“As it happens, it does involve a woman.” He hesitated. “There are complications, however.”
Jeremey smirked. “There always are when a woman is part of the problem.”
“She’s not part of the problem. I’m trying to help her out of a difficult situation.”
“Sounds serious. Not the problem, but you and the woman.”
“That doesn’t matter. I need to get this man for another reason. More important to me than the money scheme.”
Jeremy didn’t respond, just gave Hunter time to state his case.
“Eighteen years ago he murdered my father while I hid under a desk and watched.”
Louis scowled as Sanders barged into his office. “What is it? I’m expecting a client any minute.”
Sanders wiped sweat from his forehead and panted, obviously having maneuvered his bulky frame up the stairs to the office at a fast pace. “I just came from the Club. Word is spreading that some crazy scheme to corner the market on United Copper Company stock is about to collapse. They’re predicting a major run on the banks.”
“So?”
“If there’s a run on the banks here, we’re going to have clients banging our doors down to get their money.”
Louis carefully inserted his fountain pen into the gold-plated inkwell on his desk and sighed. “Sanders, Sanders, Sanders. Must you always panic at the least bit of bad news? We’ve ridden out these rumors before, and we’ll do it again.”
His partner threw his hands out in supplication. “Don’t you understand? The money our clients are expecting us to have is gone.” He leaned in close to Louis, making him turn his head aside at the smell of whiskey. The man was coming apart at the seams. “We’ll be dragged off to jail.”
“We are not going to be dragged off to jail. The client I’m expecting any minute is a wealthy oil man with a lot of money to invest. He just arrived in Galveston to set up a few businesses for investment. I will convince him the major part of his venture should come to us.”
“You’re crazy, you know that, Louis? How much longer do you think we can keep this up?”
Louis stood and shoved his chair back, slamming it against the wall. “I am not crazy! We can keep this up forever.” He waved his arm toward the window. “There are thousands and thousands of people out there with money dripping from their fingers, greedy enough to give it to us with our promise of high returns.”
He adjusted his jacket and sat back down. “I have built an empire here. I give to charity, I have the local politicians in my pocket. The woman on my arm at every function is always the most beautiful in the room. She’s cultured, polished, and everyone loves her, and respects me. I intend to keep it that way. All these bouts of hysteria have to stop. You need to calm down and get out there and find us more clients like my oil man. Get busy and stop worrying about jail.”
All the air seemed to seep out of Sanders. He hung his head and sat in the Italian leather chair in front of Louis’s desk. “You’re right. I don’t know why these things upset me.” He attempted a smile. “Tell me about the oil man.”
Louis glanced at a notebook on his desk. “His name is Jeremy Steele. Comes from an oil family—very wealthy. In 1901 they struck at some place called Spindletop near Beaumont. They have money coming out their asses, and I intend to get my hands on it.”
Sanders stood. “Good, good. I’ll go on back to the Club now and see if I can squash those rumors.” With a shuffle he left the office, closing the door quietly.
Most likely squash the rumors by drowning them in whiskey. My partner is becoming a nuisance.
Hunter lifted his binoculars and watched from across the street as Emily and Louis entered the mansion after an evening out. He’d been observing the house for the past three nights, to assure himself of where Emily’s bedroom was. Within minutes after the front door closed, a light appeared in the window on the second floor, the west side of the house. Seconds before that another light shone from what Hunter had determined was the library.
Four nights in a row. Same two lights shortly after they arrived home. That upstairs window had to be Emily’s bedroom. After about thirty minutes he scooped up the rope he’d brought and tucked the binoculars into the bag at his feet.
That amount of time should be enough for Louis to drink a sufficient amount so he wasn’t too alert. Hunter walked across the street, noting the absence of foot and street traffic. Hopefully that half hour would also have been adequate for Emily to have dismissed her maid.
Earlier that morning he’d scouted the outside of the mansion when he was sure most everyone would still be asleep. It would have been nice if the large tree in the back of the house was actually in front of Emily’s bedroom window, but life wasn’t always convenient.
Since houses of this size and style almost always had servant’s quarters and storage in the rear, he had to take a chance that the window he could crawl into from the tree would be a storeroom. The last thing he wanted was to scare some maid and have her run screaming through the house.
Taking another look around, he hoisted himself up by one of the lower branches and began his climb. Now that Jeremy was on the job, Hunter could do what he’d wanted from the day he’d first saw Emily walk out of the mansion. Take her away from Galveston. He could escort her to Guthrie to stay with Tori and Uncle Jesse where she would be safe while he worked on getting Louis charged with murder. The way things stood now he would not be able to concentrate until he knew Emily was far from Louis’s clutches.
He scaled the branch next to the window, going out as far as his weight held. Cupping his hands, he peered through the glass. The space was indeed a storage room of some sort. He slowly slid the window up, grateful that it made very little noise. He tossed the rope into the room and climbed in after it.
