“Are ye coming to her show tonight? I’ve heard her play the guitar. She’s very talented.”
“Amber mentioned a five-night performance contract, but we haven’t heard the details yet,” Kenzie said.
“Where’d ye find a guitar?” David asked.
“At Hughes Store. I bought a Martin for twelve dollars. Can you believe it? A miner traded the instrument for supplies. It’s exquisite.”
“A Martin? Here in Leadville?” David asked. “That’s quite a find. And for only twelve dollars.”
Amber read between the lines. McBain was wondering where she got the money. “I hope I’ll be able to play it. My hands are so stiff today.”
“I’ll help you stretch them out. Then you can ice them for a while,” Kenzie said. “That should help.”
“Miss Kelly is also a gifted lawyer,” Daniel said. “I was present yesterday afternoon when she stood for a bar examination before Judge Adams. She has an impressive grasp of the law.”
Kenzie gave him a soft smile. “You don’t have to tell us. We already know how talented she is.”
“Her negotiation skills are equally impressive,” Daniel continued. “She negotiated a settlement for my son. He even got a dog out of it as a bonus.”
“That’s a new twist. I bet you haven’t done that before,” Kenzie said.
“Not lately.” Amber smiled at Daniel and his appreciative gaze raked over her. Her cousins threw furtive looks at each other, and it frustrated Amber that they knew something she didn’t. Her clients did that occasionally and it drove her batty. In her gut, she knew they weren’t telling her everything. If she was suspicious of them, no wonder Daniel was suspicious of her.
“I hope you got a percentage of the settlement,” Rick said.
“I did. Although I had every intention of handling the case for free. I wanted Noah to have money to buy a replacement drum and pay doctor bills.”
A concerned frown appeared on Kenzie’s face. “Is he injured?”
“Just sore, I think,” Amber said.
“What happened to his drum?” Rick asked.
“He was riding in the back of a wagon playing his drum. A dog ran out into the street and scared the horses. Noah fell off and the drum was smashed,” Amber said.
Daniel cocked his head. “What Miss Kelly isn’t telling ye is that she jerked Noah out of the way only moments before a freight wagon—” Daniel paused, his jaw tightened, and his steely gaze locked on something outside the window. Amber lightly touched his arm. He silently acknowledged her, and she withdrew her hand.
“It was that close?” Kenzie asked. “It had to have been terrifying.”
A rush of cold settled in Amber’s marrow and she turned her head slightly to see if the door had been left open. It wasn’t, but her memory was fully exposed, along with the terror that had spurred her to action.
“It didn’t seem so when I rushed into the street, but when the wagon wheels splattered us with mud and I held a shaking child, it became very real. Then I got mad, and I wanted to see justice served on the man responsible.”
“Let me get this straight,” Kenzie said. “Noah ended up with money for a new drum and the dog that caused the accident. And you got a five-night performance contract.”
“When you’re negotiating, sometimes you have to be creative,” Amber said.
“I can see you and Kenzie on opposite sides of a legal argument. It would have to be a draw,” Rick said.
“Ye’re a lawyer, too?” Daniel asked.
“It runs in the family,” Kenzie said, then changed the subject. “So that’s how you got money to buy the guitar?”
“I used some for the guitar and some for room and board. It was very serendipitous.”
“Speaking of room and board, we need to find a place to stay. Do you have a recommendation, Agent Grant?” Kenzie asked.
“I might. How long will ye be here?”
“Not more than a week,” David said. “If we could get our business done, we’d leave tomorrow.”
“What business is that?” Daniel asked.
“We’re looking to buy a haberdashery or dry goods store. Our research leads us to believe you can make more money operating a business than mining silver,” Kenzie said.
Rick pointed at David. “He wants to be the next Horace Tabor.”
Daniel finished his coffee and set his cup aside. “If ye’re reaching that high, go higher. Be rich like Joseph Glidden.”
Amber glanced at Kenzie to see if she recognized the name. Kenzie deflected saying, “We’ll start with a money-making venture and see how far we can go.”
