Ophelia's War

by Alison L. McLennan

  The sun had dropped out of sight, and the desert sky had softened to soft pink infused with fiery red. Soot-covered men streamed tiredly from the mines into town for supper. They didn’t bother to wash before they ate, so great was their hunger and fatigue. While passing open café doors, I saw them slumped over bowls, shoveling stew into their mouths as if their stomachs were as deep as the mines they descended.

  Those miners were only a few rungs above the bullwhackers and beasts of burden who pulled freight wagons. They performed backbreaking labor all day, paid inflated rates for tools at the company store, and ate and drank what little was left of their wages at night. When the silver dried up, they’d have nothing to show for all their backbreaking labor. They’d wander to the next boomtown, living off the land as they went. And every bonanza mining settlement would eventually become a ghost town.

  The Cosmopolitan Hotel was quiet when I returned. I expected most people were out eating or drinking somewhere. I climbed the stairs to our room. The door was locked. I unlocked it and found the room completely empty except for my belongings. Charlie was gone. In my heart, I had hoped he’d be there ready to mend things. I looked at the empty room and realized I’d gone too far. I threw myself onto his bed and wept over the lingering scents of tobacco, leather, sage, and his unique musk, which I feared I’d never smell again.

  I soon realized it was time to meet Zeke. I pinched my cheeks, brushed my hair, and pinned it up. Since the sun was down, I decided not to wear a bonnet. I stood at the mirror, ready to apply lip rouge out of habit. I realized what I was doing, stopped, and threw it into my carpet bag with the rest of my belongings. With the bag in one hand, I trumped down the stairs and went outside to sit on the front porch and wait for Ezekiel. About twenty minutes passed before I came to the dreadful realization that either he hadn’t shown up, or I had missed him. I squinted at the beautiful sunset and tried to stay calm.

  The beefy mutton-chopped innkeeper strolled onto the porch in his silly checkered trousers. He propped one leg on the railing, struck a match against his boot, lit a cigarette, and looked at me. “Your husband already left.”

  I stared straight ahead. “Yes, I’m aware of that.”

  The innkeeper waited for me to explain. I didn’t offer any explanation. He stood there smoking and contemplating me.

  I sighed and hugged my bag to my chest. “Did anyone call for me?”

  “No. Who were you expecting?”

  “Never mind that.” I stood up and smoothed my skirt. “Do you happen to know where I might find a Mr. Gee?”

  “What do you want to see that Chink for?”

  “Never mind that. Do you know where I can find him?”

  “Sure, everyone knows where Gee lives. Come here.” He walked to the edge of the porch and pointed west. “Right there in that stone house. But listen, if you’re in some kind of trouble, I can tell you someone else to call on. Do not go to that Celestial.”

  “I am not in trouble. The man who left was not my husband. He was a detective, my employee! And as a matter of fact, Mr. Gee is a relation of mine!” I stuck my chin in the air defiantly.

  “A relation of yours? Well, now, that’s funny because you don’t look at all Chinese. Well, if I had known that, I wouldn’t have let you stay in my hotel. I’ve seen a lot of things in my day, but I never did see no red-headed Chinese.”

  THIRTY-FOUR

  I fetched my pony from the livery and rode to Mr. Gee’s. He was home and agreed to see me even though it was past calling hours. I entered his opulent study and found a much younger man than I’d expected. His hairless face showed no signs of even the slightest whisker. He was so impeccably dressed and clean, I found myself taking stock of my own appearance and attire. His body was trim. He had not cultivated the portliness common in wealthy men.

  Under the spell cast by incredibly handsome men and women, I was lowered by Mr. Gee’s presence. I pulled at a ragged thread on my sleeve and nervously fingered a loose button at my collar. He assessed me with a confidence I found unnerving. I tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear. Instead of looking at him, I studied the guns and swords adorning his walls, the most precious of them protected by glass cases. He was a collector, a connoisseur of precious artifacts. I couldn’t help think that, what with Pearl’s fancy chalices and his precious blades, they would have made a fine pair.

  Before I could formally introduce myself, Ezekiel walked by the open door and saw me.

