The Preacher's Outlaw Bride

by Mildred Colvin

  “Hmm.” He shrugged. “You never know.”

  “That’s true.” KodyAnne hurried to the back as the door opened, letting in more customers. She returned with glasses of water, took the new orders, and kept busy delivering plates of steaming hot cakes to her tables. When Beth came in, they both kept busy. Tyler stopped her when she started past his table. “We’re going, but we’ll see you early afternoon when you’re finished here. Come to Mike’s when you’re ready. Char and I will probably be there.”

  “Okay.” She looked from Tyler to Mike. They seemed to be getting along great. As if they’d been friends a long time.

  Michael grinned at her and kept his voice near a whisper. “I’m going with you to make sure you don’t dig up the city’s future park trying to find your treasure. They have plans for that place, you know.”

  “I know. I’m glad you’re going.” He sounded as if he were making light of their treasure hunt. Even if they didn’t find more than a box of old family papers and a few coins, she didn’t care. She’d still dig until she found it. The treasure was the memory of Uncle Mark and the fun of their excursions with him to the willow tree more than what they’d find. She hadn’t told Tyler about the seed pod, but she’d do that later when there weren’t so many ears. A town this size seemed to know what was going on almost as soon as it happened.

  She met Michael’s eyes as they looked so intently into hers. He smiled and winked. Her heart picked up speed, so she broke the contact. She stacked their plates with the silverware on top. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  Michael and Tyler stood and headed toward the door. She watched them go outside without another glance for her. If only she could roll back the clock a few days and tell Michael she’d marry him. She’d never love anyone else. He might not love her the way she wanted, but his love was real nevertheless. Why’d she think she needed anything else?

  Chapter 20

  “Look at this.” KodyAnne’s eyes danced with excitement.

  Michael brushed a willow limb out of his face and bent closer while his hand circled her shoulder. Her enthusiasm was contagious. He’d be satisfied if she still laughed when the treasure turned out to be nothing more than a few gold pieces and some worthless railroad stock. If the will was right, the treasure had been sitting for almost one hundred years. Or was that something the fun-loving Uncle Mark had made up?

  She tapped the carved initials in the tree trunk with her finger. “Uncle Mark left enough clues any dummy could find his treasure without half trying.”

  “M.J.D.—is that Uncle Mark’s initials?”

  She nodded, tracing them with her finger. “Yes, either his or Grandfather Matthew’s. They had the same. Look how the heart he carved around them ends with a downward point that makes an arrow. It’s pointing at the ground, which means we should dig right here.”

  “What’d you find?” Tyler separated the curtain of down-hanging leaves with Charlotte behind him.

  “This is our last clue.” KodyAnne stepped to the side and pointed at the heart-enclosed initials. “We need to dig here.”

  “Ha, wouldn’t you know?” Tyler shook his head. “He didn’t want us to miss, did he? Might as well start.”

  The others watched Tyler sink the shovel into the soft ground under the tree while Charlotte held the willow branches out of his way. He dug a good-sized hole before he pushed the blade into the bottom of it and the screech of metal on metal sounded.

  Charlotte let out a squeal.

  KodyAnne pushed closer.

  “That must be it.” Michael leaned forward to look. He was catching the others’ enthusiasm.

  “Yeah, we got it now.” Tyler scooped another shovel full of dirt out. He didn’t take long to uncover the top of a metal box. With his shovel, he loosened it.

  Michael knelt beside him and together they dug and pulled until the box lifted from the ground. It was heavy. Must weigh a hundred pounds or more. Maybe filled with rocks.

  KodyAnne brushed dirt from the top. Green paint still covered the metal. Looked like a large ammo box about a foot on either side. A small padlock held it closed.

  “Should I open it now?” KodyAnne fingered the bracelet on her wrist, moving over each dangling charm.

  “No.” Tyler sat back, probably catching his breath after lifting his end. “Let’s take it to the sheriff’s office for that. I don’t want to be accused of accepting outlaw gold. If this is full of those twenty-dollar pieces like the one Char has, it may amount to several thousand dollars. No use to be branded an outlaw again.”

