Prime Catch (23 page)

“Sure, I can.” Kata slipped it into a locked wardrobe. “So Joey can’t get it.” She laughed. “He’s such a scamp.”

Sitting at the kitchen table in the Nikolaevich home, Kata poured the tea and set a plate of sugar cookies in front of Sarah, who inspected the fragrant delights. “Mmm, those smell fresh baked.”

“They’re Ivan’s favorite. Help yourself.” As Sarah bit into one of the cookies, Kata watched her thoughtfully. “Have you heard anything about the detective licenses yet?”

“We should hear soon. Amos is so confident that we passed, he’s been asking around about an office or storefront.”

“I’m sure you’ll pass, too. The way you both brought down that murderous gang...”

Sarah shook her head. “We were fortunate Sally was willing to testify. That was hard for her, to have to face her brother in court, knowing she was surely sending him to prison―or death.”

“Have you heard if the canneries have taken the salmon traps down?”

“No, they’re not willing to. I think it’s foolish, after all that death because of them, but I guess they think making money is more important. I hope no more of our people try to take things into their own hands.”

Kata sighed. “Americans will be sorry when there’s no salmon left.”

Sarah gave a snort. “They’ll just go after something else to make money.” She took a sip of tea. “I hope you and Ivan are coming to the dinner tomorrow night at Mother’s.”

“Won’t miss it. I’m glad Amos is becoming part of the family. This is a good way to welcome him.”

Joey woke up a few minutes later, and Sarah gave Kata her thanks and goodbye. She was looking forward to the honors dinner. This would be a formal welcome into the family for Amos two days before the ceremony.

A stiff breeze from the channel ruffled her hair and threatened to lift her new cloche hat. It matched the rest of her recently purchased outfit. She had figured she should get into stylish fashion if they were to run a business. Anyway, the shorter skirts were nicer than the old heavy wool ones she’d had to wear as a uniform.

Suddenly she heard an auto horn cough that scared her to death. Amos pulled to the curb and leaned to the open window. “Hey, doll, want a ride?”

She put her hands on her hips. “Who are you? A masher or something?”

A smug expression crossed his face. “Just get your carcass in here, woman. We’ve got errands to run. We both passed the test.”

She whooped and jumped onto the seat. “We’ve got our licenses already?”

Amos grinned. “Yep. We have to go to the photographer for identification pictures. Then we’re going to the courthouse for a business license and our marriage license.”

Sarah planted a kiss on his lips, which he didn’t fight a bit. “You sure know what to say to a girl to get her worked up.”

He sighed as he pulled back. “You keep that up, we’ll never get anything done.”

Later, on Sarah’s porch, they were engaged in telling each other goodbye. She threw her arms around his neck. “The Darcy Detective Agency sounds so good. It fairly rolls off the tongue.” She ran her hands over his rough face. “You know, running a business, you should keep clean-shaved.”

He glanced at the toe of his boot. “If I have things on my mind, I tend to forget.”

“Well, you’ll have me to remind you.”

“Nag like a fisher’s wife,” he muttered almost under his breath.

“I haven’t even begun yet.” She laughed as his mouth formed a straight line.

“All right! But the mustache stays.”

“Agreed. You wouldn’t be my Amos without it.”

His gray eyes softened. “I love you.” Finding her lips with his own, he kissed her thoroughly, and they clung to each other. Sarah didn’t want him to go, because he took a little piece of her every time. “I’ll come for you tomorrow at four.”

She sat on the porch railing as he drove out of sight.
We’ve been tested, but we haven’t been found wanting.
She sincerely hoped the worst of their trials were over.

****

Carefully placing the honors gifts in a crate, Amos settled them in the back seat of the Ford. He knew her family well, but a certain nervousness tightened his stomach. This dinner was the first step to the wedding, and he was as jittery as a flea on a hot plate. Too much of the old life was gone. His new life was heading at him as if he were stuck on the tracks and heard the express train whistle.

He climbed into the driver’s seat and felt a little better. He even hummed “Green Grow the Lilacs” because it reminded him of Sarah and their impromptu hiking song. Love for her swelled as he saw her hurry off the porch to greet him. He went around the auto to open her door and was met with a passionate kiss. “You want us to miss dinner? Grace wouldn’t be happy.” He blew out a breath and tried to control the intense tingling the kiss had instigated.