  “Ophelia!” he said, surprised. He entered the room and looked at us inquisitively. His eyes questioned me, but he addressed Mr. Gee. “Mr. Gee, this is my sister, Ophelia. We’ve been separated for some time, and she has just arrived in Silver Reef.”

  Mr. Gee stepped closer and studied my face until I worried over every imperfection and freckle. I looked at Zeke. He nodded almost imperceptibly. At first I was surprised that Zeke would show deference to a younger man. But then I understood. Mr. Gee had a formidable way.

  “Sister, you say?”

  “Half-sister.”

  He squinted and studied me further. “Ah, yes. I see it. Very interesting. May I offer you a drink? We have an arsenal of beverages, and I’m sure there’s something to suit your tastes. Wine or cider perhaps?”

  He was charming and had such manners it put me off guard. “That would be lovely, thank you. I’ll have cider.”

  “Eli,” he said to Zeke.

  I silently reminded myself to call Zeke “Eli” by thinking of our father, although they bore no resemblance to each other.

  “Please tell Lu to bring a glass of cider for your sister. And there’s a quick bit of business I’d like you to attend to. Lu will tell you the details. It won’t take long.” Mr. Gee grinned like a viper. “Now I hope you will trust me alone with your lovely sister. I hear she has some business to discuss with me.”

  Zeke hesitated and raised his brows, “I suppose I trust you, Mr. Gee. But should trust fail, her guard dog has her tail.” Zeke grinned at his joke and winked at me.

  No longer, I thought.

  Mr. Gee smiled sideways. “Always good to have reinforcements, but I’m not the enemy.”

  “Watch out,” Zeke warned me. “He’s a sly one. I’ll be back soon, Little O.” Zeke gave me a reassuring look and left the room.

  When I was certain Zeke was out of earshot I turned to Mr. Gee. “Thank you, Mr. Gee, for employing my brother. You gave him a chance when no one else would.”

  “He is a great asset. Besides, I have a soft spot for those of mixed races.”

  I looked closer at his features and understood. “Mr. Gee, my brother and I have been separated for some time. I hired a private detective to track him down.”

  “Ah, yes, the guard dog.”

  “I would like to pay his debt to you and take him home.”

  Mr. Gee frowned and studied me.

  “I have the means to pay you,” I said.

  He studied my plain clothes, shook his head, and wore a pained expression. “Really? Eli is very valuable to me. In fact, I’d say his services are almost priceless.”

  “Surely, everyone has a price, Mr. Gee.”

  He nodded in agreement. “True enough. And what is your price?”

  “Tell me how much you want, and I will pay it.”

  He moved closer to me. “I don’t believe you have the means to pay what he is worth. I have enough money. Truth is there’s not much worth buying in this vile town. Good men are hard to come by, as are women. You see, I collect both.”

  He gently twisted a lose strand of my hair around his finger. I felt his breath on my neck. “Pay me with your favors,” he whispered.

  A knock interrupted the awkward moment. A flustered-looking old Chinese man carrying a glass of cider entered the room, followed by Charlie. The old man apologized. “Sorry, sir, he bahged in. Says he has ahgent biness.”

  Charlie narrowed his eyes and looked from me to Mr. Gee. He took off his hat and stared at me. “Sorry to interrupt. I rode all the way
back into town because I forgot to give you these.” He fished in his pocket and pulled out the strand of rubies. “Your necklace.”

  The ruby necklace hung sparkling from Charlie’s hand, and drew Mr. Gee’s attention away from me like a magnet. Transfixed, Mr. Gee gaped at the rubies.

  Charlie smiled. “How can you possibly pay your brother’s debt when I’m still holding onto these precious rubies? So sorry. I hope you didn’t think I’d stolen them.”

  Our eyes locked. “Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Sirringo. Your timing is impeccable. I was just trying to convince Mr. Gee here that a plainly dressed woman, such as I, has something worth offering him.”

  Charlie held the rubies out to Mr. Gee, who held them close to the flickering gas lamp and inspected them.

  “They are genuine,” I said.

  “I know,” said Mr. Gee. “They are exquisite.”

  Zeke burst into the room. With his hands on his knees he doubled over and tried to catch his breath. “Hey, Pinkerton.” His chest heaved as he tried to get the words out. “You and Ophelia have to get out of town now. Don’t go back to your hotel. Get on your horses and go. Hurry! No time to waste. There’s an angry mob gathering.”

