by AmyFleming
She settled the feather headdress on Dylan’s head, covering his bright red hair. “You’ll do fine, Dylan,” she said to him. “I know you’ve memorized everybody’s lines.”
Dylan Branigan looked up at her and grinned. Charlotte felt like she was looking at a ghost. Dylan’s brown eyes stared back at her. He had the exact same eyes as Tommy Dredger. He could be Tommy’s brother...or uncle.
All of the parents were seated in the schoolroom and it was time for the show. Charlotte took the children out to the cloakroom and gathered them together. “Good luck everyone,” she said. “All you have to do is speak up and say your lines clearly, just like we practiced.”
The children were excited as Charlotte led all the Indians to the front of the classroom to begin the pageant. Then the Pilgrims made their entrance, sliding the Mayflower along the floor to the front of the room. Charlotte stood off to the side. There was nothing more for her to do but enjoy the play.
All of the practice paid off, and for the most part, the children delivered their lines flawlessly. The natives welcomed the Pilgrims to America and the Pilgrims gave thanks for the land and freedom from persecution. Dylan Branigan delivered his lines as Squanto perfectly.
Then the smallest children came to the front of the room, dressed as the corn and the turkey and pumpkin. These little ones only managed to stand and wave at their parents. Then one of the older girls whispered their lines to them and they all said them together.
Finally, the children sang Turkey in the Straw and took a bow. To close things off, Pastor Miles led a prayer of Thanksgiving for the harvest, the success of the mines, and for the opportunity to live in America.
The pageant over, Charlotte was surrounded by parents congratulating her on the program. Mrs. Miles and some of the ladies served coffee and then Mrs. Miles stayed behind to help Charlotte clean up.
“There’s no need for me to hurry home, dear,” she said. “Mr. Miles is taking the four o’clock train today. It’s still a secret, but he’s been offered a parish in Seattle.”
“You must be excited,” Charlotte said. “You’ll be living in a big city. There’s always so much more to see and to do.”
“Well, no. It will be a wonderful opportunity for Mr. Miles. A bigger church, a bigger congregation, a bigger choir. As for me, I don’t want to go. I get tired out with all the moving around a minister has to do. We need to decorate a new house and make new friends.”
“Don’t you find that exciting?” Charlotte asked.
“Not any more, I don’t. I hope he goes and checks it out and changes his mind and comes back.”
“But you said it’s a good opportunity for him. What will you do if he loves it there?”
“I hope he doesn’t. Every congregation has its own problems, people who like to feel they are in charge of everything.”
Charlotte smiled to herself. Mrs. Miles liked to feel she was the one in charge.
Mrs. Miles noticed the smile. “Yes, I know what you’re thinking. I do like to help my husband organize his duties. He’s such a caring, gentle soul. If I didn’t take care of things around here, people would walk all over him.”
“You’ve been a huge help to me. Helping me to move into the teacherage. Getting the ladies to send over food and supplies. And to think, a month ago, we were strangers.”
“And now I really feel like we are friends,” Mrs. Miles said.
“I’m surprised you don’t have children of you own.”
“We tried, when we were first married. But we lost our babies, you see, and then we just stopped trying.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Charlotte said.
Mrs. Miles sighed. “We never know what the future holds for us, Charlotte. We’ve got to accept our lot and make the best of things.”
The two women worked in silence. Charlotte thought about what Mrs. Miles had said and her mind was drawn back to last night. It felt like a dream. Did they really have those stolen hours of passion? She thought about the way Alec had held her and promised to see her tonight. Was Alec Forrest her future? Until now he had been so aloof, so cold.
Charlotte realized that never once had she thought about Gilbert after Alec had taken her in his arms. But what was she thinking last night? Was she in love with Alec or was she simply trying to forget about Gilbert? Had she been using Alec, the same way as Gilbert was using Ora? Was she hurting Alec to make herself feel better?
