Behr seemed to consider the question seriously. His gray eyes had a softer expression and he nodded thoughtfully. “I’m sure she can, Elizabeth. She did like the gold ones, even when she was a little girl like you.”
Touched by the grave consideration Behr gave the child’s question, Diana once more found herself re-evaluating her appraisal of the man. She’d never expected to see him in the company of a toddler, much less treating the little thing with the same courtesy and attention he’d given to the elderly professors. She realized he was again speaking to herself.
“Miss Woods, I think I need a clearer understanding of exactly how I became involved with the unfolding drama of your academic employers. I believe you were engaged to take notes and transcribe their discussions. Now, it seems, you and they are the object of some unpleasant attention. Trey told me something of how that came about. I thought he’d left undergraduate high jinx behind, along with his passion for fast cars. Now I see he’s returned to both of those youthful pursuits. I suppose he was the one who suggested you could find sanctuary in my part of the state?”
She had to confess his guess was correct. “He did remind Dr. Elmsford that you mentioned they might find useful sources out that way. I believe Dr. El concocted the rest of the plan on his own.”
“Thus explaining the cloak-and-dagger aspect. And all the needless, elaborate touches. Elmsford does love his melodrama. How did this particular plot get spun? A little subterfuge, some misdirection, with or without trap doors and vanishing ladies?”
“Definitely with vanishing ladies, or at least a vanishing secretary and an aspiring newspaper woman.”
“Vintage Elmsford. Would you care to share the elaborate details?”
Diana accepted the coffee the waiter brought her and settled in to bring Adler Behr into the picture. He ordered a coffee for himself and milk for Elizabeth, then waited for Diana to begin.
“Of course, we could have just told our landlady we were moving to stay with an elderly relative, got on the next train, and left town. It would have been fairly simple, though if anyone learned of our connection with the events at Tommy Gunn’s place, dashing off like that might have raised some suspicions. Dr. El went to a great deal of trouble to create a believable, if complicated, means of getting us away.”
“Knowing the man, I can believe it’s complicated.” He patted his pockets and found a pad of paper and a pencil. “Elizabeth, why don’t you see if you can draw some of the things you see outside the window? Then you can tell Papa all about your trip and show him what it was like, when we get home.” He passed the paper and pencil to her reaching hands and waited until she had returned to the window, quickly occupied with his suggestion. “Now, tell me about the saga of Elmsford and the…what did your sister call them…yes, Elmsford and the torpedoes.”
“I think he got the idea when he and Dr. Pearce went to see the widow of an attorney, a veritable pack rat. Not that El took one look and said, ‘I have to find a way to use this’ or something. You know how he is. He squirrels away bits of this and that, then somehow, without really planning it, he pulls it all together and spins a theory out of it. That’s what happened when we told him about our expedition to meet the bartender who may, or may not, have been a sidekick of Butch Cassidy.”
“That’s where all this started? With Elmsford’s fixation on the Wild Bunch?”
“Yes, exactly.” Diana took a sip of her cooling coffee and gave Adler Behr as succinct a synopsis of the scheme as the subject permitted. “We wound up with a letter from a mythical aunt who wanted to right a wrong, a forged letter from an attorney in Colorado attesting to the sincerity of the old lady and suggesting a couple of impoverished nieces could benefit from making her acquaintance, and another forged letter from a deceased attorney in Texas passing along all the spurious information. Dr. Elmsford whipped the whole scheme up on the basis of some old, unused stationery in the possession of a widow hoping her husband’s legal files were historically significant.”
“A Machiavellian plot straight out of Elmsford’s fertile mind.” Behr sat back and chuckled. “I can see why Trey went along with it. It’s exactly the sort of mischief he’d take on, especially if he saw the chance to play knight errant to your very lovely sister.”
“But it did work. Pam and I left everyone, the people at our boarding house and at Pam’s office, with the idea we were going to meet Aunt May and possibly become her heirs.”
