by Jenna Brandt
“I suppose it couldn’t hurt to have you do that,” Sadie relented. “Thank you.”
Marshal Graham bent down and collected the miscreant who was moaning from pain.
As Sadie watched him walk away, she realized that though she was trying to put on a brave face, she was secretly scared. How was she going to manage working the claim all by herself? She hoped she wasn’t biting off more than she could chew.
As Lucas finished locking up Mr. Tully, his mind continued to drift back to Sadie. He wasn’t sure why, but he found himself intrigued by the woman, wanting to find an excuse to be around her. He knew he shouldn’t with her being a fresh widow. It was unseemly to seek her out given her status. It did happen all the time out here in the West since women on their own didn’t fare well, but Lucas didn’t want to be the kind of man who did that. Additionally, her husband was the center of his investigation. It wasn’t right to get involved with her, or treat her any differently than a standard victim’s next of kin. It could cloud his judgment and impede his investigation. Even though he knew all the reasons he shouldn’t be attracted to the Widow Clayton, he couldn’t keep himself from it or her.
Lucas took a seat behind the desk he had been using at the local sheriff’s office. He spread out the evidence and began looking at it. He hadn’t had a chance to tell Sadie Clayton what he had determined over the course of his investigation, but she had a right to know.
Looking through it a third and final time, he was certain that her husband’s death was linked to the cases of several other murdered miners in the area. Lucas was positive the same man had done the killings in order to rob the men of their deposits. The type of bullet was the same for each victim, as well as the pattern of shots to the chest, clustered together at the heart, making sure they were good and dead. What was unusual was that he struck at different times of the day, and at various locations. One miner was murdered in his home late at night, another down at the creek midday, while another was on the road to Havilah. How did the man know when to strike? This was the part Lucas needed to figure out next in order to catch who was behind the murders, and to keep him from doing it to anyone else.
He gathered up his notes and put them back in their folder, then secured them in the top drawer of the desk. He promised Mrs. Clayton that he would escort her out to her homestead. He figured he had given her enough time to gather her belongings and settle her bill with the hotel with the money he had given her.
A few minutes later, Lucas arrived outside the Yellow Rose ready to help the redheaded beauty get settled in her new home. Even though it had been tempting to have her ride behind him again on his horse, Lucas thought it would be more proper to borrow a wagon from the sheriff.
She was already waiting outside with her single bag in hand. She wore a standoffish smile, which was polite, but made it clear to men to keep their distance. He suspected she was still shaken from her earlier encounter outside The Golden Strike Saloon.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Clayton. I arranged for us to borrow a wagon for the trip out to your claim. We just need to go fetch it from the livery,” he explained as he came to a stop just in front of her.
“Thank you,” she said, her smile softening slightly as she looked at him.
Just as they stepped off the wooden boardwalk, two horses zoomed by, nearly knocking them over. Quickly, they stepped back, nearly stumbling over the wooden planks behind them.
There was hooting and yelling from a crowd of men that followed behind the horses. One man in the center was holding a handful of money high in the air while others were pulling and thrusting more towards him.
“Another horse race,” Lucas mumbled under his breath. “When are they going to learn?”
Lucas marched himself right over to the group, then stated in a loud authoritative voice, “You boys know that the law around here doesn’t allow horse racing within the town limits. You’re more than welcome to head towards the outskirts and do it, but not here on Main Street where an innocent bystander could end up getting hurt.”
“Ah Marshal, can’t you look the other way? We’re fixin’ to do a rematch to see if old Sanders can win the race a second time,” Chuck Gardner stated with a toothless grin.
“I’m bettin’ he won’t,” Griff Barnes stated loudly from the side of the other man. “Sanders only beat Marmalade because you teased her with a sugar cube before the race started. If it had been a fair race, she would have won straight away.”
“Now listen here you, I did no such thing,” Chuck growled, stepping towards the other man in an aggressive manner. “I’d never cheat to win a bet.”
“That’s not what I hear. I hear you do it all the time, Chuck Gardner,” another man said from the back of the group.
“Why, you no good, lying cuss, why don’t you come over here and say that to my face,” Chuck said as he started to push through the crowd, making his way towards the man hiding underneath a weathered brown hat.
Pushing and shoving ensued as the men started to yell and holler at each other. Lucas realized a massive brawl was about to break out if he didn’t stop it dead in its tracks. He was only one man and there was no way he could stop a fight of that magnitude while protecting Sadie. He needed to keep it from happening.
“Stop it right this instant,” Lucas demanded at the top of his lungs, as he thrust his arms out in both directions, forcing several of the men to stop moving. “I want all of you to disperse and head back to your dwellings this instant. The next man who utters a word to the contrary is going to find himself spending the night in the jail, courtesy of me. Do I make myself clear?”
All of the men nodded their heads as they slowly disbanded, heading in different directions.
Once everyone was gone and Lucas was sure they were safe, he turned his attention to Sadie. “Are you unharmed?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, glancing around at the backs of the men drifting out of sight. “Does that sort of thing happen around here all of the time?”
