new development backfired. He thought fondly of the gun resting beneath his sleeve and waited for the right opportunity. He had the element of surprise on his side, and in fact, this situation with Amelia just might prove to be an advantage after all.
Amelia sat facing forward on the front seat vacated by the man who now had control of the train car. She listened as he came nearer. Her idea was to take him by surprise, causing a momentary disturbance so that Chris and his friends could overtake the man in the back. She was terrified, and it wasn’t until the man moved directly beside her that she knew what she was going to do. Seeing the gun belts in his hand, she quickly threw out her arm in a downward motion, hooking the top of the belts just enough to shove them out of the man’s grasp and throw him off balance. The surprise worked, and all but one of the guns fell to the floor.
The man scrambled in shocked surprise for a moment, looking down as the guns fell out of his hand. Amelia began to stand up, attempting to break for safety as far from the man as possible. Ezra and Chris had been prepared for anything, and when the commotion occurred they jumped out of their seats. Ezra released his sleeve gun on the man in the back of the train, surprising him so that he was unable to challenge at all. Chris began to move quickly up the aisle, hoping to reach the man before he recovered from the surprise. Amelia rushed past the man, just avoiding him as he stretched to grab her arm, and she and Chris headed for each other in the aisle. Amelia just wanted to get out of the way, but there was no place to go except the already filled seats. Chris called her name, hoping to tell her to drop to the floor, but he noticed the gun raising behind her. It was not aimed at him but at her.
Chris yelled, "Stop!" Amelia stopped immediately, seeing the look on Chris’s face. She knew she had blown it.
The man at the front of the train moved forward, keeping his gun pointed at Amelia’s back, then reached her and pulled her against him. He placed his gun in Amelia’s side and stared at Chris.
"Tell your man to sit down."
Chris looked directly in his eyes, but there was no fear there this time. He couldn’t risk it.
"Ezra, let him go."
Reluctantly, Ezra moved away from the man in the back of the train. He still had his gun, but Chris was in charge, and he wouldn’t interfere. The man who held Amelia called to his partner to move out the back of the train. As his partner moved, the man in charge pulled Amelia with him toward the back of the train as well. When they reached Chris and the others, he demanded Ezra’s gun. Ezra complied, begrudgingly, and only because there was a gun aimed at Amelia. Amelia and Chris studied each other as Ezra removed his weapon. She hoped her apology was evident, but she couldn’t tell for sure. Chris’s face was blank, even his eyes. She wanted to say something but she dared not. Instead, she just looked away.
The man moved Amelia past Chris and the others, shuffling her around so he could back out of the car. Once they disappeared, the four men regrouped, retrieving their guns that remained hidden during the episode. Chris discussed with them the best way to reach the car which housed the safe containing the money. They felt sure that robbery was the point of all of this, and the first priority was keeping the money safe. In the course of doing that, Chris would figure out a way to get Amelia. Dante Eagan approached the group as they discussed their options.
Chris said, "Dante, go sit down. We’ll take care of this."
"It’s my sister, Chris! I can’t just stay here!"
Chris moved within inches of Dante, staring him straight in the eyes. His voice was gruff and final when he said, "We’ll take care of this." Dante hesitated only a second, then returned back to his seat. Chris, Ezra, and Nathan cautiously moved out of the door at the rear of the car. JD was instructed to stay in the car in case of more trouble. Chris told him to keep a close eye on Dante, as well. As they began to leave the car, they noticed the train coming to a stop.
+ + + + + + +
The two men from the passenger car were relieved when the train stopped. Their third partner had completed his part, and now it was up to them. They had not planned to take a hostage, but they had also not planned on so many guns protecting the money. They were thinking fast and adjusting to the new situations. A hostage might just be the thing to make it all work smoothly.
With the train stopped, the two men met up with their partner. Two of them stayed outside the passenger car for the inevitable appearance of the gunmen, while the man who held Amelia, the obvious leader of this group, marched her along the rocky path beside the train tracks. When they reached the car that contained the safe, they met up with Buck. Buck was ready for the man, knowing by the stopped train that something was amiss. But Buck was not prepared to see Amelia in tow. The momentary shock on his face gave the bandit enough time to put Buck off-guard. He aimed his gun at Buck and told him to step away from the door. Buck remained in his position, gun aimed back at the man. They stood facing off, with Amelia too close to the bandit, for a very long while. Finally, the man holding Amelia spoke.
