by Cathy Marie Hake, Lynn A. Coleman, Mary Davis, Susan Page Davis
He held a box in his arms. “Your order. Most of it is here. The rest will be coming soon.”
“I’d nearly forgotten about that. Just set it here in the foyer.” She didn’t want to open it now. She’d bought a pocket watch as a Christmas present for Randolph among other things for him. Maybe she’d give them to William when he arrived. “Supper is almost ready. Shall we go directly into the dining room?”
He nodded, looking so tired.
He sat across the table from her. Even after Randolph’s death, Conner had continued his habit of stopping by every evening to check up on her. She made Maggie hold supper until he arrived so she could invite him to stay. Being in mourning didn’t afford her much company, and for that she was glad. She didn’t want to start socializing any sooner than was necessary.
“How is your business doing? There seems to be a steady stream of miners flowing through town.”
Conner’s eyebrows tightened. “You could only know that if you’ve been downtown again. I told you to stay up here where you’re safer.”
“I could have heard it from someone.”
“You haven’t been accepting visitors yet, so you could only know if you’ve gone downtown.”
She squared her shoulders. “I could have heard from Scotty or Maggie.”
He narrowed his eyes. “But you didn’t. You’ve been downtown recently.”
“Don’t scold me.” Let him believe it was just once, recently. He would really scold her if he knew it was most days.
“I hope you at least let Scotty drive you in the carriage.”
She nodded. “Maggie insisted.” She wanted to get the focus off her. “So, your business is doing well.”
He looked at her over the rim of his water goblet while he took a long slow drink. She could tell he was making her wait. Probably considering whether to answer her question or scold her. She was a grown woman of twenty-five, and she could go downtown if she wanted. She didn’t need his permission, but for some reason, she wanted his approval. Maybe by having Conner’s approval, she somehow gained Randolph’s.
Conner finally and carefully set his glass back down. “Business is very good. Your friend made quite a stir at my store today.”
She raised her eyebrows. “My friend?”
“Your widow friend, Mrs. Parker.”
She couldn’t imagine Abigail causing any kind of fuss. “How on earth could she have caused you trouble? She is the sweetest thing.”
“A beautiful young woman like that? All she had to do was walk through my door.” A smile played at the corners of his mouth.
Her insides twisted. Was Conner attracted to Abigail? No, he wouldn’t be. He couldn’t be. Conner took a bite of his chicken, still smiling.
Something curled up inside her. It couldn’t be. But it was. She was jealous that another woman had caught Conner’s eye. She lost her appetite and dropped her gaze to her plate, moving her peas around with her fork. “So …” She didn’t know what to say without sounding jealous. “You were able to help her?”
“Once I got her away from the gawking miners and had Martin assist her. I told Martin to discount all her purchases.”
She looked up. “Martin?”
He nodded. “You should have seen the way he looked at her. That man is smitten with Widow Parker. I hope she doesn’t come by very often. I’ll not get a lick of work out of him when she’s around.”
She smiled. “Martin.”
He frowned. “I hope you don’t mind me handing her off to him.”
“No.” She took a bite of peas. Her appetite returned as quickly as it had vanished.
“Good, because I haven’t seen Martin this interested in a lady before.”
“Oh no. He can’t be sweet on her.”
“Why?”
“He’ll get his heart broken. Abigail doesn’t want a suitor. She’s still grieving her loss and never wants to marry again.” She felt bad for Martin pining for a woman who wouldn’t be interested.
“I’ll let Martin know to give her some time. Maybe he can change her mind about marriage.” His words almost seemed to have a twofold meaning, but she didn’t know why.
“I’m not so sure.”
“Don’t you think widows should marry again?” The intensity with which he asked took her back a little. He was a bit eager for Martin.
“It’s not that. She was pretty sure of herself. And I was married before Randolph and widowed, so I obviously approve of marrying again.”
Conner stabbed a piece of chicken. “Will you marry again?” He quickly put the bite into his mouth.
She couldn’t tell what his interest was in asking that question. Was it simply because she was the wife of his good friend, or was it personal? “If the right man stole my heart. I wouldn’t rush into it as I did with Randolph just for the security of being married.” Would Conner protest if she decided to marry again?
He nodded but kept his focus on his plate.
For the first time, she felt awkward with Conner. “Did Martin get on well with Harry?”
He looked up then. “Who’s Harry?”
“Abigail’s son. He wasn’t with her?”
He shook his head. “He can’t be very old.”
“He’s about four. Will Martin care if she has a child?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’ll tell him so he’s prepared.”
“If Martin really wants to win Abigail’s heart, he has to accept her son. If a woman has to choose between her child and a new man, she will choose her child.”
“It sounds like finding a husband when you already have children has its challenges. But you won’t have that worry.”
She didn’t need that reminder and wanted to talk about something else. “I received a letter from William.”
Conner finally looked up from his plate. “What does he have to say?”
“He told me to stay in the house until he and Sarah can visit in the spring.”
“Why so long?”
A smile forced its way to her mouth. “They’re going to wait until after the baby is born.”
