“You definitely could. If you’re interested, I’ve got chocolate cake or vanilla pudding for dessert.”
Full after stuffing himself on bread and pasta, Lars just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have chocolate cake. “Cake, please.”
“Cake it is. I’ll be right back.”
Caterina again breezed through a doorway to the kitchen. When she returned with his piece of cake, Kade accompanied her. Lars stood and held out his hand to the deputy.
“Deputy Rawlings.” Lars tipped his head to the man. “It’s nice to see you again. You are a very lucky man.”
“Don’t I know it.” Kade motioned for Lars to sit then took the chair across from him. Caterina left then came back with a coffee pot and two mugs. She poured them each a cup before disappearing into the kitchen.
“Your wife is an extraordinary cook.” Lars took a bite of the cake and fought the urge to close his eyes so he could better savor the blissful experience. “Do you eat like this all the time?”
“Every night, except for Sunday and Monday. The restaurant is closed those two days and she likes to have a break from cooking.” Kade took a sip of his coffee then eyed the marshal. “If I understand things correctly, you’re here in answer to our request for some help with the Bowman Gang.”
“That’s right. I was hoping tomorrow I could meet with you or the sheriff and go over the file. We’ve got information at the home office, but I’m sure, since they’ve been scraping the bark off the trees in your backyard, you’ve got more extensive details.”
“I’d be glad to share what we know. Just come by the office in the morning. The sheriff and I will both be there.”
“I’ll be there.” Lars looked forward to bringing the notorious Bowman Gang to justice. He’d have plenty of time to think about them tomorrow, though. Tonight, he needed to find somewhere to stay. “Can you recommend any boarding houses or hotels? I’ve heard the word ‘hotel’ can be used lightly around here.”
Kade laughed. “Yeah. A few bawdy houses call themselves hotels. In fact, that’s how I met Caterina. She was fresh off the train, looking for a room and went into one of the supposed hotels. A man mistook her for one of the girls who worked there and she ran out the door and around the corner, smack into me.”
“I’d call that a case of being in the right place at just the right time.”
Kade grinned as he took another drink of his coffee. “If you don’t mind the lingering aromas of Italian food, we’ve got an apartment upstairs that’s empty and my sister-in-law also has an empty apartment above her dress shop, although if she asks, I called it a fashion boutique.”
Raising an eyebrow at his friend, Lars chuckled. “If I meet her, I’ll be sure to mention that.”
Looking around the restaurant, he breathed deeply. He wouldn’t object to the spicy scent that hung in the air.
“If you and Mrs. Rawlings wouldn’t mind me staying here, I’d be happy to rent the apartment from you, just as long as you include meals in the price.”
“Finish your cake and coffee then I’ll show you the place. It’s nothing fancy, but Caterina lived here when she first opened the restaurant. The two of us stayed here for a while after we wed until I could talk her into moving out to my place on the edge of town. Cat’s brother lived here until he married the world-famous seamstress, who is just about the sweetest little gal you ever want to meet. Her sister happens to be married to my best friend.”
Lars took the last bite of his moist, rich cake and washed it down with good, black coffee. Getting to his feet, he picked up his hat and jacket then followed Kade through the door into the restaurant’s kitchen and grinned at Caterina as Kade led him up a set of stairs.
Opening the door at the top of the landing, Kade stepped aside so Lars could enter. “Like I said, it isn’t much, but if all you need is a place to sleep, you should get along fine.”
Considering some of the places Lars had stayed in the years since he left home as a boy of seventeen, he thought the accommodations seemed almost luxurious. A sitting room, complete with a fireplace and comfortable looking furnishings would be more than adequate. He stuck his head in a bedroom, making note of a closet, dresser, and big bed covered with a cheerful quilt. The door next to it revealed a bathroom, complete with a full-size bathtub that beckoned to him for a soak to relax his tired muscles. Another small room had shelves for storage that he wouldn’t need to use.
“I’ll take it. Can I pay you for two months, including meals?”
