Unending Devotion (Michigan Brides #1)(29)

Everything within her screamed to run to her room, bury her head in her pillow, and avoid the bad news. She’d had enough disappointments in her life, and she didn’t want any more.

Vera stacked the remaining plates into a wobbly pile. “So tell us what happened to the girl. Did Mr. Carr sneak in here and steal her right from under our noses?”

“I’m not sure how Carr managed to get ahold of her.” Connell’s voice was low. “But he did.”

“And?” Vera prompted.

“And he took her up to Merryville to the Devil’s Ranch.”

Vera whistled under her breath.

Lily could guess what the Devil’s Ranch was. She had no doubt it was another whorehouse. But Merryville? Maybe there was still a chance to go after Frankie and rescue her. “Where’s Merryville?”

“It’s about six miles northeast of here,” Connell said. “Won’t be long before the Pere Marquette line runs all the way from Harrison to Merryville. And when it does, Carr will be ready for the boom the railroad will bring the town.”

“Six miles isn’t far.” Lily’s mind began to whirl. She and Oren often had to drive several miles to reach a camp for their picture taking. Surely they could drive six. Especially to rescue Frankie.

“Six miles is six too many for this time of year.” Connell shrugged out of his coat.

“Not when an innocent life is at stake.”

“I’m sorry to say that even if we went, we’d probably come away empty-handed.”

“We won’t know unless we try.” Determination took root inside her. For a minute all she could think about was Daisy. By now her sister had surely realized her dreadful mistake. She was probably crying out and begging to leave her prison. But she was trapped, like most of the girls. And she would remain that way until Lily was able to find and rescue her. Frankie would be trapped too. Unless she helped her.

Connell hung his coat on a peg in the wall near the door.

“We have to do something,” Lily said. “Now. Tonight.”

Slowly Connell turned to face her. His face was solemn. “Even if I thought it would help save her, we couldn’t go tonight.”

“Why not? If we leave right now—”

“It’s too dangerous at night.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I think you just don’t want to go.”

He sighed. “It’s a complicated issue, Lily. We’re in Clare County. Carr knew that if he took her up to the Devil’s Ranch, which is right over the border into Gladwin County, we wouldn’t be able to press charges against him—if we even tried to.”

“So you’re giving up? Just like that?”

He tossed up his hands. “What do you want me to do? March up there, force my way in, and take the girl back at gunpoint?”

“Yes.”

“Now, now, children,” Vera said. “Stop your squabbling.”

Oren had lit his pipe, and the familiar sweet tanginess of the tobacco rose into the air with each cloud he exhaled. The fire crackled with a cozy warmth that didn’t reach her.

“I’m sure we can figure out some way to help Frankie,” Vera added. “But we won’t be able to do anything more tonight.”

Lily wanted to shout that it might be too late if they waited until tomorrow. She knew the desperation Frankie was feeling at that very moment as she waited for someone to save her. Lily had felt it once too. She’d waited day after day at the orphanage for someone to rescue her and Daisy, for anyone to take them away from the loveless sterile building.

But no one had ever come.

She couldn’t let that happen to Frankie. Especially when she was in a brothel.

“So you won’t take me tonight?” She gave Connell her most pleading look.

“I already told you. It’s too risky—”

“It’s worth the risk.” Frustration made her voice sharper than she intended.

“Sakes alive, girl!” Oren finally sat forward. He glared at her, but deep in his eyes was a gentle pride. “Get on up to your bed, and before the crack of dawn I’ll drive you on up there and you can do one of your foolish rescues.”

Lily smiled and her heart filled with gratefulness. She couldn’t forget to thank the Lord for blessing her with a friend like Oren. Maybe he wouldn’t take her right away like she wanted, but at least he was willing to help her.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for the two of you to go up to the Devil’s Ranch alone,” Connell said.

“We’ll be fine. The two of us make a good team.” She crossed the room toward Oren.

“The place is at least ten times more dangerous than the Stockade,” Connell added.

“Lily’s done this rescue business a couple of times already,” Oren retorted. “And she’s fiercer than a mother wolf defending her pups.”

She planted a kiss on Oren’s derby hat.

He waved her away with his pipe. “Now, don’t you go thinking I won’t expect you to make up for the lost day of work—especially since I reckon we’ll need to take the girl on down to Molly May’s to keep her safe once and for all.”

She turned away, and her smile faded.

Was Connell right? Was rescuing Frankie too risky of a venture?