Charlotte was still lost in thought when Annie Hamilton burst into the room. For a moment, Charlotte didn’t recognize her. Annie was dressed in a black dress with a matching wrap. Not her usual vivid colors, the ones she liked to draw attention to herself.
Mrs. Miles stiffened, her distaste evident. Annie’s eyes widened at the sight of Mrs. Miles, but she didn’t acknowledge the woman in any manner.
“Charlotte, I need to talk to you,” Annie said.
Mrs. Miles interrupted. “What are you doing here?” She continued, “If I could give you some advice, Miss Hamilton, you should leave your sinful ways behind you and find a decent job.”
“Answer me one question,” Annie said. “Who in this town would give me a decent job, Mrs. Miles?”
Mrs. Miles didn’t have an answer for that. She ignored Annie and started to collect some cups and saucers together, banging them noisily as she put them away.
“Where’s Tommy, Charlotte?” Annie asked. “I was waiting for him but I never saw him leave.”
Charlotte bit her lower lip. “Tommy wasn’t here for the pageant. Mr. Dredger said Tommy’s old enough to be earning his keep and took him out to help him with some work.”
“But I pay...”Annie stopped herself. “Today’s the day the gold shipment is coming in. Dredger should be trying to see the Ellis brothers. Do you know where Dredger and Tommy are?”
“They went to the upper pasture. Maud said Mr. Dredger wants to blast some stumps out up there this afternoon and he wanted Tommy to help him.”
“Tommy? Help him with dynamite? The man’s a fool. He’s going to kill that boy.” Her anger disappeared and her face suddenly went faint. “Oh my God. He wants to kill Tommy.” Lines of fear crossed her face and Charlotte could see Annie’s hands tremble before she pulled herself together.
Charlotte could not believe what the woman was saying. “Why would he want to kill Tommy?”
“I think Dredger killed Eileen McArthur. I saw Tommy ahead of her on the road on the day she went missing. Tommy knows something about that day and he told me his father wanted him to keep a secret. That must be it.”
She walked over and flung a train ticket at Mrs. Miles who was listening to the two girls with a look of shock. “I’m going to get Tommy. I’ll never make that four o’clock train. As for you, you old fool, you should be on that train to Missoula. And if I could give you some advice, you might spend a little more time taking care of your husband and a little less time having tea with the church ladies.”
Mrs. Miles was stunned into a shocked silence.
Annie turned to Charlotte. “Please go and find Sheriff Forrest. I saw him heading over towards Chinatown. Tell him that Dredger is planning to rob the gold shipment.”
“How could you know that?” Charlotte asked.
“I don’t have time to explain. Just tell the sheriff. The gold shipment is on the way from Crow Mountain to the train this afternoon. I have to get Tommy,” she said, and she hurried out the door.
*****
Outside the jail, Annie paused. She had heard Luc Branigan had been arrested. He had to be inside.
The jail was empty except for Luc who was behind the bars.
“Where is everyone?” Annie asked.
“The sheriff went out. There’s been some trouble he had to see about. As soon as he left, the deputy said he was going up to Crow Mountain for the afternoon.”
Annie grabbed the key for the lockup from a hook behind the sheriff’s desk and opened the door.
“What do you want with me, Annie?” He touched
the sleeve of the black dress she was wearing. “Good heavens Annie, you look like a widow or a preacher’s wife. Did you take my advice and give up whoring?”
She wanted to slap the smug smile off his face but instead she said, “I need your help Luc.”
He smiled down at her. “I always was a sucker for a lady in need...”
“Otto Dredger has Tommy with him, up on the mountain. They’re getting ready to set off some dynamite. I’m afraid Dredger is going to kill Tommy.”
“So what do you care?”
“Tommy is my son.”
He shook his head slowly, the information gradually sinking in. “But why would Dredger kill his own kid?”
Annie thought furiously. Now was not the time for this conversation. “I need your help Luc. Please.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Ride up there with me. Save Tommy.”
“Dammit Annie, you broke my heart. I don’t want to get involved in this.”
