Talons of Eagles by William W. Johnstone Read Free Book Online Page B

of course, a good thing, but this was ridiculous. Next thing a fellow knew, a man would invent some sort of machine to fly through the air like a bird.
    Jamie smiled at that silly thought. He made himself as comfortable as possible in the seat and took a nap.
    * * *
    Jamie got himself a room in a rundown boardinghouse on the seedy side of the city; the rest of his men found equally dismal lodgings. Jamie bought a horse and arranged for other horses at various stables and liveries around the city. But for now, he used a rented horse to get around.
    Thomas Thornbury lived a few miles outside the city, in a large home on several hundred acres of land. He had never married, and rumor had it that he enjoyed the company of whores several nights a month. Usually three or more of the soiled doves . . . at a time.
    â€œFellow must really be a ladies’ man,” Sparks remarked.
    â€œEither that or he is a little bit on the strange side,” Jamie replied.
    Sparks gave him an odd look but said no more about it.
    Jamie wasn’t really sure what he was going to do to Thornbury, but for certain he was going to teach the blowhard a lesson about shooting off his mouth.
    But before he did anything, Jamie had to sit down and figure out an escape route. If they hit Thornbury’s house at ten or so in the evening, and did whatever they intended to do, they might have six hours at the most before Thornbury and the whores worked themselves loose and sounded the alarm. So the escape route had to be as foolproof as possible. And Jamie did not want to hurt Thornbury and certainly not the women. He just wanted to show the Yankees that they were not as safe in their homes far north of the war as they might think.
    Far in the back of his mind, Jamie was thinking long range, thinking of another operation that was perfect for the Marauders. But that one was months or even years down the road. For now, it was best to dwell in the present and let the future play itself out.
    In the few days that he had been in the city, Jamie had made friends with several working prostitutes, and being very careful how he approached the subject, only after buying the ladies several bottles and getting them drunk, had learned a great deal about Thornbury and his home guard.
    Thornbury was a man who liked his food and especially his strong drink. And as more than one of the ladies had told Jamie with a wink, Thomas Thornbury was a bit peculiar when he entertained the ladies. Each morning, when it wasn’t raining, Thornbury hoisted the American flag on a pole outside his mansion. On the evening of the attack, there certainly was going to be a flag raised, but it damn sure wasn’t going to be the Stars and Stripes that would be fluttering proudly in the morning’s breeze come sunup—for Jamie and his men had brought with them a dozen Confederate battle flags, and come the dawning, the Stars and Bars would be flying in certain spots all over the city.
    Sparks had carefully reconnoitered the home guards’ armory and was busy working out a plan to blow that up in order to create a diversion just as the Marauders slipped out of the city.
    When the deed was done, the Marauders were going to scatter in all directions.
    â€œIf we can possibly do it, I don’t want anybody hurt or killed,” Jamie told his men. “What I do want is to kick some of the high and mighty arrogance out of these people and show them they are vulnerable.”
    â€œWhen do we do the deed, Major?”
    â€œTomorrow night.”

6
    Jamie had paid for a week’s lodging in advance; on the night of the attack, he dropped his bedroll and saddlebags out of the window to one of his men waiting below, then walked down the steps and strolled out the front as if he were simply going out for a bite to eat and some drinks at a local tavern. Jamie walked around the block to where his man was waiting with their horses.
    â€œThe rest of the men, Sergeant