“What happened, Thomas?”
His expression never changed. “Your daddy sent me to escort you to the store.” He nodded at Nate. “He thought you might want to come too.”
Feet feeling like they were made of lead, Rebekah couldn’t move. Fear and dread had glued them in place. It wasn’t until Nate put his arm around her that she managed first one step, then another. As she followed Thomas down the boardwalk, the best prayer she could manage from her frozen mind was very simple.
Lord, help us.
Chapter Twenty-eight
The strong and confident Rebekah that Nate had come to know had disappeared as she clasped the silver disk her father had made. In her place was a trembling mass of insecurity, her expression full of fear. He refused to let go of her, sure she’d crumble without his support.
Stepping up their pace, he managed to catch up to Thomas, his annoyance with the man simmering just below the surface. Staying between Rebekah and Thomas, hoping she wouldn’t hear, he leaned close to Thomas, keeping his voice low.
“Why didn’t you just tell her what’s going on? Can’t you see what your silence is doing to her?”
Thomas glowered up at him. “Perry told me not to say anything. He wanted to explain everything when we got there.”
“So you don’t know what’s wrong?”
An answer never came, and Nate didn’t get the chance to pursue his questions. Rebekah gripped his arm in a way that told him to stop. Her light brown eyes sought his.
“It’s all right. I can wait. It’s what Daddy wanted.”
Somewhere along the way, Rebekah’s strength had returned. He could see it on her face and also in her walk. She was an amazing woman. He hoped she’d be able to remain strong when she heard whatever her father had to tell them. He also hoped the problem wasn’t what he suspected.
Not another word was said along the way, though the manner in which Thomas carried himself and the glowers he sent Nate’s direction spoke volumes. Nate had no doubt that one day he and Thomas would have to face one another, man to man. They’d either come to blows or find some kind of solution to their animosity. With the Weaver family as their common ground, something would have to be done, at least until Nate left town. If nothing else, Rebekah would insist on a degree of resolution.
The livery appeared to be locked up tight as they passed on their way to the store. Residents were bound to notice the Weaver family had closed early. Without a doubt, rumors would be buzzing through town before nightfall.
Once inside, Andrew ran up to Rebekah with a small envelope. “This came for you, Bek.”
She didn’t even take a look but tucked it into her apron pocket before putting her arm around her brother’s shoulders, almost as if she hung onto him for comfort, or maybe support. But Nate wondered who comforted and supported who. Yet, by the look on Andrew’s face, he knew nothing about what might be happening. If the boy stayed much longer, he’d more than likely catch on in a hurry.
They waited in silence for the parents to arrive. Once they showed, Perry left his wife leaning against the counter and waved Andrew over. “I want you to go to the livery and check on Mercy. The poor cat looked like he didn’t feel well earlier. Just hold him and keep him calm and happy until I get there.” He ruffled Andrew’s hair. “Can you do that for me?”
Andrew peered up at his mother for several moments before facing his father. “Sure can, Daddy. He’ll be good as new by the time I’m done with him.”
Andrew raced off, looking thrilled to be a help to his father. Or maybe he thought his mother was upset about the cat and intended to make them both feel better. Once the door slammed behind the boy, Perry pulled his wife close. Her eyes red, she looked ready to either crumple or burst into tears, or quite possibly both. Nate moved to hold Rebekah, just as Perry did his wife, but Thomas managed to get there before him. Wishing he’d have thought to embrace her sooner, Nate stepped back. Now was not the time for a tugging match with another man.
Feeling a bit like an intruder at an obviously stressful time, Nate didn’t want to leave. He’d come to love this family, and if he could help in some way, he would. He just prayed it wasn’t—
“We received a threatening letter today.”
Punctuating Perry’s statement was the gasp from Rebekah, the sob from Mrs. Weaver, and the thud of Nate’s heart hitting the floor.
Fear nearly brought Rebekah to her knees. Much as she wished she could run to her mother to be comforted, she was no longer a child. Instead, with much difficulty and inner coaxing, she did hurry to her mother, not to be consoled, but to help soothe her mother’s dread. They wrapped their arms around each other, both fighting tears and failing. Daddy’s hand grasped her arm as he cleared his throat to continue.
“After much thought and discussion, Kate and I have decided to stay. We won’t—we can’t pay what they’re asking, but neither will we let them run us off like they did others.” He led Mama to a chair and had her sit, motioning for Rebekah to do the same. “We’ve come to love Silver City. It’s our home. And because it’s our home, we’re planning to fight this blackmailer and bring his shameful scheming to an end. To my own shame, I should have done something long before now.”
The fear of losing their businesses turned to terror for her father’s safety. If he went up against this evil man, he could get hurt. She looked at her mother and finally realized the extent of her alarm. Mama wasn’t worried about the businesses as much as she was terrified of losing her husband.
Daddy stood behind Mama, his hands on her shoulders. “I plan to spread the word that there will be a town meeting at the church in the morning. Maybe if we all work together, we’ll discover who this offender is, and this madness will come to an end. It’s time we start living a somewhat normal life again. In the meantime, I’ve got to try to protect my home and businesses.”
