Lauri Robinson (2 page)

The sound caused his back to stiffen. “It is official business, Miss Christenson, nothing I can share with you.” He pulled open the center desk drawer, lifted out a large ring of keys. “Now, if you will excuse me, I’m needed elsewhere.” Without giving her a chance to protest, he squeezed past her and strode across the room to pull open the door.

When she didn’t move, he waved a hand toward the opening.

Thankfully, she didn’t question his gesture. Head held high, tight, blonde curls bobbed as she stomped out the door. He locked the solid entranceway, having no doubt if he didn’t, she’d be sitting inside, waiting, when he returned.

Chapter Two

Hannah’s knees still felt weak as she walked into the kitchen and plopped onto the chair near the back door. What was she going to do? Sheriff McBride knew something was up, she could feel it. Lawmen were astute. “I suspect that’s why they’re lawmen,” she sighed.

If she were still in Ohio, she would go for a walk in the woods, give her troubled mind an opportunity to process. But trees were a rarity in Kansas. She could walk from one end of Blue Spring to the other and only find the few cottonwoods planted in the city park across the street from the boarding house.

She reached behind her back to untie the long apron sash, and then stood to slip the garment over her head. After hanging it on the hook near the back door, she stepped outside, willing to give anything a try. Without a little time to think, she wouldn’t be any good in the kitchen. Besides, there were no boarders to worry about feeding lunch, and there was plenty of ham left from last night to make a sandwich for Birdie.

Dry grass crunched beneath her feet. The late morning sun was hot. Heat quickly penetrated the cotton of her dress. Rounding the corner of the house, she paused to look down the street and make sure Adam McBride no longer walked along the boardwalk.

His office stood on the other end of town, but Blue Spring was small, and the newly remodeled Sheriff’s Office easy to spot. The structure made of solid, red bricks stood out, amongst other buildings built of wood weathered from the unrelenting sun and wind, like a beacon.

Sweat began to dot her temples. She crossed the street, seeking the shade the small park would offer, as well as the solitude. Unable to keep her eyes and mind off the jail house, her feet increased the speed of her steps when the door of the building opened.

Walking into the shade of the first available tree, she slipped behind the narrow trunk to watch the sheriff and Abigail Christenson walk out of the building. She frowned, and tried to remember what Birdie had said about the other woman. He locked the door and tipped the rim of his black hat before he turned and walked away from the woman. Abigail flounced her gold curls, swirled around, and glided down the boardwalk in the opposite direction.

Hannah moved from behind the tree and walked the short distance to the next one. Several birds fluttered out of the branches, as if her presence disturbed them. She watched them glide through the air then settle into the branches of the furthest cottonwood. The oval-shaped leaves fluttered as the birds found thin twigs to perch on. After the last one was settled, she pulled her gaze from the tree to glance in the direction the sheriff had taken.

He wasn’t amongst the few men on the streets. Perhaps he’d entered the bank building or the telegraph office. Her heart skipped a beat. Was he sending messages about her? She twisted about, pressed fingers against her temples. How in heavens had her life become so out of control? She began to move, walk through the small grove of trees. “I suspect that’s how most criminals feel. It’s not as if I woke up one morning and said, ‘I think I shall become an outlaw today.’”

The birds scattered again. She could relate to them. “I truly thought Kansas would be far enough away.”

“Yoo-hoo, Mrs. Stewart!”

It took Hannah a second before she realized someone called to her. She turned around to gaze toward the voice.

Abigail Christenson lifted her skirt a touch higher to step off the boardwalk and onto the grass of the park. “Yoo-hoo, Mrs. Stewart.” The blonde waved.

“H-hello, Miss Christenson.” Hannah stalled in the shade to wait for the other woman. She’d met Abigail Christenson at Sunday services. The woman always dressed immaculately. Hannah wondered how she did it in this heat.

“Are you taking a stroll through our garden today?”

Hannah glanced around. The “garden” held a total of ten half-grown trees and a small patch of sunflowers. But considering it was in the middle of the nation’s prairie, it must be something the town was proud of. “Yes, the shade is quite lovely.”

“It will take a few more years for the trees to mature, and I have ideas for more flower beds, a gazebo, and a bench or two.” Abigail glanced around as she spoke. Her eyes came back to Hannah. “But of course, I have to wait for the city council to approve my requests.”

