Second Chance (The Deadman Series Book 5) Read online

  Finishing quickly, she ran to where she had stockpiled a few supplies. She was absolutely sure, by now, that she had found a wonderfully profitable place to her family to dig for ore. The sand around this pool was as black as night and almost every rock she touched was veined with silver and gold. It had taken her a while, though, to search out this hidden cache and she had brought a number of supplies to help in her search…including a long length of rope.

  Grabbing it, she ran back to the shoreline and hollered, “Chance! Grab on to this rope!”

  He turned around and, looking dubious, nodded in agreement. Hannah tossed the rope and it hit his chest, dead center, with its coils. He wrapped it around his belly and tied it off so she could pull him to shore.

  He gave her a thumb’s up and felt the rope tighten. Then, he was hauled into the shallow depths. He was being as careful as possible not to put weight on his left foot, but at the last minute, he misjudged and felt a surge of nausea coil in his guts as his boot scraped along the bottom.

  He tried to act manly, but couldn’t help the groan of agony that issued from his lips. Then, he felt Hannah seize him under his armpits and pull him onto the beach. She didn’t look at his face, but knelt at his feet studying his leg. After tugging his sodden pant leg up to his knee, she sat back on her heels with a sigh.

  “Well,” she declared. “This is a pickle.”

  “Probably just sprained,” he muttered.

  She stared at his boot—specifically at the leg above his boot which was already huge and turning an alarming shade of purple. Not sure what else she could do, and afraid of causing further damage, she carefully eased the boot off his foot. Chance cried out with pain and Hannah turned to face him.

  “I’m pretty sure that your ankle is either badly sprained or broken, Chance.” She studied the look of alarm on his face and added, “Listen, there is a cave back behind that waterfall. There are a few supplies in there, like blankets, a little bit of food and some water. I want to get you inside, build a fire in the fire pit, and then go fetch the men to help get you up that path to the other side, okay?”

  The pain radiating from the bottom of his leg was nauseating and for a moment, Chance saw stars and heard a high-pitched buzzing in his ears. He murmured, “Okay…whatever you want, Hans. Say,” he asked, “what’s your real name and when did you turn into a girl?” Then, he fell in a swoon onto the black sand.

  “Shoot!” Hannah exclaimed with a sigh. Looking from Chance to the cave entrance, she shook her head. Chance was a big man and she didn’t relish having to drag him fifty feet to safety, but it looked like she had no choice. She reached down and started to pull his body toward the hidey-hole she had found a few months earlier. She hauled him about ten feet and had to stop. Staring down at his chalk-white face, she said, “You, sir, weigh a ton!”

  She was teasing, but suddenly she felt bad about it. Blue circles were starting to show under his beautiful green eyes and even as she gazed down at him, she saw his whole body shudder. He’s going into shock! She thought, in alarm.

  Galvanized, she reached down again and pulled him toward the cave. Although her lower back groaned and her arms trembled, Hannah kept going. She knew that shock could be a killer, if the patient wasn’t tended to properly. Knowing there was sugar, water and blankets in the little cavern, she heaved with all her might.

  Finally, she reached the mouth of the cave and pulled Chance inside. Letting his arms drop, she grabbed two moldy blankets from the back wall and tucked them around his shivering body. Then, she flew over to a small tin canister and found the little bit of sugar stashed inside.

  She poured the sugar into a canteen of tepid water and knelt by Chance’s side. Slapping his cheek lightly, she murmured, “Chance…wake up! I need you to drink this. Come on, open your eyes!”

  Staring at his face, Hannah saw Chance awaken, and struggle to open his eyelids. Even though the young man was in serious trouble, she couldn’t help but admire his pretty features. His reddish eyelashes were as long as a girl’s, his lips were soft and wide and his cheekbones were high and finely chiseled.

  The fiction she and her family had concocted—that she was a boy rather than a twenty-year-old daughter, had kept her safe, so far, from undue and unwelcome attention in this wild new land. Still, this young man had awoken in her breast a longing that she never even knew was there, and a passion that had caused her more than one sleepless night.