“It’s a good story, Miss Woods, and I’m certain you and your sister did your part. I sincerely hope it convinced anyone who might be looking for you that you’re well and truly hundreds of miles from a certain night spot.” The corner of his mouth went up, suggesting he was not entirely convinced. “At least if any dark and angry strangers appear in town, my town, we’ll be aware of it. Everybody knows everybody there. Not much of anything stays secret very long.”
“Look, Unkler, this is the tree and cow I saw. And a farm.” Elizabeth left her window to curl next to Behr, her fair hair bright against the shoulder of his dark suit. She pointed to another squiggle on the page. “And that’s…” a huge yawn stopped her words.
“I believe it’s time you were asleep, Mädchen.” He stood and lifted the child. “I have to get this young one to bed, Miss Woods. Our train should arrive by seven in the morning. I’ll see you then. Sleep well.”
“Thank you.” Diana smiled at the pretty little girl in his arms. “Good night, Elizabeth. I hope you have lovely dreams.”
“I will.” The child yawned again and pushed back one braid. “Night.”
Diana watched as Adler Behr made his way along the aisle toward the narrow exit at the end of the car. I never expected to see the Horned Owl so wrapped up in a child. He’s a totally different person with her. I think he must have loved her mother, his only sister he said, a lot. I guess it’s true; people aren’t always what you think they are.
Chapter 11
Diana hadn’t expected to go to bed early or to sleep well on the train. She’d thought she’d read for a bit, but once she managed to get into her pajamas and squirm between her envelope-tight sheets, she found the rhythmic clack of the wheels and the gentle sway of the car hypnotic. She let the soothing motion carry her into a deep sleep and knew nothing more until she awakened to the announcement that the train would be arriving in Pfeiffer in half an hour.
Dressing in the confined space was even more of a challenge than undressing, she found, and wished she had something to wear besides the rather tired gray suit. Making the best of the situation, she settled for the skirt and overblouse but left off the jacket and tucked the tie back into her overnight case. Just one peep around the curtain at the morning sun told her the temperatures would be soaring. Already the cloudless sky was a hard blue, brilliant enough to hurt the eyes.
She scrambled her things back into her case, ran a quick comb through her hair, and reached for her hat. The thought of the building heat outside stopped her. “No, not today.” She thrust the inoffensive scoop of black silk and veiling into her bag. “If going bareheaded offends the citizens, I don’t think I care. It’s not like I’m going to live here. They can think I’m a pagan if they want to. I can’t bear that tight, hot hat today.”
She snatched up her overnight case and handbag, draped her jacket over her arm, and started toward the front of the car. Only a couple of other passengers were stopping in the small town, so she had little difficulty making her way out onto the bright, hot platform. At the far end, she saw Adler Behr and his small niece waiting. He raised an arm to attract her attention.
“Good morning, Miss Woods. I hope you slept well.” He turned to Elizabeth and gestured toward the row of shops and buildings across the way. “This is where Papa and I live. Now you live here, too.”
“It’s not like home, Unkler. Everything is littler.” Miss Elizabeth was taking a careful survey of her new surroundings. In her crisp pink bloomer dress embroidered in rosebuds, she looked ready to explore.
&nb
sp; “No, Elizabeth, it’s not what you’ve been used to, but some very nice people live here. I think you’ll find a good many new friends.” Behr pointed to a woman and two children across the street. “There are two little girls just waiting to meet a new playmate.”
Diana was again touched by the concern he showed for making his young niece feel welcome and at home. His attitude toward the child was in sharp contrast to the way he was ignoring the other newcomer to the town—namely herself. The man was full of contradictions.
At the end of the street, a dark blue sedan turned the corner and headed in their direction. Behr watched a moment. “I believe that’s our ride home, Elizabeth. I think that’s Papa in his new car.” He turned back to Diana as if he’d only just remembered she was there. “I don’t suppose Trey or Elmsford made any arrangements for you, did they? Pfeiffer doesn’t have an Adolphus Hotel, I’m afraid. The best we can do is Frau Hepple’s rooming house. She doesn’t usually have women guests, mostly traveling salesmen and men with no families nearby.”