"You were interested in this lady earlier, weren’t you? Now, you wouldn’t want anything to happen to her because you’re stupid, would you?"
Buck set his jaw and through clenched teeth said, "I won’t let anything happen to her. But I’m gonna kill you if you don’t let her go."
Amelia noticed the fire in Buck’s eyes and decided he meant exactly what he said. She shifted her weight a little, causing her to lean forward a bit. When she did, her captor moved also. Then he shoved her forward a little and began to walk up to the train car. Buck moved back a little, his face registering confusion at the man’s tactics. The man spoke as they approached.
"You won’t shoot unless you’re sure you won’t hurt the lady, so I’m just gonna make sure you can’t. We’re comin’ up there, and we’re getting in that car. Now, you can stay out of the way or you can cause this lady to get hurt. You decide."
Buck watched them closely as they moved forward, stepping up onto the car and coming within inches of his position. Buck decided they could fight hand to hand, if necessary, and his odds were good for winning. He could disarm the man without any gunfire, and Amelia wouldn’t get hurt. Buck waited for the right opportunity, until they were within a few feet of where he stood. Surprise was key here.
As they drew nearer to Buck, Amelia searched for something she could use as a weapon if necessary. She saw a large stone nestled in a corner on the platform of the car and eyed it while they approached the door to the car. When they were less than three feet from him, Buck suddenly lunged toward the man, grabbing his arm and pushing the barrel of his gun skyward. In that flash, Amelia bent down and grabbed the stone. She lifted it and turned around, raising it above her head. Then she rushed toward the two men, and with one quick blow to the back of his head, Amelia knocked out Buck Wilmington. His body crumpled to the platform of the car in one large heap.
Amelia and her captor stood silently, checking to make sure that Buck would not rise, then they looked at each other. Her face had turned to stone.
She said to the man, "Get in there and get that money. Now!"
The man jumped to action, breaking the lock on the train’s door and rushing inside to the safe. Amelia stood a moment longer looking at Buck laying unconscious at her feet. She almost felt sorry for him. But she didn’t allow it of herself. Now was not the time to be emotional. The plan had unfolded raggedly already, and she just wanted to get out of here. What was taking so long?
"It’s changed!" The man’s crazed voice came from inside the car, making her leave Buck and move inside. He was sitting on the floor in front of the safe, staring in disbelief. When he saw her, he repeated, "It’s changed! They changed the combination!"
Amelia rushed to the safe, angry and confused, and tried the combination herself. She tried it twice. Each time, the safe remained locked. She gritted her teeth and felt her head begin to pound. She began to curse under her breath at the absurdity of it all. First Chris Larabee, now this. All she could think to do was run.
"Get out of here!" she said, pushing the man out of her way and rushing to leave the car. The man followed closely behind her, nearly tripping over Buck as they exited the car. They jumped off the train and began to run down the small hill from the tracks, heading for the woods not far away. She was running as fast as her dress allowed, but she found herself wishing she had worn different clothes. The thoughts that ran through her mind were odd for the situation at hand. Her fear was so strong and her adrenaline so high that she didn’t hear the men who came up behind them.
+ + + + + + +
Ezra and Chris saw them exit the train, had seen Buck lying unconscious, and had heard Amelia’s command to run. As the figures ran from the car, Ezra and Chris climbed between the train cars and chased them. Ezra caught up with the man in short time. He shoved him to the ground and trained his gun on him at close range, daring him to move even an inch. The man’s fear kept him perfectly still. Ezra’s cold eyes challenged him to try anything at all.
Chris was running after Amelia, trying to stop her before she made the woods. He came up on her in a burst of speed and wrapped his arms around her waist as he tried to slow down. In one smooth motion, Chris lifted her off the ground and his momentum swung them both around in a wide circle. He held her tight as he stopped running, but she was fighting with all her might. He shoved his arms into her midsection as hard as he could, tightening his grip and setting his feet for balance. The tightening at her ribs caught her off-guard and she screamed in pain. But Chris did not let go. He held her tight until she stopped fighting. She finally realized it was lost and fell limp. He set her feet on the ground and slowly loosened his grip. But he did not let her go entirely, just in case she tried to run again.