“I noticed the high cost of goods and services in Leadville. Is that because there’s no railroad?” David asked.
“Transportation costs are set at extortionist levels. Once the railroad comes through town, that will change,” Daniel said.
“The law suit between the Rio Grande and Santa Fe railroads will settle in a few months. This is the time to start a business,” Amber said.
“The railroad owners aren’t as convinced as ye are,” Daniel said. “The fighting in the gorge is getting worse.”
A foot pressed down hard on the top of Amber’s boot. She was too far away from everyone except Kenzie. Her toes weren’t accidentally being squashed. Kenzie was warning Amber to be careful. Discussing ongoing litigation when she knew the outcome was like falling head first down a slippery slope.
“If you need rooms, my landlady, Mrs. Garland, has one more available. I introduced Miss Kelly to her last night.”
“You can stay with me, Kenzie,” Amber offered. “David and Rick can share the other room.”
Rick cleared his throat. “Thanks, but I’ll find something…” He glanced up toward the second floor of the saloon. “A little less respectable.”
Daniel pulled a pouch of tobacco from his pocket and tamped a load into a clay pipe. After lighting it he said, “Mrs. Garland has a room in the back so small it doesn’t have an echo, but it does have a cot and an exterior door that will give ye a bit of freedom to come and go.” He drew on the pipe, and the rich scent of tobacco wafted between them. “When ye visit the widow, ask about the room. Tell her I mentioned it to ye.”
“No echo, huh,” Rick said. “That might be a deal killer.” Daniel clenched the pipe between his teeth, and Rick laughed. “Just kidding. That sounds perfect. I’ll ask about it.”
Daniel pushed back from the table. “I need to see the doctor about Noah. I might see ye at the boardinghouse later. If not, then at the theatre tonight.” He stood and nodded slightly to Amber then Kenzie. “Ladies.” He drew on the pipe and nodded to both David and Rick before exiting the saloon.
“He’s an interesting man,” Kenzie said.
Amber watched the batwing doors close behind him. “Meeting the three of you has only tangled his thoughts into more knots. He makes me nervous. And that rarely happens. He’s suspicious of all of us now. That’s why he wants you to stay at the boarding house. He doesn’t want to lose track of anyone until he figures us out.”
“I ken that,” David said.
“He wouldn’t believe our story if we told him.” Kenzie finished her coffee and pushed the cup away. “We need to make plans. Olivia deserves to know you’re safe.”
An old man with tobacco-stained teeth and a longhorn mustache stopped at an adjoining table and spoke with the men sitting there about shares, assays, and yields per tonnage before moving on to their table. He approached Amber. “Are you Miss Kelly, the lawyer?”
She had no reason to deny her identity. “Yes, I am.”
“Thought that was you. You can’t throw a piece of silver across the street without hitting half a dozen solicitors. I heard you got a settlement out of Mr. Tabor. Anybody who can do that is the kind of lawyer I want, as long as you’re cheap.” He glanced at his feet then back up at her. “I mean ’fordable. I need a contract to sell my claim.”
Amber turned in her chair and studied the miner. “How’d y
ou hear about the settlement with Mr. Tabor?”
The man shrugged. “He was talking about it in the barbershop. Said he got the best end of the deal. I figured he was lying. So I went looking for you and found you here.”
“Can it wait until tomorrow?” she asked.
“I need a contract today. Can you do it or not? I hate to pay good money for this. Friend of mine said all us miners were working for shysters in starched collars. No offense, ma’am.”
“No offense taken.” She considered how much time she needed to prepare for opening night. “I have a full day scheduled already. Are you clear on what you want, or do we need to hash out terms and conditions?”
“I know what I want. I just need someone to make it legal.”
“Then meet me back here in an hour. I’ll bring paper and pen and we can draft a purchase agreement.”
The miner tugged out a silver pocket watch and flipped open the cover. After checking the time, he said, “One hour.” Then he turned and left the saloon, whistling a jaunty tune.
Amber finished her whisky. “I have a question. If I go home to explain what happened to Olivia, can I come back?”
