Stronger Than the Rest

by Shirleen Davies

  “Yes, sir, Boss,” Nelson replied.

  The remaining men at the table nodded their thanks to Connor and continued on with their card game. Nothing like a drunk cowboy on a losing streak to change the mood of a place.

  “Good evening, Connor.”

  The soft voice was accompanied by an arm slipping through his. “Lola. How are you doing tonight?” he asked without making any attempt to disengage himself from her grasp. She was a nice woman, a little older than him, and accommodating. Her makeup was more subdued than most of the girls at the Rose, and her dresses a little more conservative—not much, but enough to set her apart.

  “I’m good. A little tired but that’s normal, don’t you think?” Her light blue eyes lifted to his.

  “Yes, I do think that’s normal.” A slight grin cracked his stern features. She was the only pleasure he allowed himself these days and even that was rare.

  “Thought I’d go on upstairs, if that’s all right with you. Seems you have plenty of ladies to handle what’s needed.”

  “That’s fine, Lola. We’re fine down here.” He dropped his arm from hers and watched her ascend the wooden staircase. There’d been many women like her in his past and no doubt there’d be more. But there was something different about Lola. Maybe it was her past and that her work in the saloon hadn’t turned her hard, bitter, like most soiled doves. Whatever it was, he hoped she’d find someone to take her out of this life and find peace.

  Connor continued to trace her steps up the stairs and caught site of Ira Walsh making his way down. He stopped a moment to whisper something into Lola’s ear that made her laugh, then continued down and made his way next to Connor.

  “You leaving, Ira?”

  “I have a supper engagement.” Walsh flicked lint from his black suit. “Some new investors traveled to Denver from San Francisco. They’re interested in merchandise I’m able to import.”

  “Will you be back?”

  “Not until tomorrow, I’m afraid. I expect the meeting will run quite late.”

  “Then I’ll wish you luck.”

  Connor watched Ira leave, then searched out Pierce.

  “Mr. Walsh is gone for the night. I’ll need you to make a sweep of the upstairs area a few times, just to make sure no one wanders toward his private quarters.”

  Most everyone knew the staircase led not only to Ira’s office and lounge area but also to the rooms used by the girls when they worked. The same rooms became their bedrooms when the saloon was closed. Patrons were allowed in the ladies area, but not Ira’s. That was invitation only.

  “How often should I check?”

  “Each hour until we close, then again just before we lock up.”

  “Anything else?” Pierce asked.

  “Nope.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Cold Creek, Colorado

  Drew had been working in Grant Taylor’s office the past two days, preparing a proposal to purchase Langdon’s ranch. He had been caught off guard when Grant told him Warren Langdon had indicated he’d had enough and would welcome a sale on fair terms. Grant’s attorney was in San Francisco, so Grant had gone to the only other person he knew who had the experience to prepare the agreement.

  Once Louis Dunnigan had approved Drew’s request to help Grant, everything moved fast. The amount offered was quite generous considering considerable work would be needed on the property. He and Grant had a meeting with Langdon that afternoon with the hope of finalizing the sale before Ira Walsh got wind of it.

  Tess poked her head into the office. She found Drew engrossed in the papers on the desk, murmuring to himself as he read.

  “Good morning. You’ve been holed up in here since before sunrise. Can I help with anything?”

  Drew dropped his pen, swept a hand through his hair, and stretched both arms above his head. “Is it still morning?” he teased.

  “Just barely. Dinner’s about ready. Father told me what you’re doing for him.” She walked closer to the desk, stopping at the front edge and letting her fingers trail over the polished wood.

  Drew watched her fingers grace the desk, wondering what it would feel like to have to those fingers move over his arms, his chest. He cleared his throat and forced his attention to the face of the woman in front of him. “I’m glad to do it. He’s making Langdon a good offer—one that I expect he’ll take and move on.” Drew pulled his eyes from Tess to the outside. He’d hardly noticed the sunrise or morning turning to almost noon.

