Soft sobs started from the other side of the bed. “He weren’t kind, but he took care of us. What are we gonna do?”
Ginger’s mama often repeated the saying, “Don’t speak ill of the dead.” The younger woman ignored it as she gave some practical comfort.
“Seems to me that I’ve been providing for you. I’ll keep lookin’ after you and Willard. And this new baby.” Ginger paused. “I still think of you like family, Amy May.”
The other woman spoke in a voice that, quickly and strangely, held no hint of sobs or sorrow. “Mighty good of you, Ginger. I’ll hold you to that.”
Chapter 12
The glow of the candle didn’t give Theo enough light to read by. He had the secret files laid out before him on Melvin’s desk and wondered if he dared light the oil lamp sitting only inches from him.
Since the only window faced the alley, maybe he dared. When he’d entered that window, one he’d left unlocked before leaving the office, no one had been in the alleyway. Who would see the light?
Theo talked himself into lighting the oil lamp. Turning up the wick, he lifted the glass chimney and touched a candle to the oil-soaked wick. A warm flame flickered upward.
Rolling the fabric ribbon down, Theo adjusted the light so it was only bright enough for him to make out the words on the papers before him. He leaned in and began with Tavish Snap’s will.
According to Ginger, only Guy had been mentioned in the document. She did remember the lawyer asking about her the day she’d met him as Guy. He explained that Guy had inherited so she felt sure she wasn’t in the will. It had made Ginger seem sadly confident that she would have to resume life as a boy once Collins’ gang had been stopped.
What Theo read contradicted that. In fact, the will left the farm to Guy and Ginger jointly. If one died before the other, the survivor would inherit the entire farm.
Then he saw the last line. If both were dead, Melvin Edwards inherited the place.
A memory of Ginger narrowly surviving what had seemed like random shots from a hunter came to his mind. Did his boss want the land? If so, pretending to be a boy had so far saved her life since he’d only shot at her when she appeared as a woman.
Placing the papers carefully in the folder, Theo turned to the Perkins file. Correspondence with the Railroad revealed why Melvin needed Mrs. Perkins’ signature. He planned to sell the land for a hefty profit. Had all but guaranteed the land to them.
Once the folders were again behind the false wall, Theo turned down the lamp. He hadn’t bothered lighting the candle. He didn’t need it while creeping again through the alley.
With one leg over the window sill, Theo heard the rattle of a key in the front door. Something had gone wrong. Melvin was back already.
Twisting, he threw himself into the alley. Quickly rising, he lowered the window. As he moved to duck down, he caught sight of candle-light entering the room.
He crawled below the window and then stood up, plastering himself against the wall several feet away from the spot he’d come out of minutes before. Holding his breath, Theo heard the window raise. He imagined Melvin looking out of it.
Very soon, the sound of the window lowering sounded loudly in the night. It was almost as loud as Theo’s hammering heart.
Racing down the alley, he made for the boarding house. Slipping through the back door, he found Mrs. Hooper and Mari Lisa seated at the table, waiting for him.
In her typically reserved way, Mrs. Hooper dryly asked, “Success, Mr. Edwards.”
He nodded. “Success, Mrs. Hooper.”
The woman took a sip of the lemonade in her glass and lowered it to the table. “Will Guy be able to disappear for good?”
“Thank the Lord, yes! Trouble is, Melvin inherits the place if anything happens to Ginger.”
Miss Mari Lisa gasped and began to fan herself vigorously with the woven straw fan she held. “Oh, my stars. What will we do to protect the dear girl?”
Her question momentarily surprised Theo. He never expected these lucid moments from the older woman. When they happened, she never failed to express deep concern for others. No wonder, Mrs. Hooper provided for her cousin.
Sinking weakly into a chair, Theo forgot his usually impeccable manners and slumped wearily against its back. “Truth to tell, I’m not sure. Melvin’s arranging to sell land to the Railroad so they can start laying tracks north, toward the Black Hills.”
Mrs. Hooper hummed. “I believe they call what he’s doing a land grab.” She fixed her gaze on Theo. “Am I right, Mr. Edwards?”
