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Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Two days later, Mr. Harris left promising to send a telegram or letter when he knew anything. Bradley found a job with George Paulson, one of the lawyers in town.
Adelaide raised her eyebrows when he told her who had hired him. “Why did he hire you?”
“He wants to have someone to investigate some of his clients or the people opposing his clients.”
“Is that legal?”
“Sometimes. I’ll be sure to tell him when he asks me to do something illegal. And I told him that, too.”
“How did he respond?”
Bradley smiled. “He looked aghast that I would think he would ask me to do something illegal. When he said as much, I said, ‘The hypothetical job you gave me was illegal.’ To which he said, ‘That’s why I made it hypothetical.’”
“That...doesn’t make sense,” Adelaide said.
“I agree. I’ll at least try it. It will tide me over until I find out if the Pinkertons have anything for me.”
Adelaide smiled. “You could always get hired as a footman for the mayor and find out who keeps stealing their silverware.”
“Someone is stealing the mayor’s silverware?”
Adelaide nodded. “I found out from Evangeline who heard it from one of the maids.”
“Do you think the mayor would be interested in that?”
“Maybe.”
Bradley shook his head. “I’ll keep it in mind if this one doesn’t work out.”
“Is there anything you wanted to know about me?”
Bradley put on a mock serious face. “Everything.”
“That could take a while. Can you get me started?”
Bradley thought for a few seconds. “What was your family like?”
Adelaide smiled. “Wonderful. The only thing missing was sisters and brothers, but I didn’t mind too much. My father farmed the land and did a good job. He tried not to go into debt and succeeded. When he died, he left me enough money to get me through a year, including hiring someone to harvest what was left of the crops.
“Mother was the perfect wife. She always knew just what to do, say, or make for Daddy. As a mother, she always knew just what I needed. Well, probably not always, but it seemed like it.” They both laughed softly.
“How did they die?” Bradley asked.
Adelaide sank back in the chair and closed her eyes. “They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They went to town together and got caught in the middle of a gunfight between two men. Daddy was coming from the feed store and one of the bullets hit him. Mother was coming out of the general store and the other bullet hit her. When the sheriff and pastor rode out to tell me what had happened, I went back with them and visited the two shooters in the jail before going to see the bodies.
“Both men were broken apart by what they had done. Neither of them could look me in the eye. They both apologized to me and said over and over and over again, ‘We should have gone out of town to practice our shooting. I knew it was stupid to do it there, but I let my desire outthink my common sense.’
“In their defense, it was early evening. Most people are at least at home, if not in their beds already. I forgave them and told the sheriff to let them go, warning them that if anything like that happened again, I would testify against them for both the shootings that had happened that day and for whatever crime they had just committed.”
“I can’t imagine losing both parents in one day.”
“I was pretty numb for a long time. The fields were almost too far gone to do much, but I managed to get them ready with the help of a young man from town I hired.”
“And this young man didn’t want to court you?”
Adelaide coughed and laughed at the same time. “He was sixteen.”
“Oh. Never mind.”
“But, yes, he did. Instead, when I left, I offered to let him buy the farm if he wanted it. He did and had just the amount I was wanting for it.”
“I thought someone said you didn’t have any, or much, money when you got here.”
“I didn’t.”
Bradley wrinkled his forehead. “Then how—”
“I gave most of the money to a young lad in Fort Robinson. He and his brother and sister were ‘born on the wrong side of the blanket’ as he put it. Because of that, no one would take them in, help them, feed them, or clothe them. He carried my trunk from the train to the stagecoach office for me. I had a little time, so I tried to talk the pastor into helping him out by taking the money I had given the boy and buying him some food and clothes for the three of them.
“I don’t know if the pastor ever did that or not, but I did tell Titus to telegram me if he needed anything else and he hasn’t.”
“Would you like me to find out for you?”
Adelaide’s eyes widened. “How?”
“I have to go to Fort Robinson for the lawyer, so I can snoop around. If you tell me which church this pastor was at, I could even ask him.”
“Would you do that for me?”
A warm feeling filled Bradley as he watched the delight spread across Adelaide’s face. He had to clear his throat a couple times to get the lump out. “I would be glad to.”
“Thank you!” Adelaide exclaimed. “I keep wondering if something bad happened to them or if people started treating him better after I chastised the pastor.”
Bradley coughed forcefully after taking a swallow of his coffee. “What did you just say?”
Adelaide squinted. “About what?”
“What did you do to the pastor?”
Adelaide’s face warmed. “Oh. I chastised him.”
“That’s what I thought you said. Why and how?”
“He wasn’t acting out of Christian charity to Titus. He was reluctant to help, so I reminded him of James 1:27, gave Titus the money, and instructed him what to do with it if the pastor refused to help. I couldn’t stay around longer or I would miss the stage.”
“What did you tell Titus?”
“To go to the stagecoach office and buy three tickets somewhere and hopefully the people in that town wouldn’t know them and would be more willing to help out.”
“Did you tell them where you were headed?”
“Yes. Why?”
