Second Chance (The Deadman Series Book 5) Page 3

  Mathew and Chance stepped up onto the porch and joined Jacob at the far end. Matthew couldn’t help but notice that the far end of the porch, where they sat in finely-crafted cane chairs, was hidden from the road, although whoever resided there could easily see who approached.

  Matthew admired Mr. Lindsay’s caution. The man had set his home up with a clever eye for self-protection. What Matthew and Chance needed right now was a regular citizen to help them pull off their scheme, and he hoped that Jacob would be the man who helped them.

  The three men sat and talked for a couple of hours. At one point Jacob’s wife, Marta, came out with coffee and cake. She was accompanied by her two children—a boy and a girl. The girl stared into their faces with curiosity, but the boy was more interested in Matthew’s horse.

  “Would you like to pet him?” Matthew asked. “If it’s alright with your father, Lincoln loves children.”

  Jacob shrugged and said, “Just for a moment, Peter. Give those animals a bite to eat. Then, I want you to go down to the river and fetch your brothers.”

  Matthew and Chance exchanged glances. They were both amazed, having had no clue that there were more members in Jacob’s family. It was another sleight of hand ploy that spoke to Jacob’s intelligent but cautious nature.

  Peter picked up two bundles of hay and threw them in front of the visiting horses. Then he crowed with laughter as Lincoln promptly threw the hay back in Peter’s face. Horse and boy played for a few minutes until Peter put his hat on his head and took off running around the house and down to the riverbed below.

  Matthew and Jacob had already exchanged intelligence about the claim-jumpers but now Matthew talked about what had happened to his friend Annie Thurston and her unfortunate companion, Chloe Brazil, stopping in surprise when he heard a crash come from inside the house.

  Jacob held up his hands and said, “Excuse me, please. My wife and Mrs. Brazil were friends. We did not know what had become of her…please! I’ll be right back!”

  He stood up and went inside. Matthew heard Marta weeping and he cursed himself. He and Chance had studied the plats of land that had sold up and down this river and he should have known that Marta and Chloe were probably acquainted—they were neighbors, after all!

  Feeling like a heel, he sat back in his chair with a sigh of disgust. Chance studied his father’s face for a moment and said, “They were going to find out eventually, Pa. Better coming from us than a stranger, right?”

  Matthew murmured, “As far as this family is concerned, we are strangers, son.”

  Chance shook his head. “You’re right, but if things go like we hope, we are the strangers who will get revenge on the crooks who did this.”

  Jacob walked back outside and sat next to them again. He took a sip of cold coffee and said, “I understand that you and your son are going to try and stop these claim-jumpers and I am glad for that. I have invested everything I own into this property.”

  Putting the cup down on the floorboards at his feet, he stared into their faces. “But, tell me—why did you come to my home?”

  Matthew smiled. “We would like to take up residence here—for a while, at least. It’s a good spot to reconnoiter…not too close to Wallace but not too far, either. This way we can get the lay of the land and eyes on the people who are coming and going in these parts. I think that, eventually, we will find out just who is responsible for these claim-thefts.”

  He took a sip of his own coffee and continued, “In return, you and your family will go to my home in Granville, Washington. It’s a big house…a ranch, actually, and if you didn’t mind, you could help my son Samuel care for the place, as he will be left alone during this investigation. It’s not far from here—maybe a three hour train ride.”

  Taking the last sip from his cup, Matthew added, “We are prepared to pay you for the inconvenience…” He saw the shock and speculation in Jacob’s eyes as he turned the offer over in his mind.

  Clearing his throat, Jacob said, “You and your son want to stay here, in my home, and trap the thieves when, and if, they come?”

  Matthew nodded. “Yes, exactly…along with a few of our own men. This way, Chance and I can stay hidden in plain sight, if you get my meaning. Your home and land claim will be safe and your family will be out of danger, while we do our best to bring this thievery…and murder…to an end.”

  Jacob stared into the distance for a few moments, and then he turned to face Matthew again. “We will do it, but I stay with you here, along with my oldest son, Hans.”

