The Devil's Kiss

Chapter Four

When the sun touched the western horizon, Cole waved for the caravan to make camp. Seeing they had stopped, he scouted on for another mile, making sure there wasn’t any trouble waiting ahead. Satisfied, he turned his buckskin around and headed back to where he’d left the others.

As he relaxed in the saddle, Cole was feeling a bit euphoric over how smoothly the past few days of travel had gone. Each morning camp broke shortly after dawn. They stopped for a quick noon meal, then continued on until a half hour before sunset. There had been no unnecessary delays, nor had he heard a complaint. Though he hadn’t spoken to Beth since the supper disaster, he knew she was the only one who could have arranged the changes. But rather than ponder on how long this routine was going to last, he preferred to enjoy it while he could.

As soon as Cole guided his horse around a big, stately oak tree, the caravan came back into view. The wagons were in a horseshoe alignment, food was already cooking on the campfires and tents and cots were being set up. Except for Beth and himself, it was arranged so the men slept on one side of the camp and the women on the other. Beth slept on a comfortable bed in her tent, while he preferred the ground, some distance from the wagons. Should there be an attack, the marauders would head for the main group, leaving him free to defend the others.

A short distance from the wagons Cole dismounted, then untied the rawhide strips that kept his bedding snug against the cantle. After laying out his bedroll between a pair of willow trees, he unbuckled the cinch and pulled the saddle and blanket from his horse’s back. The smell of food cooking was pleasing to his nose as well as his stomach.

Cole was leading his buckskin to the stream for watering when he heard Doolan approaching from behind. The young man took his job as horse groom very seriously.

“I’ll take it from here, sir,” Doolan said.

Cole nodded and handed over the reins. He was starting to like having everything done for him. It would be an easy life to get used to. He glanced at the tall, lanky groom. Frank Doolan had to be nearing twenty, but he was still as clumsy as a floundering stud. He seemed too young to be Tex Martin, but at this point Cole couldn’t afford to rule anyone out.

Cole decided to follow along. He had discovered the boy was of a talkative nature. A great source for information. “How long have you worked for Beth?”

“Eleven years,” Doolan said proudly.

“You were just a boy when you started.”

“Yes, sir. My folks got killed in a fire, and Mrs. Alexander – it was Mrs. Jarvis then—insisted her first husband let me learn to be a groom.”

Two husbands? Cole wondered. “I suppose before much longer you’ll be wanting to head off on your own.” If he could get rid of Frank Doolan, that would be one less man he’d have to be suspicious of.

Doolan thought a minute. “I got everything I could possibly want. I’ve traveled all over and the mistress takes real good care of her people. But to be honest, sir, I’m going to have to make some changes soon.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It isn’t easy to talk about. Promise you won’t laugh or say anything to the others?”

“Whatever you say is safe with me.”

“Well, you see... I mean... I’ve never had a woman,” Doolan finally blurted out. “Molly Dee knows, and she teases me something awful.”

Molly Dee assisted the cook, Magda, and did any duties handed down by Esther. The pretty brunette was always giving Cole friendly smiles, and if she knew he was watching she would make a point of suggestively swinging her hips when she walked. Molly Dee was definitely a flirt.

“I have an awfully bad yearning, and sometimes I think I’m just going to split my bitches. I thought...well, I thought...”

The boy led the buckskin into the water, then let him lower his head to drink. The honking sounds made Cole look to the sky. The Canadian geese were quite a sight flying against the backdrop of the descending sun. They were headed north. The weather was still cool at night, but that would change before long. “I’m surprised your mistress hasn’t thought to take care of that matter for you.”

“She’d never think of bedding –”

Cole chuckled. “That wasn’t what I meant. It’s a situation I’d have expected her to rectify, especially since she seems hell-bent on ruling mankind. Surely you’ve been places where your problem could be taken care of?”

“Yes, but I could never get up the guts to go in a whorehouse by myself.”

“You want some advice, Doolan?”

Doolan lowered his head. “N...yes, sir.”

“My advice is not to worry about it. All things happen in due time. There’s nothing wrong with a man being a virgin, Doolan. How come you haven’t talked about this to one of the other men?”

Doolan stroked the horse’s thick neck. “They treat me like a boy. They never speak of women and such things when I’m around. I tell you, Cole, I believe a man needs to experience life before he goes and commits himself to a woman.”

Cole nodded. “You planning on marrying soon?”

