Most Unsuitable Husband

by Clemmons, Caroline

  He placed his hand on her arm. She met his gaze and he said, “Perhaps when I come back, we can go for a walk by the river.”

  Her smile appeared wistful. “That would be nice. We can, um, talk then.”

  Damn, he hated to leave her. All the more reason to go. He bid a final goodbye and rode into town. He’d dallied over his goodbyes until he would need to ride straight to the livery and head for the office. When he arrived, Nate asked the stable boy to take his bags to the Judge’s house and Nate strode toward the office.

  Gabe and Nate labored hard through the morning. Work had stacked up since Lex Tremont had been gone, plus Gabe was preparing for a trial. Nate figured he was being given busy work, things which needed attention but which any halfway intelligent person could do. He found that not only could he do the work, he enjoyed it. Gabe’s approval seemed genuine.

  Gabe and Nate had just returned from a quick meal next door at Granny’s Lunches when Sheriff Liles came in and stopped at Nate’s desk. At the sight of the badge and holstered gun with a hand resting on it, Nate’s throat constricted and his mouth went dry as cotton.

  His mind whirled, wondering how he had he slipped up. Had his past caught up with him the moment he’d come to work in town? He braced himself and looked up at the lawman.

  Sheriff Liles asked, “You going to the ranch after work?”

  Nate relaxed and leaned back in his chair. At least he wasn’t under arrest yet.

  “Hadn’t planned to go today, but I can if you need me to. Why do you ask?”

  “Got a wire this morning from Pinkerton’s in Memphis. Someone broke into their office a few days ago. Might have been searching for Miss Sarah’s information on those kids. Leastwise, her file was spread all over the desk.”

  Nate felt a chill slide down his spine. “Ingles.”

  Sheriff Liles nodded. “You got it. Pinkerton agent figured it was this Ingles fellow. No proof yet, but thought you folks should know.”

  Gabe asked, “You think he’s coming here?”

  Nate said, “As fast as he can. He’ll try to get money out of Sarah or hurt Joe. Maybe both.”

  “Hell of a thing when Pinkerton’s is burglarized.” The sheriff took a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it before he handed it to Nate. “Here’s the wire. I copied off this Ingles’ description and I’ll be looking for him if he shows his face around here. They’re mailing me a drawing.”

  “If he’s coming, he’ll be here before you get the drawing,” Nate said. He looked at the wire. Why had they waited so long to send word? Calculating the travel time by train, he said, “He may be here now.”

  “That’s what I figured, too. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my eye out for him.”

  Nate gripped the wire and fury boiled inside him. “So will we. He’s a sorry excuse for a man.”

  “The Judge told me as much when he sent me over here.” The sheriff tapped Nate on the shoulder. “Now look here, if you see this Ingles, you let me know and I’ll take care of him.” The sheriff tipped his hat and walked out.

  Nate’s first thought was to ride to the school and warn Sarah. The urgency of that action would only frighten Joe and heighten his fears. So far Ingles hadn’t been sighted anywhere nearby. There was no certainty the man was even involved, though Nate’s gut told him Ingles was responsible for the break in at Pinkerton’s Memphis office.

  Face it, though, Nate couldn’t be leaving work every day to ride out and tell Sarah the latest news. Gabe needed his help with defense preparations for a trial set to begin in two days. They still had a lot of research and organization ahead of them before Gabe would be ready. In fact, Gabe had plans for the two of them to work late tonight. Best to think this out and act with calm and as little disruption as possible.

  Though he had no real obligation to anyone but himself, Nate found he enjoyed his association with rules and regulations here in this office. Everything looked quite a bit different from this side of the law. Not that he cared about some sap who got caught with his hand in the till and said he was innocent. They all say that.

  Still, if he could work things out with Monk and convince Hargrove to move on, this could be his chance to stay here with Sarah and the children. He couldn’t afford to shirk his share of the load and endanger that chance. He shook his head in disbelief. Imagine him worried about missing work.

  Gabe’s voice snapped Nate from his thoughts. “What’re you planning?”

  Nate picked up a sheet of paper and his pen. “I have to get word to Sarah without frightening Joe.”

