Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho

by Janelle Mowery

  Henry’s head jerked toward him. “How’d you know?”

  Nate hadn’t planned on telling anyone what he knew, but he trusted Henry. He’d been a friend since they met, nearly a father figure. “I know a couple others who’ve received notes too. Trouble followed.”

  Blowing out a long breath, Henry reached to finger his whiskey glass. “So they told you what the notes said?”

  “Some.” He leaned back again. “I’ve never read one. I’ve just been told what they said.”

  Henry took a drink, then puffed his cigar before returning it to the tray. “Nate, my boy,” he said, wiping some ashes from the table before looking him in the eyes, “I can’t afford to pay this person. So, what am I going to do? Wait around for whatever this blackmailer decides to do to make me pay?”

  For the first time since they’d met, Nate heard weakness in Henry’s voice. He’d always been the strong leader type before. Nate needed to work harder than ever to prevent another tragedy, especially harm intended toward a friend.

  “No. I’ll help. I don’t know how, but I’ll do what I can to keep anything from happening to you.”

  Henry’s eyes softened and a smile started, only to be interrupted by shouting outside. Then the word “Fire!” penetrated the walls as boots thumped past. Nate’s heart skipped a beat. Shoving back from the table, he ran for the door, praying hard the Weavers were safe.

  In moments, Nate realized his prayer had been answered. An orange glow shone just down the boardwalk, revealing several people milling in the street. As he raced their way, he realized where the fire came from—the Peters’ boardinghouse. Were they still inside or had everyone made it out?

  Once in front of the building, Nate could see the fire wasn’t as large as he’d feared but crawled along the front boardwalk, blocking one set of windows and the front doors. The other set of windows had been broken out—probably how the residents had escaped. While Nate joined the water-bucket line, he glanced around for the Peters family and found them huddled together, fear evident on their faces even in the dark.

  Another ten minutes of hard work, and they had the fire out. Near as Nate could tell, there wasn’t much damage to the majority of the building, though the front would need new lumber. No doubt the Peters would be busy cleaning and washing up a lot of soot and ashes in the morning. He made his way to Cora’s side. Her new beau stood with her wrapped in his arms.

  Nate held out his hand to the young man. “Will Bradford, isn’t it?”

  Will accepted his handshake, never taking his other arm from Cora’s shoulders. “Yes, sir.”

  “Is everyone all right?”

  He glanced at the family. “Shaken up but no one got hurt, thank the good Lord.”

  Nate nodded his agreement. “Did anyone see what happened?”

  “I don’t think anyone’s had a chance to ask questions. We were busy making sure everyone got out.”

  “It’s not your business, Kirkland.”

  He turned and found the sheriff eyeing him. “I just asked—”

  “Yeah, well, quit getting in my way, or I’ll arrest you for that very thing.”

  “Leave him alone, Paul.” Henry had joined the fray, still weaving from too much whiskey. “If you’d do the job you’re paid to do, no one else would feel the need to step in.”

  Nate moved between the men to stave off a fight, whether it be with words or fists. Henry would normally be more tactful. Putting his arm around Henry’s shoulders, he led him back to the tobacco store.

  “Go on back, Henry. Stay there, and make sure this same thing doesn’t happen to you.”

  Henry tapped Nate’s temple. “Good thinking, boy. Guess it’s time I put the bottle away so I can do the same.”

  He waited until Henry entered the shop before turning back to see if he could help. He didn’t get far before the sheriff stepped in front of him and stopped him with a hand to his chest.

  “Go home, Kirkland. You stay here and get in my way, and your bed will be behind bars tonight.”

  Nate crossed his arms, fighting the desire to flatten the man. “What did I do to make you dislike me so much?”

  Sheriff Caldwell took another step forward until they were only inches apart. “You’re in my town and working hard to make me look bad. Leave, or you and me will have a go.”

