Hurrying down the hallway as quietly as they could, Art said to Samuel, "With one more to apprehend, there's still a chance to get some blood on that vest yet."
"If I'm lucky," came the cheeky reply.
"Aim for the nose this time," Art said with a quiet chuckle.
Upon entering the hotel dining room, they found the mayor pacing. As soon as he heard them, he lifted his head and pierced them with anxious eyes. "Is she okay?"
"She's fine, Mayor, and the assailant is tied up and out cold. Now for the next phase," said Art.
Samuel then led the mayor to the front lobby of the hotel while Art snuck through the kitchen and out the back door. Staying hidden from view, Samuel nodded to the mayor, who stepped out onto the boardwalk and began making his way toward home. He didn't get far before there was a scuffle behind him. By the time the mayor spun around to look for the source of the sound, Samuel and Art were carrying between them the unconscious form of the man who'd been following him.
Together, they all hurried to the sheriff's office where they secured the prisoner in one of the two cells. Mayor Smith stayed behind to keep an eye on him as Art and Samuel dashed out to go retrieve the other man. They arrived back at the hotel to find Minnie sitting in the same chair they'd left her in. The man tied to the bedpost was beginning to stir but hadn't fully regained consciousness yet.
Samuel made quick work of getting him untied from the bed while Art went over and knelt in front of Minnie. "We've got the man who was following your dad in custody as well. He's locked up at the sheriff's office, and your dad is watching him. We're going to bring this one down there, as well, so we can begin questioning them both as soon as they wake up. Your father would very much like to see you, so once we leave, please get dressed. Samuel will be back soon with your father so you can speak to him, but you can't take too long. People are going to stir soon, and we'd prefer to have everyone back where they're supposed to be before daybreak."
"Is my dad okay?"
"He's fine."
"How did you know someone would break into my room?"
"You insisted on making yourself vulnerable. If I were the bad guy, I wouldn't have wasted this opportunity."
"Where was Samuel when you were in my room?"
"Art, we're ready to go," Samuel said from where he stood by the bed.
Looking at Minnie, Art said, "Can I explain later? I knew you were in danger, and I took steps to protect you. I won't apologize for it, either."
Minnie nodded. "I'll be ready shortly. Should I wait in my room or come down to the lobby?"
"I'd feel better if you stayed in your room," Art replied.
Minnie nodded and then looked over to where Samuel stood. Giving him a pert grin, she said, "I see you still didn't manage to get blood on your vest."
The hideous green of his vest flashed in the light from the lantern. "Don't remind me. At this rate, I'm going to have to cut myself while shaving."
****
A short time later, a muted knock came at Minnie's door. She opened it for Samuel and her father, who both stepped in, closing the door behind them. "Minnie," was all her father had to say before she threw herself into his arms.
"Is everyone all right?" she asked.
The mayor nodded and said, "No one is hurt, save the two men presently locked in the jail's cells."
"What on earth happened tonight? I don't understand what's going on. It seems as if there was some sort of plot nobody told me about." Minnie, fighting curiosity more than frustration, sat down in one of the room's chairs. Her father took the other, and Samuel remained standing near the doorway.
"As soon as Art learned you were being followed, too," her father said, "he came to me. The man watching me didn't seem too threatening, so we'd decided to leave him alone and wait for him to tip his hand." Reaching out and touching Minnie's knee, he said, "When we realized you were in danger, too, we couldn't take any chances. While we both thought using you as bait would be the best way to catch the man, neither Art nor I was willing to put you in that kind of situation. The risk to you was simply too great."
The mayor shrugged, exhaustion weighing down the movement. "You insisted on moving out, albeit for the noble reasons of protecting me and your mother. Art and I knew there was no way to fight your stubborn streak. So we decided we might as well take advantage of it, but only if we felt we could keep you safe."
She frowned at him.
Sitting back again, her father told her, "The entire time you've been in this room, you've been surrounded on all sides. Samuel gave you an end room, and I was in the room next to you, while Samuel and Art occupied the two rooms across the hall."
Minnie sat back and crossed her arms in front of her. "Did it never occur to anyone to tell me this was going on?"
Her father laughed and said, "Minnie, you were so busy trying to protect the rest of us that if we'd told you what we were doing, you'd have thwarted it, all for the sake of sacrificing yourself to save us. I couldn't allow that. You are far too precious, and I won't have you taking those kinds of chances with your life." The mayor released a shuddering breath. "You're too courageous for your own good. You should have been seeking assistance from me, but you opted to keep me in the dark to shield me. Believe it or not," he said with a smile, "you get your stubborn streak from me. You don't need to protect me, though. That won't do either of us any good. What I need is for you to allow me to help you."
Minnie shook her head and said, "I've caused you and Mum so much grief over the years. I didn't want to cause more."
"Perhaps, Daughter, you put more guilt on yourself than you need to. Someday when you have children of your own, I believe you'll understand. Until then, you'll have to take my word for it. There's nothing you could do that would drive us away or make us stop loving you."
