A Tight Situation

 by Brianna

Photo Prompt #12 It's a Deal

             Thirteen-year-old Andi Carter trotted on her horse, Taffy, on her way to town. Justin, her favorite brother, trotted right beside her on his big bay horse, Thunder.

“You know Chad is supposed to come home in a few days with the posse. They’ve been chasing those two jail-breakers for some time,” Justin said above the clip-clopping of the horses’ feet.

Andi sighed. Mitch is handling the ranch pretty well, she thought. Chad doesn’t have to hurry back. She was in no rush to have her bossy brother back home. But she didn’t want to spoil this crisp, Saturday morning by saying so. Though Mitch had to occasionally remind her about her chores, he was gentler. Chores were her least favorite thing to do. She brushed her thoughts off. Beautiful mornings were not times to think of dreary thoughts.

The two chatted all the way into town, stopping first at the bank. Andi did her banking, then waited outside for Justin. She was just about to give Taffy a cube of sugar when she noticed two men walk out of the shadows, heading for the bank. They’re probably just going to do their business at the bank, Andi reasoned to herself. But she kept looking up at the two men. She didn’t have a good feeling about this.

They strolled in, as if on a walk. Once inside, they flipped the ‘Open’ sign to ‘Closed’. Then they closed the blinds. Andi craned her neck but couldn’t see anything. Curious, she tip-toed to the door. Andi couldn’t see much here either. She tried the blinds. It wasn’t any better, but she could see a sliver of Justin.

Andi sifted to see better but right then the two men walked out. She gasped when she saw what was in their hands; big, bulging bags of money. The robbers’ coal-black eyes spotted her.

“What do we have here?” said the bigger man.

Andi wanted to shrink.

“Well, if ain’t a high and mighty Carter.” The second man laughed. Then he stopped laughing. He whispered to the second man for a minute. They both nodded.

Andi tried to slink out of the way, but the men wouldn’t have it. Roughly, they grabbed her and dragged her into an ally, where two horses were waiting.

One robber disappeared then came back with Taffy. He leveled his gun to Taffy’s head.

“Mount up or your horse gets hurt,” he said.

Andi gulped and mounted her horse.

Andi’s head was spinning. Where are they taking her? They traveled into the mountains at a gallop, the robbers leading Taffy by the reins.

Clearly, the robbers want to get as far away from Fresno as possible. Would there be a chance Justin and Mitch would find her? Chad couldn’t help until he reached home from the posse.

Andi wished she was home. She wished she had never been so curious. Why didn’t she run? Why didn’t she get a deputy and surround the building? But she had acted far faster than her mind could think.

Andi stifled a yawn. They had been riding for hours, with no stop. She noticed along the way it had become cold, fast. Andi looked up as it began to snow. She had only seen snow on a few occasions.

Finally, they came upon a creek alongside a cabin. Andi stiffened as they neared. What would they do with her?  All three dismounted their horses. Robert, the bigger man, and Owen, the second man, eyed her for an escape, but she wasn’t going anywhere. Andi couldn’t run away. She was too tired.  

Then, for the first time in a long time, Robert spoke. “Unsaddle the horses.” Then he turned for the cabin.

Thinking Robert was talking to Owen, Andi followed him to the cabin, but Robert stopped her.

“I told you to unsaddle the horses!” he shoved her back toward the horses.

He smirked and stalked into the cabin.

Furious, Andi hurriedly unsaddled the horses. She loosened the cinch on the saddles and let them fall to the ground, not bothering to move them. She quickly thought of mounting Taffy and try to escape, but she knew she wouldn’t make it far before they’d be after her.

“I’m sorry Taffy, I can’t spend any time with you.” Taffy nickered. Andi trudged to the cabin, to eager to get some rest. When she arrived, the men were already bedded down on cots. A blanket was on the ground for her. She sighed, picked up the blanket and curled up.