Sarah laughed. “I miss you when you’re not around.” She gave him the once over. “I’m glad you shaved. You’re so handsome that way.”

He helped her into the auto and slid into the driver’s seat. “I looked at several offices today and found a good one.”

“Where?”

“Not far from the courthouse. It has two offices and a reception area.”

Sarah bounced in her seat. “I’m getting excited about this. Our own business!”

They arrived at Grace’s home with a song in their hearts. After helping Sarah out of the car, he hefted the crate. They were greeted by the family at the door and ushered in to where the table was spread with various vegetables, fruits, and breads, all surrounding a magnificent smoked salmon.

Amos rose after dinner and brought over the crate. “Will told me it was customary to offer honors gifts to the bride’s family, so I brought this.” He reached in and took out the first gift. “Will, you told me you wanted to carve a totem for the family, so I got some carving tools for you.”

Will accepted them gratefully.

“Mary, I know you love to knit, so here’s twenty skeins of the finest Merino wool from Australia.”

Mary ran her hand over the yarn. “Oh, my! It’s so soft.”

“For the twins, the books
The Wizard of Oz
and
Winnie the Pooh
. The love of reading is the basis of a good education.” He turned to Kata. “For you is a new pattern book for theater costumes.”

She smiled. “I’ve been wanting to get that one.”

“Ivan, I’ve got a carpenter’s T-square to help with your construction.”

Ivan gave a hearty laugh. “You must have known I lost mine.”

“For Joey, there’s a box of building blocks, in case he takes after his old man.” He handed the next item to Jane. “I know you love gardening, but you always complain about your knees. Here’s a padded kneeler for working outside.”

Jane stood and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

“And for you, Grace. You told me you’d love to have the means to make sausages. I got a sausage stuffer and casings for you.”

Grace rose with tears in her eyes. “You have honored this family well with your thoughtful gifts. I am happy that you are the man Sarah chose.” The relations closed around Amos and, for the first time since his parents died, he felt part of a family.

****

Later, in front of her house, Sarah was ensconced in Amos’ strong arms. He pulled back and cupped her cheeks. “I know there’s no honors gifts for the bride, but I want you to know, all I can give you is myself. We don’t have much, and we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel for money, but I will always love you and care for you.”

She snuggled down again and felt the warmth of his body all around her. “That’s all I ask. As long as you’re there, I’m at home.”

The morning of the wedding, Will’s truck stopped by the curb. Sarah waved out the window, then gathered her things and went out and climbed into the truck. The gloom and gray of the fog rivaled the sunshine in her soul. Amos won’t run off like George did.
George never loved me. Now, he’s going to be tried for murder.
Sarah felt sorry for his wife and children, but he was paying the price for his own choices. If only he would have put his family first.

Will glanced over as they navigated through the dark streets. “You seem awfully quiet this morning.”

Sarah sighed. “I was thinking about George and how lucky I am to have Amos.”

“I know it didn’t seem so at the time, but your best day was when George left.”

Sarah stretched her legs and put her head back. The shadows of the mists changed shapes and played with her mind. Phantasms lay outside, but she was safe. She didn’t realize that sleep had overcome her until Will turned onto the primitive road to the meetinghouse. Bear Rock loomed ahead like a massive dark object. She breathed easier when she saw Ivan’s truck. Kata was here with her gown.

In the small outbuilding opposite the meeting house, Kata and her mother helped Sarah dress. When the glistening white folds of the skirt had settled in layers, her mother opened a wooden box with a small key. “This is my headband and necklace from my wedding. I want you to wear it.” She carefully lifted the items made of cobalt beads and delicate dentalium shells.

Sarah ran her fingers over the jewelry. “Oh, it’s beautiful!”

Her mother tied the headband over Sarah’s dark hair and clasped the ten-string necklace at her nape. “Perfect. Just perfect.” She stood by Kata, and tears started to well up. “I’ve waited so long for this day.”

Kata hurried to the door and peeked out. “Looks like people are here now. Mary and I should get the cedar boughs.” She waved Sarah over. “Amos is here.”

