Wyoming Lawman

by Victoria Bylin

  Carrie’s eyes went wide, then she hurried toward them. The exercise must have been a bit much, because her cheeks were blazing pink. He almost asked if she was feeling all right but decided to keep his concern to himself. She’d probably had a hard day with a dozen girls as lively as Sarah.

  She looked at his daughter and smiled. “You did a good job delivering the invitation. Thank you.”

  Sarah hugged his neck. He squeezed her tight, set her down, then looked at Carrie. “Thanks for including me. I’ll be there.”

  “Oh good!”

  “Dan’s looking forward to it.” He hoped she’d take the hint about his partner. Dan would like nothing better than sitting next to Carrie during supper. With a little luck, Matt would end up next to Pearl.

  When Carrie got tongue-tied, Matt hoped it was because of the mention of Dan. Stammering, she told him the other folks who’d be attending. He knew and liked them all.

  “I best be going,” he said. “See you Saturday.”

  “Wait!” Carrie called after him.

  She’d sounded urgent. “What is it?”

  “I was wondering…” She bit her lip. “Did you know Pearl’s working for Jasper Kling?”

  “She’s what?”

  “She’s clerking at his shop. I was about to visit her. Would you and Sarah like to go with me?”

  Sarah tugged on his hand. “Can we go, Daddy? Please?”

  “Sure, darlin’.”

  He sounded at ease, but his gut had done a somersault. He couldn’t stand the thought of Pearl working for Jasper. Yesterday he’d had another run-in with the two-faced hypocrite. It must have been Pearl’s day off, because he hadn’t seen her when Jasper summoned him to deal with three of Scottie’s girls. The problem had started when Katy visited the shop. Predictably, he’d called her a Jezebel and ordered her to leave. When she’d run back to the dance hall in tears, Lizzy and two other women had shown up in skimpy dresses.

  Jasper wanted the women arrested for trespassing. Matt had told them to leave, but he’d refused to toss them in jail. Instead he’d given them a warning, and the women had left with a wink and an offer he’d definitely refuse. Jasper had been less obliging. He’d called Matt a milksop and said he’d take care of the problem himself. How, he didn’t say, but Matt had his suspicions. If men in black derbies attacked Scottie or the dance hall again in the next few days, he’d have another sign of Jasper’s involvement, which in turn pointed to the Golden Order.

  Having Pearl in Jasper’s store made Matt’s hackles rise. He swung Sarah up to his hip so he could move faster. “Let’s go.”

  Carrie moved to his side and the three of them walked the five blocks to Jasper’s shop. Carrie chattered as much as Sarah, but Matt barely heard a word. His mind was on Pearl and Jasper’s nosy questions about her. He’d tried to warn her about the man, but she’d been too trusting for her own good.

  When they reached the front of the shop, Matt saw new items in the display window. Yesterday it had held womanly whatnot. Today he saw men’s neckwear, a walking stick and a black derby…the same hat worn by the men who’d beaten up Scottie Fife. A hat in the window… Matt couldn’t think of a better way to summon the elite of the Golden Order. Men could come idly to the store, exchange information and go on their way.

  His nerves burned like fire at the implication for Pearl. She’d see who visited the shop. She’d learn their names. She’d have knowledge that would make her a valuable witness and put her at risk. Matt couldn’t stand the thought of Pearl being in harm’s way.

  He held the door for Carrie, vaguely aware of her passing but keenly aware of Pearl balanced on a ladder in the middle aisle. Unaware of them, she flicked a feather duster along the top of a cabinet while humming “Three Blind Mice.”

  Sarah wiggled out of his arms. “Miss Pearl!”

  Startled, she turned too quickly. She grabbed for the cabinet to steady herself, but the glass front offered no purchase. She swayed to the right, then the left. Her knees buckled, and she toppled off the ladder.

  Matt charged forward to catch her. So did Carrie. Being taller and faster, he beat her by three steps. As he gripped Pearl’s waist, she twisted and grabbed his shoulders. He lifted her off the riser and guided her to the floor, setting her down with a gentle bounce. Their eyes tangled the way they had after the failed interview. If they’d been alone, he’d have risked a teasing smile. When Pearl blushed, he wondered if she’d had the same thought.

