“But your father promised your hand in marriage to this man.”
Lily shivered involuntarily. “So Mr. Connors claimed. But I never heard the words from Father’s mouth. The betrothal could have been a complete fabrication by Mr. Connors. I didn’t wait around long enough to argue the matter, fearing I’d find myself in front of a preacher before I realized what was happening.”
“It’s obvious you don’t trust the man.”
“Not an inch.”
Manning recorded her home address, Connors’s home address, and her father’s business names and addresses, and then flipped his notebook closed. “Very interesting.”
“Troubling to say the least,” AJ added. “We’d like to hire you to investigate Miss Watson’s allegations. I’ll reimburse your travel expenses to Boston, and pay you to check into her father’s situation. Most importantly, find out what this Connors fellow’s intentions are.”
Manning nodded.
Lily sat in silence, promising herself someday she’d repay every penny AJ spent on this matter.
“I suspect you’ll find all doesn’t appear like Connors hopes it does.” Jackson glanced at Lily. “Considering the situation she left behind, there’s nothing for Lily in Boston. She refuses to return, having decided to remain in Montana and start a new life for herself here.”
“I agree.” Manning shifted forward on the sofa. “The situation could prove dangerous for Lily, if this Connors has set his sights on making her his wife to gain complete ownership of the business ventures. She wisely chose to leave, and I commend her for her foresight and bravery. We’ll definitely take this case. I’ll report back what I discover in Boston. The good and the bad.”
“Come to my study, Mr. Manning, and I’ll get your money. Or the first installment, at least. Connors could be obscuring his tracks, and I insist you remain on this until the truth is uncovered.” AJ led the way out of the room with the Pinkerton on his heels.
Lily heard Mr. Manning’s promise to get to the bottom of the situation. She heaved a sigh. Best of all, the Pinkerton intended to do it without her accompanying him back to Boston.
Jackson took her hands in his, lifted her to her feet, and wrapped her in his arms before she realized his intentions. “Relax now. Manning believes your side of the story, and he’ll not rest until he unearths the truth. It’s what the Pinkertons do.”
Relieved that the encounter with the agent had gone so well, Lily forgot all propriety and rested her head on Jackson’s shoulder. She snuggled against his chest, relishing in the delight of being enveloped in the warmth of his arms. She’d never felt so safe in her entire life. Could she breathe easily again? Could she dare to hope the worst of the situation in Boston was behind her?
“Supper’s ready,” Amanda whispered from the doorway.
Lily gasped, pushed against Jackson’s chest, and took a step away from him. She didn’t dare glance at her new friend, certain her cheeks were ablaze. She brushed a strand of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear, hands shaking slightly. Comfort a minute ago had turned to complete mortification.
“We’ll be right there, sis,” Jackson muttered.
“Take your time,” Amanda replied.
Lily heard the amusement in her friend’s voice.
Jackson reached for her hand. “Amanda understands. She warned me in no uncertain terms that I had better respect you and remain a complete gentleman at all times. Until we’re married.”
Lily gasped again. “What… why…” she spluttered.
“No dawdling now. Plenty of time to discuss our future later.” Jackson winked at her. “Supper is ready, remember.”
Lily stumbled to the dining room, walking at Jackson’s side but unable to process his words. Until we’re married? Surely he’d been joking with her. Or had he? The man had monopolized her thoughts since she met him. Her heart raced listening to every word he spoke to her. And those unexpected endearments he’d been sneaking into their conversations sent her emotions into a tailspin. Was he equally attracted to her?
As soon as everyone was seated, AJ stated, “Amanda will say the blessing.”
Seated beside Mr. Manning, Amanda smiled at him and then bowed her head.
Lily heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness AJ hadn’t called on her this evening as he had on Sunday. After hearing Jackson’s pronouncement, she couldn’t have given thanks for a meal. She doubted she could have recited her full name.
