Liberty House Read online

  Cole threw him the keys, remembering that there was a gun in the same drawer.

  "Move from the drawer. You don't think I know there’s a gun in there!" Frank yelled.

  What was he going to do? He had to get out or they would get to Tommy. Cole obeyed, hating feeling like this.

  Frank unlocked the jail door. "How did you know, Cole?"

  Cole answered, "I didn't, but it was my idea to get Thomas without your help. It never worked with you two around before. I never even thought it. I just learned from a cousin that when stumped, look for something that ain’t been done yet. I didn't really think too much about it until I read the telegram. I been sendin’ telegrams to my sister for awhile now. I know Billy's handwriting. That wasn't it. Billy has been visitin’ his cousin outta town for three days now," He made a sarcastic face. "It helps to know all the gossip in town whether you want to or not."

  Maverick 's brain wasn't keeping up with what was happening. That was not normal for him. He just couldn’t believe his pa had betrayed them. "You shot at your own children and wife?"

  Owen shrugged. "I wouldn't hit them, and what does it matter now? God is taking my Ellen."

  Maverick yelled, "You are taking Tommy's life. You have taken her life for the past five years!"

  "Two," Frank said, "He only been workin’ for him for two years. I been doin’ it for five years."

  Thomas stepped out of the cell, "What can I say, boys, I pay better than you do." He smiled. "Don't worry, once we take care of Tommy, you won't ever see us again. I always finish what I start. You can go back to livin’ your life without that woman in it." He gave Maverick a sad evil grin, "My mistake, two women."

  Cole glared at them, “Why did you kill Lucia and Sophia?”

  Thomas shrugged, his eyes getting wider while he held the gun and it shook. Maverick stared at the gun. He looked like he had no control over it. “I killed them because they took five of my best whores. They were my girls, not theirs. I don't let anyone take my women.” He cursed up a string, his eyes getting even wilder like by this time he didn’t know what he was doing or saying. “Why I will kill Tommy today. Her old man killed my best woman. I will make her pay.”

  Maverick stepped forward but got a rifle to his stomach by Frank this time.

  "I would move back, Maverick. I know what you can do," Frank still wore the scars Andrew had given him. Maverick hadn't gotten his hands on him, but he was a legend around for killing and beating up people.

  Cole looked to Maverick then to Thomas, who kept swinging the gun. “You have gone after Tommy for years now because her pa killed your matron who worked with you. You kept her girls after she died?” Why didn’t he kill Tommy when he killed Sophia and Lucia? He didn’t want to ask; afraid it would set the man off more and it didn't look like he could give a sane answer.

  “They were my whores. I just sold them to a couple of brothels. I am now free to live my life now that I will kill Tommy and be finished with it.” He yelled.

  Cole decided not to say anything else, the man looked on the edge of breaking. Selling the girls would leave him without income and that was why he had gotten so desperate to kill Tommy. He had nothing left. That scared Cole more than anything.

  Thomas headed towards the door, the one that leads away from Maverick's house, it would shade them from the town. He waited for it and then went after Owen who was closest to him.

  Maverick kicked Frank's gun away from him. He saw Cole get the gun off the desk and shot the gun out of Thomas's hand which exploded in the room like he knew it would. It sent him flying along with them all. He reacted and kept a hold of his gun and shot Thomas as he ran out the door. Thomas dropped dead.

  Maverick bent over Frank, who was shot in the shoulder. He picked him up and was about to throw him in the cell when he saw Cole drop to the ground from a hit to the head. Owen aimed the gun at him, but before he could react, Maverick felt something hit his back. He went down and watched as Owen walked out, stepping over Cole's blood-stained head.

  Owen nodded to Maverick. "I'll be going, Maverick, thanks for the loan."

  Maverick watched Owen and Frank run out. It started to rain, which would make the tracking harder than he thought. He was helpless. Someone has to protect Tommy, was his last thought before the world went black.

  The wind picked up and Tommy tried not to worry. She had God now and He would protect her. Also, she was inside and wouldn't have to go outside for anything. The fact that it wasn’t yet dark also helped to ease her worries. She smiled as she looked peacefully at the painting.

