Jackson tilted his head. “Hasn’t Lily recently done exactly that? Sometimes people want a new start in life. Or they’re forced to move for any number of reasons. What bothers me is the reference to the killing.”
“I agree. Who killed someone? Was it Pa? Or someone else? And why would the law be after Pa if it was an accident according to this Ben fellow?” Daniel glanced at the housekeeper.
“And what kind of work was your father involved in?” Mrs. Sheridan frowned.
Jackson nodded. “That baffles me also. The letter referred to Pa’s assignment.”
“None of it makes sense.” Mrs. Sheridan waved her hand, dismissively. “But I knew I had to bring this letter to you, Jackson, and confess to reading it. Even if it meant the end to my position here on the ranch.”
“Don’t worry about that. Your job is secure, Mrs. Sheridan, for as long as you want it,” Jackson replied. “This information is the first lead that could help us discover Pa’s reason for leaving Milestone.”
Mrs. Sheridan smiled weakly. “Thank you, Jackson. You’re very kind and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your understanding. Read the other letter and see what you make of it.” She handed the other envelope to him.
Jackson removed the letter from the crisp new envelope addressed to A. J. McLennon, Milestone, Montana Territory. Daniel stepped behind the chair to look over his shoulder. Both of them started to read…
June 5, 1885
Alexander Jackson McLennon
I bet you figured you were safe from what you did. That killing was murder, plain and simple. And then you yellow-bellied it out of Texas for Montana. I know who you are and I know where you live. And, yes, I know what you did all those years ago. Unless you want your life ruined, take this warning seriously.
I want twenty thousand dollars cash to keep your secret. Being a wealthy rancher like you are, that shouldn’t pose a problem. Get my money and leave it in a sack outside the Butte Daily Miner’s newspaper office in Butte on June 20th.
Don’t tell anyone about this or Sheriff Robertson is going to hear from me. And I’ll see to it that you finally swing from a rope.
Jackson heard Daniel growl. He must have finished reading at the same time Jackson had. His chest tightened and he could barely breathe.
“Is Pa’s name actually Alexander Jackson McLennon?” Daniel questioned.
“Explains my given name and your second name, Daniel. But I’ve only ever known Pa to be A. J. McLennon or AJ. Why did this Ben fellow refer to Pa as Alex Jackson in the first letter? Was that an alias Pa used while working at whatever assignment he’d been involved in back in 1848 when this supposed killing occurred?”
Jackson glanced over at Mrs. Sheridan, sitting in a nearby chair and looking completely stunned. Her eyes filled with tears and her lips moved but no sound came out. Her hand covered her mouth and she shook her head. “I don’t understand any of it,” she whispered.
“That’s three of us.” Jackson returned his attention to the troubling letter. Who would threaten his father’s life and reputation over something that happened thirty-seven years ago? Which, according to this Ben fellow, had been an accident anyway.
Jackson couldn’t imagine his father killing someone, even accidentally, and then not staying to face the consequences. Such cowardness didn’t sound like the A. J. McLennon he’d known all his life. Unless, in his pa’s youth, he’d panicked and lit out for the other end of the country.
“And for Pete’s sake! No one even signed it!” Daniel glanced at Jackson and then looked at Mrs. Sheridan. “Is there another page?”
The housekeeper shook her head. “Nothing else in the envelope. Just that one sheet of paper. If there were more pages, could your father have taken them with him? Do you think Mr. McLennon knew who sent it?”
“This is nothing short of blackmail,” Jackson blurted. “If Pa felt compelled to follow through with the payment, do you suppose he’s guilty?”
Daniel stared at him. “I don’t know. Would he pay this person to protect his reputation? To protect the family name? Perhaps to ensure our safety?”
“Only if he was guilty.” Jackson shook his head. “I just can’t see Pa killing someone and not facing the law, explaining it was an accident.”
“Your father couldn’t have been very old.” The housekeeper appeared to be cyphering in her head. “I’d guess mid-twenties at most.”
Daniel nodded. “And you figure he panicked? That thought crossed my mind, too.”