Chapter 16
Mid-June
AJ recalled the disturbing letter he received two days ago when he’d picked up the mail at the general store, after he checked on Lily and Amanda.
That ladies’ store! Thankfully, he’d listened to Daniel and permitted the two of them to pursue Amanda’s dream. Amanda’s Clothing Emporium opened almost three weeks ago, and already many of the sample garments Amanda had sewn were sold. Now, the two of them were up to their ears in custom orders. If this kept up, they’d need to hire more help to meet timely deliveries.
AJ hadn’t read the letter until he returned to the ranch, having stopped into the Copper Nugget Saloon for a cold beer before returning home and forgetting completely about the letter in his pocket. But he’d immediately read the doggone thing when he’d settled into his chair in the study. What a way to ruin a perfect day!
He sipped his morning coffee, gazing out the kitchen window.
I bet you figured you were safe from what you did.
He grimaced, recalling what had happened all those years ago. Unfortunate accident in his opinion. Something he wished he could have prevented. Although, he hadn’t a clue to this day how he could have known such a thing would occur.
I want twenty thousand dollars cash to keep your secret.
AJ’s hand fisted. The money didn’t matter. He could pay double or triple from the funds in the ranch safe to keep his family and friends out of harm’s way. The blackmailer’s audacity to request any money at all sent his guts churning. He couldn’t be certain, but he suspected he knew the person behind the letter. Same fool who’d appeared out of the blue at the Copper Nugget awhile back. Ben Walker. He’d feared something would come of the man showing up out of nowhere. And now it had. Thankfully, he’d prepared for this eventuality and handed the reins to Jackson. Now he could leave, assured the ranch would be all right under his son’s management.
“If I get my hands on you, Ben,” he muttered.
Unless you want your life ruined, take this warning seriously.
Did he really have any choice? Why would memories of that horrible period in his life and the possible revelation of the unfortunate thing that happened come back to haunt him now? After all these years?
AJ stood and set his coffee cup on the sideboard. He lumbered upstairs to pack a few things. He’d promised to say goodbye to everyone, and that would be the proper thing to do. But it would only set in motion another flurry of questions. None of which he had answers for. Best to just leave and handle this blackmailer the way he knew how. The way he’d been trained. Nobody pulled something as dastardly as this on him. Nobody!
AJ folded a shirt and stuffed it in the small leather bag, grimacing at his one regret. Leaving now couldn’t be poorer timing. They hadn’t heard a word from the Pinkerton agent. And Sawyer Manning left Milestone almost a month ago. He continued packing.
Had Manning learned anything in Boston?
Had Lily’s father sobered up, or had he already drunk himself into an early grave?
Was that Connors fellow up to no good?
Had Manning proved it?
Or had Manning walked into a bigger mess than any of them could have imagined?
“Dang it all. Why haven’t we heard anything yet?” AJ muttered aloud. So many questions swirled in his mind as he stuffed the last few belongings into the bag. He wouldn’t require much, hoping this trip would only take a few days. Then he’d return to Milestone and resume his life once again. Free of the fear someone would discover the secret he’d kept hidd
en for so many decades. Or so he hoped.
AJ removed several hundred dollars from the ranch safe and then slipped out the back door. He spied Mrs. Sheridan weeding the garden, but thankfully she hadn’t looked his way. Lawrence wasn’t anywhere around. Another stroke of good fortune or the foreman would have questions of his own. AJ saddled his horse, stowed his bag, and mounted up. He had a niggling feeling he was forgetting something. Probably just nerves.
With one last backward glance, he rode off the Double M.
* * *
Sheriff Carl Robertson tapped his finger on the counter in the general store. “I need to settle up my bill, Ray.”
“Those words are always music to my ears,” Ray Cochrane teased him, showing his customer’s total in the mercantile account book.
The sheriff nodded and dug the money out of his pocket. “Believe in paying my debts.”
