by Cat Cahill
“It’s the only explanation.”
Jacob nodded. “I’ve thought about it all day, and I came to the same conclusion.”
“What do we do now?” Dora placed a hand around one of the posts holding up the ceiling of the stables. Somewhere nearby, a horse shuffled and huffed.
“I don’t know,” Jacob said, honestly. In all his thinking, he couldn’t decide upon a plan of action. The fear of failure nipped at the edges of his mind, and it took all he had to keep it at bay. “It may be time to bring McFarland into my confidence. I highly doubt he’s the culprit.”
“The McFarlands would never steal from the hotel,” Dora said.
“Anyone would steal, given the right motive and opportunity.”
Dora frowned. “I don’t believe that. I imagine most people are honest and loyal, and would never fall to such levels.”
Her words were a sweet mountain breeze in the manure-and-straw air. How had she come to be so trusting? She was like no other woman he’d met. Girls from the city were usually skeptical and shrewd, not starry-eyed and full of hope, like his Dora.
His Dora. How he wished that were true. She watched him now, those big eyes the same color as night, her face reflecting every good thing that existed in the world. He grabbed on to the same post she held to keep from sweeping her up into his arms.
“Jake?” she said, her voice much less confident than when professing her belief in the goodness of all mankind.
“Yes?”
“I know you’ve mentioned it before, but do you truly believe Mr. McFarland was correct in saying the hotel won’t remain open if these thefts continue?” She cast her eyes downward, toward the straw-covered dirt floor.
“Unfortunately, yes. The Gilbert Company prefers to make a profit. It’s never happened before, but Mr. Gilbert wouldn’t hesitate if it meant he’d stop losing money.”
She lifted her head. “How do you know such things?”
“Mr. Gilbert told me when he hired me to investigate.” The partial lie tripped off his tongue. His father certainly had told him, and he was being paid to investigate. But the whole of the statement rang false in Jacob’s mind. And he realized, at that moment, that he despised keeping the secret of who he was from Dora. The future came hurtling toward him. He’d leave here at some point, his investigation either concluded or handed over to Pinkertons. What then? Would he confess his true identity to Dora and hope she forgave him? Or would he leave her here, never to speak to her again? The first option terrified him, but the latter threatened to shatter his heart entirely.
She watched him now, her eyes narrowed just so. For half a moment, he feared she’d figured him out. But then she looked away, back toward the rear of the stables.
“Dora?” he said gently when she didn’t turn back to him.
Her chest rose and fell as she breathed, but she said nothing. And she didn’t look at him. Something was wrong.
Jacob took a couple of steps around her until he was in her line of vision again. She quickly looked back the other way, but not before he saw the tears swimming in her eyes.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” He took a cautious step toward her. When she didn’t move, he placed a hand on her elbow.
She sniffled but still didn’t look at him, as if she were embarrassed to let him see her tears. “Nothing happened,” she finally said. “It’s only . . . what might be. The Crest Stone can’t be closed.”
“We’re trying not to let that happen,” he said, keeping his hand on her elbow.
“I know. But what if we don’t succeed? If the hotel closes, I’ll have no position. My family . . .” She choked as a sob shook her body. She raised a hand to cover her mouth.
“Shh.” Jacob pulled her to him.
Dora didn’t protest. Instead, she let him hold her and leaned her face against his chest. He rubbed her back, and her tears dampened his coat. When she seemed to quiet some, he spoke. “The Gilbert Company would ensure that each of the employees here has work in a different hotel. You don’t need to fear that.”
She sniffed again, and he could feel her nodding against his chest. “It wouldn’t be the same,” she finally said.
“No,” he replied. “I suppose it wouldn’t.” The Crest Stone Hotel and Restaurant was a special place. Jacob had been here for less than a week, and that was already clear to him. And it wasn’t just the beautiful, remote mountain valley—it was the people who worked here. It would be a shame to see this hotel shuttered.
He leaned his face down into her hair. She smelled of fresh air and wildflowers. How she could smell of wildflowers in December was beyond him, but he couldn’t get enough of the scent. “I promise you I’ll do everything I can to keep that from happening.”
She pulled back just a little, but remained in his arms. She drew a hand across her face, wiping away the tears that remained. “How are you so confident?”
He laughed a little, a throaty, guttural sound. “I suppose it was how I was raised,” he finally said.
“Your family must be quite different from mine. I . . . I’d like to meet them someday.” Then, as if she’d just understood what she said, she ducked her head.
“I’d like that.” It was the most honest thing he’d said since he’d arrived here in Crest Stone.
Her chin rose as she looked back up at him, a shy smile making its way across her face. His heart pounded in his ears, drowning out any sound of horses or his own sense. He moved one of his hands up to the back of her neck. It didn’t matter who his family was or why he was here. Nothing mattered in this moment but Dora in his arms.
He lowered his face toward hers and her eyes fluttered shut. Her breath on his face was warm and quick. All he wanted to do with his life was keep her safe and happy. Starting right now. His lips touched hers and—
A blast of cold air hit him as the door to the stable flew open.