He nodded and, elbows on the table, lowered his head into his hands. Groaning, he admitted, “I have no idea how to stop this. The telegraph operator, the sheriff, my boss—they’re all crooked. How do I get help?”
“A higher power is called for, I believe. Tomorrow, slip away early in the morning. Ride for the fort. Don’t talk to that Corporal Ellison who took down Ginger’s story.”
Mrs. Hooper stopped speaking. She stared at the lamp light, either in thought or prayer. “Go to the highest power. Ask for his suggestions.”
Squaring his shoulders, Theo said one word. “Tomorrow.”
Whether in good taste or not, Ginger attended the 4th of July celebration. With a death in the family yesterday, she would have been expected to stay home and mourn if she still lived in Tennessee.
People in the West accepted death and moved on with life. No one commented beyond expressing condolences. Many of the men who expressed their sympathy also asked her to dance. She’d lay a lace-gloved hand in theirs and sweep across the dance floor.
Only two things kept the night from being a success for her. Or, better said, only two people—Collins and Theo Edwards.
Theo had left town, according to Mrs. Hooper, so he wouldn’t be at the celebration. Ginger had only wanted the green dress to impress him. She’d read the novel and practiced speaking correctly to show her value to him. Now, none of it mattered.
Mrs. Hooper assured her that very soon she would have an opportunity to wear the green ballgown for the young man. “In fact, I expect on that day he won’t see anyone but you.”
Mystery flowed through the words. Ginger gave Mrs. Hooper a questioning glance, but the woman only shook her head. “Never mind. You’ll understand in the future. For now, let me weave this braid into your hair. I’ll put it up for you.”
The green taffeta billowed around Ginger as she danced a reel with Mr. Nielsen. The large man was surprisingly agile. Surprising both because of his age and his size.
She’d been enjoying the dance when a beefy hand tapped on her partner’s shoulder. “I’m claimin’ her for the waltz that’s about to start.” Collins glared at Ginger, challenging her to object.
Mute, she waited while Collins unwelcomed arms circled her waist and shoulder. When he pulled her into him, she did fight. Pushing against him, she hissed, “That’s much too close.”
Thankfully, the man loosened his hold and stepped back. As the fiddle started the three-quarter time of the waltz, Collins moved her around the floor.
“I’ve wanted to get close to you, Miss Ginger Snap.” His gravelly voice made the words threatening.
Stiffening, she lost count and stumbled. He righted her and began dancing. “Why would you want that? We don’t even know one another.”
Collins gave her a wolfish grin. “Why to touch you and find out if there’s really a woman under that dress?”
Gasping, Ginger pulled away and stomped from the raised dance floor built in the center of town. When Collins made to follow her, several local men formed a wall between him and his quarry.
Angry, Collins called to the sheriff who stood by the dessert table. “Tubby, tell these men to back off.”
A second wave of men moved to block the sheriff, Whitey Nielsen included. “From in front of Collins, Mr. Nielsen loudly said, “Sheriff Riley, you know we protect our women.”
With a bite of cake hovering on a fork in front of his mouth, the sheriff nodded an
d shrugged. “Not much good fighting it, Collins. Let the little gal go.”
Ginger hovered in the shadows. Her quick retreat loosened strands of hair. Red tresses fell around her, lying on the ground like fall leaves at the base of a maple.
Not bothering to gather them, she turned and raced to the security of the boarding house. Collins edged around the men who no longer blocked him. He moved to the small pile of red and fingered the strands he picked up from the ground.
“Hmm.” And then he understood.
The girl had always been a she. Ginger was Guy. And she knew about his plans.
Chapter 13
For Theo Edwards, creeping in the shadows was quickly becoming an unwelcomed habit. Clouds covered the full moon. These were a godsend, allowing him to slip unseen around the outside of the house assigned to Fort Kearney’s commanding officer.
Colonel Stephen Whitney kept busy. Theo had been unable to penetrate the wall of personnel surrounding him. Corporal Ellison, the man who had betrayed Ginger, scheduled all appointments for the man. When Theo tried to make an appointment, he’d been denied.