No hotel? Diana felt her heart stop. No, Dr. Elmsford hadn’t suggested a place for her to stay. If she’d thought about it at all, she would have supposed he or Trey had said something to Adler Behr about it, but now she realized she’d not asked. Too many pressing concerns had crowded out any other consideration.
“I’m afraid I didn’t ask enough questions before we reached this point, Mr. Behr. Do you suppose the woman would make an exception? I wouldn’t want to make a problem for her, but I will need a place, possibly for several weeks.”
Behr frowned, his gray eyes narrow, his expression exasperated. “Elmsford and his headlong rush to fix things! We’ll have to persuade her or find something else for you.” He gestured to the end of the platform and the small station beside it. “Our luggage should be unloaded by now. My father will join us any minute. I’m sure we can take you by Frau Hepple’s so you can make inquiries.”
“Thank you.” Once more, I’ve gotten on the wrong side of him, inconvenienced him somehow. I should have thought to make certain Dr. El had worked out this part of the plan. But here we are. I’ll have to figure something. She picked up her train case and followed Behr and his excited niece down the platform to the station.
Inside the narrow room, a few people had already located their bags and were moving toward the exit. She spotted her two and lifted them off the cart.
“Here, let me move those over with mine.” With no effort Behr picked up both bags and put them with a small trunk and two other bags near the door. Elizabeth perched happily on top of the trunk, taking in the activity around her.
The doors opened to let passengers depart and other traffic in. One elderly gentleman, his shock of white hair shining in the morning sun, came in as another group left. He paused a moment, then crossed the room with long, hurried steps.
“You’re home.” He clasped Adler’s hand and then gripped his shoulders. “Good to have you back.” He looked over Adler’s shoulder, his attention caught by the flaxen-haired child sitting on the trunk. He came toward her. “And this is our Elizabeth.” His broad smile lit the room. “You’re bringing sunshine back to our house. My granddaughter is home. Hello, Elizabeth. I’m your Papa Behr.” He lifted the child in his arms, his face alight with pleasure, then looked back where Diana had moved to be out of the way of the family reunion, and gave her a smile as warm as the one he’d given Elizabeth. “Adler, you brought home my granddaughter. Have you brought me a new daughter, as well?”
Adler stepped forward, hurrying to clarify the situation. “Now, Papa, I wouldn’t surprise you like that.” He took Elizabeth from his father. “Papa, this is Miss Diana Woods. She works for my friend Trey and those professors he brought down here. She’s been doing secretarial work for them, but the historian, Dr. Elmsford, wants to collect stories about the big cattle drives. She’s going to see which of the old fellows here are interested in spinning some yarns for the professor. Trey will be bringing all of them here in a few weeks, and she’s doing the advance preparation.” He drew Diana closer. “Miss Woods, this is my father, Erlich Behr. He’ll be able to help you find the people you need to talk to.”
“Happy to meet you, Mr. Behr.” Diana held out her hand. To her surprise the older Behr took it and raised it to his lips.
“You’re certainly the prettiest surprise Adler ever brought home, Miss Woods. Delighted to have you with us.”
“Papa, Miss Woods has a small problem. Dr. Elmsford didn’t realize Pfeiffer has no proper hotel, and she has no place to stay. Since she’s going to be here for some weeks, do you think Frau Hepple can be persuaded to take a lady boarder, just this one time?”
The senior Behr gave Diana another smile, his bright blue eyes twinkling beneath shaggy white brows. “I believe I can convince the good frau to accommodate Miss Woods.” He shook his head. “Miss Woods? No, we’re going to be very good friends. I will call you Diana and pretend we’ve known each other since you were a child. Diana? It suits you much better than the so-proper Miss Woods.” He put his other hand over hers. “And you will call me Papa Behr, because it will please me. We are very-old, new friends.”
Diana had to chuckle at Adler Behr’s startled look. She’d felt more genuine warmth and welcome in five minutes from his father than she’d experienced in all the time she’d spent with the son.
“Papa Behr, I am charmed. Thank you for interceding with the formidable Frau Hepple. I don’t know what I’ll do if she refuses to rent me a room.”