“You bet,” Kade said, as they walked back down the stairs. “I’ll let you pay the boss. She’s the one who oversees the apartment. If you want her to clean it, she’ll charge you extra and have one of her staff take care of it.”
“It’s a deal,” Lars said, shaking hands with Kade and then Caterina as she approached them with a knowing smile.
“If you’d like to get your things, marshal, I’ll freshen up the room,” Caterina said, accepting the money he handed her after she named a price. “You can use the back door. I’ve got a spare key around here somewhere I’ll find for you.”
“Thank you both for your hospitality and the good food.” Lars tipped his hat to Caterina and followed Kade out the back door and around to the front of the restaurant. They walked over to where Viking waited.
Kade whistled and ran his hand appreciatively over the horse’s neck. “That’s quite a horse.”
“He and I have been partners for quite a while. Where I go, he goes,” Lars said, glancing down the street. “Will the livery let me board him for a month or two at a time?”
“They sure will. Come on, I’ll introduce you to the owner.” Kade started walking down the street.
By the time they returned, the restaurant began to empty for the evening and Caterina sat in the kitchen at a tall worktable, writing out details for next week’s menu.
“I was beginning to think you two got lost,” she said, smiling at her husband.
“No. I took Lars down to the livery to board his horse. Did you find the spare key?”
“I did. I left it upstairs on the bedroom dresser. I changed the sheets and made sure you have fresh towels. I can have my cleaning girl give it a once over on Mondays while she’s here cleaning the restaurant, if that would be satisfactory.” Caterina reached over and slid a plate of cookies toward Lars. “Call it a little welcome to Pendleton gift.”
“A treasure, ma’am, is what this is,” Lars said, accepting the plate of cookies. “Anything I should know about the apartment or staying here?”
“Since we included meals in your rent, you’re welcome to eat dinner in the restaurant or back here in the kitchen, your preference. I usually arrive early to mid-morning and we generally are all gone by nine in the evening,” Caterina said, looking around her kitchen. “You can help yourself to cookies and coffee anytime.”
“That’s very generous and much appreciated,” Lars said, anticipating many delicious meals during his time in Pendleton. Of course, he expected to be out on the trail of the gang part of the time, but while he was in town, he knew he’d at least have a comfortable place to sleep and good food to eat.
“As for breakfast, you can use the kitchen to make your own or help yourself to any leftovers, within reason of course.” Caterina waggled a finger at him. “Can I trust you in my kitchen, marshal?”
“Of course, and I’d prefer it if you both call me Lars.”
“Lars it is, but I didn’t catch your last name.”
“Thorsen, ma’am. Lars Thorsen.”
“It’s nice to have you here, Lars Thorsen. You don’t by chance have…” Caterina’s question died on her lips when two of her servers bumped into each other and dropped a tray of dishes, sending them clattering to the floor at the same time the telephone jangled on the wall with a request for Kade to come to the sheriff’s office.
“Sure you want to stay here?” Kade asked as he opened the back door. “It’s never a dull moment.”
“It’ll be fi
ne,” Lars said, deciding he could help the most by staying out of the way. Going up the stairs to his newly rented apartment, he shut the door behind him, unpacked his few belongings, and gave in to the temptation to soak his tired muscles in a hot bath.
Chapter Three
Standing in front of Ilsa Campanelli’s fashion boutique window, Marnie admired the colorful spring gowns the woman had on display.
Three dresses, in shades of yellow, pink, and blue, looked like fanciful spring flowers with the intricate detailing Ilsa put into each of her designs.
Arriving in Pendleton and opening her business two and a half years ago, the seamstress now sent her fashions not only to America’s big cities like Chicago and New York, but abroad to clients in London and Paris who willingly paid whatever Ilsa asked for her exclusive styles.
Marnie knew this only because Ilsa insisted they were friends. Ever since the night she helped the girl get away from two drunks as she was walking home, Ilsa invited Marnie to drop by her shop and visit whenever she was of a mind to.
Walking around to the back door, she tapped lightly before sticking her head inside. Not seeing the woman in the workroom, she walked to the front area of the shop.