Rebekah peeked at Nate. He’d said much the same thing earlier. He acknowledged her look with a subtle nod, his eyes intense and concerned. It still amazed her how much he was like her father.
Thomas moved close. “I’ll stay at the livery tonight. Me and my rifle will keep it safe.”
“Thank you, Thomas. You’ve always been a good friend.” He reached to shake his hand. “I’ll keep an eye on the house, but first I have to get out to the mine and warn Reuben to be careful. I don’t want him hurt or caught off-guard.”
Nate pushed away from the wall. “I’ll protect your family until you get back. Then I’ll help get word out for everyone to show up tomorrow.”
Rebekah had a feeling he’d do much more than that. He’d no doubt spend the night keeping watch. He was that kind of man.
“Perry, do you have the note with you?” Nate asked.
With no hesitation, Daddy pulled the note from his pocket and handed it to Nate. He unfolded the paper, and she watched his eyes flash back and forth as they scanned the words. He flipped the paper over, held it closer a moment, then turned it back. After another minute of silent examination, he handed it back to Daddy. Nate appeared puzzled. Rebekah wanted to ask him his thoughts, but something held her tongue. Maybe she’d get the chance later.
After finalizing plans for the night, Daddy warned everyone not to let Andrew know of the danger. Then he headed toward the livery to join him and the cat. Oh, to be so naïve and innocent again. But in her maturity—and helplessness—she knew to lean on the Lord. In the minutes they waited for Andrew to return, Rebekah bent her head in prayer.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Exhausted after a sleepless night of watching over the Weavers, Nate tied the reins of his horse to a tree branch near the church, then waited to be the last to enter. He probably shouldn’t have bothered showing up. Last night, as he’d tried to spread the word for Perry, most residents received him with distrust or eyed him with suspicion, barely slowing to hear what he had to say. Some hurried to the other side of the street to avoid him altogether. Evidently the sheriff’s poisonous rumors did the work he’d
desired. As Nate watched the stream of townsfolk entering the church, it appeared Perry had more luck. The pews would be nearly full.
Waiting for the last of the latecomers to enter, he once again puzzled over the note Perry had received. The paper it was written on was the same type Perry kept for his ledger work in the livery. He noticed because it was a different texture than what he was used to seeing and using. The only people who had access to that paper were Perry himself, the Weaver family, Thomas, and Reuben. Trouble was, Nate wasn’t certain if any other store supplied that same paper. That would be another job for him to tackle today.
Figuring the meeting was about to begin, Nate made his way inside. He hung near the back, so Perry wouldn’t have any disruptions because of his presence. Nate scanned the room to see who all came, but most importantly, who hadn’t bothered to show. The latter group most held his interest. Anyone who didn’t make an appearance would earn a second look by him—and soon.
Recognizing a great many faces, Nate stopped when his gaze came to rest on Rebekah. Kate and Andrew had stayed locked inside their home, but she had insisted on attending the meeting and sat at the front with Thomas by her side. Pale and drawn, she didn’t appear to have gotten any more sleep than he did.
Just as Perry called the meeting to order, Sheriff Caldwell entered and strode past Nate toward the front, causing everyone to start murmuring. If Nate were to guess, Perry hadn’t run his idea past the sheriff, who stopped near the first pew and crossed his arms. If he meant to be intimidating, he failed miserably. Perry barely gave him a glance before lifting his hand for silence.
“Let’s get started, so we can all get back to work.” Silence fell as though the pastor was present to give a sermon. Perry skimmed the room, glancing at all the faces. “My friends, by now I’m sure you’ve heard about all the threatening notes many of us have received over the months, though they’ve only just come to light in the past few days because of their demand for secrecy.” He looked down and licked his lips before facing them again. “My family received such a letter yesterday.”
His voice shaking, Perry took a few moments to pull himself together while the room buzzed with the new information. Rebekah’s head dipped, and Nate wondered if it were in prayer or from the stress of the situation. He wanted to go to her but held back, unwilling to draw attention to himself and away from the importance of the meeting.
Perry raised his hand again. “Quiet down, please.” After a bit, silence fell again. “Thank you. In case you didn’t know, several of the town’s residents, our friends, have left Silver after receiving a note blackmailing them. The note threatens that they and their business would be protected if they paid a high sum of money, but the blackmailer couldn’t guarantee their safety if the money wasn’t given.”
The hum of whispered voices rose again, but that didn’t stop Perry from continuing. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time we stop letting this person or these people steal from us.”
Sheriff Caldwell’s arms unfolded, and he propped them on his hips. “Then maybe you should start by firing your hired help and running him out of town.”
Nate should have known this was why the sheriff came to the meeting. His heart thumped and his fists clenched as he waited for Perry’s reaction. Perry glared down at the sheriff before meeting Nate’s gaze. To Nate’s dismay, Perry waved him to the front. Nate shook his head, but Perry continued waving him forward.
“Come up here, Nate.”
His boots could have been filled with gold bars, they were so heavy as he made his way to the front. Perry would receive nothing but ridicule, but there was nothing Nate could do. Everyone doubted him and his integrity, and now Perry would pay the price for his trust in Nate.