“Dredger is going to kill Tommy.”
“What makes you think Dredger would kill the boy?”
“He’s a murderer, Luc.”
“He’s been coming up to see you every Tuesday for the past seven years. I warned you about him and now, after all this time, you say he’s a murderer.”
“Luc, did you kill Eileen McArthur?”
“How can you even ask me that?”
“If you didn’t kill her, then who did?”
“Annie, it could have been anybody. It could have been that miner she was meeting. I saw them meeting up on Dredger’s ledge.”
“No one can see that ledge. Dredger told me.”
“I can see it from the ridge on my land, Annie. You probably didn’t know that.”
“Oh, Luc. Is that how you knew Dredger and I had been together?”
“Annie, I don’t want to talk about it. All I’m saying is, it could have been that miner who killed Miss McArthur.”
“Luc, please, I’m begging you. I need your help to save Tommy.”
“Annie, you’re on your own.”
“Why, Luc, why? Have I ever asked you for anything?”
“Do you want to talk about it? How you walked all over my heart? How you went from me to Dredger in two days.”
“All right Luc, I made a mistake.” Annie said. “Does it make you happy to hear me admit it? I thought Dredger loved me but I was wrong.”
“No, it doesn’t make me happy.”
She had to make him understand. “Luc, Tommy told me that Dredger was making him keep a secret about Eileen McArthur. He never told me what it was. But I think Tommy is the one person who knows who killed her.”
“Why don’t you tell the Sheriff and let him take care of it?” Luc demanded.
“Tommy is my son, Luc. And Dredger has him up on Crow Mountain setting off dynamite. I need to go after him now.”
“Then you’d better get after him, Annie. And good luck.” Luc turned away from her and opened the door to the street. Annie grabbed Luc’s arm and swung him around. “Tommy is my son, Luc. And he’s your son. And Dredger is going to kill him because of it.”
*****
Luc Branigan stopped by the Powder Horn for a drink. He wasn’t going anywhere and eventually the sheriff would find out he wasn’t in jail and come looking for him. He finished two drinks in rapid succession.
Damn that woman. Tommy was his son? Damn her. He couldn’t let her go after Dredger on her own, but he would be damned if he was going with her.
JD appeared from the shadows. Who knew how long he’d been sitting over in the corner by himself? Luc could swear that man was a ghost.
“Will you buy me a drink, Luc?” the old man asked. Luc gestured at the bartender. He got down a bottle of whiskey and poured Jack a shot.
Jack drank his slowly. He relaxed back into his chair lost for a moment in some imaginary world of his own. Then he seemed to have a lucid moment. “Don’t let her go up on Crow Mountain alone, Luc. You’ll never be able to live with yourself.”
“I have a hard enough time living with myself now, old man,” Luc said. He put on his hat and went up the stairs and down the hall to the doorway to the Men’s Club. Hopefully, he would be in time to catch Annie.
*****
Charlotte started her search for Alec at the Chinese laundry but he had gone over to the Powder Horn, to settle some fight.
Charlotte gritted her teeth as she walked through the swinging doors of the Powder Horn and went up to the bar to ask for the sheriff.
The bartender told her the sheriff had gone upstairs. A couple of the dance girls who worked in the saloon had been fighting. Charlotte ignored the catcalls as she climbed up the staircase that led to the second floor.
Down in Annie’s room, two girls were picking through Annie’s things.
“What’s going on?” Charlotte asked.
“Annie is leaving,” said one of the girls. “Two of the girls got into a fight about some of the things she left behind.”
“Where’s the Sheriff?” Charlotte asked.
“After he broke up the fight, he went down the back way. One of the girls had a knife. The sheriff took the other girl to the doctor’s office.”
Charlotte went down the back way herself. She didn’t want to go through the saloon again.
Charlotte ran back to Alec’s house near the jail and let herself in the back door. She knew his Oldsmobile was in the old shed at the back of the house. The engine turned over the second time she tried to start it and she backed it out and drove over to the doctor’s place.
