Chapter 9
February was cold, and despite the new furnace heat in the house, it seemed the Vogels kept the temperature low, and inevitably each morning Spencer found Carrie snuggled up close to him for warmth.
For five days now, he had awakened before her, momentarily mesmerized by her presence.
She was the most beautiful and desirable woman he’d ever met.
But like every other morning, he slipped quietly out of the bed, hoping not to awaken her.
He wanted to save her from any embarrassment from having slept so close to him.
He also needed the time to set his own mind straight.
Carrie Vogel Duval was starting to rearrange his thinking—his focus.
He was in Cheyenne to do a job, and so far, he’d not even started.
He dressed and tried not to think about the woman he left sleeping in his bed.
He had agreed to work for Chief Vogel, taking on an early morning shift that put him out of the house by a quarter of four.
He had to rotate working Saturdays with some of the other men, and today was his day to work.
He honestly didn’t mind the early hours, nor the extra days.
Chief Vogel was a good man and a competent city marshal.
The deputies he worked with were men Spencer considered solid, sensible officers who cared deeply about their town.
That made a difference in any law enforcement worker.
Spencer pulled on his uniform coat and made his way downstairs, buttoning the jacket as he went.
He’d never been one for a uniform, but given his plan of working only a short time for the city of Cheyenne, Spencer wasn’t going to take issue with their manner of dress.
The important thing was to keep his eyes open for Astor.
He needed to remember the real reason he’d come west.
Spencer headed to the kitchen and straight for the icebox.
Mrs. Vogel always left him something for breakfast. Sometimes she made him a sandwich from leftovers from the night before.
He had to smile at the way she had embraced him as family.
It had been a very long time since he’d had a motherly figure in his life, and Marybeth Vogel played the role quite well.
In the icebox he found a covered plate. He took this out and uncovered it to find a thick slice of ham sandwiched between some of her homemade bread.
Cold breakfast was better than no breakfast. He took up the sandwich and put the plate in the sink.
Before he walked out the back door, he donned his regulation hat and headed to the jail.
After checking in, Spencer began his job walking the streets of Cheyenne, checking doors and storefronts to make sure all was locked up tight.
He made one trip along the street front and then walked the next in the alleyway.
If anything looked at all suspicious, he’d pause and give it an extra look over.
For the most part, downtown Cheyenne was pretty quiet.
Chief Vogel had already warned him about certain trouble spots where heavy drinkers liked to settle in until daybreak, playing cards and causing trouble.
For the time being, Spencer didn’t have to patrol those areas.
His patrol did, however, include the train depot, repair shops, and warehouses.
He was getting to know the men who worked the rail line and handled freight.
Most seemed to be good, solid citizens. There were a few who were less than cordial, but Spencer didn’t mind.
So long as they obeyed the law, he could respect their privacy.
“You stayin’ warm, Deputy?” a man asked as Spencer left the yards and came up to the back side of the train station.
“Doing my best. I have to say the drier climate helps with that. The air was a whole lot damper in Chicago.”
The man nodded. “I used to live in Duluth, so I know how that can be. Some of the snows and storms up there were not for the faint of heart.”
“Agreed.” Spencer glanced around. “Had any trouble?”
“Not a bit.”
“Good. I hope it stays that way.” Spencer kept moving, knowing that neither of them had much time for conversation.
He came back around to the front of the stately depot just as the sun’s rays hit the building.
The red sandstone exterior was designed with Romanesque arches and dormers, giving it a grand appearance.
Overhead a steeply pitched roof would discourage the buildup of snow.
The large clock tower was the crowning jewel for the building.
Spencer knew the town of Cheyenne was more than a little pleased with how the magnificent building turned out.
Having seen to the depot, Spencer began walking up Capitol Avenue.
It was a quarter after seven, but since it was Saturday, he presumed there would be far fewer people on the streets than the weekdays might have brought.
He liked the quiet moments to study the layout of the town.
Soon enough some of the businesses would open for their Saturday shoppers, and the streets would fill with activity.
