Mona was awakened to hot sloppy kisses on her face and opened one eye. “Hello, Chloe. Someone feels better this morning.” She propped herself up on an elbow and petted the poodle who was beside herself with joy, her tail wagging ferociously and her body wiggling with anticipation.
“She needs to stay quiet,” someone said.
Startled, Mona turned her head. “Althea! When did you get in?”
“Your men came and found me, escorted me back to Wendover, and here I am. I got in sometime before you arrived, but you were asleep in the wagon. I had to attend to other duties.”
Mona sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “I admit I was running on fumes. I was supposed to be in Lexington yesterday, but they held my transport up. Made me stay another night. You know why?”
“Something to do with Noah and Seth I think. The doctor from London bandaged their wounds, Mary fed them, and your men sent them on their merry way to the Leslie County jail. Apparently something happened after they were incarcerated. Both became ill. Noah is dead and Seth is at death’s door.”
“You said they became ill after they arrived at the Leslie County jail?”
“That’s what it looks like. What? Do you think someone at the jail did something to them?”
Mona slowly scooted out of bed and searched her nightstand drawer. “I guess it was to appear so.”
“Well, whatever, there’s a big brouhaha about it. Never mind about that. I came to give you a tonic. It’s my own concoction from nature’s plants. Will help you get back on your feet lickety-split. I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but you look awful, Mona. Your color is off, and you’re covered with bruises and cuts.” Althea looked about. “If you have makeup, I can cover the bruises with it.”
Ignoring Althea, Mona kept searching the room.
Confused at Mona’s actions, Althea tried another tactic, “After you take the tonic, I’ll help you wash your hair. It badly needs it.”
“Leave the glass on the table. I’ll take the tonic in a moment.” Mona looked in the dresser drawers and then spied her saddlebag in a chair.
“I’d feel better if you would take it now.”
Mona sat in the chair rummaging through the knapsack. “I’ll drink it. I promise. Put it on the table over there.”
“Be a doll and take it now. Hmm?” Irritated that Mona was not paying attention, Althea advanced toward Mona and snapped, “Whatever are you searching for?”
“This,” Mona said. Not finding her gun, Mona picked up the fireplace poker and brandished it. “Althea, stand away from me.”
Althea gasped. “What are you doing? Point that thing away from me.”
“It’s going to stay right where it is. Have you given this concoction to Bob Farley?”
“No. He went with your lawyer, Dexter Deatherage, to Leslie County to see about Noah and Seth. He recovered quicker than you and has been up for hours.”
“But he wouldn’t have been a target anyway because he didn’t see the location of the cave. I did.”
“Mona, please. You’re frightening me. What cave are you talking about?”
“Noah and Seth talked about having a boss. I figure that must be you.”
“Have you gone out of your senses? I’ve never heard such rot. I’m going to call the doctor.”
“You may leave but put that glass down. What’s in it, Althea? A little bit of foxglove? Nightshade maybe. Dexter said a nurse was being sent up. Were you the nurse sent with Deatherage to the Fugates? Did you give Noah and Seth the same tonic when fixing them up for the trip to the county jail? Perhaps telling them it was a pick-me-up with a little whiskey in it? They trusted you, didn’t they? I would guess it was something slow acting so the authorities couldn’t tie it to you. You couldn’t afford for them to talk. You must have circled back to Wendover. How did you explain to Mary that you left us?”
“My horse became lame. I had to return. I don’t know how you can believe Noah over me.”
Mona scoffed. “Noah couldn’t find the prize in a Cracker Jack box if his life depended on it, let alone mastermind months of theft up and down the mountain ridge.”
“You should be looking at Popcorn Pearse.”
“I thought about him, but he said someone was messing around with his still. I think he was following us because he thought it would lead him to the culprit. And there was another thing. You said you knew where all the stills were on the mountain, but yet, you were startled when Pearse confronted us on the road that second day. I think he suspected you, Althea, and was sending you a message.”
