Seconds later came a snuffle and a snort and the snoring resumed.
Zee slumped back against the wall and tried not to laugh.
Sonofab.i.t.c.h! She shook her head, then turned back to the door and pressed her ear to the crack, trying to ignore the noises coming from the bed.
". . . you were right, Rose," came a woman"s voice, m.u.f.fled by the door. "That gla.s.s of milk did settle my stomach."
"Told you," said her companion. "Think you can get some rest now?"
"I"ll try."
The voices moved past her. Moments later came the sound of a door opening and closing. Zee waited a little while longer, just to be sure, then slipped out into the corridor once more.
Number 8 was the last door but one, and no noise issued from its interior. She reached for the door handle, turned it, and slipped inside.
The occupants of the two beds were both asleep. Jenny"s dis-tended belly made her ident.i.ty obvious. After checking that the occupant of the other bed was sleeping soundlythree pats on her cheek didn"t wake herZee lit the oil lamp on the dresser and knelt beside Jenny"s bed.
She pulled down her bandanna. Don"t want to shock her into having the baby on the spot. "Jenny," she whispered.
The girl"s brows drew together but she didn"t wake up.
Zee tried a bit louder. "Jenny."
Eyelids fluttered open, revealing dazed eyes, then Jenny gasped and sat up. "What?" Comprehension dawned. "Oh, it"s you. I didn"t recognize you for a minute in those clothes." She yawned. "I was wondering when you"d come for me."
"Sorry it took so long." Zee helped Jenny out of bed. "Had one or two things to arrange. Get dressed."
The girl headed toward the clothes closet, then paused and turned to look at her aunt. Despite the disturbance, the older woman hadn"t stirred. "What have you done to Aunt Archer?"
"Got someone to slip something in her drink."
"Oh." Jenny blinked then nodded and began to root through the closet. "I should wear something Blue likes, shouldn"t I?"
290.
"Just pick something comfortable."
Jenny made her selection quickly and began to dress. Zee busied herself with the sling and its attached rope.
"What"s that?"
"Had it made specially. You step into it like so." She demonstrated.
"Then buckle up these." The straps would spread the load evenly between hips and shoulders and avoid putting any pressure on the girl"s belly.
Jenny"s jaw dropped. "You"re going to lower me out of the window?"
"Don"t worry. It"s strong enough to lift a horse." Zee noticed Jenny"s shoes were still unb.u.t.toned. "Here. Let me." Kneeling, she pulled off her gloves and b.u.t.toned them.
"Thank you. My aunt usually does them for me now that I can no longer bend." Jenny wrinkled her nose. "What"s that smell?"
"My buckskins," said Zee. "Sorry." Pulling on her gloves again, she straightened and crossed to the sash window. She slid it open as quietly as she could and leaned out.
The moon had gone behind a bank of clouds. Nothing moved outside, and in the distance a lone coyote yipped. Might just pull this off after all. The night air, cool on her cheeks, reminded her to pull up her bandanna. She ducked back inside.
"C"mon. Let"s get started."
When the reluctant Jenny had stepped into the sling, and Zee had fastened its straps and buckles, Zee placed a chair beside the window and lifted her up onto it.
Jenny"s eyes widened. "You"re as strong as Blue!"
Zee grunted and took up the slack of the sling"s rope attachment by winding it around her waist.
"Are you sure this will hold me?"
"I"m sure." Besides, if I drop you, Blue and Christie will both invite me to a necktie party. She helped Jenny to sit on the window ledge, legs dangling outside.
"Don"t look down. And remember. Be quiet. Sound carries further at night."
"I"ll try."
"Good girl." Zee patted her shoulder. "All right. Let"s go."
She took hold of the sling then eased it and Jenny out of the open window. Taking the weight on her forearms then spreading the load 291.
by leaning back and bracing her feet and knees against the wall, she began to pay out the rope. Hand over hand she lowered her precious burden, every now and then turning to release more of the rope wrapped around her waist.
Her knees hurt, the muscles in her arms and back burned, and the rope was slicing through her gloves, but she kept the ride as smooth she could make it. At intervals, she checked the girl"s progress to make sure she wasn"t swinging like a pendulum or spinning, and if she was to correct it. Jenny"s frightened eyes stared up at her throughout, her lips pressed together.
Plucky kid.
At last Jenny"s feet touched the ground, and the strain on Zee"s arms vanished. She exchanged a triumphant wave with the girl, unwound the rope, and chucked the end down. With a last look at the aunt, who had slept throughout the whole enterprise, she eased herself out of the sash window, slid it closed behind her, then, ignoring her protesting ribs, half climbed, half slid down the clapboard.
Jenny was still struggling to unbuckle the straps when Zee landed next to her. She put a hand to her mouth.
"You startled me," she whispered.
"Sorry." Zee stripped off her ruined gloves and tucked them in her waistband, then took over the unbuckling. Jenny stepped out of the contraption and Zee picked it up, coiling the rope and slinging it over her shoulder.
"Come on. Buggy"s this way." She held out her free hand to the girl, who took it.
