“But how does my brother figure in on this?”
“I don’t know exactly, but given the money I found and Patrick Murdock’s quick verdict of innocent, I’m afraid that Caleb may have taken money from Ruef.”
“But that makes no sense. If Ruef was upset with Mr. Springer for not using his appointed contractor, and if he owns the courts as you suggest, why would he allow Patrick to be found innocent?”
Henry’s eyes narrowed as a frown formed on his lips. “We can’t know for certain, at least not just yet, but Fred believes that when Springer chose to give Murdock the contract, Ruef decided to punish Springer. Patrick Murdock attested to the fact that men approached his father and first offered money if he would use substandard product in the building. He wanted Murdock to build a shoddy hotel. Murdock refused, according to Patrick, and then threats were made which resulted—”
“In his death,” Camri interjected. “Patrick believes his father was pushed from the building, while the official report said he fell—that it was nothing more than an accident.”
“Right. No one expected Patrick to create a fuss, and when he did, Ruef sent his men to put the fear of God into him and get him to cease his protests. Instead, it only made Patrick more determined to prove his case. So Ruef sacrificed one of his men—the one Patrick accused of pushing his father to his death. The man turned up dead with circumstantial evidence pointing to Patrick as the culprit.”
Camri heard laughter coming from downstairs and knew it wouldn’t be long until the decorations were located and the girls returned to join them. “Henry, does Mr. Johnston think that because Caleb defended Patrick, Mr. Ruef decided to cause him harm?”
“Quite the contrary. At least in the beginning, Fred believes that Caleb was offered a bribe.”
“But a bribe for what?”
“His guess is that at first it was offered to entice Caleb to resign from being Patrick Murdock’s counsel. Believe me when I say this wasn’t the first time the firm has been approached by Ruef and his men. I’m sorry to say that I’ve often given in—short of purposefully breaking the law or allowing an innocent man to be condemned,” he said, as if that excused his behavior.
She shook her head. None of this made sense. “But Patrick was found innocent. You said yourself that Ruef had the judges and other officials under his control. I have to believe it would have been easy enough to pay members of a jury as well, so it surely wouldn’t matter if Caleb represented Patrick or not. If Ruef is so powerful, why didn’t the jury just find Patrick guilty?”
“Fred’s sources suggest that when Caleb wouldn’t resign, another deal was offered. Perhaps your brother convinced Ruef that it would be in his best interest to see that Patrick was declared innocent. Perhaps Caleb had found something on Ruef. You know there are men in the city working to see Ruef’s empire toppled.”
“No doubt you’re right, but surely Caleb wasn’t one of them.”
Henry shrugged. “I cannot say. The notes found and rumors unearthed suggest that Caleb was somehow involved. It’s even possible that Ruef offered to ensure Patrick Murdock would be found innocent if Caleb would agree to come to work for him.”
Camri twisted her hands together. “But he would never do that. Caleb is a man of great conviction.”
“I know.” Henry’s reply was one of resignation. “However, I wouldn’t put it past Caleb to pretend to accept in order to get Patrick set free. It would account for the ten thousand dollars I found, as well as the notes suggesting Caleb’s involvement with Ruef.”
“So you think my brother took the money and then turned on Ruef after Patrick was found innocent?”
“If he did, then it most certainly would bring about retribution. There’s something else. As I mentioned, Caleb kept a book of notes, and in them, it appears that he hired Patrick Murdock after he was set free.”
“To do what?” Patrick had said nothing of this. What if he knew a great deal more than he was admitting? What if he, too, was lying to her?
“It would seem that Patrick was helping him gather information.”
“Information about what?”
Henry shook his head. “I can’t be sure, Camri. The notes are in a sort of code. I haven’t been able to completely decipher them.”
This news troubled her as nothing else had. In all the time she and Patrick had spent together, he’d never said anything about actually working for Caleb. What was he hiding?
“. . . but then I would have expected him to say something.”
