The Heart's Pursuit (29 page)

A short while later, her conversation with Corinne Duvall completed, Silver went looking for Dean. She finally spied him kneeling on the flat stones that surrounded the pond and fountain at the center of the terraced gardens. He leaned forward at the waist, staring intently into the water.

“Dean?” Silver called as she drew near. “Don’t fall in.”

He didn’t look up. “I won’t.”

“What are you doing?”

“Just watchin’ the goldfish.”

Silver couldn’t help noting the changes the past week of good food and plenty of sleep and the kindness of the women in the house had wrought in Dean. He was so much more the little boy he was meant to be. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe the pain and anger of losing his parents were so swiftly forgotten. But for today, for this moment, he was merely a child at play. She wanted to make certain he could continue that way in the future.

“Come over here, please.” She settled onto a nearby bench and patted the space beside her.

Dean dropped a couple of small pebbles into the pond. Then he jumped to his feet and came to her. “Is Mr. Newman comin’ back today? You said he might.”

“Perhaps.” Silver put her arm around his shoulders. “Dean, I have something important to ask you. When . . .
when I leave Virginia City, I want you to go with me. To Colorado. Would you like to do that?”

He tipped his head, peering up at her with a puzzled expression. “I thought that’s what I was doing all along. I mean, you coulda left me plenty of times if you’d wanted. You coulda left me with that sheriff.”

“Yes.” She offered a fleeting smile. “That’s true.”

“Will Mr. Newman be goin’ to Colorado too?”

The plan she had concocted with Jared the previous night flitted through her mind. If all went well today, the three of them
and
Matt Carlton would be going to Colorado. But she couldn’t tell Dean that. She wanted him to continue to drop pebbles into a pond and watch fat goldfish swim about in the murky depths for as long as possible.

“Yes,” she answered at last.

“Then I reckon it’s a good idea.”

“I’m glad.” She gave his shoulders a squeeze.

“Miss Silver?”

“Mmm.”

“What am I gonna ride when we go? Mr. Newman sold the packhorse.”

“Don’t you worry, Dean. We’ll figure that out when the time comes.”
And if all goes well today, that time is almost here
. She rose from the bench. “I have an errand to do in town, but I’ll see you before . . . before bedtime. Mind Miss Corinne.”

“Sure.” The boy hopped up and hurried back to the edge of the pond. “See ya later.”

Jared, his hat brim pulled low on his forehead, stepped into the spacious lobby of the Grant Hotel. His eyes swept the room. There was a gentleman seated near the window, a folded newspaper in one hand, a smoking pipe in the other. Another man, accompanied by his wife, stood before the desk. The clerk stared down his nose as he observed the guest signing in. A bellboy waited off to one side, his arms laden with luggage. Through an arched doorway, Jared saw tables covered with white linen cloths. Waitresses in crisp aprons and caps bustled about, serving breakfast.

Jared had told Silver he would watch for her arrival in the restaurant of the Grant. He selected a table with a clear view of the lobby and sat with his back to the wall. When the waitress came, he ordered coffee. Then he settled in to wait—and even said a quick prayer that all would go according to plan. After a long silence, he was finding it easier these days to talk with God. Something he had Silver to thank for.

Silver arrived at the agreed-upon time, looking beautiful in one of the dresses Corinne Duvall had provided. Soon enough, she would change into the clothes she’d worn on her way to Nevada. He would be glad to see her in riding skirt and blouse. It was the way she’d looked when he learned to love her.

Jared knew she saw him, even though she didn’t look his way.

He watched as she turned toward the staircase and smiled. Which meant Matt Carlton was coming down to meet her. Her note must have worked. All Jared could do now was hope he didn’t come to regret giving in to this plan of hers.

Carlton stepped into view, and Jared tensed. He was so close. So close to bringing in the man who’d murdered his family. So close to putting an end to this chapter of his life. So close to starting over, becoming something better.

Be careful, Silver. Whatever you do, be careful!

Nerves erupted with fresh fury in Silver’s stomach as Matt Carlton stopped the horse and buggy in a meadow surrounded by scrub pine and firs. They were a good distance from town and the mines. The only sounds were the buzz of insects and the whisper of a hot breeze through the dry grass.

Carlton pulled some blankets from the back of Corinne’s buggy, along with the picnic basket Silver had brought with her, and placed them in the shade. Then he returned and offered his hand to help her down. She had to force herself to take it. Only knowing Jared watched from somewhere nearby let her do it.

Matt Carlton, she realized, had soulless eyes, and it made her want to shudder. She subdued the reaction.

