Zane quickly returned to his horse and attached the bag of money. With a fast glance around them to ensure they were alone, he spurred the mare to follow her stablemate.
Rachel was an odd woman, indeed. She recognized her mother’s shortcomings and yet clearly cared much for her. And indeed, her words about her father seemed tempered with some kind of affection, even when she was speaking of his attempts to force her into a marriage she didn’t want.
As for Rosa, Rachel didn’t want to believe the woman had duped her. Zane could hardly blame her for that. No one liked to have their trust betrayed. He knew that firsthand.
He’d also considered that Rachel was part and parcel of this kidnapping, but that made less sense than Rosa being a part of it. He was also starting to believe she had brought her own money, not the bank’s, for her story would be easy to confirm.
Another item on his list. Check to see who exactly owned Proud Bend’s only bank. And if it wasn’t Rachel? As he reached her and allowed her mare to walk in front of him, he was beginning to see that such a thing was quite probable.
She was also right about another thing. He was foolish to take only the word of a bartender. Since when was he so stupid?
Since you were betrayed and hurt. The words pierced him and he shoved them out of his mind where they could no longer linger like a winter cold.
Even if she wasn’t lying about the bank, that didn’t mean she hadn’t staged her own assault, he argued back to himself. He doubted she’d intended to be hurt that badly, but the robbery could have been planned differently than the disastrous way it had turned out.
Would he be able to find out the truth about that? Did it matter?
Yes, it did.
Ahead, Rachel slowed her horse and turned it sideways, waiting for him to come alongside.
“All my adult life, my goal has been to help those women, although I sometimes despaired. Rosa helped make that vision come into sharp focus when she asked about Jesus. She’s been the only one and I began to believe my ministry was turning around. It felt so right. That’s why I said we should trust my instincts. But I just find myself going around in circles. Maybe my ministry has been a waste of time all these years.”
He was so lost in his own thoughts that it took him a moment to follow her words. She was resuming their last conversation as if no break in time had occurred.
“You can’t give up your ministry because of one setback,” he said slowly, although he was not sure why he said it. He certainly hadn’t done much to fight his own failure and disgrace in Canaan, choosing to give up, instead.
She peered through the darkness, and Zane could feel that gaze of hers more than he could see it. “I don’t want to give up. What I’m saying is that what we see isn’t always the truth. That’s where faith comes in. There are many around us who will only accept one kind of proof, but I say all you need is faith.”
Zane eased his horse into a steady walk beside Rachel’s. Reminding himself he needed to protect both of them, he scanned the area. But the horses weren’t sensing anything amiss, and he couldn’t see anyone on this lonely road between the towns.
“Then faith is all you need.” Not knowing what else to say, he allowed his piebald to stick close to Rachel. She’d said her mother was complex, but she was equally so.
Again, his thoughts returned to her plea of innocence. Returned as if drawn to it.
As you are drawn to her.
Why? Was it for her playful charm that displayed itself when it was totally unwarranted? Her big mansion and fancy clothes that she seemed to be so unimpressed with? Her dogged determination when it was needed?
Yes. And more.
He shoved the attraction from his mind. He was just passing through her life, pretending to be his brother for a short time. If he started a relationship, however sweet and proper, Alex wouldn’t appreciate having to deal with the consequences should people witness it.
Rachel certainly didn’t want a personal relationship with him, either. She was friendly with Alex, but had said that she kept him at a distance, claiming it wasn’t good for her ministry. Zane tightened his jaw. He’d just be giving her more headaches.
Let it go. You can’t fix your own troubles, so you don’t need to be making more for others.
Some Christian he was, that he couldn’t stay in Canaan to prove his innocence and protect those who were now subject to that corruption, whether they knew it or not. All because he’d been framed and kicked out of a job that he’d loved so much. The sting of rejection still hurt and would do so for a long time to come.
If it hadn’t have been for Deputy Wilson’s telegram coming the day he’d been forced to resign, a week ago tomorrow, then he’d have probably wandered the West all winter looking for work. He might have shown up in Proud Bend, but Alex was just starting his career here as sheriff and didn’t need to be stuck with his wayward brother, one whose career as sheriff had ended in disgrace.
Yet if he’d still had a job, he wouldn’t have been able to get away to come here. Rachel talked about ironies. Here was another big one.
The main road between Proud Bend and Castle Rock finally widened and Rachel urged her horse out of a careful walk to a decent trot. The valley floor was clear, the road well worn and safer for both man and beast. Following her tall form, Zane found himself wondering why these events were playing out the way they were. Could he have been brought here to save Rachel from the wrong path in life?
When they were children, Alex had saved Zane’s life. Against their parent’s rules, they’d been playing down by the river one spring day when it was still swollen with the previous winter’s runoff. Zane, the more daring one back then, had been climbing a tree by the bank when he’d fallen in. Alex’s swift thinking had saved Zane from being swept away and drowned.