  “But . . .” I looked at Mr. Gee.

  “These will do.” He held the rubies and nodded.

  As Zeke ushered Charlie and me out of the room, he shot a confused look at Gee and the necklace.

  “You’re free,” I said. “Come with us. I’ll die if I lose you again.”

  Zeke looked puzzled. “I’ll catch up with you on the trail. If I don’t, wait for me at Garden of the Gods. Remember that place, east of Rockville? Can you find it?”

  I nodded.

  “Okay then, go!” he shouted.

  Charlie and I galloped out of town until the exhausted horses failed to keep pace. It seemed no one was tailing us, so we slowed down to save the horses. Neither of us knew what we were running from, but it felt good to be together. Charlie knew the way to Rockville. I prayed I could find the Garden of the Gods from there.

  We kept riding. I smelled smoke and looked back toward Silver Reef. A giant blaze glowed orange in the black night. We stopped and stared. Hooves pounded the earth. Charlie trained his gun in the direction of the sound. Ezekiel burst out of the darkness and rode toward us. “Come on!” He galloped past and didn’t stop to explain.

  As we followed Ezekiel, I sensed Charlie’s discomfort. He was a man who liked to go his own way. Zeke knew the country and led us through a maze of rocks and canyons until we were safely lost from even the best tracker or Indian scout. We arrived at a small creek, hitched the horses, set up camp, and did not speak. I gathered kindling and made a fire ring.

  Ezekiel shook his head. “I don’t think we should light a fire tonight. The smoke could lead them here.”

  We sat on the ground in the dark. A few stars had come out, but it wasn’t late enough for starlight to illuminate the night sky.

  “Who is after you? And why do they want to harm Ophelia and me?” asked Charlie.

  “Mr. Gee saved me,” said Zeke. “I owed him one last favor.”

  “Oh, Jesus.” Charlie took a bottle of whiskey from his saddlebag and shook his head. “I did not hear that!”

  “Saved you from what, from whom?” I asked.

  “From opium addiction. I had reached rock bottom,” said Zeke.

  “Hang on.” Charlie walked back to the fire and sat down. “Isn’t Gee the one importing and selling that stuff?”

  “Yes, but he forbids anyone who works for him to partake. Once I started working for him, I kicked the habit. It wasn’t easy. I had to let go of longing and regret.” He looked at me when he said regret. “I had to find the middle way, the Tao.”

  “That sounds suspicious, like some kind of Oriental philosophy.” Charlie drained the last bit of whiskey from the bottle.

  Zeke stared at Charlie. “It is Oriental philosophy. And yet it helped me more than fire and brimstone ever did.”

  Charlie stood up, picked up the empty bottle, and placed it on a rock five-hundred yards away. He walked back toward us, took out his six-shooter, and aimed for the target.

  I wondered how much whiskey he’d already drunk and when. “Charlie, are you crazy? The sound of gunfire could attract whoever’s hunting us!”

  “True enough.” He slipped his six-shooter back in the holster. He looked at Zeke. “So tell us, what is this all about?”

  “Your cover is blown. You see, Pinkertons aren’t too popular with the miners. A drunken angry mob had formed and was looking for you. They’ll probably forget what it was all about by morning. But no telling what they would’ve done tonight.”

  Charlie rummaged through his saddlebag and retrieved another bottle of whiskey. “I’m not a Pinkerton anymore, haven’t been for a while.”

  “Well, you must have had some reputation, because someone recognized you there. I’d say your days of working undercover are over.”

  Charlie looked stunned and disappointed. He sat back down with the new bottle between his hands. I couldn’t stop staring at his hands.

  “So what does that have to do with Ophelia? You said we were both in danger. What do they have against her?”

  Zeke sighed and looked perplexed. “Well, that’s the odd thing. Somehow a rumor got out that she’s a red-headed Chinese woman and a relative of Mr. Gee’s. I don’t know if they just wanted to see her, or if they’d actually hurt her. But it’s best not to find out.”

  Charlie screwed up his face. I looked at the ground.

