“Tobias, help me! She shot me. And that devil dog of hers bit my ear off,” he screamed.
Chapter Ten
Tobias regarded thesight in front of him, suddenly unsure of what he had walked in on. He surveyed the room, taking notice of the blood on the floor. He was certain a gunshot came from here. Who was that man in front of him—standing next to Bethany—and what in tarnation was Caleb Smoot doing bleeding and bound to a chair? “It seems I chose a bad time to stop in, Bethany.”
“Tobias! We have had an unpleasant morning, I am afraid,” she responded, taking a towel from the tabletop, and wiping her dog’s face. She stopped and looked up. “What are you doing here? Who’s watching the Post?”
“That seems to be an understatement, Beth.” Tobias stared at the man he did not recognize, standing protectively next to Beth. “I secured it and left a note. And I am here because I needed to speak with you.” His gaze locked with hers. “What have you stepped into this time, Beth?” As far as he could tell, the woman had a knack for attracting trouble. He had hoped she would take his pursuit more seriously, but she had insisted they were friends and would always be. That was not what he wanted.
“Tobias! Free me from these damn ropes,” Smoot yelled from the chair.
“What are you doing here?” Tobias said, folding his arms across his chest and making no move in Smoot’s direction. “Let me guess! They caught you stealing.”
“He was trying to steal my boat,” Bethany replied, anger lacing her voice. “You know this man?” She had a look of disbelief on her face.
“Yes,” he said simply, focused on the stranger next to Bethany. “Are you going to introduce us, Bethany?” Tobias tried to swallow back his irritation.
“I can speak for myself,” Matthew inserted.
“I found Matthew on the battlefield, left behind and dying,” Bethany added.
Tobias stiffened. An Englishman! This was who the letter was about this morning. The letter that disappeared. As much as he wanted to dismiss it, Bethany was his friend. “I need to speak with you, Bethany. Can you step out here on the porch with me?”
“Sure.” She looked in the direction of Matthew. His head dipped, perhaps in acknowledgment. “Keep the gun trained on him.”
“You shot Smoot, didn’t you?” It was more of a statement than a question. “And you shot the man in his knee, meaning you didn’t want to hurt him more than you had to. So what happened to his head?”
“Dandie bit his ear off. He was threatening me, and she bit him.”
Tobias felt pale. “He won’t be forgetting that. There’s only so much I can do to help there.”
“I know. I’ve made an enemy. Forget that he was trying to steal from me,” she finished, frustration evident in her voice. “What did you need to tell me?” She looked up at him.
“I am now realizing how important this probably is, considering the... patient you have.” He swallowed. “I went to grab your letter and take it to my contact, who could have gotten it to the British before they left. But it was gone.”
“Gone? What do you mean,gone?” Her eyes grew wide.
“I went to take it from behind my desk, and it was gone,” Tobias replied softly. “I am sorry. I cannot figure out what happened.”
“Caleb Smoot just told us he saw a man hiding at the side of the Trading Post.”
Tobias angrily bit down on his bottom lip, his face furrowed in fury. “He saw something and didn’t come in to tell me—and after all I’ve done for him?” Tobias fumed.
“You act like you are the injured party, here. The snake planned to stealmyboat. He followed Dandie and me home,” she declared angrily.
He tugged on her arm. “Let’s find out what he knows.” They turned and returned inside.
*
Matthew signaled forher to join him on the other side of the room. As he watched Tobias’ shape move closer to Smoot, still out of hearing distance, he whispered, “I wanted to tell you I am starting to see shapes. I don’t think he needs to know I cannot see.”
“I agree he should not know.” Bethany repressed her irritation at not having known that. It might have made things easier. “At least you wouldn’t have been shooting blind,” she murmured, unable to disguise her amusement at her joke. “How long have your eyes been working?”
“They are not working,exactly. I can see vague shapes. But that is all. And it seems to come and go,” he replied. “However, I am sorry we did not have this discussion earlier.”
“That is at least something. I pray it all comes back. Let me feed him. Can you keep an eye on him?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she grew quiet. “I am sorry. I had not given thought before to how much we verbalize about our senses.” A lump formed in her throat at the realization Matthew would leave soon—once he regained sight. She would miss him.
“It is fine. I understand and I do not take offense.” He grinned at her.
