Anyplace But Here (Oklahoma Lovers 4)

“Are we going out this evening?” She was still on edge, waiting for the explosion she knew was coming. It was just like him to keep her guessing as to when, and what sort of punishment he would mete out.

“Of course, my darling. We are going to the theater where you will smile and tell everyone we meet how happy you are to be home after your trip to visit your ailing aunt in Ohio.”

So that was the story they were to put out about her absence.

After a dinner that tasted like sawdust in her mouth they left for the theater where she, indeed, told everyone about her trip to her dear Aunt Ethel’s home in Ohio. Louis beamed at her and assured them all how happy he was to have his lovely wife home. He kissed her hand, escorted her lovingly to her seat, brought her a glass of wine during intermission, and held her sweating hand throughout the performance.

After bidding friend and foe good evening, he helped her into the automobile, and instructed their driver, Martin to return home. They took the short ride to their residence, where he led her up the stairs to their bedroom.

Once he locked the door he beat her until she was unconscious.

That had been two weeks ago and she was still sore, but the black and blue marks had faded to a pale yellow. The main problem was her ribs, where he’d kicked her several times. She didn’t think they were broken, but they certainly hurt like the devil. She’d managed to wrap a scarf tightly around her midriff, which did offer some relief from the pain.

But the heaviest burden she bore was the ache in her heart. Her slight taste of freedom was worse than if she’d never left at all. She lay in her bed day after day, the tears dripping down her face, wetting her pillows. Too sore to actually allow herself a good, hard cry, she released her sorrow in a slow flood of tears.

What had Hunter thought when he came to collect her for his family’s dinner? She’d known from the start he hadn’t believed her stories about where she’d come from and what her life had been like. She’d seen it in his eyes. Now she would never see him again, never go on another picnic, never sketch trees and small rabbits while he watched over her shoulder.

Never again feel the taste of his lips on hers, or pretend she had the right to his attention and caring.

She should be ashamed of herself. Despite the misery her marriage had brought her, she was still a married woman, and should not have encouraged Hunter’s attentions. If only she’d told him the truth. But pride had kept her from revealing the humiliation of her life.

With a deep sigh, she curled into a ball of misery, and attempted to sleep.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Territory

Hunter climbed down the train steps and dropped the worn satchel at his feet. He rubbed his leg muscles, cramped from sitting on the train. He looked around at the station, his eyes landing on the sign hanging from the depot roof.

Oklahoma City.

He waved away the steam from the engine as the train started off with a load of new passengers, headed to Dallas. Picking up his satchel, he made his way slowly to the depot office, giving his leg time to adjust to the walk. Hopefully his trip here would not be a dead end. Something told him this hadn’t been Emily’s last stop. Her accent was too strong to be Oklahoma. That girl had a definite Texas drawl.

The hotel he checked into was clean and right in the middle of town. Drawing on his past experience, he took some time to sit and make a list of how he intended to do his investigation. His sense of urgency had been heightened once he’d stepped off the train. At least he was in the same city Emily had been in with whoever it was that had taken her against her will.

After a supper of steak, mashed potatoes, and corn, topped off with a piece of dried apple pie and coffee, he headed to the police station to have a little chat with the officer on duty.

“I’m an ex-Texas Ranger investigating the disappearance of a young woman from Guthrie. Is there someone I can talk to?”

The officer behind the desk looked him up and down and shifted a wad of tobacco from one side of his mouth to the other. “Is that right? An ex-Texas Ranger? Well, well. I’m impressed, boy.”

This was not the first time Hunter had run into the type. For some reason local law enforcement seemed to resent the Rangers. He’d had problems with cooperation from the locals in Texas, and apparently the antagonism hadn’t skipped Oklahoma.

“Yes, that’s right, sir. I’ve traced her as far as Oklahoma City. I have reason to believe she arrived by a taxi automobile here on Saturday, September twenty-first, most likely late in the evening. She would have been wearing the uniform of a Harvey House waitress and in the company of a man.”

The officer spat a stream of tobacco juice onto the floor. “And, of course, seeing as how you’re a real important ex-Texas Ranger, you believe the police have nothing else to do but watch for taxis arriving in Oklahoma City.”

“No, of course not. I’m merely providing this information in case something happened that night that might have brought the couple to your attention.”

“Nope.”

“Is there a way to check the log for that night?”

“Nope.”

Hunter lowered his head and grinned, his hands on his hips. “All right. I understand you don’t want to help. I can appreciate that. It’s just that checking in with the local police first is how I do my job.”

“What job? You said you were an ex-Texas Ranger.”

“That’s correct. But I’m working a private case. I don’t want the local police hearing there’s a stranger in town asking a lot of questions without knowing who I am and why I’m here.”