For a while, she couldn’t sleep. Are Justin and Mitch coming to find me? They found me before, but can they again? Andi pushed away her doubts. They will, she assured herself. But what about in the meantime?

   The hard floor wooden floor was no comfort to Andi’s back. After much tossing and turning, she finally fell asleep. 

 

Andi groaned. Something hard was prodding her awake. She looked up and saw Robert smirking down at her. “Get us some grub.”

Andi rolled over and got up. She stood, protests on the tip of her tongue.

“You kidnapped me, didn’t explain anything, my family is probably worried sick, and you want me to make you breakfast?” Andi almost spat.

“Yes,” Owen said. “Something like that. But remember we have something you don’t.” He pulled out his gun.

Andi almost rolled her eyes. Add that to the ridiculous things you’ve been doing. Pulling a gun on me and my horse. Andi’s was back sore from sleeping on the hard, wooden floor, but she managed make some breakfast. She warily eyed the robbers’ guns. If only she had one. But she wasn’t exactly a crack shot, and there was a chance she’d get shot herself. So, she sat on a chair, waiting for the men to finish their breakfast.

“Owen, let’s get the gold.” Robert said. Then to Andi he said, “I don’t think you’d be foolish enough to escape.”

Andi ignored him. That was the best thing she could do right now. While the men hid the gold, Andi looked at her situation from different angles. But try as she might, she didn’t think of a plan. She watched the two robbers lay the sacks of gold on the ground, then push them under the bed. She hoped that maybe she could escape and restore the gold. It didn’t take long to hide the gold and soon they were done. Andi still sat on the chair, unmoving, her arms crossed against her chest. The men also sat down.

Robert pulled out a stubby pencil and a dirty piece of paper.

“Write what I say,” Robert cleared his throat. “Dear Family….”

    Andi wrote what he said, though she wondered why. As he kept on talking, Andi figured out what  the robbers was doing with her. They were holding her ransom!

Robert went on, “Bring money, and no weapons. In three days, we will be at Crag Rock. Bring no one but yourselves….” He went on.

She wondered. Could these thugs read, or write? If not, she could write a note to her family! Together, they could hatch a plan and get her out of here. But at the last minute, she decided not to. She signed the note, Andrea Carter.

“Hand it over.” Robert’s gruff voice broke into Andi’s thoughts. Reluctantly, she handed the paper over. His eyes scanned the note.

“Ah,” he said. “Your name is Andrea. I remember now.”

Andi’s stomach tightened. He could read? Andi thought. Thank you God, for helping me do the right thing.

    Andi watched as Robert stuffed the note in Taffy’s saddlebag and slapped her rear. The mare took off, eyes wide in fright.

Don’t leave me here!  Andi almost cried out. But her beloved horse took off without her. She wondered how long it would take for Taffy to reach home. But even just thinking of home was heartbreaking.

  

The day for the trade was three days from when Taffy was let loose. Meanwhile, time went by as slow as a snail. Andi felt hopeless. There wasn’t much to do between sleeping and eating.

When the second night came, and the thieves thought Andi was asleep, they talked. Of course, Andi was still awake and heard everything.

Owen: “How long do you think Sam and Dave can hold off the posse?”

Robert: “I don’t know. But I’m not sure if they can hold it on long enough so we can do this extra mission.”

 Andi smothered a gasp. It all clicked into place! Owen, Robert, Sam, and Dave most likely are brothers or partners working together for money. Sam and Dave were in jail for stealing horses. They got caught, but then escaped. Then Robert and Owen moved in for the bigger act; holding up the bank. Then, accidentally, I got in the way and they took me for extra cash. Holding me ransom was the ‘extra mission’ Robert was talking about!

Owen: “Oh, it’ll be fine. We better turn in. I’m beat.”

Andi lay awake for hours, thinking of the big plan the four robbers hatched.

 

Meanwhile, at the ranch, the family was listening to what Justin was saying.

“And he just took off with her,” Justin shook his head miserably. “I should have done something.”