  Finally, his eyes opened and he stared up at her. “I didn’t mean to spy on you, Hans,” he murmured.

  She shrugged. “My real name is Hannah and…it was bound to happen, sooner or later. My pa was just trying to keep me safe—at least until my family was more secure here in Idaho.” Holding the canteen up so he could see, she added, “I need you to drink this down, okay? It’s sugar water and should help with the shock.”

  Chance frowned, “I’m not in shock!” he argued.

  Hannah rolled her eyes and snapped, “Drink!”

  Chance sighed and then lifted his head to drink from the canteen she held to his lips. Gagging a little as the sweetness hit the back of his throat, he took a few long pulls and then laid his head back down on the ground. “Sheesh, it really smarts!” he growled.

  “Yeah, I’m sure it does,” she agreed. She was watching him closely, and was pleased to see some color leaking back into his pale cheeks. “Listen, I’m going to build a fire and then go and get help, okay?”

  His eyes opened and for a second, he looked as frightened as a small boy. Then, he nodded. “Yeah, I don’t think I can make it on my own. If nothing else, Abner can carry me outta here.”

  “That’s what I was thinking, too,” she said. Pulling the blankets up around his chest and shoulders and making sure there was enough water left in the canteen to slake his thirst, she gazed down at his wan face for a moment.

  He stared back at her and gave a small grin. “Run quick, Hannah, okay? I know you can do it…” Then he closed his eyes with a groan of pain.

  Hannah grabbed her gun and her jacket, and stepped out onto the sandy beach again. The fire pit was piled high with dry driftwood and she poured a little bit of kerosene on it before lighting a match. Watching as the wood caught fire, she nodded in satisfaction. That ought to keep him warm until we get back, she thought.

  It wasn’t too far to the house—maybe a couple of miles was all, but she was worried. Chance didn’t look too good. Although she knew that she could bring help, she hated to leave him alone for the hour or so it might take to do so.

  Knowing that worrying about the problem wouldn’t solve anything, she took off up the deer path that wound down from the cliff above. She skirted around the waterfall and was just starting up the steep incline when the same, bloody-shouldered grizzly bear that had terrorized Chance earlier came around a pile of boulders…this time with two cubs in its wake.

  Hannah’s blood ran cold. No wonder it had attacked! Grizzlies were antagonistic by nature, but get a couple of young ones in the mix and any human in its path was considered a threat. But, why in hell-fire was it bringing its two cubs back to the scene of the crime?

  Shuddering, and knowing there was no help for it, she back-tracked down the narrow path. The only reason she could fathom that the she-bear had decided to return was because her cubs were hungry, and the bear figured the two young humans might make a pretty good meal.

  This time, instead of going in front of the waterfall, she ducked under the swiftly falling torrent of water. She hoped that the bear might lose her scent—at least for a few precious seconds. Emerging, soaking wet, about five feet away from the cave’s entrance, Hannah ducked inside and shouted, “The bear is back! Chance, you need to help me out now…”

  Chance woke up with a start, took one look at the girl’s panicked face and, despite the pain in his foot, helped her pile more driftwood onto the fire.

  Chapter Ten

  Matthew

  Shots rang out in the night. Matthew, lying sleepless in an up
stairs storage room of the newspaper office, slid quickly off his cot and moved in a crouch toward the window. He’d been wondering whether his concern for the Thurston’s welfare was warranted, as nothing significant had happened in the three days since he had arrived.

  Besides that, he couldn’t get his mind off of his son. Matthew knew Chance could take care of himself but, for some reason, his heart was telling him that something was amiss. He knew it was just a matter of time before the mysterious claim-jumpers made an appearance. Had it happened already? Had Chance been injured or killed in the altercation? Or, was his restlessness just a loving father’s unfounded worry?

  Thinking back on the last few days, Matthew remembered how horrified he’d been at Thurston’s determination to keep the newspaper in operation. When he first stepped into the Spokane Journal’s office, it had seemed like just another workday. The giant, noisy presses were wheezing and clanking and a number of busy men and women scurried around the large room and sat at desks lining the room’s interior walls.

