Tarnished Angel (19 page)

    "Well, it's about time we got some answers!
Dammit
, it's been two weeks since Devina arrived. I promised her I'd find the thief who manhandled her on that stagecoach and threatened her life, and I intend to do it!" The thought again bringing him close to rage, Harvey continued with deeper emphasis, "I've demonstrated that I don't intend taking any further chances with my daughter's safety, and I don't intend to take any chances with the safety of our next payroll, either. I've seen to that by personally making arrangements with the president of
Wardway
Bank in Benson."

    " 'Personally'?"

    "Yes." Stepping closer to his partner, Harvey continued in a confidential tone, "Yes, I have. I've arranged by direct private correspondence with William Schmitt to have our next payroll shipped here covertly."

    "Covertly? Harvey, we've tried that already, and it didn't work. "

    "I've taken more precautions this time."

    George appeared unimpressed. "Just what are you contemplating doing?"

    "It is not what I'm contemplating, George. The correspondence has already been exchanged and the matter settled. The plan has been mutually approved and will be put into action with the next shipment."

    George's narrow face slowly stiffened. His resentment was obvious. "
Mutually
approved… without my being consulted? Am I to assume that I'm now included in the group under suspicion? I hope that isn't so, Harvey. I dislike having to remind you that we're partners.
Equal
partners. Somewhere along the line you seem to have forgotten that."

    Harvey Dale's handsome face twitched with annoyance. "I have no time for your injured feelings, George. What I've done, I've done for the good of the company, and I expect you to accept my decisions in that light."

    "Just as you would accept mine if the situation were reversed?"

    Harvey raised his gray eyebrows with undisguised disdain.

    "George, we're wasting time."

    George's expression grew cold. "All right, Harvey, tell me your plan."

    "The plan is simple. The bank will proceed with the usual arrangements to ship the payroll here to Tombstone. Then, at the last moment, the money will be diverted to a supply wagon, which will leave by another route while the bogus strongbox is loaded onto the stagecoach in the usual manner. The supply wagon will come here direct while the stagecoach continues its more circuitous route, diverting attention and any possible action from the true shipment."

    "Is that it?"

    "No, not exactly. I've instructed Bill Schmitt to limit the number of people involved to only the most trustworthy of his employees so as to minimize the risk and to narrow the circle of suspects should something go wrong. I've also decided we'll allow
Jobe
and Watts to handle the arrangements for the payroll in the usual manner so they won't suspect anything."

    "And if your plan doesn't work and the thieves discover your trick in time to go after the supply wagon?"

    "Then we'll know the information is leaking from the bank in Benson. Even if we lose the payroll, we'll have our first lead as to where to start asking questions."

    George paused. The lines in his face pulled into a frown as he appeared to study the plan in his mind.

    "Well, George, what do you think?"

   George stared into Harvey's eyes for long, silent moments. "Does it matter what I think, Harvey?"

    "George, let's not be pettish."

    A scoffing laugh escaped George's lips. "I think you would do well to remember that remark and repeat it to yourself at the appropriate time," he said. "I'm certain you'll find many instances when it will apply to your behavior far better than it does mine at present." Pausing to allow his jibe to register fully, George ignored the light flush that colored Harvey's face and continued in an even tone, "I also think, Harvey, that I'll go along with your plan because it's too late to do anything else. But I'll take this moment to remind you again that we
are
partners and that I expect to be consulted in all matters of importance to the operation of the mines. I will also state now that I do not intend our partnership to continue under the conditions you seem only too willing to adopt."

    Harvey's reply was stiff. "Am I to consider this an ultimatum, George?"

    "You may consider it whatever you like, but I advise you to remember my words, because I did not speak them lightly."

    Without another word, George turned toward the door. Within moments he had returned to the outer office, retrieved his hat, and was walking out into the midmorning sunshine of Allen Street.

    Harvey watched as his partner passed the office windows and walked out of his sight. Damn! What was wrong with George, anyway? He was usually so cooperative. He generally concurred with any business decisions Harvey made and was content to exercise his authority only over the legal aspects of company business. There had been no reason to believe George would take such offense at his secrecy.

    Harvey gave an annoyed sniff. Of course, George didn't mean what he said. He would get over his peeve; they had worked together so long… In actuality, Harvey supposed he could say that George was his only friend.

    Suddenly annoyed at his own train of thought, Harvey raised his chin with a familiar arrogance. Well, if that was the way George wanted it, so be it! In truth, Harvey had done what he deemed necessary, and the end would surely justify the means. When the payroll arrived in Tombstone safe and sound, George would change his tune. Until that time, to hell with his partner's   injured feelings. He wouldn't waste his time giving the matter another thought.

    Turning back to his desk with a frown, Harvey found himself impatient with the prospect of doing the paperwork that lay before him. Damn. Mired in paper, that's what he was! Well, he'd be damned if he'd spend another moment of this day buried under its deluge!

    Snatching his bowler from the rack, Harvey placed it squarely on his head and strode into the outer office. He spoke a few short words of instruction to his clerks and then, ignoring their curious glances, proceeded out onto the board sidewalk. He squinted into the bright sunlight and started forward in a confident step.

    Devina darted a short glance over her shoulder as she approached her home. She had no thought for the brilliant late-morning sunlight, which tinted her creamy complexion with a hint of pink and touched the pale silver-blond strands of her upswept coiffure with a shimmering brilliance. Neither did she give a thought to the pleasant breeze that moved the air, occasionally pressing the folds of her yellow batiste gown against her to emphasize the fullness of her firm young breasts and the purity of her body's slender lines.

