Christmas in Whispering Pines

by Scarlett Dunn

“We’re going to be married the Sunday before Christmas,” Clay said.

  “Congratulations, but first things first,” Morgan said. “Who shot you?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t see anyone. A young boy gave me a message from Mrs. King asking me to meet her. Earlier in the day she said she needed my help, but I tried to ignore her. When I received her message to meet her at four o’clock on the trail near the turnoff toward Denver, I intended to find out what she wanted. I found her unconscious on the trail, and that was the last thing I remember, until I heard Jack’s voice.”

  “I saw you talking to her at the hotel,” Emma said. “What kind of help did she want?”

  “She didn’t say. She was afraid because Frank was still in town.” He pointed to his coat on the chair. “The note should be in my coat pocket.”

  Rose appeared in the room with some boiling water, and Morgan took it from her and carried it to the bedside table. While he cleaned the wound, Granny left to check on Leigh, and to fetch her medical bag. Emma took that moment to tell Rose of her impending marriage to Clay.

  While the women talked, Clay whispered to Morgan, “Would you get the small box out of my coat pocket?”

  Morgan found the small box and handed it to Clay. When Granny returned with her instruments, Clay opened the box and pulled out the ring. “Emma.”

  Emma turned to him, and when he motioned for her to sit beside him on the bed, she didn’t hesitate.

  “I wanted to do this proper in front of your family.” He took her hand in his, and said, “This ring was my mother’s, and no one has ever worn it but her.”

  Emma knew he was saying that the ring wasn’t worn by his deceased wife, and that made it all the more special.

  He held the ring to her finger. “Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Emma was so emotional she could barely speak. She nodded and said softly, “Yes.”

  Clay slid the ring on her finger, and brought her hand to his lips. He placed a kiss on her ring finger. “Forever.”

  “Forever,” Emma repeated, her heart filled with an overwhelming love for this man. When she finally looked down at the ring on her finger, she saw it was designed with sapphires surrounding a center diamond. “It’s beautiful.”

  “My father had it made for my mother. It looks beautiful on your hand,” Clay said.

  “We can celebrate when I get this slug out of your shoulder,” Granny said. “Rose, go see if Jack needs anything. That young woman has not come around, and I’m not sure what I can do for her.”

  Granny removed the bullet from Clay’s shoulder quickly, and she left Emma and Morgan to bandage him while she hurried to check on Leigh.

  “She’s still unconscious, Granny,” Jack said.

  Granny lifted Leigh’s eyelids and looked into her eyes before she examined the marks on her neck. “It looks like someone almost choked her to death.”

  “She fought whoever did this. There is some skin under her nails.” Jack figured Clay must have interrupted whoever was intent on killing Mrs. King, and they’d tried to kill him. Frank Langtry was most likely the culprit. Why would anyone else want to kill Mrs. King?

  “Clay said Mrs. King sent a note to him asking that he meet her on the trail,” Granny told Jack.

  “Did the note say why she wanted to meet?” Jack asked.

  “No.”

  “There was a pistol on Leigh’s lap. It looked like she may have shot Clay,” Jack said. “But I think that is what someone wanted us to believe.

  Jack walked to Emma’s bedroom and told Clay about the gun. Clay was surprised by that revelation. “You mean they wanted it to look like I was choking her, and she shot me?”

  Jack nodded. “I think that was the plan.”

  “There was no gun when I found her,” Clay said.

  “Jack, are you going to look for Frank?” Emma asked.

  “I’m thinking he’ll be back in Denver by now,” Jack said.

  “I’ll go with you.” Morgan walked to the kitchen to find Rose to tell her he was leaving with Jack. “We’ll bring Addie and the kids over here to spend the night before we leave.”

  * * *

  Frank arrived in Denver and went straight to Ruth’s house. He slipped in through the back door, and first walked to the library where he expected to find Ruth sipping her brandy. Seeing the room was empty, Frank quietly walked upstairs, hoping to avoid the housekeeper. Reaching Ruth’s bedroom door, he walked inside without knocking.

