White Dreams (24 page)

“Damn. I want that squaw.” The voice came from above Renny’s head on the porch. “Where are they?”

Hattie’s voice trembled. “They went shopping.”

“You better be telling me the truth, you no-good Negro.” The man’s voice was ice-cold. Hattie cried out and the porch shook. Something fell—hard.

“No! Leave her alone,” Hester Mae called out.

The man laughed. “You like her so much, you can share her fate, Hester Mae—after you and I marry.”

“You won’t get away with this.”

“Who’s going to stop me? Your husband? I don’t think so. Leo started the job, but I’ll finish it.” Renny bit her lip at the sound of the man’s laughter.

“You’re a real bastard—” A loud slap joined the sound of the older woman’s soft weeping.

“Get them servants tied up and make haste.” Steps receded back into the kitchen. The cries faded. Furious that these men were hurting the people she loved, Renny knew she had to go warn Star and get help. She motioned for Morning Moon to follow her. The porch wrapped around to the other side of the house and to a door that led into the servants’ quarters. The two girls exited from beneath it and ran around to the front of the house, peering cautiously at the empty carriage out front. Now what?

“My mother. We must warn her.” They ran for the street, but the terse voices of the men and the crying of the women growing closer warned Renny there was no time to cross to the park without being spotted. And if those nasty men saw them, they’d get Star Dreamer.

They had to hide until the bad guys left. It seemed her aptitude for finding hiding places would pay off. She grinned at the thought, though she knew the situation was awful. Hurrying, she ran to the rear of the villains’ carriage. “Come on. Well see where they take my aunt and Hattie. Then we can get help.”

She climbed in, folding herself down in the floor area in front of the seat. Morning Moon squeezed in too, and Renny pulled the lid down. Long moments later, she felt the carriage shift as the men entered. As she heard crying, she realized two of the maids were also inside…along with her aunt and Hattie? Suddenly they were moving. Lifting the lid an inch, holding it tightly so it wouldn’t fly up, she saw Star frantically hurrying toward them.

Star waited until the Dragon’s carriage turned the corner, then she ran across the street and around the back of the house. She found Zeb sprawled on the grass, unconscious. Placing her ear against the mountain man’s chest, she breathed a sigh of relief that he was breathing. With no time to lose, she ran into the carriage house and selected one of Renny’s horses. They had been trained by her people, and so she would trust them in her time of need. But with all her petticoats, she couldn’t mount.

Uncaring that she was destroying her garments, she divested herself of the hampering material, her shoes and her stockings. She had forced herself to be white too long. Grabbing the small knife she still kept strapped to her thigh, she slashed the fabric of her skirt up each side. With that, she mounted, using her hands and knees to command the horse.

Once out on the street, she paused. Everywhere she looked, she saw carriages. “Now what?” she said to herself, then thought. She recalled the tiny dragon painted against a blue background.
Water.
The harbor. She needed to find someone to give her directions.

She found a gentleman in the park and asked him. He told her, then eyed her bare legs with interest, but Star didn’t care. She was tired of pretending to be someone else…and of being afraid. She was a Sioux princess…and she was proud of that. She swung away from the surprised gentleman and urged her animal into a gallop.

Having set off in the right direction, after a bit she spotted the carriage. Doing so, she slowed and stayed hidden from the driver’s view. This was it. This was the situation in her vision. Somehow, she had to stop those men before it was too late.

Fire? A burning building. How would they end up in that? She prayed to the Spirits to watch over the women and show her what to do to save them. Grady was gone and there was only her. She could go for help, but who would she ask? She couldn’t risk the time it would take to explain. She stayed with the carriage.

When it turned into an alley, Star had to go past. She didn’t dare follow. Instead, she rode around the block. When she returned and peered back down the alley, she saw the carriage parked along the back—empty. The buildings here sat close together, and nearly back-to-back with the ones behind it. To which of the four had Hattie and Hester Mae been taken?

And the girls too. Star had to get them to safety. But before she could dismount and go in, one of the men exited one of the buildings—just as Renny peered out of the carriage.

On board the steamboat, Grady paced, eager to be on his way. The sooner they found Maurice and Hattie’s family, the sooner he’d be back home with Star. Why had he mentioned marriage so soon? Had he frightened her off? Fear clenched his stomach into a knot, and he decided maybe it was for the best he would be gone for some time. That would give her time to think.

You’re running, again.
He heard his sister Ida’s words in his head.

No. I’m going to find Hattie’s family and stop this Dragon,
he answered her.

Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck to ease the tightness. He was running from Star’s possible rejection, though. He was giving her time, a chance to escape. If he was courageous, he would have demanded an answer from her.

The need to leave the ship and return to Star overwhelmed him. He needed Star. He needed to make sure she was safe.

