Looking through the filter of his new theory, he could find a way to tie his suspect to every incident except the one at the mercantile. With that one exception, it all appeared to fit together snugly, the why, the who, the when.
Hazel had been right after all, she just hadn’t taken it far enough.
In fact, it was time to share his theory with her. It would be good to talk this through with her, to get her unique insights, to let her share in what he hoped was the solution to the puzzle.
And perhaps even help him figure out how to prove it.
Ward headed straight for the dress shop.
* * *
For the second day in a row, Hazel found herself leaning against the teacher’s desk and staring at the note-filled blackboard.
Ward stood nearby and she wondered if he was remembering how their session had ended yesterday. In fact, thoughts of that kiss hadn’t been far from her mind ever since it had happened.
He cleared his throat. “Thank you for coming.”
So it was going to be all business. “Of course. I have to admit I’m intrigued.” And flattered that he’d want to get her input on his theory. “So what have you discovered?”
“Not discovered so much as figured out.” Hazel listened as Ward explained about his visit to the Lawrence place this morning and everything he’d worked out since. She was impressed with the connections he’d made, the motives he’d deduced, the leaps of logic he’d made.
Impressed, but not surprised. Ward was one of the smartest men she knew, not necessarily in book learning but in the things that really mattered.
“So, what do you think?” he asked as he wrapped up his explanation.
“I think it makes perfect sense. So much so that I can’t believe I didn’t see it before now.”
“Don’t feel bad. It took me this long as well and this is my job.”
“But I had a piece of the puzzle you didn’t, remember?” She braced herself to hop up on the desk, then changed her mind. “So what now?” she asked, trying to cover her aborted action.
“Now I try to prove it.” He raised a brow at her in mock challenge. “Any ideas?”
Hazel grinned. “As a matter of fact...”
* * *
Later that afternoon, Hazel looked up as the shop door opened. She was alone in the emporium at the moment. Verity was at home minding the saddlery shop for Nate and Meg was upstairs with Aunt Opal.
“Oh, Tensy, I’m so glad you could make time to come.” She stepped out from behind the counter to greet her customer.
“I got word you wanted to see me.” The woman looked nervous, as if she might bolt from the shop at any moment.
“I wanted to show you something that I think will really add that special touch you wanted for your dress.”
Tensy’s whole expression brightened and she stepped forward. “What’s that?”
Hazel reached into a box on the counter and pulled out a roll of ivory ribbon that was decorated with iridescent sequins in shades of gold and bronze. She held it up so that it shimmered in the sunlight. “I’d ordered this for my own gown but since that was destroyed, I thought you’d like to have it for yours.”
“It’s so beautiful.” Tensy touched it reverently. Then she reluctantly dropped her hand. “But it’s probably much too expensive for me to purchase.”
Hazel smiled. “Consider it my wedding gift to you. What do you think, we can stitch it along the neckline and at the waist?”
“Oh, thank you, that’s so generous.”
“You’re welcome. And I am feeling generous today. The sheriff and I decided last night to set the wedding ceremony for tomorrow.”
Tensy gave her a startled frown. “Tomorrow? Isn’t that rather sudden?”
“I know. But we want to get married before my aunt Opal leaves on Friday.”
“But your dress is ruined. Surely you don’t have time to create another one by Friday.”
Hazel waved a hand, dismissing Tensy’s concerns. “I know. But I have other very nice dresses. And the important thing is the ceremony itself and what it signifies, don’t you think? And that you have loved ones with you to help celebrate, like my aunt Opal.” Then she gave a happy sigh. “Besides, I do have something very special to wear.”
“Oh?”
“Verity is making a headpiece for me using some of the lace from my mother’s wedding dress. I’m so glad it wasn’t down here when those cads destroyed my gown. Wearing it will be like having my mother’s blessing on our marriage.”
She gave a delicate little shudder. “If something happened to that piece, after everything else that’s gone wrong, I think I’d take it as a sign that this wedding was really not meant to be.” She turned to Tensy. “Would you like to see it?”
Tensy nodded and Hazel led the girl to the workroom. “Here it is. Isn’t it lovely?”
Tensy touched the delicate lace and seed pearl creation with near awe. Then Hazel ushered her back out. “I’m sorry to rush you but Aunt Opal is having a small engagement party for us tonight so I’ve got lots to do before the ceremony tomorrow.”
“I understand. I need to get back and finish my chores myself. But if there is anything I can do to help, just let me know.”
“Thank you, but I think we have everything under control.”
As Hazel watched Tensy leave, her smile faded as she gave into a thoughtful, almost melancholy feeling. A part of her hoped Ward was wrong about who was behind the vandalism the town had been experiencing.
But the logical part of her knew he wasn’t.
* * *
Ward sat in the dark in the dress shop. If he was right, the town troublemaker’s string of crimes would come to an end tonight. Nate Cooper was with him. He didn’t figure he really needed the help but the man had stubbornly insisted when he learned the plan.
