“I cleaned up,” he said as they walked down the path. “But it’s not pretty.”
“Thank you.”
“I wish I’d caught whoever did this.”
When the damage came into view, Adie gasped. Leaving Josh at the edge of the plot, she went to the corn, dropped to a crouch and touched a broken stalk. She stood, propped up a stake and arranged a single tomato vine. When she looked at the remains of the strawberry plants, she pressed her hand to her lips and whimpered. A woman’s tears had never dampened Josh’s shirt, but he didn’t think twice about stepping to Adie’s side.
He touched her back. “I’m sorry. I know what the garden means to you.”
Instead of turning to him, she stiffened. “I have work to do. I have to replant.”
“I’ll help.” When a tremor shot up her spine, he wanted to bloody Franklin Dean’s nose. He settled for glaring at the corn. “We need to call the sheriff.”
“No!”
Her reaction didn’t make sense. “Why not?”
Adie took three steps away from him. She seemed to be staring across the street, but Josh sensed she was hiding her eyes. “There’s no point,” she finally said. “Dean owns Denver and everyone in it.”
“He doesn’t own me. I’ll hire an attorney. I’ll—”
“You’ll do nothing.”
“Adie—”
She faced him. “Pearl’s involved, too. She wants her privacy.”
“But—”
“But nothing!”
Josh didn’t care for one-sided conversations, but he couldn’t force Adie to share her thoughts. “All right,” he said. “I’ll respect your wishes.”
“Good.”
“I don’t like it, though.”
She glared at him. “It’s none of your concern. You’ll be leaving soon.”
“No, I’m not.”
Her mouth gaped. “But—”
“I won’t leave until you’re safe…Pearl, too.”
Josh didn’t want to butt in to Pearl’s life, but someone had to speak candidly with her father. When the time was right, he’d visit Colfax Avenue Church.
Adie stood glaring at him. “There’s another problem.”
“What’s that?”
“You can’t stay here indefinitely.”
“Why not?”
“Our agreement was for two weeks.”
“So we can change it.”
“I don’t want to. As I said, I don’t rent to men. I made an exception, but it’s awkward.”
Josh couldn’t disagree. Between his feelings for Adie and Caroline’s baking, he felt like a black swan among five white ones. He had to stifle his tender feelings for Adie but not the urge to keep her safe. “Dean wants to harm you,” he said in a sure voice. “If you think I can leave now, you’ve misjudged my character.”
No, she hadn’t. Josh had washed dishes and fixed the roof. He’d cleaned up after Buttons and filled the wood box. He had a good heart. He hadn’t asked about Emily again, and Adie could almost believe he wasn’t Maggie’s brother. She’d decided to let sleeping dogs lie, but if Josh stayed in Denver, those dogs would wake up and bark. She had to convince him to leave.
Apart from her worries about Stephen, she didn’t like the way he made her feel. When he looked into her eyes, she saw a man full of hope and kindness. He knew how to laugh and when to cry. He didn’t resemble Reverend Honeycutt in the least, but he still wore a black coat and believed in God. Adie believed in God, but she wanted nothing to do with Him.
She and Josh lived on opposites sides of an endless fence and she didn’t see a gate. Never mind his blue eyes, bright with anger and ready to fight. Never mind the sight of his arms laced stubbornly across his chest. She couldn’t let this man fight her battles. Franklin Dean posed a threat to Adie’s house, but Josh could take her son. The sooner he left Denver, the safer she’d be. She squared her shoulders. “I still want you to leave.”
“I can’t.”
“Find a hotel.”
He lowered his chin. “I’ll pay triple.”
Oh, how she needed the money…. “No.”
“Four times.”
Her mouth gaped. The amount would cover half the mortgage. She could afford a new dress.
“Five—”
“Stop.” Her greed shamed her. Stephen mattered more, but she desperately needed the money. Every month she lived in fear of selling Maggie’s jewelry and being discovered. If Josh stayed at Swan’s Nest, she could keep the trunk closed a little longer.
“You win,” she said. “You can stay.”
He looked pleased.
“But four times the rent is too much.”