Now where had that thought come from? She was safe in his house. Though he’d brought Zeb with him, the others were there to protect her. So why did he suddenly feel as if something was wrong?

Listening to his instincts had kept him alive more than once during his military service. Falling back on years of training, he separated the emotional scene of leaving Star from the worry prickling at the back of his neck. Something important niggled at the back of his mind. Something he wasn’t considering.

“Something’s wrong,” he murmured to Charles. Both men stood at the rail, waiting for the captain to weigh anchor.

“I’m sure it’s just a short delay. We’ll head out soon,” Charles commented absently, assuming Grady was speaking of the boat’s delayed departure.

Grady gripped the rail and leaned on his arms. “No. Something else.” He tapped his fingers along the side of the smooth, varnished wood.

“None of this is right, O’Brien, old man. When I find this Dragon, I will personally see him behind bars for what he’s done. I just hope we can find Maurice and Hattie’s family. God knows how many more were taken and sold back into slavery or locked away in brothels.”

Grady remembered the sick feeling he’d gotten when they’d learned the scope of the Dragon’s activities. Recalling the condition of the blonde girl, and how the police were now willing to take action, also made him feel ashamed and angry that justice wasn’t equal for all. And while that wasn’t something new, it had never hit quite so close to home before. The hypocrisy of his society was galling. This came down to wrong and right. Every man or woman or child was entitled to justice. And here in St. Louis, it seemed the only justice was for whites.

“You’re just anxious to find Hattie’s family and get back to your woman, that’s all.” Charles eyed him with speculation.

“That’s it!” Grady snapped his fingers and grabbed Charles by the arm. “He knew we were looking for Hattie’s family!”

“Who?”

“Langley. Todd Langley. He wished me luck in finding Hattie’s husband and son. How did he know about them?”

“We must have mentioned it the other night at the Blue Horn.”

Grim, Grady shook his head. “No. You mentioned Maurice, but I never mentioned Hattie had a son. Just family, yet Langley knew! Outside of the captains I’ve questioned and the authorities, I’ve not spoken to anyone about Hattie’s son or husband.”

Grady paced.

“Maybe someone—one of the captains—told him.”

“Why? That’s not something that would come up in casual conversation.” Recalling that Langley ran an import business added the last piece to the puzzle. “How would he know unless he was the Dragon?”

“Not likely, old man.” But Charles narrowed his eyes. “Although he is pro-slavery.”

The words hung between the two men. “I think it is worth doing some further questioning.” Finding Zac, the three men left the steamboat and ran along the wharf. It didn’t take but a few questions to learn which warehouse belonged to Todd Langley’s importing business.

Shoved into a small work area in the back of the warehouse, Hester Mae glared at Todd Langley, the Dragon. “You can’t get away with this.”

The man laughed. “Wrong, Hester Mae. I already have. And as soon as I finish off Baxter, you’ll marry me. If you don’t, I’ll kill all of those women with you watching. And I promise it will be a slow death for each of them.”

The gleam in his eyes warned Hester Mae that he’d enjoy doing it. “Let them go. You don’t need them.”

She cringed and turned her head as Todd lifted his hand to strike her. But, instead, he caressed her face. Then, like a striking snake, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. “Why, Hester Mae, like you, they’ll fetch me a nice sum from any one of the brothels I sell them to. And don’t think I won’t sell you. Once I have your husband’s shipping business, you’re history. Like your lover.”

Hester was surprised that she felt a brief twinge at hearing of Leo’s death.

The Dragon continued. “Men out along the western frontier are eager for women. And some don’t care if they are willing or not. In fact, some
like
a woman who’ll fight.” The gleam in his eyes warned that he was one of those men.

“You’re disgusting,” Hester Mae spat.

He laughed. “Yes, my dear, I am.” He turned to Hattie, who cowered. “And you—I should beat you right here and now for all the trouble you’ve caused.” He grabbed her by the hair and tossed her to the floor. Removing his belt, he stood over her.

“Maybe I’ll just kill you, to show everyone I mean business. Besides, everyone knows the only good Negro is a dead one. Ask my pa. He married one. And I suffered for it! I was an outcast growing up.” He grew thoughtful. “Still, the old man learned his lesson when he caught her in bed with another. Killed them both and then he killed himself, that pain for nothing.” He brought his belt down, hard, striking Hattie’s legs.

Hester Mae screamed and tried to stop him, but one of Langley’s thugs grabbed hold of her. The two Irish maids from Grady’s household staff were clinging together, sobbing softly.

“Now it’s my turn to cause the pain.” Langley lifted his arm again.

“Hey, boss, we got a problem.” A tall, thin man entered the back room of the warehouse. He held on to a squirming Renny and Morning Moon. “Found these brats out back.”

