After only a couple of clipped statements, the sheriff followed him. “Let’s head down to the hotel and see what she has to say about the handbill.”
I’m sure she’ll have plenty to say, but will we be able to believe her? Jeremiah didn’t share his thoughts with the lawman who rode beside him. Soon enough for him to hear them after they’d talked to the woman.
Maddy laid a sleeping Pearl on the pallet Caroline made for her near the back door of the kitchen, where the breeze would keep her cooler during her nap. She straightened, rubbing her lower back. All those years when other people took care of her, she’d had no idea how hard they worked.
Caroline used a wooden spoon to stir liquid in a metal pitcher. “Is Sarah coming down to have some lemonade with us? Skinner Mercantile received a new shipment of lemons from California, and Cyrus gave me first pick of the ones that made it.”
“Yes, she’s on her way. I’m ready for a break.” Maddy moved a chair where she could see Pearl and dropped into it. What a relief.
Caroline poured three glasses of the pale yellow liquid. “You really don’t have to work as hard as you do around here. The Sneeds do enough to pay for your rooms and board. That’s why we’ve started paying them a little too. Take the time to enjoy Pearl.”
Maddy took a sip of the refreshing drink. “Helping has made me understand Loraine better.”
“Pearl’s mother?” Interest sparkled in Caroline’s eyes.
“Yes, she came from a wealthy family, too, but her parents forbade her to marry the man she loved. They disowned her. She enjoyed working beside her husband, trying to build a good life together. After he died and she had to move to shanty town, I got to know her and help her, because she was going to have a child. We talked a lot. I never did understand until we came here what she was talking about. Working for yourselves and your future gives you a lot of satisfaction, even if you get tired.”
Sarah slipped into one of the other chairs and picked up her glass. “I’ve never minded working.”
Maddy leaned across the table and touched Sarah’s arm. “I hadn’t realized how much you and Frank did for me. And I never thanked you properly.”
The praise seemed to fluster Sarah. She blushed, and her hands fluttered to her chest. “We believed God gave us a gift when He allowed us to work for your father and help raise you.”
Maddy knew they were a gift from God to her too, but she didn’t want to add to Sarah’s discomfort right now. “Caroline, our church services in Boston were different from these here. I’ve loved the Lord a long time, but I think I’m getting to know Him better now—on a different level.”
“Sam will be glad to hear that.”
Their conversation turned to other things, but Maddy didn’t share what was uppermost in her mind since yesterday. Had she misjudged Jeremiah? He had the right to wonder about them, since he loved Philip so much. And his distrust could be understood. She wished she felt comfortable enough with him to tell him the truth about why they had come to Golden. Maybe someday she would.
And, of course, she still needed to decide what to do about Philip’s proposal. She probably should call it a proposition. He wanted to marry her and give her all the money she needed. Some proposition! She’d get all the benefits, but Philip insisted that she and Pearl had brought nothing but joy into his life. Their conversations about God helped Maddy as much or more than the service on Sunday.
But was that reason enough to marry a man? Where was the love like her father and mother shared? Without her inviting it, a picture of Jeremiah Dennison helping her yesterday invaded her mind.
Jeremiah and the sheriff rode their horses at an easy walk toward the hotel. Plenty of people were coming and going about the town. Business and industry had transformed Golden from a lazy mining village to a thriving community, almost as busy as Albuquerque though not nearly as large.
“Do you know that man on the large palomino?” Bill nodded toward a stranger stopping outside his office.
“I haven’t seen him before, but I think that’s one of the horses from the livery in Los Cerrillos. I’ve stabled Lightning there when I’ve taken the train to Santa Fe. You know how I like Palominos.”
Wearing a suit with an Eastern cut to it, the man looked out of place. And that bowler hat added to the perception. Why didn’t the man shed his jacket? The temperature had really climbed today, making it a scorcher. Only a fool would keep a coat on in this weather. A wonder he didn’t pass out in the desert on the way here.
“Let’s head on over there and see what he wants with me.” Bill turned his horse’s head and rode on.