Ilsa sat at a small table by a window, sketching designs. Glancing up to see her friend, she smiled and held out her hand. “I’m so glad you came by today, Marnie. It’s been far too long since your last visit.”
Feeling genuinely welcomed, Marnie squeezed the woman’s hand and bent down to look at her latest designs.
“What do you think?” Ilsa asked, leaning back so Marnie could get a better view of the sketches.
Examining them carefully, Marnie marveled at Ilsa’s ability to not only put her ideas for fashions to paper, but also bring them to life. She herself owned a dress created by Ilsa and given to her for her last birthday. The pale cream grown, sprigged with pink rosebuds and green vines and accented with thick lace, was the prettiest thing she’d ever owned.
One design in particular stood out to her as she pored over the sketches. She leaned closer, tapping the paper with her finger.
“I like this one the best,” she said, favoring the sketch of a lightweight gown. It was feminine and airy, perfect for a hot summer day. “The detailing on the skirt is eye-catching and I love the design of the sleeves.”
“I liked it, too.” Ilsa groaned as she rose to her feet. Holding one hand beneath her extended belly, she put the other to the small of her back. Her cat, Peaches, rose from his spot at her feet and stretched.
“Are you feeling well?” Marnie couldn’t keep the concern out of her voice or off her face. Ilsa was barely five feet tall and she carried her first baby all out in front. The weight of it seemed to pull her shoulders forward and each step she took reminded Marnie of a waddling duck. The poor girl still had a month to go until the baby was due.
“As well as can be expected.” Ilsa walked over to her counter where she rang up purchases and pulled a thick book from beneath it. “I got a new sample book I wanted to show you. What do you think of this fabric?”
Ilsa opened the book and slid it toward Marnie.
She fingered the soft pink voile material. It felt like spun air against her fingers. “It’s wonderful. Are you thinking of using it with the summer dress design?”
“Yes. If I did an underskirt in cotton and used this for the overlay it would be lightweight enough for the warm temperatures, but still hold a nice shape.”
Marnie could envision the lovely gown and nodded her head. Ilsa often asked her opinion and she always felt honored the talented woman cared what she thought about fashion. When she wasn’t working, Marnie made her own modest clothes that rivaled anything the respectable women in town wore. She liked to keep on top of the latest fashion trends, and visiting with Ilsa about styles and fabrics never failed to bring her delight.
“It’ll be lovely, Ilsa. Some fortunate woman will be thrilled to wear it this summer.”
“No fortunate woman will wear it if I don’t find more decent help to hire soon,” Ilsa said, walking back to the table and motioning Marnie to join her.
“Still no luck?” Marnie knew Ilsa was desperate to hire more help before the baby arrived. She had three women out on the reservation doing beading for her and two women who sewed for her part-time, but she needed someone who could work alongside her on a full-time basis.
“None at all. No one who has the talent has the time and those with the time just can’t sew at the skill level necessary to do the work. I know I’ve offered before, but any time you’d like to switch professions, I’d welcome you here in my shop. I know you’d do a great job.” Ilsa placed her hand on Marnie’s and gave it a squeeze when she saw the girl shake her head. “At least give it some consideration.”
“I’ll consider it, but I’m not making any promises. Besides, you know the good ladies of town would shun your shop if they knew I worked here.”
Ilsa shrugged her shoulders and moved aside her sketches. “I’m not worried about what the busybodies in town think. If I depended on their orders to keep my business going, I’d have closed my doors last year. The women placing out-of-town orders don’t care who makes their dresses as long as they arrive just as they expected.”
Marnie stopped Ilsa as she started to rise again and gently pushed her back into her seat. “If you want a cup of tea, I can run upstairs and make it.”
“I was just going to bring the pitcher of water sitting on the back counter over here. I think Tony left some cookies there, too.” Ilsa released a sigh as she pointed toward the back room. Marnie retrieved the pitcher and a small paper bag of cookies she knew came from Caterina’s restaurant. Retrieving two glasses from a shelf by the back door, she carried them to the table then filled them both with water.
