13. A Job to Do #2
“As we’ve established, we don’t care much for current trends out here. Though Molly, our milliner and tailor, can create whatever we fancy.”
Cecilia hummed, her hand still on Pearl. “So you don’t care for fashions, and you don’t worship our empress. What other proprieties do you disregard?”
Pearl knew the answer she should give. The one Cecilia sought, and which would test what Pearl had been planning.
“That’s about it, I think.” She cleared her throat, pulling back and breaking the hold on her arm.
“What about you? What’re your favorite pastimes?
You’ve clearly got an excellent eye for trends. ”
Pearl had no idea if her statement was true, but she hated the flash of hurt on the young woman’s face.
Thankfully, Cecilia was content enough to talk about herself, and Pearl tried to be interested as Cecilia told her all about the city.
She clearly missed it. It sounded awful to Pearl.
But she smiled, happy enough to watch a woman speak about things that excited her.
The day slipped by, and Pearl let it. By the time the commissioner, the mayor, and the sheriff joined them outside, Pearl had kept her hands entirely to herself.
She eyed her mother to determine how the conversation went, but she gave little away. She didn’t appear upset, at least.
“Well, I’ll be off now,” Pearl said, glancing at the afternoon sun. She needed to sort out a few things before it set.
“But you’ll be able to make it back to eat with us, right?” Wallace asked. “We’ll be having mule brisket.”
Pearl should agree. “Thanks. But I’ve got several prior arrangements today.”
The sheriff scowled. “What arrangements?”
“Just this and that. Some things to take care of.” Pearl headed for the stairs off the porch when she heard a commotion from the street, and the back door swung open, Steve standing there with an intense look on his face. Pearl and Sheriff Oak both reached for their weapons.
“What is it?” Sheriff Oak demanded.
“We’ve got more visitors,” Steve spat. “Sorry for not knocking, Wallace,” he threw over his shoulder as they followed him back through the house and out front to look down the street.
“Oh, no, that’s fine, of course. My door and home are always open,” Wallace mumbled, his affability never faltering as they stared through the blinding sun.
Three horses rode toward them, and Pearl recognized all the riders. She drew one of her revolvers, loading it with three blight bullets. Just in case.
Cecilia gasped, staring from the gun in Pearl’s hand to her face.
“Don’t worry,” Pearl muttered. “I won’t add any more headstones.”
She wouldn’t bother with a headstone for them.
Mayor Wallace stepped forward to greet the intruders. “Mayor Brooks, Sheriff Langly.” The third, who rode behind, was one of their henchmen named Geoff. “What a surprise.”
Mayor Brooks of Faltsprings dismounted with the others.
“Isn’t it just.” His eyes shifted to the commissioner and widened in fake astonishment.
“Commissioner Graham, fancy seeing you again so soon, and here of all places.” The men shook hands and he lingered over Cecilia a bit longer than was appropriate. “And your ravishing wife.”
Cecilia appeared as uncomfortable with the man’s eyes as was warranted. Good. She had sense. And taste, at least.
The commissioner cleared his throat, placing a possessive hand on Cecilia’s back.
Mayor Brooks smiled warmly again. “I thought our talks this week have been most fruitful, were they not? We demonstrated how beneficial it’ll be for the rail to come through the south line.”
“Yes, indeed. But as I told you, I’m investigating all options.”
The warmth of the expression slipped. “I believe you’ll find it in your best interest to come south.”
“That sounded a lot like a threat, Brooks,” Sheriff Oak said.
“Ah, Miss Jane Oakley.” The smile became distinctly brittle. “Of course it’s not a threat.” He laughed, but that too sounded thin.
“What’re you doing here?” Sheriff Oak demanded. She hadn’t drawn her own weapons yet, but Pearl knew she was itching to, and would have, if not for their other guests.
“You’ve got something of mine. I’m here to get him back.”
“Are you now.”
“Yes. Oh, and I heard about the flooding. A shame to lose your harvest.”
“It’s not lost. The upper field got rehydrated, but the rest handled it fine.”
“And your pest problem?”
Sheriff Oak stilled. “Our what?”
“The gargoyle lurking around here.”
Pearl’s heart rate increased as Cecilia gasped again. “Are those even real?” Cecilia whispered. “I’ve heard stories, but…”
“They’re real,” Pearl muttered. “Lots of your stories are, out here.”
“And there’s one around?” the commissioner asked, looking up at the sky, as if expecting to be set upon at any moment.
“No, of course not,” Mayor Wallace said confidently. “There’re no gargoyles nearby. I’ve never seen or heard of one here in my life.” And Pearl wondered if he actually believed that. Had anyone told him?
On Pearl’s other side, Steve shifted and opened his mouth. She swiftly stepped on his foot to shut him up.
“Yes,” Sheriff Oak said, her eyes never leaving Mayor Brooks. “It sounds like you’ve been listening to baseless rumors.”
Everyone stared at each other in tense silence. Except for Mayor Wallace, who didn’t seem overly bothered.
“So you’re here for Ronny?” Sheriff Oak finally said. “He’s in our cells for trespassing and destruction of property.”
“Destruction? You said the fields are fine,” Mayor Brooks retorted.
“He broke one of the locks.”
“You can’t know it was him.”
“He confessed.” Sheriff Oak folded her arms, staring the man down. “You saying you don’t believe in the empire’s law, Brooks?”
The mayor’s friendly facade cracked again and he glared back.
“Of course we do,” Sheriff Langly said, placing a hand on his mayor’s shoulder and glancing at the commissioner. “We’re here to bail him out. That’s within our rights. He’ll be transported and his punishment handled in Faltsprings.”
The side of Sheriff Oak’s mouth lifted. “Naturally. Bail is three hundred.”
Mayor Brooks bristled. “That’s outrageous.”
“We’ve got costs to repair the lock, along with housing and the paperwork. You know how it is.” She waved her hand.
“Two hundred,” Mayor Brooks countered.
“Three hundred.”
He glared harder. “That’s not how this works.”
“You’ll find it is. Because you’ve got nothing else I want.”
“Fine,” Mayor Brooks gritted out. “But I won’t forget this.”
Sheriff Oak’s smile broadened. “I hope you don’t. Right this way, gentlemen.”