Chapter 1
1525 Words
****Dedicatation****
This book series is once again dedicated to the best inspiration in all my books encouragement comes from. He’s handsome, respected, an educator, a talented dancer, actor, and director for being the utmost dedicated and hardworking. He’s also the hottest and most badass actor I've based all my main male characters on. Which I’ve had the pleasure to write. A special thanks to an amazing man and friend, Michael Greyeyes.
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Treasure, Qaletaqa, Audrey, Little Horn, Isabell, Tatanka, and Elise have been the stagecoach for two days. They’re on their way to Boston for Lucas’s graduation and wedding. Every time Audrey complains about the bumps Treasure would cut her eyes at her. They hit a bump again and Audrey opened her mouth to complain again but this time Little Horn stuck a piece of peppermint candy in it. “Your mother is about to throw you off.” He points at a frustrated Treasure with his head.
Audrey glances at her mother and then looks out the window eating her candy and humming.
Qaletaqa kisses Treasure’s forehead. “We’ll be in Center City soon. Since you’re with child that is the reason Father, and I purchased the railroad. Neither one of us felt comfortable about you traveling on the stagecoach so far. We knew there wasn’t anything we would say that would change your mind."
“I still can’t believe you two bought a railroad company. At least it still doesn’t come through Willow Creek Falls." Treasure looks at their daughter. “Audrey I love you but if you say another word about a bump, I’ll have your father throw you on top.”
“Father be prepared to throw my sister on top or off the stagecoach.” Isabell chuckles. "Unless Little Horn plans to feed her candy until we arrive in Center City."
Tatanka and Little Horn laugh looking at Audrey with her arms folded and rolling her eyes at Isabell.
Elise pats Audrey's hand “Leave my granddaughter alone. She can’t help it.”
Audrey sticks her tongue out at Isabell.
Gunshots are heard, and Ike starts shooting and yells “Bandits!”
Everyone inside the coach besides Elise, and Audrey drew their pistols. Qaletaqa opened the door to climb out. Treasure grabs his pants. “Where are you going?”
“On top,” he points up with his pistol and kisses her.
“Don’t get shot. Darn it I can’t go.” She pouts looking at him climbing up. "Grandmother keep your head down." Treasure looking at the Little Horn and Tatanka shooting out the windows. “Everyone knows we don’t carry money or anything valuable on our stagecoaches.” Treasure shoots one of the men who’s riding out of the woods.
A group of men on horses are riding behind the stagecoach shooting. One of the men looks behind him and sees most of his men are on the ground. He holds his hand up and all the men that were left stop. He’s staring at Qaletaqa because he never expected to see an Indian on the stagecoach or the passages shooting at them.
Seven men that had ridden out of the woods ride over to join the man. He’s still staring at Qaletaqa, "Who was he?"
Qaletaqa is staring at the red-haired as the stagecoach continues on their way. "We'll meet again."
The man looks at his friend "Wilbur, can you tell me when Indians started riding on the stagecoach?”
Wilbur scratches his head. “Hell Pat, I don’t know. You might should ask your brother. Where in the hell is Nat?” He’s looking around.
“I’m coming that damn redskin shot me in my shoulder and my damn horse broke his leg. “ Nat is walking from the wooded area.
Pat is cussing about the huge Indian interfering with their robbery. And how he's going to hunt him down and kill him.
Nat is climbing on Pat’s horse to sit behind him. He informs Pat there were more Indians inside the stagecoach and he also saw a beautiful woman and she killed Fin. "Fin was riding and shooting, then he fell backward with a hole in the center of his forehead," Nat yells.
“This road leads to Center City. We’ll see his ass and the woman that killed our brother.” Pat kicks his horse riding off.
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When the stagecoach arrives in Center City some of the citizens stare at Qaletaqa, Little Horn, and Tatanka. Leonide tells the Abbotts those must be people who have just moved there. Because everyone that lives there is familiar with three men.
“Must be.” Treasure narrows her eyes looking at a woman who has been lustfully staring at Qaletaqa since he stepped out of the stagecoach. "Some things never change. I'm looking at a dead woman."
Qaletaqa kisses his wife’s forehead. “Calm down my wife, you’re with child and cannot fight. We should be on our way to the train so you, grandmother, and our girls can eat. You need to lie down, sitting up all this time isn’t good for you and our child." He picks Treasure up bridal style.
Treasure is still looking at the woman and mouth, “I’m watching you.”
The woman pats her chest “Well, I’ve never.”
Isabell walks next to the woman, “if you keep looking at my father like that you won’t ever do anything again.”
“Father?” The woman mumbles looking at Isabell, Audrey, and Elise walking behind Qaletaqa, and Little Horn and Tatanka are walking behind them. She can’t seem to take her eyes off them. Her husband came out of the train station and talked to her for a few minutes before he realized she wasn’t listening to him.
He asks her what's wrong and she tells him she must have heard that Indian wrong. She tells him about the incident. The man doesn't believe it and goes back inside to ask the clerk why they're allowing Indians and a colored woman to ride the train. He was speechless when Tim informed him those were the Abbotts and the owners of the train and stagecoach companies. After hearing the news, the man tells his wife not to do anything stupid to make the Abbotts angry. He has heard stories about Richard, Treasure, and Treasure’s husband Qaletaqa. The man cut his eyes at his wife and grinned.
The wife thought about what Treasure told her and didn’t want to get on the train. She lies and says she’s scared of riding a train that has Indians on it. He tells her she doesn’t have a choice because they have to be in Boston by the end of the week and he can't take any chances of upsetting his brother.
Pat and his men ride into town looking for the Indian they saw on the stagecoach. Nat notices the beautiful young lady and grins. She frowns and turns her nose up and she and her husband walk inside the train station. Nat has never been known as a man that a woman can refuse and he starts walking that way but Pat stops him and gives Nat a stern look. "Leave her be. We have to find that damn Indian."
Nat looks at the door for a few seconds. "I'll do that for now. Her beautiful ass will see me again."
The woman is peeping out the window at Nat praying he doesn't come in there. She doesn't stop watching him until he, Pat, and the other men are walking down the sidewalk. She looks at her husband reading the newspaper as if he didn't notice the way that man looked at her. Mason notices everything around him, but he pretends he doesn't so he wouldn't bring attention to himself.
After walking around town without any having luck they go to the saloon. The men order several bottles of Rye and go to sit at a table. Pat is hoping to hear someone mention the Indian, but it never happened.
At the table next to him, Nat and Wilbur there is an old man, he's telling some young men about Doc Tillingham's death. How the fastest gunman was shot and killed in a duel by a woman. All the young men laugh thinking the old man had too much to drink and leave.
“Hey, old-timer. Was that story true or were you pulling those boys' legs?” Pat’s refilling his glass.
“Yep, it’s true. Every last word. Who would have thought a woman would end Doc's life?” The man stands up to walk away chuckling, "A damn woman."
Pat is already thinking about the recognition and respect he’ll receive if he kills the woman who killed Doc. “Old man you never said who the woman was.”
“No, I didn’t, but since you seem to be so interested in knowing. It’s Treasure. Like a chest.” The old man walks to the bar.
Pat and the men laugh believing the old man is lying. And saying no one will name their daughter Treasure Chest.
- Writer