“Hmm,” Hannah nodded, not knowing what else to do or say.

“Of course, things will move along much more quickly once I have it named.”

“Named?”

“Oh, yes. McBride Park. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you agree?”

“McBride Park?”

Abigail Christenson rubbed her chin as she replied, “Mmm, yes. City parks should be named after the town’s most prominent citizens, and all of Blue Spring knows that would be the McBrides.”

“It would?” Hannah’s knees began to wobble.

“Oh, yes. Why they practically own the town. And rightfully so. They founded it.”

“The McBride brothers founded Blue Spring?” She reached out to stable her stance by resting one hand on the nearby tree. The spindly trunk swayed beneath her touch.

“Well, no. Their parents did, along with the Hollingsfords.”

“Birdie’s family?”

Abigail rolled her eyes to the sky. “Yes, but Birdie’s son, Evan, well, let’s just say he’s about as far from a prominent citizen as they come.”

“But he’s the town banker.”

“Only because his cousins are the McBrides.”

Hannah leaned harder on the small tree. Why is it nothing in her life could go smoothly? The last thing she needed was to butt heads with another man who owned a town. That’s what had made her become a criminal. She pressed her other hand to her forehead.

Abigail didn’t seem to notice the anxiety rippling her body and continued talking, “It will have to wait until after the wedding, of course.”

“What?”

“The naming ceremony. It will have to wait until after the wedding. Then the council will have to approve my requests.”

“Who’s wedding?”

“Mine and Adam’s of course.”

For some reason her stomach fell. She was afraid to glance down, it might be laying on the ground near her feet. “You’re marrying Adam McBride?”

“Well of course. He’s the only one left.” Abigail clucked her tongue in disgust. “Calvin married that widow from Texas who does little more than ride a horse all day, and Jake married Emma Binns even though he promised her father he’d never touch her again after that incident at his homecoming party.” A tight smile pulled her lips together. “But it has all worked out for the best. Being the sheriff, Adam is a more appropriate husband for me.”

“Really.” Hannah should be happy, if the sheriff was active with wedding plans, maybe he was too busy to worry about her. Then why did she have this sick, sinking feeling? She pushed away from the tree. “Excuse me, Miss Christenson, but I need to get back to the boarding house.”

“Oh, well, yes, I have things to do, too.”

“Good day,” Hannah said as she hurried away from the woman.

“Toodle-doo, Mrs. Stewart. I’ll be sure you’re invited to the wedding. It could be any day now.”

Hannah made no outward sign she’d heard. Her stomach was back and threatening to erupt.

****

Adam waved at Andrew Colfax as he entered the bank.

The young man, with glasses thicker than a Mason jar, lifted a hand in greeting from behind the bar-encased teller counter. “Hello, Sheriff.”

“Is he in his office?”

“Yes, sir. Mr. Hollingsford is in his office.”

Adam strolled across the room. “How’s your new wife doing?”

Andrew turned the color of beet juice. “Oh, fine, sir, thank you.” He gave a nervous glance about the empty room before he added, “She thinks we might be expecting.”

“Well, congratulations. You didn’t waste any time did you? The wedding was just last month wasn’t it?”

Even the tips of Andrew’s overly large ears glowed red as he stuttered, “T-t- three m-months.” He swallowed. “We were married three months ago, sir.”

Adam paused at the door. “Oh, was it that long ago?”

The man nodded.

Time had seemed to stand still since Hannah Stewart had come to town. “Oh, well, give Sarah my congratulations as well,” he said absently as he pushed open the solid oak door.

“I thought I heard your voice.” Evan Hollingsford relaxed against the high-back, leather chair and threw the pencil in his hand onto the desk top.

Adam closed the door, half of his mind wondered what else he’d missed while focused on Hannah. He shook his head, tossing the cobwebs about and walked to the chairs in front of Evan’s desk. “Yeah, it’s me.”

“What can I do for you? You look befuddled.” Evan folded both arms across his chest.

“Befuddled?” He took a seat.

“Yes, you know confused, dazed, baffled?”

“I know what befuddled means. I just thought Aunt Birdie was the only one who used that word.”

