by Laura Beers
Shoving back his chair, Adam stood up and placed his hands on the back of his head. “When I get my hands on whoever did this…” he paused, and dropped his hands, “I’m going to kill them.”
Porter removed the pancakes from the pan. “No, you are going to let us do our job and arrest whoever is responsible for the murder of your wife and cowhands.” He placed the plate onto the table. “We need you to focus, not go off half-cocked. Which cowhands weren’t in the bunkhouse last night?”
Adam sat back down in his chair and placed his forearms on the table. “Every other night the men rotate who sleeps with the cattle. Last night, it was the crew that played cards with Darcy the night before.”
Porter tensed at that admission. His wife had been sitting near a cold-blooded killer, and she had no idea. Darcy must have felt his tension, because she placed her hand on his sleeve reassuringly.
“Of those men, who do you think would resort to killing to keep that mine a secret?” Darcy asked.
Adam winced. “I have known most of these men all of my life. Their fathers were cowhands for my dad and so on. I can’t imagine any of them being so ruthless. Besides, they all loved Amanda.”
Porter took his fork and jabbed it into the pile of pancakes. “Be that as it may be, one or more of these men are killers. Any leads that you could give us would be well appreciated.”
“Again, I vouch for my brother, Ralph…” Adam’s voice trailed off as Darcy and Porter exchanged a look. “What?
Porter gave him a stern look. “Ralph is our main suspect.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Adam exclaimed.
Darcy looked him in the eye. “Ralph has a temper, and I saw him fight with you in your kitchen. Furthermore, he was pressing for a fence to be built to block off the valley.”
“Of course he was,” Adam stated. “He is tired of the other cowhands turning up missing. We all are.”
“We saw their bodies in the cave,” Porter informed him with a solemn expression.
Adam wiped a hand over his face as he sat in stunned silence. “I had assumed they were dead, but a part of me was still holding out hope.”
“I am sorry for your losses,” Darcy murmured.
“If you don’t think Ralph could be behind this, then who do you suspect?” Porter asked, refocusing the conversation.
Adam placed his elbow on the table and dropped his face into his hand. “Don is the cook and rarely comes out of the bunkhouse. When he does, it is only to complain about something. Bill and Butch are hard-working cowhands, but they never went to school. They were working beside their old man from the time they could walk.”
“Murderers don’t need to be educated,” Porter said before he took a bite of his pancakes.
“True, but I would be hard pressed to believe it was them,” Adam asserted. “Perry comes off as gruff and unapproachable, but he has a tender heart. He just replied to an advertisement for a mail order bride. I find it difficult that he would resort to murder while he is waiting for a bride.”
Darcy reached for a slice of bacon and brought it up to her mouth. After taking a bite, she replied, “This is delicious, Porter.”
Porter gave her an impish smile. “I am a man of many talents. Perhaps I could show you some more later,” he asked, his eyes darting towards her lips.
Darcy’s eyes grew wide as she turned her attention back towards the table. He loved teasing his bride. She was such an innocent in so many ways.
Adam’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Tom is young and gets excited about the most mundane things.”
“Which leaves us with Dustin and John?” Darcy prodded.
“It couldn’t be either one of them,” Adam said with a shake of his head. “Dustin and John worked for Amanda’s father before we got married.”
Porter rose and picked up his plate. “Did any of these men ever have a problem with your wife?”
“John tried to court Amanda the same time I came around,” Adam revealed, “but she never showed him any real attention.”
Darcy pressed her lips together before asking, “Did John ever show Amanda any type of favor after you two were married?”
“I know what you are thinking, and it’s not possible,” Adam insisted.
After cleaning his dish, Porter said, “Whether you like it or not, there is a murderer on your ranch.”
Adam stood and shoved in his chair. “I just can’t believe it could be any one of my men. If you will excuse me.”
Porter and Darcy watched as Adam walked out of the cottage, closing the door behind him.
Darcy spoke first. “I played cards with those men. I didn’t suspect any of them had nefarious intentions.”
Porter came to sit down next to her. “Criminals allow you to see what they want you to see. They are smooth talkers and generally come across as likeable people. However, in my experience, they switch between two extremes.”
Darcy bit her lower lip as she appeared to concentrate on his words. “What is the next step?”
“We lure him out.”
Furrowing her brows, she asked, “How do we do that?”
Porter reached out and placed his hand over hers. “Do you trust me?” he asked intently.
Her eyes held tenderness. “Wholeheartedly.”
“Then, it’s time to inform the cowhands that we found gold in the valley.”
“Is that wise?”
Porter gave her a lopsided grin. “If my plan works, then the murderer will target me.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“My plans always work,” he joked.
She laughed. “It must be hard to have an ego as large as yours.”
“It is a cross that I must bear.”
“I should go change for the day,” she said, rising.
Not releasing her hand, he replied, “I was pleased to see you took my advice about carrying your gun everywhere you go.”
She leaned closer with a playful gleam in her eyes. “You will learn, husband, that I do, on occasion, take your advice.”