  Mouth opening to tell the man he was the only one making himself look bad, Nate stopped himself before the words escaped. He put his hands in the air in a show of surrender and took a step back, doubting the sheriff would stay long enough to ask questions or find out how the fire started. More than likely, the sheriff already knew. As far as Nate was concerned, the sheriff was up to his neck in the blackmailing scheme. He needed to dig a little deeper to find out who all worked with him.

  The only other question he had right now was whether the sheriff meant for him to leave town or the area. For now, he’d go check on Grant. By the time he returned, the sheriff would no doubt be gone. Nate could then look around and ask questions undeterred.

  Retrieving his horse from Henry’s shop, Nate arrived at the doctor’s office in minutes. To his delight, he found Grant sitting up in bed trying to eat. Grinning, he headed toward the chair by the bed.

  “Well, as I live and breathe.”

  Grant managed a smile with the spoon in his mouth. He pulled it out. “Yeah, me too.”

  Laughing, Nate shook the man’s hand as he sat. “Glad to have you back, Grant. You gave us a scare.”

  “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

  This was the first time he saw Grant’s humor, and he liked it. He had to be feeling better. “Perry and I have been looking over your mill. We think we can help fix up a great deal. Everything else you’d need to find someplace else.”

  All the while he’d been talking, Grant shook his head. He swallowed another spoonful of broth. “Don’t bother yourself.”

  Nate eyed him a moment. He didn’t like the change of tone and expression that came over Grant. “Why?”

  “I’m not staying.”

  Nate turned in his chair to look Grant in the eyes. “You just woke up, and you’ve already made that decision?”

  Handing him the bowl, Grant sank back against his pillows. “I didn’t just make it. I’d been thinking about it while checking out the equipment. The second blast helped me make up my mind.”

  “And I can’t change it back?”

  Grant exhaled. “Look, Nate, I appreciate your friendship and your help, but I’m done. I don’t have the means or the desire to continue here.”

  Nate’s heart sank. He’d hoped to help get Grant back on his feet. “Where will you go?”

  “My sister and her husband live in California. I thought I’d pay them a visit and decide from there. I have a feeling they’ll offer me work.”

  Certain now he wouldn’t change Grant’s mind, Nate turned the conversation in a new direction. “Feel up to answering some questions?”

  The doctor cleared his throat, but Grant waved him away. “I’ve got a few more minutes left in me. What can I do for ya?”

  Nate glanced over his shoulder to make sure the doctor wasn’t hovering. “The day you were hurt, did you see anyone lurking nearby? Someone who had no business being there, even if you consider that person a friend?”

  Grant was already shaking his head, but Nate’s thoughts jerked to a halt. What if the person who threw the dynamite worked for Grant, giving him easy access and knowledge of the place?

  “A couple of my workers came with me since they hadn’t found other work, but that’s all I saw other than the stars after the explosion.”

  “Do you trust all your workers?”

  A frown marred Grant’s face. Nate couldn’t tell if it was from disagreement or pain. He waited, giving Grant all the time he needed.

  “The men closest to me I trust completely. I can’t answer the same about those I hardly know. A lot of the men were hired at a moment’s notice because I needed a body to do a job.”
r />   “But none of those unknowns were with you that day?”

  When Grant rubbed his hand across his face, Nate knew he needed to end this and let the man get some rest. Maybe he’d get a chance to talk to him one more time before he left for California.

  “I only remember two men with me, and they’re the type of friends who, if they haven’t struck gold by the time I leave, they’ll probably leave town with me.”

  Nate nodded and slapped his hands on his knees. “Well, it’s good to have friends like that.” He reached to shake Grant’s hand. “You get some rest, and make sure you look me up before you head out so we can say our good-byes.”

  “You got it, Nate. And thanks for helping.”