“No,” said Mother, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You would have been shot and it would have been much worse.”

“Did you talk with the deputy in charge?” Mitch asked.

“Yes. He’s gathering up a posse. But it’s not many people. Chad’s posse didn’t come yet.”

   A day passed. The second posse returned. Nothing. Another day passed. The sheriff’s posse didn’t come yet. On the third day, Mitch ran to Mother.

 “What is it?” she asked, crossing the room.

“Taffy came back! We found this,” he held out a dirty piece of paper, “in her saddle bag.” 

They studied the small, brown piece of paper in Mitch’s hands. He noticed it was Andi’s handwriting!

Mother took in a deep breath. “Mitch, please get Justin.”

Mitch nodded and jammed on his hat.

He loped into town. After tying up Chase, Mitch burst into Justin’s office.

Tim looked up, annoyed. “Young man, I do not approve of you running like a rowdy child into this office.”

“Justin!” Shouted Mitch, ignoring Tim.

Justin rushed to the door. “Mitch! What are you doing here?” 

“I’ll explain on the way. It’s about Andi!” said Mitch as they headed for the ranch.

            Finally, the day came. It was sunny, but with a chilly wind blowing. Andi shivered. She only had a thin shawl around herself. No words had to be spoken. She knew what to do. Robert took hold of a brown horse’s reins and Andi mounted up. They traveled at a lope. As they descended down the mountain, the snow began to change into a cold mush.

Andi couldn’t swallow. There was a big lump in her throat. Once they had the money, would the robbers let her go? Would they hold her ransom for even more money? Would she ever her family again? She felt like bursting into tears but wouldn’t let herself in front of these cruel robbers. Andi squared her shoulders and rode forward, determined that she wouldn’t cry.

They arrived at the trading spot and Andi dismounted. She had been here before, happy and with friends. Now, she felt terrible. Would Justin and Mitch have to pay four thousand dollars for her?

“Are your brothers ever coming?” Robert mumbled angrily.

Andi grimaced. She was sure they’d come. They wouldn’t leave her here to these thugs. Andi heard something. She lifted her head. It was getting louder, closer. She turned toward a forest of trees.

Andi’s captors whispered a minute together, then when they saw the amount of horses coming towards them, mounted their horses and hi-tailed out of there. Andi, barely noticing that they took the brown horse with them, could only say one word. “Chad!”

And sure enough, Andi heard the sound of horses nickering. She could faintly see horses and riders through the dust.

“Chad!” she yelled again.

One rider swung his horse around and barreled toward her. He looked down at her. “Andi?”

“Oh, Chad!” Andi was so overwhelmed.

Her brother dismounted and hugged her tight. 

“What are you doing here? Where’s Taffy?” he demanded.

“Long story short, I got kidnapped by two men who robbed the bank.” She began. Then she burst out, “Chad, the two men the posse was looking for were just distracting the Sheriff so my captors could rob the bank. I got in the way and then they held me ransom for four thousand dollars!”

Chad rubbed his days-old-beard. “Really? I’ll have to tell the Sheriff. So what happened?” He seemed un-fazed of the danger Andi had been in. “You showed up and scared them away.” She grinned at him. “You saved me without knowing it.”

Justin and Mitch joined them. They instantly slid off their horses and gave Andi big bear hugs.

“But what, who?” Justin seemed at a loss for words for once. Andi took a deep breath. Then she explained everything again.

Mitch grinned. “Well, you’re a mess.”

Andi grinned back. It was great being with her family again.

     ***************

That day, Andi was yet again on the trail that led to the lonely little shack in the mountains, but this time she was with her brothers and the posse.

When they arrived at the cabin, the sheriff motioned for the armed men to surround the cabin. Once that order was carried out, he yelled, “If there’s someone in there, come out with your hands up.”

Slowly, Owen and Robert came out with their hands up. Relief flooded Andi as they were tied up while men loaded the gold onto extra horses. Now everything would go back to normal. Or would it?