  Zeke continued. “They were looking for her and saying things that are unrepeatable. You must know when a mob of drunken men get an idea, there’s no telling what they’ll do. I think it will all blow over. They really want me because—”

  Charlie interrupted him. “Don’t tell us anything about your crimes. That is absurd. Any idiot can tell Ophelia isn’t a Celestial.”

  Charlie uncorked the bottle, took a drink, and handed it to Zeke. He took a sip and passed it to me. The whiskey burn warmed me and loosened my tongue.

  “I told the innkeeper that I was Chinese and a relation of Mr. Gee’s.” I looked at Charlie. “It’s also possible I mentioned that you’re a detective.”

  Zeke and Charlie exchanged looks. Charlie knitted his brow and stared at the unlit fire. I felt chilled and wished we could light it.

  Zeke shook his head in amused exasperation. “You were always a strange one, Little O.” He fished in his pocket. “Oh, I almost forgot this.” He pulled out the ruby necklace, leaned across the unlit fire, and handed it to me. “You can’t buy me, O. I’m not a slave. What was between me and Mr. Gee was about more than just money.”

  I tucked my hands under my armpits and imagined the fire was lit. “The rubies belong to Charlie.”

  Charlie smiled at me. “I think they’d look better on you, Ophelia. Why don’t you wear them and I’ll admire them on you.”

  I looked at him. “Charlie, you take those jewels and sell them. Get what they’re worth. You won’t have to worry about money or going undercover. You can write that book you were talking about.”

  Charlie laughed. “I never did see a woman try so hard to get rid of a priceless necklace. Tell me, Ophelia, what did those jewels ever do to you?”

  He meant it as a joke, but his words tore me right open. I felt a flood of memory and emotion release. Tears poured forth. Without looking, I felt both Ezekiel’s and Charlie’s quiet concerned looks. Their kindness broke me. Zeke came over and put his arm around me. His body warmed and comforted me. I tucked my head into his chest and cried until I felt better. We didn’t even have to speak. It had always been that way between us.

  “She’s freezing,” Zeke said. “Let’s take a chance and light that fire.”

  Charlie lit the fire. “I’m sorry I said that, Ophelia. Sometimes I ask tough questions that break people. Too many years as a crack-shot investigator I guess.”

  Zeke rolled his eyes. The fire smoked
and ignited. I held my hands out to the flames.

  “It’s not your fault, Charlie. I do have a bad history with those jewels, and it’s about time you both knew.” Zeke still had his arm around me. I looked up at him. “Ma gave me that ruby necklace in secret when she was dying. She told me not to tell anyone about it. Uncle Luther was looking for it. I think that was the real reason he came to Grafton, not to take care of us. I had the necklace hidden real good, sewn inside Dolly, where no one would ever think to look. But I told him Ma had sold it. He would have stopped. He wouldn’t have . . . violated me if, if I’d given the necklace to him. But I didn’t. I kept it hidden. I wouldn’t give it up. I don’t know why. I must have been a whore all along to let him do that to me, so I could keep a ruby necklace.” I covered my face with my hands to hide my shame and tears.

  Zeke held me by the shoulders and turned me toward him. “Ophelia, I knew what you were, and it wasn’t a whore. We were just kids. You were just a girl.” He let go, took his hat off, and ran his hands through his long black hair. “Listen, you couldn’t trust that old swine. Even if you had given him the necklace, he probably would have violated you anyway. And what would have happened to you when Uncle Luther left town with the necklace? You probably would have become Elder Thompson’s fourth wife, remember him?” Zeke made a funny face and mimicked Elder Thompson’s goofy toothless smile. Ezekiel always had a way of making me laugh even in the worst of times. “You wanted to keep that necklace because it was your ticket to freedom. And it was all you had left of Ma.”

  “Freedom?” I looked at the flames. “Do you know what happened to me? I became a soiled dove. I used the ruby necklace to open a parlor house.”

  Zeke looked across the fire at Charlie. “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

  Charlie nodded in agreement. “No man can condemn you. Let bygones be bygones.”

  Zeke put a hand on my back. “You ran a business, not much different from a saloon, a gambling house, or an opium den. Hey, I would have been better off at a parlor house than an opium den. But shoot, I never could afford those fancy ladies.” He tousled my hair like I was a pup. “You did all right. After all, what could you do?”