by Amanda Boone
“Even more reason to get rid of him.”
“But Moya and Elise don’t know I heard them talking about it. If only I could convince Gloria to tell me who beat her up. I just know it was Lars.”
“I have a plan, Stina,” Mike announced. “We’re going to put that man behind bars as soon as we can.”
“How?”
“I haven’t told you this because I didn’t want to upset you, but he’s threatened me. I told him to come at me whenever he wants, because I’ll be watching for him, and I’ll beat him into the ground the second he throws the first punch.”
She jerked up to her elbow and stared down at him. “Oh, Mike. How could you do that? He’s dangerous.”
“I know he is, sweetheart,” he replied, “but I was a middleweight boxing champion in New York.”
“What’s boxing?”
“It’s kind of like organized fighting. One uses padded gloves and fights in a ring. I’ll take Olson on any day of the week and beat him. I have a bag in the storage room at the office, and I punch it daily—usually imagining Olson’s face on it. And I shadow box, too.”
“Shadow box?”
“I fight against the air. I do sit ups to keep my stomach strong, and I jump rope to keep my feet fast. I also go down by the river and run. Even the lumberjacks don’t work out as much as I do.”
“But he doesn’t fight fair. He sneaks up behind people. Look what he did to Moya and probably Rollie. Or he beats up women, if what I suspect about Gloria is true.”
“If I have my way, it won’t even come to fisticuffs, my dear.”
“Fisticuffs?”
“A fist fight. We will do it, though. We’ll put Lars Olson behind bars where he belongs.”
“At least, promise me you’ll be careful,” Stina said, concerned that he would get hurt.
“I’m not going to do anything that will separate us. I plan to make you my bride once we’ve taken care of him.”
But his words didn’t ease her apprehension, because she knew deep down inside that this was going to get a whole lot worse.
Chapter 15
Just as Stina was beginning to think that Lars had a change of heart and was giving up on his threats, she found a note slipped under the washhouse door. Curious, she opened it since it had her name on the front. She didn’t know how to read a lot of English, but this note was designed so she could understand.
I’m warning you. And that was all it said. The message, however, was clear. This had to be from Lars. It couldn’t be anybody else.
Later that day, a woman came in with a bag of laundry and announced that another accident had occurred. Apparently, Lars had been working with the man when it happened. A wagon-load of logs had run over Gunther Jansen’s arm, severing it about halfway between his elbow and his shoulder. Thank goodness, Gunther had no family to support, because his livelihood had just been stripped from him.
When Mike came to the washhouse and told her that Bridget had covered the story, Stina cringed. After drying her hands on her apron, Stina pulled him into the storage room so they could speak away from Gloria.
“Do you think Lars did this?” she asked in concern.
“Nobody knows for sure, but Bridget suspects that he did.”
“Why?”
Mike sat down on the small bed in the corner and pulled Stina down beside him. “Why do you have a bed in here, anyway?”
“Gloria wanted to get away from the saloon, so I told her she could sleep here. Now answer my question. Why does Bridget think Lars did it?”
“It’s nothing she can prove, but she told me that she interviewed Olson. What he told her makes us both suspicious. He told her that—quote—he turned around and saw—unquote—Jansen’s arm under the wheel. He moved the team forward to get Jansen out, and his arm was already cut off.”
“That poor man,” Stina sympathized. “It must have been very painful. I can’t imagine what he’ll do now.”
“According to Dr. Frey, he may not make it. He’s lost a lot of blood, and Dr. Frey doesn’t think this thing he did will help.”
“What did he do?”
“The doctor gave him what he calls a blood transfusion. I guess the doctor took some blood from his arm and put in Jansen’s arm. He hopes it will be enough, but he’s not sure. He’s never done something like that before.”
Stina rose and wandered to the only window in the room, which looked out on a meadow behind the building where she hung clothes to dry. As she stared at the clothes flapping gently in the breeze, she tried to imagine what it would be like to lose an arm. Then she realized that she received a note that morning.
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the note and toyed with it for a few moments. Was that note connected to Gunther’s accident? Oh, how she hoped not!
“What do you have there, sweetie?” Mike asked as he approached her.
“This was on the floor by the door when I got here this morning,” she replied, handing him the note. “I can’t read much English, and I think it’s worded by somebody who knows that. There are just three words on it—I’m warning you. I’m pretty sure Lars is the person who put it under the door.”
Mike took the note from her and studied it. “I’m warning you. That’s a pretty clear threat. Have you ever found out who attacked Gloria that night? I learned that Olson was the one to find her. That man sure gets around a lot. He’s in the same place as Moya when Moya gets injured. He’s in the same place as Parker when Parker is injured. Now he’s in the same place as Jansen when Jansen is injured. I wonder what all these things have in common to warrant Olson being present.”
“I know Gloria wanted to stop being a hooker. She wanted to get out of the saloon and better her life, but she was afraid because she thought it was too dangerous. I think the reason for Moya was Lars’ jealousy. He didn’t want Elise to be with anybody but him.”
“Bridget’s working on this story because I could lose the paper if I do it. As you know, Frank Harris owns fifty-one percent. He’ll take it away from me. But if Bridget prints an article without me knowing about it, she might be able to get away with it.”
