Chapter 7
For a week, Lucy worked every day at the general store, selling fabric and making and mending clothing as required. It was calm, quiet work that didn’t occupy her mind much. This gave her a lot of time to think.
Most often her mind would stray back to Boston. She’d been so close to completing her investigation. There were only three suspects on her list who could have embezzled so much money from the firm without anyone picking up on it. She was sure it was one of them, but which one?
Having left all of her notes and evidence back home for her father and brothers to use to clear her name, she had nothing but her memory to work with.
There was little point though. Even if she made headway on her own out here in Texas, she couldn’t contact them, and they couldn’t reach out to her until it was all over. Only once they had the real thief and killer in custody would it be safe for them to write to her.
Not knowing what was going on was driving her mad.
Her work didn’t help. Fabric was fabric, and it would either work in a given situation or not. It didn’t have secrets it didn’t want her to know. It didn’t tell lies that she would have to sift through to find the nuggets of truth.
So, when Robert told her that the next day, they would be heading out to San Antonio to conduct the interviews for the hired gunmen, she was elated.
They would be staying at an inn for the three days the interviews would take place, and it would be her, Robert, and Michael traveling together.
Lucy wondered what Robert had told Michael to ensure that she was included.
Had he mentioned her experience with her parents running a security firm?
Had he told Michael how she had been instrumental in tracking down a thief who would be arrested any day now?
The last was more wishful thinking than actual fact.
Although, knowing Robert, he had most likely just said that he thought she had skills that would be useful, and that was the end of it. He got straight to the point in person, just as he did in his letters, and it was something she found oddly endearing.
It didn’t matter how she was able to tag along; the point was that she had been included.
She would finally have something to do that was really helpful to Unity.
Reading people was a skill she had spent ages learning.
Although she was always willing to give folks the benefit of the doubt, she tended to get feelings about individuals.
Take Mr. Vincent Rossi, for example. Although he had told them the truth about having a family and a difficult mother-in-law, she had a feeling he wasn’t entirely honest. That could simply be because he was there to judge the mine and the town for this Mac fellow.
That could make him seem untruthful when, in actual fact, he was simply taking care to do his job right.
He was there to sit in judgment of them, and that made him seem as though he was holding back.
Which he was. He was hardly going to tell them everything he thought of the place.
That was for his report for his boss. It was either that or he was a thief or a spy.
Lucy was hoping for the first option but had decided to keep an eye on him anyway.
She was certain that Robert had come to the same conclusion, and he would have Jeff keeping an eye on the man while they were away.
Mr. Rossi was scheduled to be in Unity for a couple of weeks.
That was plenty of time to find out who he really was and what he thought of the place.
When the morning dawned, Robert met Lucy on the porch of Mrs. Odenkirk’s house. She had packed a small bag with essentials and was ready to go.
“We’re going to ride,” Robert said, leading her down the path to where Michael waited with three horses. “I forgot to ask if that was all right.”
“I can ride,” she assured him. “Father was quite a stickler in that regard. He believes in a person being independent, and that includes riding.”
“Good,” Robert said, smiling at her. She really liked his smile. It was so welcoming, and he didn’t share his smiles with everyone. It made her feel special whenever she was on the receiving end of one.
She moved to the horse Michael indicated was for her and quickly adjusted the stirrups. No one ever got them right for her. It was one of the problems with being only five foot two. Then she tied her bag to the saddle and mounted the horse, which was a chestnut-brown mare named Molly.
Soon they were off, riding through the gate. It was a misty morning, with the sun shining in visible streaks across the land. It was also very cold, and Lucy had bundled up warmly against the chill. It would warm up as the day progressed, but for now, she needed the gloves and scarf.
The two men were also wrapped up warmly, and they rode at a gentle pace, letting the horses set the speed themselves. It seemed there was no great hurry.
After about thirty minutes, they entered a little dip where the mist had condensed, and it was difficult to see.
They all automatically slowed to a walk.
“Keep close,” Robert said as the white mist swirled around them. “It’s all too easy to get lost in this.”
“We should go back,” Michael muttered. “There’s no knowing where we are in this, and the creek is nearby. We don’t need anyone falling in.”
Robert’s eyes drifted to Lucy.
“I’ll be fine, thanks,” she said, not liking the implication that she couldn’t handle herself in a little mist. “If worst comes to worst, I can swim.” Boston was plagued with fog from time to time, and she had found her way around then. Why wouldn’t she now?
Although, she did like his concern for her well-being. It was nice to have someone worry about her. It made her feel that perhaps there was something growing between her and Robert, something that could maybe develop over time into a lasting relationship.
“We can head through,” Robert said. “I’m sure it’s not going to last long. Once the sun is properly up, it will all drift away.”
“Okay,” Michael said, sounding skeptical.
Setting off again, Lucy tried to keep Robert’s horse on her left and Michael’s on her right. At first, it was quite easy. Despite the flurries of white, damp air, she could still see their outlines.
She got the impression Robert was a tender, kind man hidden behind a wall of gruffness.
He was also very handsome, which helped.
She wished there wasn’t this fog between them, and she could see him now.
She had taken to watching him when he was busy with other things, taking in his mannerisms and his expressions.
Sounds were strange in the mist. They seemed to echo and hang in the air like baubles on a Christmas tree. The most disturbing thing was that there was no knowing where the sounds were coming from.
At times the mist, thick and cloying, moved between them and obscured Lucy’s view completely. She was in a world of white then, blank and lonely. Then suddenly, the air would move, and she would catch a glimpse of Michael or Robert.
After a moment she got the feeling that they weren’t alone. She heard hoofbeats in the mist, coming from afar.
“Robert?” she called, her hand going to her handbag, which she had slung across her body. Her gun was in there. “Robert?”