  She picked up her sketchbook and got her pencil out, playing with it on her lips. She studied the picture of Cole. He was right next to his horse, his smile so sweet and kind. She let her mind run wild on what could happen between them. She fixed his hair and made it fall across his forehead like it did when it was wet. Oh, it gave her chills. She laughed at herself. She was crazy.

  Katrina would say she was crazy in love, because, “love has a way of makin’ a person crazy,” as she would say. Well, Tommy was completely crazy because she loved him. She stuck the pencil in her hair, which was in a tight bun due to all the wind.

  She heard the back door open. Before, that would have sent chills through her, but now she was safe. God was with her and He wouldn't leave her.

  Owen ran in, soaking head to toe. "Oh good, I found you." He sounded relieved.

  Tommy stood up and ran over to him. She had let her anger for him not believing the children when Ellen had gotten sick. "It's Ellen. Is she all right?"

  Owen nodded.

  Tommy sighed. "Oh, good. I’ve been so worried."

  Owen nodded again. "I know you have been. The brothers need you, they wanted me to come to get you."

  Tommy nodded and walked to the backdoor to find the storm had gotten worse. She put on Andrew 's coat, although it could fit around her four times. It hung over her new, full pink skirt and nice fitting blouse. Gloria had insisted she buy a new ready-made outfit. It wasn’t like she couldn’t afford it. She was still getting used to having money at her fingertips. At last, she shoved his big hat on her head, but opened the door getting a face full of rain and froze. "I can't."

  "You have to come to the brothers. They need you."

  Tommy shook her head. If she learned something from Ellen, it was not to try something when you are not ready, and she wasn't ready for this. She had never been in a storm since that night. If it looked like rain at all, she stayed inside. She could hardly breathe thinking about this.

  Owen took her arm gently and said, "Come on, the brothers need your help. I think they said something about Cole being hurt."

  Tommy gasped. She knew Izzy and Annie were at the Home today. They wouldn't be back yet. What if he was hurting and needed her? She stepped forward. "Are you sure?" She still had doubts.

  Owen nodded. "I’m sure. We need to hurry."

  Tommy and Owen stepped outside. Cole needed her. He had done so much for her. She had to help him. It was out of duty, really, she had too. She looked around and screamed over the wind and rain, "I'll go saddle Andrew's horse. He can make it through this."

  Owen led her to his horse, Blackie and shook his head. "Just ride with me. I don't want you freakin’ out if something happens."

  Tommy nodded, that made sense. Owen knew how she got in a storm. He pulled her up, and they rode away. She held on, pressing her back against his back. There was no talking at that moment. She wanted to tell him she believed but couldn't get the words out. It was getting colder, and she was having something close to a panic attack. She tried praying for Cole, but she couldn't think straight. She tried to think about Cole and when he looked at her and spoke to her, but all she heard was the wind.

  A verse suddenly came to her, ‘He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.’ Sam had told her when there was a storm at the first Daphne Estate. She remembered it so well now. She kept saying it over and over. Finding that it helped. She
had never been calmed like that before. Certainly not about a storm.

  She kept saying it and hid her face, so she didn't know where they were headed. She was glad she decided to ride with him. She wouldn't be able to handle this on her own horse even though she had calmed down. She still liked having Owen in front, taking the brunt of the storm. But they should be in town by now and she was pretty sure she heard the gulf. She knew Daphne was not close to the gulf. She shouted to Owen, "We almost there?"

  He nodded and shouted back, "Almost. I'll try running to see if we can make better time."

  She held on better when he started at a jog and then a dead run. Andrew's breed of horses could take it. The horses were known to take any terrain there was. She held on tighter when she felt them going uphill, but it dawned on her that they should not be going up any hill. Going to Daphne didn't have a hill. What was going on? She looked around to see the woods when she went to town, she was in a stagecoach, so she never saw the outside. She wished she knew her land better. She had painted and drawn so much of it as a child. It had changed since then. She shouted to Owen, "Owen, where are we going?"

