Katie: Bride of Virginia (American Mail-Order Brides 10)

by Sylvia McDaniel

  “I'm on my way out. I'm needed in the vineyard,” he said, taking a step out the door. It was then that he saw Daniel and frowned.

  “Whatever you're needed for in the vineyard, can wait,” Daniel said, trying not to let the anger reflect in his voice and show nothing but calmness.

  The man's face blanched and he took a step back. “Why certainly, come in, gentlemen.”

  The sheriff carried the rock in his hand. “I see you're missing a stone from your hearth.”

  “Yes, it came out a couple of years ago and was never replaced.”

  Daniel knew that was a lie. “You've only been my foreman for the last twenty months.”

  “Two years, twenty months, it's all the same,” the man said with a shrug, his hands shaking.

  The sheriff glanced at him. “Do you mind if I see if this is the missing stone?”

  “Yes, I do. Where did that stone come from?” Jack asked getting excited.

  For over a year, Daniel had been accused of being Eloise's murderer and he'd taken the abuse at the hands of Charlottesville citizens, but no more. “It's the rock that killed Eloise. It came from her grave.”

  “Well, it won't fit in my fireplace,” Jack said moving nervously. “I didn't have anything to do with her killing.”

  “No one said you did,” the sheriff said as he walked over to the hearth and placed the rock in the empty space. It fit perfectly. It was the missing stone that had been there to begin with.

  Slowly, the sheriff stood. “Why did you kill her?”

  “I didn't kill her...I...”

  “You're the one who has been destroying the vineyard. Martha told me about you breaking the bottles of wine, the other men are now coming forward and telling me what you've done. Why, Jack? Why did you kill Eloise?” Daniel asked advancing toward the man.

  The sheriff stepped between them and took out his handcuffs. “You're going to jail for an awfully long time. Why did you kill her?”

  “It was an accident. She came over here and she fell and hit her head on the stone. I didn't kill her.”

  The man's eyes were wide with fright and Daniel knew finally he was learning the truth about Eloise's death. “Why was she here? Were you blackmailing her?”

  He drew his lips together, his face scrunching. “It wasn't blackmail. I wanted money to keep quiet about her having an affair with your friend Frank.”

  The world seemed to tilt suddenly and Daniel couldn't believe what he was hearing from this man. “What?”

  “I saw the two of them together. I told her if she didn't pay me, I was going to tell you. When she came over here, she said you knew she was leaving and she wasn't paying me a dime. When she got up to leave, she fell.”

  Yes, he'd known she was leaving him for another man, but he had no idea who that man was. His chest seized with a burning sensation like nothing he'd ever felt before.

  He couldn’t breathe as the realization that his best friend, his college roommate, had betrayed him with his wife. She'd been expecting Frank's baby, not his.

  And after her death, Frank still remained and acted like his friend. But why?

  “The only way, she could have that kind of injury on the back of her head from a fall was if someone pushed her. You pushed her, didn't you,” the sheriff asked.

  “But I didn't mean for her to fall and hit her head on the hearth. I just wanted her to pay me what I demanded and she refused.”

  “What if she wasn’t dead when you took her out there? What if she was just knocked out?” Daniel cried.

  “Oh, she was dead, all right. I made sure. But I took her shoes and coat to make it appear that she ran.”

  “You bastard, she was pregnant,” Daniel said. “She was expecting a baby.”

  Jack looked up at him. “I only wanted more money, which your good friend, her lover is now paying me to destroy your vineyard.”

  Daniel swung at the man and the sheriff stepped between, blocking his punch. “Mr. O'Malley, I think it would be best if you waited outside.”

  “Hell, no. I want to see you arrest him for the murder of Eloise,” Daniel said. “For eighteen months I've been accused of her death, when I was innocent. I deserve to hear those words. I also want to press charges against him and Frank for the destruction of property.”

  The sheriff nodded in understanding. “Jack Edwards, you're under the arrest for the murder of Eloise O'Malley and destruction of property.”