“No one will believe you, Mona. You’ve had a bad shock. Let me help you.” Althea stepped toward Mona.
Mona raised the poker as if to strike. “If you are innocent, leave the glass on the table and walk out. If it tests negative for poison, I will apologize, followed up with a nice fat check to appease your sense of outrage.”
Grinning, Althea tipped the glass down and poured the liquid out onto the floor.
Mona leaned back in her chair. “It makes sense. Rose Fugate said someone was stealing valuable horses, mules, and livestock up and down Pine Mountain. Who but a FNS nurse would know who had what? You made your rounds, saw what people had, and then gave Noah orders to filch the merchandise. Noah would then take the stolen goods and sell them in Tennessee. We’re not too far from the state border, are we?”
Althea didn’t reply but cast her eyes about the room looking for some sort of escape.
“I suspect you were the nurse who helped the doctor examine Noah and Seth. You poisoned those men with your knowledge of mountain herbal medicine. You’re an expert on which plants heal and which plants destroy. You killed those men just as you are trying to kill me with your tonic.”
“You can’t prove any of this.”
Mona shook her head. “No, I can’t, but I would surmise that Farley and Dexter Deatherage went to the jail for a deathbed confession. There’s the possibility that Seth is spilling his guts right now.”
“I doubt it. There was a muscle constrictor in the solution, you see. It would have been impossible for them to speak.”
“Lovely,” Mona sneered. “Something similar to the symptoms of lockjaw. I need to ask one question before you take your leave of me. Why?”
“I needed money to finish my education.”
“You stole from the people you came here to help!”
“Think about how much more I could help if I was a doctor. I could open a clinic. Then these people could get real help.”
“You made your patients suffer. These people’s lives are harsh enough but without their animals, life is intolerable.”
“I’m not going to be lectured by the likes of you. You have everything you want at your fingertips. You have no idea what it’s like to be poor and struggle.”
“Oh, don’t I?” Mona said. “You make me sick, Althea. Go on. Get out of here. Take one of the cars and take off. Get as far away as you can from me and Mary Breckinridge and the other fine nurses you have besmirched.”
Althea hesitated for a moment. “I’ll be taking this glass with me. Don’t want to leave any incriminating evidence behind.”
“Get out!” Mona yelled. “Get away from me!”
Althea backed out of the room and fled.
Mona immediately sopped up the wetness on the floor with a pillowcase. Then she ran outside and stopped on the porch, observing Althea drive off. “Darn. I was hoping I could prevent her from leaving.”
A Pinkerton man standing guard said, “Miss Althea said you gave her permission to take one of the cars.” If he was surprised that Mona was standing before him with her hair in disarray and in her nightgown without the benefit of a robe or slippers, he didn’t betray it.
Mona watched until Althea was out of sight. “Did you note the car she took? Take down the license plate number?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Did she take a dog with her?”
“Yes, ma’am. Was she not supposed to?”
“I was curious.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I have an article I wish taken to a lab in Lexington.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Number one priority. Understand? I want the results today. I don’t care what it costs.”
“Yes, ma’am. Will you be leaving for Lexington yourself, Miss Mona?”
“I’ll be staying for a couple more days. I have some things to tie up here. One more thing. Call the sheriff. I have something to tell him.”
“Very good, ma’am.” The Pinkerton motioned to a man stationed at the foot of the drive.
The young private detective came running.
“Miss Mona has something she wants you to do.”
The detective looked expectantly at Mona. “Yes?”
“Are you a good driver?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am. I am.”
“Can you drive fast?”
“If need be.”
“Then follow me. I have an article I want you to take to a lab in Lexington.”
The junior detective shot a look at his superior while following Mona into the house.
His superior shrugged. After all, it was not his place to question their boss. If Mona Moon wanted to run around in her nighty, so be it. He just wanted to receive his paycheck each week. The Pinkerton sighed and closed the door after them. All was well and right with the world as far as he was concerned.