  She broke the spell by mumbling “Thank you” and stepping back. Before he could reply, she turned to Carrie. “Matt just saved me from an embarrassing fall. I’m glad you stopped by.”

  “Me, too,” Carrie said brightly.

  Sarah plastered herself against Pearl’s skirt. “I’m sorry, Miss Pearl. I made you fall.”

  Matt’s heart clenched at his daughter’s woeful tone. Sarah had the misguided notion that bad things were her fault. She thought she had to be good to make people love her. That if she never acted up, she’d never be hurt again. He attributed the notion to Bettina’s departure, which he blamed on both himself and God. How could the Almighty fail a little girl the way he’d failed Sarah?

  Matt opened his mouth to correct his daughter, but Pearl had already dropped to a crouch. “You didn’t make me fall, Sarah. You were happy to see me, and I’m happy to see you.”

  “Really?”

  “You bet.” She smiled so brightly Matt felt sunshine.

  As she straightened, Sarah’s head bobbed up. Her braids, more than passable in his estimation, flicked against her shoulders. “Are you really happy to see me?”

  “Oh yes!” Pearl patted the child’s head. “Your braids look pretty today.”

  “My daddy bought me a special brush.” Sarah leaned closer to Pearl as if to share a secret. “He knows how to fix braids now.”

  Pearl smiled. “I can see that.”

  Matt’s eyes flicked to another blond braid, the one circling Pearl’s head like a crown. No ribbons today. Not a single comb or a fancy curl. Even without adornment, her hair was beautiful. Instead of pushing the awareness aside, he let it unfold into a simple fact. If it weren’t for his flaws and their differences, he’d already be courting her. For a cynic like himself, such feelings for a godly woman weren’t wise.

  Smiling too brightly, Pearl looked at Carrie. “What can I do for you two?”

  Two? Matt didn’t like the implication. If Pearl thought he had feelings for Carrie, he’d have to set her straight.

  “Table linens,” Carrie answered. “I want new ones for the party. Matt’s agreed to come. Isn’t that nice?”

  Pearl smiled at him. “I’m glad.”

  So was he. When he smiled back, her cheeks turned pink and she turned away. “The linens are over here.” Pearl led the way to another aisle.

  Matt had no interest in napkins but he wanted a closer look at the men’s hats. “Where’s Jasper?”

  “At the bank,” she answered.

  He ambled to the corner displaying men’s attire. Matt didn’t care for fancy clothing. He owned a suit for funerals and a pile of store-bought shirts. As for hats, he wouldn’t get caught dead in a derby. Thinking of the hat in the window, he looked for others on the shelf but didn’t see them. Why would Jasper advertise an item and not put it out? He took it as another sign that the derby was a signal, not an advertisement. He wanted to share the information with Dan before the man left the office, so he crossed the store. “Ladies?”

  They both turned.

  “I just remembered something.” He kept his voice even. “Would you mind keeping Sarah for me?”

  “Of course,” they said in unison.

  Pearl sealed her lips.

  Carrie grinned. “I’ll take her home with me. You can stay for supper.”

  Supper would give him a chance to speak with Reverend Oliver. He’d also be able to quiz Pearl about Jasper. Matt wanted to say yes, but he had a bad feeling about the black hat. If something happened tonight on
Ferguson Street, he needed to be ready. “Thanks, but no to dinner. I’ll get Sarah in an hour.”

  Sarah scampered to him for a hug goodbye. Matt lifted her, kissed her nose and told her to be good. As he set her down, Jasper came through the door. His small eyes went to Pearl, lingered, then skittered to Matt. He blanked his expression but not before Matt caught the ogle he’d given Pearl.

  The shopkeeper stared at him. “Good afternoon, Deputy.”

  “Jasper.”

  The man turned to Carrie. “Miss Hart, it’s a pleasure. I suppose you’ve come to visit Pearl.”

  Since when did Jasper get to use Pearl’s first name? It made sense since she worked for him, but Matt didn’t like it.

  Carrie smiled. “I came to buy table linens.”

  “They’re from Boston,” Jasper said with pride. “Pearl can help you. She’s learning quickly.”