Sarah gave a small gasp. He wore a brown-and-black tunic made of leather and cloth decorated with beads and ermine tails. A beaded leather headband was tied on his hair. The puffs of gray fog on the scene gave it a magical quality. He seemed a mythical hero.

Kata slid past with the boughs and found Mary. They proceeded into the meeting house to wave the boughs in a ceremony to cleanse the area. The guests were all in the meetinghouse and the procession was forming outside. Five of Will’s friends arrived with Will, hauling the platform chair they would carry Sarah on. The chair was secured to the platform by four metal braces and screws. Three long poles extended underneath with enough coming out on either side to carry. The whole thing was on four short legs that stabilized it while on the ground.

As Amos neared the entrance to the meetinghouse, Sarah silently came out of the outbuilding to watch. At the doorway, he paused, then blew eagle feather fluff into the air to bring peace to those assembled.

By now, Sarah had moved next to Will, near the door. Amos started a respectable eagle dance, swooping and weaving to the sound of the ceremonial drum. She turned and grinned at Will. “You taught him well,” she whispered close to his ear.

Will had an impish smile. “Pretty good for an American. Ready to get up in the chair?” He gave her a hand onto the platform. “Hang on. We’ll be as careful as we can.”

She clasped the seat and steadied herself as Will and his friends lifted the chair. An audible “Ohh” reached her ears as she sailed into the room on her flying carpet―or so it seemed. Amos looked thunderstruck, unable to take his gaze off her. Her complement of carriers set her gently down in front of the Tlingit Chief of Juneau, Ray Johns, and their pastor. She rose regally, and Will helped her down, then escorted her to Amos and joined their hands. The couple faced the pastor while Sarah’s family draped her with a bear robe. Sam put an eagle robe on Amos, and Sarah knew it was reasoned that the eagle was the American totem.

The pastor proceeded with the official Christian wedding ceremony, until it was time for the vows. Everything paused as Sarah’s family laid a large wool blanket over both Amos and Sarah. Then the vows and rings were exchanged.

Sarah saw great love and tenderness that she hadn’t fully realized existed in Amos’ soul, but it shone brightly as he repeated the vows. She choked a little on hers, because of a massive lump in her throat that threatened to give way to sobs.

After the pastor had pronounced them husband and wife, the chief stood. “I, too, give this union my blessing. This shows that our people are civilized and worthy to become citizens in their own right. May this couple be blessed with wealth and prosperity and children who will honor them.”

Sarah’s family then removed the wool blanket and the totem robes, and the pastor announced, “Where two came in, one in the spirit of a new family will leave. I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Amos Darcy.”

Sarah gazed deep into Amos’ gray eyes, finding nothing but love there. He tenderly embraced and kissed her as if for the first time. Her eyes streamed with tears at the intensity of the moment. And then the drumbeat began again, accompanied by applause from the many friends and family assembled.

Her mother stood up in the front of the meetinghouse. “You’re all invited to the feast at our home to honor my daughter and son.”

Everyone got into their autos and wound their way through fog to the Lakat home. Before anyone could turn around twice, there were platters of salmon and trout, surrounded with everything that was ripe in the garden. Bread and rolls of all shapes, with fresh-churned butter, added to the aroma. Summer berry pies were still warm from the oven.

Sarah laughed and hugged her mother. “Putting on an old-fashioned potlatch?”

Amos and some of the other Americans asked what a potlatch was.

Grace gave a hearty laugh. “This was done ages ago. When someone considered themselves wealthy, they would put on a feast for the neighbors. Tons of food would be eaten for the whole day. It was considered impolite if you didn’t vomit.”

Amos twisted his lips. “Sounds delightful.”

Sarah continued, “In fact, I think the European Romans had a similar feast, if I remember my history correctly.”

Amos snorted. “The Romans did everything to excess.” He leaned in to her ear. “Even―I’ll show you later.”

Her head swirled with his words, and a tingling tightness to her chest and warm cream between her legs responded to them. She couldn’t wait for the feast to be over.

Finally, they were thanking everyone and telling their family and friends goodbye. Sarah turned to her mother. “Thank you to you and Aunt Jane for such a feast.”