“You may give me the details. Otherwise, I’m afraid there is no way for you to speak with the colonel.”
The weasel-eyed man’s glance darted from one corner of the room to the other, never meeting Theo’s eyes. When he learned that Theo had ridden down from Kearney, the man stiffened and called for the private standing guard. That young man had escorted Theo out of the office.
Well, Theo took Ellison’s words as a challenge. Since the man declared speaking with the colonel an impossibility, Theo studied on a way to breech the security around the man.
On this cloudy night, Theo waited for Whitney to enter his bedroom. Earlier, thanks to a firecracker, Theo had drawn the guard away from the residence. He’d slipped inside and unlatched the colonel’s bedroom window. It had worked so well in Melvin’s office that he planned to make use of an unlatched window again. This time, he intended to be seen.
Raising the window slowly, he eased it up without any noise. Lifting a leg over the sill, he softly prayed. “Dear Father, please, let this be the last time I break in anywhere to help someone.”
Once inside, he left the window up and moved to stand near the door. He planned for the door to hide him from sight when it was opened. After the colonel shut the door, he’d see Theo in his bedroom.
That was the tricky part. Would he be able to speak before Colonel Whitney had him arrested?
He’d know soon. The sound of boots in what he remembered as a short hall outside the door alerted him. Slowly the knob turned.
The elongated flame of a candle raced before the man into the dark room. He closed the door behind him and froze.
Theo waited for the man to turn and face him. Instead, he headed to the opened window. His arms raised to close it. All movement stopped when Theo spoke from the dark behind him.
“Excuse me, sir. I have to speak with you. Without your corporal destroying my statement, that is.” Theo’s courteous tone held a note of steel to it. He’d made it this far.
The gold on Colonel Whitney’s shoulder and collar glinted in the candle light. Theo saw it as the man whirled to face him, a small-bore gun suddenly in Whitney’s free hand.
“Wait, Colonel Whitney. I’m a lawyer from Kearney with news of a planned gold robbery. Theodore Edwards, sir.” While tense, Theo used the convincing tone he’d practiced for one of his courses in college.
The colonel raised the candle while lowering the gun. The older man all but growled out his words. “Doggone stupid thing to hide in a man’s bedroom. Good way to get dead before dawn.”
Concisely, Theo explained about Corporal Ellison’s perfidy. “And so I had to sneak in here to let you know. Things are more than one man can handle up there in Kearney.”
The colonel wasn’t ready to concede anything to Theo. “You sure this is army business. Maybe that’s why Ellison destroyed the woman’s complaint.”
Unsure if the colonel would see Theo shake his head in the dark room, he spoke instead. “No, sir. The army’s involved because soldiers from the Black Hills are escorting the gold to Kearney. Seems like it would be a shame for the shipment to disappear right after they leave it at the depot.”
The colonel’s frown showed plainly, even though only the candle lit the room. He explained what he planned to do. Then, he reminded Theo that success depended on his relaying information if he learned of any new plans the gang of thieves made.
After he finished, Theo reminded him, “Ellison is a part of the group. Please, sir, be cautious around him. He’s expecting to receive part of the gold they take.”
Snorting, Whitney challenged Theo. “You come in tomorrow and leave a written statement. If I don’t get it, I’ll know you’ve been honest with me.”
From the tone in the hardened soldier’s voice, Theo knew any help depended on Ellison’s duplicity the next day. He caught himself before he silently prayed for the man to sin. No, he would not pray that way.
“Colonel Whitney, do you have any advice about the land grab I’ve discovered? How do I stop it or who do I call in for help?” He pushed for this final piece of advice before he left.
Silent for a moment, Whitney finally spoke. “If you have any money, you could wire for a Pinkerton to investigate. They have a way of seeing bad men are brought to justice, even though they can’t do the arresting themselves.”
Theo heard the strain in his voice. “Anything else, sir?”
“Well, you’re either blessed or just in luck. A man who might be able to help stopped at the fort to spend the night. Goes by the name Bass Reeves.”