“No, I was just expressing how I feel. I guess I’m trying to ask if you’d maybe...when this is all over would you go with me to... ?”

Cole patted the boy’s shoulder. “Just give it time. So, the mistress has been married twice, huh? That’s a lot of marriages for a woman so young.”

“She’s twenty-eight!”

“Oh, really?” Cole grinned. “That old, huh?” he teased.

“Yes, sir.”

The horse stopped drinking, and the two men headed toward the meadow.

“She’s actually been married three times.”

Cole raised a brow. “Is that where she came by all her money?”

“Her husbands were very wealthy.”

“She probably killed them off with her food.”

“Her first husband, Ernest Jarvis, was in his sixties when they married. His heart gave out.”

Cole wondered if it had happened while the man was enjoying his conjugal rights.

“I’ve heard tell the marriage was arranged by her uncle. The second husband, Cornelious Webber, was in his eighties and as proud as all get-out to have such a beautiful woman by his side. He died in his sleep. The third husband, Mr. Alexander, was a mean bastard. No one grieved when he was robbed and murdered.” Doolan raked his fingers through his sandy-colored hair. “I’ll say one thing, they all had a flair for living even if some did die young. I probably shouldn’t be telling you all this.”

“A man has to have someone to talk to. Besides, it’s all in the past.”

“True.”

“Sounds as if Mrs. Alexander has spent most of her life married.”

“Several years ago I overheard Esther tell Magda that the mistress was married at sixteen and widowed at seventeen. The three marriages only lasted a little over five years.”

They stopped in the meadow. The sun had already disappeared and dusk was quickly turning into night. Cole inhaled deeply. The light fog rolling in made everything smell damp.

“Frank, what do you know about Evan, George and the others? Do you feel they’re good at their trade, reliable and that sort of thing? The reason I’m asking is because if we should be attacked by Indians or such, I’d like to know who I can rely on to help in the fight.”

“I think you could rely on all of them. They may tease me, but they’re good, hardworkin’ men.” Doolan removed a short rope from his back pocket. He hobbled the buckskin then slipped off the bridle so the horse could graze with the others. Both men heard the clanging sound informing everyone that supper was ready.

Cole was a bit disappointed. Apparently Frank had no information that might help him track down Tex. Doolan couldn’t be the outlaw if he had indeed been with Beth for so long. An easy fact to check out.

“How much longer before we reach our first destination?” Doolan asked as they made their way back to the caravan.

“At our present pace, about three days.”

“Cole!”

Cole turned and saw Howard Bench coming toward him.

“Beth would like you to eat in her tent tonight.”

Cole groaned. He didn’t want another night of going without supper. He’d much prefer eating with the others. “When am I supposed to make my command appearance?”

Howard chuckled. “She said right away.”

Cole watched Howard and Doolan hurry off to the long table, where the others were already starting their meal. His gaze shifted to the tent off to itself. He’d be damned if he’d bathe, as he had last time. He moved forward. No sense putting off the inevitable. If he hurried, he might get away before all the food had disappeared from the long table.

“May I come in?” Cole called when he reached the canvas opening. This time he was prepared for anything.

“By all means.”

Assuring himself that this would be brief, Cole ducked his head and entered the feline’s den. Again he was taken aback by the sight before him. Everything had been changed. Now the furniture was dark, big and heavy. Though the tent was the same, it now appeared to be much smaller. To add to the overwhelming picture, Mrs. Alexander had on a heavily beaded black bolero, with a white, ruffled shirt front and a bright red waistband. The black satin pants were molded to long, perfect legs and ended just below her knees. White hose covered the rest of her legs and black slippers completed the costume.

“Well, aren’t you going to say anything?”

“Working on another book?”

“No. Who wants to dress the same all the time?”

Cole’s gaze traveled back up to the beautiful face. Her hair had been pulled tightly back into a knot on top of her head, exposing an oval face with a proud brow, large, heavily fringed brown eyes, high cheekbones and a wide mouth with full, tempting lips.

“Are you just going to stand and stare at me?”

“Since you’ve gone to all this trouble, I assumed you wanted a complete assessment.” He removed his hat.

“I hope you don’t think I did this just for you.” Beth took his top hat and placed it on a small, heavily carved side table. “However, since you mention it, are my furnishings more to your liking?”

“Well.” He pretended to consider his answer. “I would say it depended on what you wanted to use it for.”

“And my clothes?”

