The Vicky Series: Book 1: Chasing a Dream

Chapter 49

"Alright Mr. I see your point. Anything else?"

"Not for lady like you to do." He sighed and shook his head. Would she never understand? "Louie. You call me Louie."

"Miss Vicky. I figure if folks call me by my name they might not treat me so horribly. I might be more of a person to them than just a prisoner?"

"Not so much. These hombres..." He spat on the ground and looked around. He pretended not to notice her shiver.

"I make a fire." He said as he turned to face her again.

"Thank you, Louie."

He was rewarded with a gentle smile. He thought she looked like an angel then, with the soft smile and the golden light of dusk behind her. He shrugged.

"No good for baby be cold. If you no good price in Chihuahua, these hombres... they kill you and they kill Louie also. If you no make more trouble, maybe you make Chihuahua alive."

"I'm to be sold then?" She sounded sad to him, and maybe a little surprised.

"Si Señorita...Miss Vicky that was the plan. But for all the trouble you make, these hombres, they kill you soon."

"How much longer do you figure?"

"¿Qué? You want to leave maybe? Run maybe? You no last one day with baby. I think you maybe ok if alone." He shrugged.

"Louie, I won't leave Naomi Beth." She straightened her spine and held the girl close. "Not even to save my life."

"I no think you will." He chuckled "I say only..."

"Louie," she looked around and lowered her voice, "Do you think there will be a posse?"

"Jefe, he no know. So we wander many days. He try lose anyone who follow. No soldiers follow. They no cross Rio Grande. But Federalis watch border. Jefe, he think maybe you importante so gringos maybe get Federalis to follow."

Vicky smiled ruefully. She thought it wise not to tell him what the town really thought of her. She was almost glad they'd been forced to flee. If they stayed and tried to ransom her, she was truly afraid the town wouldn't have given $5.00 to get her back, let alone $500 or whatever they hoped for. At least now she had time.

Louie was walking toward the other fire now. She was alone with Naomi Beth and her own dreary thoughts.

Louie was no gentleman. But he'd shown her kindness and she was sure if she nurtured his distrust of his comrades as well as his foundling attempt at friendship, perhaps when the time arrived he could be an ally.

As Naomi Beth lay sleeping next to her, Vicky hugged her knees and signed. Unless they continued to wander to elude a posse, Chihuahua was at most maybe another week or so. She wasn't familiar with Mexico at all and she knew if they stayed her chances of escape were small indeed.

But she did recognize the Organ Mountains. They had wandered back within sight of them yesterday. She figured they must've circled around and doubled back. If there was a posse she hoped they had a really good tracker.

"Miss Vicky?"

She was startled to see Louie standing over her. He held out a plate and a cup. She smiled as she took them from him. He turned and walked away.

"Louie."

He stopped and turned to look back at her over his shoulder.

"Will you come and eat with me?"

He smiled, touched the tip of his hat and gave her a nod before he returned to the other fire for his grub.

They ate in silence, each grateful for the truce that they'd reached. Somehow they'd reached a common ground and she found an unexpected sense of comfort as they now faced a common foe.