Wyoming Lawman (15 page)

The clock ticked a dozen times. She bit her lip, but a cry rose to her throat. She put a hand over her mouth to hold it back, but it escaped in a whimper.

Her father stepped to her side. “Don't cry, Pearl. It's not what you think.”

“Then what is it?”

“I'm helping Matt Wiley.”

In a hushed tone, he told her about Matt's suspicions regarding the Golden Order. “I agreed to join because I'm in a unique position to help. It's the right thing to do.”

Her body went limp. “But Papa, your health isn't good.”

“It's good enough.”

“But the danger! If they find out you're double-crossing them, they could—” She sealed her lips. The men in masks were accountable to no one but themselves. If her father exposed their crimes, he'd be a Judas and they'd kill him.

Tobias squeezed her hand. “I know the risks, Pearl. I also believe God called me to this task.”

“But why?”

“Because I'm in the right place at the right time.” He lifted their joined hands in an oath of sorts. “You know the story of Esther. She was made queen ‘for a time such as this.' I believe I'm in Cheyenne for this very purpose.”

“You're here for Toby and me.” She hated the risk, the danger. “If something happens to you—”

“If it does, you'll be fine.” His eyes filled with sadness. “I'm an old man, Pearl. I won't be around forever. You need to find a husband.”

“How can you say that?” He knew her fears. She felt betrayed.

“It's true.”

“Maybe I don't
want
to get married.”

His brows arched. “That may be the first lie you've ever told me.”

Her cheeks turned rosy. She
had
lied. She almost wished he'd call her “princess” so she could be a child again instead of a woman with adult problems.

Tobias looked pleased. “Deputy Wiley's a good man. He's troubled, but that comes with the badge.”

She'd seen the pain for herself. “I know.”

Her father looked into her eyes. “Do you love him?”

Until this moment, she danced around the question without answering it. She
liked
Matt. She
cared
for him. She
worried about him and wanted him to be happy. But love? That meant desiring him the way a wife desired a husband. She had those feelings for him, but they terrified her.

“I don't know,” she murmured.

“I didn't ask if you were afraid,” Tobias said. “I asked if you loved him.”

Her insides shook with a potent mix of hope and fear. “I do,” she admitted. “I love Sarah, too.”

“Be strong, Pearl.” He spoke in his preacher's voice, the one that seemed to move mountains. “I don't know what's lurking in Matt's past, but I
do
know the Lord won't leave him twisting in the wind. The Lord won't leave you either.”

“I want to believe that.” She took a breath. “I
do
believe.”

“So do I, daughter…. So do I.”

M
eeting Tobias at the bakery had risks, but it could be explained as coincidence. Matt made a point of visiting often. If a member of the Golden Order saw them, the encounter wouldn't be out of the ordinary. At church on Sunday, Tobias had indicated he'd accepted a derby and wanted to meet. The news had made up for the misery of sitting through a sermon, but it hadn't eased his worry about Pearl. She'd been tense and had watched her father like a hawk.

Neither had she been happy to see Matt, though she'd been delighted to see Sarah. As the females compared dresses, the men had arranged today's breakfast meeting.

As Matt pulled out the chair across from Tobias, he recognized Nicholas Hamblin seated by the window. The man owned a sawmill and went to all the G.O. meetings. He didn't say much, but he'd listened. He plainly recognized Tobias.

Matt kept the subject light. “Nice weather, isn't it?”

“Excellent.”

He looked for another bland topic. “How's your grandson?”

“Just fine.” A beaming grandpa, Tobias told stories until
Hamblin left. Tobias relaxed but only for an instant. “Stay alert, Wiley. The G.O. doesn't like you.”

“That's no surprise.”

“They're making plans.” His voice dropped an octave. “Be careful, son.”

“What kind of plans?”

“The kind that could make your daughter an orphan.”

The blood drained from Matt's head. He'd faced death a hundred times during the war, but never had he felt the apprehension he felt now. If he died, who'd love his little girl? Who'd read her stories and braid her hair? He didn't dare sip his coffee. With his jittery hands, it would have sloshed down his shirt. “What are they planning?”

“That's still being decided.”

“By the five men you mentioned?” Matt wanted to know his enemies by name. “The same.”

While eating his meal, Tobias told Matt about the meeting. Matt had kicked a beehive when he'd questioned members of the G.O., and now they wanted him gone. Troy Martin and Gibson Armond had called him soft. They wanted his badge but not his life. Howard Moreland had suggested a tree and a short rope. Gates had kept his own counsel. Jasper had gone into a tirade about Matt failing to lock up prostitutes, then he'd sided with Moreland.

By the time Tobias finished, Matt felt as if the walls had sprouted eyes and were watching his every move. His nerves had never been stretched so tight.

“Tell me,” said the old man. “Did you read that psalm?”

Matt couldn't believe his ears. “The G.O. wants me dead, and you're bringing up poetry?”

“Sure.”

“That's crazy.”

“It's not crazy to me,” Tobias replied.

