the motor, the engineer spit tobacco and gave a thumbs up. The engine inched forward until it was halted by the weight it faced. The engine roar grew to a whine with increased throttle pressure. Hannah covered her ears to the shrill struggle. Liam kicked at the earth. Over the roar of the laboring engine, Hannah heard him curse.
“Move, damn you. Move!”
Then, along with the deafening roar, came a scraping sound and the engine moved. So slow, it was almost unnoticeable, but the boulder moved. It began to wobble and lean toward the trench.
“Back!” Liam yelled as the boulder tipped forward and rolled down and off the tracks. The train moved on a few yards. The brakeman brought it to a halt far enough down the line to validate that the tracks hadn’t been compromised. They were free.
Within the hour, after a short prayer at the makeshift grave of the baby’s mother, they were San Antonio bound. Hannah laid the baby next to her and turned to the window. There was no scenery, just desolation. It matched her feelings, except for the hate.
“So, you’re on your way again.”
Hannah turned to Liam. His long body stretched out in his seat across the aisle. His hat covered his face as though he’d been sleeping. “Yes.”
He moved his hat onto the seat next to him, sat up and faced her. “To where?”
She turned to the window to avoid his eyes. Eyes that offered... No, trust no one .
“Hannah, talk to me.”
She didn’t respond. She needed to focus on her husband’s killer, her rapists and the killer of the baby’s mother.
“Hannah, when we get to San Antonio let us help you.”
She turned to Liam. “You can’t help. There are things I need to do. Let me be.”
After a few moments, Liam nodded and stood up. “Have it your way. We’ll leave you be.” He nodded his head toward the sleeping infant. “You and her.” He smiled and walked outside to the platform between the cars.
Hannah’s glanced from the door to the baby at her side. “The baby!”
Chapter 12
San Antonio
The baby slept, blissfully unaware of the dilemma Liam’s remark had dropped on Hannah. He’d agreed to leave Hannah alone once they arrived in San Antonio, alone with the baby. My plans! I can’t chase Drake across Texas caring for a baby. Hannah wanted to go after Liam and tell him the baby was his responsibility, but she knew it wasn’t. She looked down the aisle for Frank and Daniel and found them sleeping. It wasn’t their problem, either. I promised to remember. I took on the responsibility.
The baby uttered a short cry, wiggled a bit, and went back to sleep. A bad dream? I know what that’s like, little one. Hannah stroked the baby’s hair and wondered what she was going to do. She could only hope there would be someone in San Antonio who knew the baby’s mother and would take the child. With the hope of that possibility, Hannah managed to slip off to sleep.
*****
Before the train came to a complete stop at the San Antonio station, Hannah began gathering the baby’s meager belongings. She stuffed them into a canvas bag, flung it over shoulder and scooped up the sleeping infant. It nestled against Hannah’s breast and sighed contentedly.
Hannah fought back images of the young mother being prodded off by those horrible men and shuddered at the memory of the gunshot that took the woman’s life. She kissed the baby’s forehead and mentally promised that she’d make Drake’s men pay for making this child an orphan.
The train stopped and the passengers began to disembark. Hannah was one of the first off, while Daniel and Frank were the last. She smiled at them, but her eyes darted about looking for Liam.
“He’s gone, Hannah,” Frank answered her search.
“Gone? Where?”
“He jumped off when the train began to slow for the station. Said he wanted to check out the stables. Look for our horses,” Frank said.
“He told us to watch after you. Could be those murderin’ horse thieves are now
“Move, damn you. Move!”
Then, along with the deafening roar, came a scraping sound and the engine moved. So slow, it was almost unnoticeable, but the boulder moved. It began to wobble and lean toward the trench.
“Back!” Liam yelled as the boulder tipped forward and rolled down and off the tracks. The train moved on a few yards. The brakeman brought it to a halt far enough down the line to validate that the tracks hadn’t been compromised. They were free.
Within the hour, after a short prayer at the makeshift grave of the baby’s mother, they were San Antonio bound. Hannah laid the baby next to her and turned to the window. There was no scenery, just desolation. It matched her feelings, except for the hate.
“So, you’re on your way again.”
Hannah turned to Liam. His long body stretched out in his seat across the aisle. His hat covered his face as though he’d been sleeping. “Yes.”
He moved his hat onto the seat next to him, sat up and faced her. “To where?”
She turned to the window to avoid his eyes. Eyes that offered... No, trust no one .
“Hannah, talk to me.”
She didn’t respond. She needed to focus on her husband’s killer, her rapists and the killer of the baby’s mother.
“Hannah, when we get to San Antonio let us help you.”
She turned to Liam. “You can’t help. There are things I need to do. Let me be.”
After a few moments, Liam nodded and stood up. “Have it your way. We’ll leave you be.” He nodded his head toward the sleeping infant. “You and her.” He smiled and walked outside to the platform between the cars.
Hannah’s glanced from the door to the baby at her side. “The baby!”
Chapter 12
San Antonio
The baby slept, blissfully unaware of the dilemma Liam’s remark had dropped on Hannah. He’d agreed to leave Hannah alone once they arrived in San Antonio, alone with the baby. My plans! I can’t chase Drake across Texas caring for a baby. Hannah wanted to go after Liam and tell him the baby was his responsibility, but she knew it wasn’t. She looked down the aisle for Frank and Daniel and found them sleeping. It wasn’t their problem, either. I promised to remember. I took on the responsibility.
The baby uttered a short cry, wiggled a bit, and went back to sleep. A bad dream? I know what that’s like, little one. Hannah stroked the baby’s hair and wondered what she was going to do. She could only hope there would be someone in San Antonio who knew the baby’s mother and would take the child. With the hope of that possibility, Hannah managed to slip off to sleep.
*****
Before the train came to a complete stop at the San Antonio station, Hannah began gathering the baby’s meager belongings. She stuffed them into a canvas bag, flung it over shoulder and scooped up the sleeping infant. It nestled against Hannah’s breast and sighed contentedly.
Hannah fought back images of the young mother being prodded off by those horrible men and shuddered at the memory of the gunshot that took the woman’s life. She kissed the baby’s forehead and mentally promised that she’d make Drake’s men pay for making this child an orphan.
The train stopped and the passengers began to disembark. Hannah was one of the first off, while Daniel and Frank were the last. She smiled at them, but her eyes darted about looking for Liam.
“He’s gone, Hannah,” Frank answered her search.
“Gone? Where?”
“He jumped off when the train began to slow for the station. Said he wanted to check out the stables. Look for our horses,” Frank said.
“He told us to watch after you. Could be those murderin’ horse thieves are now
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