“I’d like to say no, but the truth is, there’s a lot more settlers than law around these parts. Racing, fighting, and the like isn’t supposed to happen in the town limits, but it’s rather hard to enforce with only a handful of lawmen in the area.”
“I had no idea,” Sadie whispered as they made their way over to the borrowed wagon.
Lucas took her bag and placed it in the back of the wagon, and helped her inside before jumping up in the driver’s seat next to her.
He flicked the reins, prodding the horse to start their journey out to Sam Clayton’s claim on Clear Creek. There was an awkward silence between them, neither of them knowing what to say. Lucas wanted to find a way to make all of this easier for Sadie, but he wasn’t sure how. He had his reservations about her living all alone on her husband’s claim without anyone else to protect her.
“Are you certain that you staying on at your husband’s claim by yourself is the best idea? It isn’t safe for a woman to live on her own, especially outside of the town.”
“Though I appreciate you helping me get to my new home, you shouldn’t worry yourself about my well-being, Marshal. I’ve lived in far worse conditions with far less. I’ll manage,” she stated dismissively.
Lucas wanted to counter her argument, but he refrained. He could tell any further involvement on his behalf would only make her mad. For some reason, he didn’t like the idea of that.
A few minutes later, they pulled in front of a small, wooden cabin. There was a porch that ran along the front with one door in the center.
“This is it?” Sadie inquired with dismay. “I had no idea Sam’s place was so tiny.”
Lucas thought it was odd that Sadie didn’t know the condition of her husband’s home. If she was traveling to join Sam, Lucas would have thought her husband would have at least told her what to expect. Most wives would want to spend the long trek out West thinking about what they were going to do with their new home once they arrived. It was as if Sadie had no clue as to
what her life was going to be like once she arrived. Why was that?
Before he could ask, Sadie climbed down from the wagon and rushed behind to grab her solitary bag. She made her way onto the porch and turned to face Lucas.
“Thank you for bringing me out here, Marshal,” she stated with a nod, making it clear she wanted him to go.
“You don’t want me to check the cabin for animals or drifters?” Lucas asked with surprise.
“I’m sure you’ll hear my scream if I find either inside,” Sadie replied matter-of-factly. “Until then, I’d much rather enter the place on my own.”
Lucas took one final look at Sadie before picking up the reins and flicking them to urge his horse to return to town. He wasn’t sure why, but he hated leaving Sadie’s side. Somehow, the widow had become important to him and he didn’t want to see any harm come to her. He just wished she would let him protect her. He worried her stubborn streak would be her undoing.
Three
Sadie had finally managed to get the small cabin in order. Sam had never really been good at keeping his possessions in order, and it hadn’t improved during their time apart.
She had started in the kitchen, arranging the dry goods in a way she could use them to cook. Next, she put the plates, utensils, and cups altogether neatly on the open wooden shelf next to the window.
Her next priority was the loft which held the bed. She dusted everything, cleaned and changed the sheets and blankets, and noted what items her husband had before he passed away.
Sadie knew at some point she would have to decide what to do with his belongings, but it felt callous to think about it so soon after his death. For now, she could simply fold them up and place them in a trunk out of sight.
Her final task was to dust and freshen the living area as well as the front porch. By the time she finished the sweeping, she was exhausted; however, she didn’t have time to rest. She had been invited to a dinner party at Asbury Harpending’s home.
As the founder of Havilah, Mr. Harpending regularly brought together the most influential townspeople, including the business owners and claim holders of mining parcels. With the passing of her husband, Sadie now owned one of such claims, resulting in her invitation to the dinner.
Sadie put on her black skirt and brown long-sleeved blouse, the nicest of the few items she had brought with her from Little Rock. She pinned her hair half-up, allowing the bottom half of her red curls to come cascading down and around her neck. She added her mother’s satin and pearl necklace—the only piece of jewelry she owned—which had managed to survive the trip out West.
She took a final look in the mirror before grabbing a shawl and heading towards the door of the cabin. Outside, to her surprise, Marshal Graham was waiting beside a wagon.
“Good evening, Mrs. Clayton, I thought I would offer you a ride to the dinner, figuring we both were headed that way.”
Sadie cocked her head to the side as her brows came together in contemplation, pausing on the porch as she thought about his offer. She hadn’t expected it, but she couldn’t say the offer didn’t please her. She would much rather attend the event with the handsome lawman than arrive on her own.
“Thank you, I would like that,” she said, as she made her way down the steps and over to where Lucas was standing.
She placed her hand in his outstretched one, causing a surge of warmth to shoot up her arm. A tingling sensation remained from where their skin still touched. Her eyes darted up to meet his, and for an instant, she could tell he felt the connection too. Unable to handle the unwelcome sensations, she quickly pulled her hand away, then placed it on the edge of the wagon to help herself up.
Neither of them spoke on the way to Mr. Harpending’s mansion, but Sadie would occasionally steal a glance at Lucas from the corner of her eye. His eyes were fixed on the dirt road, allowing her to observe him without interruption.