Climbing the two steps, he came to a stop next to Perry, who put his arm around Nate’s shoulders and made him face the crowd.
“I want everyone to know right here and now that I have nothing but the utmost respect for this young man. I trust him with my life, but more than that, I trust him with the lives of my family.”
The tears that rose in Perry’s eyes almost made some start in Nate’s own. He dipped his head in humility, feeling undeserving of so much love.
“I’ll vouch for the young man too.”
Nate looked up. Henry Gilmore stood two rows back, his brows creased in a stern look.
“We need more men like him in this town, so, Sheriff”—Henry turned and faced the lawman square on—“stop badgering this young man and do your job. It’s a shame that Perry is the one who had to get this inquiry started when you should have done the same months ago.”
Red-faced and trembling with anger, Henry dropped down on the pew. Many an “amen” followed his scolding of the sheriff as the man skulked out of the church. Before the noise managed to get out of control again, Perry called for quiet. They quickly obeyed.
“Thank you, Henry. And Nate,” he said and patted his back, “why don’t you find a seat, and let’s get this done?”
As Nate descended the steps, many moved over to allow him room to sit. He dropped onto the first open spot, mainly because his legs no longer wanted to hold him. Thanks to two highly esteemed men who spoke up for him, everyone saw him in a much different way. Only minutes ago, he was despised. Now, admiration radiated from many eyes. Humbled, Nate knew in his heart it was a work of the Lord. It was time to give back to all of them by investigating harder than ever before.
“I would like to propose,” Perry began again, “that if we all work together, we can put this blackmailer behind bars and get on with a decent life.”
Perry laid out his plans of how the men could pair up to keep watch on the town and hold any suspicious person until he and the sheriff could arrive to ask questions. While he organized the men, Nate again scoured the faces. He took note of the fact that the two young men who beat him were not present, nor did the sheriff stay to offer his assistance. As his distrust of Thomas decreased, the sheriff and the two men remained highly in doubt.
As Perry dismissed everyone to go back to work, Nate made his way toward Rebekah. He wanted to hear for himself that she’d be all right. But before he got to her, Henry grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop.
Disappointment trickled through him but only for a moment. He owed a great debt to this man, and he intended to thank him. He grasped Henry’s hand in his.
“Thank you for what you said. You’ve made my life in this town much easier.”
“I only spoke the truth.”
Nate examined Henry’s face. A certain sadness filled his eyes. “Everything all right, Henry?”
The elderly man heaved a sigh. “I’m thinking about leaving town, my boy.”
The news hit him harder than when Grant told him the same thing. “What? No. Give us a chance to make this plan work.” The words tripped over each other in his rush to get them out. He took a breath to slow his thoughts. “Just don’t do anything in a hurry, Henry. Take some time to think it over.”
For the first time, Henry looked old. Gone were the stiff back and sparkling eyes. In their place were slumped shoulders, dimmed eyes. Henry didn’t speak for a time. Then he nodded. “All right. I won’t do anything right away.”
Relief flooded him. “Thank you.” Nate put his arm around him. “Go to your shop and open for business. I’m sure everything will be fine. I’ll be by to check on you in a little while.”
Without a word, he nodded and patted Nate on the back. After saying his good-byes to the kind gentleman, Nate again made his way toward Rebekah, thankful she’d not rushed off before he could see for himself she was fine. What he found was a serene woman, much different than when he’d arrived. Whether it came from being in church or being in Christ, he wanted that same peace and felt that much closer just by being near her. He’d thought of spending time with the Lord once this chaos was over, but now he knew he couldn’t wait to renew his relationship with the Lord.
Before he could say a word, she briefly squeezed his forearm. “
Seems like you’ve suddenly become quite prominent in this town.”
He smiled. “I wouldn’t go that far, but your father and Mr. Gilmore certainly did wonders to turn around people’s opinion of me.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I think they might have come to the same conclusion without their help.”
He snorted. “Maybe. But not for several months.”
Her brows rose. “Does that mean you plan on staying around for a while or that we’re all slow to learn?”
It felt good to laugh again. “My, but aren’t you feeling a bit spirited today?”
Tilting her head, she gave him a sassy grin. “Not spirited, but full of the Spirit.” She tipped her head toward the door. “I’ve got to go. Walk me to the store?”
His heart tripped over a couple beats. “It would be my pleasure.” He offered his elbow and loved the warmth of her hand on his arm. His search for answers could wait another half hour or so. He wouldn’t miss out on this time with Rebekah for anything.
With a quick wave to Thomas, then a signal to her dad that she was leaving, Rebekah motioned for him to lead the way. With her in a great mood, he’d like to spend the entire day with her, but he’d already promised himself to work harder to find the blackmailer. He’d see her safely to the store; then he had to get busy. As he pulled the reins to his horse free from the branch and led it as he walked beside Rebekah, a plan formed in his mind. First off, he’d somehow have to get Perry to give him more free time.
There was a definite skip to her step, and Rebekah’s teasing continued on their way to the store. “So now that you’ve gained the approval of everyone in town, I imagine my poor daddy won’t get any work out of you.”
He frowned down at her. “What makes you say that?”
Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho Page 19