“I’m happy for them.” He pushed his empty plate forward and crossed his forearms in front of him on the table. “I know you asked me not to, but I wrote to William and told him about your being left out of Randolph’s will. I know he’ll give you what’s due to you, as I will.”
“Randolph left his wealth to you and William, and that’s where it’ll stay. I won’t accept it.” She had guilt enough over deceiving Randolph. His money and possessions would only be a reminder of her deception.
“I promised Randolph before he left that I’d look out for you. Seeing that you get your share of what was his is what he’d want me to do.”
She raised her voice slightly. “You have no idea what he would have wanted.” She didn’t need Conner to force more guilt upon her.
“I don’t want to fight with you, but if it’s the only way to make you see reason, then I will. I will see that you are taken care of whether you like it or not.”
“I have a headache. Good evening.” She stood and left the room.
Vivian climbed the steps back up to the street level from the beach. Only Betsy and Peter had come today. Scotty stood next to the carriage ready to help her inside. She had another errand she wanted to accomplish while she was downtown. Not really an errand, but someone to see.
“I’m going into Mr. Jackson’s mercantile.” Since Conner already knew she came downtown, he couldn’t be any more upset at her.
“I’ll drive you.”
“I’ll walk.” It was only a block down, but Scotty drove the carriage on the street next to her the whole way. She smiled at him before entering the store.
A short dark-haired man with deep-set black eyes approached her. “May I help you?” He openly gawked at her from head to toe.
“Owen, finish unloading that crate over there.” Martin glared at the shorter man then turned back to her. “I’m sorry about that. Owen is only supp
osed to be stocking the shelves. How may I help you, Mrs. Carlyle?”
“I’m looking for Mr. Jackson.”
“He’s in the back disposing of some spoiled produce.” Martin glanced at the three men who just entered the store. “I need to see to these customers. If you go straight back, you should find him.”
“Thank you. I’ll manage.” Martin was a good man.
She found Conner hoisting a small crate and headed for the open back door.
“Hello.”
He turned to her and smiled. “Hello.”
That same feeling about him that she’d had last night warmed her insides. Last night it had come in the form of jealousy; today it was more of a satisfying comfort. “What are you doing?”
“Bad fruit and vegetables. I can’t sell them, so I’m disposing of them.”
She picked up one of the apples. It had a large bruise on one side but the rest was still good. “Some of this isn’t so bad.” She knew five children who would love to have all this wasted food, but how could she get it away from Conner without telling him about her almost daily visits to the beach? “There are needy people who wouldn’t mind a bruise or two.”
He set the box outside the back door and closed it then went to the window. “Watch.”
It was hard to lean over far enough to see out the window.
Conner grabbed her hand. “This isn’t going to work. We have to hurry.” He pulled her behind him up the stairs to his apartment and over to the window. He pointed. “There. They’re coming already.”
She smiled when she saw Samuel and Tommy running across the beach behind Conner’s store. She lost sight of them when they were right up next to the building, but in a moment, they each had a side of the crate and were carrying it off. Were they waiting for Conner to leave the food? Is that why they hadn’t shown up on the other beach for her today?
“I don’t know who they are, but sometimes there is a smaller boy and sometimes a girl.”
Peter and Betsy. She knew who they were but thought it best not to reveal that to Conner. “That’s very sweet of you to help out those children.”
“I wish I could do more.”
“To someone who is homeless, offering a bite to eat can mean everything.” When Conner raised an eyebrow in question, she quickly added. “Or so I’d think.” She did not want to explain how she knew that food was very important to the homeless and hungry.
Conner continued to look at her with one eyebrow raised. “What are you doing downtown?”
“Don’t scold me. I wanted to see you.” She wanted to see if the feelings of affection she’d felt last night were still with her today. And they were. That made her happy.
“I’ll come by around supper. You shouldn’t be down here.”
“I have Scotty with me. I wanted to see if the rest of my catalog order came in.”
“Since last night? I’ll personally deliver it to you.” Conner went to the stairs to take her back down.
She glanced around Conner’s small space: a table with two chairs, a narrow bed, a braided rug on the floor. It was homey and had a warmth that her large house didn’t have.
He led her outside and helped her into the carriage. “Please stay uptown so I don’t worry over your well-being.”
“I’m bored up there. I want something useful to do. I promise if I come downtown, I won’t come without Scotty, so you needn’t worry.” But she could tell by the look on his face that he would still worry, and she liked the idea of Conner caring about her well-being.
Chapter 13
On Friday morning soon after Martin arrived at Conner’s store, Conner went over to his accountant’s office at Paul’s request. “Something isn’t right with these two sets of books,” Paul explained. “I’d like to go over to the shipping office and look at the rest of the records.”
“I’ll take you over any time you want.”
“I have the rest of the day to devote to this, so I can go now.”
Conner put both ledgers in the satchel Todd Major had used to deliver the one ledger. He and Paul went across the street to the livery to get their horses then rode to Carlyle Shipping.
“Paul, this is Jonathan Kirkide. Jonathan, we need to see Mr. Abernathy.”
Jonathan’s gaze darted from him to Paul and back again. “Mr. Abernathy’s not here.”
“Where did he go?”
