“Oh, goodness.” The sight of Nate’s bloody and swollen face made her choke on a sob. “What happened?”
The question was so softly spoken, she doubted anyone heard. Without waiting for an answer, Rebekah went to work washing the dried blood from his face and neck, trying to be as gentle as possible. Who would do this and why? She couldn’t believe Nate had done anything to encourage such a brutal beating. And where was the doctor?
Eyes closed, Nate never moved. Rebekah had to look at his chest to make sure he was still breathing. Tears blurred her vision as she wiped the moisture from his face.
Daddy put his arm around her and gave her a gentle hug. “Make sure you wash the blood from his hair. I’m going to get a new shirt from the store. I’ll be right back.”
She nodded and soaked her rag once more. Squeezing out the water over his scalp, she repeated the process until his hair was completely wet. Lathering up her hands, she rubbed the soap through his thick, dark mane, pausing to examine his beaten face. His eyes suddenly opened. Startled, she pulled away.
“Don’t stop,” he whispered, voice hoarse. “It feels wonderful.”
She made a face. “Have you been awake this entire time?”
He chuckled, then simultaneously winced and groaned. “Don’t make me laugh.”
Instantly contrite, she leaned over him. “I’m sorry.”
He winked. “I’m sure I look worse than I feel.”
“Well, you must feel pretty bad because you look downright awful.”
His attempt to laugh made him cringe. “Thanks a lot.”
Her heart ached to see him in such pain. “You lie still and let me finish.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Daddy returned with the shirt just as she finished toweling dry his hair. “Remove that shirt, Nate. I’m not sure we can save it. All that blood…” He shook his head. “You sure you don’t want the doc to take a look?”
“I’m sure.” He struggled to pull his arms from the shirt. “I just need a day or two to recover.”
Rebekah turned away at the sight of his chest but not before she saw all the bruises. Again, the question rose in her mind, Who would do this to him? He hadn’t made any enemies since he arrived, had he?
“All right, then.” Daddy helped him with the new shirt. “You can either go back to the hotel to rest, or you can work with Rebekah in the store. No lifting, of course, but I’m sure she could find something easy for you to do. I’d prefer you’re not left alone. There’s a bed in the back if you get tired.”
Rebekah’s heart skipped a beat as she waited for his answer. Nate at her side all day? As exciting as that sounded, she wasn’t sure her heart or nerves could take his undivided attention and company. She looked at him just in time to see him staring at her.
His lips twitched. “I don’t think I could handle lying around in a hotel room all day. Working at the store is a fine alternative.”
She examined his face as she wondered if he had any idea what his presence did to her. If so, this would be a very long day—probably not for him but certainly for her.
Chapter Nineteen
Nate hobbled over to the Weavers’ store and slid onto the first stool he found. What was he thinking, spending the day with Rebekah? He needed to lie down. His head was already spinning just from the walk over here. Catching her anxious gaze, he took a breath as deep as his sore ribs would allow and tried to sit up straight.
She returned from unlocking the front door. “You sure you don’t want to go to the back and sleep? Your face is so white, you look like you’re about to pass out.”
Two customers entered, forcing him to lower his voice and shade his bruised face with his hat. “Maybe after a bit. I’ll visit with you for a while first.”
Eyeing him a moment longer, she motioned to the patrons. “All right, let me check on them first; then I’ll be right back.”
He’d have to try harder to convince her he was fine. It would help if he could prove that to himself. Just limping from the alley to the livery this morning made him feel like each bone in his body had separated from every muscle. And that was after he’d spent the night trying to rest and let his strength return. The plan didn’t work after he shivered most of the night in the cool mountain air.
She hurried back to his side and occupied the other stool. “If you’re going to be silly enough to try to sit here all day, then you can tell me what happened to you. Who did this and why?”
He smiled at the intensity in her voice. She was worried about him. That much was obvious. “I thought only women were silly.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Well, you’ve just proven that theory wrong.”
His answering chuckle was impossible to contain, making him flinch at the pain that followed. “I told you not to make me laugh.” He held up his hand to stay her oncoming response. “There’s not much to tell.”
“Tell me anyway.”
Nate noticed Rebekah’s eyes became darker whenever she was passionate about something or someone, which was often. First about Thomas, then Cora, and now him. He liked her enthusiasm. He’d have to remember to keep her that way.
“I’d run into Mr. Zimmer, owner of the stamp mill that exploded the other day.” No need to tell her he went looking for him, or where he’d found him. “After we talked for a while, I cut through an alley on my way to the hotel. A couple men stopped me with their fists.”
She winced as if feeling the pain. “What men?”
“I don’t know. They hit my temple with something hard before I could turn and see them.” He touched the area where they first hit him, still very tender.
“Why did they beat you?”
“I wish I knew. I wouldn’t do it again.” He was trying to lighten the mood, but Rebekah didn’t accept the change.
“They didn’t take your money or anything?”
Nate wagged his head.
A frown wrinkled her brows. “That’s very odd.”