“I don’t think it’s enough.” His eyes locked with hers. “Our deal was for two meals a day, but I’m getting breakfast, lunch and supper. I have a place to sleep, company in the evenings. I’ve never had it so good.”
Maggie’s brother, a wealthy man, wouldn’t have been impressed by Swan’s Nest and her humble meals. Josh enjoyed simple things as she did. He’d also saved her garden from total devastation. She owed him her gratitude, if not the truth.
“All right,” she said. “We’ll keep the current deal.”
She considered telling him not to pay double, but she knew he’d argue.
“Agreed,” he said.
Why did she feel light-headed? “Are you hungry?”
“Bacon and eggs?”
She smiled. “Biscuits, too.”
Together they walked to the house. When they reached the steps, Josh lifted the milk bucket and held the door. As they stepped inside, Caroline came into the kitchen holding Stephen. Adie reached for the baby. Aware of Josh’s eyes on her back, she felt goose bumps rising on her back and arms. The less Josh saw of Stephen, the safer she’d feel.
Caroline greeted her, then turned to Josh. “Good morning, Reverend. You’re up early.”
“It’s a fine day.”
Caroline beamed. “‘This is the day the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.’”
Adie didn’t need Caroline to quote Bible verses. Neither, apparently, did Josh. He looked uncomfortable.
Caroline gave a too-cheerful smile. “Would you like breakfast, Reverend? I’d be happy to fry some eggs.”
“I’m doing it,” Adie said.
“You have Stephen.” Caroline lifted a fry pan from the rack on the wall. “He’s hungry, plus he’ll need a fresh nappy.”
Josh gave Adie a look she could read like her own thoughts. He had no interest in Caroline and her fried eggs. Neither would he be the rope in a tug-of-war. “Milk and bread would be fine.”
With Stephen on her hip, Adie set the bucket on the counter, then poured a glass of milk for Josh from the pitcher. The baby smelled food and cooed. She would have treasured the moment, except Caroline was buttering bread for Josh. She also had to tell her friend about the garden.
She looked over her shoulder at Caroline. “I have some bad news.”
“What happened?”
Adie told her about the vegetables and how Josh chased off the vandal. When she finished the story, Caroline looked at Josh as if he could walk on water. “You’re a brave man, Reverend. You could have been hurt.”
He looked more annoyed than before. “It was nothing.”
“I don’t think so!” She set a plate of bread in front of him. “Whoever did it could have turned on you.”
Mary walked into the kitchen. “What happened?”
Caroline faced her. “Someone trampled the garden. The reverend chased him off.” She turned to Adie. “We have to go to the sheriff.”
Mary huffed. “It won’t help.”
“It might,” Caroline insisted.
Adie felt Josh’s gaze on her cheek. She couldn’t protest without sounding desperate. She looked to Mary for help, but Mary shrugged. “I guess it’s worth a try.”
“I’ll go this morning,” Josh said.
He looked to Adie for approval. She didn’t want to g
ive it, but how could she say no? She thought of using Pearl but felt terrible for the thought. Deep down, she knew Dean had to be stopped and Pearl couldn’t do it alone. If Adie didn’t step up, who would? As much as she wanted to go to the law, the thought terrified her. What if a Pinkerton’s detective had visited the sheriff with questions about Maggie Butler? For all Adie knew, Maggie’s brother could have distributed posters with his sister’s likeness. Adie held Stephen tighter. With a little luck, nothing in the sheriff’s office would link Maggie Butler and Emily Blue. If it did, she might have to flee Denver.
Barely breathing, she watched as Caroline poured coffee for Josh and then herself. She loved her house and her friends, but she loved her son more.
Shortly after breakfast, Josh changed into his black coat and left Swan’s Nest. The milk and toast had settled nicely, but he regretted the coffee. His stomach burned as he walked into the flat-front building that housed the Denver sheriff’s office.
A man in a leather vest with a badge stood up behind the desk. “Good morning, Reverend. Can I help you?”
“I hope so.” Josh introduced himself. “Someone vandalized Swan’s Nest last night.”
“The boardinghouse on Seventeenth?”
“That’s it.”
