The Rightful Heir (14 page)

She sat at the desk and made a list of what she'd need to do in case the judge gave the paper to Jared. Then she made a list of things she could do to show the judge he should let her keep the
Record
.

The office door opened and Jared entered. He went to the press and studied the plate they'd used for the edition they'd printed on Monday.

“I think we can move things around nicely so you'll have plenty of room for your story about Mr. Finch and his capture.” He pointed to the plate. “We can take out the top story and the offer of a reward.” He turned to her. “I guess I owe you half of that reward, since you and I were going to pay it to anyone who helped find the real thief.”

She slid her pencil over her ear. “You don't owe me any money.” She put her lists under the magnifying glass. “I do think we need to talk.”

He held up a hand. “Let me go first.” At her nod, he continued. “I was wrong to let Braden think I was your boss.”

“Yes, you were.”

“Wait, I'm not finished.” He rubbed his jawline with one hand. “I'm sorry I upset you by worrying about you. It's just that I care about what happens to you.”

She toyed with the handle of the magnifying glass. “That's very kind.” She looked up at him. “Much like the way your grandfather would have felt about the whole situation.”

One corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile, and he sat in a chair opposite the desk. “Do you think we can keep working together?”

He didn't say for how long. The sheriff had declared they had to work together until the judge came. A month had already passed. Was he suggesting they continue the arrangement beyond then?

“I think we can trudge along like we have been.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be.”

He gave a slight chuckle. “That's true.”

“So you think we can plan on this story for the top of the paper for next Monday, even though Andrew is still in jail?” She walked to the front of the office and stared out the window. She couldn't bear the thought of Andrew in the cell beside Elmer Finch.

“Yes. But I want you to write the entire article. You can use whatever angle you want. Criminal, personal, anything that you think would benefit the paper or the community.”

“You've had some say in everything we've printed for weeks. Are you sure?” She turned around to see him sitting at the desk.

“You got this story on your own. You should be able to write it like you want.”

“I'll do that now then. I've made a couple of lists of things I need to handle.”

“What kind of lists?”

“Some things I need to accomplish in short order.”

“Is this the list? He moved the magnifying glass and picked up her notes. She tried to take them from him, but he pulled them out of her reach and read them aloud.

“‘Make sure Andrew gets the job on the Double Star.'” He picked up a pencil from the desk and drew a line under that item. “This one is very important. I'd like to help you with it.”

She held out her hand, hoping he'd give the paper to her. “That list is for my personal use.”

“But there are things about the newspaper on here. So that would make them my business, as well.” He pointed at the next item. “‘Finish writing the articles for the Christmas Eve social.'” He nodded his head as he read several more things aloud.

“Please give me the lists.” Mary Lou reached out again. She didn't want him to read the other page.

Jared handed them to her but he let go before she had a firm grip and the sheets floated to the floor. He bent to pick them up and give them back to her but stopped short when he saw the first item on the second page.

“‘Compare my work experience to Jared's.'” He drew his brows together. “What is this list for, Mary Lou?”

She reached for the paper but he held it tight. “It's nothing.”

“But it is something. And I feel compelled to continue reading since my name is in the top line.” He read the next item. “‘Choose potential character witnesses.'”

Mary Lou tore the papers from his hand. “I don't want to talk about it.”

“You're preparing for the judge.” He sat back in the chair.

Her arms hung at her sides, the offending list in one hand. “Aren't you? Sheriff Collins said he could arrive anytime.”

“No. I hadn't thought to do that.”

“You think your will is all the evidence you need?” She wasn't angry anymore. She was tired. The emotion of chasing after Mr. Finch and trying in vain to clear Andrew's good name had taken its toll.

“To be honest, most days I don't think about it.” He took his watch out and checked the time. “I best be getting out to find a story of my own. I've got to have something good to run alongside your piece.”

He left her without another word.

Mary Lou slumped into the desk chair and put her head down. In her effort to prepare for her future, she'd hurt Jared. She thought about the kiss he'd placed on her forehead. Had they grown so close over time only to lose that closeness now that the judge was coming to town?