“Wish everyone thought like you,” Ray muttered. “Of course, now that the church organized that Benevolence Fund for widows and folks on the down and out, there hasn’t been too many folks unable to pay their accounts.”
“Glad to hear it. If you ever need a little help… convincing folks to pay up, just let me know.” The sheriff touched the brim of his Stetson.
“For most folks… the problem is they can’t not they won’t. Usually I just wait until better times come their way. But thanks for the offer. Hope the dang bank opens soon. Then a lot of folks will settle their accounts.”
“I’ll second that. Seems ages since the bank closed.”
Ray and Carl shook hands. “You take care, Sheriff.”
“Always do.” Stepping out onto the board sidewalk, Carl gazed down the street and spotted Deputy Jim Snow riding hard toward him. Now what had happened?
Deputy Snow leapt off his horse and charged toward the sheriff. “Just heard from Sam Perkins. He was delivering a couple barrels to a neighboring rancher when he saw AJ riding off the Double M, heading north. No reason for heading north from the Double M unless you’re traveling somewhere. Like Butte maybe?”
“Oh, so she was right,” the sheriff muttered, recalling a conversation awhile back. “Thanks for the warning. I’ll go after him.”
“Sam said AJ wasn’t riding hard when he saw him.”
“Hopefully, I’ll catch up to him sooner or later.” The sheriff unwound his horse’s reins from the hitching rail near the general store. “Keep an eye on things until I get back.”
“Will do, Sheriff.”
“Thanks. I’m hoping AJ will see reason and this won’t take long.” The sheriff mounted up and nodded. “Of course, A. J. McLennon won’t do nothing he don’t want to. And that generally includes listening to me.”
“Good luck.” The deputy waved him off. “You’ve been friends for years. If he’ll listen to anyone it’d be you.”
As he rode off galloping northward, the sheriff silently cursed a certain stubborn old rancher who appeared hell-bent on keeping his business a secret. Carl decided it wise to change horses at the Double M and then continue on. When it came to A. J. McLennon, nothing was ever a given. Hopefully, Carl would find his old friend before dark. And he’d bring him back to Milestone and his family.
Even if he had to arrest the stubborn old fool to do it!
Chapter 17
Jackson hung his Stetson on the hook by the door and walked into the kitchen. He halted, seeing Sourdough Sammy sitting at the kitchen table, his head together over some papers with Mrs. Sheridan. She gasped when she spotted Jackson standing in the doorway.
“Hel…hello,” she stammered. “I didn’t expect you back for a while yet.”
“Lawrence and I figured out the problem right off. Didn’t take as long as I’d thought. What are you two up to?” he inquired, grinning.
Mrs. Sheridan sported a crimson face and Sourdough Sammy looked as guilty as anyone he’d ever seen. And he’d known the man his entire life; Sammy had lived here since the beginning of the Double M’s existence when Michael Miller hired his friend to work as ranch cook.
“We’ve been talking and getting to know—” Sammy began.
“We’re exchanging recipes,” Mrs. Sheridan interrupted. “Sammy makes the best sourdough biscuits I’ve ever eaten and I needed his recipe.”
The ranch cook jumped into the explanation. “And I insisted she share her recipe for those wonderful molasses cookies she makes. Seems the secret ingredient is—”
“Sammy! You shush up about secret ingredients,” Mrs. Sheridan blurted, swatting his arm. “Or I’ll regret sharing it with you.”
He held up his hands. “Sorry, Nellie. I won’t say another word.”
“So, have I understood right…” Jackson forced himself to keep a straight face. “You’re sharing recipes.”
“Yes,” they replied in union.
Jackson shook his head. “Looks like a couple of cooks courting to me.”
Mrs. Sheridan gasped and a frown appeared on Sammy’s face.
“But,” Jackson continued as he sauntered toward the kitchen door leading to the hallway. “If you want to call it ‘exchanging recipes’, then that’s fine with me. Don’t stay up too late, young’uns. Morning comes early.”