  He strode out of the doctor’s office, knowing in his heart he couldn’t help Grant in the least. But, if nothing else, if he managed to catch the blackmailer, he could help others in town. Intent on doing just that, he led his horse back to the boardinghouse to see what he could discover.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Rebekah blew strands of hair from her face as she crawled on hands and knees scrubbing at the soot on the floor inside the Peters’ boardinghouse. As much as she hated to admit it, she was glad Cora was too upset to want to talk. Rebekah’s parents’ best friends had moved away yesterday due to the blackmailing note they received. The news weighed heavy on her mind.

  Mama and Daddy had spent the entire day helping their friends pack up their wagon, only to return home to the news that someone tried to burn down the Peters’ boardinghouse. Exhaustion rode them hard, but they insisted Rebekah go over and help the Peters clean the home while her parents stayed at the livery and store to keep the businesses running. One of the saddest parts of this whole situation was that her mother had finally started looking happy and healthy again. With her friend leaving town, Mama’s eyes had lost some of their gleam and cheerfulness.

  And now the threatening notes were no longer a secret. Word had also gotten out about the messages Cora and Mrs. Phipps had received. Talk ran rampant that the author of both types of notes was from the same person. Rebekah wasn’t sure she agreed, but she desperately wanted to talk to Nate about the theory. By the look of things, that would have to wait until tomorrow at the earliest, allowing too much time to pass for the rumors to spread and grow with no way to slow their expansion.

  The next morning found Rebekah in much the same position as she scoured yet another room of soot and ashes. The scent of old smoke mixed with the water to wipe everything down made her stomach churn and her head throb. Her muscles ached from the day before and now screamed their rebellion at another day of the tedious labor. Much to the Peters’ and boarders’ delight, they were able to move back in today, making her task that much more difficult as the residents tromped through her work area.

  “You look like you’re ready to take a club to the heads of the people wandering through here.”

  Nate’s statement was filled with amusement at her expense, but she was never happier to hear his voice.

  “Are you volunteering to be first in line?”

  He chuckled. “Not on your life. Or mine for that matter.” He moved in front of her. “Your father sent me here to see if there was anything I could do to help speed this along so you won’t have such a long day.”

  Pushing to her knees, she shoved loose hair from her face before rubbing her lower back. As sweat oozed from her temples and down the length of her back, she knew she looked a mess but no longer cared much. She was ready to collapse. “How do you feel about washing down the walls?”

  “Sounds like my favorite job of the day.”

  She gave a snort. “You expect me to believe that?”

  “Of course. I’ll get to work with you again.” He reached for one of the rags stacked on the table. “Besides that, I don’t have to worry about you walking to the left like Twister or weaving between my legs like Mercy does while I’m working. Plus, this place smells better than the livery.”

  She laughed. Secretly she was thrilled to spend more time with Nate. He was so much fun. “Well, I’ll see what I can do to make you feel at home.”

  Grinning, he snapped the towel open. “This ought to be interesting.”

  They’d only worked a few minutes before Nate stopped and turned to look at her. She’d wondered how long it would take him to tire of the mundane task. She was about to tease him when she noticed the concern on his face. Instead of asking, she waited for him to speak his mind.

  “Did you hear that news of the notes is out?”

  She stood to stretch her legs as well as her back. “Yes, I did.” She tucked her stray hair behind her ear and grimaced. “I don’t know what the townspeople are saying exactly, and what they’re feeling.”

  Nate’s eyebrows rose. “It’s awful. They walk around looking over their shoulders. They even seem afraid to wake up in the morning for fear they’ll find a note shoved under their doors.”

  She made a face. “That bad, huh?”

  “You’ll be able to see the difference, the tension, when you get back amongst the people again. It’s pretty much all they can talk about.” He shook his head. “I almost feel sorry for them.”

  “Why almost?”

  He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “Because if they’d join together and fight against this blackmailer, rather than run and hide in fear, they could end this scheme.”

  She cocked her head, feeling compassion for the residents. “But you have to understand the fear when you consider the real threats written in the notes, followed up by fires and explosions. People are getting hurt. Besides, that’s the reason we hire lawmen, so they can do the rough and scary peace-keeping for us.”