  Ruth gasped when a dark figure entered her room. “What do you want?”

  “Shh. Ruth, it’s me, Frank.”

  “Frank? What are you doing in here?” Ruth was in her nightclothes sitting in front of the fire on the other side of the room. She was nursing her second brandy for the evening.

  Frank hurried to her chair and kneeled in front of her. “I had to tell you what happened.”

  Ruth set her brandy aside. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

  Clutching her hands in his, Frank said, “No, I’m not hurt, but I hurt Leigh.”

  “Tell me what happened.”

  Frank leaned over and pulled her into his embrace. “She threatened to tell everyone my true feelings about you. I lost my temper, and I’m afraid I couldn’t control what I did.”

  Ruth didn’t pull away from him. “What do you mean she was going to tell everyone about your true feelings?”

  “She guessed how close we are, and threatened to ruin your reputation,” Frank said.

  “Frank, we have nothing to hide,” Ruth said.

  Frank pulled back and looked into her eyes. He knew what Ruth wanted to hear, what would convince her of his innocence. “Don’t you see, we are not related, our relationship might be misunderstood? I couldn’t stand the thought of someone trying to hurt you because of me.”

  Frank had a point, but she was of an age, and had enough wealth, that she didn’t care what people thought. People would never shun her. Her money and influence carried more weight than gossip. “Tell me what happened.”

  “I lost my temper and I choked her, but I don’t think I killed her.”

  “Did anyone see you?” Ruth asked, noticing the scratches on his face.

  “No, but the pastor saw me early this morning. He knew I was in Whispering Pines.” Frank didn’t mention he’d shot the pastor.

  “Then no one can prove it was you. It will be your word against hers.” She didn’t give a thought to the young woman Frank may have choked nearly to death. “I will tell anyone who inquires that you were here from early afternoon and had dinner with me. But I do think it wise that you leave Denver right now, at least for a while. Go back to Black Hawk. If the marshal goes to Black Hawk, tell him you broke off your relationship with Leigh that morning.” She rose and walked to her bureau and removed several bundles of cash. “Here,” Ruth said, shoving the money into Frank’s hands. “This is all I have at home. You need to leave before my brother returns tomorrow. He will certainly hear about this, and if that young woman survives, he will know you have seen her.”

  Frank stuffed the cash inside his shirt. “You’re right. The judge will be out for blood.” Of course, Frank had already realized that the judge would be enraged as soon as he found out Leigh was living with him in Black Hawk since leaving Denver. No man liked to be played a fool. It wouldn’t be long before the judge would have the marshal searching for him. Still, he had to remember it was his gang’s word against his. No one could prove he was part of the robbery. Unless Leigh survived he figured he didn’t have anything to worry about.

  “I’ll handle my brother. I’ll tell him that young woman gave you a sad story and asked for your help to get away from him.”

  “Thank you, Ruth. You are the only person I trust.” She was the only person who still believed his lies.

  “This will all blow over soon. I don’t think many people will care about the rantings of an immoral woman. If she’s not dead, then it would be little more than a lover’s spat.�
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  “People will think you are protecting me,” Frank said.

  “Let them think what they please.” Ruth knew Frank had a dark side, but something about his dangerous lifestyle was electrifying. He brought an excitement to her life that she hadn’t experienced before. Her privileged life had always been predictable and mind-numbingly boring with committee meetings, hosting parties, luncheons, and her game nights with women whose lives were as pathetically humdrum as her own. Yes, she was much older than Frank, but in many ways he made her feel desired. He whispered forbidden comments in her ear, he ignored propriety and held her too close in public, he’d indiscreetly brush his lips over hers; all of these little moments triggered her repressed passion. For the first time in many years, she felt alive, and she wanted to cling to those brief moments as long as she could. She knew he enjoyed her money, her prestige, all of the status he’d never have without her as a benefactor, but she didn’t care.

  Frank pulled her into his arms. “I don’t want to leave you.”

  “You must.” Ruth allowed him to hold her tightly. She wasn’t surprised when he kissed her on the lips.