Jeremiah followed behind.
By the time they reached the building adjoining the sheriff’s office, the stranger had already gone inside. Bill didn’t ever lock the door when he left. Nothing in there was worth stealing, and most outlaws stayed away from the sheriff’s office and jail.
Bill stopped his horse a ways from his office. “I don’t know why, but I have a hunch that man is up to no good. And I can usually trust my hunches.”
Jeremiah had to agree. “Funny thing about hunches. You want to leave the horses here?”
“Yeah.” Bill dismounted and tied his reins to the limb of a piñon tree.
Jeremiah did the same. They walked down to the building, then sneaked along the wall to the window. Bill peeked in.
“What’s he doing?” Jeremiah whispered.
“Going through my desk.”
“Reckon you know what he’s looking for?”
“Only one way to find out.”
Bill quickly opened the door, startling the man. The stranger straightened behind the desk, then his eyes darted to the badge on the sheriff’s chest and his eyes widened. He quickly hooded them with his heavy lids, leaving only slits.
“Were you looking for something?” Bill stood with one hand resting gently on his holstered revolver.
The stranger raised both hands. “Sorry. I didn’t find anyone here, and I wanted to leave a note for the sheriff.”
Bill’s stare zeroed in on the pad and pencil on top of the desk. “You want to try that again? This time with the truth.” His fingers wrapped tighter around the handle of his pistol.
Jeremiah moved off to the side, and the stranger’s eyes followed him.
“You aren’t both going to shoot me, are you?” The stranger’s voice didn’t carry the strength it did when he first spoke.
Jeremiah crossed his arms over his chest. “My gun is only for snakes and coyotes. You’re not one of those, are you?”
Fear flickered then disappeared from the man’s eyes. “I’m just a law-abiding citizen needing to talk to the sheriff.”
Bill took one step closer to the desk. “So start talking before I shoot you for rifling through my desk.”
The stranger wilted right before their eyes, like a vegetable garden that had been too long between rains. “May I sit down?” He inched around the desk toward one of the chairs, then dropped into it. “I’m not used to being interrogated by the law.”
Bill leaned against the front of the desk but kept one hand near his gun. “What are you used to?”
The man bowed his head for a moment, then straightened, stiffening his spine. “Can we start over?”
Something about the man didn’t sit right with Jeremiah. Could be his shifty gaze that darted all over the room instead of looking Bill straight in the eyes. Could be the fact that he was caught red-handed in the sheriff’s desk. Could be something else. He just wasn’t what he seemed to be. Jeremiah would bet his bottom dollar on that.
“You come from Los Cerrillos?” Bill’s voice sounded casual, but Jeremiah heard the hidden steel beneath it. “I recognize the horse.”
“Yes…yes. I hired the horse from the livery when I got off the train. The station master told me it was the only way to get to Golden today.” He rubbed his hand together, then placed them on his thighs.
“And why did you come to Golden?” Bill didn’t take his eyes off the man, pinn
ing him to the chair with his intense gaze.
“I’m looking for someone. A criminal.” Sweat beaded on the man’s forehead, but he didn’t wipe it off. “A woman.”
“Are you a bounty hunter?” Jeremiah couldn’t hold his tongue any longer.
“A bounty hunter?” The man looked confused. “Oh, yeah, I’m a bounty hunter, and I have a wanted poster and handbill here.” He held up his hands. “Can I reach into my pocket, Sheriff?”
Bill nodded.
The man pulled out papers identical to the ones Bill had in his pocket. The ones Jeremiah had read out at the ranch. The stranger handed them to Bill.
He took them and hardly glanced at them before laying them on his desk. “Where you from?”
“Boston.” The man looked relieved.
“I don’t see any reward on this poster. Why would a bounty hunter come all the way out here when there isn’t any reward?” Bill stood up straight, towering over the man still sitting in the chair.
“Actually, I’m the woman’s guardian.” The man relaxed, crossing one leg over the opposite knee. “When I find her, I’ll take her home.”
Bill harrumphed. “If you’re her guardian, you didn’t do a very good job of taking care of her since you let her run with a gang.”