Mrs. Sheridan touched Jackson’s shoulder. “I hope you figure out what this is all about. I’ve grown fond of my employer and I don’t wish any harm to come to him.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Jackson stood and tucked the letters into his pocket. “Despite the warning, I’m taking this to the lawmen in town. I don’t believe these accusations of murder for a minute. There’s more to this matter than what’s written on these pages.”
“I’ll come to town with you,” Daniel added. “Today’s June 17th, and we’ve no time to waste.”
“That’s right. We need to stop Pa from paying this blackmailer. There is no way he’s guilty of murder.” Jackson headed for the parlor door. “First, let me check if there’s money missing from the ranch safe.”
A few minutes later, he returned. “Far as I can see, there’s the money Pa paid that Manning fellow and perhaps a bit more he paid out in wages and whatnot recently. Certainly not twenty thousand dollars missing. I figure Pa doesn’t intend to pay the blackmailer.”
“Unless he planned to get the money from the bank in Butte,” Daniel suggested.
Jackson dragged his hand down his face. “True enough. He has accounts there also.”
Mrs. Sheridan wrung her hands. “Do you think talking to the sheriff is wise? I hate to even think it, but… what if your father is guilty? Wouldn’t you just be sending your pa to the hangman’s noose?”
Jackson frowned. Did the housekeeper’s argument hold sufficient merit to prevent him from asking assistance of the local lawmen? What if his pa had committed a murder and then fled to Montana to avoid prosecution and perhaps death? He slumped into his chair. “I have no idea what’s right or what’s wrong. Should we believe what this Ben fellow says, that the killing was an accident? Or believe the blackmailer’s claim that Pa committed a murder and he should pay for it?”
“Regardless, this certainly explains Pa’s erratic behavior and his sudden departure from the Double M,” Daniel summarized.
Jackson met his eyes. “I had no idea why leaving me in charge had become so critical. This explains a lot of things. Pa wanted someone in charge should the unthinkable happen and he found himself arrested, or worse.”
“Had Pa gone through with the wedding, Lily would have found herself an abandoned wife in a matter of weeks,” Daniel observed.
“Lily was supposed to marry Mr. McLennon?” Nellie Sheridan blurted, appearing completely dumbfounded.
“No… Yes... No... It’s a long story,” Daniel stammered.
“We’ve no time for explanations now.” Jackson rose to his feet again. “I’m going to town to talk this over with one of the deputies. Unless Sheriff Robertson has returned. No one will ever convince me Pa is guilty of murder.”
“Me either.” Daniel followed him out of the parlor. “Let’s go and straighten out this mess.”
“I’ll stay here in case Mr. McLennon returns.” Mrs. Sheridan watched them grab their coats and hats. “I’ll explain where you’ve gone should he come home.”
“Don’t stay up too late. I doubt very much that Pa has any intentions of returning any time soon,” Jackson warned. “If it gets too late, we’ll stay in town at the hotel tonight. I don’t want you worrying. If we won’t be back tomorrow, I’ll send word to the ranch by someone in town.”
“Thank you. You know we’ll all be worried,” Mrs. Sheridan said. “And Lawrence Clarke is going to have a dozen questions when he learns you’ve gone off to town without any explanation or leavi
ng him any instructions.”
“I never thought of that.” Jackson met Daniel’s eyes. “I’ll talk to Lawrence for a few minutes, put him in charge while we’re off the ranch. Then we’ll be on the way.”
Mrs. Sheridan touched Jackson’s arm. “I’m fond of all of you. Be careful, young man, and take good care of yourself and your brother.”
Daniel smiled at Mrs. Sheridan. “Nothing bad is going to befall any of us.”
Jackson patted the housekeeper’s hand and then glanced at his brother. “We’ll make sure of it.”
For days now, Daniel had refused to listen to any orders Jackson had given. Instead, Daniel complained bitterly about every little thing that happened on the ranch, offering up his own opinion on things. He’d even decided the stray dog and her newborn puppies should be kept in the tack room not in the stall the mother had chosen. It never ended, and Jackson had lost his temper with Daniel on several occasions. At least, Adam, Simon and Michael had been bearable to work alongside.