The deputy offered his hand. “I’m Beau Morgan.” He indicated a battered chair. “Have a seat.”
Josh sat on the wood, then told the story. “I’m worried, Deputy. Someone wants to harm Miss Clarke.”
“Any thoughts on who?”
“Franklin Dean paid a call recently. To put it mildly, he forgot his manners.”
Morgan’s brow furrowed. “He owns the bank.”
As if that mattered, Josh thought. Evil men came in all shapes and sizes. Some had money. Others didn’t. “He also trespassed on Miss Clarke’s property. I saw it.” Josh left Pearl out of the conversation. He wanted to see Dean punished, but he didn’t have the right to tell her story.
The deputy wrinkled his brow. “Anyone could have vandalized the garden, but I could have a chat with Mr. Dean.”
“I don’t think that’s wise,” Josh answered. “If he’s pressured, he might do something even worse.”
“Personally, I don’t care for the man.” Morgan looked as if he’d gotten a whiff of bad meat. “Rumor has it Dean roughed up one of Miss Elsa’s girls. I’ll ask around town, quietly of course. Can you describe the man you saw?”
“Average height. Stocky build.” Josh thought of the chase down the street. “He’s fast on his feet.”
“Anything else?”
Josh had two missions today. He’d done his best for Adie. Now he could focus on Emily. “It’s unrelated, but I’m looking for my sister.” He described her and mentioned she had a baby. For the hundredth time, he wished he had the oval tintype.
“I can see why you went to Swan’s Nest,” Morgan said. “Miss Clarke’s new in town, but she’s got a reputation.”
“For what?”
“Helping women in trouble.” The deputy chuckled. “I’m surprised she gave you a room.”
“Why?”
“She chased Clint Hughes off with a shotgun. He had it coming, though. The drunken fool nearly busted down her door.”
Josh was glad he’d faced Mary’s pistol instead of Adie and two barrels of buckshot. He focused back on Emily. “If you see anyone resembling my sister, I’d like to know.”
“Sure.”
The men shook hands and Josh went back to the street. He climbed on his horse and rode to Fourteenth Street where he hoped to find a quality jewelry shop. Emily’s jewels were worth a fortune but only if someone had the money to buy them. If she’d come to Denver, she’d been wise. What with mining interests, the railroad, commerce and cattle, the city had men who’d want fancy jewels for their wives.
As Josh approached the corner of Broadway and Colfax Avenue, he saw the steeple of Colfax Avenue Church. On a whim, he turned and rode past the magnificent building. He wanted to go inside, but today the doors looked intimidating. Entering the church would send him back to Boston. He’d recall the crowds and the rapture of the choir. He’d also hear the ring of his own voice.
Josh was certain he’d been born to preach. He’d felt the call at a young age and had flourished under his grandfather’s mentoring. The question had never been should he preach, but where? Not in a church like this. Not anymore. Feeling bittersweet, he clicked to his horse and headed for a row of shops. He spotted a jewelry store and went inside. A balding man came out from behind a black curtain.
“Good morning,” he said in a German accent.
Josh glanced around the spartan room with a sinking heart. He saw gold, silver and turquoise but nothing like Emily’s pearls or other pieces.
“I’m looking for fine jewels,” he said.
“A diamond, perhaps?”
“Possibly. May I see what you have?”
The man came out with a tray of rings on black velvet. Josh didn’t recognize a single one, but he felt the heartache shining in the stones. What made a woman sell a precious ring? Need and desperation…His heart pounded for Emily’s suffering.
“Thank you, sir.” Josh wrote his name on a card. “I’m staying at Swan’s Nest. If something new comes in, would you contact me?”
“My pleasure.”
Josh left the store and headed into the heart of Denver where he visited three pawnbrokers but saw nothing of interest. The next stop tore him up inside, but it had to be made. He walked into an establishment called Brick’s Saloon where a burly man was sweeping the floor. Judging by his size and red hair, he had to be Brick.
The man looked Josh up and down. “Kind of early for preaching, ain’t it, Reverend?”
“I’m not here to preach,” Josh said. “I’m looking for a woman.”
Brick kept sweeping.
“She’s got dark hair, the same as mine.”