  “What can I do?”

  Drew’s gaze fixed back on Tess. “If you’re serious, I could use a set of eyes on this language.” He handed one of the papers to Tess. “Read it. Tell me if it makes sense.”

  She took the paper and read through it twice. “I don’t understand what this means, at least not the way it’s written.” She pointed to a long passage midway down the page. “But I think I know what you’re trying to say.”

  Drew smiled. It was the same wording he’d struggled with for an hour. “How would you word it?”

  Tess took a piece of paper and wrote for several minutes then handed it to Drew. He read and looked up, his eyes sparkling with approval. “This is great. I couldn’t come up with it, but you dashed it out in a few minutes.”

  “Glad I could help.” Her face lit up at his complement. “Now, come on to dinner, before you miss it altogether.” She walked behind the desk and gripped the handles on his chair. “I’d be happy to come back after we eat, if you want more help.”’

  “Thanks. I just might take you up on that.”

  ******

  Tess and Drew worked together another hour after dinner. She read, made sure she understood what he wanted Langdon to grasp, and suggested changes. There wasn’t much but Drew was grateful for her help. Most of all he was glad to have her near him.

  “Well, I guess I’d better check on the new foal again.” Tess stood and started for the door.

  “Thanks for your help,” Drew called after her.

  Tess turned and walked back around the desk. She bent, and before Drew realized her plans, placed a soft kiss on his lips. “Like I said before, glad I could help.” She strolled out, leaving Drew to stare after her, wanting more.

  He rolled his chair into the hallway, deciding the only way to clear his mind was through strenuous work.

  “Mr. Jericho, I’d like to proceed with the exercises now, if you don’t mind.”

  “Now is fine,” Jericho responded and opened the bedroom door for Drew to wheel through. Drew had just entered his room when a shout came from outside.

  “Drew, Mr. Jericho, come quick! There’s a fire!” It was Tess and she sounded frantic. Jericho made it outside to see Tess pointing to some distant smoke in the direction of the Langdon ranch and barn.

  Grant had just returned from town when he saw the smoke. “Jake, get the men and some buckets. We’ll head over right away.” He turned to Tess. “Eleanor stayed in town with Joey. Let Maria know what’s happening. I’ll need you to drive the wagon over.”

  “I’ll drive.” Everyone looked up to see Drew. He’d made it down the ramp that Jake and a few of the boys had constructed for him. He had no plans to be left behind.

  “Are you sure?” Grant asked.

  “Nothing wrong with these arms, Grant. Mr. Jericho will be beside me. If I run into trouble, he can take over.” He looked at Tess. “You ride with us.” It was an order, not a request. He wanted her close in case there was trouble. If it was Langdon’s place, the timing was just too coincidental for Drew, and he was a man who didn’t believe in coincidences.

  Grant looked around at the people waiting for his order. “Let’s go.”

  It was quite a journey to the Langdon ranch, but Grant knew trails that helped quicken the pace. Even with that, over an hour had passed from the time the group left the Taylor ranch to when the Langdon barn came into view. It was in ashes, but the home might still be salvageable.

  “What can we do, Warren?” Grant asked as he dismounte
d.

  “I need men to fill buckets. We can form a line.”

  “Jake, set the men up and let’s get started. Mr. Jericho, you handle the water pump. Take shifts with a couple of my men when you get tired.”

  “Yes, sir,” Jericho responded, rolled up his sleeves, and hurried to the pump.

  The work was exhausting. Filling buckets, passing them along the line of men, and tossing the water on the fire. Strong winds had spread the blaze from the barn to the house. Sparks landed on dry grass around the entry and caught, swallowing the downstairs in flames. At least the wind had now slowed.

  It took another hour before the fire was contained. No one was injured but the house and barn were gone. The horses had been moved to a large corral, and the little amount of tack recovered lay in a heap a few yards from the smoldering remnants of the barn.

