Refining Fire

by Cox, Carol

  Randolph cleared his throat. “And just where did this peace come from?”

  Jenny smiled. “I won a battle last night, Sheriff. Or rather, I lost a battle and wound up the winner.” His look of utter confusion made her chuckle. “I’ve fought against God for years,” she explained. “All the people I loved most told me He loved me and wanted to make me His child, but I knew they were wrong. You see, I thought I wasn’t good enough for Him. And I was right! I wasn’t. But the amazing thing is, He loved me anyway. I couldn’t see that until last night, when I didn’t have anyplace else to turn.”

  “I. . .see.” Randolph shifted in his chair. “The investigation is still continuing. Check back with me tomorrow.”

  “I’ll do that,” Jenny assured him. “And if you need me any other time, you know where to find me.”

  ❧

  Andrew sat at a corner table in the Pueblo Restaurant and watched Jenny through the office doorway. She sat serenely at her desk, apparently unperturbed by the storm that raged around her. Did she have any idea of the way her face glowed? Randolph might be dubious about the change in Jenny, but the joy that radiated from her convinced Andrew beyond a doubt.

  Speaking of doubt—the memory of the skepticism he’d voiced to Red only the night before came back to haunt him. Hadn’t he doubted her, too? If only there were some way he could make up for his lapse in faith, some way to clear Jenny’s name without question.

  Manuel sauntered up to the table and handed Andrew a cup of coffee. “She is going to be all right, is she not?” he asked in a worried tone.

  “I think so. But if we could get some proof that would convince the sheriff she’s innocent, it would sure help.”

  Manuel’s face lit up. “You need help finding proof? I am very good at that. I helped Señorita Davis find the information about Señor Townsend.”

  Andrew turned his attention to the grinning boy. “You did?” A plan began to form in his mind. Maybe there was a way to help Jenny after all. “Manuel, do you think you could help me find a man?”

  twenty-one

  An insistent pounding jerked Jenny from her sleep. She sat up and looked around, disoriented for a moment in the dark room. The pounding came again. Jenny jumped out of bed and pulled her robe from its hook. Belting it around her waist, she padded toward the front door.

  “Who is it?” she called in a low voice.

  “It’s Evan. Let me in. I need to talk to you.”

  “Are you out of your mind? It’s the middle of the night.”

  The pounding persisted. “I’m going to stand here and keep knocking, Jenny. If you don’t open up, the whole street will know I’m out here.”

  Jenny waited in the dark living room a moment longer until the hammering on the door convinced her Evan had every intention of making good his threat. She fumbled for a match and lit a lamp.

  “Will you be quiet?” she said. “Quit knocking. I’m going to open the door.” She slid the bolt back as she spoke. Evan nearly bowled her over in his haste to enter the room.

  “What is wrong with you?” she blazed at him. “Isn’t it enough you’ve dragged my name through the mud? Now you show up at this hour—you’re going to destroy what little is left of my reputation.”

  “I wanted to tell you I’m sorry,” he said. “I couldn’t stand to wait until morning to get that off my conscience.”

  Jenny held the lamp higher and looked at him more closely. The light showed dark circles under Evan’s eyes that hadn’t been there before. Could he be telling the truth for once?

  “All right, you’ve told me. Now go away. I’m near to being arrested, Evan. For something you’ve done. I’m afraid your apology won’t do much to change that.”

  He held up one hand. “No, wait. That’s why I wanted to see you tonight. To tell you I’m sorry and that I want to make it right.”

  Jenny eyed him narrowly and waited.

  “I know I’ve put you through a rather bad time.” Evan caught her angry gaze and flinched. “All right, a terrible time. And I am truly sorry. I’m going to talk to Randolph in the morning and tell him that you had no part in any of it. It was all my doing.”

  Jenny set the lamp down before she dropped it in her shock. “You’d do that for me? Why?”

  “Call it an acute attack of conscience, if you will.” The smile he gave her looked more like the Evan she knew. “I just know that I can’t go on any longer knowing I’ve caused you such grief. And to show you I really mean it, I’m willing to sell you my half of the business.”

  “For a thousand dollars? You know I can’t possibly come up with that amount.”