“There’s no way to know,” David said. “Ye should stay until whatever ye were sent to do is done.”
“Don’t you think I’ve already done it? I saved Noah’s life.”
“Having been in your position,” Kenzie said, “you’ll only know in hindsight.”
Amber felt a prick of foolish tears. She never cried. To hold them back, she closed her eyes, and as her lashes drifted shut, she saw the same damn look pass between Kenzie and David. After a moment she opened her eyes again.
“Something else is going on here. I’ve seen you give each other odd looks.” She nodded at Kenzie then David then Rick. “You’re hiding something from me. Rick’s a Marine, Kenzie’s Army, and you”—she pointed at David—“were probably in some Scottish Secret Service unit. Not one of you will reveal any secrets until you’re ready. I just need to know one thing. Is Olivia okay?”
“She’s going nuts worrying about you,” Kenzie said. “She believes you’re injured, although I don’t think she believes you’re dead. She’s physically fine, and Connor is taking care of her the best he can.”
“Has she called our parents?”
“As of a couple hours ago, no.”
“You’re telling me—”
The waitress approached the table. “Can I get you more coffee or whisky?”
Amber handed over her glass. “Hit me again.” The waitress walked away and Amber continued. “You’re telling me that if I leave, I might not be able to return. But I shouldn’t leave until I’ve done what I came to do, whatever that is, and I won’t know until after I’ve done it. Do you know how crazy that sounds? Then on top of that, you’re saying my sister is a basket case worrying about me.”
The waitress brought the refill and set it down in front of Amber. She stared at it for a moment, then picked it up, and tossed back the fiery liquid. “Let’s go home then, because Olivia and my parents are the most important people in my life.”
David tapped his fingers on the tabletop. “There may be another way.”
“Don’t keep it to yourself. Tell us,” Kenzie said.
“Amber can do a videotape to let Olivia know she’s fine and will be home soon,” David said.”
“How do you plan to get it to her?” Kenzie asked.
“I’ll email it once we get back home.”
“If Amber’s brooch is like the amethyst and diamond, she’ll return around the time she left, so Olivia will never know she was gone. But if her brooch is like the ruby, sapphire, or emerald, she could be gone for days, weeks, or months. I think the video is a smart idea,” Kenzie said.
There was a prickling on Amber’s neck, a sensation she often had during trials and negotiations. She rubbed her hand across her nape to settle the sensation. It didn’t help.
“I don’t know if that will satisfy Olivia, and besides, I don’t have my phone. Olivia will know the video didn’t come from me. And what would I tell her? ‘Hi sis, I’m in 1878 and not ready to come home.’”
“Tell her you’re shacking up with a guy you met in the mountains and you’re not ready to come up for air,” Rick said.
Amber rubbed deep into her thumb, stretched and tugged on it. “Olivia would never believe it.”
“Tell her the guy is a rock hound, too. Would she believe that?”
Amber stared at Rick. “I don’t know.”
“You’ll have to convince her,” Kenzie said.
Amber worked on her other hand, stretching that thumb, too. “If Olivia saw me with a guy, she might believe it.”
“Are you volunteering to be the guy, Rick?” Kenzie asked.
His eyes darkened as he considered the question. “It would have to be arms and legs, maybe no shirt. No head shot. I don’t want to piss Connor off.”
“Why would Connor care?” Kenzie asked.
“Trust me. It’s a brother thing.”
Amber rested her forehead in her hand, and shook her head gently, considering the deception. Was it worth it? There were no guarantees if she went home that she could come back. She glanced at Rick again. At first, he looked unruffled, but then she noticed a tic in his jaw as he clenched his teeth.
“How long have you been back from Afghanistan?” she asked.
He didn’t respond right away, but his Adam’s apple jumped slightly. “A few weeks.”
Amber looked at David. “Can we give this twenty-four hours? It’s asking a lot of Rick after what he’s been through.”