  “Any idea how this happened, Warren?” Grant asked when the men were able to take a break.

  “It was no accident if that’s what you’re thinking. I saw a group of riders just before the flames erupted. Nothing in that barn would’ve set off a fire like that. It was intentional.” Warren Langdon scowled at the remains of what had been the barn he and his men had constructed the year before. Nothing was left. Not one board-foot. The house was a total loss, but perhaps some furniture and personal effects might be salvageable.

  “Papa?” Warren turned to see his daughter, Clarisse, with Jay Bellows standing beside her. Warren wrapped an arm around Clarisse and pulled her close.

  “It’s all right, Clarisse. Everything will be fine,” her father soothed even though his mind screamed at the injustice of it.

  Warren walked over to Grant. After a moment the two strode up to where Drew had been pumping water alongside Jericho. Tess stood beside Drew, a hand resting on his shoulder. Like everyone else, she was covered in soot and dirt. Her eyes reflected the pain she felt at the family’s loss.

  “Is the agreement ready?” Grant asked Drew.

  “Yes, sir. It’s in your office.”

  “Then let’s get this done,” Langdon spat out. “Those vermin hoped to drive me out, give up. They didn’t know I’d been interested in a sale to Grant for some time. Selling may anger them even more. You sure you’re up for that fight, Grant?”

  “I can handle it,” Grant responded.

  Langdon turned to his daughter. “Clarisse, gather what items you can find and load them into our wagon. We’ll follow the Taylor’s back and sign the paperwork, then find a place in town.”

  “No, you’ll stay with us, Warren,” Grant offered. “You’ll want to get back here first thing tomorrow and town will be too far for you. Trust me on this.”

  “Thanks, Grant. You don’t know…” but words failed as the reality sank in. He’d lost the ranch, his home. His wife had died right after they’d arrived. She was buried in this soil. He’d never expected to leave.

  Grant clasped a hand on Warren’s shoulder. “It will work out. You’ll have money for a new start, hopefully here in Cold Creek.” Taylor walked away to let his neighbor deal with the loss in his own way.

  Warren’s head dropped to his chest. He took a deep breath, but coughed as the remaining smoke filled his lungs. He grabbed a handkerchief from his back pocket to wipe his face. Black smudges colored the white piece of cloth. He looked to see his daughter standing several feet away, Jay’s arm around her shoulder. He liked the boy, he liked the town. Maybe they could find a way to stay in Cold Creek.

  ******

  Denver, Colorado

  Pierce walked the upper balcony. He made his way through the two hallways reserved for the patrons and saloon girls, but found nothing that caught his attention. The back door creaked open as he peered out, but again he found nothing. Walsh’s office was on the other side of the upstairs.

  The two areas were separated with a door which was left unlocked except when Walsh was gone. Ira owned the only key to it and his office down the short hall. Pierce looked around, saw no one, and checked the knob. Locked. He reached in his pocket to extract a slim object with a point and inserted it into the lock. The gesture was followed by a click and the door popped open a fraction. Pierce pushed it and entered the hallway to Ira’s private quarters, then shut the door and locked it.

  When he reached the office door, Pierce repeated the same procedure he’d used to access the hall. Again, the lock clicked.

  Pierce looked around again and, satisfied he was alone, slipped through the door, locking it behind him. There was a small amount of light streaming through the windows from outside. Not much, but enough that he could see. He knew from his brother that the wall safe was hidden behind a picture. The third one yielded results. It took a few moments, but Pierce opened the safe and looked inside. The main ledger lay on top. He pulled it out and lifted the trap door underneath. The second ledger he’d decoded was beneath. He needed to find the third.

  Feeling his way around the inside of the safe produced nothing. Yet he knew the ledger was close—if not in the safe than somewhere close enough for easy access by Walsh.