“I don’t know. He was here Wednesday morning when I arrived but left shortly afterward. I haven’t seen him since.”
“He’s been gone since Wednesday and no one told me?”
“I didn’t know what to do.” Jonathan looked down nervously. “He’s only been out one full day. Is something wrong? Is he all right?”
Conner had a gut feeling something was decidedly wrong. “Is Miss Demarco here?”
“She was here on Tuesday, but that’s the only day I saw her.”
“Come on, Paul. I smell a skunk.” He strode down the hallway to the warehouse.
“Am I still going to get paid?” Jonathan called after him.
He ignored the young man for now. He needed to find out if his suspicions were true. Taking the stairs up to the manager’s office two at a time, Conner went straight to the safe. The door was closed tight. Paul came in with Jonathan right behind him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Mr. Abernathy. I didn’t know anything was wrong.” Jonathan’s voice quavered with worry.
“Do you know the combination to this safe?”
Jonathan shook his head vigorously as though he’d been accused of stealing from it.
“Go back to your desk.” When Jonathan just stood there, he added, “Yes, you’ll get paid.” Provided you had nothing to do with whatever went on here.
“Paul, the ledgers and other records are in this room.” He showed Paul to Miss Demarco’s office. “Here are the two you’ve already looked at.” He took them from the satchel and handed them to him.
Paul sat behind the desk and began sorting through the mess.
Conner went down to the warehouse floor and spoke to the first man he met. “Who’s the foreman?”
The man pointed to a broad-shouldered, squat man who couldn’t have been more than five feet six inches but had muscles enough for three men. “You the foreman?”
“Aye, Collin O’Keefe.” He had a strong Irish accent.
“Conner Jackson, one of the new owners.”
“I heard we had a new boss. I was sorry to hear about the captain. He was a good man.”
“Thank you. You look like you’re still working orders.”
“No thanks to the dandy.” He thumbed up toward the office. “I’ve been going up there to find the orders. If you ask me, I don’t think he’s coming back.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I haven’t seen him since the other morning. He was acting real squirrelly since Monday, like someone put clinkers in his drawers and he didn’t want no one to know about it.”
Conner had brought the ship’s ledger over on Monday morning. “Do you know the combination to the safe in Mr. Abernathy’s office?”
O’Keefe shook his head. “As far as I know, Mr. Dandy and the captain were the only two who knew that.”
Conner turned away frustrated.
“But I could get a couple of my men, and we could blow it open.”
He smiled. He liked O’Keefe. “Let me check with the captain’s widow. Maybe she has the combination.” He went back up to the office. “Paul, I’m going over to Mrs. Carlyle’s house to see if she has the combination to this safe.” He heard a rush of footsteps on the stairs and went to meet the men in the other office, the crowd of men.
O’Keefe had his hand on the shoulder of a beanpole of a man who was nearly a foot taller. “Tim here says he can crack the safe without dynamite.”
Tim straightened his shoulders. “I always had real good hearing.”
Conner nodded for the man to go ahead.
Tim knelt down by the safe and put
his ear to it, slowly turning the knob, then looked back at the crowd. “Shhh.” The full room fell dead silent. He went back to work.
Paul entered from the other office. “Conner.”
The whole room turned to Paul. “Shhh!”
Paul closed his mouth.
Tim frowned then continued. He pulled his head away from the safe and turned the handle, but the safe didn’t open. He tried several more times, and the crowd started murmuring restlessly.
O’Keefe waved his hand. “All right. Show’s over. Back to work.”
Conner shook Tim’s hand before he left. “Thanks for trying.”
O’Keefe was the last to leave. “Let me know if you want my men and me to blow it.” He walked out.
Conner needed to get the combination and see inside the safe but turned to Paul. “What did you need?”
Paul opened the ledger. “Look here in the binding. See that number?”
He saw the number eight crammed in the centerfold of the pages. “What’s it mean?”
“I noticed them when I was looking at this ledger earlier this week.” Paul flipped a few pages and showed him a number eleven in the crack then several pages later a twenty-six. “Those are the only three, and they don’t seem to have a purpose.”
“Unless …”
Paul smiled. “Exactly.”
Conner knelt down and tried a few different sequences of the numbers in the ledger’s centerfold until the safe opened. As he suspected, no cash. He pulled out a pile of papers and receipts and put them on the desk. “Let me know what you make of these.”
“I’ll come by your store at the end of the day and report what I find.”
He shook Paul’s hand. “Thank you.”
The day dragged with few customers. Conner wanted to go back to the shipping warehouse but was afraid the store might get busy and overwhelm Martin and Todd. Owen and Hansel had signed on with a ship and left a week ago. Paul showed up at closing as promised. Conner sent Martin home, locked up, and showed Paul to his office.
“I haven’t been able to go through everything, but it looks like it’s as we suspected. According to the receipts, there should have been over five hundred dollars in the safe. I think there is normally more, but a large sum of cash was paid out for an order. I’m going to compare some of the figures with the bank on Monday. I think we’ll find that Mr. Abernathy and Miss Demarco were taking advantage of the owner being out to sea much of the time.”