“I’m surprised Tony isn’t here, hovering over you. I’ve never seen such an attentive husband.” Marnie grinned at Ilsa, knowing her friend was tired of her well-meaning spouse’s constant attention.
“That man is going to drive me crazy. You’d think I was about to die, not give birth to our baby. He won’t even let me do any work around the house these days.” Ilsa took a sip of her water and offered Marnie a cookie with an impish grin. “Not that I mind getting out of my housekeeping responsibilities.”
Marnie laughed. “It’s such a lovely house, too.”
Ilsa and Tony built a new house on an empty lot a few blocks over from her dress shop the previous fall. Marnie reluctantly visited Ilsa there one afternoon and received a grand tour of the two-story home, although she worried the whole time about damaging her friend’s reputation. Ilsa didn’t seem to care, though.
“You know you’re welcome in our home any time.”
“I appreciate your hospitality, but I shouldn’t be there.” Marnie glanced out the front window and saw the man she’d tossed peanuts at the other evening walk by with Kade Rawlings. Her assessment that they were similar in size and bearing was correct. They both had broad shoulders, thick chests, muscled legs, and were extremely tall. The only other man she could think of who would come close to their height was Ilsa’s brother-in-law, Garrett Nash.
She’d watched out her window to catch a glimpse of the cowboy around town, but hadn’t seen him since his arrival. He was part of the reason she’d left her room and decided to go for a walk. Although she knew she shouldn’t be interested, she really wanted to see him again.
Observing the two men as they strolled along, she turned to Ilsa with an inquisitive glance. “Who’s Kade’s new friend?”
Ilsa knew Kade and Caterina rented their apartment to a U.S. Marshal who was in town to help Kade with a case, but she hadn’t yet met him. When she and Tony stopped at the restaurant for dinner the previous evening, Caterina said the man hadn’t returned from a ride he’d taken northeast of town.
Groaning as she leaned forward to stare out the window, Ilsa caught a glimpse of the man walking with Kade. For a moment, she thought it was her father, but he’d been dead f
or eight years. Catching her breath, she plopped against the back of her chair.
“Ilsa, what’s wrong?” Marnie asked, flapping the stack of sketches in front of Ilsa’s pale face. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I think I have. That man looks just like my father.”
“But he died years ago.”
“I know, but something about him just… I’m being fanciful.” Ilsa took a sip of water and let out a sigh.
“What is it?”
“I keep hoping someday I’ll look out the window and see my brother.”
Marnie intently gazed at her friend, taking in her blond hair, sky blue eyes, and sweet face. Smiling to herself, she jumped to her feet. “I’ll be right back.”
Hurrying out the front door of Ilsa’s shop, she rushed down the street. Heedless of the glares sent her direction for her unladylike pace, she picked up her skirts and raced after the deputy.
“Deputy Rawlings!” she called, trying to catch his attention. He and the cowboy who had taken up an extravagant amount of Marnie’s thoughts in the past few days stopped and turned to face her.
“Miss Marnie,” Kade said, smiling at her. “What can we do for you today?”
“I have no doubt this will sound like the most obtuse request, but could you please introduce me to your friend?” Marnie glanced from Kade to the cowboy. She’d thought he was good-looking from a distance, but up close, he was even more handsome than she imagined. His bright blue eyes fastened on hers with a look of curiosity.
“Of course.” Kade knew whether he made the introduction or not, Marnie and the rest of the working girls would eventually find out Lars’ name and why he was in Pendleton. “This is Lars Thorsen. He’s a U.S. Marshal here in town to help me with a case.”
Lars tipped his hat and smiled at the pretty girl who looked at him with a mixture of awe and humor. Her mellow, smooth voice sounded oddly familiar, although he thought he would have remembered meeting the brown-haired beauty. Suddenly, he recalled the soiled dove who’d tossed peanuts at him the other night. She’d said her name was Marnie.
Marnie: Page 3