  There were two telephones, both in use. A young man who sat close to the front door jumped up from his chair with a smile. “Hello! Can I help you?” he shouted.

  Matthew asked, “Are the Thurston’s here?”

  The kid pointed to a staircase and said, “Yes, they’re upstairs, but…due to unforeseen circumstances, I must announce your presence first and make sure you are on their list of callers.”

  Matthew nodded. “That’s good. Will you tell them that Matthew Wilcox is here?”

  The youngster smiled and said, “I’ll be right back…you can sit there while you wait, okay?”

  Matthew saw a long, wooden bench by the front door and took a seat as the teenager ran upstairs. He was fuming…although he had cautioned Clyde that his newspaper might be the next target it was still running full-steam ahead! Knowing, though, that three policemen and a fire engine would be arriving shortly made Matthew breathe a little easier.

  A few minutes passed before the young man returned and gestured for Matthew to follow him upstairs. When Matthew arrived at Clyde’s door, he stepped inside and barked, “I thought I told you two to make yourselves scarce!”

  Annie looked somewhat guilty, but Clyde said, “Now listen here, young man! I have a business to run and I’m not about to let a bunch of hooligans run me away from my livelihood!”

  “Sir,” Matthew sighed with frustration. “With all due respect, look at yourself…look at your daughter! These are serious men who have no qualms about killing anyone who might implicate them in their crimes! Is your newspaper so important to you that you are willing to risk innocent lives—like your daughter’s and all of those people downstairs—to hold on to your pride?”

  Clyde looked, for a moment, as though he would argue but then his shoulders drooped. Sitting in a chair, he winced a little as his wounded arm bumped up against the upholstery. He stared at Annie for a moment, noting her fading bruises and knowing, for a fact, that her ribs still ached horribly. Looking up at Matthew, he murmured, “I am sorry, but I thought to fight fire with my own brand of fire.”

  The older man reached out to a side table and rang a little brass bell. Instantly, Thurston’s secretary stood in the doorway. “Yes, sir…what can I do for you?” she asked.

  Clyde said, “Mrs. Williams, could you round us up a pot of coffee and maybe some pastries, if there are any left?” Clyde hesitated for a second and added, “Also, have Mr. Fulbright come up to see me as soon as possible.”

  “Of course, sir…right away,” she replied and disappeared.

  Turning to face Matthew again, Clyde said, “I have learned over the years that nothing rouses vermin better than light. Rats, maggots…even outlaws scurry away from bright lights that shine upon their activities. I thought that if my paper were to make what has happened to Chloe, Annie and now, to me…public knowledge, the criminals might be forced to flee!”

  Looking down at the floor, his chubby cheeks turned red with hurt and humiliation. “That is just the old journalist in me, though, I suppose. I honestly didn’t stop to think about all the people who might get hurt while I revealed my story.” Turning to face his daughter, he murmured, “Please forgive me, my dear.”

  Annie smiled and started to say something, but then an older man knocked at the door. “Clyde…you wanted to see me?”

  Clyde struggled to his feet, and said, “Yes, Marty. Listen, I want all of you to go home now. It’s not safe here, and my daughter and I have decided to put a hold on this story until some of the more…immediate issues have been resolved.”

  Fulbright frowned and replied, “But Clyde! We are only an hour—two hours, at most, from publication! Please, don’t pull the plug now!”

  Thurston looked torn and Annie stared at Matthew a moment before saying, “My father and I know the risks, but this isn’t the first time we’ve published under duress! We have been threatened by the Labor party, and by political thugs. High society patrons have tried, in the past, to buy us off and more than one rich farmer has threatened to shut us down. In this case, a friend of mine was murdered—right in front of me!”

  Her voice had risen to a shout and she took a deep, calming breath. In a slightly calmer tone, she added, “Not to mention the fact they tried to finish the job by burning my father’s home—with us inside—to the ground.”