Later, Alex joked that he’d been born solely to pull Zane from various dire straits. Time, along with experience, had tempered Zane’s adventurous spirit—that and the betrayal of those he’d trusted. The mayor in Canaan, along with the deputy, had accused him of stealing the tax money Zane had collected, as was part of his job. The evidence had “appeared” in his safe. Zane believed he could not fight that battle and had resigned.
Curious how Alex, after losing his wife, had become the daring one, willing to risk more than Zane would now. Was Alex’s new recklessness the reason he’d been kidnapped so easily?
Proud Bend appeared in the distance, the saloon’s garish lamps cutting through the frosty night just as Zane realized he’d eased his own mount’s speed. The horses’ breaths streamed out in front of their long faces and Zane pushed the animal to come alongside Rachel’s.
“When we reach town, we’ll stop at the sheriff’s office first,” he told her. “I want to put your bag into the safe before I escort you home.”
She nodded stiffly, and they said nothing more until they reined in the horses at the front of the office. Zane pulled out his watch. It was just after midnight. Tucking it away again, he said, “I hope that you don’t plan to do ministry work at the saloon tonight.”
Rachel accepted his assistance in dismounting. “No. I don’t want to go tonight.” On the firm, frozen ground again, she sighed.
“Is it because of Rosa?” he asked gently.
She tugged her hand from his. She opened her mouth to speak and shut it again before finally blurting out, “I want to say it’s because I’m bone tired and frozen and aching from the ride. But that’s only part of it. Seeing Rosa tonight surprised both of us.”
He answered with a grim nod. “Come inside. It should be more comfortable in there.”
As they stepped into the office, the wood stove’s cheery warmth greeted them. Zane could hear Rachel inhale deeply the homey scent of a crackling fire. “Deputy Wilson is most likely out making some rounds, but it’s good to see he’s kept the fire going.”
He lit the lamp on his desk, looking up as Rachel removed her gloves and coat. She shrugged as he lifted his brows in curiosity. “I don’t want to get overheated, although I’m freezing right now.”
Zane took her coat and hung it up. A curious sensation lingered in his stomach. Relief? Disappointment? He couldn’t tell and refused to allow himself the luxury of examining it.
“You have no one in the cells?” she asked as he set her carpetbag in front of the safe.
Zane looked toward the door concealing a short hall to the pair of cells. There was a slate attached to the wall to record whoever was incarcerated, but it was blank. “Not yet. I expect a few will come in soon to sleep off whatever poison they’ve taken.”
“You don’t drink?”
“No.” His expression darkened. “It’s not appropriate—nor do I wish to imbibe. And you?”
She laughed. “Hardly. I often trumpet the virtue of abstaining, but it just as often falls on deaf ears.”
“Even Rosa’s?”
Rachel sagged. “With her, I don’t know anymore.”
“Which is why you feel you need a night off?”
Rachel smoothed her skirt and adjusted her cap. It seemed ridiculous for her to dress up for a ransom drop like she had, but he expected she’d chosen her outfit with the night in mind. It was warm and dark, basic in style. Even the cap had small, tasteful ear flaps that blended into the fur trim, offering extra warmth if needed. But her skirt was slim in cut, creating her need for assistance mounting. She had known he would be there and would help her.
“It’s all right to take a night off, Rachel,” Zane advised as he opened the safe and tried to stow away the carpetbag. It didn’t fit so he opened the bag to flatten it further. “It’s also all right to reevaluate your ministry, especially when your most promising woman has deceived you.”
“I shouldn’t judge her.” Her words sounded crisp. “I strive to be compassionate and understanding. But at one time, I also thought that I could simply hand over all the soiled doves’ money to the bank and make them enough of a tidy profit to convince them to abandon their work with joy. It was a naive thought. In retrospect, even if my plan had succeeded, I think it would have made things even worse.”
“How so?”
“It would have encouraged them to work more with the hope I could earn them more money.” She paused and he glanced over his shoulder to see her dejected look. “Perhaps that’s why Rosa is doing what she’s doing. She only wants to provide for Daniel.”
“Don’t focus on the betrayal, Rachel. It will eat you alive.”
She sharpened her attention back on him. “What else can I do?”
The bag now fitting into the safe, Zane closed it. He straightened and folded his arms. He found himself questioning the wisdom of putting money in the safe, which Wilson had access to, but nothing could be done this late at night. He’d just have to pray that Wilson would not need to get into it. Not every person they threw in jail had valuables to be stored away.
“You need to focus on the immediate situation,” he told her firmly. “You have Daniel, who needs care. Who’s looking after him right now?”
“My maid.” Rachel suddenly looked a little lost, an expression he didn’t think he’d ever see on her face. “I expect I’ll have to hire a nanny. He’s a busy toddler.”
“If you intend to raise him, then eventually you will have to formalize your care of him. And report that Rosa has abandoned him.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” A stricken look dashed across her features. “When should I do that?”
