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* * *
Sidney tapped his foot on the tile of his barbershop and checked the clock again. It was five minutes past his lunch hour, and Belle was late. She was supposed to meet him at a quarter to noon.
He chided himself for not having stuck to his initial impulse and closed up his shop again for today, feigning a cold. Belle had talked him out of it, saying that closing his shop two days in a row would seem strange to people, and they might become suspicious of him.
“Suspicious of what?” he’d asked.
“Anything and everything,” she’d said.
He looked out the window and saw Belle approaching his store at a rapid pace. He sighed with relief until he saw Summer following her. His eyes widened at the expression on the woman’s face. Belle got to his shop first and threw the door open.
“I’m sorry,” she said. It took him only a moment to realize she wasn’t talking about being late. Summer stormed in just behind Belle, her face red, her hands on her hips.
“What is the matter with you both?” asked Summer. Sidney looked at Belle, a question in his eyes.
Belle sighed. “Apparently, Summer spoke with Lucille.”
Understanding hit Sidney. He turned to Summer. “We’re only trying to find out what Irene is hiding.”
“And you’ve decided to ruin my sister’s reputation to do it?” Summer asked.
Sidney’s heart fluttered. “What do you mean? I know there are rumors going around about her, but small towns like this always have rumors.”
Belle took his hand and squeezed it as if seeking comfort from his grip. He squeezed it back.
Summer glared at him. “Amos told Emile that if Belle continues to go around bothering Irene, he’ll have no choice but to put her into a cell.”
“For what?” demanded Sidney.
“Harassment, threats, you name it,” said Summer.
Sidney shook his head. “Amos is bluffing. You cannot arrest someone simply for making a threat. If that were the case, innocent men would constantly be getting locked into a cell just for losing their temper.”
“Well, Belle doesn’t need to take that chance, just as she doesn’t need everyone in town thinking her a Beauty Bandit. Do you know that’s all anyone can talk about today?”
Sidney was alarmed to hear the rumors had turned so substantially against Belle. He opened his mouth to say as much when Belle cut him off.
“Summer, you must trust that I know what I’m doing,” Belle said.
Summer shook her head. “I’ll trust you so long as you’re at home where I can keep an eye on you.”
“I do not need you to protect me from every rumor that comes along,” Belle shouted, angry now. “When you and Meadow both left me alone in Kansas, I had to face the rumors you left behind as well. The townspeople there treated me far worse than anyone here has, and yet somehow, I survived it. I shall survive this, too.”
Summer’s bottom lip trembled. “I... I’m sorry you went through so much because of me and Meadow. I didn’t think about... I didn’t realize...” Her eyes began to water.
“It’s all right,” said Belle, her voice softening as she went to her sister. They embraced as Sidney stood by feeling awkward. He wasn’t sure where to look.
“I’m sorry,” said Summer. “I must remember you’re not a child anymore.”
“Me, too,” said Belle. “And I must remember that my actions affect you and Meadow as well as myself.”
“Does that mean you’ll leave Lucille and Irene alone?” Summer asked hopefully, wiping her eyes, and Belle nodded.
Sidney sighed, wondering what they would do if they were not to question Lucille this afternoon. Perhaps he might speak with John Owens again, though that had failed to work out well for anyone the last time they’d met. The bruises he’d suffered from their fight were still fading.
Summer left, and Sidney looked at Belle. “Well,” he said. “What shall we do now?”
Belle looked at him with confusion. “I thought we were going to talk to Lucille.”
He returned her confused expression. “I thought you just promised Summer we would not question her.”
Belle laughed. “I did not promise anything, I merely nodded my head in agreement. Besides, Summer is not herself. The child she carries within her is making her mind a trifle... mad. But only a trifle, and once the child is born, she shall go back to normal. For now, I must humor her. Come along.”
She took Sidney’s hand and led him out the door. It had been some time since he’d had a reason to pay a call on Lucille Jordan, but he found her house easily enough. It was a small house with green shutters that had been newly painted and windows that needed washing. Lucille did not have money enough to hire a housemaid, so she opened the door herself when they knocked.
Her eyes immediately narrowed, and she attempted to shut the door on them without even saying a word. Sidney put out his foot, blocking the door from shutting all the way. Lucille kicked at his foot, but he would not budge.
“I have nothing to say to either of you,” she shouted.
“That’s fine,” said Sidney.
Lucille blinked at him.
“It is?” she asked distrustfully, finally giving up on moving his foot.
“Of course. You need only to listen to what we have to say.”
Belle was looking at him, her expression curious but also irritated. It was an expression he recognized well. You’d better know what you’re doing. He hoped he did.
“I’ll listen to nothing you say,” said Lucille, folding her arms across her chest, which gave Sidney the opportunity to push the door open a bit farther. Her scowl merely deepened.
“From what Belle and I have gathered,” said Sidney, “you and Irene have been robbing trains for some time now.”
Lucille’s mouth dropped open.
“That’s right,” Belle said, chiming in. “I heard everything you and Irene discussed in the dress shop yesterday. There’s no reason to deny it.”
Sidney quickly held up one hand as Lucille opened her mouth. “You needn’t say anything on the matter unless we’re in error. We shall take your silence as an admission.” Lucille’s mouth gaped open and Sidney turned to Belle with a smile. “You see. We are right. She and Irene are both thieves.”
Belle nodded, starting to catch on. “I knew it all along,” she said and looked at Lucille. “If you say nothing now, then we shall assume that Irene is the mastermind of your group and that you are only her pawn.”