“I agree.” It was past time to change the subject. Hopefully she’d learned enough to let him do so. “How’s Cora doing with her new beau?”
Rebekah’s frown deepened, as did the color of her eyes. What had happened since yesterday to cause such an expression of alarm?
“Is she all right? That man didn’t hurt her, did he?” He didn’t know Cora much at all, but because she was Rebekah’s friend, he’d do what he could to help or protect her.
“No. From what I can tell, the two of them are well on their way toward the altar.”
He ran that information through his mind twice. “But they just met.”
“No, they met months ago. Now that there’s known interest, the relationship is moving quite fast.”
“To say the least.” Women. They must dream of marriage from birth. “So why the concern?”
She turned her head away. “I didn’t say I was concerned.”
“You didn’t have to. I could see it on your face and in your eyes.”
Her head swiveled to look at him, her expression now one of surprise.
He tugged at a stray lock of hair. “Hey, I thought you trusted me.”
“I do.” As if saying those words uncorked the very air that held her up, Rebekah slumped onto the counter, bringing her that much closer to him.
The fresh scent of her hair wafted toward him. She always smelled so good….
He cleared his throat to get his thoughts back in order. “So tell me what has you so upset.”
Before she could answer, one of the lady customers approached. Nate turned away, trying to hide his bruises. He didn’t want to be the cause or source of town gossip.
“Rebekah, do you have any other fabric in the back somewhere? I’m getting ready for the cold weather that’s coming by having warm clothes already sewn. All you have out is the bright summer fabric.”
“It’s wise to plan ahead,” Rebekah said. “Give me a minute to check. Go ahead and continue looking around. I’ll let you know what I find.”
/> Rebekah sounded so sweet and patient, but Nate would give his last dollar to prove she’d rather throw the patrons out and lock the door so they could talk. He trailed behind her.
“Need some help?”
She cast a glance over her shoulder. “You can keep me company, but you’re not to lift a thing.”
“I’m not in that bad of shape.”
“You will be if Daddy sees you carrying anything.”
He grinned, reminding himself how much laughter would hurt. Rebekah had a good sense of humor. He’d have to be careful around her today. She lifted three rolls of material from a shelf and headed back to the store. When he reached for them, she shifted them to her other side, avoiding him completely—and easily, much as it bothered him to admit that fact.
He waited until the women finished their business. After the customer left, Nate joined Rebekah at the counter and occupied the same stool. “All right, back to the original question. What upset you earlier?”
“You don’t forget easily, do you?”
“Not the important things.”
She eyed him for a bit. “I’m not sure I’m supposed to tell anyone.”
Brows raised, he tilted toward her. “Now I’m intrigued.”
A sweet smile curved her lips. “Men. And they say women are the nosey ones.”
He grinned. “They are. You just have a tendency to rub off on us.” He held up his hand when the expected rebuttal started. “I’ll take it back if you tell me what you’re not supposed to tell me.” That brought on the laughter he anticipated. “So, what happened?”
The way Rebekah sobered almost instantly, her body growing tense again, Nate prepared to hear the worst.
She took a deep breath. “Another note. Only this one was to the Peters family, not just Cora.”
There was no excitement with the announcement, not like the other day when they plotted to find Cora’s admirer. That meant this note probably carried the same kind of threat Mr. Zimmer received.
“Tell me about it.”
Rebekah crossed her arms, giving him the impression she desired some kind of shield or protection. “This note demanded money.”
Dread washed through him. The Peters family was the next target for whoever was blackmailing the owners of local mines and businesses. They’d either have to pay or lose their boardinghouse, of that he was certain. Unless he could stop the blackmailers first. If almost a dozen businesses had either burned or been blown up, how many people had paid to keep from risking danger?
“How much?”
“Two hundred dollars.”
Though not as much as they’d asked of Mr. Zimmer, that was still a lot of money. But what struck him most was that whoever demanded the money knew the people in and around town enough to know the maximum amount they could get.
Rebekah propped her chin on her palm, her stare boring right through him. “You don’t seem surprised.”
Did he ever need to learn how to act…. Evidently, from last night, someone had figured out he’d been asking questions, and now Rebekah had noticed his lack of shock. Being undercover, he couldn’t let her know his real reason for his presence in town. But because she knew the people in town so much better than he did, he wanted her help. He had but one safe answer for now.
“I’ve heard a rumor about notes. And I don’t mean notes like what Cora received.”
Rebekah’s spine straightened. “What have you heard?”
He’d gotten himself into this, and now that he had, he might as well tell more. “I think if we were to put our heads together, we might be able to discover who is threatening these individuals for money. But if we’re going to do this, I need your word this won’t go any farther than you and me. Not even Cora can know about any of this.” He stared into her expressive eyes. “Agreed?”
She nodded. “What did you hear?”
He almost laughed. In many ways, Rebekah was the typical female. It was the ways she wasn’t typical that interested him. “It’s not so much what I’ve heard as what I think I might have figured out.”
“And what would that be?”
