Lone Star 55/sierra

By Wesley Ellis

Jessie and Ki hunt low-down con artists in the high country in the fifty-fifth Lone Star novel!

They call them The Lone Star Legend: Jessica Starbuck—a magnificent woman of the West, fighting for justice on America's frontier, and Ki—the martial arts master sworn to protect her and the code she lived by. Together they conquered the West as no other man and woman ever had!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Release date: Mar 1, 1987
• ISBN: 9781101222393

Book preview

003

Chapter 1

There was a hard, raw wind blowing, and heavy gray clouds obscured the Sierra Nevada mountains east of Sacramento. Jessie and Ki stepped out of the Sutter Bank and headed for the train station. As they passed down the street they encountered few other pedestrians because the weather was so foul.

I thought that the sun always shone in the central valley of California, Ki shouted into the wind. It feels cold enough to snow down here.

Jessie nodded and held onto his arm as they hurried along right into the icy teeth of the wind. Sure am glad we aren’t intending to get over Donner Pass on horseback or in a stagecoach! she yelled back. There’ll be a blizzard up there.

Maybe we ought to wait a day or two for it to clear.

But Jessie shook her head. Can’t afford to lose the time.

Ki understood. As the personal friend and protector of America’s most lovely and powerful woman financier and empire builder, he was accustomed to the tight schedule that Jessie kept. Oh, sometimes they would break free from all the hectic business meetings to just strike out on a spur-of-the-moment sight-seeing trip into the wilds. But those times were rare. Now, Ki knew that his employer had important business to take care of in Salt Lake City. He did not know its nature—something to do with cattle and salt mining. A curious combination, but then, Jessie’s dealings took them all over the world, from the diamond mines she had a stake in down around the Cape region of Africa, to the cocoa plantations of South America and the lucrative ivory and silk trade in the Far East.

Daughter of the late Alex Starbuck, who had built a fortune off the Far East shipping trade, Jessica was very much like her father, only she was beautiful. Ki, being a samurai of half Caucasian and half Japanese blood, had a slightly different standard of beauty than most Americans. But Jessica Starbuck was so stunning she would have been considered exceptionally beautiful in any capital of the world.

Her hair was long and copper-colored; sometimes in the bright sun, it looked like a newly minted penny, shiny and glistening. She was almost as tall as Ki was, much taller than an Oriental woman, and even considered tall by American standards. And she was built ... well, with all due respect, she was built like a Greek love-goddess. She had long, slender legs that tapered down from hips that could just fit into a pair of tight Levi’s, and was well enough endowed upstairs that she turned heads wherever she went. To top it off, she had a classically beautiful face with high, Oriental cheekbones, and full lips that transformed into a wide, generous smile. But the best part of all was that, inside, Jessie was every bit as pretty as she was on the outside.

They had better have plenty of wood on board for the passengers, Jessie cried, "especially this passenger!"

When they reached the train station, the train was ready to leave. It had taken on water and coal and two more locomotives had been coupled to the original one. The foremost locomotive was equipped with a huge snowplow, and with the combined power of three engines, it seemed assured that they could meet and break through any deep snowdrifts or avalanche beds they might encounter.

The last of the baggage was being loaded and Jessie hoped that hers and Ki’s had been delivered from their hotel in time. It had better be aboard, she thought, or I’ll charge the hotel for whatever I need in Salt Lake City. And of course they would gladly pay. Jessie came through only about once a year, but when she did, she demanded and was willing to pay extra for the best rooms and service. It was not that she figured she deserved anything so special; it was just that she had found that a person needed to be comfortable and rested in order to handle her affairs in the most efficient manner.

They’re holding the entire train up for you! Ki shouted.

Then maybe we had better run a little. Jessie broke into a run and when she did she had to let the wind have its way with her dress. The dress lifted above her knees and Ki almost laughed to see the gawking male passengers with their noses pressed to the inside of the train window.

Welcome aboard, Miss Starbuck! the porter shouted, taking her arm and assisting her up into the coach. Welcome again to the Central Pacific Railroad’s first class service.

Thank you, Eddie. It was nice of the railroad to allow me the privilege of being served by you again.

