Page 80 of Runaway Hucow

“Right,” Tess said. “And that’s why, when I sent my message to Shannon Duffy, I didn’t use my full name, in case the telegraph office in Crooked Valley was looking out for messages from Tess Bradford.”

Peyton looked at her over the tops of his spectacles.

“Do you remember exactly how you worded your message?”

“Yes. I said: ‘Dear Miss Duffy, this is Dr. B’s adopted daughter in Colorado. As you must know, doctor has passed. Had to change my travel plans, but am safe and well and ready to come to Lamentation. Could you retrieve me from the coordinates below?’ And then I gave her the coordinates.”

Peyton frowned and rubbed his chin. “Hm. Are you sure that’s all you wrote? I don’t see how anyone could have figured out it was you sending the message based on that.”

But Tess knew. She was starting to feel a little dizzy, so she settled into one of the chairs by the table.

“It wasn’t the message,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Peyton asked.

“It wasn’t the message that gave me away. It was the address I was sending it to. Someone in the telegraph office in Crooked Valley was keeping an eye out for messages going to Shannon Duffy in Lamentation. They knew my father had been in contact with her beforehand, so they figured I might try to get in touch with her after I escaped.” She punched her fist against the palm of her hand. “It’s that sneaky little auctioneer. It has to be.”

“But how would the auctioneer know your father had been in touch with Shannon Duffy?”

“Because he didn’t just start looking through other people’s telegrams after I ran away,” Tess said. “He’s probably been doing it for a long, long time. I bet he pays off the local telegraph operator to keep him informed of anything that could be useful to his so-called business. For example, if he hears that some hucows are getting transported from one town to another, he could send his henchmen to steal them. Or in my case, he learned about my father’s plan to sell me to Shannon Duffy. Then, when he found out my father had died, he swooped in and nabbed me before Shannon had a chance to come pick me up.”

Peyton rubbed his chin and nodded.

“That makes sense,” he said. “I certainly don’t have a better answer.”

Tess felt like she was going to be sick. Tears welled in her eyes, and her body started to shake with silent sobs.

“This is all my fault,” she said. “I should never have sent that telegram. I’ve put the whole valley in danger. The bison…”

Roscoe had moved beside her, and now he placed a comforting hand against her back, but Tess didn’t feel like she deserved to be comforted.

“That’s in the past,” Roscoe said. “What’s done is done, and you have already been punished accordingly. What we need to do now is to figure out what our next move is.”

Peyton was staring at the ceiling, thinking. After a moment, he said, “Well, I’d say the valley is still a secret for now. Those two men who tried to kidnap Tess are both dead. We killed them before they could get back to Crooked Valley and tell anyone about the bison herd. But the auctioneer still has those coordinates, and I don’t reckon he’s going to give up looking for Tess so easy. I get the impression that he’s a vindictive little bastard.”

“He is,” Tess said as she wiped away her tears.

Roscoe grunted. “Well, it’s obvious what we have to do. We have to go to Crooked Valley and kill the auctioneer.”

“We could do it,” Spike said. “I’ve seen the auctioneer, so I would know him on sight. He’s got his hired guns to protect him, but they’d be no match for my 4-gauge and Roscoe’s ax.”

“Still,” Peyton said, “it would be good if we could get in and out quickly. The airship will be ready to fly in a few more days.”

“It’s decided then,” Roscoe said. “As soon as the airship’s ready, the three of us will fly to Crooked Valley and put an end to the auctioneer.”

Tess stood up.

“The three of you?” she said. “What about me? If you’re really going to do this, then I’m coming with you.”

The bisonmen looked stunned. For a long moment, none of them said a word. Then Roscoe chuckled and shook his big, horned head.

“Tess, I appreciate your attitude, but this is no job for a hucow. You’ll be staying here, where it’s safe. Or better yet, you can stay with the Walkers while we’re gone.”

Tess planted her fists on her hips and stood her ground.

“No,” she said. “I’m the one who started this whole mess in the first place. It was my actions that put the herd in danger. If you’re going up to Crooked Valley to kill the auctioneer, then I’m coming with you.”

Roscoe folded his arms and glared at her sternly.