  Chapter Four

  The Thurston’s and the Deputies

  Three days later, Jacob and his family were met at the train station in Granville, Washington by Matthew’s step-son Samuel, and his farm hand, Abner. Sam was a tall, rather long-faced man of thirty-three years who sported a lop-sided grin and Abner was one of the largest men the Lindsay’s had ever seen.

  He was wearing a threadbare wool suit and sported a deputy’s star on his lapel. According to Mr. Wilcox, Abner had once been a lawman (before handing in his star and going to work for Samuel on the Imes’ ranch) and had agreed to help Matthew and Chance in their investigation.

  As Jacob understood it, Abner and another man by the name of Dick McNulty would accompany Matthew, Chance and himself back to Spokane tomorrow. Deputy McNulty would be in charge of guard-duty at the Thurston’s home, while Abner traveled on with Matthew, Chance, Jacob and Hans to the Lindsay property in Idaho.

  After shaking Sam’s hand and observing his respectable demeanor, Jacob couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. He knew that Matthew and his son were in a hurry to get their investigation underway, and his insistence on seeing (with his own two eyes) where he would be installing his family in the meanwhile was costing the detective time.

  Still, he mused, his wife and children were far too precious for him to take a stranger’s word that they would be safe! For all he knew, the Imes’ ranch was a den of iniquity! Considering the deferential nods, and respectful greetings of Granville’s citizens toward Sam and Abner, however, Jacob was starting to think his suspicions were entirely unfounded.

  Sam and Abner had arrived with a handsome carriage and a large freight wagon. Although the back of the wagon was loaded with sacks of grain, there was enough room left for the Lindsay’s luggage and their two youngest children. Jacob, Marta and the older boys climbed into the luxurious carriage. “Sorry for the inconvenience, folks,” Samuel said, apologetically. “We have an automobile, too, but Pa is using it right now. This buggy is pretty comfortable, though, and it’s only about five miles to the ranch.”

  Jacob had never ridden in anything as fancy as this before, and he could see his wife and sons studying the brass-tacked leather seats and glass windows in awe. “He smiled, and said, “Don’t worry, young man. This is very nice…thank you.”

  Samuel grinned in return and jumped up onto the driver’s bench. They rode down a well-tended road for a few miles and then onto a long, tree-lined drive toward a beautiful house, surrounded by two separate barns and numerous outbuildings. There were fenced pastures stretching as far as the eye could see, filled with cattle, horses, sheep and goats.

  It was a snowy landscape, but Jacob knew that when the thaws came this ranch would nestle like a diamond on folds of verdant, green velvet. Why, he wondered, would a man of such wealth and means become a private investigator?

  Taking his wife’s hand, he murmured, “You will never want to leave this house.”

  She grinned. “It is a beautiful place, husband, but unless you were here with me, I would never want to stay.”

  The carriage pulled up in front of the house and stopped. Jacob saw a handsome woman with three children standing on the front stoop. She was obviously an Indian and, for a moment, Jacob felt a thrill of alarm. Then, he saw a brilliant smile cross her face as Abner jumped off the freight wagon and ran up to her and the kids with a loud whoop of joy.

  The door to the carriage opened and Sam said, “Welcome
to the Imes’ ranch!”

  Jacob and his family climbed down out of the conveyance and walked towards the big white house. The dark-haired lady approached with her hands outstretched in welcome. “Hello, my name is Sarah Smalley…Abner’s wife, and these are our children, Adam, Noble and little Iris.”

  The three children smiled politely, staring at Frannie and Peter with fascination.

  Sarah said, “Would you children like to feed a carrot to Lincoln, and Sam’s new stallion?”

  “Yes, Mama!” Iris, Abner and Sarah’s tiny four-year-old daughter shouted.

  Sarah reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a few carrots, handing one to each of the children. “Now, stay on this side of the fence, do you hear me?”

  “Yes, Mama!” they cried and ran toward a paddock close to the front yard.

  Sam said, “I’ll keep an eye on them, Sarah,” and started after the children.

  Turning to the older Lindsays, Sarah gestured. “Please…come inside. Mr. Wilcox has installed indoor plumbing, and I have lunch ready for you. You can rest up a little bit, before Matthew and Chance get home.”