  Frank pulled back and looked down at her. “I hope to see you soon.”

  “Good-bye, Frank. I’ll wire when you can come back, or I’ll come to Black Hawk.”

  “Don’t wait too long, Ruth.” He left the room, hurried down the staircase and out the back door.

  He needed Ruth and he hoped she didn’t learn the depth of his deceit. He didn’t tell her he’d sent Leigh a note that said the pastor wanted to meet her, and he had the same boy take a similar note to Clay. He’d set Leigh up and she’d taken the bait. When he’d appeared at the designated spot instead of Clay, he could see the surprise on her face. He’d confronted her, told her what the note said, and when she realized the truth, she laughed and told him he was acting like a jealous lover.

  Her laughter sent him into a killing rage, and the next thing he knew, his hands were around her neck. He started choking her, and she started fighting back. Though she had marked his face and hands with her fingernails as she struggled, she was no match for him. He didn’t release her until he felt her body go limp.

  He was so enraged that he barely heard the rider coming down the trail. Seeing Leigh’s reticule on her wrist, he ripped it off and jumped on his horse and rode into the brush. Just as he expected, it was the pastor coming to meet Leigh. He watched as Clay felt Leigh’s neck for a pulse, and decided then and there to shoot him. Pulling out the extra pistol he carried in his saddlebag, he pulled the trigger, and watched Clay slump to the ground. He ran to the buggy to make certain Clay was dead, but he heard him groan. He glanced at Leigh and he thought she was still breathing. Pulling his gun, he was ready to pull the trigger when he thought he heard another rider. He dropped the gun he’d used to shoot the pastor on Leigh’s skirt before he ran back to the brush. Reaching his horse, he held his muzzle so he wouldn’t reveal his hiding spot.

  Within seconds, Sheriff Roper rode around the bend. He briefly thought about killing the sheriff, but he didn’t think he should take that chance. The sheriff jumped off his horse and checked for Clay’s pulse, then checked Leigh’s. He lifted Clay inside the buggy beside Leigh before he tied the pastor’s horse to the back of the buggy. Mounting his horse, the sheriff reached for the reins of the horse leading the buggy and headed toward Morgan’s ranch at a fast pace. Frank figured if he’d killed them, the sheriff would be going back to town, not taking them to Morgan’s where Granny could doctor them.

  Frank sat in the trees debating his next move. He searched Leigh’s reticule and found a letter she’d written to the pastor.

  If anything happens to me, Frank Langtry is responsible. He planned that bank robbery in Denver. Leigh King

  She’d told him she’d already given the letter to the pastor. She had lied. He cursed himself for not killing her that night in the hotel. Leigh was the only one who could corroborate Dutch’s and Deke’s version of the bank robbery. If they all testified against him, he’d surely go to prison. He wasn’t about to allow that to happen. There was no way anyone would ever lock up Frank Langtry in a cage. The preacher didn’t know who shot him, but Frank knew Leigh could point to him in a courtroom and say he tried to murder her. Fallen woman or not, people would believe her before they’d ever believe him.

  * * *

  “We can’t prove it was Frank,” Jack said to Morgan once they were on the trail to Denver.

  “No, we can’t. But the least we can do is let the marshal and the sheriff know what is going on. If the judge is back in town, we may be able to finally convince him of Frank’s guilt. I think he’ll be more inclined to believe us now that Leigh King is in such a bad way.”

  “I wish you’d hung that sorry son of a gun that day,” Jack said.

  “I try not to look back. But I can tell you this much; Frank should thank his lucky stars that Rose happened by on that stagecoach. He’ll never have another chance like that in his lifetime.”

  Morgan and Jack reached Denver and went straight to the sheriff ’s office where they found both Marshal Holt and Sheriff Trent. After explaining what had happened to Clay and Leigh, the marshal said, “This should put the nail in the coffin with the judge. Surely he won’t believe Frank now.”

  “He may not, but his sister is still convinced Frank is the injured party. I think he could commit murder in the middle of the street and Ruth would continue to defend him,” Sheriff Trent said.