  Gabe nodded his agreement. “Yeah, she needs to know, but she’s still in school. Why not send word to Drake or Pearl now? They can tell her in private without spooking the kid.”

  “Good idea, that’s what I’ll do,” Nate said. “I’ll send a note to Drake and one to Pearl. They can tell Sarah and Storm and help keep a look out for Ingles.”

  Gabe looked out the window and stood up, “There’s Burris and Willard across the street. I’ll get them in here and they can take your messages.” He left and soon returned with the two bedraggled Ainsworth brothers.

  Nate wasn’t sure these two were trustworthy. “We need you to take a message to Drake Kincaid’s place. Can you find it?”

  Willard nodded. “We been there lots of times. Knows just where it is.”

  Nate wrote a note to Drake and one to Pearl. He enclosed a note for Sarah with Pearl’s. When he’d finished, he blotted each of them dry and folded them into envelopes. He scrawled a name on each of the envelopes.

  “This is very important.” Nate handed Burris and Willard each an envelope. “Take this straight to Pearl at the ranch house and then find Drake out on the range or wherever he is. Don’t let anything keep you from getting these to Drake and Pearl. Wait for an answer from Drake. Okay?”

  “You can count on us,” Willard said.

  “Yessir, you can count on us,” Burris echoed.

  Nate gave each man a coin and sent them on their way. After they left, Nate tried to keep his mind on the work before him, but his thoughts kept drifting to Joe. Poor kid. He’d had a rough life and had only recently learned to trust.

  If Ingles showed up to threaten Joe, it would break down that hard-won confidence Joe had in the family who loved him. Nate included himself in that list of people, but knew he didn’t belong. Not yet, anyway. Maybe there was a chance. In his heart he tried not to dwell on the possibility but the kernel of hope slowly grew.

  The afternoon wore away and Burris and Willard tromped in.

  Willard said, “See if’n this makes sense.” He drew himself up and puffed out his chest as if reciting on stage. “Storm’s gonna move his horses over to the pasture by the schoolhouse. Then two of his men gonna watch during the days ‘n case that mean man tries to come to the school.”

  Burris beamed a smile. “That’s right. We said you could count on us, didn’t we?”

  “That’s good. Anything else?” Nate asked.

  “Pearl says you both come to supper soon,” Burris said. He peered over Nate’s shoulder and read the papers spread on the desk. “What‘re ya doin’, Nate?”

  “Gabe is defending Mr. Billingsley on Thursday. He has me copying some of the facts so he can organize the case more easily.”

  “That’s the fella what they say stole money from the bank, ain’t it?”

  Willard cuffed him and said, “You know it is. We seen him taken to jail, don’t you ‘member?”

  Burris nodded, then asked, “Reckon why that Mr. Dingle always has so much stuff from the bank in his trash?”

  “What?” Gabe asked.

  “You know, that Mr. Dingle at the bank. Willard and me picks up his trash.”

  Willard cuffed his brother again. “Now Burris, you know the Judge said we ain’t s’posed to tell anybody what folks has in their trash. It ain’t good business.”

  Gabe held up his hand to silence Willard. “What kind of stuff from the bank?”

  Burris scratc
hed his head and looked thoughtful. “Oh, you know, them bitty pieces o’ paper they put around stacks of money? Well, there wuz some of them. And letters with the bank printin’ on ‘em. Stuff like that.”

  “Ain’t been none lately, though,” Willard said. “But we did find some letters on real nice paper. I allus saves the good paper so I can make my lists on it.”

  “You know when it stopped?” Gabe asked. “Would it have been about the time Billingsley was arrested?”

  The brothers looked at one another, then both nodded. Gabe’s elation with this new development had him hug each of the brothers. They each stepped back in surprise and regarded him as if he’d lost his mind.

  Gabe laughed. “You two may have saved a man’s reputation and put a crook in jail. Don’t say anything to anyone about what you told us.”

  “You can count on us,” Willard said.

  “Would you be able to help us some more?” Nate asked.

  “Why, sure,” Willard answered.