  Owen answered back, "Trust me. We are going to where Cole was at when he got hurt."

  "Alright," Tommy shouted back. She caught a glimpse of something behind her and turned to see Frank riding behind them. She glared. What was he doing? She froze, her arms went stiff, her back went straight. She kicked her leg out and kicked Blackie. At the same moment, he fell into a pothole, sending the horse to his knees.

  Tommy fell hard, her hands stopped her from hitting her head, knees scraped on the ground. She lay there for a moment, watching the rain come down. It would be dark soon. She got up and saw Owen lying there coughing. Moving over to him, she found that he was fine. She went over to one of Andrew 's best horses, Blackie, to find him holding his leg up. He wasn't relaxing it. She picked up the leg, seeing he was lame. She nearly cried out. Blackie was Hunter’s favorite horse. Oh, he would be devastated. She forgot about the wind, which was getting worse, and didn't notice that it was getting dark fast. All she thought was to get this horse better for Hunter.

  Frank yelled from his horse, "You alright?"

  "Fine," Owen yelled, "Is he lame?"

  She nodded.

  Owen looked at it. "We can still ride him. He’ll be fine."

  Tommy frowned and looked around to see where they could seek shelter until the storm ended. She needed to find Blackie shelter as well.

  Owen grabbed her arm. "We need to get to Cole, remember."

  Tommy pulled away and got a hold of Blackie’s reins. "No, he’s with Mav or one of the brothers. We need to get to shelter ‘till this end."

  Owen nodded in response. "Let's find some shelter. Stay here, I'll be right back."

  Tommy nodded and watched as Frank dismounted, tied his horse, and came over. She froze. She couldn't believe Owen still allowed him around. He just stood next to her and didn't say anything. He was holding his arm funny, but she looked away. She didn't really care about him.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  After what felt like forever, Owen came back and told them to follow him. By the time they got to the cave, Owen had found, it was pitch black out. Tommy tied Blackie to the outside of it. His white color would help to spot him. She decided to unsaddle him since they would be out here all night or at least a couple of hours. She saw Frank's horse had been unsaddled and tied. She kissed his nose, brought the saddle and saddlebags in the cave to see Owen had started a fire.

  She was so glad. She dropped the saddle then went over to the fire. She was getting cold though she was calm now though, worry about Blackie ate at her. But it was also a peace she had. She smiled and looked over at Owen. She still had to yell over the rain, but at least it was dry in here, "Hey, I decided to trust God as my Savior today. You're the first to know."

  Owen smiled softly and nodded. "That’s great."

  Frank laughed harshly. "Yeah, ain't that wonderful. You’ll be in Heaven. In a couple months, Ellen will meet you there."

  Tommy stood up looking at Frank and then Owen, "What does he mean?"

  Owen sighed like he didn't have a choice in the matter. "Tommy, I need your knife and the gun in your boot."

  "What?" Tommy was confused. Maybe she heard wrong.

  "I just need it. Give it to me," Owen told her.

  Tommy looked to Frank and saw on his face that something bad was going to happen. She had been taught to obey Owen. She finally had after years of being taught. But now she shook her head. This sounded bad. She could feel them in her boots; they had always been in there since the men came after her. She never stopped wearing them; they were like her second skin. "I don't...have them," she stammered.

  "I know you have them. Some habits die hard," Owen told her, unmoving.

  Frank pulled his gun. Tommy could now see blood on his right shoulder. She could see it wasn't bad, but he should get the bleeding to stop. "Honey, I would listen to him." He smiled, "Owen just shot Maverick in the back, so I wouldn't say he won't mind shooting you."

  Tommy's eyes went wide as she stared at Owen. Her eyes told him to tell her Frank was lying. Owen just nodded like it had to be done. "He put up a fight, though. I felt bad I shot him in the back. I can't have him after me forever or I’ll never live a normal life."

  Tommy couldn't breathe; Maverick was dead. "No, I don't get it. How could you have done this?"

