Jodi Thomas (15 page)

“That’s where I found her,” Smith interjected. “She was sitting there as calmly as if she were waiting for another train.”

He leaned close to Carter as though he thought his questions might wake the child. “Did she see anything after the wreck?”

“Horses,” Carter answers. “Men in huge black coats riding horses. She said the leader had a horse with spots on its back. They took a box from the train and loaded it onto a wagon, then rode off. She couldn’t watch them long because they rode into the sun.”

“That’s all?” Smith looked disappointed. “I know twenty men who ride horses with spots on their backs and a hundred who own black coats. Every man in the county probably owns a wagon. Anyone robbing the train would probably ride west. East is town.”

Parker Smith glanced at the child. “Wake her up! See if she remembers anything else. Over twenty people died in that wreck, another six were injured. We’ve got to find out who is responsible.” Smith took a step toward the little girl.

Carter blocked his path. “She doesn’t know more.”

“She has to. We’ll keep questioning her until she remembers details. She’s the only lead I have.”

Carter folded his arms. “Go ahead.”

Frustration huffed from Smith like steam. “You know I can’t do it without you. If she hadn’t had that book in her bag, I would have thought her an animal incapable of relating to us.”

He glanced at Riley for support. “But I remembered Harman talking about a woman in his town who couldn’t hear or talk. He said she was at a special school in West Hartford, which was not too far from where I grew up.”

Parker realized he wasn’t making his point with Carter. “Twenty years ago I rode over to help solve her murder, but there were no witnesses, unless you count her son, who was little bigger than ...”

Smith stopped, staring at Carter as if he just saw the man. “You’re the dum.... You’re the couple’s boy. The only one who lived after the raid.”

Carter didn’t answer.

Smith continued. “That’s why you speak the language. Your mother was one of them. She spoke with her hands.”

Carter showed no sign of listening. He didn’t need a review of his life; he was here to help the child. “Her name is Piper Halloway, and she has a big family in Sherman. Her mother had taken her to visit the school. Piper is worried that her father is waiting for the train still. She said her mother promised him they’d be home soon.”

“I’ll send a telegram to the local law down there.” Riley moved toward the door, happy to find something he could do. “We should have an answer. Maybe even a relative on his way by morning.”

Smith nodded. “The kid can stay here until she’s picked up. I’ll let her sleep a few hours.” He glared at Carter. “Then we’re waking her up, and you’re talking to her if I have to put you both behind bars.”

Bailee glanced at Carter. He hadn’t said a word to Smith, but she could see the anger building. She stood with the child in her arms. “Is there a hotel in town, Sheriff?”

“One right across the street, ma’am.”

“Good. We’re taking Piper Halloway with us.” She stared at the sheriff, daring him to argue. “We’ll let her sleep until she wakes, then have something to eat, then we’ll ask more questions.”

When Smith started to argue, Bailee turned on him. “What kind of monster are you, Sheriff Smith? She’s been here for two days, and you haven’t even cleaned the dirt from her clothes or her mother’s blood from her hands.”

Smith obviously didn’t like being called a monster. He stepped aside and let them pass.

B
AILEE HAD NO IDEA IF CARTER CARRIED ENOUGH money to pay for a hotel room. He looked uncomfortable when they stepped into the lobby, but then, he’d been uncomfortable since they’d pulled away from his ranch.

The hotel lobby was small with a writing table against one wall and a few chairs by the one window. The counter looked as if it had had a former life in a bar.

Holding Piper close to her, Bailee walked up to a sleepy-eyed desk clerk. “We need two adjoining rooms and a bath delivered as soon as possible.”

The clerk frowned. “With all the trouble over the train wreck, we ain’t got but one room left in the place. I could bring a crib in for your child, but it’ll be a few hours before I have time to heat and lug up water for a bath. We’re only offering a bath for women and children. Men can go two doors down to the barbershop.”

“All right.” Bailee hesitated. “How much?”

“Two dollars for the room. Four bits for the bath.” When Bailee frowned, he added, “There’s no charge for the crib.”