  “No, not a thousand.” His face twisted in a wry grin. “You said the place wasn’t worth more than three hundred. I’ll go along with your estimate. Give me a hundred and fifty, and we’ll call it even.”

  Jenny stared at him. “Are you serious?”

  “Absolutely.” He drew a folded paper from his inner coat pocket. “And to prove it, I’ve brought along a bill of sale.”

  “You mean you want to do it tonight?”

  “If you have the money here at home, why not get it over with right now? Then we’ll be square.”

  “Well, I suppose. Wait right here.” She left Evan in the dark living room and carried the lamp to her bedroom, where she pulled her savings from a niche in the wall behind her bed. She sorted out a small stack of bills, then went back to Evan. “Go ahead,” she told him. “Count it.”

  “No, I trust you.” Evan pocketed the cash and scribbled his signature at the bottom of the bill of sale. “There we are, everything tied up nice and neat. I’ll be going now. How about meeting me at the sheriff’s office at nine?”

  “Nine will be fine.” She closed the door behind him and leaned against it, filled with wonder at what had just transpired. The restaurant was hers, truly hers! And tomorrow Evan would clear her name.

  ❧

  The following morning, Jenny walked the familiar path to Sheriff Randolph’s office by herself. No point in bothering Andrew today. She wouldn’t need a protector this morning. Today was the day she would be exonerated. She strode up the steps with a confident air and rapped on the door before pushing it open.

  “Is he here?” she asked the moment she set foot in the room.

  Randolph looked up from behind his desk. “Is who here?”

  “Evan. Evan Townsend. He said he’d meet me here at nine.”

  A baffled expression spread across the sheriff’s face. “And why would he do that?”

  “He was going to take responsibility for—” A commotion behind her made Jenny whirl around. The door burst open and Andrew appeared, pushing a stocky, balding man before him.

  Jenny gasped. “Harvey Green!”

  “What’s going on?” Randolph demanded.

  Andrew, grim-faced, shoved the man toward the sheriff. Manuel scooted into the room behind him. “Have you been looking for this man, Randolph?”

  “Yes,” the sheriff began, “but I want to know—”

  “Good. He has something to say to you.” Andrew prodded the heavyset man between his shoulder blades. “Go on. Tell them what you told Manuel and me.”

  Green glanced at the sheriff, then dropped his gaze to the floor. “You’ve got me dead to rights,” he muttered. “I know I’m headed for Yuma and hard time, but I ain’t going alone.” He flung his head back and stared directly at Randolph. “Townsend’s going with me. He’s the boss; he can take his share of the blame.”

  “Townsend?” Randolph echoed. “You’re sure?”

  Green spat on the floor. “I ought to know who gave me my orders, hadn’t I? The whole thing was his idea from start to finish. The rustling, rigging those bids for the army, all of it.”

  “What about her?” Randolph jerked his head in Jenny’s direction.

  Green’s lips curved in a sly smile. “That was his idea, too. He had her pay me for beef for their restaurant and the money wound up right back in his pockets. If any of this
came to light, I was supposed to vamoose so she could take the blame instead of Townsend.”

  “So what do you think, Sheriff?” Andrew asked.

  Randolph lowered his head a moment, then looked straight at Jenny. “Sounds like everything you said was true, Miss Davis. You’re free to go.”

  Relief made Jenny’s head light. She smiled her thanks at the sheriff. “I’m happy to hear that, but I’m even happier to know Evan was ready to tell you himself.”

  “Townsend? What do you—” The sheriff’s comment was cut off when the door crashed open again. This time it was Red who entered the crowded office.

  “Sheriff, I need a word with you. Andrew told me what Jenny said about Townsend being the mastermind of all these evildoings. I went to confront the man this morning, and. . .” He paused dramatically. “He’s gone, Sheriff. Gone! Saddled his horse and set off for parts unknown sometime during the night.”

  twenty-two

  Jenny folded her dark blue dress and laid it neatly atop the others in her trunk. She reached for the dotted-Swiss, then paused to brush away the tears that filmed her eyes. Her dear house, the home she’d loved—how much it meant to her! She would leave a piece of her heart here in Tucson when she left.