Chapter Fourteen

J
ared paced outside the sheriff's office on Wednesday morning. He needed to see Sheriff Collins, but he hoped he wouldn't run into Sheriff Braden. Jared had stayed late at the office Tuesday evening thinking Mary Lou might come there to work on her story—if her dinner at the hotel with the sheriff from Gran Colina had been about Mr. Finch. He'd finally given up some time after nine and gone to his rooms above the office. Sleep had eluded him for much of the night.

The door to the office opened and Sheriff Collins came out. “Sheriff, I need your help.”

“I'm a busy man, Mr. Ivy. It's not often I have prisoners in both cells. Just making sure they eat and such is an added aggravation.” The man headed down the sidewalk at a steady pace and Jared followed.

“That's what I want your help with. You've got to have evidence about Andrew, right?”

“I've got enough for the judge to find him guilty. I know you want to help the boy, but I've got a witness and the mirror. I don't know what can be done to save him.”

Jared stepped in front of him. “But what if we find someone who can prove Andrew didn't do it?”

“Then I'd have to say you're a better newspaper man than your grandfather.” He stepped off the sidewalk to cross the street. “And I don't know if that's possible. Jacob Ivy was one of the best.”

“I need to talk to Andrew.”

“Go ahead. He's not going anywhere.”

“Not in front of Finch. He'll twist anything we say and use it to make Andrew look worse.”

“I'm not pursuing the theory that Andrew sold him all that stuff. It doesn't make sense to me.”

“But a judge might believe him. That's why Mary Lou and I need to talk to Andrew alone.”

“Mary Lou? Are you trying to clear Andrew's name for his sake or for Miss Ellison's?”

“The truth? Both. They're good people. Andrew would never have been suspected in the first place if I hadn't said anything.”

“I'm guessing you aren't going to leave me be until I work this out. What do you have in mind?”

“Let's take Andrew back to every place where something was stolen. I'd like for you to come along. He can tell us what happened at each location. Maybe he'll remember something, or the people in those places will remember something that will help us find the truth.”

The sheriff grunted. “We didn't find everything that was stolen in Pine Haven. Finch only had a couple of things.”

“He'll just say he bought them from Andrew and sold them. Or that he never had them in the first place.”

“Come by tomorrow at ten. We'll do all we can before noon.” He stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the land office. “But if we don't find out anything, I won't do it again.”

“Thank you.” Jared couldn't wait to tell Mary Lou. Maybe they could work together on a plan to ask the right questions at each business.

“Two hours tomorrow. Not a minute more.” The sheriff opened the door to the land office.

“That's all we need.” Jared pivoted and headed straight for the newspaper office. This was the best way he knew to show Mary Lou he was willing to work with her.

He slowed his pace. How willing was he? The paper could be his in a matter of days if the judge ruled in his favor. On his first day in Pine Haven, he'd entertained no thoughts of Mary Lou's future. That wasn't true anymore. He'd been beside himself with worry when Jasmine had told him of her scheme to follow Mr. Finch. She was safe, and he'd thanked the Lord above for that.

He couldn't imagine the
Record
without her. The daily operations of the paper required more than one person. Andrew would be cleared and go to work on the Double Star. Jared could hire another apprentice, but no one could take Mary Lou's place.

Grump had poured his heart and soul into the
Pine Haven Record
and then into Mary Lou. Jared had to convince her to stay. He'd learned so much from her in the last weeks. If she left now, he wouldn't have the opportunity to absorb all she knew about Grump. More than that, he'd miss her.

He'd lost his father and Grump as a child. Then his mother's death had left him with the prospect of reconciling with Grump. When that hadn't been possible, Jared had immersed himself in Grump's world. With every passing day he grew more connected to the man who'd loved him, paid for his education and wanted to be in his life. Without Jared in Pine Haven, Grump had poured his grandfatherly love into Mary Lou.

But that wasn't why Jared wanted Mary Lou in his life. If she left, she'd take his heart with her. For without his awareness she'd captured the broken part of him and healed it. In a way he never thought possible.