Camri shook her head, trying to clear her mind. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”
Henry looked momentarily annoyed. “I asked if you had discussed with Patrick his thoughts on where your brother might be.”
“Some. He’s been trying to find Caleb since he disappeared.”
“But he clearly said nothing about working with Caleb.” He shook his head and tsked. “If he had nothing to do with Caleb’s disappearance, then why not admit working with Caleb?” He didn’t wait for her response. “Oh, well. Perhaps I should have a meeting with Mr. Murdock and see if he can tell me the extent of his employment with your brother. Perhaps he even understands your brother’s code. If Caleb was as virtuous as we both believe him to be, I fear he may have gotten in over his head. If he resolved to take on Ruef and his political machine alone, then he most certainly would have been in danger.”
Camri could hear the girls returning. Judith was even singing a Christmas song at the top of her lungs.
“I don’t want to discuss this in front of the others,” she said. “Just tell me this—does Mr. Johnston know what happened to Caleb?”
“No. Not yet. He’s doing his best to find out.”
A cold shiver ran down Camri’s spine. “Does he believe my brother is dead?”
Henry glanced away. “If he crossed Ruef . . .”
He left the rest unsaid as Judith and Kenzie burst into the room with armfuls of decorations.
“Look what we found!” Judith had a wrapped bundle in her arms, and she opened it to carefully spill the contents onto the sofa. Gold and red-ribboned ornaments clattered onto the cushion beside Camri.
“Be careful, silly,” Kenzie chided. On her arm hung a basket. “Those are glass, you know.”
“I’m sorry,” Judith said, kneeling beside the sofa to make certain the ornaments had survived. “I’m just so excited. I love Christmas, and decorating is one of my favorite things to do.”
Kenzie shrugged and held up her basket. “I have strands and strands of glass beads and tins for the candles.”
“And I suggested we could string cranberries for added color,” Judith announced.
Camri barely heard her, however. Henry’s news hadn’t been at all encouraging. No matter what choice Caleb had made, it seemed almost certain that the decision had resulted in his disappearance. Possibly his death. But if that was the case, then how did the Wongs figure in? And why hadn’t Patrick been honest with her about working for Caleb?
“Come on, Camri. Come help us decorate the tree.”
Camri cast a glance at Henry. His expression was sympathetic. She shook her head. “I’m afraid I’m not feeling up to it, Judith.” She got to her feet. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m going to my room to rest.”
She heard their protests as she hurried upstairs. But instead of going directly to her room, Camri went to Caleb’s instead. She closed the heavy door behind her and stood for a time in the dark. Tears spilled onto her cheeks as she thought of Caleb lying dead somewhere without a proper burial. For all that she had feared for him, Camri had never really allowed herself to dwell on the possibility that he was dead—that he would never be found. How would she ever bear it if this was true? How would their poor parents and sister take the news?
She turned on the bedroom light, then crossed the room to pull down the shades. She wanted to shut out everything that wasn’t related to her brother.
“They could all be wrong,” she whispered as sh
e glanced around the room. “Mr. Johnston, Henry . . . they might not know anything at all and simply be telling me this because it seems reasonable.”
Camri shivered and hugged her body to ward off the chill. She longed to throw herself into comforting arms that would embrace her and hold her close. She longed to hear words of encouragement that would reassure her that all was not lost.
She longed for Patrick Murdock.
But even as she allowed that thought to take form, she pushed it away. It was absurd. She didn’t even know if she could trust Patrick. He and Caleb had apparently been working together on something other than Patrick’s murder trial, yet Patrick had never revealed this to her. What if Patrick knew more than he was saying? What if he knew something more about the money and the choices Caleb had made before he disappeared? What if he’d betrayed Caleb to Ruef and his men? Maybe that was where the deal truly had been made. Maybe Ruef promised Patrick freedom if he helped him capture Caleb. But why would Ruef want her brother? Nothing made sense.
Camri glanced at the ceiling. “I have no answers, only more questions. I don’t know what’s happened to Caleb, and I certainly don’t know who I can trust.”