  Nate snorted and turned back to scrubbing the wall. “A good lawman could do that for you.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “You agree with my father that the sheriff isn’t doing a good job?”

  He glanced over his shoulder. “Let’s just say I think he could be working harder.”

  She stared at his back for a moment. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  Taking his time to rinse and wring out his rag, he finally looked at her. “I’d rather not say until I know more.”

  She wouldn’t get any more out of him. Rebekah knelt to her task again, her mind working much harder than her arms. Then she remembered what she wanted to ask him yesterday. She rocked back on her heels. “Cora told me everyone thinks the love notes and the threatening notes are from the same person. What are your thoughts, Nate?”

  He stopped and turned toward her. “I can see why they’d think as much. The notes started showing up at almost the same time. That alone would be a strange coincidence. But unless I get to see them for myself, I’d hate to draw a conclusion on that fact alone.”

  She peered up at him, seeing him in a new way. “You almost sound like a lawman.”

  He tilted his head, an odd smile playing on his lips. “Almost?”

  Goodness, but he was handsome. “You’re certainly smart and perceptive enough to be a good sheriff or marshal. Not to mention tenacious. Daddy is the only other man I can think of who’d spend so much time looking into all that’s happened and try to help. I know he’d do more, but he’s busy with the store, livery, and trying to help at the mine.”

  “That’s a lot of responsibility.” Nate rinsed the rag again, looking thoughtful. “Why did he get involved with a mine? He has two successful businesses. It seems a mine would run a big risk of eating into his profits. Or did the idea of striking it rich with the mother lode play a factor?”

  She lifted a shoulder. “I wouldn’t doubt that holding a large nugget in his hand might have had something to do with buying into the mine. I mean, the majority of people in town are here because of the chance of getting rich with gold or silver. It’s what brought us here. But Daddy also has a big heart. He knew Reuben needed help, and he didn’t hesitate to give it.”

  “And the big dream going bust is the main reason most people are le
aving. Anything to do with mining is a risk, both to your bank account and your health.” He shook his head. “Mr. Zimmer is leaving as soon as he’s well enough to travel.”

  Rebekah shook her head. “Oh no.”

  “Yep. And now Mr. Gilmore has received a threatening note.” He returned to scrubbing the wall clean. “It’s enough to make most people leave.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “Is that your way of telling me you’re packing up with the rest?”

  He glanced over his shoulder. “Not yet. I’m tenacious, remember?”

  His wink made her heart thunder before dwindling down to its normal pace at the knowledge he only looked at her as a friend at best, his employer’s daughter at worst. She scolded herself over and over in the ensuing silence about getting her hopes up when she’d already resigned herself to life as a spinster. No man would want to look at a scarred face for the rest of his life—especially Nate. He could do much better.

  Her thoughts returned to her plan of studying to be a teacher. That way she could be around children every day, though they weren’t her own. And after living with her little brother, she might even be able to handle the young boys who played with snakes and frogs and all the other horrendous creatures that delighted them.

  “You got quiet.”

  She looked up to find Nate staring. She forced a smile. “Sorry.”

  “What were you thinking? You had such an odd look on your face.”

  “Now I’m odd?”

  He shook his head. “Don’t try to change the subject.”

  The rascal. He wasn’t about to let her off easy. “I was thinking about life. How it can change at a moment’s notice, and we either have to adapt or be miserable.”

  His brows rose. “Goodness. That’s pretty intense. I’ll have to remember not to let it get quiet again. No telling what you’ll start thinking when it’s silent.”

  She laughed, and true to his word, he kept the conversation flowing for the next couple hours, telling her about his childhood and asking about hers. Time disappeared quickly, as did the soot. They were just cleaning up from finishing the room when Thomas appeared in the doorway. His stony expression made her knees weak.