Stina gazed up at him. “What story is that?”
“I’m not sure I should tell you. I don’t want to lose you before I have a chance to ask you to marry me.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. He’d mentioned marriage once before, but she hadn’t known at the time what she would say. She knew exactly what she would say now, though. She would say yes, of course.
“Is that what you’re doing?” she asked, unsure she should. “Asking me to marry you?”
“Not yet. I want to make sure you’re perfectly safe before I do that. We need to take care of Olson now, because I don’t think we’re going to get a better opportunity. Are you ready for this?”
“I think so.”
“As soon as you can get Gloria to tell you who beat her up, I’ll go to the sheriff.”
***
After three days of periodically trying, Stina still wasn’t able to get Gloria Scott to identify her attacker. Finally, Mike came to the washhouse and spoke to Gloria personally while Stina ironed nearby.
“Gloria,” Mike said, “I know this is difficult for you. I know you’ve been through a lot because of your assault, but Bridget and I want to bring your assailant to justice. We want to be able to print an article in the newspaper that gives the details—including who did it.”
Gloria shook her head. “I can’t. If I do, he’ll come after me again. He’s told me so many times, more often after I started working here.”
“Then I’m not going to ask you to tell me. I’m going to guess. If I’m right, we’ll go to the sheriff and tell him who it was and have him put in jail.”
“The sheriff won’t believe you. He’s the one behind it.”
Trying to remain calm, Stina put her cool iron on the stove and picked up a hot one. The sheriff was behind Gloria’s beating? Why? What could she possibly have done except want to
leave her job as a hooker?
“He didn’t want to lose his income if you left prostitution, did he,” Mike observed. “You and the other girls pay him. Am I right?”
Gloria remained silent.
“That’s okay. You don’t have to answer. I already know about it from another source. But Douglas couldn’t be physically connected to your beating in any way, so I’m guessing he had somebody else do his dirty work.”
Fidgeting with the wet plaid, flannel shirt in her hand, she looked down at it. Obviously, Mike had gotten the information right. Now all he had to do was convince her to admit who her attacker was. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take long.
“I’m going to say a name,” he explained, “and if I’m right about who I believe your assailant is, you just drop that shirt in the water. You won’t have to say a word.” Mike paused then said, “Lars Olson.”
The loud gasp and shocked expression Gloria gave him were all Stina needed to know that they had been right all along. Gloria stared at Mike with wide eyes then turned her pleading gaze to Stina. As she did, she toyed with the shirt collar. She must have realized that they could read her expression, because her fingers slowly released the shirt, and it slipped into the water.
“Please don’t tell Sheriff Douglas,” Gloria said.
“We have to, Gloria,” Mike replied in a comforting tone. “But we’ll do everything we can to keep you safe.”
“That’s right,” Stina inserted. “You’re going to stay at my house. We always lock the door with a bolt, not just a lock like here. You’ll be with me all the time until he’s in jail.”
Chapter 16
While Mike went to visit with Rollie Parker, Stina locked up her business and took Gloria to her home, where she told her friend to bolt the door. Then she went to the newspaper office to visit with Moya in the hope that she could get him to admit that Lars had attacked him.
Once she was in his office, Stina sat down in the chair beside his desk to talk to him.
“Vat can I do for you, Stina,” he asked.
“You’re like a brother to me, Moya,” she started off, “so I hope you’ll understand what I’m going to do. When you were injured and came to our house so Elise could take care of you, I heard you talking one night. I know that Lars is the one who attacked you with the limb, but I don’t understand why. Was it just because you wanted to court Elise?”
For several seconds, Moya simply stared at her. Then apparently realizing there was no need to lie, he said, “Dat vas a big part of it. He vanted me avay from her. But I know someting else, too.”
“What? That he beat up Gloria Scott? Or is it something else?”
“He’s de von who did dat? No, it vas someting else. He is getting paid to cause the lumber business trouble. It isn’t yust accidents. It’s udder tings, too. Tools missing, trees falling de wrong vay, tings like dat. If anybody tells him they’re going to tell Yared Coleman, dey have an accident.”
“Is that what happened with you? Did you want to tell Jared?”
“Ja.”
“I’m going to tell Mike. Bridget is going to print an article someday without him knowing when, and she’s going to let all of this come out. Mike says that Lars won’t be able to do anything about it, because everybody will know it was him.”
***
That night, Mike took Stina with him to the doctor’s office, where he lived in the back.
“Could we talk to you, Dr. Frey?” Mike asked politely as they stood outside the door to his office.
“Come in,” Dr. Frey replied, stepping out of the way so Stina then Mike could enter. “Come. We’ll sit in my parlor.”
They wandered into the back of the office, and Stina marveled at the elaborate Victorian furniture. She didn’t have time to dwell on it, however, because Mike led her to the brocade-covered sofa and sat down with her before he began his conversation with the doctor.
“I know that you don’t believe Rollie Parker had an accident. Can you tell me why?”