To his complete astonishment, she kissed him on the cheek. A tender, loving kiss that seemed to linger. Or was that just his wishful thinking? She stepped back and diverted her gaze before she rushed out of the room.
Porter spun around in his seat and watched her race out. After a long moment, he realized that he was still smiling.
Porter dismounted and led his horse to the watering trough. He had spent the morning moving the cattle, and he was grateful for the break in the saddle. Even though he loved the thrill of being a Pinkerton agent, he certainly enjoyed the life of a cowboy. This life was as familiar to him as breathing.
Earlier this morning, he had let it slip to John and Perry about discovering gold in the valley, and now he was waiting to see if the murderer would slip up.
Tom ran up to him with an excited look on his face. “Is it true?”
“What?” he asked, careful to play his role convincingly.
“Did you find gold in the valley?”
Porter stepped closer and lowered his voice. “I did. There is gold everywhere in those caves.”
Tom’s eyes gleamed with interest. “Do you have any?”
“It is not mine to take,” he replied. “It is on Adam’s property. His gold.”
“You didn’t even take a little nugget?” Tom asked, glancing over his shoulder. “It would be our secret.”
“Nah, I prefer to keep my job,” Porter stated matter-of-factly.
“Bailey!” Ralph shouted in a gruff tone near the barn. “I need to speak with you.” Without waiting for a response, he walked into the barn.
Tom let out an amused howl. “You are in for it now.”
“What did I do?” he asked, pretending to look nervous.
“Who knows with Ralph,” Tom said with a shrug. “But his bark is worse than his bite.”
“Well, I better get this over with,” he muttered under his breath. As he neared the barn, he placed his hand in the bac
k of his trousers to confirm that his revolver was still concealed underneath his vest.
“Ralph?” he asked, walking further into the room.
Suddenly, he was shoved back against the wall and Ralph’s forearm was against his throat. Ralph leaned closer to him, his lips snarled. “You need to stop spreading this nonsense,” he growled.
“What nonsense is that?” Porter had no doubt that he was stronger than Ralph, but he needed to let Ralph believe he was in charge.
Ralph shoved his forearm further into his throat, causing him to take shallow breaths. “The gold. There is no gold up in those caves, and you are cruel to even give these men false hope.” He loosened his forearm. “Your spouting nonsense ends now. Do I make myself clear?”
Porter had looked into the eyes of cold-blooded killers before and lived to tell about it. But Ralph’s eyes held no evil glint, but more determination. He even detected a hint of sadness in his words. Porter knew in that instant that Ralph was not their man.
Taking control of the situation, Porter shoved Ralph back and the force caused him to tumble to the ground. Ralph’s eyes narrowed as he stared up at him, and he looked as if he was ready to brawl.
“Stand down,” Porter ordered. “It is my turn to ask the questions.”
“You are in no position to question me,” Ralph scoffed as he rose.
Porter took a commanding step towards him. “I am here on your brother’s request.”
“Of course you are,” Ralph declared. “Adam hired you because we had cowhands go missing.”
“They aren’t missing. They are dead,” he confirmed.
Ralph wiped his hands on his trousers. “That doesn’t surprise me, but where’s your proof?”
“I saw them,” he revealed.
“You saw them? Where?” Ralph asked suspiciously.
Porter had never been led astray when he trusted his instinct, but that didn’t mean he didn’t verify facts before giving away his advantage. “Why do you hate your brother so much?”
Ralph lifted his brow at his question. “Who told you that I hate my brother?”
“My wife saw you fighting in the kitchen.”
“We fight all the time,” he said. “We’re brothers.”
“Step-brothers,” Porter corrected.
Ralph glared at him. “Who told you that?”
Seeing no reason to deny it, he responded, “Adam. He told me the whole story of how you arrived at the ranch and how you were cut out of the will.”
Ralph turned and walked towards the stalls where the horses were kept. “Why would Adam tell you that?”
Rather than answer his question, he pressed, “Do you resent Adam?”
Ralph spun around. “No. I have no ill feelings towards my brother. Besides, he was kind enough to give me a hundred cattle for my own brand.”
“Why are you so against me revealing that there is gold in the valley?” he asked, stepping closer.
Sighing, Ralph leaned back against a stall. “If Adam told you the whole story then you would know.”
“He left that part out.”
Ralph kicked at the straw on the ground before sharing, “From my earliest memories, my mother was obsessed with finding gold. We were out in streams panning all day, every day. The day my mother died was the first day I could recall not going down to the stream.”
“Did she ever find any gold?”
Ralph winced. “Only a few flakes here and there.”
“How did you survive?” Porter asked, his tone softening.
“My mom was a saloon girl,” Ralph confessed. “Every morning and afternoon, we were at the streams, and at night, I was left alone while she went to work.” He looked up with an intensity in his eyes. “Coming to live with my father and Adam was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Porter nodded. “I believe you.”
Chuckling, Ralph replied dryly, “Well, I’m sure glad for that.” He grew serious. “Sorry about the interrogation earlier. Gold makes people go crazy, and I didn’t want that frenzy to come to the ranch. We already have someone targeting cowboys.”
