Sol didn’t speak, and Hawk suspected that, for once, the other man was without words.
So Hawk leaned in a little bit farther. “I told you that what I really want is the truth. And if you can give me a good reason why Charlie Hardt would benefit in this situation, I would gladly investigate him. And I would gladly make my findings public.”
“I can’t rightly say,” Sol finally said. “But I also don’t know why anyone would be willing to destroy the bridge, except for being paid off by those kidnappers. It makes sense. And where else are those Creary people getting the money for the boarding house? Windows aren’t cheap and having had to order some that came via freight, I can tell you that someone has to be flush with cash to bring in that many windows.”
How would Sol, or anyone else, know anything about the Creary windows, considering the freight wagon with them on them wouldn’t have passed through town to get to the boarding house.
“Joe Creary had a significant book collection, including many rare editions that he prized. From what I understand, they’re worth quite a bit of money. The family has been taking them over to Hunter’s bookshop and selling them. That’s how they’re getting their money. Selling off precious family heirlooms.”
Sol looked over at Romeo and snickered. “Only a fool would want so many books. I don’t know how that man will stay in business for long. He even offered Romeo money for his textbooks. Of course, Romeo will be going back to school in the spring. He’s just here for a visit to stay out of my aunt’s hair after shaming them so badly.”
Romeo hung his head slightly, and Hawk felt bad for the young man. However he shamed his family, it seemed like Sol was just rubbing it in with his references to it.
“So you can understand, then, where the Creary family has gotten all of this money?” Hawk asked.
Sol snorted. “No. Didn’t I just tell you that I thought books were worthless? No one in their right mind is going to pay the kind of money someone would pay for windows to buy a stupid book.”
At least it explained why so many of the townspeople also didn’t believe the Crearys had not benefited financially from the bridge’s destruction.
But Romeo nodded slowly. “I can believe it,” he said. “Mr. Hunter was just telling me about a rare edition of Romeo and Juliet that the Crearys have. He was practically drooling over it, and even though he’d offered them a large sum of money for it, they’d refused, because it was special to the family. Based on what Mr. Hunter says, it’s something my parents would dearly love to get their hands on. If the other books they sold were as valuable, I’m surprised they’re not building a mansion.”
Sol made another disgusted noise. “His mother is a professor of William Shakespeare’s works. Of what use is that nonsense in running a business? It certainly hasn’t helped Romeo here, who still can’t manage to keep my inventory straight.” Then he turned and glared at Romeo. “Which is what you should be doing instead of sitting out here flapping your jaw at people we don’t associate with.”
At least he knew someone in this business was willing to talk to him and see sense. Maybe, if he could build upon Romeo’s sympathies, the other man would be willing to talk to him later.
“Did you know some people came and destroyed the windows yesterday?” Hawk asked. “All that money, wasted? And the worst part is, two of the young ladies, Rosalind and Jane, were present when it happened. Even if the father is guilty, it seems a shame that two young ladies’ safety is at risk because of it. I’d hate to think that this town would want to see any harm come to innocent young ladies.”
At Romeo’s indrawn breath, Hawk knew he’d hit the mark. He wouldn’t be getting any help from Sol, but if he could find Romeo alone, he would get a sympathetic ear, and maybe Romeo would be willing to tell him something about the men who came to the hardware store, shopping for supplies.
“I don’t see that that is any of our concern,” Sol said. “And so far, all you’ve done here is waste our time. I thought you said you were a paying customer.”
Hawk looked around the hardware store. “My knife is getting dull, and I’m wondering what you have here for honing it.”
Romeo stopped at the door to the back. “I just sold our last honing steel a few days ago. We should be getting more with the next delivery.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask to whom, but the glare Sol shot the other man made him hesitate. The last thing he wanted to do was cause trouble for Sol and his cousin. Especially since the cousin looked uncomfortable enough as it was. He’d stick with his plan to talk to Romeo later.
Hawk tipped his hat at Sol. “Thank you all the same. It seems I have wasted my time here. I suppose I’ll head on over to the blacksmith’s to see what he can do for my knife.”
As Hawk turned to leave, he could see Sol following the younger man into the back room. He’d probably get an earful from his cousin, and for a moment, Hawk felt sorry for Romeo. But it wasn’t his business, not when he was already involved in too many other sticky situations. Hopefully, he could find a way to talk to the young man without getting him in trouble.
He continued through the town, pausing at the sheriff’s office, which still looked closed. He talked to Stiles first, then update the sheriff on what he’d learned. When he arrived at the Stiles house, Gertrude Stiles opened the door, looking put out that he forced her to stop whatever she’d been doing to answer the door.
“Good morning, Mrs. Stiles. Such a pleasure to see you. I was hoping I could have a word with your husband.”
She glared at him. “He’s just finishing his breakfast, and I didn’t make enough for company.”
He’d known Mrs. Stiles was prickly, but she’d never been so rude to him. Most people would’ve at least invited him in and offered him a cup of coffee or tea. But he smiled at her. “That’s all right, ma’am. I would never want to impose upon your hospitality, and I’ve already had my breakfast.”