  He slapped the hand cuffs on Jack and clicked them shut. “Let's get him back to town.”

  Daniel walked outside and waved down one of his hands. “Bring me the wagon.”

  A few minutes later, the wagon pulled up in front of the cottage and the hands who had gathered around watched as the sheriff led Jack out in handcuffs. Daniel helped load him into the wagon.

  “Sheriff, I have to talk to my wife and then I'll meet you in town and we can confront Frank. Give me an hour and I'll be there. I'd like to hear what he has to say when you arrest him.”

  “Will do. I’ll meet you back in town.”

  As the sun sank in the sky, the wagon pulled away, and the hands clapped and cheered as Jack was taken to jail. Daniel couldn't help but smile as it felt like a rock had been lifted from his shoulders. He glanced at the cottage and wished Eloise's spirit to rest well. Her murderer would soon be sitting behind bars.

  Now he had to apologize profusely to the love of his life, his Katie.

  #

  Katie drove the buggy to the train station intent on returning to Lawrence as soon as possible. She had to get away from Daniel, not because she didn't love him, but because she feared he would convince her to stay even though he didn't trust her.

  And she couldn't. Having to face him every day while he believed she was the one causing the vineyard harm would eventually tear her apart.

  Pulling on the reins she parked the buggy in front of the train station where she’d buy her ticket, knowing she would have to wait, but at least she was here. Daniel would find his horse and carriage and realize she was gone.

  Staring at the building, she remembered how she'd gotten off that train so full of hope and determined to make a new life for herself. She'd been frightened and filled with joy at the same time.

  And when she saw Daniel standing there beside Frank, she'd known he was the one. There was something about her husband that drew her to him and yet he hadn't been the one to order a mail-order bride. Frank had been corresponding as Daniel.

  But why would he send a bride to his friend? And why would he try to turn her against Daniel? Nothing made sense.

  Slowly her mind played the last few weeks of her life with Daniel. The dinner where Daniel became upset with Frank for talking to that tobacco company and wanting to sell the land to them. The party, where she suddenly remembered seeing Frank walking down the hall moments before she went into the kitchen and found a distraught Martha.

  He could have gone down to the wine cellar and done the exact same thing during the party and they hadn't found it until this morning. There was the cattle incident and the kerosene in the vineyard this morning. Someone was definitely trying to ruin Daniel, but it wasn't her.

  Who could it be? And what was their reason for hurting her husband?

  She glanced down the street and saw Frank's office building not far. What if Frank was the one destroying the crops?

  Jumping from the buggy, she tied the reins of the horse to the hitching post and hurried down the street. She was going to do a little snooping. She might find nothing, but then again, she might find what she needed to know.

  The office lights were dim. It looked to be closed. Turning the knob, she opened the door and stepped inside, surprised at the unlocked door. Glancing around, she wondered which office was Frank's.

  Stepping quietly to the back, she walked to an office door, and peeked in, but it wasn't Frank's. Hurrying past two more doors she found an office with a plague that read Frank Lowe. Stepping into the room, she quickly lit a gas lamp.r />
  She had no idea what she was searching for, but somehow she hoped something would show her where Frank's loyalties lay. Was he a true partner and her husband's best friend or not. She just needed a sign.

  Crossing to his desk, she rifled through the papers on his desk. None of it made sense, but she glanced at each page and then hurried on to the next.

  Sinking into his chair, she began to flip among files in a filing cabinet off to the side. She came across a label named Southern Virginia Tobacco and Land Company. Wasn't that the name he'd mentioned coming to visit the vineyard? Opening the folder, she saw a contract for Daniel's land. All that was needed was Daniel's signature.

  “You know I wanted to bring you to town yesterday, but you refused.”

  Her heart skipped a beat and she tried to hide the folder in her skirts. She smiled at Frank standing in the doorway, watching her. She tried her best to hide the fear spreading through her faster than quicksand. He had a contract on the land. Why?