Reaching into his pocket, Porter removed his Pinkerton badge and held it up. “I was hired by your brother to investigate the deaths of the four cowhands.”
To his astonishment, a wide smile broke out on Ralph’s face, making him appear much younger than his twenty-one years. “You’re a real Pinkerton agent. I can’t believe it. I have heard so many stories about the bravery of the men at your agency.”
“I need you to focus,” Porter said, unfamiliar with such a positive reaction, “because I need your help.”
“Anything,” Ralph replied, but his smile didn’t dim.
“We have narrowed down the suspect list to only a handful of the cowhands.”
“Which are?”
“The men that weren’t in the bunkhouse last night,” Porter stated, keeping his gaze firmly on Ralph. “Have any of those men been acting suspicious lately?”
“No. You got it wrong,” Ralph asserted. “None of those men would turn on each other. We cowhands have to stick together.”
Porter decided to try a different tactic. “The night that Amanda was killed, I understand you stayed behind to brand some calves.”
“That’s correct,” Ralph answered slowly.
“Who was with you?”
Ralph tilted his head for a moment before saying, “Dustin and John. They could vouch for me.”
“Vouch? I am not looking for them to vouch for you,” he said. “I believe Dustin or John could be the killer.”
Ralph started shaking his head profusely. “Not possible.”
“Let me ask you another question. When the cowhands went missing, where were Dustin and John?”
There was a long pause before Ralph replied hesitantly, “Sleeping near the cattle.”
Porter stepped closer. “Between those two men, did either of them have a problem with Amanda?”
“Adam’s wife?” Ralph asked in confusion. “No one had trouble with Amanda. She was beloved among the cowhands.” His face paled when realization dawned on what he was asking. “You think someone killed her?” he asked in a hushed voice. “Impossible.”
“Not impossible,” he confirmed, “very plausible.”
“Well, neither John or Dustin could be responsible. Both knew Amanda before she married Adam. John even tried to court her.”
Porter knew he wasn’t asking the right question. Ralph knew more than he realized, but he needed to draw that information out. Trying again, he asked, “On the night that Amanda died, did either Dustin or John visit the house. For any reason?”
“All of us did,” Ralph admitted. “Amanda made us supper early that night. She was alive when we left.”
“We know that Amanda drank a cup of tea that night. Do you know when?”
“Right after dinner, because I remember John heated the water for her.”
Finally! A lead. “Thank you, Ralph. You have been very helpful,” he declared as he ran towards the door. Before he exited the barn, he spun back around. “I need you to keep our conversation private, at least until after we close this case.”
Ralph wore a baffled look. “I can do that, but I’m afraid I didn’t share anything that was useful to you.”
“You’re wrong,” Porter proclaimed before he exited the barn.
Chapter 11
Darcy had just finished cleaning the table in Adam’s house when the door opened, and John slipped through.
“Morning, John,” she greeted cheerfully.
John’s usual charming demeanor was stripped away, and his eyes held anger. “You need to tell your husband to stop yapping about the gold in the valley.”
“I beg your pardon?” Her hand slid into the pocket of her dress until she gripped her derringer, providing her with immediate reassurance.
He advanced towards her, stopping only a few feet from her. “Gold makes men do crazy things.”
She tilted her head up to
meet his gaze and replied, “I am not sure what this has to do with me.”
John’s lips curled downward at her defiant response. He took a step closer. “You tell Porter that he better stop talking about the gold or else.”
“Or else what?”
His eyes narrowed. “Just relay the message.”
“No,” she insisted. “I am not a messenger. If you want to give Porter a message, then do it yourself.”
John took another step closer so there was no space between them. “Listen, Mrs. Bailey,” he drawled, “you have no idea the danger that Porter has put you both in.”
“Perhaps you could explain it to me.”
His expression grew hard. “You have been warned,” he said, his words menacing.
“If you are going to threaten me, at least tell me why.” She wanted to draw out this conversation and hopefully gain some information in the process.
He laughed coldly. “I am not the one that you need to fear.”
“What does that mean?” she asked, rearing back.
“Be on your guard, Mrs. Bailey. Someone is killing to ensure secrets stay buried.”
John spun around and left without saying another word, leaving Darcy speechless. If she didn’t need to fear John, then who did she need to protect herself from? She needed more answers. She ran towards the door to chase after him, but it opened right in front of her.
A stern-faced Dustin stood in the doorway, blocking her from exiting. “I just came to check on you, ma’am. I saw John storm out of here, and I wanted to make sure everything was all right.”
“I actually was going to catch up with him and finish our conversation,” she answered.
Dustin glanced over his shoulder, not moving an inch from his position. “John seems to be in a foul mood. I would give him some time to cool off.”
“I suppose so,” Darcy murmured as she took a few steps back.
His expression softened as he asked, “Is there something amiss? Something that I can help you with?”
She offered him a forced smile. “You are too kind, but John and I were having a disagreement.”
“John is not one to be quick to anger,” Dustin commented. “I wonder why he was angry with you.”