At the moment, she reminded him of an inquisitive child. “First of all, I learned that the reason Mr. Zimmer’s mill blew up was because he’d received a note demanding money, and he decided not to pay.”
Rebekah’s face paled. “Oh, no.”
“Yes, and he was also warned not to tell anyone, just like the Peters family.”
Rebekah’s throat worked as fear washed over her face. “We need to tell the sheriff.”
“No!” At her look of surprise, he reached and briefly touched her forearm. “Think of it this way, Rebekah. The notes have told Mr. Zimmer and the Peters family not to say anything to anyone. If we tell the sheriff, word will get out all over town. You know it will. That being the case, there’s no telling what this blackmailer will do to them, or others for that matter.”
Indecision raced across her face. He could tell she wanted to help but felt helpless. He knew the feeling all too well. He touched her hand again to get her full attention.
“Here’s what I’ve been thinking. Let’s try to figure out who’s doing this. If we can narrow it down to one or two people, then maybe we can take the information to the sheriff.”
This time, she looked a bit more relieved. “That’s a great idea. Where do we start? Have you already thought of a few possible suspects?”
He recognized the all-too-familiar problem of thoughts tumbling over one another because they came much too fast to organize. He’d been in that same predicament last night. Maybe with the two of them working together, they’d be able to keep each other focused.
“Well, we can start with the obvious person.” Again, he could almost see the names of every resident flashing through her mind. He’d make it easy for her. “First and foremost is the man who shot at us while looking for Thomas last week. We don’t know who he is yet, but we can keep searching until we find out.”
She nodded. “I can see why you put him first. I don’t know how we’ll ever find him again, but I hope we do. Who else?”
He scratched at a spot over his ear, stalling for time. He didn’t want to reveal the names of the other suspects, but he was already in too deep. “The two young men I helped the sheriff arrest the day I arrived here.”
She thoughtfully rested her elbows on the counter, as if trying hard to understand. “You think those boys are smart enough to think up and accomplish a scheme like this?”
Nate sat up a bit straighter. She certainly had a point. They didn’t seem to have the intelligence to come up with something so bold and make it work well. But still…
“I think they were the men who beat me in the alley last night. They saw me talking to Mr. Zimmer, and there were definitely two of them doing the beating. The voices were young.” He paused. “And they told me to leave town. I’m assuming they don’t want me helping the sheriff again, and if they’re the ones doing the blackmailing, they have good reason not to want me talking to Mr. Zimmer.”
He’d have to spend more time thinking about who might be the conspirator using the two young men to do the dirty work. It sure made a lot more sense than the boys doing the scheming all on their own. Rebekah was an astute woman. She never ceased to amaze him.
Planning to praise her intelligence, he swallowed the words when he saw her expression. “What?”
“You’ve got to tell the sheriff. If they’ve warned you to get out of town and you don’t, they’ll try to hurt you again. Or worse.”
Good thing he didn’t tell her they’d threatened just that.
She lifted a hand, forestalling his response. “If you go to the sheriff now, you could keep them from doing harm to anyone else like—”
Her mouth bobbed open and closed before the tears appeared. He stepped close, putting his hands on her shoulders. Tremors shook her entire frame.
“What is it, Rebekah? What has you so upset?”
Still trembling, she peered up at
him with dazed yet frightened eyes. “I heard Daddy say last week that he didn’t think my getting burned was an accident.” She grasped his forearms. “You don’t think Daddy was getting blackmailed like the others, do you? That he refused to pay and this”—she touched her cheek—“is what happened?”
Fear and anger ripped into his heart as he pulled her close. If what she said was true, not only would he need to increase his efforts to find this beast of a person, but he’d have to try to protect the Weaver family at the same time. If the blackmailer threatened the family once, more than likely he’d be back.
Hearing voices and footsteps, Nate pulled away from Rebekah just as the door opened. She spun away from the customers long enough to dab at her eyes, then turned back and called, “Go ahead and look around for a bit. I’ll be right with you.”
Once they’d moved to the back of the store, Rebekah swung toward him. “Does this mean they’ll come back? Do you think they’ll try to hurt Daddy again?”
Nate needed to calm her so they could both think clearly. He dropped onto his stool, feeling suddenly weary, and took a deep, slow breath. “Did your father receive a note before that fire?”
She shook her head. “I don’t remember either one of my parents mentioning a note. That’s not to say they didn’t.”
He’d rather not ask the next question and risk upsetting her, but he had to cover everything. “Did your father have any enemies, anyone who was angry with him?”
Again she shook her head. “Not that I can recall. Everyone seems to like him.”
“Yeah, I noticed that too.”
One of the customers harrumphed, pointedly staring at them.
Rebekah jabbed her finger just inches from his nose. “Keep thinking. I’ll be right back.”
While she helped the patrons, Nate once again ran those he’d met through his mind, crossing most off his mental list of suspects. His thoughts continually returned to one person—Thomas. Though he couldn’t pin down a specific reason for his suspicions, he couldn’t shake his distrust of the man, either.
Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho Page 13