Once Ward had determined that Nate was not merely after retribution for what had been done to his place, and had the man’s word that he would hang back unless needed, he had agreed to let him sit watch with him.
The dinner party at the hotel was currently in full swing and should last for another hour. That was the window of time their quarry had to break in here so Ward figured they wouldn’t have much longer to wait.
And he was right. The sound of a window opening brought both men alert. Ward signaled for Nate to remain where he was while he moved quietly to the workroom.
When he heard the sound of someone dropping to the floor, he stepped inside. “Hello, Tensy.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Behind him, Nate struck a match and lit the lamp they had brought for just that purpose. But true to his word, the man made no move to interject himself into the confrontation.
Tensy looked at Ward and actually smiled. “You figured it out. I knew you would.”
“You’ve been a busy woman.” He was feeling his way right now, like a wrangler with an agitated stallion, not really sure what tone to take with her.
“I know. And the surprising thing is, I discovered I’m quite good at this sort of thing.”
“That you are.” Almost too good.
“I did it all for us, but surely you already know that.”
“Tensy, there is no us.” He decided not to leave any gray area as far as that part of her delusion.
She shook her head, her expression one of indulgent exasperation. “Don’t tease me. I know Hazel forced your hand by putting you in a compromising position, but all I have to do is destroy this veil and she’ll realize that she was never meant to marry you.”
Then Tensy paused, a tiny frown marring her serene expression. “Where’s the veil? I could swear it was right here earlier.”
“It’s been put away somewhere safe.”
Her expression took on
a desperate quality. “No! You’ve got to get it for me. Once I destroy it, Hazel will go away and you will be free to marry me.”
“Tensy, for the last time, there is no us. I’m truly sorry if anything I did led you to believe we were anything more than friends but we’re not.” He could see the madness in her eyes now. Had it always been there?
“No!” She screamed the word. “You love me, I know you do. Why else would you have stood up for me? It’s why you kept making excuses to come back to the farm to speak to me. You belong with me, not her.”
This was so much worse than dealing with a thug or hardened criminal. “No, Tensy, you misinterpreted my actions. I was doing my job as sheriff, that was all there was to it.”
The woman let out a bloodcurdling scream and lunged for him, her hands curled into claws.
She was surprisingly strong and Ward was handicapped by his desire not to hurt her, but with Nate’s help, they quickly subdued her.
Almost immediately Tensy reverted to the coquettish bride-to-be. It was chilling to watch.
She gave Ward a teasing smile. “You shouldn’t be in here where my gown is. The groom shouldn’t see the bride’s dress before the wedding.”
Ward and Nate exchanged glances over her head, then Ward took her arm. “Come along, I’m going to take you someplace where you’ll be safe.”
“Of course. I’ll follow you anywhere you want to go. Can we talk about a wedding date now or should we wait until Hazel leaves for New York? It won’t be much longer now, I’m sure.”
He turned to Nate. “Would you mind riding out to get her father? She needs someone familiar to be with her tonight.”
And he needed to see Hazel. Needed her to wash away this sad, pitiable glimpse of madness he’d just had to deal with.
* * *
It was a long night. Nate stayed with him until Tensy was safely behind bars, but the woman was surprisingly docile now and there was no repeat of the manic attack she’d attempted earlier.
Mrs. Pratt was called in to sit with Tensy while Nate rode out to fetch Enoch and while Ward made the notifications.
He first stopped at the hotel to let Hazel and Verity know they’d resolved the matter without anyone getting hurt. He knew both women had been concerned.
Then he headed over to the mayor’s office where he had to lay everything out for the disbelieving official. It took quite some time to convince the mayor that it was a woman who’d caused so much angst in the town. In fact, he had to go through the whole litany of motives.
“A few weeks ago I took some boys to task who nearly ran her down and she apparently got it in her head that I was sweet on her. She orchestrated those incidents at her father’s place as an excuse to have me stop by. Then, when I started to question why it was all happening at her place, she moved to Saul’s place to throw suspicion off of her. The incidents at Eunice’s place and your office occurred after she overheard slights made about me. She considered Hazel a rival so she hit the Coopers’ place because Hazel had said she planned to leave town once Verity returned and she wanted to hasten that date. And she hit Hazel’s place in an attempt to scare her off.”
“And the mercantile?”
“I haven’t figured that one out for sure, and we may never know. But if I was guessing, I’d say she was taking advantage of the incident that happened earlier that day to throw suspicion on the Lytle boys. Remember, they were the ones who set this whole chain of events in motion.”
Though Ward suspected if it hadn’t been that, it would have been something else. Tensy had obviously been “not quite right” for a long time.
The mayor shook his head, obviously having trouble taking it all in. “I must say, this is one for the books. Who could have imagined that all this fuss would be caused by a lovesick woman?” He stood and extended his hand. “Congratulations, Sheriff, well done. I had faith all along that you’d get this matter resolved.”