If he won the paper, he could lose Mary Lou. If he hadn't lost her already.

He took the steps up to the sidewalk in front of the newspaper.

Lord, I've wondered in the past if You cared about the little things. Mary Lou has taught me that You do. Show me what to do. Help me to win her heart like she won mine. With Your love.

Mary Lou looked up from the desk. “Good morning. I was surprised to find you out so early.”

“It is a good morning. I've just been to see the sheriff.”

She put her pencil down and waited.

“He's going to give us some time with Andrew away from the jail tomorrow morning. We'll be able to take him to all the places that had items stolen. We'll interview people with Andrew present and try to find some clue to what happened to all the other items. Sheriff Collins said they found a couple of things from Pine Haven in Finch's trunk. We've got to come up with what happened to the other items.”

“That's a good idea. I didn't think the sheriff was going to allow Andrew to leave with us.”

“Sheriff Collins is coming with us.” Jared sat across from her and leaned his elbows on the desk. “There's one thing.”

“What?” Her face froze with caution.

“We only have two hours. After that he said he won't be able to do anything else for Andrew. It will be up to the judge.”

“How did you convince him?”

“I told him it wasn't fair to Andrew for Finch to hear everything we said to him. Finch could twist Andrew's words into a lie for his own benefit.”

She sat at the desk, nodding her head. “Then we need to be prepared. Let's go over everything we know and come up with any scenario we can think of that would help poor Andrew.” Mary Lou pulled a clean piece of paper in front of her and held her pencil at the ready.

This was the response he'd wanted from her. There was no indication that she was still upset with him. But he had to know about Sheriff Braden. “Mary Lou?”

“Yes.”

“Did Sheriff Braden tell you anything last night that would help clear Andrew?”

“We didn't come up with anything.” She rolled the pencil between her palms. “After we discussed the thefts in Gran Colina, we talked about how the porcelain dish and the cameo connect Finch to the thefts. Sheriff Braden wasn't much help.”

“That's good news.” She gave him a puzzled look. “About connecting Finch to the thefts.” It didn't bother Jared one iota that Mary Lou had been disappointed in Sheriff Braden's assistance.

“There's also no way to refute the claims Finch is asserting about buying everything from Andrew. If he says that someone in each town sold him things, it gives him some sense of credibility. If we can't prove Andrew was innocent, it looks as though both of them will be convicted.”

He pulled his chair closer to the desk. “Then we better get to work.”

* * *

Mary Lou gathered their notes for the interviews. She and Jared had worked into the night going over every possibility.

“Are you ready?” He held the door open for her.

“Do you mind if we pray first?”

“Not at all.” He reached for her hand and she didn't hesitate to put it in his. They bowed their heads together and he prayed a simple prayer for their success.

She slipped her hand from his and missed the comfort of his grasp. “Thank you.”

The walk to the sheriff's office only took a few minutes. Sheriff Collins was opening Andrew's cell when they arrived.

“Thank you, Sheriff.” Andrew stepped out.

Mary Lou couldn't resist giving him a hug. She whispered to him, “It's going to be okay. We're not going to give up on you.” She stepped back and patted his cheek with the palm of her hand.

Mr. Finch had been on his bunk with his face to the wall. He rolled over and lumbered to his feet. “What's going on here?”

“Don't reckon that's any of your business,” the sheriff answered as he put on his hat.

Once in the street, Jared presented their plan to the sheriff. They'd start at the livery then go to the saloon before heading to the hotel and the general store.

The two hours were almost up when they entered the general store. Liza Croft's exclamation could be heard in the street. “What is he doing in my store? I want him out of here this instant.” If Andrew's fate rested in Mrs. Croft's hands, the trial would be over before it began.

Donald Croft came through the stockroom doors, wiping his hands on his apron. “What is going on here, Sheriff?”

Jared addressed his remarks to Mr. Croft. “We'd like you to help us remember anything that happened on the days that items went missing from your store.”