“I…I didn’t…let her.” The stranger sputtered. “She just got away.”
Somehow his words set off all kinds of alarms in Jeremiah’s mind. The man didn’t sound like a loving guardian. More like a jailer. Had he locked Madeline up? Was that why she escaped? Or was it something else altogether? He glanced at Bill, hoping his friend also saw through this man.
“Besides, how do you know she’s with a gang? You didn’t even read the papers I gave you.” The man’s belligerent voice cut through the tension in the room.
Bill pulled his paper from his pocket. “I have a set right here. I’ve read them completely.”
“Do you know where Madeline is?”
The sound of her name coming from the other man’s mouth lit a fuse in Jeremiah. The man looked like a two-bit hustler himself, with his greasy, slicked-back hair and shifty eyes. Jeremiah had to fist his hands to keep from grabbing the man and shaking him. What had he done to Madeline? And what did he want to do with her now?
“What if I do?” Bill cut into Jeremiah’s thoughts. “Do you want me to arrest her?”
“No.” The stranger jumped up. “I want to take her home.”
We’ll see about that.
Where had that thought come from? Jeremiah didn’t care. All he knew was that he wasn’t going to let this stranger railroad Madeline into doing something she didn’t want to do. If she wanted to stay here in Golden, she would, even if she married Philip. The heat that betrayed him before churned in his gut. Somehow he couldn’t imagine her married to his friend. What could he do to help Philip realize that was wrong in a lot of ways?
“So, since there isn’t a reward posted, and since you want to take Miss Mercer with you”—Bill stared straight at the stranger—“are you the person who had the poster and handbill printed?”
If Jeremiah hadn’t been watching, he would’ve missed the flicker that passed through the stranger’s eyes. Now, more than ever, Jeremiah didn’t want this man to get what he came for. But what could he do to prevent it?
Chapter Twenty
After Pearl awakened, Maddy took her upstairs. When she removed the baby’s white gown, her daughter kicked her legs and laughed out loud for the very first time.
Maddy grabbed her up and hugged her tight, covering her head with kisses. “You are such a gift from God.” Her heart expanded until she felt it wouldn’t fit in her chest. How could such a tiny human bring so much love into her life? If only Pearl had a father to love her the way Maddy’s father had loved her. She wished her father had seen Pearl. He would have accepted her as his granddaughter, just as she had become Maddy’s daughter. Emotions clogged her throat, and tears blurred her eyes.
When she laid Pearl back on the bed, the baby kicked and waved her little fists while Maddy worked to change her diaper and slip her dimpled arms into another dimity gown. A blue one to match her eyes. Tiny tucks across the front flared into the long, full skirt that hung below the baby’s feet. With the new powder that had arrived at the mercantile, Pearl smelled sweet enough to match her disposition. But dressing the wiggling baby was a new adventure every day.
“Mommy is so blessed to have you.” Maddy picked her up and held the baby against her left shoulder while she gathered the soiled garments and placed them in a basket in the corner. Time enough to wash them early in the morning.
Maddy locked the door to her room and thrust the key into her pocket before heading down the stairs. When she reached the bottom step, the sheriff stood in the front doorway. Tall. Silhouetted by the strong summer sun. Maddy gave him a smile until she noticed who followed the man. She stopped dead in her tracks and clutched Pearl tighter.
Horace Johnstone! What is that man doing here? More importantly, how did he find her? She felt the blood drain from her face, and she hoped she wouldn’t faint. She had to protect her daughter from that monster.
Over the man’s shoulder, she noticed that Jeremiah Dennison followed him and the sheriff. This couldn’t be happening. Now what was she going to do?
Hearing a slight noise at the top of the stairs, she glanced up in time to glimpse Sarah before she ducked out of sight. Maddy looked to see if any of the men had heard her friend. No one seemed to notice. They were making plenty of noise. The two men from Golden wore cowboy boots and spurs. With all the drumming and clanging, everything else was drowned out.