As Josh had hoped, Brick looked him in the eye. “Why do you want her?”
“She’s my sister.”
The man set the broom against the wall, stepped behind the counter and poured Josh a glass of water. “Here.”
Josh took a sip and waited. He’d learned to let people tell their stories in their own time. The barkeep busied his hands by wiping the counter, but his mind seemed to be a hundred miles away. When he’d wiped the last inch of the wood, he looked at Josh. “I have a sister, too.”
“What’s her name?”
“Jenny.”
“Is she in Denver?”
“Nope. Don’t know where she went.” The man looked as broken as Josh felt. “She ran off with a two-timing rat. My little sister—” The man cursed.
“I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.” Brick looked at Josh. “You gotta picture of your sister?”
“Not anymore.” Josh gave Emily’s description.
Brick kept wiping the counter. “Miss Elsa’s Social Club is on Walnut, just past Fifteenth Street. If your sister’s gone down that road, that’s the place to look.”
Josh headed for the door.
The barkeep called after him, “Come back again, Reverend. Coffee’s on the house.”
“I’ll do that,” Josh replied.
He felt at home with men like Brick. On a whim, he looked back and saw the barkeep neatly folding the towel. “Are you open on Sunday morning?” he asked.
“No, sir.”
“Mind if I hold a church service here?”
Brick scowled. “I don’t see why. There’s lots of churches in Denver.”
“And lots of people,” Josh added. “Not everyone’s comfortable in the same place.”
The barkeeper grunted. “I know how it is.”
Unfortunately, so did Josh. His Boston congregation had been well heeled and as proud as he’d been. Josh no longer saw “church” as four walls and twenty rows of mahogany pews. Now he held services anywhere, anytime.
Brick shrugged. “I guess there’s no harm.”
“Then spread the word
,” he said. “I’ll be here on Sunday. The service starts at ten.”
Brick grinned. “I’ll do that.”
Josh left the saloon, climbed on his horse and headed to Walnut. His spirits sank as he neared a mansion built in the style of the South. White and proud, Miss Elsa’s Social Club had tall columns, long windows and a veranda where he saw four women sipping tea. He spoke from atop his horse. “Good morning, ladies.”
Another woman came through the door. Tall and slender, almost emaciated in Josh’s opinion, she wore a gold silk gown. In spite of her rouged cheeks and dyed hair, she looked several years older than the girls on the veranda.
“Good morning, Reverend. I’m Miss Elsa.”
He tipped his hat. “I’m Joshua Blue, out of Boston.”
“What can I do for you?”
The invitation in her voice was unmistakable. Before he left, Josh vowed to make an invitation of his own. “I’m looking for someone.”
The girls on the veranda stared with desperation, as if they were hoping he’d come for them. In a way, he had. Every time he reached out for Emily, he prayed for women in her predicament.
“My sister’s name is Emily,” he said to the girls. “Maybe you’ve seen her.” For the third time that day, he described her dark hair and eyes.
Miss Elsa’s expression revealed nothing. “I can’t help you, Reverend. We keep secrets here.”
She paused to let her meaning sink in. If Emily had been inside, the madam wouldn’t tell him. She’d also implied that she’d keep secrets for Josh. If Miss Elsa thought she could tempt him, she was flat-out wrong. He didn’t see pleasure sitting on her porch. He saw four Mary Magdalenes in need of rescue. Josh focused on the girls. They ranged in age from young to bitter. He didn’t know which broke his heart more.
He looked each one in the eye, then said, “I’m starting a church. You’re all invited to Brick’s Saloon on Sunday at ten.”
Two of the women sneered. One stared at her toes. He looked at the fourth girl and saw hope.
He focused on the girl with the hopeful eyes. “I hope to see you there.”
After a nod to Miss Elsa, he turned his horse down the road and headed back to Swan’s Nest. He had a sermon to write. He also needed someone who could carry a tune. He’d sing if he had to, but it wasn’t pretty. As he neared Swan’s Nest, he thought about refreshments. He wouldn’t ask Caroline to bake cookies, but she’d probably think of it herself.
The Maverick Preacher Page 8