She tried to keep the concern out of her voice, but it was difficult. She was concerned. Maybe Michael was right, and they should have seen if it was possible to go around.
“Michael? Robert?”
Nothing. The mist closed in around her and she felt a deep sense of foreboding and loneliness.
Oh, snap out of it! You’re being silly. They haven’t left you. The mist is just playing tricks on you.
It was. Lucy felt as though the white world she was enveloped in was peopled with ghosts.
They seemed to be all around her. She heard a jingle of a harness here, a sigh there, and the creak of leather behind her.
The air had a menacing quality to it, and she longed to be free of the cloying, suffocating white stuff.
She had always hated it when the mist would roll into town back in Boston.
It made the streets feel lonely and spooky.
People would be an arm’s length from her and she wouldn’t know, but she would hear their voices calling to one another.
A cart would trundle by, the driver calling out as he drove.
Far off, a bell would ring, or someone would scream. It was just … eerie.
Suddenly, someone grabbed hold of her arm, and she let out a squeak, too afraid to scream.
“Lucy, there you are,” Robert said, appearing out of the mist like a literal white knight. “I’ve been looking for you.”
Lucy smiled in relief.
He handed her the end of his scarf. “Hold onto this, and we’ll get through here together.”
She held it tight.
“This is lasting longer than I thought it would,” he said.
The mist swirled between them, and Lucy lost sight of him again. She still felt the tension in the scarf though, and knew that he was there.
They set off again.
“Where is Michael?”
“We’ll find him,” Robert said. “It’s so easy to get separated in this muck.”
“How do you know which way to go?” she asked.
“I have a compass,” he said. “Sometimes it’s the only way to have any idea where to go.”
Soon the mist began to grow lighter around her, and she could see Robert more often than not. And then suddenly, they were going up a slope. The higher they went, the clearer the air became until they were completely free of the mist.
“I was getting worried,” Michael said as they reached him at the top of a ridge. “Neither of you came out of that mist, and I thought I would have to go back and get you.”
“How did you get through so fast?” Lucy asked.
Michael held out his hand. A compass sat neatly in his palm.
“Does everyone have one of those?” Lucy asked, a little annoyed that she hadn’t thought to get one before leaving Boston.
“Yes,” Michael said with a nod. “It’s really the most helpful thing we have when it comes to navigating around here.”
“We’ll get you one,” Robert said kindly.
Lucy nodded. She could see she would have to learn a whole new set of survival skills out here. Having street smarts wasn’t going to be of much use without any streets.
Once they were out of the mist, everything seemed to clear up, and the sun shone unimpeded. Despite that, it was still cold, with the wind blowing mercilessly.
Lucy’s nose began to run in the cold, and her fingers were soon so cold she thought they might crack or shatter if she tried to let go of her reins.
Her thoughts lingered on the idea of holding a hot mug of coffee in her hand.
That would be wonderful. Once they got to the inn, that would be the first thing Lucy asked for.
Or maybe a mug of hot cocoa. That would warm her up from the inside out.
Luckily, it didn’t take too much longer to reach San Antonio. Lucy felt a lot more at ease between the buildings and bustling people going about their business. This was more like home, although on a much smaller scale.
They wound their way through the streets until they came to a large English country house. It looked oddly out of place in this town of squat buildings. It stood on the edge of town and seemed to hold itself a little apart from the rest of the businesses.
“The Lucky Bull,” Lucy said, reading the sign above the door.
“It’s the best inn in town,” Michael said. “We always stay here when we have business that will take more than a day.”
“The owner, Mrs. Sparks, is very accommodating,” Robert said.
There was little ground between the inn’s front yard and the street where they had to dismount. There was a low archway to the stables in the back, and a tall man on horseback might hit his head on the arch if he wasn’t careful.
“It stops people from riding in at a breakneck pace,” Michael explained, seeing Lucy’s frown.
Suddenly, something tugged on her handbag. Turning sharply, she looked a young man full in the face.
For one moment when time seemed to stand still, Lucy and the man stared at each other. And then something flashed in his hand, and she felt the strap of her handbag lose its tension across her body. It began to slide, and the man shot her a menacing grin.
With a yank, he pulled her bag from her and turned to run.
Lucy’s hand moved of its own accord, reaching out and grabbing the strap of her bag as it slid across her body. She held on tight, not letting the man take off running.
He jerked back to look at her. She shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she said calmly. Taking the flat of her hand and using momentum from her shoulder, she slapped the would-be thief across the face, boxing his ear soundly.
The man screamed, let go of the bag strap, and clutched his ear. “What is wrong with you?” he yelled.
“Me? You’re the one trying to rob me!” Lucy yelled back, sticking out her chin at the man in angry defiance.
“Yeah, but …” His gaze rose over her shoulder, and he bolted.
“Lucy! Are you okay?” Robert asked, running up to her.
Lucy turned to him. “I’m fine,” she said, annoyed.
“What happened? Did that man try to hurt you?”
“No, he tried to rob me, and he cut my bag’s strap. I’m fine, although I’ll bet there’s a ringing in his left ear that isn’t going away any time soon.” A little snippet of pride slid into her tone.
Robert looked from her to the fleeing thief and back to her again. Then he burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Lucy demanded, still reeling from the encounter.
“You,” Robert said, smiling at her. “I think San Antonio and Unity are in for a bit of a surprise with you. You’re a firecracker, all right.”
Lucy didn’t know how to take that. She could see the love and pride in Robert’s eyes and decided that it was a compliment. She smiled.
“Wrongdoers, beware,” she said with what she hoped was a sly look on her face.
Robert grinned and, taking Molly’s reins, helped Lucy lead her horse to the stable.