  “Well, I guess there’s no time like the present to see if Frank is at Ruth’s home right now,” Marshal Holt said.

  * * *

  Frank rode behind the buildings in town, but he’d seen Morgan’s and Jack’s horses in front of the sheriff ’s office. He figured there was only one reason they were in Denver. Leigh must have told them he tried to kill her. Since Morgan wasn’t home, Frank decided it would be the perfect time to sneak onto his ranch and take care of Leigh and anyone else who got in his way. Frank figured if he got lucky, Morgan might return to the ranch and he could exact his revenge on the man he hated most.

  * * *

  “How may I help you, Marshal?” Ruth asked when she walked into the library where the housekeeper had asked Marshal Holt to wait for the lady of the house.

  “I’m looking for Frank Langtry,” Marshal Holt said.

  “I’m sorry, but Frank is not here.” Ruth walked to the sideboard and picked up a decanter. “May I offer you a brandy?”

  “No, thank you. Where can I find Frank?”

  Ruth took a sip of brandy before she responded. “What is this about, Marshal?”

  “It seems the young woman traveling with Frank was nearly choked to death earlier, and the pastor in Whispering Pines was shot,” Marshal Holt said. “There’s a witness who places Frank in Whispering Pines today, and he was seen with Mrs. King. I’d like to question him.”

  “If Frank was in Whispering Pines today, it had to be very early.”

  “Why do you say that?” Marshal Holt asked.

  “He was with me today. He arrived just after lunch, and he had dinner with me,” Ruth said.

  “Where is he now?”

  “He left earlier for Black Hawk. He needed to get back to the mine.” Ruth finished her brandy and stared at the marshal. “Is that all I can do for you?”

  Marshal Holt twirled his hat in his hand, trying to figure out what kind of game Ruth was playing. He didn’t understand why this wealthy woman was so intent on protecting Frank. “When will Judge Stevens return?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Please ask him to stop by the sheriff ’s office when he arrives.” Marshal Holt settled his hat on his head. “Good evening.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Frank cut through the edge of the pine tree boundary separating the Langtry farm to Morgan’s ranch. He hadn’t been in the pines alone since he was a young boy. His gang was always with him. Even though he always made light of his gang being scared to death when they
rode through the pines, he was just as frightened of the eerie sounds echoing through the trees. They were the very same sounds he was hearing tonight. Thankfully he didn’t have far to ride to reach Morgan’s ranch, but he kept looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was behind him. When he reached his hiding spot where he could see any movement on the ranch, he settled in, waiting for the right time to sneak inside the house. There was only one light coming from the house, and the bunkhouse was dark and quiet.

  Unbeknownst to Morgan, Frank had been inside Morgan’s house several times, and he was familiar with the layout. He even knew which room was Morgan’s bedroom, and he figured with Granny and Emma staying there, Leigh would have to be in one of the back bedrooms. Everything was quiet when he slipped inside the back door and headed to the back staircase that led to the second floor. Stopping long enough to remove his boots, he then pulled his pistol and made his way to the top of the staircase. He hid in the shadows as he listened for sounds that might indicate someone was still awake. Silence. He quickly reached the room closest to the back staircase. He eased the door on the right open and peeked inside. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw the bed was empty. Silently moving to the room on the opposite side of the hallway, he leaned his ear to the door. Hearing nothing, he slowly turned the doorknob and inched the door open until he could see the bed. With the aid of the moonlight shining through the curtains, he saw a form in the bed. He knew it was Leigh.

  Slipping inside, he quietly closed the door behind him before he made his way to the bed. Leigh wasn’t moving, but he could see she was breathing. He holstered his pistol and grabbed the pillow beside her.

  “Frank, what are you doing here?”

  Frank whirled around to see Granny sitting in a chair in the corner of the room behind him. She was pointing a pistol directly at him.

  “I heard you had Leigh here, and I wanted to see her.”

  Granny tried to sound calm, but she was visibly shaking. “How did you hear that? Who told you?”

  Frank ignored her question. “What happened to her?”

  “I think you know,” Granny replied.