"Yes, sir," Minnie said, her voice bright with wellbeing and gratitude.
Samuel and the mayor left a short time later with instructions for Minnie to spend the night at the hotel and move back home tomorrow. "After all," Samuel said, "it wouldn't do for one of my guests to disappear from the hotel in the middle of the night. Might draw too much attention."
****
Minnie, wondering at how easily her father had figured her out, slept nary a wink the rest of the night. The wee hours of the morning welcomed her with the obvious conclusion that she was too much like him for her own good. That's how he'd known what she would do; because it's what he'd have done in the same situation. As the sun rose, Minnie got up, packed her belongings, and checked out of the hotel.
Samuel refunded the rest of her money for the week since she'd stayed but one night. "You should at least let me pay for the other rooms you couldn't put guests into last night because of my folly," she told him.
Leaning over the counter and whispering, he said, "You never tell my wife what I think of that green vest, and we'll call it even." Minnie was still laughing as she sashayed out the door.
After depositing her valise at home and giving her mother a long hug, Minnie headed out again, this time for the sheriff's office. She was done with skulking about and trying to hide from prying eyes. Walking tall, she entered, scanned the two men in the cells, and marched past them to where Art sat at his desk.
"Good morning, Sheriff," she said jovially.
"Morning, Minnie. How are you doing this fine day?" His light tone contradicted the serious look in his eyes.
"I am quite well, thank you. I wondered if I might speak with you in private for a moment."
"Certainly," Art said. He stood and motioned her toward the room at the back of the office where he kept another desk and his cot. Once they stood in the small space, Art kept the door cracked enough so he could keep an eye on the two men in the cells.
"Have you learned anything from them?" Minnie's anxiety was palpable.
"The dirty one's not talking. The one that was following your father, however, claims to be a detective from San Francisco. Says he's following a lead."
"What? That can't be… can it?"
"I'm not sure yet. He seems believable, but I'm not taking any chances. As soon as Jasper gets here, I'm going to go see Mr. Clement and get a telegram sent off to Detective Wilcox."
"I don't understand. Why would a detective from San Francisco be here in Larkspur? It doesn't make sense, unless he came to arrest me, but if that was his reason, wouldn't he have done so long ago?"
"It seems there's a lot more going on than just William's death. If the man is indeed a detective, then the simple truth is, he hasn't decided yet whether or not he can trust me. Once he does, he might be more forthcoming. For now, he's told me to contact his superiors but hasn't said much else."
"But you believe him?"
Art, his eyes still trained on the two men in their cells said, "I'm not certain yet."
Minnie put her hand on his arm, drawing his eyes toward her. She said, still in a whisper, "Thank you for everything you did. My father explained what was going on last night. I'm sorry to have caused you so much extra work and trouble, but I'm glad you were able to apprehend the men involved."
Art's eyes scanned the outer room again before he quietly closed the door, turned to Minnie, and captured her face between his hands. "You are never allowed to scare me that way again, are we clear? Things could have gone wrong. There are so many ways you could have been hurt. Promise you'll think things through next time, or better yet, talk them over with me. Okay?"
Captivated by the light shining in his eyes, Minnie said, "I'll try, Arty."
Before she realized it was going to happen, Art closed the distance between them and kissed her. There was no reminder, as she'd feared there would be, of the kisses she had shared with William. Instead, this kiss was gentle and loving, making her feel precious and valuable. Art broke away before she had a chance to respond. She keenly felt the absence of his lips on hers. "I'm kind of partial to the name Arty when it comes from you," was all he said before he opened the door again and stepped out into the main room.
A moment later, as Minnie was getting ready to leave the sheriff's office, Deputy Jasper came in. He tipped his hat to her and said, "Good Day, Miss Minnie. Hope you're having a fine morning."
Minnie smiled at him absently and said, "Fine, indeed," before stepping out onto the boardwalk, bemused.
****
"Nice weather we're having, wouldn't you say, Sheriff?" Mr. Clement's cheerful voice greeted Art as he walked into the telegraph office.
"Almost good enough for a picnic," Art replied, smiling to himself as he remembered his feigned picnic conversation with the mayor the other day.
"Same direction?" Mr. Clement inquired.
Art nodded and said, "I wrote the message down. It's long." He then slid the paper across the counter to the man.
Package threatened. Two men arrested. One claims to be yours. Immediate response required.
"You ain't a kiddin' there, Sheriff. That's even longer than the last one. Where can I find you when a response comes in?"
"If I'm not at the sheriff's office, I'll be at home," he said. "And, Mr. Clement?" The older man pulled his eyes from his task and gave Art his attention. "After you've sent the telegram, destroy the paper it's on."
"I'll toss it into the fire, Sheriff. No one will ever lay eyes on it."
Art tipped his hat and said, "Much obliged," before walking back out the door.