  “Then tonight I was eating supper in the restaurant and happened to hear this woman talking about your tea this afternoon. She said that Daniel acted horrid to you and she didn't know why you put up with him. And now here you are.”

  Nonchalantly she moved paperwork around on his desk including the letter opener. “Yes, here I am.” She shrugged. “We had a disagreement.”

  “He thinks you're trying to destroy the vineyard.” He laughed. “You're such a naughty girl.”

  Frank glanced at the filing cabinet, she was certain to see how far she’d gotten in the files. Why would he say such a thing to her when she knew she was not the one doing the damage. Could it be Frank?

  “But I'm not the one who is harming the crops,” she said bewildered. She yanked up the contract and held it before him. “What's this, Frank? Why do you have a signed contract on the land.”

  He shut his office door and a chill went down Katie's spine. She was in his office and no one knew she was here. She swallowed the fear roaring inside.

  “The contract.” Frank sighed. “I could double what Daniel paid for that land. But he refuses to even consider selling.” He shrugged. “But you've solved the problem.”

  She frowned. “What are you talking about? I would never help you sell his land.”

  If he thought she would help him, harm her husband, he was crazy. She was desperately trying to find a way to leave without him stopping her. He stood between her and the door or she would have run out.

  “Dear, the moment you agreed to marry him, you were helping me. You see, Daniel is suspected of killing his first wife. When his second wife is found dead after a big argument witnessed by several ladies from church, well, people will know he killed you.”

  Katie felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. He'd been setting this up all along. He hadn't been looking out for Daniel, he'd been planning on sending him to prison so he could sell the vineyard.

  “But Daniel would never harm me.”

  She watched in horror as Frank pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed the weapon at her. “Maybe not, but I have no qualms about shooting you and then planting the gun on Daniel. He'll never suspect and then when they find your body and the gun on his property, he'll hang for your murder.”

  Everything was falling into place for Frank and she knew it. Somehow she had to find a way ruin his plan--to save Daniel and herself.

  “Frank, why would you do this? You're his best friend. Do you need the money from the land that badly?”

  His eyes darkened and she could see the determination in his face. Anger seemed to radiate from him. “It's not the money. He let the woman I love die. I loved Eloise. She was leaving him for me. He threw her out in the cold and she died.” His voice caught. “She was having my child.”

  Now it all made sense. Frank was Eloise's lover. But it wasn't Daniel who had pushed Eloise in the cold.

  “You're wrong. Daniel didn't kill Eloise. Don't do this, Frank. You're a better man,” she said trying to appeal to his better side, if he had one. He'd been friends with her husband for a long time. “You know my husband. He would never kill anyone.”

  He yanked a chair into the middle of the room. “Shut up. Come, sit in this chair. When midnight arrives, I'll take you out into the cold and shoot you on Daniel's property. Just like Eloise was killed on his property.”

  Katie feared once he tied her up, she would never get loose. She would die.

  “No. I'm not going to make this easy. In fact, I'll fight you every step of the way.”

  Walking over to her, he grabbed her by the arm and yanked her towards him. He was too strong. She raised the letter opener she’d hidden in the folds of her skirt and aimed her slash at his neck. He jerked away and the letter opener sank into his shoulder, the steel point sinking deeply into his flesh.

  A scream ripped from his throat as he kicked her, knocking her to the floor. She landed on her back, air swooshing from her lungs. Dazed she lay there, disappointment surging through her that she'd missed his neck. Pointing the gun at her, he screamed, “Get in the chair or I'll shoot you right now.”

  Slowly she rose from the floor. “Frank, stop you'll never get away with this.”

  “Shut up. Yes, I will.”

  “Daniel will come after me. He'll find me and he'll kill you.”

  For some reason, she suddenly knew the words were true. She'd made a mistake leaving him and not fighting to help him realize she wasn't the one doing the damage. She should have stayed and fought for the vineyard, for Daniel.