Bradley smiled. “Just curious.”
“What was your family like? Well, besides your father. I think I have a good idea about him.”
Bradley leaned his elbows on his thighs. “Well, my sister was the joy of my life. She is two years younger than me and has always been bubbly and of a sunshiny disposition. She even kept most of her sunshine after Father was found out and then hung. We both came to know the Lord as Savior the same day. She was ten and I was twelve. Her sunshinyness really took off after that. She truly knew what the joy of the Lord was. She matured after Father was hung. Then the mayor’s son asked to court her and her joy returned as well.
“Mother is the total opposite. She barely tolerated Father on a good day. It’s really a miracle Beverly and I even exist. Beverly and I were the glue that kept their marriage together. I honestly believe that. I don’t think they would have stayed together if we hadn’t been there.”
“Do you love your parents, despite their faults?”
Bradley sighed. “I don’t hate them. Even Father. But I’m not sure I can really love them. I try, but it’s hard to love someone who constantly criticizes you and puts you down.”
Adelaide nodded. “Do you mind telling me about Beverly and the mayor’s son? And his name?”
Bradley laughed. “Not at all. I love telling this story. His name is Jackson Davis. His father was the mayor for five years before they started courting. We all went to school together and Jackson and I were acquainted with each other, but not exactly friends. We weren’t enemies either, though. Jackson and I are the same age.
“Jackson’s father sent him off to college in Virginia and that was the last I saw him until just before the wedding. Jackson was at college for two years and then was sent abroad to broaden his horizons. Or so his father said.
“Meanwhile, before Jackson had left for college five years previous, he had spoken to his father about courting Beverly.”
“Oh! And that was about the time your father was caught robbing the store!” Adelaide exclaimed.
“Exactly. So naturally, the soon-to-be mayor told his son to get the girl out of his mind and he was packed off to college. Five years later, Jackson returned from Europe without telling his father when he would be back.”
“What?”
Bradley smiled. “He wanted to talk to a few people before he faced his father. Despite his father’s prediction that a few years gone would get rid of his infatuation for Beverly, it only strengthened the affection. The first thing he did when he got off the train was to ask whoever was around if Beverly was married yet. He was surprised to find she wasn’t. He then rented a horse and rode out to the house she and Mother lived at.
“This time he didn’t consult his father and instead asked Mother. Mother gladly said yes. She just wanted Beverly gone and didn’t care who it was. When Beverly told Jackson that and asked him to ask me, he was a little reluctant to wait another month or so, but also figured that another month after five years couldn’t hurt.”
“What did you do when you got the letter?”
“It was actually two letters. Beverly wanted it to go faster, too, so she wrote her own recommendation after spending a few days together as just friends. When I got the letters, I rejoiced that Beverly finally had a suitor. Jackson told me how he had finally stood his ground against his father and Beverly told me that all the changes she saw in Jackson were for the better.
“I gave them my permission in a telegram and three months later, received an invitation to their wedding. I had to beg Mr. Pinkerton for the time off, but he granted it to me even though I was in the middle of an investigation.”
Adelaide shook her head. “That is an amazing story. How did the mayor take it?”
“He wasn’t terribly happy about it, but Beverly and Jackson didn’t really care. They moved away shortly after the wedding anyway.”
“Why?”
“Jackson wanted to get out of the shadow of his father and Beverly didn’t care where they lived as long as they were together.”
“Aww! That’s sweet.”
“That’s my sister for you.”
“Where did you grow up?”
Bradley grimaced. “Wichita, Kansas.”
“What’s wrong with Wichita?”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t the most pleasant place to grow up.”
“Neither was Columbus, Ohio.”
“I imagine so, especially with Theodore Raskins around.”
Adelaide laughed. “He didn’t bother me until a couple weeks before I left.”
“Why is that?”
“I don’t know. Did you look into it at all?”
“No. At the time, I decided to believe him. Even though I didn’t want to. Hopefully Mr. Harris can find something out or dissuade him in some way.”
“I hope so.” She paused. “Mr. Harris said that you have some scars. Where did you get them? Or is that too personal of a question.
Bradley chuckled. “No, not really. Most of them are from bullets that grazed me or went through me. But I have a few others, too. I got the others from Indians who captured me and would have scalped me if it hadn’t been for a kind chief who didn’t want to get into more trouble than he already was.”
“Why did he think he would get in trouble?”
“Because I am a Pinkerton Detective and therefore the law.”
Adelaide shook her head. “Lucky for you.”
“Yes.” Bradley sighed. “I should be going.”
Adelaide glanced at the clock. “Oh my. It is getting late.”
Bradley smiled. “I enjoyed it, though. Thank you for letting me come over and talk.”
“You’re welcome. See you on Sunday?”
“Lord willing, yes. Although, it will depend on how long I am in Fort Robinson.”
“All right. Thank you for offering to check on Titus.”
“You’re welcome. I just hope I can find something out about them.”
Adelaide walked him to the door. “Goodbye, Bradley. Safe travels.”
“Thank you. Goodbye.”