Carter laid a twenty-dollar gold piece on the counter, and Bailee relaxed, thankful he had the money to pay.

“Could we have lunch brought up to our room in an hour?” she asked.

The clerk grinned at the money. “Yes, ma’am. My wife serves a special plate every meal. Today she’s outdone herself—chicken and dumplings. I’ll bring up three bowls before it’s all gone.” He gave Carter back his change and the key. “First room on the right at the top of the stairs. It’s the best we got. May be a little noisy, but a nice breeze blows through it in the afternoon.”

Bailee carefully handed Piper to Carter and climbed the stairs. When they reached the landing, she unlocked the door and held it for him to pass.

The room was small, but clean and furnished with a bed, one straight-backed chair, and a washstand. The clerk followed them upstairs with a small bed that was more like a child’s cot than a crib. When he set up the bed, half the walking space in the room was eliminated.

Carter gently placed Piper on the cot, and Bailee covered her with the light quilt from the end of the bed.

“We’ll let her sleep until the bath gets here.” Bailee opened Piper’s small bag and smiled. “She travels with nothing but a book and a rag doll.”

Bailee glanced at Carter, thinking he’d comment on why Piper’s mother might have insisted her child always carry her bag since there was so little in it. But Carter wasn’t listening.

She almost swore aloud. The man had the ability to turn off his hearing at will. He moved slowly across the room letting his fingers touch the faded wallpaper as if he expected one of the flowers to stand out from the others. When he reached the ladderbacked chair, he tested it for strength and frowned.

“Carter.” Bailee moved to his side and waited until he looked at her before continuing. “Do we have enough money to buy her another dress and maybe a nightgown? I could go get them while she sleeps.”

Carter fished in his pocket. “Maybe the mother just wanted her to look like everyone else on the train.” He handed her two twenty-dollar gold pieces.

“Oh, no. That’s far too much. The dress and gown together shouldn’t cost more than a few dollars.” She tried to give back half the money.

Carter pulled a book from his coat pocket and sat down on the chair, ignoring her offering. “Buy what the child needs,” he whispered as though slightly embarrassed by his words, “and what you need as well. I’ll stay here with her.”

Heat climbed her cheeks. He must have noticed she’d worn the same dress every day except on wash day. She’d lived with nothing new for so long, the thought of buying anything for herself was a little frightening.

Her father had given her a household allowance that never seemed to last the month. She never remembered there being a dime left over for anything but what she had to have. Even when he’d bought her wagon and paid for her to travel west with the wagon train, he’d figured how much she’d need to the penny.

“How much should I spend?” She hated asking. The thought that she must now account to a husband left a sour taste in her mouth.

He didn’t look at her. “All of it. I have more if you need it.”

Bailee closed her fingers around the money. “All of it?” She knew Carter couldn’t be a rich man, yet he’d given her so much.

He finally met her gaze, and she knew the money meant little to him, but his blue eyes warmed as they watched her. He wanted her to have all the money she needed, and she wouldn’t insult him by insisting he take part back. When she returned home, she’d put what was left over in a jar in the china cabinet. No matter how little it was, it would be her money.

Bailee fought the urge to hug him, settling instead for placing her hand lightly on his forearm. “I’ll return as soon as I can.”

He stared at her fingers resting on his shirt, then looked up at her without saying a word.

She almost ran from the room. What she saw in Carter’s eyes frightened her far more than Zeb Whitaker ever could. For in Carter’s gaze she saw a promise that might stand forever.

Bailee walked the street trying to figure out how she felt about this strange man she’d married. He was good. She’d seen that in everything he did. And kind, at least to her and Piper. There was so much about him she didn’t understand, might never understand. Like, why had he married her? He hardly noticed her cooking. He didn’t seem to need her conversation or housekeeping. He might never have touched her if she hadn’t shown him how. So, why did he put his name in the hat with all the others?

Bailee almost bumped into Sheriff Riley before she noticed him standing in the center of the walk, as active as a lamp pole. He had that look about him, like he was thinking hard trying to remember what it was he’d forgotten yesterday.