A lie, but even if Mrs. Stiles had offered something, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to eat. Maybe, once he got this over with, he’d stop in at Nacho’s for some breakfast before meeting the sheriff. Or, as his meetings with Draven often went, Draven would stop in just as he was sitting down anyway.
Gertrude sighed dramatically. “Fine. But I hope it’s not bad news. He’s been having trouble with the worst indigestion because of you. My poor Richard is suffering terribly, and to say nothing of my nerves.”
As she led him into the kitchen, she continued chattering. “It’s such a travesty that Hugh Montgomery and his wife are moving into their new house on the bluff already. I had my eye on that piece of property, and Mr. Sharp promised it to me, but then somehow the Montgomerys ended up with it. But isn’t that just like Margaret Coveney. Oh, excuse me. Minnie. Why someone from such a prominent family would take such a common name is beyond me. Their house is almost done, and here I am, still living in squalor, because the railroad isn’t finished.”
Gertrude looked behind her shoulder at Hawk. “Did you know that when we lived in Denver, we were acquainted with the Coveney family? It’s the whole reason I agreed to follow Richard to this godforsaken place. If the Coveneys can spend time here, then so can I. Though it’s such a sacrifice.”
They entered the kitchen at that moment, and Stiles got up from the table, wiping his mouth. “Now Gertrude dear, all in due time. First, we must get the railroad here, and once Mr. Penworthy is pleased with our progress, we’ll receive that nice juicy bonus to build your house on the bluff. Our good friend, Solomon Sharp, has reserved a prime piece of property for us. But we still have much to accomplish before that can happen.”
Hugh had mentioned that after he purchased his property to build a home for himself and Minnie, Solomon Sharp, the land agent, had given him all sorts of grief about the legalities of building there. He tried to claim that the land belonged to the railroad and were it not for Minnie’s powerful family, the railroad would have easily been able to take control of their property. Hawk hadn’t
realized that the reason for all their trouble was that Stiles had wanted it for himself.
Then Stiles turned to Hawk. “And what are you doing here, getting my wife all riled up? My poor Gertrude’s nerves cannot take these visits.”
Hawk was well acquainted with poor Gertrude’s nerves. Hadn’t he just heard all about them? Along with Richard’s indigestion issues. Perhaps their bodies were revolting at having such evil spirits within them.
“I’m hoping I have an answer to what’s happening on the railroad.” Hawk launched into an explanation of what he’d seen with the pile of logs. But instead of acting interested, Stiles looked like his indigestion was acting up already.
“Why are you bothering me with this? I told you not to visit me at my home unless it was to tell me that the railroad was complete. I am a very busy man, and I cannot be bothered with such details.”
“With your permission, sir, I’d like to get in touch with Gaylord Penworthy to get some of his railroad police here to keep an eye on the job site. I can’t do it on my own, and I’d like a fresh set of eyes on what’s happening here.”
Stiles cast a glance at his wife, who had begun clearing up the breakfast dishes. “If I can’t be bothered with it, then why would you think Mr. Penworthy would want to know? Can you not see how much you’re disturbing my wife?”
Gertrude’s hand shook as she picked up the porcelain teacup Stiles had been drinking out of. “Does this mean there will be another delay on my getting my house?”
She sounded like she was about to cry. Stiles came around the side of her and put his arm around her. “It will be all right, dearest.”
Hawk turned his gaze on Stiles. “If we get some of Penworthy’s men here to help me secure the railroad, everything will be done quicker and more efficiently, which means Mrs. Stiles will be moving into her beautiful home much sooner than anticipated.”
“Really?” Gertrude’s eyes lit up. She turned to her husband. “Oh, Richard, give him whatever he wants. That awful Minnie was in Cobb’s Penn the other day, buying up all the fabric I wanted for my curtains. It’s not fair that she always gets what I want. I’m going to have a bigger, more beautiful house than she does, and everyone will admire me instead of her.”
People admired Minnie Montgomery because she was kind and warm to everyone she met. She would’ve never greeted anyone the way Gertrude had. In fact, had Hawk arrived at the Montgomery home and they didn’t have enough for him to share the breakfast, Minnie would have found a way to make it work, even if it meant giving up her own breakfast. Because that was the kind of person Minnie was. Gertrude would have been better off trying to emulate the other woman, instead of competing over material possessions.
Stiles smiled gently down at his wife, and for a moment, Hawk thought the man might have a heart. “There’s much more to it than that, dearest, and you shouldn’t let men like Hawk tell you otherwise. I’ll just take him into my study, where you won’t be bothered with gentlemen’s business.”
As soon as they got into Stiles’ study, Stiles turned on him. “Just who do you think you are, trying to manipulate my wife into giving you what you want? Gertrude is a very delicate woman, with a weak constitution, and she cannot handle people like you taking advantage of that.”
He’d never heard of Gertrude Stiles being described by anyone as delicate, but perhaps it was true of her nerves.
“I apologize if I overstepped,” Hawk said. “But I was just trying to show you how this could be a win-win for us all. Are you not concerned that someone is sabotaging the railroad?”