He stood still and listened for a few minutes to make sure nothing stirred. Trying to snatch Emily from the house while Louis was still awake was risky. From what he’d learned the last few nights, Louis spent a few hours in the library each evening before the light in his bedroom went on. Whether he was drinking all that time or dozing after a few drinks, Hunter had no idea, but he needed as much time as possible to get her out of town before the household came alive.
When nothing stirred after his entry, he took a deep breath and made his way across the room. He skirted past shadowy figures that daylight would most likely reveal as cast-off furniture. The door to the room creaked as he opened it, but silence reigned as he eased out and started down the hall. Counting in his head, he reached what he knew had to be Emily’s bedroom door.
The doorknob turned easily and he slipped into the room. In the dimness he could make out Emily’s figure curled on her side, facing away from him. He needed to approach without causing her to make any noise. Tiptoeing closer he reached out and covered her mouth with his hand.
Emily’s eyes flew open at the sound of her door latch releasing. She lay very still, once again hoping Louis would think her sleeping and go away. Since she heard no further sound, she thought he had left when a hand clamped over her mouth. Blood raced to her heart, setting it to pounding. She wiggled, trying to get away from him when he leaned over and whispered into her ear, “Emily. It’s Hunter. Lie still.”
Hunter?
He moved his hand and she rolled over. “What are you doing here?”
“Getting you the hell out.” He looked around. “Where is your suitcase?”
She threw the covers off and swung her legs over the side. “Over there in the closet.” She pointed toward the closed door. He strode across the room and flung the door open, dragging the suitcase out. He glanced over his shoulder. “Honey, you have to get dressed. You can’t go like that.”
“Oh.” She glanced down at herself and felt the heat rise to her face. She stood in her bedroom in her nightgown with a man who wasn�
��t her husband. “I can’t get dressed with you in the room.”
“It’s all right, I’ll face the wall, but I need for you to get dressed, and fast. Louis is still awake downstairs.”
“Oh my God.” She hurried to her closet and withdrew a garment. Not sure how to undress and dress again with Hunter there, even with his back turned, she pulled the frock over her nightgown. She quickly buttoned up the front, then hopped on one foot as she slid her boots on. “I’m ready.”
Hunter picked up her suitcase with one hand and caught her arm with the other. “How easy is it to get down the back staircase? Is there anything blocking it?”
She shrugged. “No. It’s an easy way out.”
“Good. I’ll go first. The back stairway would be the safest, and be sure to hold onto my hand.”
“What about the rope?” She eyed it, lying on the floor like a dead snake.
“I wasn’t sure how we were going to get out, but if we can just walk out that’s much easier. We won’t need it.”
They left the room and strode to the rear of the house. Emily hung onto Hunter as he cautiously made his way down the stairs. Even though she’d been up and down these stairs several times, under duress and in the dark nothing looked familiar. They both breathed a sigh of relief once they opened the back door and stepped onto the porch.
“Come on, I have an automobile parked a block away.” Hand in hand they moved away from the door and rounded the corner of the house. They’d taken no more than a few steps when the sound of a gun being cocked brought them up short.
“Good evening, Mrs. Smith. Are we going for a late night stroll?” Martin stood, feet apart, a gun pointed directly at them.
Emily squealed and backed up, banging into Hunter’s chest. “Why are you pointing that gun at me, Martin?”
Hunter shoved her behind him. The scant moonlight threw Martin’s face into shadows, the outline of his body against the ground behind him huge. She peeked around Hunter and moved her hand to her chest, trying to calm her rapid heartbeat.
He grinned. “A better question is why you are running around the outside of the house in the dark with a strange man. Are you being kidnapped?”
She shook her head. “No.” She eased out from behind Hunter and reached her hand out in appeal. “You must let us go. Please.”
Martin shrugged. “Now since Mr. Smith is paying me to watch you, why would I do that? I would get fired.”
Hunter walked closer to the man, but stopped when the driver raised the gun higher. “Look, Martin. Mrs. Smith is in danger living here. You must know that. You drive them everywhere.”
“It’s none of my business what my employer does. Except give me a paycheck. My business is to drive her where she wants to go and watch her. I ain’t gonna lose my job.” He gestured with the gun. “Go on back, Mrs. Smith.”
“You wouldn’t shoot me.”
“No. I wouldn’t. But I would shoot your friend here and tell Mr. Smith I killed a man who was trying to kidnap his wife.”
“No!” She moved forward with her hand out. “Don’t shoot him. I’ll go back.”
“What kind of a man are you, to allow her husband to treat her like this?” Hunter growled.
“A man with a paycheck.” He gestured with the gun one more time. “I will do you a favor, though, and not tell Mr. Smith about this little visit we had.” He added, “As long as it doesn’t happen again.”
Emily’s shoulders slumped and she turned toward Hunter. He pulled her to his body and held her close. “Tuesday at the dressmaker’s,” he whispered in her ear.
