Chapter Seventeen.html

Seamus tugged on Heather’s sleeve. “The sheriff is coming.”

She unfastened her apron and stepped onto the front porch. The sheriff, flanked by Mitchell and Mr. Kelemen, approached.

“Fetch Sterling,” she said. “He’s in the barn. And Joe. Tell him I need someone to look out for Gracie for a short time.”

The sheriff reined his horse. “I’ve got an arrest warrant for Otto Berg.”

“Otto Berg?” Heather asked, unable to hide her shock. “What’s happened?”

Mr. Kelemen raised his hand. “Perhaps we should wait for explanations until Mr. Blackwell appears.”

“Explain away,” Sterling said from behind her, startling them all. “What’s this about arresting Otto?”

The sheriff swung off his horse and propped one foot on the bottom stair. “Apparently Mr. Kelemen was concerned when Otto Berg petitioned to buy the Blackwell Ranch. Your employees supplied us with the accounting ledgers for the ranch from the past few years. Mitchell here went through the paperwork and discovered several discrepancies.”

Heather touched her cheek. “But there’s no way to prove that Otto stole the money.”

“As a matter of fact there is, Mrs. Blackwell. Mr. Kelemen and Mitchell, along with myself, were able to match the amount of money Mr. Berg deposited in his checking account with the amount of money he was stealing from the late Mr. Blackwell,” the sheriff said, before he headed toward the bunkhouse in search of Otto.

Mr. Kelemen balanced precariously on his horse, his short legs splayed over the horse’s round belly. “Apparently the late Mr. Blackwell had started an investigation into the matter months ago. The confusion surrounding his sudden death put the investigation on hiatus. When Mitchell and I discovered the discrepancies in the books, we contacted the bank. Our inquiries revived the investigation and led us to Mr. Berg.”

“What’s going to happen to him?” Sterling asked.

“He’ll be arrested on charges of fraud. He’ll also be arraigned on charges of child endangerment and child abandonment.”

“I don’t understand,” Heather said, exchanging a glance with Sterling.

“I can explain,” Mitchell said. “After Mr. Berg gave his testimony, the judge in town recalled an article he’d read in the newspaper about a certain mail-order baby. He contacted the reporter, who put him in touch with the authorities in Ohio. We’ve got a witness from a girls’ school who will testify that she was paid by Otto Berg to deliver the child to Butte. The porter from the train can identify him. Given all the evidence, we can tie him to the abandonment. That’s a lot of evidence against Mr. Berg.”

“The ranch is yours, Mrs. Blackwell,” Mr. Kelemen declared. “Free and clear. Otto made the purchase with embezzled money, which makes any deal he made null and void. He’ll be spending the next few years in jail.”

Heather clasped her hands together. “That’s what you were trying to tell me before.”

“I couldn’t reveal all the details. I didn’t want Otto to know we had discovered his crime. He might have tried to run. Don’t be too angry with that reporter. He found most of the information for us.”

Sterling nudged Heather in the side. “See? You didn’t have to solve everything all by yourself.”

“You’re a fine one to talk.”

As if on cue, the sheriff dragged Otto from the bunkhouse. The foreman shouted and hollered before the stunned ranch hands.

“This is outrageous,” Otto blustered. “You have absolutely no right.”

“Actually, Mr. Berg,” the sheriff said. “I have every right. I’m taking you to jail.”

“The child is mine.” Otto broke free and rushed toward the house. “Stop this travesty or I’ll tell everyone the truth.”

Sterling shoved Heather behind him and held out a restraining arm. The sheriff caught up to Otto and tackled him into the snow beneath the tree they’d decorated in the front yard.

“Everyone already knows the truth,” the sheriff said, yanking Otto’s arm behind his back. “We know all about how you used that child to blackmail Sterling and his wife. No judge is going to let you use that ploy a second time.”

“This is all a mistake.”

“Then we can let the lawyers figure out the details.”

Heather placed a hand on Sterling’s arm. “Are you all right? He was like a father to you.”

Sterling’s jaw tensed. “He lost my regard when he threatened your safety.”

“I think he loved you boys at one time, in his own way. But he became obsessed with owning the ranch, and that soured his thinking.”

“Maybe.”

“I hope you can remember the man he was when you were younger.”

“You’re an awfully forgiving person.”

“I prayed,” Heather said. “A lot. I had a hard time forgiving him for what he did to Gracie. In the end, I realized his abandonment of her was his loss. He’ll never know what it’s like to be loved by such a sweet child.”

“Come along, Mrs. Blackwell.” Sterling lifted her by the waist and spun her around until she shrieked for him to put her down. “Let’s unpack those boxes.”

“Nothing would give me more joy.” She laughed.

“Hmm,” Sterling said. “I can think of one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“How about a brother or a sister for Gracie?”

“I love you, Sterling. And not just because you always have the best ideas.”

“You also love me for my good looks.”

“That too.”

He rubbed his chin. “And for my enormous brain.”

“It’s the first thing I noticed about you.”

He threaded his fingers through hers and tugged on her hand. “I love you, Heather.”

“I love you too,” she said. “God was looking out for us.”

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