  Pearl thanked him for the compliment, but she sounded tense. Matt wondered if Jasper had been overly friendly with her. She’d hate that kind of attention, and he hated the thought of it on her behalf. Looking at Jasper, he made a silent vow. Every day he’d drop by Jasper’s store to keep an eye on Pearl. The black derby, too. Matt excused himself and left the store. He’d be back, though. And he’d be watching.

  To Pearl’s relief, Jasper retreated to his office and closed the door. She wrapped Carrie’s napkins in brown paper and gave Sarah a piece of candy. After they left, she put a penny in the till to pay for it. She didn’t want to be accused of stealing or being careless. Her duties included dusting the store twice a day, so she picked up the duster and went back to work.

  Her nerves felt as twitchy as the ostrich plumes flicking the invisible dust. She’d never been good at hiding her feelings, and she feared Carrie could see her reaction to Matt. When he’d caught her from falling, he’d lifted her up and floated her to the floor. She’d felt weightless in his arms. His muscles had bunched beneath her fingers and she’d felt safe. Not frightened. Not panicky…until she’d remembered Carrie.

  Pearl didn’t know what to make of the unexpected visit. She figured they’d met after school, but who had suggested a visit to Jasper’s store? Pearl would find out tonight, but in her heart she already knew. Matt hadn’t come to the shop for Carrie’s sake. He’d come to see her. Catching her had been an act of duty, but his hand had stayed on her waist after she’d landed. His eyes had lingered on her face and she’d seen a question in his eyes.

  What if…

  “Stop it,” she said out loud. What if pigs could fly? What if she could kiss a man without fear pressing into her throat? She flicked the duster over a shelf holding women’s shoes. To distract herself, she admired a pair of ivory kid boots. She touched the buttery leather and wished she could afford to buy them. She yearned for all sorts of things, all beyond her reach.

  “Pearl?”

  She turned and saw Jasper. He’d left his office and closed the door behind him. Maybe he’d leave for the day. She lowered the duster. “Yes, Mr. Kling?”

  “Call me Jasper,” he said as he approached her. “I insist.”

  “It’s a habit.”

  They’d had this conversation before. As an employee she didn’t mind being addressed as Pearl, but she didn’t have to surrender the polite distance of a man’s surname. He’d approached her for a reason, so she asked, “What can I do for you?”

  His lips pulled back in what might have been a smile. “I’d like to invite you to have supper with me.”

  Blood drained from her face. She needed to make a polite excuse, but she couldn’t think of one. She opened her mouth, closed it, then managed to say, “Hmm.”

  Jasper’s eyes gleamed behind his spectacles. “With your father, of course. We’d need a chaperone.”

  If she’d had any doubts about his intentions, the mention of a chaperone would have laid them to rest. She had no interest in being courted by this man. Her reaction had little to do with his small eyes and pointed chin. His demeanor put her off. So did the way he treated people. She had to nip his interest in the bud. “Thank you, but I can’t accept.”

  “You’re shy,” he said kindly.

  She said nothing, but her cheeks flushed. Not from embarrassment but anger, though Jasper wouldn’t know the cause. She hoped he’d take the hint and leave. Instead he shifted nervously on his feet. “I want you to know, Pearl. I admire how you conduct yourself.”

  She said nothing.

  “Your father, too.” He pushed up his spectacles. “He spoke eloquently at the Golden Order meeting. We’re glad to have him.”

  Pearl had to blank her surprise. Her father had come home from the meeting shaking his head. He agreed with the group in principle, but he’d been put off by the vitriol. He didn’t plan to go back, and he’d been particularly critical of Jasper’s ranting about Ferguson Street. Tobias hated sin as much as the next man, but he knew the folly of a superior tone and refused to throw stones at anyone.

  Jasper had no such humility. Pearl had to discourage him, or else she’d be fending off his advances every day. Still holding the duster, she searched her mind for something true that would send him on his way. She settled on the obvious. “I very much appreciate having employment, sir. But you need to know, I’m not interested in…personal attention. I’ve made a decision to serve the Lord as a single woman.”

  Jasper gripped her free hand. “God bless you, Pearl. You’re as faithful as Paul, the greatest of the Apostles.”