  #

  Elated with the news of learning who had killed Eloise, and attempting to destroy the vineyard, Daniel hurried into the house, knowing he owed his wife an apology. When he opened the door, silence greeted him.

  No lights were burning, no smells coming from the kitchen, no laughter or even the sound of Katie walking about. Hurrying into the parlor, he saw the tea pot and cookies still sitting where they'd been earlier this morning. A heavy quietness hung over the house and his heart clenched in pain.

  He'd let his temper get the better of him and acted like a fool in front of the ladies from church. He knew he'd embarrassed Katie and she'd done nothing wrong. He'd let his fears from the past overwhelm his good judgement and possibly ruin his chance at happiness.

  Hurrying up the stairs, he threw open their bedroom door. The bed was made, the room tidy, everything looked the same. Pulling open the armoire he saw her clothes were gone. He yanked open her drawers in the dresser, empty. Her tattered carpetbag was gone.

  Defeated he trudged down the stairs. Katie had been a light that brightened his home, his life, his very existence, and he'd made a huge mistake in accusing her of damaging the vineyard.

  She'd done nothing but try to make his home and his life a happier place, while he accused her of wrong doing. Just like people blamed him for Eloise's death.

  Walking into his mother's bedroom, he saw her sitting in her chair staring out the window at the snow that had begun to fall.

  “You treated her badly. She left you.”

  “I know. When did she leave?”

  “Over an hour ago. She's already on the train on her way back to Lawrence. I didn't like her at first, but she's a good woman. She's a good wife for you.”

  “I know. I love her, and I'm going after her,” he said.

  His mother glanced up at him. “Good. She's a wonderful woman. So much better than Eloise.”

  He smiled. “I love Katie, Mom.

  “I know, son. Go get her and bring her home. Even if you have to go to Lawrence. I'll be fine.”

  Shocked at his mother's words, he hurried out the door. Never before would his mother have wanted him to leave her for several days, and this time she was telling him to go.

  Running out of the house, he pulled loose the reins of his horse and climbed into the saddle. He was going after his wife and confront Frank. The man was not getting away with what he'd done.

  Chapter Twelve

  Riding into to
wn, Daniel knew the hour was late. All the shops and restaurants were closed and very few people were on the streets. When he rode up in front of the train depot, he saw his horse and buggy. She was gone. Disappointment filled him and with a weary heart he slid off his horse and walked over to the buggy.

  He stared at her suitcase sitting in the floorboard and relief flowed through his veins like water. But where was she? Gazing around the town he noticed Frank's office had a light shining from the window. Maybe she went to speak with Frank. Telling him she was leaving.

  His heart all but stopped beating at the thought of her being with Frank. The man he had been friends with disappeared, replaced by a conniving man who would harm anyone to get what he wanted. Including his best friend.

  Fear for Katie had his feet running across the street, he opened the door and strode into Frank's office. Katie sat tied to a wooden chair, her big green eyes staring at him with fear, shaking her head, her mouth stuffed with a rag.

  “What the hell?”

  “Stop,” Frank demanded. “I hadn't exactly planned on you coming to the party, but maybe it's best this way.”

  Daniel stared at Frank. “I should warn you that I know everything.”

  Shaking his head, Frank aimed a gun at Daniel. “You killed the woman I loved. Eloise was leaving you for me. And you pushed her out into the snow.”

  “No, Frank, I didn't. Jack Edwards, the foreman you recommended, was arrested this afternoon for her death. He was blackmailing her because he saw the two of you together. He opened his mouth and sang like a bird, telling me everything. You hired him after her death to ruin the vineyard.”

  Frank's face turned red. “You're lying to protect yourself.”

  “You were having an affair with my wife. She was leaving me to go to you, until Jack killed her,” Daniel said, advancing toward Frank. Knowing he had to save Katie, she was an innocent. “You're the one behind the destruction of the vineyard. We were partners. Friends.”

  Frank's eyes widened. “You killed the woman I loved. I could sell that land for double the value and I have every intention of getting rid of it once I kill you.”