Alec was coming out of the door at the doctor’s when Charlotte drove up. He turned his head quizzically to one side.
“Did I say you could drive my car?”
“I needed it to find you.” Charlotte related Annie’s story; that Otto Dredger was planning to rob the gold shipment on the way into town.
Alec walked around the car and got in. “There is a gold shipment coming in today. Sam Wilberforce at the train station made arrangements for a boxcar for the Ellis Mine. Going out on the four o’clock train. Take me back to the office and then take my car back home. Where’s Annie now?”
“She was going up to the mountain to try to save Tommy. She thinks Otto Dredger’s going to try to kill him.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Annie thinks Tommy knows who killed Eileen McArthur. She thinks it was Dredger.”
“I was sure Annie knew more than she was saying,” Alec said. “And now she wants help.”
“What will we do?”
“We? There’s no we. I’ll go up the mountain and sort out what’s going on.”
“I could help.”
“You could help by going back to the teacherage and barricading the door. Or go over to Pastor Mile’s place and stay with them. Or drive my car home and lock yourself in my place.”
“I could help you.”
“I saw my parents being shot. I don’t want to repeat the experience with you. Stop here,” he said when they reached the deputy’s house.
Alec disappeared inside the house for a minute and then came out.
“His wife said Frank is up on Crow Mountain, hunting. Thanksgiving is an odd day to pick to go hunting.” He stopped to think and then he said, “Where did you learn to drive?”
“My dad had a truck on the farm. I used to deliver milk every day to the Chinese restaurant in town.”
“Riding astride. A woman driving my car.” He shook his head sadly. “This whole world is changing too fast for me.”
“You sound so old when you say that,” she said.
“My mother always said I was an old soul trapped in a young body.”
He looked at his watch. “It’s almost one o’clock. The gold shipment should be coming in soon.” He frowned and then continued, “Take me by the stables and then go home. My home.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Luc Branigan led the way along the ridge of Crow Mountain. He and Annie were on ho
rseback. They spotted Dredger, down among the trees and they rode down towards him.
As they approached, Dredger asked, “Annie, what are you doing out here?”
“I came to get Tommy. I’m taking him with me today.”
“No, Annie, you’re not. I’m getting ready to blast some stumps. I need him to help me. And best you two get out of here. You don’t want to be injured when any of this dynamite blows.”
Branigan looked around. “This isn’t pasture land, Dredger. Just let us take the boy and go.”
Dredger laughed, “I don’t think so, Branigan. You’re not taking my son.”
“Otto, please,” Annie said. “You promised me I could take him.”
“You always were a fool who believed what you wanted to hear, Annie. I need Tommy and I’m keeping him here.”
In the distance, they could see Tommy setting sticks of dynamite into holes along the ridge. “I’m taking him, Otto,” Annie said and she rode her horse towards the boy.
Dredger pulled a revolver out of his saddlebag and fired a single shot in the air. Annie pulled up on her horse and looked around. The revolver was aimed directly at her.
“Don’t make me take a second shot, Annie. Leave now.”
“We’re not going anywhere without the boy,” Branigan said.
“You’re a fool, Branigan. You probably came up here without a gun. Turn back and nobody will get hurt.”
Tommy heard the commotion and ran towards his mother. “Now that is just too bad,” Dredger said.
Frank, the deputy, rode up the trail. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“Things are getting out of control,” Dredger said. “You were supposed to watch the trail and make sure no one came up.”
“Branigan didn’t ride by me. Annie, what are you doing up here?”
“Getting my son,” she said. “Tommy’s my boy.”
“You can’t leave now,” Dredger said. “Not now. We have a job to do, and we don’t want you riding back to Bandit Creek and stirring up trouble.”
“What are we going to do, Otto?” the deputy asked.
“We’ll put them on the ledge under the cliff. We’ll tie them up and then after we finish the job, we’ll let them go.”