“I confess to great curiosity, Miss Matlock,” he said as he escorted her to the shade. “Why did you send that note? Why did you want this assignation?”

“I would hardly call it that, Mr. Carlton. I merely want to know why Bob left the way he did. On our wedding day. I want to understand why he stole from my father. I . . . I need to understand, and I didn’t want to talk about private matters where we would risk being overheard.” She sank onto the blanket. “Besides, you were almost my brother-in-law, and I’m so very far from my family.” She ended with a shrug.

“I see.” He sat nearby.

Too near for her comfort. It took all her will not to move away from him.

A slow smile curved his lips. “My brother left Twin Springs and you because I told him to.”

“Why would you do such a thing? You didn’t know me. You didn’t know anything about me. You’d never even seen my photograph until after he left Twin Springs. You said so last night.”

“No, but I wish now that I had seen you first.”

Soulless, soulless eyes. Again she had to contain the urge to shiver with dread.

A movement caught her eye beyond Matt Carlton’s shoulder. Jared, stepping from behind a tree. He shook his head, silently warning her not to give him away. Afraid she
might do so, she lowered her eyes to her hands, folded in her lap. “Where is Bob now?” she asked softly, as if she didn’t already know the answer.

“He’s dead.”

There was a soft sound of a hammer being cocked, then Jared said, “Don’t move, Carlton. Not an inch.”

Silver scrambled to her feet and away from Matt Carlton. She rubbed her arms as if trying to scrub away his proximity.

“What do you want?” Carlton asked. “If it’s money, I’ll see that you get it.”

Jared ignored him. “Stand up and put your hands behind your back.”

“Who are you?”

“The name’s Newman. And what I want is to see you hang.”

“Hang. What for?” Carlton got to his feet and put his hands behind him as ordered.

Carlton sounded calm and unconcerned. It made Silver nervous. Was there a flaw in their plan? Could he get away?

“For murder.” Jared snapped handcuffs onto his prisoner’s wrists. Then he searched him, removing the key to his hotel room from one pocket along with a small pistol from a strap under his arm.

“You aren’t the law,” the prisoner continued to protest.

“No. I’m not.”

“You have no authority to take me in. What evidence do you have that I’m guilty of murder?”

Jared took the collar of Carlton’s shirt in his left hand and yanked. Buttons popped and fabric tore. “That scar.” He touched Carlton’s collarbone. “That scar’s my evidence.”

“It won’t be enough to hold me, and you know it. Who says they saw it? There isn’t anyone alive who’s seen it. As soon as we get back to town, the sheriff will have to turn me loose. You know that.”

“True enough. Which is why you aren’t going back to Virginia City.”

Carlton turned his head and looked at Silver. Eyes that had been cold and empty were now filled with hatred. “You’re a part of this, aren’t you?”

“Did you shoot Bob?” she asked, ignoring his question. “Did you kill your own brother like you killed that man and his wife?”

He made a sound that was part laughter, part growl.

“Come on.” Jared grabbed Carlton by the upper arm and pulled him to the nearest tree where he tied him up. Then he walked over to Silver. “Are you all right?” His voice was low, the look in his eyes gentle.

She nodded.

“You sure you’ll be all right while I’m gone?” He withdrew one of his revolvers and gave it to her. “Don’t get close to him. Keep that pointed at him and use it if he makes a wrong move.”

She nodded again.

“I’ll search his room. If there’s money or jewels left,
I’ll find them. I’ll return with the horses and Dean as fast as I can.”

Strange how her nerves quieted, how the fear vanished. It didn’t matter that Jared had yet to say he loved her; she knew that he did. And that was enough of a promise for now.

“I’ll be fine, Jared. Just hurry.”

    
CHAPTER 32
    

T
he next morning, Silver opened her eyes to find a cloudy, pewter-colored sky. Dawn had yet to arrive. She sat up, pursing her lips as she arched her back to relieve a crimp in her spine. It amazed her how much harder the ground felt now than before she’d spent those nights in the blue room of Miss Corinne’s house. She missed that comfortable bed more than she cared to admit.

She glanced to her left. Dean’s face was hidden beneath his blanket, only the top of his head showing. Had she been wrong to bring him with them? Selfish, even? The trip before them was arduous and long. Was she putting a young boy in unnecessary danger because she’d grown so fond of him and couldn’t let go?

She glanced to her right. Jared’s bedroll was empty. She wasn’t surprised. He would want them to make an
early start. They’d put a good distance between them and Virginia City yesterday, but he would want many miles every day. He wanted them back to Denver as fast as the horses could get them there. If only Jared had found any of her father’s stolen property in Matt Carlton’s room. But he hadn’t. It was all gone.