He pulled the cut rope out of his bag and held it up to Stiles. “This was not an accident. I saw the men cut it myself. But there’s only one of me, and three of them, and with keeping the job itself running on time, I can’t watch out for everything at once.”
Stiles smiled in a sickening way that didn’t make Hawk think he was about to say anything good. “You are burning candles at both ends, aren’t you?”
Hawk nodded. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I need help. And at this point, I don’t know who on the crew we can trust. That’s why it’s imperative that we get someone from outside in to take a look at things.”
“You’ve also been busy sticking your nose in places where it doesn’t belong, haven’t you?” Stiles said, going around to the other side of his desk. “I believe I gave you a direct order not to continue investigating Joe Creary’s death. But last night, my good friend, Solomon Sharp, and I happened to be coming along the road when we heard you discussing that very thing with Rosalind Creary. How was it that you were watching over my railroad, and, at the same time, in town, at the boarding house, making promises to a beautiful young lady that you cannot keep?”
Hawk closed his eyes and willed himself to take a couple of deep breaths before answering the man’s accusation. What he wanted to do was grab the man by his throat and hold him up against the wall and ask him how he honestly still believed this ridiculous tale about Joe’s death. But he tried to remember Moses’s words that sometimes you caught more flies with honey than vinegar or your fists.
He opened his eyes and smiled at Stiles. “As part of my investigation into the sabotage of the railroad, which is my business, it has become clear to me that there are three men involved in the sabotage. Three men were involved in the bridge explosion. I believe these are the same three men, which means Joe Creary and his son were not involved. Which means Joe’s killer is still at large. Somewhere in our camp are three saboteurs and a murderer, and we have to stop them before things escalate. We can’t afford to lose any more time on the railroad or any more good men.”
His argument didn’t change the expression on Stiles’ face. In fact, his smile only widened. “And I cannot afford the time that you continue to waste with your ridiculous and unfounded accusations. Who’s to say that you didn’t cut the rope yourself, hoping to blame someone else to give credence to your theory that Joe Creary is innocent, thereby providing you further reason to spend time with a beautiful young lady of marriageable age?”
Talk about ridiculous and unfounded accusations. Hawk shook his head. “I’m not interested in Rosalind Creary.”
“I think the gentleman doth protest too much,” Stiles said, shaking his head. “You see, I know a bit of Shakespeare, too. Even though that one is from Hamlet, I believe it’s fitting here. You might say you love your late wife, but it’s been my experience that a man’s baser desires always take over, particularly when the object of one’s love is dead. Someday, you’ll realize that I’m right. And so, I wish you joy in pursuing your fair Rosalind. You’ll have plenty of time to do so now that you are no longer in the railroad’s employ.”
Hawk stared at him. Stiles was firing him?
“On what grounds?”
Stiles shrugged. “You were specifically told to keep your nose out of the Creary business. Yet every time I turn around, instead of working on the railroad, I find you right in the thick of all things Creary. Who’s to say that you’re not making up the stories of sabotage to buy yourself more time with her? None of the reports I’ve been given from the men I trust on the crew have indicated anything resembling sabotage.”
Then Stiles gestured at the rope. “I can’t even be certain that you didn’t cut the rope yourself to give me false proof of misdeeds to extend your time with the railroad, thereby extending your time and ability to pursue your suit with Miss Creary.”
The man was insane. “And just who are you getting these reports from? Brian? He spends all of his time in the saloon tent. He wouldn’t know sabotage if someone cut the legs of his chair out from under him.”
Stiles stared at him. “It doesn’t matter. I trust my people in the camp. And you have very clearly betrayed any of the trust I might have once had in you. I’ll follow you to the camp, where you can pack your belongings under my supervision, so you don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you, and then you can leave. You are no longer welcome on railroad property
.”
Hawk reached for the rope, intent on giving it to Sheriff Draven later. But Stiles put his hand over it. “This is railroad property. If I find you in possession of railroad property, I will have you arrested for stealing from the railroad.”
A man could kill a valuable railroad employee, and it didn’t matter. But if he took the rope that might implicate someone in that murder, he’d be arrested?
Even though it didn’t look like Stiles would receive any reward for delays to the railroad, and it seemed like the delays were making his life more difficult, the other man’s actions made him believe that somehow, Stiles had to have a connection to all of this. But how?
10
Hawk had told Rosalind that he was planning on coming by Nacho’s for breakfast prior to heading back to the railroad camp. But it was nearly noon, and she hadn’t seen him yet. A group of men entered the restaurant, laughing. When they spotted her, one of them pointed at her and said to another, “That’s her.”
A lot of the customers these days came in just to see her. And even though Nacho said it wasn’t hurting his business, it bothered her to be treated like a sideshow.
She smiled at them as she indicated the table for them to sit at. “It’s a dollar to gawk, and here’s the menu if you want food.”
The men just stared at her. Nacho came up alongside her. “You got your dollars ready? This town doesn’t have a theater yet, so if you’re here for entertainment, you’d best pay up.”
Rosalind looked over at Nacho, surprised that he backed her up. But he shrugged as he looked at the men pointedly.
Rosalind: A Thanksgiving Day Bride (Brides of Noelle Book 8) Page 12
