Paige breathed a sigh of relief as she filled out the form and handed the pen to Jake. She thanked Ellie. As she moved toward the activity room, she heard a light fluttering sound.
“Look.” Paige motioned to Jake quickly, pointing to the source of the noise. Four bird cages sat around the room, in corners or against walls, each with two feathery inhabitants busy chirping to neighbors or picking at birdseed. Her hopes plummeted.
“Now, that’s a great idea,” Jake said, oblivious to Paige’s disappointment. “Makes this place feel like more of a home. It’s a nice touch.” He caught the look on Paige’s face and paused. “What’s the matter? Don’t you think so?”
Paige folded her arms. “Of course I do, Jake. But don’t you see? These must be the birds Pearl talks about. Why didn’t it occur to me? Naturally they’d have birds, or fish, or some sort of low maintenance pets for the residents.”
“That never occurred to me, either,” Jake said. “You might be right.”
“What did you just say?” Paige fought to keep a straight face.
“I said you might be…hey, that’s not funny.”
“I wouldn’t mind getting that statement on tape,” Paige laughed.
“So you can use it against me in the future? Not a chance.”
Paige moved to one of the bird cages, then on to the others. Parakeets with brilliant blue and green feathers filled the first two enclosures. Another held white and gray doves, while the fourth displayed canaries – one a bright orange, the other a combination of orange and brown. The cages were large with natural branches, fresh water and toys, their inhabitants delighted to glide across the generous spaces from one perch to another.
“They’re beautiful,” Paige remarked. “Free, light-hearted. When I was growing up, we didn’t have pets. What about you?” She peered at one of the canaries and attempted a light whistle. The bird cocked its head to the side and stared without responding.
“Horses and dogs,” Jake said. “A barn cat or two along the way. We had some hawks around the property, but nothing delicate like these.”
Watching Jake observe the birds brought a sudden swell of joy to Paige’s heart. His rugged looks and tall, lean stature next to the tiny creatures created an oddly complementary contrast. He fit in anywhere. And he fit into her life perfectly; she couldn’t deny it.
“Here,” Paige said, motioning toward the checkers table. “Let’s talk to Pearl.” She grabbed Jake’s hand and tugged once, then headed across the room.
Pearl Hutchins was a frail woman, both physically and in countenance. She sat in a wheelchair, pulled up to a game table, but didn’t touch the checkers in front of her. Her eyes were closed, and her head swayed lightly, presumably in time to a medley of songs from the ‘40s that flowed from the room’s speakers. As Paige and Jake approached, she opened her eyes.
“Hello, Pearl,” Paige said, bending forward to greet the woman. She placed a hand softly on Pearl’s shoulder and pulled out a chair with the other to sit beside her. Jake took a seat also, letting Paige do the talking.
“We’re staying in Hutchins Creek, at the inn with Rose,” Paige explained. “Rose and Jesse suggested you might like visitors, so we came down on the train to say hello.”
“The Morning Star,” Pearl whispered.
“Yes, well, no,” Paige said. “We didn’t ride The Morning Star, but we’ve seen it.”
A huge grin spread across the old woman’s face, as if the mere mention of the train car had brought sun to the afternoon. And perhaps it had, Paige thought. Memories could do that.
“Jasper loves that car.”
“I can see why,” Paige said, smiling across the table at Jake. The use of present tense in speaking of her late husband was poignant and sweet. “It’s a beautiful car.”
“So beautiful.” Pearl reached forward with a trembling hand and moved a red checker from one square to another. She paused and moved it back, her expression uncertain.
In a gesture that brought another wave of joy to Paige, Jake leaned closer to the table and slid a black checker forward one space, then sat back. Paige watched as Pearl made eye contact with Jake, and then lowered her eyes to regard the board. She made no move, but looked content.
“You have a wonderful family, Pearl,” Paige ventured. “Rose and Jesse have been excellent hosts while we’ve been visiting. And you have a lovely home here, too. I especially love the birds.”
“So many birds,” Pearl said. “So many.”
Paige nodded. “I especially love the green parakeets. Which ones are your favorites?”
