The Vicky Series: Book 2: Saving a Dream

Chapter 56

Grayson left through the back door and went down the back alley four doors and entered the saloon through the back.

"Joe." He nodded to the bouncer that watched the entrance.

"Mr. Grayson." He nodded and stepped aside to admit the man.

Grayson walked swiftly through the saloon and out the front. As he turned away from the Mercantile, he glanced and saw Mrs. Barkley down the way. She was being followed. He was glad, for it meant that he wasn't. He put his hat on and hurried to carry the message to Colonel Stevenson.

"Thank you Grayson." Stevenson said after he'd read the note from Doane. "I'll take care of it."

Grayson left with a crisp nod and Stevenson looked once more at the note, particularly the ending: I have no intention of accepting such a treasonous post and I leave the matter in your capable hands.

Stevenson arose early and searched out his friend David Scannell.

"Dave, what force can you depend on?" Stevenson asked after disclosing the purpose of his visit.

Dave looked thoughtfully at his watch.

"It is now 8:00. I will report to you at 12:00." Stevenson stood and shook Scannell's hand. Together they left. Scannell to see what could be done to prevent the city's overthrow and Stevenson to his home to anxiously wait for the noon hour.

Stevenson attempted to see to his business but found focus lacking. He looked at the clock every few moments. After an hour he gave up and poured himself a finger of scotch. It was too early, admittedly, but his nerves were twitching. He paced for another hour and tried once more to settle to his business. By 11:30am he was ready to scream in frustration.

He had poured himself another tumbler of scotch when he heard the clock chime the appointed hour. He set the glass down and hurried to the window to see Scannell approaching with an air of confidence about him.

"Well?" Stevenson asked after the formal greetings were made and they were alone in the study.

"At any hour after 1:00 three taps on the fire bell will bring into the plaza one thousand men, well-armed and equipped. Every man will carry twenty-five rounds of ammunition."

"Excellent. Come with me. The governor and the mayor are waiting my report."

The meeting with the Mayor and Governor was attended also by the new Commander of the Department of the Pacific, Brigadier General George Wright. He replaced Major General Edwin Sumner only days before. With much discussion and debate, plans were laid to checkmate any seizure of the city.

"Sir." The man stood nervously crushing the brim of his hat in his hand. The message he carried might get him killed, but not to deliver it would surely get him killed.

"Spit it out man." The man with the gravelly voice snapped at the private standing before him.

"We've got new orders sir. We've been sent to patrol the city. I think they are looking for someone but no one seems to know who. Word is they are bluffing, trying to make a show of force."

"Thank you." The man with the gravelly voice rasped. "You are dismissed."

The soldier sighed and scurried from the room, glad he'd been given reprieve. A moment later another stood before the man with the gravelly voice. A large shiny blade glinted from his fist. At a nod from the man with the gravelly voice, the man with the blade followed the soldier who was reported AWOL the next morning. By the afternoon, his body was found in an alley in the seedy part of town.