Eddie was their regular porter on this Sierra run. He was jovial, very expert in his duties and still spry, though he was in his early seventies if he was a day. He was completely white-haired and the cold, raw weather had made his round cheeks red and his nose shiny. Ki shook his hand fondly. Good to see you again, he said. How is Emma?

Oh, mean as always. She says that she wishes she could have been here to meet you and give you some of her special fruitcake, but she had a cold and she gets stiff in the joints when we have this kind of awful weather.

Ki nodded. Tell Emma that we’re glad she decided to stay at home and that we’ll hold her to the fruitcake on our next trip through.

Eddie grinned. I’ll do that. Excuse me ... Miss Starbuck, if it’s all right, I’m going to give the signal so we can get this train underway.

Please do, Jessie said. I am sorry for the few minutes’ delay I’ve caused.

No problem, Eddie said as he ducked outside, hung off the loading platform, and waved his cap up and down.

Almost instantly, the train jolted forward and slowly rolled out of the train station, heading east toward those menacing mountains. Jessie took her seat in the elegant private coach. She and Ki would take their meals in the dining car with the other passengers, but Jessie would allow herself the luxury of sleeping and doing her ever-present paperwork here in private. The coach was beautifully appointed. All done in oak and cherrywood with green velvet cushions and polished silver trays, it would have charmed European royalty with its original oil paintings and oriental rugs. A tapestry hung on one end of the room and fresh flowers were beautifully arranged and placed in a crystal vase on a carved mahogany table. Best of all on such a day as this, the coach had a marble fireplace which Eddie would attend while he and Ki swapped stories and lies and watched the fantastic mountain scenery pass by.

Would you like something to drink, Miss Starbuck? Eddie asked.

I think a little brandy to take off the chill of our walk. Ki?

Coffee. He knew it was not the best thing for his body, but recently he had developed an acute fondness for it and it was one of his few vices to drink two cups each day.

Very good. He began to prepare their drinks. We have had quite an exciting six months since you were with us last.

Oh?

Yes. It seems we are at war with someone. Someone is determined to break the Central Pacific and bring the railroad to its knees. He handed them their drinks.

Please pull up a chair with us before the fire and tell us more, Jessie said.

I hope I haven’t said too much already. I didn’t want to worry you. We have actually taken the precaution of questioning any suspicious passengers on this trip. I can tell you that they have all been cleared and therefore there is absolutely no danger. None at all.

Jessie sipped her French brandy. Why don’t you tell us what has been happening.

Of course. It began not long after your last trip in... what was it, July?

Yes.

All right. It must have been August, then. Yes, I’m sure that it was in August. Same month as Emma’s birthday. August twenty-third. Anyway, I was in the next coach back, checking on the bedding when I heard a series of little explosions. At first, I thought it might just be one of the locomotives. Sometimes they make funny sounds. I have been on this run for over ten years and I still do not understand the first thing about their workings.

But it wasn’t the engine, was it? Ki prompted, wishing the man would get to the trouble a little sooner.

No. I wish it had been, but it was not. Train robbers had boarded at Grass Valley and they had not been aboard a half-hour when they drew their guns, fired into the roofing to scare everyone sufficiently, then fleeced all the passengers. Afterward, several of them made their way to the baggage and mail car. They demanded to be let inside or they would kill one of the other porters. So they gained entrance, emptied out the strongboxes of gold and cash totaling $18,000, and escaped!

Jessie frowned. No clues? No capture?

Nothing, Eddie swore. It was the smoothest train job I have ever seen—and I’ve seen a few. The bad part was they have struck twice more and each time, they get increasingly vicious. They shout and curse at the passengers. They swear they are going to bankrupt this line.

Bankrupt the Central Pacific Railroad? But why?

He shrugged his round shoulders. No one knows. There are at least eight of them; they always wear flour sacks over their heads and have shotguns. That’s why we made sure that no shotguns were allowed on this train.

I can understand the money, Ki said. But not the vindictiveness you say they display.

The railroad has many enemies and it always will have. Everything from people who have lost their luggage and claim ridiculously high losses they cannot substantiate, to those who were forced out of business when the lines were built.

