Shadow of Devil's Tower by Peter Leavell

Author:Peter Leavell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical romance, gunslingers, western fiction, historical western, dakota territory, devils tower
Publisher: Mountainview Books, LLC

Chapter 16

I fell into a bottomless void. Sensations of black mist whirled around my stretched fingers.

A marble floor rushed to meet me.

I woke before hitting bottom.

Voices echoed inside the building.

Touching my head, I opened my eyes. The blurry world sunk and spun, leaving my stomach far behind.

What happened? Had Jacob given me a beating again? I forced an eye open, hoping to see the furry face of my dog Trevor. Instead, I saw a silver cup.

I lifted my head. This wasn’t my bedroom.

I forced both eyes open and looked at a makeshift table. Beside the cup rested a broken figure and a cross.

Where was . . .

I remembered.

The train. Gunshots. Ryan pulling me away. More gunshots.

Scott’s voice cut through the fog. “I have Alita tied out back. She was just running down the street, riderless. But Anna. We tell him. As soon as he awakes.”

“Tell me what?” I asked, slowly moving my legs to the side. With a hand over my eyes, I tried to sit up. “Oh, my.” I rested on an elbow.

I heard wood scrape against stone, and a blurry image with a mane of red sat a few feet in front of me.

“We didn’t get the girls.” Scott’s voice was firm.

Another voice cut in. “It’s a mistake to tell him.” Who was that? I remembered, the soldier Matt.

After a pause Scott said, “The girls were split up. I saw Jacob board the train with Anna. The rest of the girls went south.”

“Into Mexico.” My words sounded as if I’d just woken and was drowsy. I tried again sitting up, and this time my feet touched the floor.

A gruff voice to the left said, “Yes, Mexico. Running Deer is tracking the girls.”

“And Anna?”

No one spoke.

“Anna?”

“Jacob forced her onto the train.” Scott’s tone was bitter. “We couldn’t get to her in time.”

My mind cleared and I looked around me. High windows allowed just enough light to make out an altar, a small podium to the right, and a door on each side. “This a church?”

“Yeah, you’re in the chapel,” the gruff voice said. I turned and saw Marshal Hill looking over me, concern in his eyes.

“Why not tell me about the girls?” I asked him.

Scott answered, his face close to mine, his elbows on his knees. “Some believe it’s best to just tell you about Anna, since she’s still close. And certain parties in our posse can go after her without repercussions.” His lips curled in a snarl.

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Mexico isn’t a place we can go,” Jackson said. I turned to look at him, and the world spun again. “We won’t be soldiers if we ride. Matt isn’t ready to leave his career.”

“No sir.”

“I, however, am.”

I nodded. “Thanks, Jackson.”

“Hey, I worked hard to be a soldier. Ain’t easy for a black man to get any respect in the world you white men control.”

“You’re following the rules,” Marshal Hill said, holding out a hand to Matt and sitting next to Scott. “I would do the same.”

“Got a lot of men looking to me.

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