The gelding snorted and tossed his head as they ran toward it. Zee calmed it with a soothing word and a pat before turning to help Jenny up into the buggy. Once the girl was settled in the seat, Zee draped a shawl around her shoulders and a rug around her legs.
"All set?"
Jenny yawned and nodded. "Where are we going now? Blue"s house?"
Zee untethered the horse, hopped up next to Jenny, and picked up the reins. "No. Figure we should steer clear of Contention until you two are hitched."
Jenny blinked. "Oh, yes. I suppose that makes sense."
"Hi." Zee flicked the reins and the buggy lurched into motion.
"Friend of mine in Benson has agreed to put you up for a spell."
292.
They had gone only a few miles when the faint clanging of an alarm bell began to gust toward them on the cool night air.
"Oh no!" said Jenny. "That must be from the Willows. They"ve discovered I"m missing."
"Don"t worry. It"s too late for them to do anything about it." Zee flicked the reins and the gelding increased his pace. "Get some sleep.
We"ve got a ways to go."
"At this speed?" The buggy was fairly rocketing along. "I don"t think I can." Jenny pulled the shawl tighter around her shoulders.
"Try and rest then."
"All right." Jenny closed her eyes.
The scent of crushed sage wafted up to Zee as she concentrated on guiding the buggy around boulders and thickets of scrub. She was glad when the moon reappeared at last to illuminate the way.
A little while later, something slumped against her. She turned to find a sound asleep Jenny using her shoulder as a pillow. Jenny"s condition, the excitement of her escape, the rhythm of hooves, and the rumbling of buggy wheelsall had probably contributed to Jenny"s tiredness. Even so, this evidence of her trust touched Zee. She wondered if Jenny was dreaming of Blue.
Don"t fret, Jenny. I"ll get you to him safe and sound. Smiling, she drove into the darkness.
Chapter 9.
Angie Tucker entered the back office where Zee was sitting twiddling her thumbs. "She"s little more than a child herself." Her pointed glance made Zee take her booted feet off the desk and relinquish the chair.
Angie took her rightful place with a groan of relief and smoothed her housecoat over her knees. "Waking me up at this hour of the morning, Brodie. It"s indecent." She reached for her pipe and tobacco pouch.
"How are they?"
"Fine, both of them. Strong as an ox, that girl. Just as well after all this excitement. Kidnapping her from the Willows! Whatever next?" Angie packed tobacco into the pipe bowl then looked up at Zee. "I"ve given her your old room."
"Thanks. I owe you one." Zee grabbed her hat from the desk.
"And you can be sure I"ll collect . . . Now get some sleep, Brodie.
You look done in."
"Could use a little shut-eye," she admitted. She glanced at the ornate clock that a pillar of Benson society had once awarded the madam for "services to the community." It had just turned five a.m.
"Got a few hours before my next appointment. Think I"ll go home."
"While you"re at it, take a bath." Angie lit up and took a few puffs of her pipe. "Christie won"t let you near her smelling like a skunk."
"That"s Andy"s duds not me," protested Zee. "You coulda warned me he stinks."
Angie chuckled. "Sorry."
Zee crammed her hat on her head and pulled on her battered gloves, then yawned again. "Ain"t gonna see Christie till tonight any-how. First I"ve got to see a man about a weasel."
294.
GIF.
They had agreed to meet in Canisteo. The little railroad town was close to Contention but enough out of Fred Younger"s way to make running into him unlikely.
Zee headed for the saloon with the cracked window and pushed open the door. Charlie Judkins was ensconced in a corner seat, his back to the wall. She strolled over, her footsteps m.u.f.fled by the sawdust underfoot, and put a bottle of whiskey on the table next to his empty gla.s.s.
"Howdy." She took the chair opposite him. "You got something for me?"
The ex-Pinkerton detective smirked and took his time pouring himself a drink. Zee sighed and let him have his fun.
"Reckon I do," he said at last.
He pulled a battered old notebook from his pocket, flipped it open to a dog-eared page, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward her with a forefinger. She squinted at the pencil scrawl that pa.s.sed for handwriting, then pulled the notebook closer for a better look.
Well, well! So Fred was trying to make himself some easy money, was he?
"You"re sure about this? The ore was taken from his pa"s stamp mill? And the worked-out mine belonged to a friend of his?"
Judkins nodded. "Seen the t.i.tle deeds. And got an eyewitness who saw Younger grab the lumps of ore before they reached the crusher.
No one tried to stop him." He shrugged. "Boss"s son and all that."
"High grade?"
"Yeah. Lord Camborne"s in for one h.e.l.luva shock if he thinks his new silver mine"s gonna produce more of the same."
"What a ninny! Fred certainly saw him coming." Zee drummed her fingers on the table and thought about Fred"s mine-salting activities. "Figure his pa is involved?"
Judkins shook his head. "Stake my reputation he ain"t."
She leaned back in her chair and allowed herself a smile.
"Reckon you were right." She pulled out the pouch containing the balance of his fee and tossed it to him. "You did have something for me."