  It couldn’t be helped, though. She heaved a shaky sigh and smoothed the dotted-Swiss out on the bed. She now carried another stain on her name. True, she had been cleared of wrongdoing in the eyes of the law, but she knew well enough that there were plenty of people who would always remember her suspected role in Evan’s crimes. She couldn’t go through that again.

  She settled the dress in its place in the trunk. Only her smaller belongings still waited to be packed. She rested her arms on the windowsill and gazed outside. Who would tend her rosebush next summer? The thought left her even more melancholy. At least she knew the restaurant would be in good hands under Jacinta’s supervision. It would bring in continued income to support the Ochoa family, and with the profits that would be sent Jenny’s way, she could live comfortably wherever she went.

  In a way, she looked forward to it. I do, she insisted, trying to stifle the voice of doubt. It would be a chance for a new start, just her and the Lord. Having time to spend getting acquainted with her Savior was the bright spot in the days ahead. Even if it meant leaving Tucson and the restaurant.

  And Andrew. She stifled a sob at the thought of never seeing him again. It’s all for the best. If only she could convince her heart of that. He would have her eternal gratitude for the way he stood by her in her darkest hour and the effort he made to clear her name. If the circumstances had been different. . .

  “But they aren’t,” she said aloud. “And you might as well get used to that fact.”

  A knock at the door interrupted her musings. She pulled it open, expecting to find Manuel with the additional shipping crates she’d sent him after. Instead, Andrew stood on the doorstep, holding his hat in his hands. “Good morning,” he said, giving her the smile that always made her knees tremble. “May I come in?”

  Wordlessly, Jenny backed away from the door. Andrew entered and looked around the room, his gaze landing on the stack of boxes. He glanced back at Jenny. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m packing,” she said, turning away to avoid his gaze. “I’ve decided to see what California is like.”

  “You’re moving there? Leaving the restaurant?”

  “In Jacinta’s capable hands. Don’t worry.” She forced a laugh. “You’ll still be able to enjoy her cooking.”

  Andrew took a step toward her. “It isn’t Jacinta’s cooking I’ll miss.” He moved nearer and took her hand. “Why leave just when God has worked everything out for you?”

  Her fingers felt the tingle she always experienced whenever he touched her. “People don’t forget when someone has been hauled up in front of the sheriff day after day. There’ll be talk, Andrew, and lots of it. I’ve been through this before, and I can’t do it again.”

  “You mean you’re running away?” He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand and shook his head. “You can leave Tucson, Jenny, but you can’t run away from yourself. You just carry the same problems with you from place to place. The best thing you can do is stay here, hold your head high, and keep going.”

  Jenny shivered at his touch. “I can’t face down the rumors on my own.” She raised her gaze to his face, only inches away.

  “You don’t have to do it alone,” he murmured. “You have God—and me.”

  Jenny stared into Andrew’s eyes, so close to hers. For the first time in her life, she didn’t want to run away from a man’s embrace. What would it be like to feel Andrew’s lips on her own? The thought took her breath away. “I know,” she whispered. “You’ve truly become my friend.”

  A low chuckle shook Andrew’s chest. “I’ll always be your friend. But I want to be more than that. Much more.” His breath stirred the ringlets at her temple. “Don’t go, Jenny. Don’t leave Tucson, and more importantly, don’t leave me. Won’t you stay here with me. . .as my wife?”

  Jenny raised her hand and pressed her fingertips against Andrew’s cheek. “You know everything that’s happened, and you still want to marry me?”

  “More than anything in the world.” He bent until his lips almost touched hers. “Will you have me?”

  A wellspring of joy bubbled up inside Jenny, filling her soul until she thought she would burst. “I’ll be your wife,” she said, twining her arms around his neck, “and your best friend. Forever.”

  She raised her face to bridge the tiny gap between them. The touch of Andrew’s lips on hers was everything she had longed for, and more.

  About the Author

  Carol Cox is a native of Arizona whose time is devoted to being a pastor’s wife, keeping up with her college-age son’s schedule, home- schooling her young daughter, and serving as a church pianist, youth worker, and 4-H leader. She loves any activity she can share with her family in addition to her own pursuits in reading, crafts, and local history. She also has had several novels and novellas published. Carol and her family make their home in northern Arizona.

  Dedication

  To Dave,

  Now and always

  A note from the Author:

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  Carol Cox

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