Cole chuckled. Mistress Alexander was fishing for a compliment. “Again, it would depend on what you had in mind.”

“That’s no answer.”

Cole’s grin broadened. “I know. That way I don’t get myself into trouble.”

“I’m wearing a matador’s suit.” Seeing his blank expression, she added, “It’s what the men wear in Spain when they fight bulls.”

Cole looked at the small table that had been set for two. “Why would any man want to fight a bull?” he asked offhandedly. This was all taking too long. There would be no leftovers if they continued to chat. He wondered what she planned to feed him tonight. “Did Howard make a mistake when he said we would be sharing supper?”

Beth was becoming vexed. What was it about her that he didn’t find attractive? “No, he made no mistake. I guess we should eat.”

Cole went straight to the table, but to Beth’s delight, when he pulled out a chair, he motioned for her to be seated. The man had manners after all. She was suddenly curious as to his background. “I had a special dinner prepared.”

Cole managed to hold in his groan. She had said the same thing at the last meal. He looked at the fine china and sterling settings. He was trying damn hard to get along with this woman, but she wasn’t making it easy.

“You will be pleased to know that there are no hot spices in the food. Though I’m wearing clothes from Spain, I selected pasta dishes from Italy. I thought they might be more to your liking.” She clapped her hands.

Molly Dee immediately appeared carrying a large bowl of something white. It reminded Cole of worms. When Molly Dee set it on the table, Cole wondered if her breast brushing against his shoulder had been an accident. Magda was right behind the cute little brunette, with two smaller bowls.

“Please, serve yourself,” Beth said eagerly. She had always loved to entertain. Unfortunately, Cole was the only one she had to practice on. “The sauce goes on top of the pasta. Eating it can be a bit tricky.”

Why not? Cole thought. Heaven forbid that she would serve plain, simple food.

Beth demonstrated how to use a fork and spoon to eat the pasta. Even so, it took several attempts before Cole managed to get the long, stringy stuff from the plate to his mouth. Once he had the knack of it, Beth scooted up in her chair, waiting for his praise. She wasn’t sure whether he liked it or not. “Well?”

Prepared for the worst, Cole had steeled himself for the first unwanted bite. Therefore it took a moment for him to realize the food was messy but quite good. He smiled and nodded appreciatively. Not until Beth clapped her hands with glee did he realize the importance of his approval. She quickly filled her own plate.

Remembering that last time Beth had said there was to be no business discussed during the meal, Cole settled down to a delectable supper. Before long he found himself wondering who the real Bethany Alexander was. It seemed that every time he was around her, she acted like a different person. Minutes ago her face had mirrored the delight of a child. Howard had once mentioned something about her being lonesome. Perhaps he had been right.

When his appetite was satisfied, Cole leaned back in his chair and sipped the black coffee that had been served. For the moment he was at peace with the world.

“How much farther will we be traveling before the train robbery?”

Apparently supper was over and business could now be discussed. “Three days,” he replied. “I haven’t had a chance to thank you for changing our traveling routine. I know it must be a considerable inconvenience for you. It’s because of the extra hours of travel that we’ll make final camp so soon. Tomorrow we’ll pass within four miles of a town.” Her excitement was apparent. “However, I don’t think it would be wise to stop.”

“Why? There are things—”

“I thought the purpose of all this was so you could find out about train robbers? Believe me, they don’t make a habit of announcing their presence to a sheriff and a town full of people. If at all possible, they avoid easy identification.”

“So we’ll just travel on?”

“You and the caravan will travel on.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that Doolan and I are riding to town.”

Beth leaned forward, any trace of humor gone. “Are you planning to return?”

“Don’t worry. I could have left you any time I wanted. But as long as everything continues to move smoothly I have no intentions of going anywhere. I want my money. It will help buy land when I go to California.”

Beth remembered him mentioning that before. “Why can’t we all go? I’m sure the others would enjoy seeing a town for a change.”

“Come, come Beth. Don’t you think a caravan like this one would be a bit conspicuous? Bruster is a small town.”

“I’ll go with—”

“I’ll take Doolan. We can pick up any supplies needed and make sure there aren’t any Pinkerton men about. I also need to check on the train schedule.”

“I thought we had already established who is in charge here.”

Cole rested his elbows on the table. “And I thought you wanted to know what it was like to rob a train. All this traveling and staying out of view is exactly what a bandit would do. The only difference is the manner in which he would travel and the way you’re doing it. Have you devised a plan for robbing the train and figured out how many men you’re going to need?”