“I’ll need to check Colorado’s laws, but you probably have a few days, I’m guessing.” He cocked his head. “What does your mother think? Or does she know?”
“She discovered him tonight.” Rachel offered him a self-deprecating smile, another expression he hadn’t expected from her. “I honestly believed she wouldn’t notice. But Daniel decided to throw a tantrum just after supper when my maid wanted to bathe him. He’s still a bit sick, although he’s better. Regardless, his screams certainly brought Mother into the nursery. She knew Victoria hadn’t asked to have Mitch’s children this weekend, so the nursery was supposed to be empty.”
“How did she react?”
“She was horrified, especially when she saw his runny nose. I told her the whole story. All she asked is that he be kept upstairs until he’s healthy.” Rachel smothered a giggle. “The look on her face was priceless. But, in keeping with my mother’s ability to surprise even me, she ordered more milk be purchased because Daniel ‘should be bigger than he is’ as she put it. There are some days I feel my mother is deliberately trying to confuse me.”
“And what will you tell her tomorrow? Or didn’t you tell her you were going out tonight to pay the ransom with the hopes of ending the whole affair?”
Rachel shrugged. “I told her, and no, she wasn’t happy that I was going out to pay it. Well, that’s putting it mildly. She was nearly as horrified as when she discovered Daniel. But I did tell her you’d be there, and that actually satisfied her, although she was surprised that you were not Alex. I expect she’ll tell me that she knew Rosa was involved or some other foolishness. Remember, she wants to keep me guessing.”
“And Daniel? What will you say if he asks for his mother?”
He should be more worried for Alex, because Daniel was already safe at the Smith home. But even though some people might brush the toddler off as beneath his concern, Zane couldn’t think that.
Here was a chance to change a child’s life for the better, just as Alex had changed Zane’s life all those years ago by pulling him to safety from that fast-flowing river. One decision, made even hastily, could affect a whole life.
“What should I do, Zane?”
His brows shot up. Was she really asking him for advice? When she saw his reaction, she stiffened and turned toward the coat rack. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have bothered you with that question.”
“No. You’re feeling betrayed and uncertain of the right path to take. I am the right person to ask. I was betrayed, too.”
She looked over at him, a question on her face. “By whom?”
“By the mayor who sent that telegram, and by my deputy. I can’t prove it, but I believe the mayor’s son stole the tax money I had collected, then his father bribed my deputy to plant some of it on me so that I would be ousted before I could catch the real culprit. However, I can’t prove it.”
“How would he do that?”
“I haven’t got it all figured out yet, but the deputy had the safe’s combination, and there were some other things that happened to make me suspect the mayor’s son had come to the sheriff’s office the day the money went missing. I knew I was closing in on the truth when ‘evidence’ was suddenly found that incriminated me. You see, the mayor’s son has some bad habits that cost him money and I know the deputy has wanted my job for a long time. The mayor would do anything to save his family from scandal.”
Rachel gasped softly. “You were framed? Why didn’t you say this before? Mayor Wilson needs to be told. Were you charged?”
“No. My mayor said if I resigned, he’d overlook everything and get the deputy to do the same. Either way it went, I’d be run out of town. That same day, Deputy Wilson sent a telegram asking me if I’d seen Alex, because he’d found a letter I’d written in Alex’s desk here.” Zane patted the top surface of the desk in front of him. “I no longer cared about my job. Alex was missing and that meant more to me. I booked a seat on the first train and came straight here.”
The frustrations of the night, exacerbated by his fear for Alex, weighed down on his shoulders like a heavy sack. It might seem as though they were closer to saving Alex, what with Rosa appearing, but in reality, they weren’t. They could only speculate that Rosa had hidden Alex somewhere close to White Horse Bluff. The whole area around Castle Rock, though—as he had learned from studying Rachel’s map—was pockmarked with legal and illegal mines, some still used, some abandoned. Alex could be in any one of them. Or Rosa could be holding him in town. A prostitute wandering the streets at night wouldn’t be a surprise to any person out that late. And Castle Rock, being bigger than Proud Bend, probably had plenty of places to hide a man, especially if he was gagged and bound.
What Zane needed was a strong lead. He’d thought he could follow whoever took the note, but leaving Rachel up on that bluff just wasn’t an option. When Rosa had melted into the night, leaving no trace as to which direction she’d gone, he didn’t dare search farther.
Or was he too lily-livered and just using Rachel as an excuse? Had the fight gone out of him? Caring for Alex was one thing, but doing something about it was another. Yet, instead of tearing the countryside apart looking for Alex, here he was, sitting in the sheriff’s office, chatting with Rachel.
Zane sagged. Yeah, he’d lost his fight.
That truth squeezed his heart as he stood. “It’s time to get you home before the men in the saloon call it a night. Trust me, you don’t need me protecting you.”