Hester Mae struggled against the man restraining her. “Renny, oh God! Don’t you lay your filthy hands on her!” She stepped down hard onto the arch of the man who was holding her. He released her with a howl of pain, hopped back and knocked over a crate. Hester Mae lunged forward to grab Todd, but he dodged and snagged Renny by the scruff of her neck. “Watch it, Hester Mae, or the brat will be the first to go.”

“No! Don’t hurt her. Don’t hurt her,” she cried, backing away.

Grinning with malicious enjoyment, the Dragon pulled out his knife. “Perhaps you need a demonstration, Hester Mae.”

The expression in Renny’s eyes chased away her frantic fear and fueled her fury. No one treated her niece, her sister’s child, in this fashion. Her gaze swept the small, dark, windowless work room for a weapon. As Renny twisted away in her struggles, distracting Todd, Hester Mae grabbed an old, smoking lantern. She tossed it at him.

It hit Langley on his shoulder, bounced off and fell onto the floor, then shattered. Flames shot out, eagerly licking at the straw littering the floor. As they hit an overturned crate filled with dry straw for packing, a loud whoosh sounded. A wall of flames shot into the air.

With a yell, the Dragon released Renny with a curse. The flames forced him to jump back. Frightened of the fire, the man holding Morning Moon released her. With a shriek, he ran out the back way to save himself. Hester Mae grabbed her niece and the Indian girl.

Langley backed away and pulled his gun, blocking their escape. “Stupid bitch, you’ve ruined everything I’ve worked for! Now you can die in the fire you started.”

Hester Mae knew that, separated from them by the flames, Langley would shoot them if they tried to go out the front door. “Oh, Lord. I’ve made it worse,” she cried.

“No, look,” Hattie cried. She had been flung to the ground and was unguarded.

Hester Mae glanced at Hattie, then to the stairs to which she was pointing. She shoved the two girls toward safety. “Go. Quickly.”

Renny and Morning Moon bolted for the steep stairs, followed by the two maids. As soon as Hattie ran up the stairs, Hester Mae turned to save herself. Behind her, Todd’s screams filled her ears.

A bullet whizzed by her. Hester Mae glanced back briefly and saw Langley trying to come after them through the flames, but they were too hot, and spreading fast.

“You’ll die. All of you!” the Dragon screamed. He aimed, his grin malicious. At the impact of the bullet, Hester Mae fell against the rail. Pain radiated up her chest and shoulder. Thinking of only Renny, of saving her niece, she pulled herself up the stairs. Then everything went black.

Star ran around the block to find the front entrance. If she went in the back, she’d only get herself captured—then she’d be of no use to anyone. By the time she reached the front, a crowd had gathered, her worst fears realized. Billowing smoke was escaping broken windows high above the ground. Around her, alarms sounded all along the wharf.

Star’s heart leaped into her throat as she shoved and pushed, making her way to the front.
No!
Over and over, she denied that it was too late. Smoke continued to gush out of the building she’d seen Renny and Morning Moon hauled into. She ran for the doors.

Hands held her back. “You can’t go in there.”

“I have to. There are women and children in there.” A hush fell around her.

Opening the door, blinding smoke and heat forced her back along with the others crowding around her. Sobbing, she tried again, but it was futile. No one could get in. The building was engulfed.

“Star!”

At the sound of Grady’s voice, she fell into his arms and sobbed, “I failed. It’s too late.”

Grady’s face paled, his lips pinched tightly together. “No. We won’t give up. Let’s check the back.” Grady grabbed her hand and pulled her around the building.

Windows burst and flames shot out. There seemed no way in.

Suddenly, they heard cries. Star whirled around, searching. She glanced up. “The roof, up there. They are safe,” she cried with relief. “But not for long.”

“Look for a ladder.” Around the corner, they found one attached to the back wall that led to the roof. Grady started climbing. Star pulled her skirt between her legs and tied it around her waist so she could climb unencumbered and followed. “Hurry.”

Three rungs up, she felt something icy-cold grab her ankle. Glancing down, she screamed. Cold blue eyes burned into hers. Then a face, red with fury and covered with raw, angry blisters—distorted, melted from fire until he had became the monster in her visions—appeared. The Dragon. She screamed, kicked and gripped the rungs, but he yanked her down.

“This is all
your
fault. You’ve ruined me.” He threw her to the ground. His hands went around her throat. “All because of one—”

Star, from the ground, saw Grady glance down. He hesitated, glancing from her to the roof, which could collapse any minute. She looked up at him, pulling Langley’s clawing fingers away and managed to scream: “Save them. Save our children! Save my daughter.”
Save my people.