The fact Daniel had readily offered to help Jackson with solving their father’s disappearance had been the first sign of hope for positive co-existence between the two of them since his pa handed over control of the ranch to him.
Jackson headed for the barns to leave instructions with the foreman. Five minutes later, he and Daniel rode off the ranch.
“Do you suppose the girls know?” Daniel met his eyes.
Jackson considered the question for a moment. “I doubt it. Deputy Snow wouldn’t say anything, figuring it wasn’t his place.”
“Should we go see the girls first?”
Jackson nodded. “Otherwise, Amanda will skin us alive if we keep this from her much longer. Lily would want to know also. We’ll just tell them Pa left town without mentioning what we learned in these letters.” He wouldn’t worry his sister and Lily, but he intended to put in motion a plan to resolve this craziness. “There is no possible way Pa is a murderer.”
“I agree,” Daniel said.
Jackson refused to consider the alternative.
Chapter 18
Lily gasped and glanced at Amanda who gaped at Daniel and then at Jackson who’d both just arrived from the ranch. Amanda reached out and clasped the edge of the shop’s front counter, her face paling and her eyes filling with tears. “What do you mean Pa’s gone?” she whispered.
Jackson reached for his sister’s hand. “He just up and left the ranch yesterday morning. We have no idea where he went.”
Amanda blew out her breath. “Oh, my word!” she exclaimed, swatting Jackson’s arm with a great deal of force.
“Ouch.”
“I thought he’d passed away. Don’t frighten me like that!”
“He didn’t die, sis! He’s left Milestone.”
“Where did he say he was going?”
“No one talked to him.” Daniel stood at his sister’s side. “We don’t know where he was headed or when he’s coming back.”
“Mrs. Sheridan saw him yesterday morning riding his horse away from the barn around eleven o’clock,” Jackson added. “She was out in the garden, but Pa never said a word to her about his plans. Just mounted up and away he went.”
“What about your foreman, Mr. Clarke?” Lily suggested.
Jackson shook his head. “Lawrence never realized Pa had even left until Sheriff Robertson arrived and requested a change of horses. Lawrence hadn’t seen Pa since the day before yesterday.”
Amanda stood hands on hips. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
Lily noticed Jackson’s and Daniel’s guilty expressions. Would they confess their suspicions to their sister? They’d kept Amanda in the dark about their father’s odd behavior, and they’d asked Lily not to worry her either.
“We’d feared this could happen,” Jackson muttered.
Amanda gasped. “You knew Papa was going to leave? Why didn’t you try to stop him?”
Lily shook her head. “Jackson assured me AJ promised to say goodbye. Something must have happened for him to just leave without a word.”
“You also knew about this? Why didn’t you say something to me?” Amanda demanded, glaring at Lily.
“Don’t blame Lily,” Jackson interceded. “We all questioned Pa’s reasons for handing the ranch over to me. We didn’t want to worry you, sis, what with planning the move to town and opening the store.”
“Your father has been preoccupied lately. But he wouldn’t tell anyone what was bothering him,” Lily explained. “There wouldn’t have been anything we could have done. AJ was determined to handle whatever was wrong… by himself.”
“How can I not worry about him?” Amanda bemoaned.
“I wish you would have stayed on the ranch, Lily.” Jackson glanced at her. “Maybe you could have stopped him. Pa’s fond of you. Perhaps you would have figured out that he planned to leave without a word and you could have warned us.”
Lily glared at him. “You’re blaming me for this? Your father’s a grown man and a stubborn one at that. Like someone else I know. A. J. McLennon does whatever he pleases.”
Jackson appeared a little stunned.
“Get used to the idea that you can’t control everything,” Lily accused. Was he not accustomed to women defending themselves? Standing up to him? “Or everyone. And that includes your father. And me.”
“I know. I know. I apologize for what I said,” Jackson muttered. “Sheriff Robertson headed out looking for Pa.”
“And we hope he brings him back,” Daniel added.
Jackson hugged his sister and touched Lily’s hand. “I am sorry, truly I am.”