Ophelia’s words came back to her. “Ye will know deep in yer heart if a person is worthy of yer trust. Just don’t jump to conclusions.”
“But those conclusions seem to jump at me.”
Going to her brother’s dresser, Camri picked up his folded handkerchief and breathed in the fading scent. There were so many puzzles to solve, and as soon as she managed to make headway with one, a dozen more presented themselves. It was like a series of Herculean tasks that she could never hope to master. But if she didn’t master them, the truth about Caleb might never be known.
She clutched the handkerchief to her breast. “And I cannot let that happen.”
CHAPTER
16
I’m glad you agreed to see me,” Henry said, showing Patrick Murdock into his office. “Have a seat, and I’ll get right to the point.” He reached over and turned on his desk lamp.
Patrick did as Henry instructed, unbuttoning his coat as he took a seat. “For sure I wish ye would. My sister isn’t well, and I don’t like leavin’ her to the care of others.” His tone was curt, and it was clear he didn’t want to be here.
“It’s about the work you were doing for Caleb.” Henry could see Patrick’s eyes widen just a bit as his right brow raised. Henry held up the book from Caleb’s desk. “I found this ledger. It’s filled with notes, most of them in code, but others not. I surmised from what I read here that Caleb hired you to help him investigate something to do with Abraham Ruef.”
For a moment, Henry wasn’t sure Patrick would admit his involvement, but then the large Irishman shrugged. “Half the honest men in San Francisco are doing that. ’Tis no secret Ruef needs to be taken to task for what he’s done.”
“True, but why the secrecy?”
“Well, protesting Ruef’s actions in public only served to have me thrown in jail for a murder I didn’t commit. Caleb and I agreed secrecy was the way to go about it.”
“To what end?”
Patrick fixed his gaze on a spot somewhere over Henry’s head. “I don’t suppose it could hurt anythin’ to tell ye that much. Caleb promised to help me reclaim my family business and home by provin’ Ruef had my father murdered.”
Henry leaned back in his leather chair. “So it was a personal matter?”
“Aye.”
“And that’s all there was to it?”
Patrick’s expression suggested he was carefully considering his reply. Henry didn’t know why he should be hesitant unless he was intending to lie.
“The truth, Mr. Murdock. You owe that much to Caleb.”
The large Irishman’s expression changed from passive to angry. His eyes narrowed. “Don’t be tellin’ me what I owe Caleb Coulter. I know full well what I’m owin’ him. But yerself, on the other hand, I do not owe. In fact, I don’t even know but what ye were part of Caleb goin’ missin’.”
“How dare you accuse me? I had nothing to do with Caleb’s disappearance. I cared for him like a son.” Henry yanked open a drawer and pulled out a set of papers that had been carefully folded together. “I had this drawn up just before Caleb went missing.” He threw the papers at Patrick and waited until he’d opened them. “I made Caleb a legal partner in this practice.”
Patrick scanned the pages, then refolded them and handed them back to Henry. “I meant no offense, but ye have to admit that everyone is suspect. I know ye look at me in the same way, but I’m tellin’ ye I’m not to blame. I suppose now I must be allowin’ that ye’re not to blame either.”
“Well, that’s good of you to offer me that much.” Henry threw the papers back in his open drawer, then slammed it shut. “Now, will you please tell me what you know?”
Patrick scratched his bearded chin. “Aye. Helpin’ me was the start of things, but the more we dug for proof, the more incriminatin’ evidence we uncovered.”
“Incriminating evidence of what?”
“Of the underhanded devilry bein’ done by Ruef. Caleb started talking to folks who were sufferin’ because of Ruef. Then he and I made records of everything we had, but I haven’t any idea where those records are now.”
“Well, as I said, I found a ledger of notes.”
“But there was a stack of papers with proof of bribes and fees paid to Ruef. I know, because I stole them from his residence.”
“You stole them?” Henry was surprised at the casual way Patrick admitted to this.