Theo repeated the name and asked, “How will he be able to help?”
Whitney pointed toward the window before blowing out the candle. In the dark, he spoke softly. Something about a dark night always made a person whisper.
“The man’s a U. S. marshal. Talk to him before he heads out tomorrow morning. He’s in a cabin behind my office.”
His welcome was at an end and Theo knew it. Peeking carefully out the window, he lifted a leg over the sill. Sitting for a few seconds on that sill, he jumped the few feet to the ground. Then, he stayed low and skirted the buildings to sit against the enlisted men’s barracks.
Behind him, Whitney lowered the window. The sound rang with an odd note of finality. The colonel would wait and judge Theo by Ellison’s actions tomorrow.
The exhausted man seated on the ground lifted his face heavenward. He thanked the Lord and asked for continued favor. “Lord, help me to help the others depending on me.”
The word echoed in his mind and soul. Help. He’d felt called to help others. Had this been the type of help he’d ached to do?
Hints of pink and a light, light yellow split the horizon when a tall man left the cabin set behind the commander’s office. Spying him, Theo understood why he had been assigned a bunk in the enlisted men’s barracks.
No, racial prejudice demanded that he be separated from them. By excluding him, they’d probably given him a much nicer spot to sleep. He smiled, guessing that Reeves had enjoyed the exile since the man moved like one who’d rested well.
The tall man stretched. In a move so swift he almost missed it, Theo watched him go from that stretch into a pivot with gun drawn. He put up his hands so the marshal wouldn’t shoot.
“I need help, Marshal Reeves. Colonel Whitney told me to camp out here. You know, to catch you before you leave.”
Oddly, the man laughed as he lowered the gun. “Guess you’d have to be desperate to risk an early morning gut shot.”
Audibly gulping, Theo could only bob his head in response. Reeves stared for a minute with intelligent, assessing dark eyes. Then, he waved an arm toward the cabin and waited for Theo to enter.
Inside, the two sat across from each other at a small table set against one log wall. Reeves began his interrogation.
“So, tell me who you are and where you live, first. Then, I’d like to k
now what help a U. S. deputy marshal can be to you.”
Theo sat quietly for a long moment. Should he tell about the gold robbery plans first or Melvin’s fraud? It seemed to him that Reeves needed to hear about both.
In a voice that sounded more confident than he was, Theo leaned forward with arms on the table. “I’m Theodore Edwards, a lawyer’s assistant in Kearney.”
Reeves tipped his head to acknowledge the introduction. Otherwise, he stayed silent, waiting for more explanation.
“It’s a wild time in Kearney lately. There’s a man named Collins planning to rob the gold shipment the army’s hauling in from the Black Hills.”
Reeves’s spine stiffened visibly. “Collins? Maybe has a deep scar on his left cheek. It goes from eye to mouth?”
Theo thought back to the night Collins burst in, planning to search Mrs. Hooper’s home. “Yes, that’s right. He’s a little shorter than me.”
Rising, Reeves moved to his saddle bags. Rummaging quickly, he drew out a paper. At the table again, he handed it across to Theo.
“I memorize. Slaves don’t get taught readin’.” He met Theo’s gaze without shame. “Read that to me, just to jar my memory.”
Scanning it, Theo saw that it was a warrant for the arrest of one Kansas City Collins. He read it aloud, noting the description that perfectly described the man behind the planned theft.
Reeves slammed a fist into his palm. “Yep. That’s him! Heard tell he was in the area.”
His eyes gleamed in the dawn light. “I always get my man, you know.”
Theo hadn’t known, but looking at him now, he believed that Reeves would do whatever he needed to in order to serve his warrant. “The thing is, Colonel Whitney’s going to send men to stop Collins’ gang. I need your help with the fraud.”
He went on to explain about the loans Melvin claimed to make. “The widows know nothing about these loans but sign over their property regardless. A few days ago, I found the hiding spot for his files. I know I can produce the evidence you’ll need to arrest him.”
Hard eyes fixed him like a bug pinned to a board. When Theo didn’t lower his eyes or look away, Reeves grinned with satisfaction.
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