His cousin laughed. “Like mother, like son.” He leaned forward. “So, what’s up?”

Evan was several years younger than Adam and his brothers. Luckily, he’d grown into a good man, and didn’t carry a grudge for all the nasty pranks he, Cal, and Jake had played on Evan during their school days. The McBride boys, when younger, had not been known for their kindness, and he was sure the whole town of Blue Spring had let out a sigh of relief when the school year ended and they returned home to the ranch. Living so far from town, traveling everyday to school was out of the question, for most of the school year they’d lived in town with Aunt Birdie and Evan.

“Yoo-hoo, Sheriff McBride,” Evan screeched, in a voice remarkably close to Abigail Christenson.

It pulled Adam’s mind back to the present. He tugged his face into a nasty scowl, glared across the desk.

Evan laughed good-heartedly. When Adam cracked a smile, he said, “So, is this business or just a friendly visit?”

Adam leaned back in his chair. “You know Hannah Stewart?”

“Mother’s new cook? Of course. Why?”

“She do much banking with you?”

“No, none? Why?”

“Oh, no reason really, just a gut feeling I got.”

Evan rested his elbows on his desk. The frown on his face showed concern. “Gut feeling? Tell me more, Adam. The woman is living with my mother.”

Adam held up a hand. “No, no, Birdie isn’t in any danger. I just have a feeling Hannah Stewart is hiding something. I thought maybe it was money.”

“Well, she hasn’t set foot in the bank. Hasn’t opened an account or anything. I know mother is paying her a wage besides room and board, but I’m sure it isn’t enough to worry about keeping in the bank.”

Adam nodded, scratched at an itch near his ear.

“You want me to do some checking?”

“Checking?”

Evan reached for his pencil and a clean piece of paper. “Yeah, some checking. I can wire some other banks, see if she has accounts elsewhere.”

“That’s a good idea. Can you check with banks in Ohio?”

Evan wrote on the paper. “Sure, anywhere else?”

“Not right now, but I’ll let you know.”

“It may take a few days.” Evan laid the pencil on the paper, leaned back again. “So, how is Abigail?”

Adam’s body quivered.

Chapter Three

Preparing the evening meal, Hannah bustled about the kitchen. She checked the biscuits turning golden-brown in the oven one more time before carrying place settings into the dining room. It would just be the two regular boarders besides her and Birdie tonight. The boys, Tom and Joe, had only been able to spend one night. Her cousins were the only family she had. The thought of them made a smile pull at her lips as she set the plates and silverware around the long table. It had been so kind of the boys to ride over to make sure she’d arrived in Blue Spring without any problems.

Her stomach flipped. She’d arrived okay—it was staying here where the problems lie. This morning’s encounter with Sheriff McBride, and her visit with Abigail Christenson in the park, had left her nerves raw. She paused in the arched doorway between the dining room and kitchen to take a deep breath. After exhaling, she attempted to shake off an eerie feeling and proceeded to the stove.

“Dear all that’s holy!” Birdie’s voice bounced off the walls.

Hannah juggled the hot pan of biscuits, quickly setting them on top of the stove before the pan fell from her startled fingers. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, child. Other than you’re gonna spoil these boarders to the point they’ll move out after you leave. Whatever you’re cooking has my mouth watering so much my tongue’s getting scared I might take a bite out of it.” Birdie ambled to the stove to lift the lid from the pot of beef stew.

Wiping her hands with her apron, Hannah frowned. “Leave?”

Birdie patted her shoulder. “Of course you’ll be leaving. All the good ones do. Get themselves married. That’s what happened to Emma, the cook I had before you. She married Jake, the town’s doctor. Thank goodness it was only a couple of weeks before you arrived.”

“I have no intention of getting married.”

“Oh, none of the other ones admitted it either. But then one of those McBride boys come along and off goes my cook,” Birdie said.

Hannah piled the biscuits onto a plate. “The McBride
boys
?” From what she’d seen, all three of the McBride brothers stood over six feet and could hardly be called boys.

“Yes, the only one left now is Adam. Looks like you’ll be getting the best one of the bunch.”

This time she did drop the biscuits. Frozen like an icicle in January, she could do nothing but stare as the plate bounced and the bread rolled across the floor like billiard balls.