When the man stepped into view, Lilah nearly giggled with relief. Help had arrived.
Breathy with joy, she burbled out, “Mr. Ledbetter, thank goodness! I’m so glad you found us. Is Fred right behind you?”
The man smiled at her. Something in the look reminded her of a hyena she’d seen in a menagerie. It raised gooseflesh on her bound arms.
He released a low chuckle. “Thank goodness is right. Thank goodness your husband isn’t right behind me. Then he’d find you and ruin my plan.”
Finally, her training in deportment and composure at the day school for young ladies of quality seemed valuable to Lilah. She summoned up memories of her teachers and imitated one particularly prissy instructor.
“Why ever would you need to have a plan that included me, sir? We barely know one another.”
He sighed, as if in regret. “That won’t change, my dear woman. You will be leaving soon to join a former acquaintance. His brother, Mr. Hansen, will take you to him.”
Nothing he said made sense. At least it didn’t until it suddenly did. Make sense, that is. She remembered moments of unease around the deputy. Times when she’d stared at him and struggled to remember of whom he reminded her.
The man at the brothel!
Ledbetter wheezed an eerie chuckle. “Yes, I see you recall the brother. Seems you cursed him and his family. I agreed to arrange for Hansen’s brother to escape the prison. Now, both men are anxious to force you to take back that curse. As well as punish you, of course.”
The man’s free hand contracted into a fist. “Women need punishment. I’m happy to see two more receive their due.”
He was insane. That must be why the lawyer was willing to work for Strong.
Lilah soothingly reasoned with the man. “Please, Mr. Ledbetter. You can’t do what Mr. Strong wants you to. It’s not ethical for a lawyer to behave like this.”
His brow wrinkled as he held the lantern high. “Strong. What does that pompous fool have to do with this?”
Suddenly, understanding curved his lips upward into that feral smile. “Oh, you thought he was in charge of this gang.”
That wheezing chuckle softly echoed around her and through her head. Lilah realized they’d all been fooled by the mayor. Mild-mannered and efficient, the mayor/lawyer had been behind this scheme to procure unwilling girls for the brothels.
“Yes, I see you understand now. I shouldn’t have come, but I did want you to know who the boss was. After all, you hired the Pinkertons to discover that, didn’t you?”
When Lilah stayed mute, he growled and moved forward. Gripping her hair tightly around his left fist, he shook her roughly. “Didn’t you?”
Tears poured down her cheeks as Lilah nodded silently. Again, he shook her braid, bringing a gasp of pain from her. “Yes,” she screamed.
He dropped her head. Lilah worked to swallow the cry of pain when her injured cheek slammed against the hard, earthen floor. The man enjoyed her pain too much to let him see it.
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, detective.” He said the word with derision as he focused on Charity. “My contact from a brothel in Michigan is on his way. By tonight, you’ll be off to your new home.”
Not waiting for a response, the man moved to the stairs. “Goodbye, ladies. Please, don’t bother to thank me for the plans I’ve made for you both. It was a pleasure.”
Charity yelled a curse word at his back. Something that brought a cry from Lilah.
“What’s wrong with you? He deserved that.”
Lilah gave the woman a sad smile. “Maybe. But now’s a time for prayer, not profanity.”
With a harrumph, Charity’s lips thinned. “I’ve never prayed before. Why should I think God, if he does exist, would hear me?”
Quietly, Lilah pleaded for words to answer Charity. After a silent moment, she softly shared her thoughts with the other woman. “I’ve seen blessing after blessing from the God who I know hears me. He’s told me he cares about you, too.”
Charity’s lovely mouth twisted into a sneer. “Just how did he tell you that?”
At that moment, Lilah wished she could reach her arms around the other woman. “There’s a verse in the Bible that told me. Maybe you’ve heard it. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son--”
Harshly, Charity interrupted. “What does that have to do with me?”
At least she was interested. Encouraged, Lilah answered softly. “You’re part of God’s creation. Special. Even if you were the only person in the world, God would have sent his son to be your savior.”
Lilah read doubt and longing on the face turned her way. She continued tenderly. “Another verse promises that God loves us with an everlasting love. He’s waiting for you to get to know his son so you can experience that love.”
Charity shook her head. “Maybe. But now’s not the time.” She reached stiff fingers to Lilah’s boot. “Let’s get out of here. Then, I’d like to hear more.”
Nodding, Lilah worked her foot out of the boot. “You find the knife while I pray.”
She didn’t bother to pray silently. Lilah wanted Charity to know how she spoke to her Lord. She prayed for success and their safety, but also thanked the Lord that her baby was being cared for and fed. She praised Him for providing the knife in her boot as well as allowing Charity to be there to use it so they could escape.
All the while, Charity struggled, dropped, and again grasped the boot, working the lining up from the bottom. When she finally gripped the thin knife, she marveled aloud, “I can’t
