caused Tom to retch until his stomach ached and his throat was raw. But at least Ike hadn’t been forced to walk.
Tom had ripped the cleanest part off his shirt and stuffed it into the gaping bullet hole in Ike’s thigh. As the miles had drawn them closer to their trial and hanging, he’d doctored Ike’s wound and told himself he’d find a way to protect his brother.
“You can’t be perfect,” Ike had said. “No one is. That’s why we need God.”
No matter how much Ike had reassured him, Tom blamed himself for what had happened. He should have seen the ambush, should have known they were walking into a trap. His keen senses had saved them from plenty of trouble on other missions. He’d always noticed the broken branches, the footprints in the wet grass, the faint sourness of sweat or horseflesh. How had he not heard, seen, or sensed the trap like he usually did? Even after all these years, he didn’t understand how he’d missed the clues.
Tom leaned his head against the door and waited for the first shove against it.
He should have been able to protect Ike just like he should have been able to protect Victoria. How had he failed so miserably once again? The thought that Victoria might be hurting or suffering was driving him crazy. Every second apart from her was stirring him into a frenzy. If he could work his hands free from the bindings, he’d kill Splash when he walked through the door.
However, Splash apparently knew how to tie a knot that couldn’t be loosened. Tom had tried every trick he’d ever learned, but the rope hadn’t budged. The only thing left was to break one of his thumbs so that he’d have room to slip his hand free.
First he had to stop Splash from coming through the door. That would give Tom at best three minutes to break his thumb and free himself before Splash realized he could get into the room from the balcony.
Fighting to stay alert, Tom pressed the weight of his body against the door.
*
Victoria peered out the window. At the sight of several buildings, she realized they were nearing a town. A low-lying warehouse and two old abandoned homes sat near the shore. Further down the road was what appeared to be a thoroughfare that ran through a business district.
She sat up and pressed her hands to the glass. Once she was closer to civilization, she’d renew her efforts to gain attention. Surely some passerby would notice her frantic pounding and take mercy upon her. Or at the very least alert the authorities.
When the carriage made a sudden turn, Victoria let out a cry of frustration. “No!” As the carriage halted at the rear of the warehouse, she shouted even louder. “Help! Help! Someone, please!”
The wide double doors of the building were open, revealing a dark interior. She couldn’t see any movement either inside or out. With tall withered weeds growing around the perimeter and the rusted chain that hung from the door handle, the place looked deserted.
Her spirits sank. But as the carriage bent under the weight of the driver’s descent, she came up with her next plan of action. Once the coachman opened the door, all she needed to do was explain her situation. She’d offer him a large reward if he returned her to Newport unharmed.
She braced herself for the door to open, but the driver disappeared into the warehouse. Something about his tall thin form and long arms reminded her of the driver who’d attempted to kidnap her on her wedding day. Was this the same man? And why hadn’t she noticed his appearance when he’d loaded her bags?
A shudder formed in her tailbone and worked its way up her spine to the back of her neck. Tom had been right about everything. Now she was ashamed she’d ever thought he was overprotective. The threat had been real and serious, and she’d taken it much too lightly, hadn’t wanted to believe that someone was really capable of hurting her.
Tom had been wise to insist on her waiting at Race Point after he’d disclosed her location. As it was, in Provincetown she’d been such easy prey, especially getting into the carriage. She was just glad that Theresa hadn’t joined her. The lost earring had likely kept her friend from grave danger. If only Victoria had gone to help search for it.
Unless Theresa had known.
Something about Theresa’s behavior and attitude didn’t make the idea