“They’re all so shiny!” Pearl looked delighted as she continued her description. “Jasper takes good care of them, you know.”
“I’m sure he does,” Paige said, thinking. “How many birds does he take care of?”
“So many birds. So many shiny birds.”
Paige sighed as she smiled and took the woman’s hand. “I’m sure he takes good care of them all.”
“Not anymore,” Pearl said, a frown creasing her brow. “Roosevelt has them.”
Paige and Jake exchanged looks and spoke at the same time. “Roosevelt?”
Another resident approached the table, sat and moved a checkers piece. Instead of answering their question, Pearl moved her own piece.
“Joe,” Ellie appeared and leaned forward. “Pearl has company right now. Maybe you’d like to play cards with Millie? She was asking about you at breakfast.”
“Don’t worry,” Paige said, standing up. “We just stopped by to say hello, anyway. And Pearl looks like she’s ready to take on the checkers challenge.”
“I always win,” Pearl announced, grinning at Joe, who grinned back.
“That’s true,” Ellie said. “But today might be Joe’s day to win.” Ellie winked at Paige.
“I think it’ll be a tough contest,” Jake said, also standing.
“I agree.” Paige said a quick farewell to Pearl and thanked Ellie. Leaving Pearl and Joe to battle out the game, she and Jake headed for the exit. She stopped once briefly at each bird cage for another look, then headed out.
* * *
Jake stuck his cell phone in his pocket, sat down and took a gulp of coffee. He looked around at the activity inside the Diamond Belle Saloon. “No luck reaching the owners of those horses. It was a long shot, anyway, without an appointment. I’ll call again tomorrow. How long until Henry meets us?”
“Not long,” Paige said, glancing at her cell phone. “He was just picking up supplies for Rose that would be ready at 5 p.m. Then he said he’d swing by and give us a ride back to the inn.”
“Convenient that he had errands in Durango today,” Jake said. “Not that I would have minded a night here, if only to listen to that ragtime piano. I bet this place gets hopping later on at night. We could have had a night out and taken the train back up to Hutchins Creek in the morning.”
“A northbound afternoon train would have been even more convenient,” Paige pointed out. “But that’s not how the schedule works. I’m glad we mentioned we were coming down here to Henry. I don’t mind a ride back, even if I have to dodge that glove compartment a dozen times.”
“I don’t mind doing the dodging,” Jake offered. “Lulu’s no match for me. You sit where you’re safe, and I’ll fight the good fight.”
Paige laughed as she picked up a tabletop menu and looked it over. “Are you sure coffee’s enough for you? The potato skins on the Happy Hour menu look tempting.”
“Not as tempting as a steak and baked potato with all the fixin’s at The Iron Horse. I don’t want to ruin my appetite.”
“I doubt that’s possible,” Paige laughed. She’d never seen Jake have trouble finishing a meal. Because of his work outdoors, he always built up a good appetite. “I heard Rose is cooking something up at the inn.”
“Well, then, that’s another reason to stay hungry.” Jake took another gulp of coffee and leaned back in his chair. “So what do you make of the visit to Pearl?”
&n
bsp; Paige pondered her iced tea before speaking up. “I’m not sure. When I first saw the bird cages, I thought Jesse’s comment about Pearl talking about birds referred to the parakeets and doves, that it had nothing to do with the coins. But when I asked her which color her favorites were, she said ‘shiny.’ I took a second look at the birds on the way out, to see if any had shimmery wings, or something that would match her description. They didn’t. So I think she had to be talking about the coins.”
“If there are any other coins, Paige,” Jake pointed out. “We don’t know that for sure. It could be a fluke that Sam found one. Not to mention the possibility that the coin might not even be from the stolen batch.”
“Well, someone did steal the coins even if they weren’t ever in Hutchins Creek,” Paige insisted. “You heard what the detectives at the Denver Mint said. I believe the coin Sam found is from that stolen batch. Why else did Chancy get so intense and weird when he saw it? He must know about the coins, too. Don’t forget his father worked at the Mint when the coins went missing.”