By the time Ward got back to his office, a distraught and confused Enoch had arrived. He accepted Ward’s story of what had happened but seemed a broken man.
Ward set a chair inside Tensy’s cell and let Enoch in to see her.
He left the two of them alone to talk while he handled some of the paperwork required by the arrest. Finally he stood and moved to the cells. Tensy was asleep on her cot and Enoch sat on the chair with his head in his hand.
Ward opened the cell to let the man out.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to spend the night in the cell next to hers, just so I’ll be close by if she awakens.”
“Of course.” Ward had a feeling this situation was going to be every bit as difficult for Enoch in the days to come as it was going to be for Tensy.
As Enoch sat on the cot in his cell, he looked up at Ward. “What’s going to happen to her? I know she done bad things, but she’s still my little girl.”
For a moment Ward tried to imagine what he’d be feeling if it was Meg in that cell and his sympathy for the man deepened. “I honestly don’t know. But I promise you I’ll do everything in my power, such as it is, to make this as easy on her and you as I can.”
Enoch nodded. “You’re a good man.” Then he turned and lay down on the cot, staring up at the ceiling.
* * *
Ward watched him a moment, then rubbed the back of his neck as he turned to the storeroom where he brewed the coffee. Other than that quick notification in the hotel restaurant, he still hadn’t spoken to Hazel, and he felt it was long past time he do so. But it was well past midnight now so he’d have to wait a little longer.
Was this what love felt like?
This yearning to discuss the important matters in your life with that special someone?
This urgent need to just lay eyes on that person to help refresh your spirit when it’s taken a blow?
This feeling like there’s a hole in your heart that only she can heal?
How could he let her go to New York knowing he might never see her again?
Chapter Twenty-Six
“What’s going to happen to her now?” Hazel had waited all night to hear something from Ward. It was just past dawn now and he’d finally shown up at her shop door. She’d all but pulled him inside and made him take a seat on one of the upholstered benches that were scattered around her shop. He should have looked out of place in this setting but somehow he didn’t.
What he did look like was tired and weary of spirit.
“She’s no longer in her right mind.” Ward raked a hand through his hair, weariness and something more seeming to weigh him down. “It’s as if she’s living in a world of her own, sort of the way Bethany did these past twelve years. It would be wrong to keep her in jail.”
Hazel agreed, and yet... “But you can’t just send her back home with her father as if nothing happened.”
“I know.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve been giving that a lot of thought and I’m going to recommend that Enoch look into sending her to the same facility that Bethany was at. I think that’s the best thing for everyone involved. They have some very fine doctors and nurses there who will see that she’s comfortable and that she doesn’t hurt herself or anyone else. And Enoch can find a place to stay nearby if he’s a mind to.”
“You’re a good man, Ward Gleason.”
She fiddled with her collar. “Do you think folks around here will be okay with that arrangement? After all, some of the people she caused problems for might not be quite so forgiving.”
“Tensy didn’t really hurt anyone. And Enoch is well respected around here. Given the chance, most folks are willing to do the right thing. I think if the recommendation is couched properly, and folks know she’ll be sent away to a place like that, then they’ll be willing to forgo pressing charges against her.”
“I should have seen this sooner.�
� How could she have been so blind? All the signs had been there—the secret beau, the frequent trips into the dress shop where she was able to keep tabs on things being said about Ward, her constant insistence that Hazel “follow her dreams” to New York.
“It’s not the sort of thing one looks for. And we all thought it was a boy or man doing this. Even now Mayor Sanders is having trouble believing a woman could have been behind everything. It’s hard to see past those ingrained perceptions.”
She studied him closely, worried by the dark circles under his eyes. “Did you get any sleep at all last night?”
He shrugged. “I dozed in my chair a bit.”
“That’s what I thought. You and I need to talk, but I prefer to do it when you’re in full control of your faculties.”
He nodded and stood. It was telling that he didn’t ask what she wanted to discuss. “Enoch is staying with Tensy for now and Nate has promised to look in on them from time to time this morning so I can get some shut-eye. How about I meet you for lunch, just the two of us, so we can talk? If your aunt or Verity won’t mind taking care of Meg for a spell.”
Hazel nodded. “I’ll pack us a lunch and we can take it down to the cemetery.”
He raised a brow at that.
“I happen to like it there,” she said in response to his unasked question. “It’s very peaceful and beautiful. And that bench under the big oak is the perfect spot to sit and talk.”
He gave her a short bow. “The cemetery it is. I’ll stop by here around noon and escort you there myself.”
Hazel watched him walk away, an unsettled feeling in her gut. She hadn’t been able to read anything in his expression so she didn’t know what he was thinking. But by this afternoon, she would know if she was leaving for New York with her aunt or staying in Turnabout to marry Ward.
It was probably one of the biggest turning points of her life. And it would all be over in just a few short hours.
A Tailor-Made Husband Page 22
