An Unlikely Place for Love

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “I thought I heard someone enter the bank.” She recognized Noah Edwards’ voice. He sat at his stool.

  “No. We’re about to close anyway, so it’s usually a quiet time.” That was Jesse. He also sat down.

  “You better shape up or you won’t be able to keep your job. Mr. Leroy doesn’t tolerate goofing off at work.”

  “Yes. I already got the lecture from him.”

  “Where did Jake run off to?”

  “Oh, he had to take his mother to the doctor. She’s not doing well these days. He’ll be back any minute.”

  “The poor man. His heart just got broken and it looks like his mother’s not going to last much longer.”

  “He was the one who called off the wedding.”

  “Because he overheard Patrick Stafford tell Johanna Clark not to marry him,” Noah replied. “Don’t you know what really happened?”

  “Apparently not.”

  “You need to pay attention to what’s going on around you. Patrick told everyone at Brad Allen’s dinner party that he and Johanna realized they loved each other a week before the wedding, so he asked her to call it off, but she refused because she wanted to marry Jake for his money.”

  “He doesn’t have that much.”

  “Not yet but everyone knows it won’t be long before he’s rich. He has a gift for making money.”

  “Why hasn’t he said anything? A lot of people in town have been shunning him for breaking Johanna’s heart.”

  “You know how Jake is. He’s a private person.”

  Kate felt sorry for Jake’s situation but it only confirmed her instinct that she could trust him.

  The door opened. She held her breath. She wondered if Calvin had tracked her down. Fortunately, she was out of sight of the two tellers.

  “How is your mother doing?” Noah asked.

  Jake sat on the stool behind the long counter. “As well as can be expected,” he replied.

  “The doctor is still saying she only has eight months left to live?”

  “Yes.” He put his name plate up on the counter.

  “We’re sorry, Jake,” Noah softly said.

  Jake sighed but didn’t say anything.

  The door opened again. She heard the sound of footsteps as the person came closer to the tellers’ counter.

  “May I help you?” Jake asked.

  The woman went over to him. “I would like to take out $10.”

  Another person entered the bank.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. York,” Jesse called out. “Did you come to make a deposit?”

  Kate stiffened. The sudden movement caused her to brush her elbow against Jake’s shoes.

  Jake, who was counting out the dollar bills, tensed. He quickly peered under the counter and his eyes widened when he saw her.

  She put her finger to her lips and gave him a pleading look to not reveal her location.

  “Sir! I’m in a hurry,” the woman snapped.

  He sat back up, apologized and quickly handed her the money.

  Calvin turned to Jake. “Have you seen a man with black hair and a beard?” he asked Jake. “I have reason to believe that he is really Kate Tanner.”

  “May I ask why you’re interested in knowing whether or not a woman is dressed up as a man?” Jake replied.

  “I’m not interested in that,” the reporter pointedly responded. “I am interested in whether or not Kate Tanner is in this bank.”

  “The only woman in this bank just left,” Jesse stated. “I already told you that no one else is here.”

  “I thought perhaps Mr. Mitchell might have a different version of events. Do you?”

  “No. Kate Tanner is not here.”

  “I thought I saw her enter this place.”

  “Well, you were mistaken.”

  “Should any of you change your mind, here’s my business card. I do offer a good sum of money for anyone who is willing to work with me.”

  “We’ll keep that in mind.”

  She watched as Jake threw the card into the trash can between him and Jesse.

  After Calvin left, she breathed a sigh of relief. She stayed safely hidden behind the counter until it was time for the bank employees to leave. Jake waited until everyone but Conrad was gone before bending down and helping her up.

  “We need to be quick,” he told her as he ushered her out the door. “There’s a lot of talk about you. I’m guessing you don’t want them to find you.”

  “Yes, you’re right.”

  He motioned for a horse-drawn buggy driver to pick them up. He waited for her to enter the buggy before asking, “Do you plan to go to the train station?”

  “Yes.”

  He told the taxi driver to take them there before he sat across from her. He waited until the horse began moving before saying, “I can tell that the situation you’re in is serious. I’ve been reading the papers and figure I’ll read about your encounter with the police at the station.”

  “You’ll find out what happened soon enough. I’m sure Calvin York has figured it out.”

  “Well, your secret is safe with me. Do you need any more money?”

  “No. I’m fine.” She smiled at him. “Thank you, Jake.”

  “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “No. I don’t think so. Keeping Calvin from me was more than enough.”

  The driver stopped in front of the train station. She only had to wait for twenty minutes before the next train out of town. There was a benefit to living in a big town. The train station at Chad’s small town wasn’t as busy as this one was.

  The driver opened the door and she got out and paid the driver. She also added the money for Jake’s ride home.

  “I can get it,” Jake argued. “You need all the money you can get.”

  “I have more than enough,” she assured him. “A gentleman always returns a favor.”

  She went to into the building and paid for her ticket. She was eager to get back to the Dakota territory where she would feel safe again. Also, she did miss Chad. She couldn’t wait to see him again. It was just unfortunate that when she saw him, he wouldn’t be wrapping her in his strong arms and offering her safety in them. He would simply be her employer. Still, it was better than being dead. She gladly hopped on the train when it pulled up to the station. As soon as she was in her sleeping car, she allowed herself the freedom to cry.