    Instead, her mind was on the relentless watchdog her father had retained, the hired gun who had followed her every step for the past two weeks. But Sam Sharpe was no longer close at her heels. Instead, as was his custom when her home was in sight, he was crossing the narrow street toward the vantage point he usually assumed from which he carefully scrutinized the area.

    Devina's nerves were stretched to the breaking point. Closing her eyes briefly, she was grateful to be relieved of her uncomfortably close shadow if only for a little while as she continued toward the front door of her home. How much more could she take? Not only had she been forced to listen to the steady click of Sam Sharpe's boots against the boardwalk behind her the morning long, starting and stopping each time she paused before the shop windows, but she had also been forced to endure the growing familiarity of his gaze and manner as he occasionally drew far closer than she deemed truly necessary.

    Damn! How could her father continue to subject her to this? She had not had a moment's peace since she entered this disreputable frontier town. She was sick of being dogged at every step,   of never having a moment to herself. So tense had she become that she was usable to shake a sense of being watched even when she was in the privacy of her own room. Had it not been truly frightening, she would have laughed at the number of times she had walked to her window to stare at the nearly barren hills in the distance in an effort to reassure herself that her unreasonable obsession was all in her mind.

    But she had ascertained one thing in the past two weeks: She would get no reassurance against her hidden fear from her father. In truth, she was beginning to believe it was her father's repeatedly voiced concern for her safety that had caused this anxiety to develop. Surely, had it not been for the daily reinforcement of that anxiety in the persons of Sam Sharpe and Wally Smith, she would have been able to force her thoughts from the memory of that first day and the man who had held her prisoner so briefly.

    Devina paused as she approached her house. That feeling of being watched… it was presently so strong that she had to force herself to continue forward in a sedate step. Memories began to flood her mind. Chills raced down her spine despite the heat of the day, and she was suddenly all but running up the front steps of the house.

    Stepping onto the porch at last, Devina took a deep breath. Damn, she would never escape those memories if her father's fears continued to feed her own! She reached for the doorknob, only to have it drawn from her grasp as the door opened abruptly to Lai Hua's smile.

    "You have finished with your shopping, Miss Devina? I have been awaiting your return. Dr. Carter stopped by to leave word when he would call for you this evening."

    "You may tell me what Dr. Carter had to say later, Lai Hua."

    Needing a few moments to pull herself together, Devina entered the foyer and placed her purchases on the chair beside the door. She reached up to remove her hat. Realizing that her hands were shaking visibly, she brought them back to her sides. Damn! This could not go on!

    A sound made her turn as the library door opened to reveal Harvey Dale's impressive figure. Devina's frown darkened, and her father stopped short. A hesitant smile played at the corners of his lips.

    "Devina, such enthusiasm at my unexpected appearance. I came home early with the express intention of taking you to lunch. You have not yet eaten, have you, dear?"

    "No, Father. I have not eaten, nor do I wish to eat."

    All pretense of a smile vanished from Harvey Dale's face. "Is something wrong, Devina?"

    Devina took a deep breath. "Yes something is wrong, Father, very wrong. I will no longer suffer the intrusions on my privacy you are forcing me to bear."

    "Intrusions on your privacy?"

    "How can I be expected to enjoy even the simplest pleasures with that unsavory character you hired dogging my heels every step of the way?"

    "Are you referring to Sam, Devina?"

    "Who else?"

    Harvey Dale's face was immediately alert. "Has Sam stepped beyond his bounds with you, Devina?"

    "In so many ways that I could not begin to count them."

    "I would appreciate it if you would be more explicit."

    "Father, I am annoyed just by the knowledge that he is there, at my heels."

    "Sam's presence is necessary for your own safety."

    "My safety, my safety… I'm tired of hearing about my safety! I would like to hear a little more about my independence being returned, and my peace of mind. Father, Sam Sharpe would not be at all necessary if the lawmen of Tombstone were not so inept! Has there been no progress at all in catching the men you feel are a threat to my safety? Surely something can be done."

    "Devina, dear, please." Conscious of his daughter's truly agitated state, Harvey shot a quick look toward Lai Hua, who stood in silent, anxious observation a few feet away.

    "Lai Hua, Miss Devina and I are going into the library. Have Molly make some tea immediately and bring it in to us as soon as it is ready."

    Not sparing a glance for Lai Hua as she turned to do his bidding, Harvey ushered Devina into the room across from the staircase and closed the door behind them. He attempted to seat her, but she brushed off his had and walked to the window, her agitation increasing.

    Taking the few steps to his daughter's side, Harvey looked down into her tense expression. His voice was filled with regret. "Devina, dear, I'm so sorry. I would not have put you through this for all the world."

       But Devina would not be mollified. "Father, my coming to Tombstone was a mistake from the first. Despite its attempt to present a civilized appearance, this town is little more than a frontier outpost."

    "Devina, dear, you're upset."

    "Yes, I'm upset, but that has no bearing on what I've said. By what scale do you measure civilization, Father? Do you measure it by the number of stores that line the main street? By the number of theaters or newspapers in town? By the number of prestigious organizations to whose rolls you might add your name?"

    "If you're referring to Tombstone's professional organizations"

    "No, I am not referring to any of the things Tombstone has to offer. I'm referring to the thing that Tombstone does
not
have to offer specifically, safety under the law."