“Besides the nature of his injuries, he was quite evasive when I questioned him about how he got hurt. He also refused to tell me why he was working at the lumberyard alone. Why would he do that if he wasn’t protecting somebody? Everybody knows that Harris insists that at least two people work together in case there’s an accident.”
“I didn’t know that,” Mike said. “We suspect Lars Olson of having a hand in all of the injuries sustained here lately. He’s been threatening us, and we’re trying to put him behind bars. Would you collaborate with us on talking to the sheriff?”
“I will absolutely collaborate with you, because he’s the only person who was around after all of the so-called accidents. Just let me know when you’re going to see Douglas, and I’ll join you. I can’t wait to get that man in jail for murder.”
“Murder?” Stina repeated, stunned by his statement.
“Yes,” the doctor explained. “Gunther Jansen died this afternoon. He lost a lot of blood, but the worst thing was the infection that set in. Douglas will have to listen to us now. If he doesn’t, I’m sure the regional marshal will be interested in all of this.”
“We can’t let any of this information come out yet,” Mike warned. “It all has to remain with the three of us and Bridget until tomorrow morning. Harris is in town right now, and I have every intention of bringing him to justice, too. He’s as corrupt as they come. In fact, I have good information that he was behind everything Lars did. I want this town out of Harris’ hands and in the hands of the workers. Let them own the town, just like I plan to own the newspaper.”
***
Early the next morning Moya, Rollie Parker, Gloria Scott, Mike, Stina, Bridget and Dr. Frey went one or two at a time into the sheriff’s office and waited until all of them had assembled.
Although Sheriff Douglas tried to get Stina and Gloria to tell him why they were there, they refused. His questions became more desperate with each person who entered the building, until all seven of them stood before the sheriff’s face told Stina everything she needed to know. He knew why they were there, and everything that had happened was about to come to light.
“What’s going on here?” he demanded.
“I think you know,” Mike said. “We’re here to get justice. You need to go arrest Lars Olson.”
“For what?”
“For the murder of Gunther Jansen to begin with,” Dr. Frey said. “I’m here on his behalf.”
Sheriff Douglas’ mouth dropped open as though he was going to speak, but Moya stopped him, saying, “And I’m here to press charges against him for assault.”
“I am, too,” Rollie said.
The sheriff’s face paled when Gloria added, “Me, too. And because you are forcing the hookers to pay you money to work here.”
“Why are the rest of you here?” Sheriff Douglas asked.
“Bridget is here to take notes for an article in the newspaper,” Mike explained. Stina’s here because she heard Elise and Moya talking about what happened to Moya. I’m here because I want the newspaper. Two more people should be here in a few minutes. It was just taking them a little longer than they thought.”
“We’re here now,” Jared said as he and Harris walked into the building.
“What is this?” Harris wanted to know.
“You’re going to fire your sheriff and hire me as sheriff,” Jared replied.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because,” Mike announced, “we all know that you’re behind the injuries, deaths and other things going on around here. We know that you hired Lars Olson to do your dirty work. One of two things is going to happen. Either you’re going to make Jared the sheriff and turn the town over to its citizens, or we’re going to the regional marshal. It’s your choice.”
“That’s blackmail.”
“No, it’s a choice you get to make. Blackmail would be my telling you to hand over the newspaper to me without any reimbursement from me, or I’ll send you to jail for corruption. I’m n
ot going to do that, though. I’m going to pay you for the newspaper.”
“All right, all right. Douglas,” Harris said, “take off your badge and give it to Coleman.” He turned toward Mike. “Are you happy now?”
No one spoke again until after Jared pinned on the badge and put Douglas in a cell for his role in everything. Then Jared said, “My second act as sheriff is to deputize Mike. Make sure everybody stays here, Mike. I’m going to get Olson.”
They all sat in the sheriff’s office, silent or talking quietly among themselves until Jared returned about a half an hour later with Lars in handcuffs.
When Lars saw everyone sitting there, his face paled.
“You!” he shouted at Mike as Jared put him in a separate cell than Douglas. “This is your fault.”
“No,” Mike replied, “it’s your fault. Jansen didn’t make it, and your story didn’t hold up. We have witnesses to attest to it, too.”
“By the way, Harris,” Jared said, grabbing the smaller, bald man’s upper arm, “you’re under arrest for corruption.”
Epilogue
Jared went to the marshal’s office and brought the man back to Forestville. Once all legal proceedings were started, Mike went to San Francisco to purchase the newspaper from Harris’ wife.
Finally, a month later, Mike sat down with Stina in her living room and said, “I have something to read to you, sweetheart. With Elise’s help, I wrote to your father a while back. This is the letter I received back from him. Elise translated it for me and wrote it down.
“Thank you for contacting me about your intentions. I never would have thought a man would go to such lengths given the distance between us. Yes, Mr. O’Riley. You have my blessing, and my wife’s, too.”
Tears already clouded Stina’s vision. This was it. She could hardly wait, but she knew she must be patient.
Mike dropped to his knee before her and took her hand in his. “That letter is why I didn’t ask you when I mentioned marriage the first time. I wanted a reply first. Now that I have it, I have to know. Jag älskar dig, Stina Bengtson, Vill du gifta dig med mig?”