  Charlotte clasped her hands together. “It’s pirate gold, not outlaw.” She laughed and glanced around the group. “That’s what Uncle Mark always said, but I know it’s only his and Grandfather’s inheritance from their grandfather. The pirate stories made it more fun and exciting.”

  KodyAnne leaned her head against Michael’s shoulder and slipped her hand in his. Her eyes met his with warmth and excitement as if she wanted to share the moment with him. His heart swelled with love. Why had he ever resisted the opportunity to make his Andy truly his? Maybe he needed to preach a sermon on the sin of pride because that’s what he’d been battling. His pride had been hurt when her father asked him to marry her without giving him a chance to do his own asking. He’d also let pride get in his way of forgiving his mother. Deciding to forgive her was the first step. The rest would come with God’s help. Foolish pride. The two words fit together well. He held KodyAnne close and loved the feel of her pressing against his arm.

  He let his lips curve upward as his eyes took in her beauty and sweetness. Her cream-colored shirt set off her dark hair and eyes. He blinked and looked again. She wasn’t wearing black. He swung toward Charlotte. She wore a white shirt.

  He opened his mouth to ask why when Tyler stood.

  “Might better get this in to the sheriff before someone finds us out here.” He looked toward Michael. “Think the two of us can lift it into the wagon?”

  “Should be easier than manhandling it out of the ground.” Michael nodded toward the hole. “We’d better get that filled back in first, though.”

  Charlotte grabbed the shovel and started scooping dirt. “Go on. I’ll do this. I want to see what’s in the box.”

  KodyAnne held the willow fronds aside while they lugged the heavy box into the bright sunshine. She followed them to the wagon. “I’ll help you.”

  Michael grinned over his shoulder. “This thing feels like it’s full of rocks. Sure you’ve got the muscle for it?”

  “Gold’s heavy.” She met his gaze with a challenging one.

  So she’d picked up on his skepticism. He blinked and hoisted the box with Tyler. KodyAnne put her weight under it and pushed with them until they had it sitting on the back end of the wagon. He looked from her to the box. “If that holds what you think it does, you’ll be too busy shopping to worry about me.”

  Her eyes widened.

  He wanted to clamp a hand over his mouth. Of all the stupid things to say. “I mean you’ll not have to work anymore.”

  She shrugged. “The diner may close down, anyway. Melanie’s getting pretty excited about her husband showing up. He sent her a letter explaining some things. Someone from his past jumped him and beat him up pretty badly. He didn’t know who he was for a while, then he couldn’t find her because she moved. I’m glad they finally connected. He should be coming in on the stage anytime now. I look for her to get back on it with him.”

  “You thinking she’ll leave?” Michael wasn’t sure he liked the idea. “A lot of single men around here rely on her cooking to keep ’em going.”

  “Maybe I’ll buy the diner so no one goes hungry.” She swung away from him before he could close his mouth. “Tyler, let’s get this to the sheriff so we can find out what’s inside. I’ll see if Charlotte’s finished.”

  His wife didn’t need to be running a diner. Didn’t she understand how he felt, or did she just not care? He hadn’t said much because they weren�
�t married yet, but if he had his way, they soon would be, and she would not be working. He’d always taken care of her, and he didn’t want anyone else doing it. If word got out she’d inherited a fortune, she’d have more offers than she could handle. Didn’t much matter if the box was full of rocks. She’d be prize enough for any man once they got acquainted with her. He couldn’t let that happen.

  ~*~

  “All right, let me get this straight.” The sheriff’s gaze slid from one to the other of them, pausing on KodyAnne. “You broke into the bank and stole a box that belonged to your uncle because he told your father to get it, and your father told you to?”

  She opened her mouth but held her breath when his hand shot up and stopped her.

  “Then, after opening the box you took, you found clues that led you to dig on public property and retrieve another, larger box.” He nodded toward the green metal box sitting on his desk. Bits of dirt clung to it and formed a halo around it in dust and clumps that had fallen free. “This box.”

  KodyAnne waited until he nodded at her. “Well, is that right?”