She couldn’t look up into his eyes. She didn’t want to see the disappointment, the confusion, the anger. She closed her eyes and tried to think of a way to make this situation better. Chris didn’t say a word, but he saw her reserve failing and released her from his grasp. She stood motionless in front of him, head down, completely silent. Then in a flash, she looked up and raised her arms to him, shoving him in the chest with all her strength. The impact caused him to move back a step, but she followed, pounding him on the chest with both fists, furious bursts of sound emitting from her lips with each blow. Chris allowed it for three blows, then caught her arms when she tried a fourth. He held her wrists tighter and tighter until the fight left her and her shoulders sagged. She looked into his face then.
"It’s over," Chris said. His eyes told her not to try anything else.
Chris held her upper arm tightly as he led her back to the train. The fight was gone, and she knew she was beaten. She watched the ground as she walked, not even complaining at the unnecessarily strong grip Chris had on her arm. She dared not say another word to him.
As they neared the train to join the rest of the group, Chris noticed a commotion off to his right. He saw a man running toward them, then recognized him as Dante. Dante stopped and aimed a gun at Chris.
"Let her go, Chris," Dante shouted. His aim was shaky, and Chris watched him carefully. Dante was scared, and one could never tell what a scared man would do. Dante repeated, "Just let her go, and we’ll be on our way."
Chris shook his head. "Can’t do that, Dante. I have to take her in."
Dante waved the gun a little and said, "I don’t want to shoot you, but if it’s you or my sister, I’ll do it."
The other men watched carefully but didn’t see the need to get between them. They were prepared for action, but Chris didn’t seem threatened so they let him handle it. Everyone was at a standstill.
As the group squared off against each other, JD cautiously approached Dante from behind. He was horrified that he had let the man out of his sight, and the scene in front of him gave JD new resolve. He wouldn’t let this man cause any more trouble. He’d make sure it would end peacefully. He quietly stepped toward Dante, easing up behind him. He would have made it clean, too, except for the loose gravel beside the track. Small pebbles began to slide down the small hill, and JD froze. Wide-eyed, he watched Dante spin around to aim at him. Dante was terrified, and his first thought was to pull the trigger. JD had the presence of mind to move fast, just missing the shot that Dante fired. However, with such a sudden action, everyone made a move to protect the situation. Ezra raised his gun, but it was Buck who fired the first shot.
Though he was weak and had trickles of blood creeping down his skull, Buck managed to walk off the train car and ease toward Dante. When he saw Dante turn to fire at JD, his instincts to protect the boy suddenly took over and he released a shot. Dante had turned so quickly that the bullet entered his back on the left side, very near his heart. Very far from where Buck had intended to wound him. Dante crumpled to the ground without a sound.
Amelia rushed forward, pulling away from Chris with more force than he knew she held. She flew past everyone and sank to her knees beside Dante. Dante was staring blindly into the sky, but he knew when his sister was beside him. Amelia couldn’t speak. She just held Dante’s hand while he lay there. She felt responsible for him, and she was so angry at herself for getting them into this situation that she didn’t know what to say to him.
As if reading her mind, Dante squeezed her hand and said, "We both knew the risks, Amelia. It’s not your fault. Be strong."
Amelia’s tears quietly appeared on her cheeks, but she didn’t break into sobs. She was too spent. She held Dante’s hand while the others watched from a distance. Dante was dead in an instant. Amelia took a deep breath of resolve, bit back the remaining tears, then stood and backed away from her brother.
Dante’s body was carried into one of the cargo cars and wrapped it in some abandoned blankets. Nathan volunteered to stay with the body for the remainder of the trip, so the other men escorted their prisoners back to the front cars. The third man, the one who had stopped the train, had been captured easily by Nathan, but Nathan was upset that he had not been there to save Dante. He was distressed that things had escalated to that point.
Ezra, JD, and Buck kept watch over the men who had tried to capture the train. They chose not to mix with the other passengers, instead guarding them in the car that housed the safe. With the men tied up, there was really no threat remaining. Chris opted to take Amelia back into the passenger car. It was more humiliating to her that she rode with hands bound than it would have been to make her sit with the other prisoners. Chris forcefully moved her into a seat at the back of the train, sitting beside her on the aisle. He did not speak one word the remainder of the trip to Ridge City. Amelia simply stared out of the windows in a daze.