  ***

  The next morning, she bought a paper and read the article on the front page:

  Senator Tanner’s Daughter Gives Story to Police, Then Disappears

  written by Calvin York

  Yesterday during the three o’clock hour Kate Tanner came to the police station. People saw her enter the station but no one saw her leave. The police are keeping the matter confidential but it is rumored that she said she saw Chief Derek Robin and Judge Dave Reinhart kill her parents on the night of her disappearance. I was unable to find Kate in order to verify that claim. Had this reporter not seen her talking to the police with his own eyes, he would swear that there was nothing to these rumors. However, all this reporter has to go on is speculation and what a confidential source has told him.

  Both Chief Robin and Judge Reinhart were available for my questions, though under the direction of their lawyers.

  “I was relieved to see that she was alright,” Robin said. “The entire police force feared that the people who killed her parents had harmed her. Why she disappeared again, I don’t understand.”

  “Are the allegations that you and Judge Reinhart murdered her parents true?”

  “Of course not. We are in a position to uphold the law. I was asleep at home during the time of the murder. My wife can vouch for that.”

  Upon asking Judge Reinhart the same question, he said, “I have no reason to kill them. We attended dinner parties together and got along well. On the night of the murders, I was in my chamber reviewing a trial that I was about to preside over. My secretary was there the entire time.”

  When
I asked Mrs. Robin and Conner O’Malley, the secretary, if these men’s alibis checked out, they assured me that the men were where they said they were on the night and at the time in question. No evidence points to them as being the murderers, though they are still suspects. Both men are still at work, though they are being carefully monitored.

  I am not in the business of making a judgment. I merely set out to report the facts. I have been unable to secure an interview with Miss Tanner but would be much obliged to allow her the chance to give her side of the story if she would be inclined to send me a message. I can use discretion if she would like to remain hidden.

  There was a picture of Kate talking to the police, but the picture was taken from a distance so it was difficult to tell what she looked like. There were also pictures of Derek and Dave. She sighed and put the paper down. Going to the police had been a complete waste of her time.

  Chapter Eight

  Eight days after Bob left, he finally returned. Chad was relieved to see his farmhand. He had started to wonder if something bad happened to the man. Bob had mentioned seeing a crime, and his later statement regarding killers made Chad realize that Bob had witnessed a murder. It sounded like the murderers knew he saw the crime. The least Chad could do for the man was hold his job for him.

  Sam had stopped coming out, and Tim and Jeff returned to their mediocre work. Chad wasn’t surprised, but he was startled that Bob had such a big impact on his other farmhands. For Chad, he realized he missed having his friend around. Bob was a good man.

  Bob returned on Friday around noon. Tim and Jeff ran out to greet him but Chad could tell from where he stood that Bob was worn out. Whatever Bob had been doing had been physically exhausting. Bob greeted them but his usual easy going manner was weighed down by whatever happened while he was away.

  Chad decided to help his best farmhand out. He walked over to the men. “Welcome back, Bob. Are you hungry?”

  “No. I ate on the train,” he replied. He seemed to be glad to be back. “I’m ready to get back to work. That is, if I still have a job.”

  “Of course you still have a job. You should probably rest a bit in the loft. You don’t look like you’re up to working in this heat.”

  The sweat covering Chad’s own shirt was a silent testimony of how hot the July sun had gotten over the past few days.

  “You’re right. I should rest,” Bob admitted.

  “Are you thirsty?”

  “No. Travis Richards gave me some water when he brought me out here.”

  “Alright. Go ahead and rest up.”

  Bob nodded and went to the barn.

  Chad noted that Tim and Jeff followed him. “Tim, Jeff!” he called out. “I need you to lead the cattle to the river.”

  The two men groaned but turned to do the chore.

  Later that day, Bob came down from the loft. He looked rested but sad.

  Chad had finished looking after the sheep when Bob came out of the barn. Since Tim and Jeff were in the shed, hiding so they could talk, Chad walked over to the farmhand. “Are you doing better?”

  Bob glanced at him. “You’re concerned about how I’m doing?” he asked.

  Chad shrugged. “Obviously, whatever happened to you was traumatic. I never saw a man who looked so worn out before.”

  “I suppose it’s not masculine to show one’s feelings.”

  “Not necessarily. Women aren’t the only ones who have feelings. Men do too. Even Jesus wept.”

  “I hadn’t considered that.”

  “Do you mind if I ask what happened?”

  “I went to tell the police what I saw but they seemed reluctant to believe me.”

  “Can you tell me what you saw?”

  “I saw who killed Senator Tanner and his wife. The killers know I saw them and they are men in powerful positions, so it’s prudent that I’m careful.”

  “I can appreciate your desire to hide out here. I won’t ask anything else.” He saw Tim and Jeff coming out of the shed. “Do you think you can handle them right now?”

  Bob took a deep breath. “Yes. What do you need us to do?”

  “The stalls could use some cleaning.”