“Aye. ’Tis no shame to steal from the devil.”
“And now those papers are gone?”
Patrick shook his head. “I don’t know what’s happened to them. Caleb had them, and I figured him to have them hidden in a safe place. But ye haven’t found ’em here, I’m guessin’, and Camri hasn’t found them at Caleb’s house. Caleb’s study at the house was ransacked. It could be those papers were found and retaken.”
“It’s possible.” Henry rubbed his chin. “What of the ten thousand dollars?”
“Money Ruef gave Caleb.”
“For what?” Henry leaned forward so quickly that he sent several pens flying off his desk.
Patrick retrieved the pens and handed them back to Henry. He settled back in his chair, acting almost as if he hadn’t heard the question.
“Well?” Henry pressed.
“Ruef wanted Caleb to work for him. Not to leave yer place here, but just help on the side. He gave him the money just after the trial concluded. See, before the trial, Caleb had a talkin’ with Ruef about me and the charges. Somewhere in the conversation, Caleb mentioned powerful allies he had made back east, men in the government and such, and apparently in the tellin’ of it, Ruef decided it’d be to his advantage to get Caleb on his side. After that, things began changin’, and next thing I know, I’ve been found innocent.
“Of course, Ruef made it clear that this had happened by his good graces. He told Caleb that he would see to it that I was thrown back in jail if he refused to help Ruef. Caleb pointed out that I’d been found innocent and couldn’t be standin’ trial again for the murder, but Ruef said that wasn’t any trouble. He’d simply have me charged with a new murder. Caleb agreed to take the money and consider the proposition. Ruef told him he had a few days to decide. When those days were up, he came to Caleb for his answer.”
“And Caleb agreed to work for him?”
“In a fashion. Caleb and I discussed it and figured it would be one way to get evidence that would clear my name once and for all. Caleb never intended to keep the money, but rather use it as proof of Ruef’s bribery. He said Ruef had handled the money himself and had left his fingerprints on it. Caleb said the court didn’t allow fingerprints as evidence against folks yet, but the day was comin’, and he intended to hurry it along if possible by usin’ it to see Ruef imprisoned.”
Henry sighed. “I feared it might be something like that. I’ve had someone l
ooking into the matter, and he told me there was some evidence pointing to Caleb working for Ruef.”
“He would never have worked for the man in the sense of helpin’ him do his dirty deeds,” Patrick threw out. “He was only seekin’ to help me, and now he may well be dead.”
“Do you understand the code he wrote in his ledgers?”
“No. I cannot help ye with that.”
“Very well. I have only one more question. What do you think happened to Caleb?”
Patrick looked toward the ceiling. “For sure it can’t be good. I haven’t been able to find out anythin’, and I have friends in all the places that might prove helpful.”
“Camrianne said you were continuing to look for Caleb. That you would help her with her search.”
“And so I will. I’ve got my suspicions, but nothin’ yet to be talkin’ about. When I know somethin’ more, I’ll be tellin’ her.”
“Perhaps it would be better to just tell me. She’s already very upset.”
“Aye, and well she should be, but I’m not completely sure I can trust ye, even if ye were meanin’ to make Caleb a partner.”
Henry felt his anger rise. “What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve told ye what I have because ye already knew that I’d been workin’ for Caleb. But I don’t know ye well enough to trust ye with everythin’.”
“If you know more—more that will aid in locating Caleb—then you must tell me.” Henry slapped his hands on the desk, sending the same pens skittering to the floor.
This time Patrick didn’t bother to retrieve them and instead got to his feet. “I don’t feel obligated to ye, Mr. Ambrewster. My loyalty is to Caleb and then to his sister. I’ll be biddin’ ye good-night.” He headed for the door, then turned. “I don’t mean to be tellin’ ye your business, but I’d be puttin’ that ledger somewhere safe where no one else could be gettin’ to it. Could be someone will come lookin’ for it.”
In Places Hidden Page 14