  Frank sighed. "You just don't get it. He’s been working for Thomas for the past two years. For me, five years." He swore. "The man who is after you."

  Tommy fell back in shock. Her back hit the wall. She removed her hat, holding it in her hands like she wanted to hold Frank's throat. She stared at Owen in disbelief. "How could you?"

  Owen shrugged. "He paid more, and I was sick of being the poor man who had mixed-raced children. I could now drink what I wanted, be with who I wanted. I got used to livin’ high with him. Thomas made my life better, easier. I wanted more, it's that simple."

  Tommy shook her head. She couldn't believe it. Frank came over and lifted up her skirt, took her knife out of her boot, then he took the gun. He ran his hand along her leg. She kicked him right in the place Andrew was going to remove first when he got here.

  He fell back and cried out, cursing up a string.

  Tommy moved away from him; she was still in shock. Looking at Owen, she asked, "How could you do this to your children and to Ellen?"

  Owen shrugged. "Me and Ellen ain't been happy for awhile now. We just hide it well from you children. It really didn't matter much; Ellen is going to die now. I ain't raising that many children on my own. Half that ain't mine."

  "I hate you," she said with all the contempt she could muster.

  Owen shook his head. "You love me. That’s why this is so hard for you."

  Tommy let the tears come to her eyes, but couldn’t let them fall. She would not let Owen see her cry; he didn't deserve it. She looked away.

  She flinched when Owen touched her arm, holding rope, he said lightly, "I have to tie you up."

  Tommy glared at him. "Don't do this."

  "I have to." Owen took her hands and was about to tie them behind her back.

  Tommy started to shake. "Please do the front. I can't handle the back." She looked up at him and touched her wrists that still held the scars of that night. "Please."

  Owen did as she wanted. He brought her coat down over her hand, tied the rope over it tightly but so the rope wasn't touching her skin, then sat her down and did her booted feet.

  Frank finally stopped screaming and sat by the fire. "Don't tie her feet. Before we kill her, I was gonna have some fun."

  "Shut up!" Owen yelled.

  Tommy shook. She had to think of something, but her mind wouldn't work. She just couldn't get past what Owen and Frank had done. It had been when she found out what Frank did. But she had cried and stopped thinking of him as a friend. She had never been as close to Frank as she was to Owen. This was so much w
orse.

  Owen walked over to the fire and looked over Frank's shoulder, "You’ll be fine. Just hold this rag to it to stop the bleeding. You think they found Cole and Maverick 's bodies?"

  Tommy's heart stopped; she was sure of it. Did they get Cole too? She was going to be sick.

  Frank shrugged. “Oh, yeah. With Thomas's gun blowing up, they found them by now."

  How could Cole and Maverick be dead? God, please no, help them. But she knew in her heart what Owen had said was true. Maverick was gone, a body doesn't get shot in the back and live. Oh, God, help me. Help Ellen get through this. She prayed for Cole. She couldn't stop the tears now, no matter what she did, she pulled her knees up and sobbed silently.

  Tommy awoke at the sound of thunder. She couldn't believe she had fallen asleep. Not sleeping at night did that. It had been hard since Ellen got sick.

  Her eyes adjusted to the firelight. She saw Owen and Frank sitting in the same place. She must not have been asleep long. Her throat hurt and her head was pounding.

  The thunder went off again. Tommy screamed. Were storms just her curse? She prayed with all her might.

  Cole felt like a ton pound horse hit him and landed on his head. He put his hand up to see a patch on his head. He sat up straight and nearly fell over. Tommy. He had to get to her. He looked around to see it was dark and storming now. He was in Maverick ’s room alone. He stood up and made himself stand and walked out still wearing his boots.

  He walked out to find Izzy, Gloria, the brothers, and Ellen standing around the desk, talking lightly, "Maverick, where is Maverick?"

  Izzy ran over to him and held his arm. "He’s alive for now." She looked down. "Tommy’s missing."

  Cole sighed. Maverick was alive and Tommy was gone. "Owen and Frank took her."

  Andrew sighed. "So, she’s safe then."