Chapter Fifteen
Dora stumbled backward in a daze. One moment, she was drowning in Jake’s embrace, and now she was alone, searching for her bearings and trying to piece together what had just happened. Her fingers flew to her lips. Jake hadn’t kissed her, had he? No, because someone had interrupted them.
Someone.
Dora thought she might be sick. The door to the stables had shut, taking with it the freezing air that had blown in. Dora blinked in the gloom, trying to see who had come in.
“Oh, I’m—I’m sorry,” a quiet voice said.
Dora squinted, barely making out the woman’s shape. The woman stepped forward, light from the single lamp glinting off spectacles perched on her nose.
Edie. Dora took a deep breath. She barely knew the girl. And she certainly didn’t know if Edie was the sort who kept confidences or who went running to gossip or—worse—share what she’d seen with Mrs. Ruby. It was one thing to talk about finding a man attractive, and something else to be found in his embrace.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation,” Edie said, her hands clasped in front of her. “I was looking for the stablehands. To let them know to come for supper.”
Conversation. The word whirled through Dora’s head. Did that mean Edie hadn’t seen Jake about to kiss her? Edie looked earnest, not as if she’d just trapped a beaver.
“What a coincidence,” Jake said from where he stood, now several feet away. “D—Miss Reynolds here had just arrived to do the same.”
She had? Dora forced her face to maintain a pleasant look, despite Jake’s lie for her. Never had she been asked to fetch anyone for supper. It must be a regular chore for Edie. But coming all the way out here in the cold? It seemed work better suited for one of the kitchen boys.
“And as I told her, your invitation comes too late. The stablehands are already at their supper in the kitchen. And now that I’ve brought leftover turnips and carrots for the horses, I must be on my way. I bid you ladies good evening.” He tugged at his hat, and as soon as Edie turned away, he raised his eyebrows at Dora in a silent question.
“Shall we return together?” Edie asked.
Dora nodded and pulled her hood up to cover her head. “Do you often have to fetch the stablehands for dinner?” she asked as they secured the stable door behind them. Tiny snowflakes swirled through the air, biting at her face.
“Not often,” Edie replied, tugging her own hood up. “Do you?”
“No.” At least that was the truth. “Perhaps everyone is concerned they’ll starve in this weather.”
Edie laughed, but it sounded forced. “Perhaps.”
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Dora’s mind flitted between Jake and the missing money. They entered the hotel through the back door that led down the hallway to the kitchen, the ladies’ parlor, and eventually, the lobby.
Edie stopped at the kitchen door. “I want to ensure they’re in here.”
“Thank you for looking,” Dora said. “Else we’ll both be in trouble.” As soon as Edie disappeared through the door, Dora hoped that was the last falsehood she’d need to rely on, at least for one night.
She wandered through the lobby, glancing out of habit at the front desk. Jake was nowhere to be seen. Dora eased her way through the guests gathered near the fireplace. She passed the stairs and stood instead in the hallway that led back to the hotel office and the laundry room. Something bothered her about last night, but she couldn’t quite remember what it was. Standing here didn’t serve her memory at all. At least not for the elusive thought she’d hoped to remember.
Instead, she remembered Jake. Jake’s hand on the back of her neck, warm and reassuring. His eyes, seeking out her true self. His lips—
She squeezed her eyes shut at the memory. Why had she let him take such liberties? It wouldn’t end well. It couldn’t. She couldn’t go on pretending she wasn’t who she was, not if they carried on this way. She’d need to tell him about her family. About how horrible it was being moved to the reservation after they’d followed in the footsteps of generations of their ancestors, traveling with the seasons through these mountains, into the valleys, following game as the weather allowed. About the traditions she missed so deeply they cut grooves through her heart—the horse races, the Sun Dance, seeing distant relatives and friends at trading gatherings. About how as much as she loved the hotel and her friends here, a part of her would always be missing as she pretended to be Dora from Chicago. About the guilt she felt daily as she did her work, even though she knew what she did was the only way her family could survive.
What would he think about all of that? Would he still look at her the same way? Or would he be appalled? Angry that she wasn’t honest with him?
And what would she do if they couldn’t catch the thief? Jake had said Dora and the other girls could get work at another Gilbert hotel dining room, but how did he know that for certain? It didn’t seem as if he’d worked for the company long enough to be privy to such information. Besides, Dora didn’t know how she could survive being even farther away from her family. At least from here, they were but a few days’ ride away to the southwest. If she closed her eyes at night and cleared her mind, it was almost as if she could feel their presence. How could she sense them if she needed to relocate to some other hotel in, say, Montana or California? But if she didn’t go, her family would . . . She couldn’t even think the words.
Tears pricked Dora’s eyes for the second time in a day. Two of the maids left the laundry room at the end of the hall, and Dora quickly swiped her hand across her eyes.
“No need for ironing today!” Helen said as she and another girl passed Dora. “Georgie and I have already taken care of it.”
Dora nodded, pasting a smile on her face. They disappeared, only to be replaced by Mrs. McFarland, leaving the hotel office. She took care to lock the door before walking quickly toward Dora and the lobby.
“Good evening, my dear,” she said as she approached Dora. She paused, her gaze taking in Dora’s face. “Is everything all right?”