He made it no farther down the hallway than the staircase before he burst into laughter. Now he’d seen everything. Who would have guessed almost seventy-year-old Sourdough Sammy was interested in courting? After all these years, he couldn’t have chosen a more lovely lady now that Cupid had finally sent an arrow his way. Probably twenty years apart in age, the two of them had cooking in common if nothing else. And should they became a couple someday, couldn’t happen to two nicer people.
* * *
Seated in the parlor an hour later, Jackson stared at one of the copies of the Butte Daily Miner Sam Perkins gave him when in town yesterday. Before he’d been informed by Lawrence that his father had disappeared off the ranch without a word to anyone. The foreman explained that Sheriff Robertson had gone looking for his pa, changing horses here on the ranch before continuing north. The sheriff mustn’t have returned to Milestone yet, since he’d promised Lawrence he’d send word to the ranch when AJ returned to town. Jackson hated sitting doing nothing, but what option did he have? He’d been put in charge of the ranch for a reason. Was this it?
He glanced up to discover the housekeeper standing beside his chair, clasping a yellowed envelope in one hand.
“Is there something you need, Mrs. Sheridan? Perhaps an apology for the teasing?”
The housekeeper waved off the notion, although her face showed a slightly red tinge. “This isn’t about that, Jackson. I found something in your father’s room today. You should see this,” she said softly.
Jackson set the newspaper aside and straightened in the chair. “What is it?”
“This letter. And there’s another one also.” She withdrew a second envelope from one of her apron pockets. “I know I shouldn’t have read them, Jackson. But your father left without a word to anyone. I’m afraid curiosity won out over my principles.”
Jackson raised one eyebrow. He might have done the same were circumstances reversed. “Where did you find these?”
“On your father’s night table. I’m not certain if Mr. McLennon forgot to return them to a hiding place or if he intended for us to find them.”
“Paper this yellowed has been hidden away for years. Probably decades.” Jackson shook his head. “It’s my guess he forgot he’d left them out.”
Mrs. Sheridan grimaced. “I should be displeased with myself, but I won’t apologize. There’s information in here that might explain your father’s reasons for leaving and may even lead you to him.”
Jackson reached for the yellowed envelope. “What on earth?” he muttered.
Mrs. Sheridan handed it over. “Read this older one first.”
Jackson carefully removed the yellowed parchment from the envelope and unfolded the page. Mrs. Sheridan clasped her hands at her middle.
Jackson silently read…
Dear Alex
I hope this finds you in good health. I made several inquiries and it appears you’re in the clear so far. No one has seen any wanted posters with the name Alex Jackson on it. Or Alexander McLennon. Or any form of your moniker. It’s early days though. Perhaps the wheels of justice haven’t caught up with what happened during your last assignment.
I pray, my friend, you’re not hunted down because of this. In my opinion, what occurred in Texas was nothing more than an unfortunate accident; you couldn’t have foreseen that killing. Hopefully, if you ever come before a judge, the fellow is like-minded.
I’ll have no way of knowing exactly where you settle in the Montana Territory, so this will be our only correspondence. I hope you find peace and happiness one way or another.
Take care my friend and best of luck.
Ben
Jackson strode out of the parlor and stopped at the stairs, staring upward. “Daniel, come down here,” he called.
Daniel appeared at the top of the stairs. “What do you want?”
“There’s something you need to read.” Jackson returned to the parlor with Daniel following a moment later. Jackson handed over the letter and waited for his brother to read it. The shocked expression on Daniel’s face said it all.
“I reckon Pa found himself in some sort of trouble in Texas,” Jackson began. After what happened. What had forced his father to leave his home without a backward glance? “Pa told us he grew up in Texas but left home for adventure and ended up settling in Montana Territory.”
Daniel threw up his hands. “Why would he leave his home and travel thousands of miles to permanently settle down in an entirely new place? Never made sense to me.”
Canceled-Order Bride (Sons Of A Gun Book 1) Page 12