“I’m working on it.”

Cole knew she didn’t have the slightest idea how to address the situation. “Permit me to offer some advice.”

“I’m the robber—the one who is supposed to figure everything out.” Nevertheless, Beth watched closely as Cole creased lines on the tablecloth with the blunt edge of his knife.

Cole made crisscrossed lines in several places. “This is your train. You are going to need someone to get to the front —” he pointed to it “— and get the engineer to stop. While he’s doing that, others have to enter by the back. There will only be one passenger car. Naturally you’ll want guns to be drawn in case someone wants to put up a fight.”

Beth’s face became ashen. “Are you saying we may have to shoot someone?”

“When you’re an outlaw, there is always that possibility. Some people don’t take kindly to being robbed.”

“But I really don’t want to rob anyone. I just want to see what it’s like to do it.”

Cole shrugged his shoulders. “I hope the people on the train understand that. Now, you’re also going to need someone to stay with the horses and have them ready when you exit the train. You don’t want to get shot while leaving.”

“You’ve left out one very important detail. How do we get on the train?”

“That’s the simplest part. You ride your horse up alongside and climb on.”

“You can’t be serious!”

“Dead serious.”

“While the train is moving?”

“How else do you plan to stop it? You might consider getting a man’s saddle and some britches. You could get your foot caught up in a skirt hem and kill yourself. Of course, if you want to change your mind about this...” He raised a dark eyebrow and waited.

“No, I’m not going to change my mind. I always finish what I set out to do. I don’t want to hear any more. As I told you, this is my holdup.”

“But of course. You will have several days to work it out. I’m curious why a lady of your financial standing would even want to do any of this.”

“Research. Purely research. Besides, money isn’t everything. It is time for me to start doing something constructive with my life.”

Cole stood and made a slight bow. “The supper was excellent, my lady. I thank you for all the trouble you went to.” He snatched up his hat before exiting the tent. Yes, sirree, the woman did talk a good story. Of course, come time to commit the crime, the lady would undoubtedly change her mind.

As Cole drove the farm wagon down one of the back streets of Bruster, he kept scanning the area for any sight of the bald-faced nag the traveling sheriff rode. How long had it been? Six years since he last visited the town? Something like that. It wasn’t a large town, but it was sufficient for the surrounding farms. He brought the horses to a halt in front of a large saloon.

“Why are we stopping here?” Doolan inquired.

“I figured we could both use a drink.”

Doolan jumped from the wagon and followed Cole inside. It was only around ten in the morning, so there were few customers. As he sidled up to the bar, Doolan was feeling more like a man than he ever had. There was something about being around Cole that made him feel different than when he was with the others. Maybe that was because Cole didn’t treat him as if he were still in short pants.

“A couple of whiskeys,” Cole told the bartender. He pulled a coin from his pocket and slapped it on the bar. “Is Dahlia still here?” he asked when the bartender had filled the shot glasses.

“Yeah, I’m still here. Who wants to know?”

Cole downed the shot, then turned toward the voice. Dahlia had to be in her early fifties, but very little had changed. She was overweight, her hair was dyed a gaudy bright red and her two-layer-deep makeup did little to hide the wrinkles. Nevertheless, she’d always been a fair woman and treated her girls well.

“Cole?” Dahlia pulled her wire-rimmed glasses from between her large breasts and took a harder look. “Son of a bitch! Cole Wagner. It is you!” She hurried forward and threw her ample arms around him.

“You haven’t changed,” Cole said fondly.

Dahlia released him and stepped back. “Well, I sure as hell can’t say the same about you. Why are you dressed like that, you handsome devil? Look at that stupid hat. And that beard. I ain’t never seen you with a beard.” She laughed with delight. “You aimin’ to braid it?”

Cole grinned good-naturedly. “Dahlia, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. Doolan, this is Dahlia, the best woman for miles around.”

Doolan blushed at the brazen way Dahlia looked him over. He wasn’t sure what to think about all this. How had these two come to know each other?

“I’ll be damned. You brung me a green one.”

Cole chuckled. Dahlia knew her men. “Doolan is fixing to become twenty. I figured it was time he learned a few things about women.”

Doolan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You mean...”

“Knowing you have the best girls in the county,” Cole continued, ignoring his young friend, “I knew you would pick him out someone special.”

Doolan licked his lips. Was he honestly going to get to be with a woman — naked and everything?