Matt felt as if someone had blindfolded him, spun him in circles and told him to find his way home. He'd met with Tobias to stop the Golden Order, not to bare his soul. Matt didn't want to dawdle over trivia, so he shrugged. “The psalm was nice. Now let's get down to business.”

“That's what I'm doing.” Tobias buttered a biscuit. “What struck you as ‘nice' about that little piece of poetry?”

“I didn't think much about it.” Actually, he'd read it two more times. He'd thought a lot about the verses, particularly the one about the watchman.

“Take a shot,” Tobias insisted.

Matt gave up. He wouldn't spill his secret, but he'd crack open the door. “I liked the first verse,” he admitted. “About the watchman.”

“Me, too.” Tobias pushed back his plate. “I've never worn a badge, but I had a church to run. Without God's help, I'd have been sunk ten times over.”

Matt saw a chance to steer the conversation. “Do you think we're sunk when it comes to the G.O.?”

“We'll get to that,” Tobias said lazily. “I'm more interested in how you're sleeping.”

“Fine.” He'd lied and felt bad. “Actually, terrible.”

“You look it.”

“Thanks.” Matt sounded droll.

“I have another verse for you.” Tobias spoke as if he were reading a bedtime story. “‘The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.' I used to wonder why we needed protection from the moon, then Pearl left and I couldn't sleep worth spit. Those nights were rough. My own daughter needed understanding, and I failed to hear her side of the story. I pressured her to marry the man who attacked her.” Tobias shook his head. “Can you imagine anything so stupid?”

Matt recalled his own failings. “I'm afraid so.”

“Some nights, I thought I'd lose my mind.” Tobias paused to let the words sink in. “I think you know what that's like. Next time you can't sleep, try telling God how you feel.”

“No way,” Matt said. “My problems are my own business.”

“You're wrong.”

Matt huffed. “Not only are you nosy, you're meddle-some.”

“I've walked the road you're on.” He raised one brow. “What you feel now, it affects everyone around you, especially Sarah.”

He'd voiced Matt's deepest fear. “You don't know that.”

“I know about guilt. It's why you're going after the Golden Order so hard. You've got an ax to grind, not with them but with yourself. Am I wrong?”

If they'd been alone, Matt would have spilled his guts because Tobias understood. He felt a bond with the man…a minister of all confounded things.

Tobias heaved a sigh. “Speaking of guilt, I have a burden myself.”

“What happened?”

“Pearl saw the derby.”

Matt stifled a groan. Ignorance provided protection. A woman couldn't reveal what she didn't know. “What did you tell her?”

“Everything.” Tobias raised his hand in a sign of defeat. “I know. I should have kept quiet.”

“What did she say?” Matt asked.

“She's not happy, but she knows to keep quiet.” Tobias hunkered forward. “I don't mind saying, I'm eager to end this charade.”

So was Matt. If he could finish with the Golden Order,
maybe he could sleep at night. Maybe he could settle matters with the Almighty and not want to throw punches when he went to church. “It won't be long, sir.”

“I hope not.”

Matt made a decision. The more pressure he put on the Golden Order, the sooner they'd come after him personally. When they took aim, he'd fire back with both barrels. Dying wasn't an option. He needed to take care of Sarah.

Tobias stood. “We should meet before Sunday.”

Matt thought about the coming week. Carrie had invited the girls from her class to a tea party on Thursday afternoon. When he picked up Sarah, he'd be able to speak with Tobias. “I'll see you after that party Carrie's having.”

“Sounds good.”

Tobias put coins on the table and left the bakery. Matt waited ten minutes, then pulled his hat low and headed for the sheriff's office. As he crossed the street, his neck hairs prickled. Any minute men in derbies could gallop down the street. A bullet could find his head and he'd be gone. As a lawman and a soldier, he'd faced his enemies head-on. The men in the Golden Order were devious. They didn't play by the conventional rules. They made up their own.

Stepping on the boardwalk, he thought about the watchman in the psalm. Matt could take care of himself, but today he'd have welcomed an all-seeing partner, someone smarter. Someone who'd keep Sarah safe, heal Pearl's heart and give Matt a decent night's sleep.

 

On Wednesday morning, a week after she'd seen her father in a black derby, Pearl went to work as usual. She'd grown accustomed to Jasper's persnickety ways, but today he'd been especially attentive. He'd struck up four conversations in the past hour, each one as bland as the last. When
he'd gone to his office, he'd left the door ajar so he could hear her every step.

He'd also brought her a croissant from the bakery. She'd accepted it but hadn't taken a bite. Every time Jasper came out of his office, he looked at the roll sitting on a plate on the counter. Hoping he'd leave her alone, she'd finally taken a nibble, thanked him and turned back to the ledger. “Pearl?”

She startled as he stepped out of his office. “Yes?”

“I have an errand to run.” He pushed his spectacles higher on his nose. “I'll be back shortly.”

“Of course.” She still hadn't called him Jasper and she wouldn't. Neither had she called him “sir” or “Mr. Kling” because she knew he'd challenge her.