Lily nodded. “We’re all worried.”
Jackson headed for the back door and Daniel followed him out of the shop.
“Good luck,” Lily called. She prayed AJ would be found and nothing unfortunate had befallen him.
Somehow, she didn’t believe the matter would be so easily resolved.
* * *
Jackson strode up the wooden steps leading to the sheriff’s office in the jailhouse, with Daniel following on his heels. The small windows on either side of the door showed light glowing from within. Perhaps they’d be lucky and find Deputy Snow here. Better yet, maybe Sheriff Robertson had returned with word about their pa.
Jackson yanked open the door, crossed the threshold, and promptly felt his jaw drop. There stood his father with Sheriff Robertson, their heads together over a bunch of papers strewn across the lawman’s desk.
“Do you mind telling me what you’re doing?” Jackson demanded.
Two gray-haired heads whipped up. AJ waved off the question and he and Carl returned their attention to the papers in front of them. One appeared to be a large map, and the others resembled scribbled notes and hand drawings.
“Mrs. Sheridan found your letters. We’ve got a pretty good idea why you left the ranch,” Jackson said.
“Either you’re out to prove you’re innocent. Or you’re high-tailing it somewhere because you’re guilty.” Daniel finished their accusations.
“Are you a murderer, Pa?” Jackson added, standing hands on hips.
“Your father told me everything. Murderer… that’s the plumb craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” the sheriff scoffed.
“Not according to this letter,” Jackson offered, digging the blackmailer’s letter out of his pocket.
AJ’s expression clouded. “You boys got no business stickin’ your noses into this.”
“He told me about the blackmail. Of course, not until I arrested him and threatened to send for the circuit judge.” The sheriff stuck out his hand. “Let me see the dang letter.”
“There’s another one also. From years ago.” Jackson handed them over without another word. He waited, watching the sheriff’s expression change from curiosity to surprise to outright shock during the reading of them.
Jackson reckoned his pa should be in a cell, especially if the sheriff had arrested him. Instead they appeared busily working together on something. And where had the sheriff found
his father? More importantly, Jackson couldn’t help worrying if they were doing the right thing, placing their faith in the local lawman. If his pa faced a noose because of…
“Sheriff Robertson, how did you know Pa left town?” he demanded.
“I… I was warned he might be planning to leave town out of the blue. And that AJ wouldn’t tell anyone what was going on,” the sheriff admitted.
“Lily done it,” AJ scoffed. “Dang interferin’ woman! She requested the sheriff keep an eye out since I might be planning to leave. Of course, Carl promptly told half the men in town to watch for anything suspicious concerning A. J. McLennon. That dang Sam Perkins saw me leaving the ranch and figured I had no reason to be heading north.”
Jackson caught himself smiling as he heard the tale concerning Lily’s forethought. He’d never been more proud of her and the sneaky move he hadn’t thought of himself. Sneaky but effective. He wanted to thank her with kisses that would make her knees buckle. And his best friend, Sam, had his hand in it also. Having friends certainly paid off.
Just then the door to the sheriff’s office crashed open, striking the wall. Adam, Simon and Michael stormed inside. If looks could kill, Jackson figured he’d be six feet under.
“What the heck is going on? Mrs. Sheridan told us Pa could be in a heap of trouble.” Adam stood glaring at his brothers. A moment later he noticed their father. “Pa, she told us someone accused you of murder!”
“Who’d try something so dad-blamed stupid?” Simon demanded.
“Darn it anyway, Jackson.” Michael glared at him, fire in his eyes. “Why haven’t we heard any of this from you? Why’d we learn it from the dang housekeeper?”
“Quit your jawing, boys! All this racket is giving me a headache.” AJ stood, a defiant expression on his face. “Sheriff Robertson knows what happened and he’s making inquiries. Carl and I will put this right.”
Jackson met his younger brother’s eyes. “Daniel and I would have told you. But it all happened so fast after Mrs. Sheridan showed us the letters. We didn’t have—”
Canceled-Order Bride (Sons Of A Gun Book 1) Page 13
