Cowgirl Under The Mistletoe. Louise M. Gouge
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“Bad news, Grace. Those varmints who tried to rob the bank in ’81 have escaped from Cañon City State Penitentiary with the help of their old gang.”
Her blood turned cold, and her heart seemed to stop. She drew in a slow breath to calm herself and hide her alarm. “That a fact?”
“Just got a letter from the prison warden. Hardison’s gang helped him and Smith break away from a work crew bustin’ up rocks in a quarry near the prison.” He snorted in disgust. “Turns out I put three of his gang in a Kansas prison five years ago.” He shuffled the posters again. “I’m looking through these to see if I can find pictures of Hardison and Smith. Not counting the newcomers in the past three years, I’m probably the only person around here who doesn’t know what they look like.”
Even though the crime had taken place over two years before Lawson came to town, he knew all about their robbery attempt and how Grace, two of her sisters and two of the Northam brothers had kept them from succeeding.
“Word from other inmates is that they vowed revenge on the people who stopped them.” The sheriff held up a poster briefly before continuing his search. “Said they’d ‘finish the job,’ just like their gang said to me when they were sentenced.”
Grace snorted, doing her best to sound unconcerned. “Just let them try.” Brave words, but bravado wouldn’t keep her friends from harm.
All things work together for the good of those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
The verse she and the Rev had briefly discussed came to mind. Right now it didn’t seem to her that these “things” were working together for good. But at least Beryl and Laurie would be safe from the two varmints, as would Tolley Northam, who’d gone to law school in Boston just over a year ago. If Hardison’s gang was set on revenge, the folks who’d especially need to be on the lookout were Rand and Marybeth Northam. And Grace, of course.
On her way home this afternoon, she would make it her business to inform the whole Northam family about the breakout. And her own ma and pa would also need to keep their eyes peeled and their guns handy. Grace’s family never went anyplace without weapons because of snakes and coyotes in these parts, but now they’d have to be even more careful of the two-legged kind of danger. At least Georgia hadn’t been involved in stopping the robbery, so the outlaws wouldn’t be after her. Unless they decided to—
She shook off her forebodings. In spite of the threats, she had other matters to attend to.
“Mrs. Winsted tells me she had some things stolen from her mercantile.” Grace wouldn’t wait for Lawson to get around to telling her about the thefts. Sometimes he forgot to mention important stuff and yet expected her to know it. Maybe it was because his wife anticipated all of his thoughts. Grace never made any claim to being a mind reader. If she ever married, which she wouldn’t, she’d let her man know from the start that he needed to speak out.
“Yep.” The sheriff combed a hand through his thick, graying hair. “I figure it’s some local boys just getting into mischief.”
“If we catch ’em and put ’em behind bars for a few days, that’ll give ’em a scare they won’t soon forget.” Grace checked the coffeepot sitting on the potbellied stove. A slow fire kept the brew simmering, and even this early in the day, it had already turned to sludge. She settled for a drink of water from the cold crock Mrs. Lawson kept on the side cabinet.
“Maybe get them into Sunday school classes.” The sheriff accepted the tin cup Grace offered him. “Nate and Rand Northam have turned around several boys with their good teaching.”
Grace nodded, although she still thought a few days in jail would be a good place for wayward boys to start. “Just have to find the troublemakers.”
They tossed around several ideas, not the least of which was asking other merchants in town whether they’d noticed small items missing from their stores. They’d also need to inform folks about the outlaws.
“I’ll go over to the hotel.” Grace adjusted the hang of her gun belt on her hips. “The shops over there might be easy targets with all the comings and goings of unfamiliar folks.”
“Yep. You do that.” Lawson continued to pore over the posters like he was digging for gold. “I’ll check the other end of town.”
“Yessir.” Grace ambled out of the office and strode down Main Street toward the Esperanza Arms. She’d never understand why Rosamond and her new dandy husband, Garrick, had chosen that name. Maybe Garrick’s uncle, the Earl of something or other, had planted that English-sounding name on the hotel. Maybe they’d named it for the wing currently being added to the north end of the building and the wing they planned to build to the west. Grace reckoned they couldn’t exactly call it the Esperanza Wings. She laughed out loud at the thought.
“What’s funny?” The Rev fell into step with Grace as she continued down the dusty street.
“You following me, Rev?” She kept on laughing, even as her heart did a stupid little hop.
“Not on purpose.” He chuckled. “We just always seem to be going in the same direction.”
A bothersome shiver, not at all unpleasant, swept down Grace’s spine. She had to stop these involuntary reactions to him. No man had ever affected her this way. The Rev himself hadn’t ever. It was downright nonsense. But when did feelings ever have anything to do with good sense? She mentally put her foot down, ordering those feelings to vamoose.
“So, what were you laughing about all by yourself?” He seemed in a jolly mood himself.
She dared to cut him a glance, knowing he’d be wearing that teasing grin. She was right, so she returned a smirk. “I was just wondering why they named the hotel what they did.”
They stepped up on the boardwalk outside the building at the same moment Rosamond and Garrick Wakefield emerged through the fancy etched glass doors.
“Well, what do you know?” The Rev waved a hand toward the couple, who’d shared a double wedding with Beryl and Percy last year. “Here are the folks to ask.”
“Ask what?” Rosamond’s eyes shone with pure joy, just as they had on her wedding day. They’d recently returned from their honeymoon and now were teaching at the high school as well as running the hotel.
Grace tamped down a mild case of envy, both for their happiness and for their getting to see Beryl last summer.
The Rev shook hands with the Englishman. “Good morning, Garrick. How’s business?”
“Excellent, Reverend.” Garrick’s brown-eyed gaze lit on his pretty wife, and he smiled. “Couldn’t be better.”
Grace wondered what it would feel like to have a man she loved look at her like that.
Rosamond sidled over to her and touched her arm. “What was your question?”
Grace traded a look with the Rev, and they both laughed.
“I was just wondering why you called the hotel the Esperanza Arms when it’s wings you’re adding, not arms. Why not call it the Esperanza Wings?”
While the Rev and Rosamond laughed heartily, Garrick tilted his head and blinked. Then he chuckled. “And you came all the way over here together to ask that?”
Grace hiked up her gun belt. “I don’t know why the Rev came, but I’m here on official business.”
Everyone sobered right up.
“What is it, Grace?” Rosamond lifted her hand and came just short of putting her arm around Grace’s waist, as she might any other female friend.
Grace stepped back an inch or two before that could happen so she could maintain a look of authority. “Two things. There’s been some items stolen from Mrs. Winsted’s mercantile. I need to check with the shopkeepers here at the hotel—” she waved a hand toward the