+ + + + + + +
In Ridge City, the three men who had tried to take the train were placed into jail cells to await the marshal. But Chris did not give Amelia to them. In fact, he never mentioned that she was part of the attempted robbery. She studied him hard to figure out his plans for her, a glimmer of hope arising that he might let her go. But the bindings on her wrists told her he was going to make her pay for her actions, at least a little.
It was close to nightfall when the situation was settled, and there was a brief discussion about whether they should stay in Ridge City for the night or start out for the trail immediately. Chris didn’t want to take any chances with the money they were carrying back to Four Corners, so he dictatorially decided to start right out. When JD asked what they would do with Amelia, Chris simply replied, "She’s comin’ with us."
Amelia knew Chris Larabee well enough to know that she would get no mercy from him. JD suggested that they split the group and some of the riders start back with the money while the others waited until morning and brought Amelia on the stage. Chris silenced JD with one look.
"We’re leaving now," Chris said with finality.
Chris stayed with the horses while the others took a short time to gather supplies for the journey to Four Corners. Amelia was never allowed more than two feet from him. They had not spoken since he chased her down near the woods. For Amelia, the silence was becoming more unbearable by the second, but Chris hardly looked her way. She kept waiting for the right moment to speak to him, but even when they were alone, she really had nothing to say that would make a difference.
JD was the first to return to the horses, and he sensed the uneasiness in Amelia. As a last effort to help her, and choosing his words carefully, he asked Chris quietly, "Couldn’t you at least let her change clothes or something? She’s pretty beat up, Chris." Chris turned slowly to look JD in the eyes, pausing much too long before he spoke.
"She can ride in what she’s wearing." The edge in Chris’s voice told JD to drop the subject before he regretted asking. JD stepped away and tended to his horse.
Amelia suddenly spoke cautiously, "I have some better riding clothes in my bag. It won’t take a minute to change."
Chris’s actions froze. He did not look at her, but she knew he was thinking over her suggestion. JD was afraid to look at Chris, so he peered over his horse’s back and watched Amelia. She was staring expectantly at Chris’s profile, willing him to speak to her. Without a sound, Chris turned around and retrieved her small bag from the steps of the boardwalk, then began to cross the street to the hotel. Amelia quickly fell in step beside him.
They were allowed to use an upstairs room in the hotel, but Chris wouldn’t allow her to be alone. Once in the room, he turned her bag upside down and exposed all its contents. He had lost any trust for her. Finding nothing, he walked to the window and watched the street while she changed clothes barely five feet away. Looking at her belongings strewn across the bed, Amelia realized most of it was useless to her now. She dressed in a pair of men’s pants and a plain work shirt, her favorite riding attire, then pulled on her boots. She noticed someone had left a worn hat behind in the hotel room, so she claimed it for own. Declaring herself finished, Amelia left her bag and its contents in the hotel. Chris never asked about it.
The others were waiting with their horses when Chris and Amelia emerged from the hotel. Amelia’s pride would not allow her to avoid the faces of these men whom she assumed now despised her. She looked at each of them in turn, studying their eyes. JD was still very much concerned with her well-being, not sure why Chris was so set on starting out at nightfall. Nathan’s eyes revealed little, and he didn’t look at her for long. Buck avoided her at first, but she noticed that he glanced her way several times when he thought she wasn’t noticing. There was hurt in his face, and it made her uncomfortable. Ezra was the only one of the men who didn’t seem affected by the circumstances that had occurred. But the playfulness had disappeared from his eyes, replaced by an emptiness that gave Amelia a cold shiver.
The group of six mounted up and began their journey home, just as the sun was beginning to set behind the mountains far in the distance. They would barely have an hour before it was too dark to ride. But Chris was determined, and that was all these men needed to know. They followed, despite their reservations. Nathan took the lead, followed by JD and Ezra, then Chris, who also held the reins to Amelia’s mount, and Buck bringing up the rear of the group. Very few words were spoken for the entire first leg of their ride. Amelia had never felt so alone in all of her life. Her future was uncertain and her adversaries were many. The burden settled on her shoulders with heavy pressure, and her spirit threatened to break. As they rode off toward their destination, Amelia closed her eyes to fight back the emotion that raged within her.
The End
Continues in The Distance Home.