Sadie knew she shouldn’t be thinking about the attraction she felt towards the marshal, considering she was a freshly made widow, but there was something about Lucas Graham that she found appealing. There was the obvious fact that he was handsome with his chiseled body and matching chin, as well as his thick, dark hair, and penetrating green eyes. It went beyond the physical. Something about the way he carried himself and how he interacted with her made Sadie feel at ease with the marshal. She wasn’t sure why, considering she had nothing but problems with lawmen the few times she encountered them, but this marshal managed to get past all her defenses.
“We’re here,” Lucas informed Sadie, glancing over at her, causing her to blush when he realized she had been staring at him. “Is something the matter?” he probed with confusion. “Why were you staring at me?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m ready to go in,” she said, avoiding answering the real question he was asking.
Mr. Graham hopped down from the wagon and came around to her side. He extended his hand once more, but Sadie didn’t take it, instead opting to climb down on her own. The choice was an error on her part, however, because the edge of her boot caught the bottom of her dress. Suddenly, the sky was tilting and Sadie was tumbling towards the ground. Before she could make impact though, Lucas reached out and caught her in his arms.
The proximity of their bodies did nothing to stabilize Sadie. Instead, she felt her heart speed up and her mouth turn dry as she felt the marshal’s arms around her. Her heart was pounding so hard that she could swear it was audible to the ear and wondered when the marshal was going to address the fact he could hear it.
The moment never came. Rather, he placed her upright on the ground just below the steps outside the mansion and took a quick step back as he averted his eyes and said, “That was a close one, Mrs. Clayton. Next time a man offers a helping hand, you should take it.”
“Duly noted,” Sadie replied, not sure what to make of the chastising she was receiving from the marshal.
They made their way to the top of the stairs, but before they could knock, the door swung open to reveal a thickly built man with balding brown hair and a salt and peppered full beard. He was wearing a crisp, navy suit, and gestured for them to enter. “Come in, come in,” the man said in a thick Southern accent, then stepped aside to make room for them to come through.
“Mr. Harpending, I told you a million times never to answer the door yourself,” said an elderly, man wearing a butler’s uniform. He kindly rebuked his employer as he came forward, smiling friendly, to stand next to Mr. Harpending. “It just ain’t right, you doing my job for me.”
“Oh, hush now, Stewart, I’m quite capable of receiving my own guests. Besides, we aren’t in the South anymore, and things aren’t like they used to be.”
The butler didn’t reply, but instead turned towards Sadie and the marshal. “Welcome to Harpending Manor. Won’t you please come in?”
Sadie suppressed a laugh, trying to hide her amusement over the interaction. It was clear the two of them were fond of each other, but she knew it wouldn’t be proper to laugh at their relationship, especially as they were new acquaintances.
“Please follow me so that I can take you into the parlor for drinks and appetizers,” Stewart said, starting to move down the hall to the side of the entry.
The marshal escorted Sadie into the parlor where dozens of people were talking in groups. They were either sitting on the sofas and chairs, or in huddles around the room. All eyes turned to them for a brief moment, Sadie assumed to determine who they were, and to measure why they were there, before the groups began to start talking again.
Across the room, Sadie saw the couple from the stagecoach and decided it was better to talk to them than to stand by herself for the rest of the time in the parlor. She made her way over to them. The woman—Sadie remembered her name to be Sally Bensworth—seemed pleased to see her, but her husband, Peter, did not. His frown made it clear he would prefer to steer clear of her for some reason.
“My dear, it’s good to see you’ve found your husband,” the woman said with
a warm smile. “I was worried about you not getting on here in Havilah, it being a rough mining town and all.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Bensworth, but this isn’t my husband. This is Marshal Graham. My husband was killed before I arrived in town the other day.”
“Oh, my,” Mrs. Bensworth gasped with dismay. “How awful. How are you holding up, dear?”
“She’s fine, can’t you see that, Sally? She’s gone and already found herself a new man,” Mr. Bensworth said with a shrug towards Sadie and the marshal.
“I have not,” Sadie snapped with indignation, her cheeks flooding with heat from embarrassment. “Marshal Graham is looking into the death of my husband.”
“Is that all?” Mr. Bensworth said with a snort. “I’ve heard from several people around town that the two of you have been seen together, including emerging from dark allies, and cozied up riding around town.”
“Peter, you shouldn’t say such things,” Mrs. Bensworth said, her face red with anger. “You shouldn’t judge the poor girl’s situation. She needs a man out here in the West, and a lawman could do right by her.”
“I’ll have you both know, it’s nothing more than business between the marshal and me. Until he locates the murderer and avenges Sam’s death, I won’t have any peace.”
“I’m sorry to hear of your husband’s passing, Mrs. Clayton. Please forgive us for making assumptions about your situation,” Mrs. Bensworth said with a small nod. “If you’ll pardon us, I see someone we need to talk with entering the parlor.”
Sadie didn’t even bother to look after them to see if what Mrs. Bensworth said was true. The woman was most likely trying to excuse herself from an uncomfortable situation, and Sadie didn’t blame her. If she could escape, she would; however, leaving now would only draw more negative attention, something she didn’t need.
“I’m sorry that man said that to you. It wasn’t right for him to make such baseless accusations.”