Chapter Forty
Chip and JT tossed their belongings into their trunk.
"Can't wait until we get home tomorrow. I missed the ranch so much."
"Me too. Even miss McColl and his fussing at me. Ya know he was right; I just couldn't admit it. I can't wait to hug that old coot around the neck."
"I want my old room back. Even sharing with William doesn't bother me. To wake up and hear little Benjamin crying for Mam. My sisters argue over the water closet and hair ribbons all over the place—-but Chip, I am glad we came to school. Learned more in a semester—-took more tests too than in a year at Stockton."
"And nobody tells on us to our fathers. I still got my piece of red veil."
"Me too" and they laughed thinking of their adventure.
"I still think I want to be a rancher but maybe something else too."
"I think medicine might be worth a look. Always thought Dr. Merar had a boring job—-but now. Watching those surgeons in anatomy class. Interesting."
"I am hoping we have a wedding this week. Pa says he ain't going to get married if it costs her James David, I don't know how his grandpa can do that. My Pa deserves a real lady. He is always talking about how to treat them. She is mighty special. Never seen him light up like that. I think my Mother would like her.'
"Aunt Audra said that too."
"What did she say?"
"Your mother Peg and your father had a great love, she said—-she got all misty-eyed. Like once in a lifetime. They would have crossed the ocean for each other. She said she had never seen such devotion. She said when you love someone more than yourself, you want the best for them. She thinks Aunt Peg is up there rooting for your Pa to marry Miz Maris. She would have liked all the intrigue too, the wigs, the messages, all the spy stuff. Aunt Audra said that your ma would have likely given old JD a piece of her mind and told him what for—-"
Chip laughed without reserve, "So I get it on both sides? Most folks say I am a chip off the old Nick Barkley block. I think my mother was a lot like my father in that way."
"Thunder and lightning according to Uncle Heath."
"Think your father and mine would have gone to the Underground when they were our age?"
"Heck ya. I have heard my father's stories from the ranch hands."
"I just don't know if my lawyer Pappy would have. He's so proper."
"Grandmother says they gave her gray hairs way too early."
They both laughed.
"But there's no doubt that they stayed away from women. Saved it for marriage like Pa says. Never would lie to us like that."
"No doubt. They are too straight-laced. Real gentlemen."
"Feels weird to think about your father that way. Creepy."
"Yep. Pappy either."
Both boys made a disgusted face.
"Changing the subject—Talk about interesting—-the Underground. I have made some new tastes in libations."
"Me too."
And they shared stories of their fall adventures.
"But one thing we can say, Pa swore us off common women, girls—-whatever we call them."
"Amen Chip. That scared the heck outta me. May even die a virgin."
"Ain't going that far—"
"Me neither." and they both got a good laugh about the thought,
—&—
Maris and Grover pulled up to the dormitory on the eastern side of the campus. The driver drove down the gravel path twice that surrounded the dorm.
There was nothing suspicious but Grover still felt uncomfortable.
"Let me just run inside. James David's room is on the first floor; the corner room. I promise if he is not there, I will come out immediately. He was going to be ready. I just want to get out of here, please Grover. "
"Nope, Missy. Mista Nick trusted me with his prize filly. Not letting you out of my sight."
Grover drove the path twice more and finally decided it was safe.
"Promise me you will come straight out iff'n there is trouble. I will come in with you and get his trunk."
"Thank you, Grover." and she kissed the older man on the cheek.
Maris walked into the lobby; Grover trailed her while looking around. It was completely deserted. She cautiously walked down the hall to room 103. She tapped on the door and no one answered. Grover turned the knob and found it unlocked. He pushed on it and it opened.
He went in first and said, "Come on it's clear."
They walked into the room and it was clean, with no possessions or trunks in sight.
"Oh Grover, they have done it again. Tricked me. I was such a fool."
"You aren't a fool. They's evil folks separating a mother and a son."
The water closet opened and Grover swung around trying to pull out his derringer. He was too slow. A shot rang out and he slumped to the floor. Blood began to pool on the wooden floor.
Maris screamed and ran for the door. The assailant grabbed her by the hair, swung her around, and slapped her face. She fought back against the strong man's arms. She scratched and clawed with all her might.
"I like this part wench. Fighting stirs my blood. If I could, I would show ya a thing or to."
A cloth of chloroform came out of his pocket. She tried not to breathe it in but she finally succumbed after seven minutes. He timed it on his watch. He was very careful not to kill her. He had instructions to bring her safely to the train station. He went back to lock the doors in case someone happened upon them.
Branch Davis in his fine waistcoat and cravat watched from the window. He looked back at the wagon parked in the woods and back into the dormitory.
"Piece of cake."
Branch heard another wagon coming around the bend. The young attorney slid into the shed unobserved.
Nate jumped out of the wagon and went to the dormitory door. It was locked. He walked around the building looking in the windows. He looked back towards the grove of Fremont cottonwoods. He could make out a wagon hidden in the thicket.
The wagon had a pull cart in the back. Nate looked in—-two Chinese fireworks paper labels, rope, and blankets. He looked around for a horse. He spied it up two buildings tied to a newel post. It was out of place and quality for the school.
He ran back over to the dormitory and kicked down the door. He ran down the halls checking the doors and locks. He heard noises from the room at the end. He pulled out his gun and carefully went into the room. Grover was on the floor, pale from blood loss moaning. He pulled off his jacket and staunched the shoulder wound. He found a narrow window in the back room and saw a tall man hunched over the cart, pulling it to the horse. They were halfway to the wagon.
Maris was in the back of the cart wrapped in a saddle blanket, tied up.
"Stop!" he yelled from the window. The man fired back at Nate and shattered the glass. Shards hit the lawyer and pierced his clothes. He could feel them sticking in.
Nate had to back out for a second to avoid the broken window. He aimed at the man's legs. He hit him on target. The man fell face down in the dirt. He was trying to crawl away.
"Now I can get some answers."
Meanwhile, Branch Davis watched from the shed. He decided to go out the back and walk to his rig several dormitories away. He noticed that the man was still alive. The only man who could identify him in San Francisco—-
Nate was slowly climbing out the shattered window to get to the man. A shot rang out—-straight into the man's head. Nate looked to see a shooter but he was too late.
He had cut his hands in numerous places and was trying to put pressure on the wounds. The man was face down in the rocks.
Nate kicked the body in the dirt.
"Dead. No answers here."