“Twenty-four hours won’t change anything for me,” Rick said. “I’ll stay with you. I’ll pose for a video, I’ll even go fossil hunting. But I need a commitment from you that you’ll never run off. I’ll go wherever you want to go, but don’t leave me out.” He pointed at David. “This guy will beat the ever-loving shit out of me if I lose you. If we can reach a deal on that, I’m your man.”
Amber’s heart tightened a bit, but she wasn’t going to second guess her decision. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and she couldn’t pass it up. “You got a deal, O’Grady.”
Kenzie slapped her hands together as if wiping them clean. “Then David and I will go home tomorrow. I want to hear your concert tonight.”
Amber raised her hand in a stop gesture. “Wait. My brooch doesn’t work. Remember? How will we get home?”
“We have the diamond and amethyst brooches with us,” David said. “We’ll leave the amethyst with Rick.” His impervious dark gaze bore into her.” Ye understand, don’t ye, lass, that ye’re now part of an elite group of people who have the power to change the world.”
For a moment, she was struck dumb. Then, “What?” She was hardly aware of speaking aloud. “You can’t be serious.”
“Very serious, lass. Ye know the future. Ye know when events will happen. And ye can’t tell anyone.”
Kenzie’s hazel eyes softened a bit when she asked, “What stone do you have in your brooch?”
“Amber. I’m a Taurus. It’s my birthstone.”
“Do ye remember the words written on the stone?” David asked.
“It’s written in a strange language.” She furrowed her brow, trying to remember the words. “Does it matter?”
“Probably not.” David said.
Rick pushed to his feet and dropped coins on the table to cover their tab and a tip for Ellen. “Let’s go make arrangements for tonight. I’d like to wander around town a bit this afternoon unless I’m needed to… I don’t know… Pose nude or something.”
Kenzie pointed at Rick, then at Amber. “This is strictly business, you two. There’ll be no friends with benefits on this adventure. Got it?”
Rick snapped his fingers. “Aw, shucks—”
“Aw, shucks—” Amber said even as he did, snapping her fingers, too. Why Kenzie would care what she and Rick did in private puzzled Amber, but she let it go unanswered for now. She’d
ask Rick later.
“Do you have plans after you meet with your client?” Kenzie asked.
“Darn. I forgot about him. I need to purchase a few supplies first. After I solve his problem, I need to go to the theatre and rehearse.”
David checked the time. “Ye have just enough time to go shopping. Give us the address of the boarding house, and Kenzie and I will go see the landlady. We only need a room for tonight. Afterward, we’ll meet ye at the theatre.”
“Will you bring my guitar? I’ll also need the music book in my room. It will save time if I don’t have to go back to the boardinghouse. Mrs. Garland will want me to try on the dress she’s altering for me to wear tonight. It’ll have to wait until later.”
“I’ll take the client appointment if you want to spend more time rehearsing,” Kenzie said.
“That’s tempting, but I need to earn money. And if I do a decent job for him, he might come to my show and bring his friends. Thanks anyway.”
“If you need help with the show,” Kenzie said, “David plays a mean sax and Rick has a beautiful tenor voice.”
“How do you know?” Rick asked.
“Because all the O’Gradys sang at JL’s wedding—that you missed—and I heard you have the best voice in the family.”
“I was deployed, that’s why I wasn’t there. I’ve watched videos from the entire weekend, and my name was never mentioned.”
“I found Pops crying because you weren’t there, and your nephew told me about your voice. So there.”
Amber looked from David to Rick. “If you’re serious, Mr. Tabor said there’s a sax at the theatre, and I would love to sing a few duets if we can find songs that complement our voices. I was silently panicking, wondering how I was going to do a one-woman show.”
“Don’t panic. We’ve got this under control,” Kenzie said. “We’ll see you at the theatre in two hours.”
David and Kenzie left the saloon, leaving Amber and Rick behind. “You don’t have to babysit me,” she said.
“I’ll hang with you until you meet your client.” He offered his elbow and he gripped her hand tight with the crook of his arm. “Come on. Let’s go back to the store. Your grandmother is probably there by now.”
The Amber Brooch: Time Travel Romance (The Celtic Brooch Book 8) Page 22