“But he was cleared,” Jake pointed out.
“That doesn’t mean he wasn’t guilty. Only that he got away with it.”
“We still don’t know for sure that Frank was Chancy’s father. Conroy is a common name. It could just be coincidence,” Jake said.
“Well, I’m certain Frank is his father.” Paige said. “I did a little online research.”
Jake laughed and patted his mouth with his napkin. “You stalked him.”
“I researched him. It’s not the same thing at all.”
“Back up a minute,” Jake said. “What was the deal about Roosevelt? Pearl lost me there. I figured she was just confused.”
Paige sighed. “I can explain that, I think. Remember Chancy explained that Roosevelt recalled gold in 1933?”
“Right.” Jake nodded. “So maybe Jasper did have coins, or Chancy’s father had them…”
“Or both…” Paige offered.
“But then they were turned in when Roosevelt mandated it,” Jake said. “Which would mean they aren’t around anymore.”
“Don’t forget, they were allowed to keep one hundred dollars’ worth. That would have been five coins. So if Sam found one, there could be four others. But…” Paige’s voice faded away as thoughts ran through her head.
“But, what?”
“But why would anyone risk turning in stolen coins?”
“Good point,” Jake admitted. “Yet Pearl thinks ‘Roosevelt has them.’”
“That makes sense to me,” Paige said. “If she knew about the coins – which I think she did, based on her comment about them being shiny – she would have expected Jasper to turn them in. But if they were stolen, Jasper couldn’t have turned them in. He might have told Pearl he handed them over to the government, but maybe he didn’t actually do it.”
“You’re saying if he had the coins, he must have hidden them.” Jake paused as a server refilled his mug.
“Exactly,” Paige said.
“Maybe Jasper had nothing to do with it. Maybe Chancy’s father, the guard, had the coins and hid them.”
“Then why would one coin end up behind the Hutchins Creek Railroad Museum?” Paige asked.
“Maybe Chancy’s father hid them in Hutchins Creek to make Jasper look guilty if someone found the coins. Or it could be that Jasper and Frank Conroy were working together and decided to stash them on the museum grounds.”
“Possible,” Paige said. “But remember it wasn’t a museum back then. It was the original train station. The museum was established later, when the new train depot went in.”
Jake pointed toward the front window, where Henry was pulling up to the curb in his faithful sidekick, Lulu. “Too many possibilities,” he said.
“Yes, but only one is accurate.” Paige stood up to gather her things for the ride back. “We just have to figure out which one.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Paige reached for a breadbasket and pulled out a fresh square of cornbread. Dinner at the inn with Rose’s cooking beat out Jake’s suggestion to eat at The Iron Horse, and he showed no regret as he dug in to his meal. Paige thought the spread resembled a holiday feast. Jake’s plate featured edge-to-edge portions of ribs, scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole and cornbread. Similar plates sat before Jesse, Henry, Stephen and Rose. Paige, Sam and Tommy’s servings were smaller, yet still generous.
“How was your visit to Pearl today,” Jesse asked as he reached for a tub of honey butter for his bread.
“Fine,” Paige said. “She seems like a sweet lady.”
“She’s very sweet,” Rose agreed. “Always treated us well when we were growing up. Don’t you think so, Jesse?”
“Absolutely. Dad used to get upset with her, told her she was spoiling us.”
Paige laughed. “That’s what grandparents are for, right?”
“That’s the way I see it,” Rose said, smiling. “The same goes for aunts. That’s how it should be, right, Samantha?”
“Right,” Sam chirped. She blew into her straw, and the milk in her glass bubbled up. Jesse tapped her arm and she stopped. Tommy mimicked Sam and earned his own tap from his father.
“Did she tell you any good stories today?” Henry asked. Jesse gave him a look that struck Paige as peculiar.
“We just talked casually,” Paige said, sending a similar look to Jake, a cue for him to not dive into specifics. “She was playing checkers in the game room.”
“That’s her table,” Rose said. “She does like shoving those checkers around.”
“I’ll agree with that.” Stephen spoke up for the first time. “I’ve never seen her sit anywhere else.”