  Her heart pounded, and she swayed closer to Michael. “Yes, except I didn’t break into the bank and steal anything. I opened the bank door, walked in, and took Uncle Mark’s box that he gave my father who gave it to us.”

  She motioned toward her brother and sister then turned back to the sheriff with her shoulders back and her chin raised.

  “So the bank was unlocked when you arrived at the back door?” His gray eyes seemed to pin her in place.

  He couldn’t intimidate her. She hadn’t done anything wrong, not really. Only retrieved what was hers. “Sheriff, you know it was locked, but you also know I didn’t take anything that wasn’t mine to take, and I didn’t break anything. How often do you have outlaws come in here and ask you to witness the opening of what they’ve stolen? If we had anything to hide, we wouldn’t be here now.”

  The sheriff’s eyes faltered as they shifted to Michael. “Reverend, what’s your opinion on this, or should I ask you since you’re helping them?”

  Michael grinned. “Do you have a law against digging a family treasure from the ground?”

  The sheriff’s brows drew together. “No, but illegal entry into a bank is certainly frowned on.”

  Michael shrugged. “Has the banker complained?”

  A huff shot from the sheriff’s lips. “If he knew he’d been robbed, he would.”

  Tyler stepped forward. “Do you know what was in the first box, Sheriff?” He dug in his pocket and pulled out his fishing lure. “Uncle Mark gave this to me several years ago. I thought I’d lost it until I found it in the box.”

  KodyAnne lifted her arm, letting her bracelet dangle. “He gave this to me. I guess he took it back for the treasure hunt. Charlotte’s clue was a twenty-dollar gold piece. That’s the only thing of value in the box. Other than sentimental value in this picture album, and this will to our father and his descendants, which would be us.” She handed the book and rolled paper to the sheriff.

  He took a step back, propped himself against his desk, flipped through the album, set it aside, then unrolled the will and looked at it. After a while, he looked up. “Do you have proof the box on my desk isn’t full of gold taken from a bank?”

  Michael cleared his throat. “Clint, until you let us open that box, none of us will know what’s inside. Can you save your questions until we see what they’ve got here?”

  The sheriff shrugged and shoved away from his desk. He handed the rolled paper back to KodyAnne. “Might as well. I’m getting a little curious myself.”

  KodyAnne stepped forward and slipped her bracelet from her wrist. She fitted the small key in the lock and listened to the satisfying click of the works inside. When the small padlock fell open, she took it off and turned to Tyler. “Your turn now.”

  After a shared look, she stepped back and let him take her place. He grasped the hasp and KodyAnne’s heart tripped quickly in place. What would be inside? Gold as Charlotte’s twenty-dollar gold piece promised? Stocks and bonds worth even more than the gold? Or rocks as Mike implied. Did he want it to be rocks? Why would he? KodyAnne glanced at him, but he didn’t seem to notice as he stared intently at the box.

  The door to the jail burst open and a camera on a tripod clattered through the opening followed by the one man they didn’t need or want. Oliver Payne stumbled over the threshold with a dimpled grin. “I caught wind of a big story going on in the jail. Hope you don’t mind if I set up my camera and let the good folks around here know what’s going on.”

  “Oh, no.” KodyAnne breathed out the words.

  Michael’s hand closed around hers as he faced the newsman. “Is this necessary, Payne? Aren’t people entitled to privacy?”

  “Looks like a good story to me, Preacher.” Oliver spread his tripod and set up his box camera. His grin never stopped. “Are you personally involved? The good folks around town would like to know that, too.”

  “Wait a minute.” Tyler faced Oliver with his body shielding the box. “I think a properly written story might be a good thing. If the newspaper will print the truth, we have nothing to hide. Maybe it would set to rest some false accusations against our family.”

  The sheriff nodded toward his desk. “You aren’t afraid of what you’ll find in that box?”

  “No.” Tyler turned and put his hand on the hasp again. “I believe what Uncle Mark said that this contains an inheritance handed down through our family from our great-great grandfather. Burying such a treasure and putting worthless trinkets in a safety deposit box is unconventional to be sure, but so was our uncle.”

