Chapter 30
Ben dropped one of the lookouts with his first shot, and Atlas Washington got the second man when the blaze of his rifle illuminated the outlaw’s position. With careful coordination, the other men dispersed under Ben’s guidance as they fanned out. “Wrap around,” he whispered. “Half of you double back on Division Street and secure Rassbach’s office. The rest of you follow me, and we’ll head East.”
The Voght brothers split up, and one of the sharpshooters joined each group. “Sheriff?” Aksel asked, “We still deputized?”
Ben nodded. “Do what you need to keep this town and its people safe.”
The resonating boom of the dynamite had shaken a heavy blanket of snow loose from the roof of the bank building, the piles effectively blocking much of the boardwalk and Great Valley Road. However, a lack of boot prints in the drifts also assured Ben the bandits hadn’t gone anywhere.
“Now what?” Arlo whispered, anxious to be done with his civic duty so he could check on his home and office located two doors away.
Atlas nudged Ben. “Safe’s in the basement. Been down there to put in some new locks before. But that kinda boom? I’s gotta think them boys done themselves a real disservice.”
“What do you mean?”
“Too much dynamite,” Atlas answered, shaking his head. “These buildings are built mighty well, but ya can’t take out the foundation and expect ‘em to stay standing.”
Fear punched Ben in the gut, and he looked up. The Dry Goods store shared a wall with the bank on the right and Arlo’s place on the left. “Anyone know if Dominic and his family planned to be home tonight?” the Sheriff asked, anxiously searching the windows on the second floor above the store for light or life.
“Don’t think so,” Arlo cautiously answered. “The new tailor in town is Dominic’s brother-in-law. And I think they all left for Bears Grass together yesterday afternoon.”
Whispering a prayer of thanks for that good news, Ben surveyed the bank's exterior one more time. “We’re gonna need to move that snow before we can get to the door.”
“That snowbank might be the only thing holding the walls up,” Bjorn Jacquish stated, visualizing the interior of the building he’d built.
Mystified, Ben pushed his hat back and rubbed his forehead. “Any suggestions?”
“I don’t know, but we got trouble,” Aksel answered, lifting his gun and drawing a bead on the bobbing lantern headed their way.
“We got Rassbach,” Reverend Fredrickson shouted. “But we got a problem, men,” he announced, bringing his prisoner into the light.
“Pernelia!” Bjorn Jacquish stammered when his daughter’s angry face was revealed. “Why aren’t you with the other women at the café?”
“She went to warn Rassbach,” the minister answered in disgust, lifting a plump carpetbag before dropping it at the stunned father’s feet. “This was under her desk. I believe she was planning to leave with him.”
“That can’t be,” Bjorn roared, snagging Pernelia’s arm and dragging her forward. “You tell these men. You tell them the pastor has it wrong!”
The headstrong young woman pursed her lips. “Let me go,” she demanded, yanking free from her father’s grasp. “I’m leaving with Simon. And there isn’t any law against that!”
“Enough!” Ben snapped, pointing a warning finger at the termagant. “Put her in the ice house with Rassbach and the rest until we can figure this out.”
“The ice house?” the furious woman screeched.
Eyes narrowing, Ben approached the railroad representative. “The ice house, Pernelia,” he angrily tossed over his shoulder as he turned toward her lover. “The jailhouse might be unsafe since Rassbach’s men likely blew a hole in the bank’s foundation. But we won’t know that ‘til we dig them out of that mess!”
Christmas morning dawned bright and clear, but Roseanna hadn’t slept a wink. Unable to return to their living quarters, she and the children had joined Jemima at the rooming house.
“My son will send word as soon as there is news,” Jemima reassured.
And then they waited.
Arlo was the first to arrive, his lips blue with cold, and Hilda rushed the man. “Upstairs with you! Eulalia has quilts warming by the stove, and I’ve got a strong brew waiting.”
“Snow’s really coming down,” the man chattered as he stiffly moved toward the simple staircase. “Making it hard to get to the mess inside the bank.”
Startled, Jemima burst out, “Did the roof come down?”
“No, no. Nothing like that,” Arlo answered as he paused on the stairs. “But all the windows blew out with the blast. And we need the light, so Bjorn can see to check the structure. So, we’re doing as much shoveling as we are cleaning out the debris.”
Their remaining questions had to wait as Hilda rushed her exhausted husband up the stairs.
When the matron returned, Roseanna drew her aside. “Gilbert and Orville?”
“Ben was able to check on them when he went to survey the damage in the Sheriff’s office.”
“Thank goodness,” the worried girl sighed.
“Arlo said they found the men that were trying to blast the safe,” Hilda cautiously announced to the room at large when she turned to face the others. “But we won’t know who they were until the Sheriff can question Rassbach.”
A blast of frigid air blew into the room, eliminating the women’s chatter, and every eye turned Ben’s way as he entered and stomped the snow from his boots.
“Pa! Did you see Santa?” Caleb shouted as he rushed forward. Then, the little boy wrapped his arms around Ben’s legs and tipped his head back so he could catch his father’s smile.
“Sorry, little bear. Pa was busy. But Mr. Jacquish said our Christmas tree is still standing. So, we can go on home and see if the jolly old elf visited while we were gone.”
Caleb whooped, raced across the room, caught his little brother’s hands, and did a crazy jig – much to the amusement of the others.
“Dinner first,” the boarding house owner suggested. “Turkey is done, stuffing is golden, and the pies are cooling, so get cleaned up and join me at the table.”