But the transcontinental railroad has been in operation over ten years.

Sure, Eddie said. That’s why we feel that all the threats and swearing about them being out to destroy the Central Pacific is just smoke. What they are, pure and simple, is thieves! And ruthless ones at that. They’ll shoot to kill. They don’t bluff. One of our porters stupidly tried to grab a gun and he was savagely beaten about the head and shoulders. Poor man still hasn’t recovered and that was around Christmas time. Me, I retire this spring and I sure won’t take any foolish chances. Not with Emma sick and needing me around in our last years.

I’m glad to hear you say that, Jessie said. I know how you feel about this railroad and I sure wouldn’t want you to leave dear Emma a widow.

Not a chance. This spring I will have worked my thirty years on the railroad cars. That’s enough for anyone. Though if I had people like you to be with each time, I’d gladly do another thirty, Lord willing.

What has the railroad tried to do? Ki asked, wanting to get back to the attacks on this railroad.

About the robberies?

Yes.

Well, Eddie confessed, I don’t rightly know. You see, I’m not exactly chairman of the board, you understand. He grinned broadly. But I imagine that they are looking into the matter very carefully. For all I know, they probably have secret detectives and guards posted throughout the coaches just waiting for something to happen. But nothing has for over a month. I guess we are hoping that, whoever was doing it, they all got rich enough to retire.

Jessie and Ki exchanged quick glances. The vast Starbuck empire had often been the target of conspirators and everyday outlaws. It was Jessie and Ki’s experience that, when those types of individuals were successful, they grew increasingly bolder and more greedy. They never got enough to consider themselves rich enough to quit while they were ahead. No. Jessie thought, if this railroad is hoping that the train robbers that plagued them have quit, they are in for a rude surprise.

She sipped her brandy and turned to look through the window. It surprised her to see that there were already a few snowflakes in the air. And they were not even a thousand feet out of the valley yet.

Her green eyes darted to the woodpile by the fireplace. This might be a longer trip than any of them expected.

004

Chapter 2

It was dinnertime, and Jessie and Ki left their coach and moved to the dining room where a reserved table awaited them. Other first class diners nodded greetings. The men among them seemed to be finding it hard not to stare at Jessie, who had changed into a green evening dress to compliment her hair. The dress showed just enough cleavage to make things amusing, and Jessie did not mind the attention she created. Back in Texas on her vast Circle Star Ranch, Jessie wore the working clothes of a common cowboy—denim pants, cotton shirt, denim jacket and heavy leather gloves if she was helping fence or rope calves during a roundup. But she fit just as easily into the other mode, the one where she liked to display her femininity. She didn’t care for women who flaunted their physical charms, but she saw no reason for a woman to be ashamed of them either.

She and Ki ordered carefully—the menu would have enticed the most discriminating gourmet. In the end, they decided on the roast squab baked in pineapple sauce and sprinkled with Dutch almonds. They allowed the waiter to recommend the turtle soup, with the chocolate mousse for dessert.

Excuse me?

Jessie looked up to see a tall, handsome and fashionably dressed man with a sweeping mustache and broad grin looking down at them. Yes? she said.

I don’t mean to intrude, he said. But aren’t you Miss Jessica Starbuck?

That is correct. And who might you be, sir? Ki asked, because he never trusted strangers.

Mr. Winston Baine, at your service. I am an attorney and investment dealer with offices in San Francisco and Salt Lake City. I do, however, seem to spend almost all my time traveling this train between those two charming cities.

Jessie nodded. How can we be of service?

You can’t, he said. I was an acquaintance of your father’s. Alex was like ... well, almost like a father to me once. I admired him so, I patterned my life after the principles he espoused. Hard work. Dedication to business. High moral standards and ethics. He was tough at the bargaining table, though.

Ki frowned. I was with Mr. Starbuck the last few years of his life. I don’t believe we have met before.

"No, we haven’t, but your name is Ki. Alex told me about you. You are a remarkable man. Half Oriental, half white. A true samurai, intelligent as well as dangerous. He said your greatest advantage is that you look like a choir-boy and can fight like a catamount. He said