  “All right.” Oliver set a tray on the floor and knelt beside it. “Let me get the flash powder mixed. Won’t take but a minute.”

  KodyAnne looked at her brother’s determined expression. There’d be no arguing with him. He wanted his name cleared and rightly deserved it. If anyone was an outlaw, she was, for entering the bank without permission. Maybe this was a good thing.

  Charlotte shifted away from the newspaperman and kept her eyes turned toward him. She might never fully trust men, but meeting Michael and living in town seemed to have eased some of her fear.

  “All right.Got it ready.” Oliver stood behind his camera and lifted the pan of flash powder high above his head. He nodded toward Tyler. “Step to one side so I can see. You two ladies stand behind him.”

  When KodyAnne and Charlotte got in place, he looked at Tyler. “Go ahead and open it, then you can tell me your story.”

  A blinding light flashed as Tyler lifted the lid.

  KodyAnne blinked and quickly focused on a large envelope. When Tyler lifted it, a gasp sounded. Was that Charlotte or her? She covered her mouth to stop a squeal. A ray of sunshine from the uncovered window behind the sheriff’s desk fell across more gold coins than she’d ever seen in her life. “Oh, Ty, how much is there?”

  He laughed. “It’ll take a while to count them.”

  “Before you count your wealth, can you verify the source?” Oliver pushed in beside Tyler. “I understand you are the nephew and nieces of a notorious outlaw in these parts. Mark Delmont. Is that correct?”

  “This is legitimate money.” Tyler scowled at the man.

  “Can you prove that?” Sheriff Barnett stepped forward. His gaze seemed to penetrate as he zeroed in on Tyler.

  KodyAnne’s heartbeat thudded against her chest. She nudged Tyler’s arm. “Open the envelope, Ty. If what Uncle Mark said is true, there should be proof in it.”

  “Right.” Tyler broke the seal and lifted the flap on the large envelope. He pulled out several pages of official-looking papers. “Sheriff, this should tell you something. Here’s some railroad stock purchased in 1803 in Massachusetts made out to Adam Delmont.” He shuffled through the papers. “This one’s later in St. Louis. And here’s a bill of sale for property in Missouri signed by Adam Delmont.”

  He handed it to the sheriff and flipped through several more pages before turni
ng to look at KodyAnne. “Uncle Mark said you know the family stories. What is this? It looks like he sold land enough to cover an entire county.”

  KodyAnne laughed. “He probably did. Uncle Mark’s grandfather increased his land and holdings until he owned many acres near St. Louis. When Grandfather Matthew and Uncle Mark were children, their grandfather founded a town and sold much of his property to businesses and residents. He invested in the railroad, too. The stock he bought may be worth quite a bit. We have Uncle Mark’s will, but is there one in there from his grandfather. I know he mentioned one once.”

  Tyler pulled a smaller envelope out. “This says ‘grandfather’s will’ on it.” He handed it to KodyAnne. “Here, see what it says.”

  She took it from him and pulled the single sheet of yellowed paper out. After opening it with care she read, “Last Will and Testament of Adam Elijah Delmont.”

  She offered it to the sheriff. “Here, you want proof this is honest money. Maybe you should read this.”

  One of his eyebrows quirked when he met her gaze, but he took it and skimmed. He shrugged. “From all appearances, this is your money fairly inherited from your grandfather. I see no reason to believe otherwise.”

  “May I quote you, sheriff?” Oliver scratched a pen against a pad of paper in his hand as the soft click of the door closing sounded.

  “Yes, and you can also say that all charges against Tyler Delmont and KodyAnne Delmont have been dropped. The U.S. Marshal made a special trip to pick up the men we captured, and we had a talk. He said he couldn’t be bothered with your involvement in the incident involving your father due to lack of evidence and lack of an actual robbery.”

  Oliver scribbled furiously then turned toward Tyler. “So can you tell us what you plan to do with all this money and approximately how much you believe is there?”

  KodyAnne turned to look for Michael. She swung in a complete circle, but he wasn’t anywhere in the room. The sound of the door closing echoed in her mind. “Where’s Mike?”