The owner looked over his shoulder at his wife. “I don't see what good it will do.” He spoke to Andrew. “I liked you, boy, but when they found the mirror in your pocket, it was the end of the matter for me and the missus. We can't trust you to be in here. We work too hard for what we earn.”

Andrew said, “I understand, Mr. Croft, but I didn't take that mirror. Or anything else.”

Mrs. Croft came up beside her husband. “How did it get in your pocket then?” She lifted her chin in defiance of anything he might say.

Mary Lou drew on all her patience and everything Mr. Ivy had ever taught her. “Mrs. Croft, on the days when other things were stolen, did you notice anything out of the ordinary?”

The ornery woman punched her finger in Andrew's direction. “I noticed him in here.”

She tried another tactic. “What about you, Mr. Croft? Have you ever had cause to be concerned about Andrew before the recent thefts?”

“Can't rightly say. I didn't know he was a thief before.”

Like lightning illuminating the night sky, Mary Lou had a bolt of clarity. “Has anything ever gone missing before? What was the first thing you noticed?”

“The brush and comb set,” Mrs. Croft answered.

“And when was that?” She had to find out the dates.

Mr. Croft thought a minute. “It was the day Mr. Ivy came in and asked if anything was missing. We didn't notice the brush and comb set were gone until we closed up that night.”

She turned to the sheriff. “Is that the first thing that was reported to you?”

“Other than Mrs. Willis's cameo and the porcelain dish, yes. What are you getting at, Miss Ellison?”

“I'm just thinking out loud, Sheriff.” She looked beyond Andrew to Jared. He stood between the young man and Mrs. Croft. The slight dip of his head let her know he knew what she was thinking.

Jared snapped his fingers and said, “Mr. Finch was leaving the store that day in a big hurry. I encountered him on the steps when I arrived.”

Sheriff Collins raised one thick eyebrow. “Was he carrying anything? Something he could have hidden things in?”

Jared thought for a minute. “Not that I remember.”

“I'd need more than knowing the man went shopping on the same day to use it against him.” The sheriff thanked the Crofts for their help and led the rest of them onto the porch. “I've done what I could. It's time for me to take Andrew back to the jail.”

Mary Lou put a hand on Andrew's arm and pinned him with her stare. “Don't you give up. I'm—” she shot a glance in Jared's direction “—
we're
going to find the truth. And we both know you are not a thief.”

“Thank you, Miss Ellison. I pray you will.”

“That's what you need to do, Andrew. Pray.”

The sheriff tugged on Andrew's arm. “Come on. I've got to get you back, so I can feed the both of you.”

Jared came to stand beside Mary Lou and together they watched the sheriff lead Andrew down the street.

He leaned close to her ear. “I can see that mind of yours working in your pretty eyes.”

His breath caressed the nape of her neck and she stepped away from him. “Let's go back to the office and compare notes.” She had to focus on Andrew right now. Later, when she was alone, she'd take time to savor him standing so near and hearing him say her eyes were pretty.

* * *

On Friday afternoon, Mary Lou finished compositing her article about Mr. Finch's arrest and upcoming trial. She included a paragraph about Andrew being held on a separate theft.

A reward might still bring new information to light about that. She picked up the composing stick and began pulling the type to put the reward back together for the next edition.

Jared came in with a rush of wind and pushed the door closed. He rubbed his hands together and slipped out of his jacket. “I'd say we're getting a taste of fall today.” He put another piece of wood in the stove and came to look over her shoulder.

“Do you mind if I put the reward back in? Someone knows the truth.”

He put a hand on her shoulder. “If you think it can help, put it back in. Make it a reward for any evidence about any of the thefts, and not just about something that will free Andrew. We can't become so emotionally invested in his innocence that people begin to question the integrity of the paper. You can take the top of the column I'm using for my story.”

She tried not to react to the gentle weight of his hand. It was a comfort she sorely needed. Since Mr. Ivy had passed there wasn't anyone for her to share her troubles with. They'd shared many pots of coffee in the years since he'd taken her in. Having someone to listen was a luxury she hadn't taken for granted. She'd been without it for years and had treasured it in Mr. Ivy.