  She stood up and walked slowly to where Matthew stood. Taking his hand, she said, “I agree, it’s probably time to send our employees home. But if my father and I pitch in to help, we could print this story in less than an hour. The minute the job is done, each and every employee can head home to safety.”

  “I’m not going anywhere!” Marty exclaimed. “You will need help in distribution—you know you will. I’m staying!”

  Matthew stared at the folks he had sworn to protect, and knew that they were willing to risk everything in order for their story to be heard. Knowing a lost cause when he saw one, he said, “Okay, okay. I’ll go and tell the police that the employees will be leaving within two hours’ time.” Thinking for a moment, he asked, “How are the papers delivered?”

  “We have three young men who come by at four o’clock each day to deliver fresh ink…why?” Clyde asked.

  Matthew said, “They should be safe enough but, just in case, I will try and find another couple of kids to help…at least for today. I will pay their wages.”

  “That is not necessary, Matthew.” Reaching into his pocket, Clyde produced four silver dollars. “I’ll be happy to pay for the extra help!” Turning to his right-hand man, he smiled and said, “Well, we should get started!”

  As promised, the paper, with its inflammatory content, was circulating all over town by five o’clock that afternoon. Even people who did not subscribe were given free copies and by dinner time, thousands of Spokane’s citizens were openly discussing the newspaper owner’s troubles.

  The staff, excluding the loyal but stubborn Marty Fulbright, had gone home and, for the rest of the night, Matthew patrolled the perimeter with the police force stationed outside. Nothing happened that night though, and finally, when dawn broke, the sleepy policemen were relieved of duty. As soon as he instructed the two day-time replacements what to watch for…and where, Matthew went inside the building to catch some much-needed rest.

  Two days passed in this manner…no nefarious activity and no apparent threat. Matthew knew that the sheriff was losing patience with the whole affair and would soon be asking for his policemen back…which was why he was wide-awake now. He knew, in his gut, that the crooks would try to finish what they started, right here—and soon. He needed the extra police presence to keep Annie and her father safe!

  Hearing another volley of shots outside in the alley below, Matthew peeked over the window sill. He had wanted to close that particular alleyway down but it was not possible. The bakery-confectioner’s shop received daily deliveries of raw sugar, powdered sugar and flour every morning before dawn, and the laundry next door to the newspaper office w
as open all night. They needed to pull their laundry carts through the alley on their way to the area hospitals and doctor’s offices.

  The policemen on duty were stationed on the busy thoroughfares, and Matthew knew that they were trying to keep an eye on the alley, too. But, it was a natural blind spot—one, in retrospect, he should have been watching, rather than trying to catch some sleep.

  Staring down into the darkness, Matthew thought he saw a figure lying prone on the cobbles. Is it one of the policemen or one of the crooks? he wondered, backing away from the window. He moved to the side of the cot, pulled his boots on and grabbed his pistols from the top of a ream of newsprint paper.

  He was just stepping out into the hall when he saw Annie standing in the shadows with a lantern in one hand. “Matthew, did you hear the gunshots?”

  “Yes. Listen, I need you to go find Marty. Then, you two go to your father’s room and stay hidden out of sight. Also, if I say run, you need to be ready, okay?”

  Annie whispered, “Yes, all right.” Then she stepped toward him, grabbed his upper arms and pressed her lips to his. As he wrapped her in his arms, returning her kiss, he could smell the sweetness of her hair and the soft warmth of her body. He felt a sudden, almost unbearable need for this beautiful woman, but he also felt tremors of fear running like electricity through her skin. She was scared to death and with her injuries, terribly vulnerable.

  Matthew bit back his surge of desire and put her at arm’s length. He knew that Annie had felt the brunt of her enemy’s hatred, administered with all the cold calculation of a butcher at a meat shop. Although he understood that she was a brave woman, she was petrified right now, and he needed to keep her safe. He gave her shoulders a slight shake and said, “Go!”

  Annie turned and fled down the hallway to another room. Matthew watched her for a moment, then he turned around and headed downstairs. Reaching the front door, he heard the clang of the fire engine bell and a number of high-pitched screams echoing down the street.