“The men took the baby? That’s odd.”
“I think they just want to hurt me. I believe they are sending a ransom note to my father. Pay up or she dies.” A sob broke deep in her throat.
Gen squatted and hugged the frightened girl. “Don’t worry, I’ll try to find out what happened to the baby.”
She scanned the area and found Trace off to the side. He beckoned to her. When she reached him, he took her into his arms and held her, no words, just a sweet comfort she so wished was real. Near death experience peeks everyone emotions, obviously even her husband. He pushed her to arm’s length.
“Are you all right, Gen?”
“Yes, but terribly sorry he didn’t swallow your inventive story. I couldn’t…”
“I understand. I know you love your brother.”
He gave no mention that her surrendering might have been to save him also. She wondered if now was the appropriate moment to correct him on the assumption that her only concern was for Nick when it was his well-being that prompted her to admit defeat.
“I left the gun hidden in a bush. Maybe we can get to it later, when the time to act is right.”
“I have a smart woman as an apprentice. You think on your feet and I appreciate that.”
“I try. And…”
Trace turned away, cutting off her sentence before she could bear her heart. Gen felt certain the man could see her love for him in her eyes but chose to leave the words unspoken. Pushing her away seemed to be his way of late. Confusion ruled their marriage and now threatened to creep into their working together as a Pinkerton team.
Chapter 9
By supper Nick was sitting, eating up the attention Andrea was showering on him. Gen arrived with a pot of stew from yesterday’s leftover meat and some wild vegetables she found nearby. Of course, her captives made her pick for everyone with a watchman following at her heels, but she refused to cook for the bunch. No one forced the issue and campfires burned throughout the small gathering.
Andrea was ecstatic. “Oh, Genevieve. Thank you so much for supper. I’m near exhausted tending to your brother and worrying about the baby.” She looked at Trace who carried their plates and the coffee pot. “Have you heard anything?”
“I thought I heard some squawking from one of the wagons. Probably gave the job to one of the bandit’s wives.”
“Why? I was a good mother?”
“The baby is not yours, Andrea, and you’re not in charge,” said Nick. “Let it go.” Gen raised her brows trying to get a message through to her brother. That was not the kind of talk that would win the girl’s affection. Nick back-peddled, but a touch of attitude lingered in his tone. “I’m sure once your man gets here to rescue us, the baby will be returned to you.”
“Oh, I truly hope so,” Andrea said.
Nick, his expression screaming he’d had enough, tried to push himself to his feet. He groaned and eased back down. “Still a bit on the tender side, Sis, but I’m beholding to you.”
“Never had to mend a bullet hole in you before, Nick. You should have stayed at the farm, where it’s safe.”
“What about you? Marrying a Pinkerton man and wandering in the woods for your honeymoon sounds like you’re choosing to live on the side of danger.”
“Apparently peril has chosen to invade our precious time away together.”
Nick studied Gen. She glanced away and concentrated on stirring the ingredients in the pot. “Andrea, go fetch your table settings and we’ll eat together tonight.”
“You are a gem,” said Andrea, giving Gen a quick hug and racing to the back of her wagon.
“The girl probably doesn’t even know how to cook, Nick. Have you lost your senses?” asked Gen.
“A man can’t help who he falls in love with,” said Nick. “Look at you and Trace. He should have married a lady-detective in training and instead got stuck with a tenderfoot like you. All in the name of love.”
She bit her lip and glanced at Trace, who beamed. Role playing again, no doubt. “At least I can cook.”
Andrea arrived back at the campfire and Gen placed a large scoopful on their plates. Trace filled two coffee cups and passed them to the traveling duo. He pushed two stumps into place across from them and motioned for Gen to sit. The four of them stuffed their mouths and ignored the watchful eyes of their captors on the other side of camp.
Eventually Trace directed a question at Andrea. “Do you think your father will send someone to rescue you instead of the ransom?”
“Wouldn’t put it past him. A life is less valuable than his precious money.”
“Don’t you think you are being too harsh, Andrea? Your family has always provided the best of everything for their daughter.”
“That was before I spit it all back in his face. He is not the forgiving sort and has probably already disowned me for rejecting his chosen husband, Stanley Jacobs the 3rd.”.
“Yeah, I’d be nervous of a man with two first names,” said Nick.
“No one asked you,” said Gen. She rested a hand on Andrea’s arm. “Do you suppose Terrance will come to rescue you?”
“Of course, he will. Just as soon as he hears of this botched job his hired trail master has organized,” said Andrea.
“Maybe it will be too late when he hears of your abduction and you’re already tucked back under the covers at the Friskin estate – under house arrest, no doubt, until after you become Mrs. Andrea Jacobs,” said Trace.
The girl gasped and looked at Nick. “You can’t let that happen. Terrance hired you to get me