She nodded. Wrapping her coat tightly around her body, she returned to the prison that was her life.
Chapter 14
Hunter banged the steering wheel with his fist.
Damn. So close.
Had he known Martin was so determined to do his job that he carried a gun, his plan would have been much different. It had been a difficult lesson, but now he knew.
He could have easily taken the man down, but he wouldn’t allow the chance that Emily might be hurt. And the noise of a scuffle would only bring Louis out, most likely with a gun of his own.
Martin sure as hell wouldn’t shoot the boss’s wife, but she could have accidentally been hit in the process. It was better to make a different plan now that he knew just how determined Louis was on keeping Emily a prisoner.
Filled with frustration and an overdose of guilt at being so poorly prepared, he started the automobile. Another failure to protect those he cared about.
Still dealing with the emotional rush at their near escape, he decided to swing by the hotel and maybe have a drink with Jeremy. See how he was doing with the investigation.
The dining room in the hotel was closed, but the bar was doing a brisk business. Surprised Jeremy wasn’t there, he took the stairs two at a time to the third floor, and knocked on his door. It took a few minutes, but eventually the door swung open.
Jeremy looked like hell. His eyes were bloodshot, he was covered with sweat, and he hadn’t shaved in days. Hunter shoved the door open and his lips tightened as he took in the scene.
The bed was unmade, clothes strewn all over the floor. A scatter of twenty dollar bills had been left carelessly on the bed, and several vials alongside a needle cluttered the top of the dresser.
He brushed past Jeremy and picked up the needle. “I thought you were done with this.”
“I am. I just needed a little bit to sleep.”
“You’re full of shit.” He dropped the needle and rested his hands on his hips. “And you look like shit, too.”
“Nice to see you, too, buddy.”
“It’s not funny, Jer. This stuff will kill you. Don’t you find you need more and more?”
Jeremy held his hand up, palm out. “Hey. Mind your own business. We’re friends, you’re not my mama. I can stop anytime I want to.”
“So stop now.”
“I said ‘when I want to.’ I’m here to help you out, do a job for you. If I fall down on the job, then you can kick my ass.”
Hunter leaned against the dresser and glared at Jeremy. “When was the last time you ate?”
“Breakfast.”
He grabbed Jeremy by the arm. “Come on. The café down the street is still open. I could use some food myself.”
They left the hotel and headed east toward The Harvest Café. It was a small place, mostly frequented by locals rather than tourists. The food was plentiful and good, they were open all hours, and the price just right. Not glamourous in its decorations, but you couldn’t eat wallpaper.
They took a table near the front of the café and ordered sandwiches and coffee. Hunter finished his, but it was obvious Jeremy was forcing himself to eat. He was a grown man and made his own decisions, but it would be worthwhile to keep an eye on his friend since he was counting on him to help get Louis behind bars.
“How’s the investigation coming along?”
Jeremy pushed his plate aside and pulled his coffee cup closer. “I visited Smith’s office earlier this week. I told him I came from an oil rich family looking to make investments into local businesses. He jumped at the chance to tell me how risky that was, and I would be much better off putting my money with their firm.”
Hunter snorted. “Did you pick up anything?”
“Yeah. He’s a crook. There’s no doubt. He was much too anxious for me to write him a check without giving me very much information or time to consider his proposal. I could practically smell the greed oozing from his skin.”
“Where will you go from here?”
“I have some contacts who know the stock market pretty well. There’s also a men’s club in town I can get into as a guest. They allow visits to promote memberships. From what I understand a lot of the swells go there
and talk about the stock market. Both Smith and his partner, Sanders are members, so I’ll use my ‘guest’ visit and see what I can come up with. If they’ve been running a scam for as long as you say they have, there has to be dirt somewhere.”
“Emily says he’s used her in the past to get information on several of his clients that he can use as ‘leverage’ to keep them from demanding too much from him.”
Jeremy gave a low whistle. “Nice guy.”
“I’m working on getting Emily out of there. He’s a danger to her, and I don’t like it.”
Jeremy leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s your relationship to Emily? You’re going through an awful lot of trouble to help a married woman.”
“I met her in Guthrie while I was recuperating from my injury. She was a Harvey House waitress. Things were going along well before Smith dragged her back. She’s the first woman I’ve met that makes me think about home and family.”
“Sounds like she’s got you hooked.”
“Probably. But until I can get this all straightened out, including getting Smith for my father’s murder, anything between us is stalled.”
“If I have my way the scum will be behind bars shortly. I also sent a wire today to Ellsworth. Thought I could get whatever they had in their records on the bank robbery and the death of the teller and your father.”
“Will they send it?”
“Contacts, Henderson, contacts.” Jeremy’s grin brought back memories of how many times they’d worked together, solving cases and chasing down criminals. Before Hunter’s career was shot out from under him and before Jeremy’s dependence on morphine started.
Anyplace But Here (Oklahoma Lovers Series Book 5) Page 13