Spencer considered his real purpose in Cheyenne.
He wondered if he might encounter Astor on one of his patrols.
What would he do if he did? He knew Astor wouldn’t know him by looks.
He might shy away from a lawman, but given he’d lived in Cheyenne for more than a decade, he had probably learned how to fade into the crowd and be unassuming.
Astor was seeking to remain anonymous these days, and so Spencer had no doubt the older man would avoid breaking the law.
But just as Astor wouldn’t know what he looked like, Spencer wasn’t sure he’d recognize Astor. The man would be in his sixties by now. Spencer could remember the face of the younger man who’d killed his father, but time and circumstances could have completely altered that image.
“Morning, Spencer. How’s it going?”
He turned to find Robert Vogel trailing his steps. He gave his brother-in-law a smile. “Really well. Thanks.” He pushed aside thoughts of Astor. “I find that I do like your town.”
“It has a lot of good to offer.” Robert pulled even with Spencer, and they kept walking. “We’re pushing for statehood, as you probably already heard. Hope to get it this year. I don’t imagine, though, that you and Carrie will stay.”
Spencer glanced at the younger man. “Why do you say that?”
“Well, I know Carrie wants to pursue her research. I don’t expect she’ll find what she needs here.”
“We did talk about it. She feels there is some research she can do on her own or working with a local physician. You know her former fiancé stole her work and claimed it for himself. She’s going to have a hard time proving her value to a research team.”
“I heard a little about what happened but no real details. I mean, at least not for the latest episode. I know Ma said something happened last year.”
“Apparently Nelson made a habit of it. I told Carrie that she has to go wherever her work takes her. I fully support her research. She’s a brilliant woman.”
“It’s good of you to be so encouraging. A lot of men wouldn’t bother to consider what their wife needed, especially as it pertained to working a job.”
“Carrie’s special,” Spencer said, stopping to check a door.
“She is special. I want to see her be able to work at what she loves. How about you? Does this job satisfy you?”
“Keeping law and order? I’ve been about that most of my life. Always had an interest in it since I was quite young. My father was a lawman, and I guess it just felt natural to pursue it.” He gave Robert a smile. “Seems like it fell naturally on you as well.”
“It did, to be sure. I never had any desire to go off to college like Daniel and Carrie. I do have some other ideas in mind for the future, but college isn’t one of them.”
“I went to college and even graduated, but I think the day-to-day experiences have served me better than book learning. Of course, the things I learned from books benefit me in other ways, so I’m not against the additional schooling.”
They reached the end of the block, and Spencer stopped and added, “But college isn’t for everyone.”
“No, it isn’t. Frankly, I’m planning to become a gunsmith.
I’ve been working with a local fellow who’s going to retire in another year or so.
He can’t afford to have me work for him full-time, but he’s been training me and has already had his lawyer draw up paperwork that will sell me the business.
Some of the work I’m doing for him now is being counted against the cost of buying the business. It’s a really good deal.”
“And a much-needed business. Guns are important, especially here on the frontier.”
“Yeah, just about everyone carries them. Not in town so much. At least they’re not supposed to, although I hear there are plans to change that.”
“I read something in the newspaper about that.” Spencer thought it interesting that the territory wanted to again make it legal for open carrying of firearms and other weapons within city limits.
“Yeah, I think it was stirred up by folks coming into town and not wanting to have to check their weapons or leave them at the livery stable. I understand why folks traveling would want to be armed. Snakes can be bad, two-legged as well as the slithering kind.”
“Speaking of the two-legged kind, your pa gave me insight into some of the rougher areas of town, but I wondered if there are any particular men who have caused more problems than others?”
Robert shrugged. “There are a few. I’m sure you’re bound to meet them soon enough. I wouldn’t go looking for them. Most stay on the Chicago side of town.”
“Chicago?”
Robert laughed. “That’s an old nickname for the west end of town. That among other choice names.”
“Having just come from Chicago, I suppose I can understand. We had some very tough neighborhoods to contend with. A lot of evil folks trying to ruin the place for everyone else.”