  “You get all the papers you got from Dingle together and we’ll come by tonight and look at them. Can you do that?”

  “Yep,” Willard said and Burris nodded agreement.

  The Ainsworth brothers left and Gabe and Nate went back to their work. They had new evidence to gather and new facts to check. They worked until almost seven.

  Gabe stood and stretched. “Let’s call it a day here. You’ve been a big help.”

  “I’d say the Ainsworths were more help.” Nate put down his pen and straightened the papers on his desk.

  “They were a real find, but I don’t know how convincing their testimony will be and most of that rubbish has been burned by now. Finding that precedent in Illinois will definitely make a difference.”

  Nate lapped up the praise. He had wondered why Gabe went to such lengths to defend a man everyone in town thought guilty. “You interviewing those witnesses again tomorrow?”

  “Yes, and then I’ll see the accused again. It’s all coming together.” Gabe doused the lamp and closed the door behind them.

  Nate started down the plank sidewalk and Gabe joined him.

  Gabe said, “I need to ask Uncle Rob’s opinion on something so I’ll walk with you. Then I’ll go by the Ainsworths’ house and see what they have.”

  He didn’t want Gabe talking to those two without him around to make sure they didn’t let slip they knew him. He said, “I’ll go with you. Be interesting to see what they have. The Judge trying the case?”

  “Yes, he’ll preside at the trial.”

  It didn’t seem fair to Nate, having relatives involved in positions of power in the same trial. Not that he’d ever thought the law was fair anyway.

  As if reading his mind, Gabe said, “Out here we have to make do with the people at hand. Don’t think for a minute Uncle Rob will give me an inch just because I’m a relative.”

  “I never thought the Judge would show favoritism,” Nate lied. Privately he thought the Judge would find little ways to slant the case in favor of his great-nephew. After all, Gabe actually worked for the Judge.

  “The defendant had the choice of waiting for another judge to travel here, but he wanted to get this over as soon as possible. If you haven’t already heard, Uncle Rob has the reputation for being firm but fair.”

  “Like with the Ainsworths?” Nate asked.

  “Sure. What good would it have done to send those two to prison? They worked off their fine helping people here in the community. For instance, Uncle Rob had them making repairs on the homes of some of the poor and elderly hereabouts.”

  “Makes more sense than jail time if they’re not dangerous,” Nate agreed and wondered what the folks in that Arkansas town would think of that theory. For himself, he figured it was better than a mob who threatened lynching then buried him in an unmarked grave.

  “Yes, and ever since they worked off their fine, Uncle Rob makes certain they always have enough work to keep them honest.” Gabe laughed. “Isn’t it funny that they may save an innocent man from jail?”

  They walked the rest of the way in companionable silence while Nate wondered how firm and fair the Judge would be with someone who sullied his favorite, Sarah.

  ***

  When Sarah left school at the end of the day, she saw Storm waiting for her. She noted several of his horses pastured nearby and wondered why. This land usually was reserved for hay with grazing only in time of drought.

  Her three and Pearl’s boys clamored for a place on the horse Storm led. He let Cindy sit on his saddle with Joe sitting behind her. Luke, Robbie, and Evan rode bareback on the other horse. Storm led the two mares while he walked with Sarah.

  “It’s nice to see you taking some time off in the afternoon,” she said. Lowering her voice so the chattering children couldn’t hear, she asked, “What’s going on?”

  “Bad news.” He handed her an envelope with her name in a masterful scrawl. “Open this later. Guess it tells you about a wire Ben got today from Pinkerton’s. Joe’s stepfather may be on his way here. Nate thinks he’ll try to blackmail you or snatch Joe. Maybe both.” Storm explained about the break in at the Memphis office of Pinkerton’s and the file with her name and address lying open.

  Sarah’s knees almost buckled with the news. Storm gripped her elbow to steady her. She wanted to cry, to pull Joe off the horse and hold him, to ride to town and ask Nate to hold her. For Joe’s sake, she pushed all those feelings inside and fought to remain calm. “That’s why the horses are here?”