“It is, thank you,” Dora said. “I . . . well, I worry. About the hotel and what will happen . . .” That certainly wasn’t a lie. The fear had eaten away at the edges of her mind all day.
Mrs. McFarland laid a hand on Dora’s arm. “I worry, too. But we aren’t to that point yet, so worrying is but a useless activity that only serves to distract us.”
Dora gave her a little smile. “That is true. Do you know anything more yet?”
“Not yet. The money seems to be disappearing overnight. I’ve taken to doing the books twice a day now, and it’s always morning when I discover the missing funds. I’ve never seen such a thing. Not even when I ran my brother’s ranch, and there was certainly opportunity there for someone to steal money from us.”
“I hope we can uncover the thief soon,” Dora said.
“As do I. Now, it’s late. You should get on upstairs before Mrs. Ruby comes searching for you.” Mrs. McFarland squeezed Dora’s arm before retracing her steps to the apartment she shared with her husband. She nodded at Dora before disappearing inside.
Dora sighed and gathered up her skirts to climb the stairs. She resolved to listen and watch even harder than she had been. They had to uncover this thief before it was too late.
Chapter Sixteen
Jacob knocked on the door to the hotel office. After a moment, it opened to McFarland on the other side. He let Jacob enter before shutting the door again. The large room held two desks, one for McFarland and the other for his wife, who was there now, her lips moving silently as she ran a finger down a column in a large ledger. Stacks of bills sat upon her desk, along with a few papers and envelopes.
“Thank you for seeing me,” he said to McFarland, who eyed him watching his wife with the money. Jacob knew immediately what the man thought. Luckily, he could dispel his worries. “Could I speak to you alone?”
McFarland glanced at his wife, who nodded, and then led the way out the door. They walked a short way down the hall before stopping at a door near the stairs. McFarland unlocked it and held it open for Jacob to enter.
“These are our rooms,” McFarland said by way of explanation. “Please, sit.”
Jacob took a seat in an armchair. The apartment appeared small but comfortable. It was certainly more home-like than a hotel room or Jacob’s room in the men’s dormitory upstairs. “Thank you, sir.”
McFarland settled himself in a chair across from Jacob. “Now, pray tell, what’s on your mind that requires such privacy, Mr. James?”
Jacob took a deep breath and leaned forward. Being direct was the best route to take here. “My name is not Jake James. It’s Jacob Gilbert. I’m here on request of my father, James Gilbert, Sr., to see if I can’t find this thief before the company calls in the Pinkerton Agency.”
If McFarland was surprised at all at his words, he didn’t show it. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard. “Well. Now there’s a revelation. And how do I know you speak the truth? I must be skeptical, as you can imagine.”
Jacob expected no less. He came prepared for just such a question, and reached into the pocket of his vest to extract the telegrams sent from Denver. He passed them to McFarland, who studied them closely before returning them to Jacob.
“Might I ask why you’re just coming to me now with this information?” McFarland said.
“I had to make certain you were not the embezzler. Sir,” Jacob added, hoping to soften his words. “I hope you understand.”
McFarland nodded. “Yes. Yes, I suppose I do. Now, do I get to be privy to your investigation to date?” The man still sounded a bit irritated. It made sense, after all. Jacob supposed he would feel the same if he were in McFarland’s place.
“So far, I have nothing. The only people I’ve ruled out are you and your wife. I was hoping we could collaborate.”
M
cFarland sat forward. “That would be for the best. What do you have in mind?”
“It’s clear the money is disappearing from the safe overnight. I attempted to set up a watch a few evenings ago, but I must have either arrived too late or left too early, because we—I—never laid eyes on the thief. I propose we set up another watch, this time covering the office door from the moment you leave for the evening until the moment you arrive in the morning.” Jacob stopped, hoping McFarland didn’t notice his slip. There was no need to share the fact he’d worked with Dora on the investigation, particularly since it might cause her to lose her position here. Not to mention, McFarland wouldn’t take kindly to the knowledge that one of his waitresses knew why Jacob was here before he did, even if she didn’t know his true identity.
“The company is sending an emergency shipment of funds. It’s due to arrive tomorrow,” McFarland said. “We generally keep the arrival of money quiet, as you can imagine, but perhaps we can make this one a bit . . . less quiet, to draw out the thief.”
“Excellent.” It was similar to the plan Jacob had executed with Dora, except this time, there was an actual shipment of money. It had certainly worked then as more money had gone missing; there was no reason it shouldn’t work again.
Except this time, they’d catch the culprit.
JACOB ARRIVED TO THE kitchen early for breakfast the next morning, hoping to find Dora. She was there not even a minute later, dressed in her gray and white Gilbert Company dress and apron, her midnight hair neatly pulled back under a white cap. She looked radiant, even dressed the same as every other girl who worked in the dining room.
Something clattered to the floor. The bellhop behind Jacob tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a fork. “You dropped this.”
“Thanks.” He could’ve dropped his entire plate of food and not noticed, thanks to the beauty that had drawn all his attention entirely onto her. Jacob exchanged the fork for a clean one, after apologizing to the boy washing dishes, and then found a seat across from Dora.