She averted her eyes until she heard the bell over the door, then she looked up and saw him pass by the display window. Breathing a sigh, she closed the ledger and rubbed her neck. She'd never been good at keeping secrets, and she found her father's deception exhausting. She wanted to go home and cuddle Toby until she forgot everything except his smile. She wanted to see her father, too. She still worried about his health, but she had to admit he looked well these days. He walked every morning at sunrise and sometimes at dusk. He had a spring in his step and a purposeful air about him.

Pearl wished she felt as confident. Not only did she worry about her father's involvement with the G.O., she couldn't stop thinking about Matt. She prayed every night for wisdom, but she felt no peace.

As she refocused on the ledger, the bell jangled above the door. She looked up and saw two women, both fancily dressed in bright colors. She didn't recognize them, but their revealing gowns belonged on Ferguson Street. In spite of their clothing, both women looked sad, even bitter. Pearl
wondered if they'd known Katy. Jasper would want her to order them out of the shop, but she couldn't do it. Pearl knew how it felt to be scorned, so she refused to be unkind. If Jasper objected, so be it.

“May I help you?” she said brightly.

A brunette with frizzy hair gave her a snide smile. “We're just browsing.” She turned to the shelf holding hand mirrors.

Pearl had admired the mirrors herself. She especially liked a white cloisonné edged with pink roses. The second woman, a redhead thanks to henna dye, smiled with sealed lips. Pearl wondered if she had bad teeth. Pearl smiled at her. “You've picked my favorite one. Aren't the roses pretty?”

“Oh yes!”

The girl's lips parted enough to confirm Pearl's suspicions. Her front teeth were the color of ash. No wonder the woman had sealed her lips. Pearl refused to add to her embarrassment. “A matching brush set just arrived. It's in the back.”

The dark-haired woman eyed her with suspicion. “You work here?”

“I do.”

The redhead looked at the brunette with a question in her eyes. They hadn't been expecting courtesy. Pearl enjoyed the surprise. “If you'd like, I'll get the brush.”

The brunette huffed. “You shouldn't, not if you want to keep your job.”

The woman clearly knew Jasper's ways. If he walked in, he'd be furious. Pearl decided to take that chance. “I'll be right back.”

As she turned, she saw Jasper passing the display window. As her stomach clenched, the women straightened their spines to the point of arching them. They reminded
her of cats lying in wait for a mouse. Jasper's warning had come soon after the incident with Katy and the hairbrush. Belatedly she realized these women hadn't come to look at mirrors. They'd come to retaliate for Katy's death by making Jasper furious.

As he pushed through the door, his eyes went down the brunette's flashy dress, up to the redhead's cleavage, then across to Pearl's face. The mix of loathing and lust in his gaze turned to confusion. The confusion hardened into the arrogance she'd seen in Franklin Dean.

Jasper paced toward them, inspected the shelf, then blocked the aisle so the women couldn't leave.

“Pearl!” he ordered. “Get the sheriff.”

“But Mr. Kling,” she protested. “They didn't do anything wrong.”

His gaze narrowed to her face. “A mirror's missing.”

Pearl looked at the shelf. The cloisonné mirror hadn't been replaced. She looked at the redhead. Wide-eyed, the woman turned to her friend, who said nothing.

“It was just here.” Pearl had been with the women every minute.

“I'm telling you,” he insisted. “The mirror's been stolen.” He glared at the women. “Empty your pockets!”

The women stayed smug and silent. The cats had riled the mouse, and the mouse was roaring. Pearl sensed a trap about to be sprung. She opened her mouth to suggest they look for the mirror on other shelves, but Jasper shouted at her.

“Get Deputy Wiley!”

She raced out of the store, turned the corner and crossed the street, dodging a buckboard going in one direction and a rider coming in the other. Hoisting her skirts, she stepped on to the boardwalk and burst into the door of the sheriff's
office. She saw Dan at the far desk. At the sight of her, he jumped to his feet. “What's wrong?”

“It's Jasper, he—”

The door opened behind her and Matt strode inside. He must have seen her running down the street, because he looked ready for a fight. “What happened?”

“It's Jasper,” she answered, panting for breath. “Two women came into the store. They were friends with Katy. He's furious.”

“Stay here.” He looked at Dan. “Let's go.”

“No!” Pearl cried. “I have to go back. Jasper thinks the women stole a mirror, but they didn't.”

“How do you know?” he asked.

“I was with them the whole time.” She told him about offering to fetch the comb and brush set. “Just as I turned, Jasper walked in.”

Matt frowned. “Sounds like they were waiting for him.”

Dan grabbed his hat. “I'm going with you, Wiley.”

When Dan opened the door, Pearl walked through it. Matt followed her, but he didn't look pleased. As the three of them crossed the street, he guided her with a hand at her back. Dan brought up the rear. When they reached Jasper's store, Matt turned the knob on the front door. It didn't budge. Jasper had locked the women inside. Pearl knew how it felt to be trapped. To keep from crying out, she bit her lip.