Chapter Twelve
By dusk, Drake was done with his work for the day. He was pleased at what he and the men had accomplished. The bricks on the kitchen were done and the flooring was being laid inside the house. Once that was finished, they’d cover the floors with tarps to protect them while the walls were painted.
He mounted Havana and rode towards his mother’s place to have dinner with Valinda. All afternoon, while hammering more iron for the gazebo he kept thinking back to their surprising conversation. Who knew she could be so playfully seductive? She’d turned him to stone. He never imagined she’d repay him with such boldness and flair and he wondered what other surprises she might have in store. At dinner, he hoped to find out.
Hugh and five of his men were on their mounts in front of the house when he rode up. By their grimly set faces, Drake knew something was wrong. “What’s happened?”
“Nothing yet,” Hugh replied. “But you’re going to have trouble tonight.”
Drake looked from Hugh to his men. “Come inside.”
The story he was told left him cold. Supremacists were coming to avenge the disappearance of Liam Atwater. Hugh had been tipped off by one of his infiltrators less than an hour ago. “You should probably get your brothers out here to help defend this place.”
“Everyone’s away. The only one in town is Archer.”
Hugh blew out a breath. “Okay, then my men and I will stay. I sent a few others to round up as many veterans as they could. Hopefully enough will answer the call and arrive before anything starts. You and the family have stored up a lot of goodwill around here. Let’s hope it pays off.”
Drake concurred. “Which group?”
“Defenders of the Cause.”
Drake was familiar with the name from his work with the Bureau. They were a small, loosely knit band known for terrorizing freedmen traveling on the roads. A few deaths had been attributed to them as well, but none of the men had ever been arrested or charged, as far as he knew. “Coming after me is a big step up for them.”
Hugh nodded in agreement. “They took on a new leader a month or so ago. Wears a hood to the meetings according to my man inside.”
“Hiding who he is.”
“Yes.”
“What does he ride?” Many men were known by their horses.
“Nothing distinctive. Different mount each time they meet.”
“Smart then. Smarter than the illiterate cowards he’s leading.”
“Much smarter. Has his members convinced that targeting well-known people like you will scare the freedmen enough to make them think twice about registering to vote for the Constitutional election coming up this fall. It will also avenge Atwater.”
Drake mulled over Hugh’s words. “New members will flock to them in droves if they’re successful. Not a bad strategy. I’d like to know who this new leader is.”
“If he’s riding with them tonight maybe we’ll find out.”
Drake had all the information he needed for the moment. “Okay. There are two women here. Let me speak with them, and then you and I can talk about how best to meet this threat.”
Hugh nodded.
“Thank you, Hugh.”
“You’re welcome. Can’t have anything happen to you. Who’d I drink with?”
“Do me a favor. Send one of your men to the Christophe to let Archer know about this. It might make us one man short, but my brother will want to be here.”
“Right away.”
He went to speak with Reba and Valinda. He’d send them to Rai’s house to wait things out with Sable and her children. His brother was still in Lafayette as far as Drake knew, so he prayed the supremacists didn’t strike there as well. And then there was his own home. Drake knew it would be impossible to defend both his mother’s home and his with the limited amount of men available, but the choice of where to make his stand was easy.
Drake viewed Val’s and Reba’s solemn faces. Reba had her rifle. She could shoot as well as any man and wasn’t afraid to let it be known. “Stick to the woods,” he told them.
He gave Reba a tight hug and did the same with Valinda. As he held her against his heart, he sent up another prayer that it wouldn’t be the final time.