The words burned inside her head. In that moment, while Star struggled against the Dragon, she knew she’d finally found the answer. The reason she’d been tormented for so long with the gift.

Morning Moon and her easy acceptance of her own gift was the one who’d save their people some day. Star’s gift to her people was her daughter—and by saving her, she would be saving them. When her daughter had told her this was meant to be, she’d thought the child was just parroting what she’d heard others tell her mother. Now she knew better. And she also knew she had to free herself and help Grady save the girl. That too was clear. In her vision, it had taken both of them.

Star fought even as her chest tightened and her eyes bulged from lack of air. Her fingers frantically searched the ground for a weapon. At last, they closed around the sharp piece of broken glass that had fallen from the pocket of her day dress. She brought her hand up and sliced one sharp edge down the Dragon’s face.

He screamed and reared back, giving her the chance to draw in much-needed air and shove him off her. Rising, she ran for the ladder. He followed. She leaped up the first two rungs, but as she climbed, she glanced down and saw him gaining on her.

He reached out and grabbed her foot again. “No!” she yelled, trying to kick him away. And then he was gone. Below her, Zac and Charles had pulled him to the ground. Breathing a sigh of relief, she climbed as fast as she could. A window to her left exploded with heat. Her skin stung from fumes. Fire shot out as she climbed past, preventing anyone else from climbing up. Charles fell back, for he was trying to follow.

“Come on,” Grady yelled, helping her over the top of the roof. They found the girls, Hattie and the maids. Hester Mae lay slumped beside them. She’d been shot. Grady searched the roof, which was in poor repair. Finding two long planks used to haphazardly cover a hole in the roof, he motioned for Star to give him a hand. “Come on. I think they might reach across to the next building.”

He glanced down between the buildings. Their presence on the roof had been noted, and men were scrambling up the ladder on the other building to help them. By the time he and Star had pulled the boards to the edge, three men were waiting.

Making quick work of forming a bridge, he lifted Renny up. “Go.”

Renny nodded, until she looked down. Then she grabbed hold of her father and froze, her gaze riveted on the long fall below them. Grady tried to get her to move, but she refused to let go of him. She whimpered. Star wasn’t sure what to do.

Then, Morning Moon climbed up on the edge of the building. Fearlessly, she stepped onto the plank. “Come on, Weshawee. It’s just like crossing a ravine on a fallen tree.”

Renny slowly met her friend’s gaze, then held out her hand. Together, the two girls crossed to safety. The two maids followed after a stern order from Hattie. Then Hattie went.

“Grady, what about Hester?” Star knelt down beside the unconscious woman.

Bending, he slung her over his shoulders. “I’ll take her, then come back for you.”

Praying the planks would support the weight of two adults, he told Star to hold on to the plank on her end. The men across from him were doing the same. Three-quarters of the way across, Star heard the plank groan. With a desperate lunge, Grady jumped. Hands grabbed at him and pulled him over the ledge. The boards gave way beneath his feet. He barely made it, but he did. The others had caught Hester.

He leaped to his feet and stared back in horror at the empty space between the buildings. Star watched all this, now trapped.

Horrified, Star watched flames leap up on the roof of the building she was on. It was now on fire.

Relieved that at least Grady and the girls were safe, Star searched for a way off the roof. The heat beneath her bare feet was becoming unbearable. Tears streamed down her face.

And suddenly, in that moment, she knew she’d risk it all to tell Grady she loved him. She would marry him. She’d been acting silly, afraid to love and making reasons to avoid it…reasons to avoid loss. But now she’d never get the chance to show him. It was too late.

At least she’d saved him and the children. Now she could die in peace.

Across the way, her daughter climbed up onto the edge of the roof. Grady’s arms were holding her securely. She lifted her hands out to her side. “Jump,
Ina.
Fly—like the eagle!”

Fly like the eagle?

Fly with the eagle.

Grady! He was the eagle. He would catch her—just like in her visions. But she would have to trust them. She ran to the front of the building to the wide brick ledge that ran the length of the warehouse. Slightly wider than the plank, it would allow her to get a running start. She
would
do this. Her vision had given her the knowledge that she could.

Just like a fallen tree over a ravine, she thought, smiling at her wise daughter’s words. And though the distance between buildings was farther than she’d ever jumped, what choice did she have? To stay here meant death. And she wanted life. With Grady.

Taking a deep breath, she ran and jumped, praying for the Spirits to give her wings.

They gave her something better.

Grady.

Leaning over the building, he reached out and plucked her from the air. The roar of blood in her ears drowned out the gasp of the crowd below. He clutched her as she half dangled over the edge of the building and, saved, Star laughed and cried. Just as he had in the visions, Colonel O’Brien had been there to catch her when she fell.