  She pulled back instantly. Jasper let go, but his eyes stayed on her face. Clutching the feather duster, a poor weapon at best, she stood like a deer sensing danger. Had she overreacted? She didn’t think so, but she couldn’t be sure. Jasper had an odd manner, but he’d simply complimented her dedication to God.

  She had to respond or else she’d rouse his curiosity. “Thank you for understanding,” she finally said.

  With an awkward bow, he went to the display window. Pearl resumed her dusting, but she couldn’t stop trembling. She didn’t trust her first reaction, but her second one to Jasper echoed the same uneasiness. She glanced at his back. He’d put out the men’s accessories just yesterday. Now he appeared to be removing them. The effort struck her as odd, but she had no desire to question him.

  To her relief he finished arranging the new display—fine china and silver goblets—then went back to his office and closed the door. Pearl continued her dusting, but she couldn’t shake off her nervousness. She read the Cheyenne Leader every day, so she knew about Scottie Fife’s beating. The riders had worn black derbies like the one in the window.

  She considered mentioning the coincidence to Matt, but she didn’t want to visit him at the sheriff’s office. She didn’t want to think about him at all. He belonged to Carrie. Even if he’d been free, Pearl had no real hope for a courtship.

  She tried to pray for Matt and Carrie, but her temper flared. Today she’d felt the sweet awareness of Matt protecting her from harm. She’d touched Sarah’s braids and thought of the ribbons stashed in her drawer. How much more disappointment could she stand? And now she had Jasper to worry about.

  Where are you, Lord?

  She didn’t know. The Lord had made Heaven and earth, but it seemed He’d forgotten a frightened woman in Cheyenne.

  Chapter Ten

  An hour before the supper party, Matt dragged the straight razor over his jaw, cut himself and grimaced. Fatigue made him clumsy, and the week had been brutal. Since he’d seen the derby in Jasper’s window, he’d split working nights with Dan and the other deputies. When he slept during the day or in the wee hours of the morning, his dreams were vivid and intense. He could cope with the smoky images from the war. The shame fit like a pair of old boots. What he couldn’t abide were the dreams that followed. Last night he’d seen Sarah and Pearl with matching hair ribbons and he’d jolted awake.

  Dabbing at the cut, he thought about his visits to Jasper’s shop. He stopped by twice a day now. Jasper assumed Matt was after “besmirchers.” In truth
he was watching over Pearl. Sometimes he’d bring Sarah, and he’d listen as the two of them jabbered about everything from braids to books to dolls. He could get used to having a woman around. So could Sarah, and that presented a problem. No matter how he felt about her, he was the same man who’d failed Bettina.

  He looked at his reflection in the shaving mirror. “Be smart, pal. Don’t go hurting anyone.”

  Someone tapped on the bedroom door. “Daddy?”

  “What is it, Sarah?”

  “Who are you talking to?”

  “No one.”

  “But I heard you!”

  “Hold on, darlin’.” He put on his shirt. “Come in.”

  She opened the door, then looked around the room. “I heard you talking to someone. I know I did.”

  “I know. Pretend you didn’t.”

  “If I had a mommy, you could talk to her.”

  “Sarah—”

  She huffed with an air of a full-grown woman. Did all five-year-olds do that or only his daughter? Since getting to know Pearl, Sarah talked constantly about mothers and babies. Yesterday she’d told him she wanted a baby brother as cute as Toby. Matt understood Sarah’s needs, but there was only so much a single father could do.

  He finished with his tie, put on his coat and lifted her to his hip. “Want to play horsey?”

  “Yes!”

  He galloped her into the kitchen where Mrs. Holcombe was dishing up supper. She liked being an adopted grandma, and he couldn’t have managed without her. He kissed Sarah goodbye, put on his hat and left through the front door. He’d left his horse tied to a hitching post, so he climbed into the saddle. He usually boarded the gelding at the livery, but tonight he wanted to be ready to ride. If the Golden Order struck, he’d be there quick.

  He rode two blocks to Dan’s house and dismounted. Before he knocked, Dan opened the door. Bay rum wafted in a cloud. Matt fanned it from his nose. “You smell like a girl.”

  Dan grinned. “So do you.”

  It was true, almost. Matt had splashed something minty on his jaw, but he hadn’t bathed in it. “You ready?”