  They filed into the house, and Jacob heard his wife gasp. The wooden floors were polished to a high gleam and the glass in the windows was hardly rippled at all. The furnishings were a beautiful mix of Regency cherry wood, oak, wicker and Native Indian art, all of which somehow seemed to merge together into a new, better style.

  The living room was to their right, a small office to the left and the kitchen area in back of the house was painted bright yellow with large, mullioned windows peeking out at snowy mountains in the distance. A small, feminine-looking writing desk sat in front of one of those windows, and Marta couldn’t help but wonder what had become of the Mrs. …had she left her hearth and home behind, or had she passed on?

  “The washroom is back here…but the gentlemen can use the outhouse if necessary.” Sarah walked toward the back of the house, taking Marta’s hand in hers. “My husband will be going back to your home with the rest of the men, but you and I will have fun here while we wait, okay?”

  Marta felt of thrill of happiness pierce the worry in her heart. She knew that her husband and Matthew’s men were going to try and save their home and livelihood. It was a grand scheme but also a dangerous game—played against evil men—and she couldn’t help but fear for Jacob and Han’s lives.

  Still, it had been so long since she’d sat in a fine parlor or cooked in a wonderful, modern kitchen. The thought of relaxing, for once, and trading gossip with another woman, was starting to make this trip seem like a holiday. Feeling suddenly guilty, Marta stared into the kitchen with blind eyes.

  Sarah saw fear reflected in the woman’s face and smiled. “Please, go into the washroom and freshen up. When you’re done, perhaps you’ll help me make coffee?”

  Marta nodded, and whispered, “Thank you!” before scurrying into the fancy washroom.

  Matthew, Chance and Deputy Dick McNulty showed up about an hour later. They all sat down to dinner, and Jacob listened as the young deputy spoke about the population explosion happening around the Granville area and some of the latest news about town.

  “Are you sure Roy doesn’t mind your leaving for a while?” Matthew asked.

  Dick shook his head. “Nah, he really doesn’t. I have some leave coming to me anyway, and the Spokane police force is using this opportunity to train some of their newer deputies here under Roy’s tutelage.”

  Matthew grinned. “I bet he’s just loving that…”

  Dick rolled his eyes and smiled in return.

  Listening to their banter, Jacob realized that these men had known each other a long time and were the best of friends. He and his family were fairly new to the area, and he found himself longing to be amongst friends like these, safe in their camaraderie.

  He also realized how extremely lucky he was to have met Mr. Wilcox and his network of friends. Men like these would go to the ends of the Earth to watch each other’s backs. Knowing that their umbrella of protection extended to him and his family—at least for now—made Jacob feel a sense of hope that maybe…just maybe, he would find success in North Idaho.

  Chance had been wolfing down Sarah’s fine venison stew and flaky biscuits, but as he listened to his Pa and Dicky talk, he studied the young man who would be traveling back to Idaho with them. Wondering how old the boy was (and secretly worried that the kid was too frail to be much use in a fight) he wiped his mouth and said, “So, Hans, do you help your pa out a lot on the claim?”

  Chance’s words fell into the middle of a natural silence, and he saw the boy turn red with embarrassment. Wondering at the smirk on Hans’s younger brother Timothy’s face and what he had said wrong, Chance added, “I just meant, you seem kind of small, that’s all…”

  The boy studied his bowl of soup in silence, and Chance looked to his pa for help, only to be met with a slight frown. Not quite sure how he had stepped into a social gaffe, he sighed. “I only meant to say, good job helping your pa out like that.”

  Jacob cleared his throat. “Chance, Hans doesn’t speak…at least, not very often. He is very shy, but he’s a good, strong worker and can shoot as well as any man.”

  Chance was as red as a beet himself by now and he murmured, “I didn’t know…um, I’m sure he’s just great. Pa, may I be excused, please? I still have some packing to do…”

  Matthew, feeling a little sorry for his son, said, “Sure you don’t want some of Sarah’s pie?”

  The pie maker spoke up. “I’ll save you a slice, Chance.”