“You will not be refused, Diana. That will not happen. She has a good heart. And she keeps a rooming house to support herself and her fat old cat. She’ll be agreeable.” He put one hand on Elizabeth’s shining hair. She giggled and reached out to him. Diana suspected all children felt the warmth of his smile and his essential kindness. “Elizabeth, you’ve had a long trip. Did you get breakfast on the train?”
The child shook her head, silken braids flying. “No, Unkler said we were too early.” She raised hopeful eyes. “But I’m very hungry. Will we have breakfast now?”
“Certainly. Before we leave Diana with Frau Hepple, we will sit down, eat, and have a nice visit. Bindler will be happy to see us.” He reached out, took Elizabeth from Adler’s arms, and swung her to his shoulder. “Come with me to get the car, and we’ll see about breakfast. Do you like blackberries? We have a fine crop this year. Blackberry syrup on buckwheat cakes?” He carried her toward the door as they continued to discuss possible breakfast delicacies.
“He’s a born grandfather,” Adler said in a tone of amusement. Then he began arranging the baggage. “Bindler’s is the general meeting place for everyone in town.” He pushed the trunk to one side and stacked the other luggage together. “Combination bakery, café, and meeting hall. At some point every day, you’ll see everybody in town in there.”
He hauled the various bags and the trunk outside the station, piling them beside the street. In a moment the blue car they’d seen earlier from a distance rolled up beside them. The elder Behr emerged, grinning like a youngster.
“You see the new car, Adler? Isn’t it a dandy? Took delivery three days ago.” He stepped back so they could admire the shining running boards and the gleaming finish. Popping open the back door, he patted the padded plush seats. Elizabeth giggled as she bounced in the pull-out jump seat.
“A Packard, Papa? Thought you’d decided on that Studebaker.”
“I thought so, too, till I saw this fine piece of engineering. Has more room, and I liked driving it. Looking at what we’ve got to load in today, it seems like it was a good thing to have a seven-passenger touring car instead of the Studebaker. We’d be crushed together like a bag of raisins.” He opened the front door. “Diana, hop in here and get comfortable. Between us, Adler and I can get the luggage.”
Diana continued to be charmed by Papa Behr during the meal set before them in the comfortable surroundings of Bindler’s Hall. She wondered how father and son could look alike and be such very d
ifferent men. Papa Behr greeted everyone with a smile and a wave. He stopped to visit with young and old. Adler ordered breakfast, and outside of assisting Elizabeth’s tiny hands to cope with fork and spoon, barely spoke.
Papa Behr had scarcely settled back with a second cup of coffee when the side door of the hall opened, and he popped up again. “Just the lady I was hoping to find here.” He hurried across the room to clasp hands with a short, round, pink-cheeked woman in a red calico dress that had last been fashionable when Woodrow Wilson was a college student. After chatting with the woman in low tones, he led her to the table where Diana was finishing her coffee, and Adler and Elizabeth were debating whether she could have a spoonful of sugar in her milk.
“Now we get our situation resolved,” Papa Behr said as he drew up another chair and seated his pink-cheeked companion. “Frau Hepple, this is Miss Woods, Diana Woods. She’s doing a bit of work for a very famous historian and his fellow professors. As I told you, she’s going to be with us for several weeks, waiting for these scholars to arrive, and we want to be certain she’s in a cozy place. I couldn’t think of safer, more comfortable quarters than your house. I suppose she could room with one of the good ladies of the church, but she’s a modern young woman with an important job to do. I don’t think her coming and going would work as well for the older ladies. With your good common sense, and that fine table you set for your guests, she’d be right at home.” He reached across the table to take Diana’s hand. “Diana, this is Frau Lotte Hepple, the finest cook in Pfeiffer, and someone who knows how it is for a working woman these days. She’s been a successful businesswoman for a good many years. You two will have a lot in common.”
“Oh, I am happy to meet you, Frau Hepple. The Behrs have told me what a wonderful place you have. Do you have room for me? I’d be ever so glad if you do.”
Diana and the Three Behrs Page 12