“I’m sorry,” she said, stepping aside and hoping he’d pass her. She didn’t want to talk to him, or anyone really. She just wanted to buy what she needed and get back to Carter.

Riley paced nervously, taking a step, then backtracking. He looked worried, like a man about to lie, she thought.

“I was just coming to check on you. Make sure you got the girl settled down.”

“She’s still asleep.” Bailee stepped around the sheriff. “Carter’s with her. I’m just going to pick up a few things while she sleeps.”

Riley circled like a slow-moving carousel and fell into step at her side. “I’ll just tag along.” He seemed to be looking more behind her than at her. “I need to stretch my legs.”

Another lie, Bailee thought. He wasn’t the kind of man who would enjoy shopping just to “stretch his legs,” but what could she say?

She tried to accept his presence and go about her mission, but for once the man made her feel on edge. Maybe it was the way he kept brushing the butt of his Colt, making sure it was in place. Or the way he glanced around, watching people. This might not be his town, but it looked no meaner than Cedar Point.

“You know,” he mumbled from a few steps behind her, “the three of you might be just as comfortable in the jail as over in that hotel. It ain’t much for what they charge and, being it’s full, there’ll probably be noise till midnight. Unless we have trouble in town tonight, you would have the whole jail to yourselves.” He grinned. “It would be just like old times having you there.”

“The hotel’s fine,” she answered, trying to ignore his poor attempt at a joke. A noisy room was better than a cell with bars for walls. She knew from experience.

Bailee bought a nightgown for Piper and one for herself, trying not to notice Riley pacing up and down between her and the store windows. When she moved to the small dress shop next door, he relaxed a little, probably because no other customers were in the store.

“The jail would be free,” he mumbled. “Sure you don’t want to reconsider? After all, first Carter’s out the train ride, then room, then all these clothes.”

“No,” she answered. “We’re staying in the hotel, and Carter wanted me to buy the clothes.”

He didn’t look happy when she excused herself to try on two dresses the dressmaker had ready-made. Bailee decided to ignore Riley as much as possible.

Both dresses fit as if they’d been made just for her, and the dressmaker suggested she buy new underthings as well. When they began looking at camisoles, Riley moved to the door and became engrossed in watching the people pass outside.

She knew she needed to hurry, but she couldn’t help but spend a little time picking out new underthings. For once she didn’t buy cotton. After all, she was a married lady now. It was no longer scandalous to buy silk with a touch of lace.

Bailee kept expecting the old sheriff to say he had somewhere else to be, but he didn’t. When they left the dress shop, they passed a barbershop.

Bailee loaded her packages on Riley. “I’ll only be a moment,” she announced as she disappeared into the shop.

True to her word, she returned in a short time with another package under her arm.

Riley wrestled with what she’d bought. “Maybe it’s time you got back,” he mumbled beneath his breath. “The kid might wake up.”

Bailee looked at him and slowed her pace. He had no choice but to do the same.

“I’m not going back to the hotel, Sheriff, until you tell me what is going on.”

“Nothing,” he said too quickly. “I was just thinking we got about all we can carry now. I think there may be some kind of law about a woman buying more than she can carry.”

Bailee slowed more.

Riley took a few steps ahead, realized she was no longer at his side, and turned to her in frustration.

“What has you worried?” She stood in the middle of the walk, refusing to budge.

The sheriff swore but didn’t try another lie.

“Is it Zeb Whitaker? Is he somehow still alive and looking for me?”

He almost laughed with relief. “So you’ve heard the rumors. I’ve already had Lacy in my office crying with fright, and Sarah’s husband sent word that if Zeb shows up on his land, there’ll no longer be a question about his death. He’ll be glad to provide the body.”

“So it’s true?”

Riley shook his head. “Rumors always get started when a body’s missing. If he is alive, he’ll show up in town and I’ll have a talk with him. My guess is, some animal dragged the carcass off in the brush, and, not knowing exactly where you left him, we got about a hundred miles to cover before we find the bones.”