  He tried again. This time his fingers landed on a small catch, almost a miniature ball. He moved it to one side, then the other. Nothing. He pushed upwards on the catch and heard a slight noise. The back wall of the safe opened. Pierce reached in and felt a book. The third ledger.

  “What do you mean you haven’t seen him?” Walsh’s voice was strident, close.

  Pierce closed the hidden door, locked the safe, replaced the picture, and looked around for a place to hide. A key clicked in the lock and the knob turned, then stopped. “Find him,” Walsh barked, and pushed the door open.

  Ira approached his desk while looking about the room. He saw nothing. The papers on his desk appeared undisturbed. He rushed to the picture hiding his safe and pushed it aside. The safe seemed secure, but he opened it anyway. The three ledgers were inside. He closed the safe and replaced the picture before turning at the sound of someone entering his office.

  “He was outside, using the facilities,” Connor informed his boss. “Everything okay in here?”

  “Yes. Nothing seems amiss.” Connor watched as Ira lowered himself into his chair. “Your meeting went well?”

  Ira looked up, deciding how much to say. Connor had proven himself reliable, trustworthy, but still, Walsh wasn’t certain. “Yes, it went well. I’m having my lawyer draw up the necessary papers and hope to make the first delivery within three months.”

  Connor didn’t ask what the merchandise was. He figured Ira would share that with him when the time was right.

  “There’s another group of investors I must meet with. This time I have to travel to San Francisco. I’ll be leaving tomorrow but don’t expect to be gone too long. I trust you to take care of everything here.”

  “I’ll handle anything that comes up in your absence.” Connor looked about the neat office. “I better get back downstairs. Let me know if you need anything before your trip,” Connor said and left Walsh to his own thoughts.

  ******

  “Your new job working out all right?” his brother asked as he entered the room where Pierce worked.

  “Yes. I found the third ledger.”

  “Did you? And where is it?” his brother glanced around but found nothing new on Pierce’s desk.

  “Still in Walsh’s safe. But I can get to it now that I know where it is. The problem, of course, is that it will take days to copy and the book must be returned each night.”

  “Ira’s traveling to San Francisco tomorrow. He’ll be gone over a week. You’ll be at the saloon and will know when he leaves. That will be your chance.”

  “Is the boss still back East?” Pierce asked. He knew the man would want answers as soon as he set foot off the train.

  “Yes. I expect to get a message from him by tomorrow. He’s scheduled to be back next week. That may give you just the amount of time needed to copy the ledger and decode enough to see if it’s what we hope.”

  “Then what?” Pierce
asked his brother.

  “What do you mean?”

  “If Walsh is guilty, like you expect, your job here is done. Where will you go after that?” Pierce enjoyed the work he did for his brother, but he was getting restless. His old life called to him and he was ready to return.

  “Haven’t thought about it.”

  Pierce wasn’t surprised.

  Even though Pierce had been the wilder of the two, his brother had been darker, deadlier. He had a conscious, but held no qualms at all about putting a bullet in someone if they were guilty of a crime. It was his brother’s type of justice—black and white—no middle ground.

  “I have to get going,” he told Pierce. “We’ll talk tomorrow.” His brother slid out the door without a backwards glance.

  ******

  Cold Creek, Colorado

  Warren Langdon read the document once more, signed his name, and extended his hand to Grant, then Drew. “I appreciate your work on this. It’s more than I’d anticipated, but you’re getting a solid piece of land.”

  “You know, Warren, there will be a place for you and some of your men once I decide how to proceed with the property. You open to offers or have you made up your mind to leave?”

  “Haven’t decided. Clarisse wants to stay. You’ve probably figured out she has something going with Jay Bellows over at Bierdan’s place. I hate to break that up by moving away. I guess I’m open to offers if you believe I’d be useful, and I’m certain my men would be open to listening, also. After this is final, they’ll be out of a job.” Langdon finished his coffee and stood. “Well, I best be getting back to the ranch and salvage what I can. From what I remember of last night, it shouldn’t take long.”