“Are you about ready to fix Pear—?” Caroline stopped short in the doorway that led to the kitchen. “Sheriff, what can we do for you…and your friends?” Her gesture encompassed the other two men.
After glancing toward the proprietress of the hotel, Maddy’s gaze slid back toward the men who’d caused the most turmoil in her life. Why were they together?
Bill Brown pulled his cowboy hat from his head and held it down by his side, rhythmically patting it against his leg. “We actually want to talk to Miss Mercer.” He turned and smiled at her. “If that’s all right with you, ma’am.”
His good manners calmed some of Maddy’s agitation. If she were in trouble, wouldn’t he frown?
Caroline came and stood beside Maddy. “Would you like to sit in the parlor?” Caroline ushered the entourage into the room that often sat empty.
With her legs feeling like jelly, Maddy dropped onto the red velvet horsehair sofa. Right in the middle. She spread her skirts wide so none of the men could sit beside her.
“Would you like me to take Pearl and give her a bottle?” Caroline hovered at the end of the sofa.
Maddy shook her head. “She’s not fussy. I’ll keep her with me.”
Caroline stared into Maddy’s eyes as if reading her thoughts. “How about I join you? Just in case I need to take her out.”
Maddy gave her a shaky smile and a nod. Having a friend with her might help her keep from losing control of her emotions. Emotions that boiled and churned inside her, making her wish she hadn’t eaten. Each of those men caused turmoil in very different ways. She shifted toward one end of the sofa, and Caroline sat on the other.
“Now what is this all about, Sheriff?” Maddy hoped her voice didn’t sound as shaky to them as it did to her.
The sheriff took a seat on a chair facing the sofa. So did Horace John-stone, but Jeremiah stood behind both men, almost like an avenging angel. Or a guardian angel. She hoped it was the latter, not the former.
Mr. Johnstone glared at her, making her want to squirm, but with determination, she remained still. She would not let that man get to her. He had no control over her out here in New Mexico Territory. Hadn’t God assured her that this was the place of her golden opportunity? Horace would not steal it from her as he’d tried to steal her freedom in Boston. He. Would. Not.
The sheriff cleared his throat and turn
ed his hat around and around. “Miss Mercer, this man is looking for you. He wants to take you back to Boston.”
“I am not going anywhere with Mr. Johnstone.” Every word she spoke sounded stronger than her last sentence had.
“He had a wanted poster and handbill printed about you.”
Maddy couldn’t believe the gall of the man. Had he no honor whatsoever? Of course not. She’d realized that before she left Boston. He was the very reason she came to Golden. She’d realized that God had used what the man intended for evil to work something good in her life.
“A wanted poster? What reason does he give for wanting me?”
“The poster claims you’re a criminal who has a gang. The handbill names the Sneeds as part of your gang. Supposedly, you stole jewelry from a wealthy family in Boston.”
Bill Brown never took his eyes from her face. He seemed genuinely interested in what she would say.
“I cannot believe he would go to such lengths.” She stared at Mr. Johnstone with contempt. “The only jewelry I have with me belonged to my mother, who died when I was very young, and I can prove it. I inherited it when she died. It all belongs to me.”
“Interesting.” The sheriff slowly nodded. “How can you prove it?”
“When I packed to leave Boston, I brought along the few photographs I have of my mother. She’s wearing many of the pieces of jewelry in those pictures.”
As if sensing the tension in the room, Pearl started moving around but didn’t utter a single whimper. Maddy began patting her back. She didn’t want to relinquish her daughter to anyone, especially not until this matter was straightened out.
The sheriff smiled for the first time. “I believe you, Miss Mercer. So why is this man trying to find you?”
“I tol—” Horace Johstone tried to interrupt the conversation between Maddy and the sheriff.
“I was talking to the lady.” Bill stared at the interloper. “I heard you out. Now I’ll listen to what she has to say.”
Maddy heaved a sigh, turning her gaze from one man to each of the others before answering. “The Oldmans and Philip already know the whole story, so I guess it won’t hurt to tell you, Sheriff. I just didn’t want it bandied about town.”
Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico Page 18
