Anger boiled in every part of his body as Roak moved blindly toward his guns hanging over his saddle.
Daniel slapped a hand against his chest and warned him to stop.
"You know who he is” Drum hissed.
"I know, and I want to kill him only slightly less than you do right now."
Daniel held him back while Drum swore. He knew Daniel was right, but that didn't make standing still any easier.
"Roak, calm down. Let the captain have his say; then I'll help you string the bastard up."
Captain Harmon walked past Drum as if he didn't hear his newest Ranger threatening to kill the prisoner slowly and painfully. "I'll have your name” he shouted over Roak's swearing.
"Luther Waddell." The big man stood up straight, chest out, like a prisoner expecting a bullet any moment and refusing to beg for his life.
The captain studied him. "Want to tell me what your business is? And don't try to lie. I got two men here who saw you in the count's hideout, and one of them is mighty anxious to kill you” He glanced in Drum's direction. There were two Rangers holding him back now.
Luther measured Drum. "If I tell you what I'm doing, I want your word that you won't let that fellow decide my fate. I don't much mind dying, but he's promising I'll beg for death before he's through, and I can see in his eyes he's not bluffing.”
Captain Harmon nodded. "Agreed, but only if you're honest. I can smell a lie”
Luther turned to Drum and yelled, "I figured she might be your lady that night in the saloon. Ain't never seen a man pay two hundred dollars for a night. Except she didn't look too happy to be climbing the stairs with you. I still thought she'd be safer with you than with most of the other men wanting her."
Drum stopped swearing and began listening.
"I know you don't believe it, but I tried to help the little doctor. I locked her in a cell at night so none of the men could get to her. I clubbed the man who bruised her face, just for the hell of it. But you should know she weren't hurt none while she was in camp. I saw to that. The night of the auction, if I hadn't tied her up to the rafter, the men would have pawed her and passed her around. I've seen it before.”
Drum didn't buy a word the outlaw said. "You're a talking dead man," he whispered loud enough that the stranger heard.
Captain Harmon paced restlessly. "So, if you're one of the count's personal guards, what are you doing outside the hideout?"
"Hanover trusts me. He's got my wife and son to ensure I come back."
Drum stilled. Daniel removed his grip as they both listened. Neither of them liked the idea of a child being in the camp. They both knew firsthand what he'd face.
"The count's got a fever. He thinks he's dying. He's so weak he's messing himself like a baby. He's got it in his head that the only one who can help him is the little doctor. I'm on my way to get her. If you kill me, he'll just send someone else until he gets her back. To him, she's his property.”
The captain raised an eyebrow. "Why are you telling us this?" The man was writing his own obituary.
Luther looked directly at Roak. "Your woman asked me to help her escape, and I didn't. I was worried about my family first, and second, I didn't think he'd mistreat her. I figured the worst he'd do was keep her in camp as the doctor, but I underestimated his hatred of women. She'd be dead today if you hadn't come for her, and my wife's not safe, even if I do what he tells me”
"But you were heading to find Sage and drag her back," Drum shouted.
"No." Luther shook his head. "I was going to warn her to get as far away as she could. Then I planned to go back and tell the count I couldn't find her. If I'm lucky, he'll be dead or feeling better and deciding he doesn't need the doctor. At worst, he'd still be crazy with pain and have me killed.” He looked straight at Drum. "I don't care anymore. The only reason I've gone on as long as I have is for my wife and boy, but my boy is sickly, and my wife cries all the time.”
Drum almost felt sorry for the man. Almost.
Captain Harmon motioned for them to untie Luther, then he offered him a cup of coffee. The man would have been a fool to reach for a gun; a dozen bullets would hit him before he could clear leather.
"Do you know of a way into the hideout besides the slow ride through Skull Alley?"
Luther held the cup with both hands. "No. If I did, I'd bring my family out. That narrow canyon keeps everyone in line. I've seen a few men try to run it on horseback. They started at night and made it past the first checkpoint, but by daylight the second guard picked them off as easy as shooting fish in a bucket. One man who tried to make it traveling only on foot got lost and ended up coming right back to camp, where Hanover had him hanged."
He looked up at Drum. "I'd given up any hope till you got out. You got the doctor out too, and neither of you crossed through Skull Alley." He took a drink of coffee. "I know, 'cause I sat up there for three days waiting to shoot anything that moved in that canyon.”
Captain Harmon drew his attention back. "How'd you know the doc was back in Galveston?"
"We got a man there who sends word on anything he thinks the count might like to know. He sent a note that he'd keep her occupied until we got there
"How'd he know who Sage was?"
Luther shrugged. "He was at the robbery when Charlie and his men took her. He says he's an almost relative, whatever the hell that is”
The captain kept questioning Luther, but Drum had listened to enough. Bonnie had told him there was only one man who was in the room with Sage when the robbery happened: Shelley Lander.
When the captain took a break from questioning, Drum moved beside him. "Cap, I know who the spy in Galveston is”
"So do I, a scum of a gambler named Lander." He put his hand on Drum's shoulder. "I also know what you're thinking. Someone needs to warn Sage. When he sent the note, he must have not known that she'd be leaving with her brother. But if she told Shelley where she was headed, this count is just crazy enough to go after her."
"I'm on my way," Drum said.
Captain Harmon nodded, then added, "Take Daniel Torry with you. A hard ride with a hangover will do him good”
Drum motioned to Daniel. "Saddle up. I'll explain on the way."
Daniel looked confused. "What about killing Luther? I don't want to miss out on that”
As much as he'd like to stay around and beat Luther to death. Drum knew he had to get to Sage before Shelley had time to send word of where she had gone. He'd find out they'd left for Austin, and from there someone would have probably noticed what direction they took. Drum doubted Travis would speak to Shelley, even if he rode all the way to Austin. Travis wasn't friendly with his relatives on most days, much less someone else's, but there were those who knew where the wagons were heading, and Shelley might luck out and talk to one of them.
Captain Harmon waved them off. "We'll try to hold him long enough so he'll be waiting when you get back. If I have any luck, he'll be in the cell next to Lander.”
Like two wild kids dismissed from school, Roak and Daniel took off at a full gallop.
CHAPTER 31
A NOVEMBER ICE STORM. WHICH HAD MELTED INTO miles of mud, slowed Drum's progress.
He'd talked Daniel into riding north of Galveston in hopes of saving a few days, but they were almost three weeks behind Sage. The shortcut helped little.
Drum missed her in Austin by two weeks, as he figured he would. Travis talked them into staying one night. He wanted details about Luther. Drum could see it in his eyes; Travis was making his own list. He might wear a suit and look to all the world like a respected lawyer, but part of him was wild and always would be. Drum wouldn't be surprised if Travis McMurray went after the man. He was probably thinking the same thing Drum was. One lone man could get in and out of the camp, leaving no sign behind, only one dead count.