  “Figured I’d leave two men here with the horses all the time you’re in school ‘til this is settled. Joe won’t suspect anything, but it’ll keep you protected in case that man tries to get to you or Joe while you’re having classes or walking back and forth.”

  “Poor Joe wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink if he knew. He might even run away to keep that horrid Ingles from finding him.” Sarah didn’t think she could bear losing Joe. He was a part of her, as much as if she’d given birth to him.

  “Pearl and Drake agreed with Nate it’d be best to keep Joe from finding out about this. Might never amount to anything, so no point in him worrying all the time.”

  Sarah agreed. “He’s still fretting over that letter from Pinkerton’s yesterday. No telling what this news would do to him.”

  “Reckon he’d have nightmares for sure then, even worse than last night. We’ll all be keeping a look out for him and the other kids. This is a mean hombre and there’s no telling what he’ll try if he shows up.”

  As they approached the house, Katie and Beth ran out, calling to ride horses, too.

  “Uth, too. Uth ride, too,” Beth lisped.

  “Uncle Storm, we want to ride,” Katie shouted.

  Storm gave Sarah a sardonic grin, then turned to swing his nieces onto his horse with Cindy and Joe. Sarah watched the children laughing as Storm led the horses around the grounds. Why couldn’t life be as simple as this?

  Sarah pressed Nate’s note against her and pushed down the panic clawing within her. Praying she could keep Joe’s evil stepfather from harming the boy, she hurried into the house to confer with Pearl.

  Drake sat at the table drinking coffee while Pearl and Maria prepared the evening meal. He put his cup down when he saw her enter. She wished Nate was here, but rejoiced that Drake and Storm lent their support.

  Pearl handed her a cup of tea and joined Drake at the table. Sarah sat across from them.

  “Storm fill you in?” Drake asked.

  Sarah nodded and rested her hands on the table, still clutching her envelope from Nate.

  Pearl reached across the table and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “We’ve talked it over while we waited for you to return. It’s not as bad as when Quin tried to kill us, but we have no idea when or if this Ingles will come or what he might try if he shows up.”

  “You think Cindy and Luke are in danger, too?” Sarah asked.

  Drake nodded. “I think all of the children as well as you and Pearl are in danger. I’ll
be going with Pearl on any of her sick calls. Storm said he’d go with you wherever you go except school and he has his men watching there.”

  “I don’t want Joe to know,” Sarah said. “He’s already so frightened.”

  “Right,” Drake agreed. “I’ve asked a couple of the vaqueros to work near the house but told them not to mention why they’re here. We’ve talked to Zed and Miguel as well. The children will have someone watching them anytime they’re outside.”

  Sarah looked at her sister and the brother-in-law who’d taken her into his family. She felt tears fill her eyes. “I never meant to bring trouble to the family. I only wanted to help these children the way Pearl helped me, the way you both helped me.”

  “It’s not your fault, Sarah,” Drake said. “No way any of us could have left those kids on their own.”

  Pearl patted her hand. “Drink your tea, then go lie down a bit. Storm is watching the children until supper’s ready.”

  Sarah sipped the honeyed herbal liquid, welcoming the warmth to her throat. As Pearl had suggested, she excused herself to go to her room. Safe in her own domain, she opened the letter from Nate. It repeated the news she’d had from Storm, then added that he wished he could see her, but Gabe needed his help on the Billingsley trial. He promised to see her at the first chance and assured her everyone would help her secure Joe’s safety.

  She pressed the note to her face and closed her eyes, hoping for Nate’s scent. All she smelled was paper and ink. Disappointed, she turned back the coverlet and lay down. She hugged the pillow to her, wishing it were Nate. Even though he was stuck in town, she knew she could depend on him to do whatever was necessary to keep Joe safe. She hoped she could depend on him for more.

  ***

  The next afternoon in the law office, Gabe prepared for a last interview at the jail with his client, Roy Billingsley.

  “You’re sure you need me?” Nate asked. He hated the idea of setting foot in any jail, even as a visitor. Who could say when a visit might become permanent?

  Gabe insisted, “All you have to do is sit there and take notes while I ask Billinglsey questions. I’ll be interested in any thoughts you have on tomorrow’s defense.”