Lucille’s eyes darkened, and her cheeks turned red.
Sidney nodded. “I thought as much. She remains silent, and so we have our admission. Let’s go and see Amos. It may not yet be too late to have Irene arrested.” He turned away from the house, and Belle followed suit.
“Wait!” Lucille shouted, opening her door all the way for them now. “Get in here,” she snapped. “I’ll not speak to you about this where any passersby might hear.”
Sidney stifled a smile and ushered Belle into the home ahead of him. Once inside, Lucille shut the door with a bang.
“I don’t know how the two of you can gloat when you are destroying an innocent woman,” said Lucille.
“If you’re innocent,” said Sidney, “then there’s—”
“I’m not talking about myself,” said Lucille, “though I deny everything you’ve said. I’m talking about Irene. You don’t know what you’re doing. You’re putting her in danger.”
Sidney and Belle exchanged a glance. “Danger how?” Sidney asked.
Lucille licked her lips.
“Is it something to do with John Owens?” Sidney asked. “Is he the one behind this? Is he threatening her?”
His protective instincts began to kick in. He felt Belle’s hand tighten on his forearm as if attempting to calm him. A warm shudder ran through him at the feel of her hand on his body, but it could not last. Not with so much weighing on him.
Lucille drew in a breath. “John Owens has nothing to do with this. He was only helping Irene, as I’ve been trying to do. That’s why he didn’t press charges against you. When I found out what had happened, I asked him not to.”
“Helping Irene with what?” asked Belle.
Lucille shook her head. “I promised not to say anything about it.”
“Whatever it is, you must tell us,” said Sidney. “Especially if Irene is in any danger.”
Lucille bit her lip and began to pace. “If I thought I could protect her alone, I’d say nothing. But I think that may be impossible now.” She exhaled a long breath and looked at them. “Irene is being followed by a man who means her harm.”
Belle and Sidney looked at each other. “What man?” asked Sidney. “An old lover?”
Lucille shook her head. “He only wished to be, but Irene would not give him the time of day. He used to follow her around her hometown, begging her for a dinner. When she finally gave in one evening and went out with him, he attacked her.”
Belle gasped. “Was she hurt?”
“No,” said Lucille. “She managed to get away from him, but she was scared.”
“Could the sheriff in her town do nothing?” asked Sidney.
“It was his word against hers, and unfortunately, he won. Oh, the entire town knew the man was mad for her, but no one would believe he’d actually tried to force himself on her. They assumed she’d made it up to gain attention.”
“How awful,” said Belle, and Sidney realized they were both thinking the same thing—they’d made a horrible, horrible mistake.
“If it had stopped there, maybe Irene would never have come to Elmwood,” Lucille went on, “but it did not. He tried again. He broke into her home one night and waited for her. She got away again, but this time, she did not return. She fled the town entirely.”
“What about the money you were discussing in the dress shop?” asked Belle.
“Irene and I grew up together,” Lucille said. “We are from the same town. After the first attack, she wrote to me. I immediately sent her what money I had even though she did not ask for it, along with Sidney’s ad for a mail order bride.” She paused. “She had a little money of her own saved, plus some her uncle had recently left her in his will. Altogether, it was enough to help her get away.”
“Is he from the same town as you?” Sidney asked.
Lucille shook her head. “He moved there after a couple years ago, long after I’d left. Everything I know about him comes from Irene.”
“Why did Irene stay with Meadow upon her arrival then?” asked Belle. “If you two are so close, why not stay with you?”
“We agreed we’d pretend not to know one another. Our friendship in the town was well-known and could be easily traced if anyone there knew where I now lived, only I don’t think anyone does. I’ve not kept in touch with anyone other than Irene.”
“So, the money I found in her purse really wasn’t stolen.” Belle’s voice was far-off. She looked upset with herself. Sidney squeezed her hand.
“Why send her my ad?” Sidney asked, perplexed.
Belle sighed. She ran a hand through her long hair and looked beautiful doing it. “So, Irene could find a way to escape. She must’ve had nowhere else to go.”
“That’s right,” Lucille said. “I told her she could stay with me, but she was afraid that would put me at risk. She wanted to start over, make a new life where he might never find her.”
“And now?” asked Sidney, his heart thumping.
“It appears he’s found her after all.”
“You mean he’s here now?” asked Sidney.
Lucille nodded.
“We think so. Irene’s been paying John Owens to watch the trains for her and tell her if anyone fitting the man’s description showed up on one. He just informed her yesterday that someone who looked very much like this madman arrived on the afternoon train.”
“Then why is Irene still here?” Belle said. “Why hasn’t she left?”
Lucille shrugged. “It’s not for certain that it’s the same man. I believe she wants to be positive before she considers fleeing. It’s not an easy thing to do. She lost all her money to the Beauty Bandits on the last train out of here, and I haven’t any left to give her. Besides... she’s tired of running.”
“But she was ready to run a few days ago,” said Belle. “She was on a train to go back home. She cannot find the man too threatening if she was returning to the place where he lived.”
Lucille shook her head. “She wasn’t going home. She only said that so as not to look foolish. She was going on to Indiana instead. She thought she might find work somewhere.”
“Oh,” Belle said, her voice tiny.
Sidney’s chest tightened. “We must find her. I’ll protect her.”
“You can try,” said Lucille, “but I doubt she’ll let you. She’s quite angry with the two of you just now.”
“I’ll talk to her,” said Sidney. “What’s this vile man’s name?”
Lucile sighed. “Marshall. Marshall Anderson.”
* * *