  Chance stood up, said, “Thanks, Sarah!” and fled the room.

  A few hours later, Chance came back downstairs. He looked around and, to his relief, saw that the women and children, including young Hans, had gone to their rooms for the night.

  Helping himself to some lukewarm coffee and a slice of Sarah’s apple pie, he wandered out onto the front porch where the men sat drinking brandy and smoking.

  “Chance,” his father’s voice rose out of the dim, “Come and join us. We’re making some final plans.” And so, Chance joined the men and over the next few hours he learned what was expected of him in the upcoming investigation.

  Chapter Five

  The Trinity and Deputy McNulty

  Edward Branson glared at his henchman and spat into a brass spittoon on the table next to where he sat. “What do you mean, there was a witness? Another one?”

  Frank Ludlow stared at the toes of his boots. Then he looked his boss in the eye and replied, “It took a long time to find the Brazil woman. Once we finally spotted her, in Spokane, she was with another gal. We knocked the Brazil woman off, but before we could finish the job some citizens showed up and called the coppers. We had to run for it.”

  “What do you mean finish the job—was she wounded?” Edward snarled.

  “Yes - badly,” Frank said.

  “Do you know who this woman is?” Branson asked.

  Frank wished he could float away… far away from the wrath he knew was about to descend upon his head. Still, there was no help for it. The boss was going to find out, eventually, anyway. Clearing his throat, Frank said, “Yes, sir. Her name is Annie Thurston—a reporter and, I think, part owner of the Spokane Journal.”

  The old man sat straight up in his chair. “What? Are you kidding me?” he roared.

  Frank bowed his head. “Sir, we didn’t know! Our orders were to put the Brazil woman down—which we did. No one said anything about making sure she was all alone! It wasn’t until afterwards that I found out who her companion was.”

  Branson calmed, somewhat, staring into the fireplace with a scowl on his face. “Well, do you know what happened to Miss Thurston? Did she survive?”

  Frank nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid so. A few days after we left her in the street, I sent two men out to the big hospital in town—Deaconess. They asked around and found out that Miss Thurston had been released and was recovering at home.”

  Branson looked up, s
tudying Frank’s face with cold, flat eyes. “Tell me you know where Miss Thurston’s house is.”

  Ludlow grinned. “Yes sir. I sure do.”

  The old man smiled as well, and said, “Well, I suggest you finish the job you started. Get that witness and anyone else she might have talked to, while you’re at it. If she really is a reporter, she might have notes about us…find them too! In fact…” Branson lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

  Frank stared at the back of his boss’ head for a moment. Then he said, “Sir?”

  “What kind of neighborhood does she live in? Is it crowded with houses?”

  Frank nodded, “Well, it’s a fine and fancy sort of place, close to the downtown area. All the houses are big, like mansions, and each house is sitting on its own large lot. Why?”

  Branson nodded, “Perfect! I want you to set the house on fire. That ought to get rid of the evidence and the witnesses! Then, when you’re done with that, go to the newspaper office and set it on fire, as well!”

  Dicky McNulty stared morosely at a hedgerow and plucked the petals of a daffodil off one by one. He was both frustrated and offended. His frustration stemmed from the fact that he was stuck in Spokane, cooling his heels, while Matthew, Chance and Abner were in the thick of things in North Idaho; solving crimes, chasing down bad guys and…and having FUN!

  He felt offended by the two young deputies who were assigned to him by the Spokane police department. Curtis Downy and Hank Rogers treated him like he was a stupid kid (although he was older than both of them by at least eight years!). They were openly bored and in no hurry to take either instruction or advice—at least from the likes of HIM!

  It was the same old problem…his diminutive size. He stood only five foot four, and his body, though strong and lean, was hardly bigger than a child’s. He had grown used to his boss and his friends, who treated him as a man—and a formidable man to boot!

  These two young deputies had no reason to respect him, and weren’t afraid to show their scorn. Although he had warned them that the people in the house were at risk, he had caught Curtis snoozing in the shade—twice! He’d also searched high and low for Hank yesterday, only to find him strolling up the street with a bag of pastries in one hand and a warm cross bun in the other.