“How nice,” Paige remarked. “You’ve visited her?”
“Sure,” Stephen said. “We live right down the street. It’s easy to stop by now and then. I didn’t visit my grandmother often enough after she moved into an assisted living facility; I was too young to know better and too busy trying to make ends meet. Pearl reminds me a little bit of her, eases my sadness at Gran’s passing.”
Paige appreciated the sentiment, but wondered if Stephen’s reasons for visiting Pearl were a little more complicated than he was saying. He seemed more involved with the Hutchins family than a typical inn guest. Then again, he stayed with Rose frequently, and he’d admitted that the inn felt like home. It made sense that he’d grown close to Rose, Jesse and other residents of Hutchins Creek.
“How long have you been coming here?” Paige asked.
“Oh, gosh, years now. Ten, twelve?”
“I’d say more like fifteen,” Henry said.
“I’m not fifteen yet,” Tommy added.
“You will be one day, son,” Stephen said. “No use rushing.”
“Fifteen years sounds about right,” Rose said. “Dad was still alive when you first started staying here.”
“That’s right,” Stephen said. “Jerome was a fine man. He put up with my arrogance when I was young. I was honored to know him.”
“He did always love your visits,” Rose said, looking first at Stephen and then at Henry. “I remember all three of you sitting on the front porch and talking for hours.”
“That we did,” Stephen said, nodding his head.
“He thought of both you and Henry as family,” Rose said, “just as I do.”
Rose stood and retreated to the kitchen, returning with a full breadbasket. “More cornbread, anyone?”
“I don’t think I could possibly eat more,” Jake said. “This is fantastic. I’ve already had seconds on the potatoes.”
“Well, save some room for pecan pie,” Rose said. “I baked one this morning.”
“Oh dear,” Paige said. “I’m going to gain five pounds while I’m here. I’d better go twice as far on my run tomorrow morning.”
“I don’t force anyone to eat,” Rose laughed.
“Of course not,” Henry piped up. “You don’t have to.”
A phone rang in the kitchen, and Rose
scurried back to answer it. She returned after just a few minutes.
“That was fast for a reservation,” Jesse said.
“No reservation,” Rose explained. “Actually it was the Mountain Serenade Home.”
All conversation stopped as everyone at the table seemed to feel a flutter of apprehension.
“Oh, no, don’t worry,” Rose said quickly. “Pearl is fine. They just wanted to leave a message for Paige. They found a Hutchins Creek Railroad Museum sweatshirt and thought it might be hers.”
“Mine?” Paige asked. “No, I don’t have a museum sweatshirt.” She turned to Jake. “You don’t either, do you?”
“No,” Jake said, shaking his head, “though I’ve wanted to pick a couple up.”
“Discounts for guests of the inn,” Jesse said.
“Well, it must have belonged to someone who was visiting another resident,” Rose said. “Plenty of people have those sweatshirts. We’ve been selling them for years.”
“Was it blue? I might have left a blue one there last time I visited. I tried to find it the other day and couldn’t. Had to wear red.” Jesse helped himself to another piece of cornbread.
“Not blue. The woman who called said it was brown, so I didn’t think it would belong to Paige or Jake,” Rose said.
“I like red,” Tommy said, his face lighting up. “Fire trucks are red. I got to ride in a fire truck once.”
“Really?” Paige said. “You are so lucky. I’ve never been in a fire truck.” She glanced at Jake, who winked at her.
“It was really cool!” Tommy said. “I got to wear a hat, too, but it was too big for me. I’m going to be a fireman when I grow up, though. The hat will fit me then because I’ll be big.”
Paige smiled. “That sounds like a good plan.” She turned toward Rose. “So you said the sweatshirt was brown? I don’t think I noticed any brown sweatshirts in the museum gift shop.” “We only carry blue and red now,” Jesse said. “They match our engineer outfits. Plus, customers prefer blue and red. Whoever left that sweatshirt at the home must have bought it years ago. Awful things Dad stocked when he ran the museum: brown with green lettering. Those were some ugly sweatshirts.”
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