  “We’ll get right on it, boss.” He left to walk over to the two men who looked happy to see him.

  Chad marveled that Bob could put on such a carefree facade with the men.

  As happy as Bob acted when the men were there, he spent most of the weekend by himself. Sam and Tim came out on Saturday to invite him to a potluck but he said he wasn’t in the mood for being social. Sunday afternoon, he asked Chad for some work to do.

  “If you don’t feel up to it, don’t worry about it,” Chad replied as he took some ripe vegetables from the garden.

  “I want to be busy. I’ve had enough time alone,” Bob said.

  “Alright. Would you mind helping me pick out the good vegetables? When we’re done, I can show you how to do canning.”

  “Sounds good, boss.”

  He grinned. “If you want to call me Chad, you can.”

  “I kind of like ‘boss,’” he admitted. “It keeps me in my place.”

  “I don’t have to keep you in line. You’re a good employee.” After spending years with the other three farmhands, he appreciated Bob’s strong work ethic.

  They spent the rest of the afternoon canning. Bob had difficulty with it.

  Chad chuckled after Bob accidentally knocked over some beets that had just been cut and placed in a jar. “I take back what I said about what job to choose next. Don’t do any kitchen details. You’ll be better off doing outdoor farm work.”

  Bob laughed. “Well, I can’t be good at everything.”

  “It’s good to see you laugh again.”

  “I can clean up though. Where are your dish rags?”

  Chad motioned to the drawer.

  “Sorry I spoiled some of your beets.” Bob put water and soap on the rag he found and collected the food off the floor.

  “Don’t worry about it. I have too many as it is, and I don’t like them that much. They taste alright when their pickled, but other than that, I tolerate them.”

  “I think Mrs. Turner would like some beets. She likes to put beets into everything she makes. Do you want to get rid of some?”

  “I know Mrs. Turner. She’s a nice woman. The next time you go to town, you can give her a couple of jars.”

  “She lost her husband four months ago. He died after a heart attack.”

  “That’s too bad. He was actually a good man.”

  “She has a couple of grown children.”

  “Her children are pretty nice too. I’ve sold her son a couple of cattle.”

  “Her daughter just turned eighteen and the mother was trying to fix me up with her the last time I went to town.”

  “Gabriella’s already an adult?” He shook his head. “The last time I remember seeing her, she was fifteen. Time keeps marching on. Sometimes I feel like time stands still out here. The seasons still come and go, but life on the farm almost feels stagnant.”

  “I notice a lot of men your age prefer women that are eighteen.”

  “I hadn’t noticed. I suppose men tend to marry later than women do.”

  “Why is that? Is it offensive to men when women are closer to their age?”

  “Some men find older women to be intimidating. A young woman is obviously easier to impress. Older women have had time to mature and be independent. They will have stronger opinions.”

  “I would actually prefer a woman who’s not afraid to speak her mind.”

  “Don’t let Tim or Sam hear you say that. Lacy’s twenty-four.”

  “I was thinking of someone who’s close to my sister’s age. She’s thirty.”

  “And she isn’t married yet?”

  “No. She hasn’t met the right man. She thinks that marriage should be more than about money or a man’s name. She wants someone who’s a friend.”

  “That’s a good idea. Georgia and I were never really friends. I d
idn’t think that a wife should also be a friend, but if I had a different attitude about that, I’m sure I wouldn’t have chosen her. I had assumed that love and friendship didn’t mix when it came to romance. Friendship is a good foundation for a marriage.”

  Bob finished cleaning the mess and asked, “Would you consider marrying a woman in her thirties?”

  “Sure. It’s not the age of the woman but it’s her personality that matters.” He stopped cutting the beets and looked at his farmhand who threw the bad food into a bucket Chad kept for scraps to give the animals. “Are you thinking of fixing me up with Mrs. Turner?”

  “No! What is she? Forty?”

  “Yes.”

  “She’s too old. She should be with a man who’s at least her age.”

  “Why have you been asking me so many questions about women and marriage?”

  Bob shrugged but wouldn’t look at him. “Just curious.”

  Chad sighed. Obviously, Bob wasn’t going to tell him what was going on. “I’m not opposed to women, alright? But before you think of bringing any woman out here, ask me about it first.”

  “I understand.”

  “Can we talk about something else now?”

  “I was going to ask you about what you do when you moved the cattle from one pasture to another. What exactly does that chore entail?”

  Glad for the change of topic, Chad filled him in on the details.

  ***

  The next morning, just as the sun was rising, Chad decided to collect the eggs so he could make scrambled eggs. He put three eggs into his basket. He wondered how many eggs Bob wanted so he decided to climb the ladder to ask him. When he reached the top, his jaw dropped for he saw a beautiful woman sleeping in the loft. Bob was nowhere in sight. The woman had long blond wavy hair that was spread over the pillow. She was also naked, and the blanket only covered the lower half of her body. He forced himself to action and quickly went back down the ladder. He took a moment to regain his composure.

  “Where is Bob?” he finally yelled so he would wake her up.

  He heard her stir.

  “Where is Bob?” He asked the question louder this time.