Ellie broke in before Natty spoke. “I don’t understand either. What’s this about a choker? Pearls, was it?”
Natty said, “The damn thing didn’t exist, but because you told me it did—I’m talkin’ to you, Ben—I mentioned it to the others. I wanted to see what was what, so I planned to follow Blue. That got me to the whore, and then the boys got ideas of their own. They cut me out, followed the deputy themselves, and learned it was the pear shape diamond ring that he had, not a pearl collar. Theyknewthey’d sold the ring to a fellow, but they didn’t get his name. He didn’t have theirs either, but they figured he could give the law a pretty good description. You probably read about what happened next, or maybe you heard it straight from the sheriff. They squeezed the life out of Blue and his whore to get the name, and they got it, too. Heard it was the whore who gave it up. Blue wouldn’t.”
Natty shifted his weight from one foot to other and folded his arms across his chest. “If you haven’t considered this, Ben, you should be doing it now. I don’t know how it came to your attention that it was a collar that was stolen, but it was never that. The boys swear there was no such piece, and while they’d stare at a blue sky and tell you it’s purple, I’m inclined to believe them about this. So if there was no collar, why were you so sure there was? See, if it was me, I’d be thinking someone was pissin’ on my leg and telling me it was raining. But hey, that’s just me.”
Ellie’s eyes narrowed as she attempted to study her son’s features. “He’s right, isn’t he? Someone told you. Someone suspects you’re involved. Who was it?”
“Can’t be important now,” said Ben. “It’s a dead end. He doesn’t know I told you.”
“Not the point,” Natty told him. “The point is you were told something that wasn’t true. You weren’t trusted. Maybe you weren’t trusted since the first. You think of that?”
He hadn’t, but he was sure that was irrelevant. He was doing the right thing, he was certain of it. With this off his chest, he’d be able to look Remington—and Thaddeus—in the eye, and he would be able to face himself in the mirror.
Ellie’s voice was sharp when she addressed Ben. “There are only two possibilities. I want to know which one of them it was.”
“Why?” asked Ben. “I did what you asked. Everything you asked. I told you there was no affair between Mrs. Frost and me. Whatever you saw with Remington or thought you saw, it was never like that for me. That’s what started this. I don’t think you ever believed me, but she was nothing but kind, and yes, she was lonely, and you were grasping at anything you could use to send her away as long as it did not reflect poorly on either of us.”
“I was looking out for you. It’s what a mother does. What a mother always does, unless she’s no kind of mother to her own child. Yes, I’m talking about Fiona. She was not much of a sister either. That woman was so jealous of Phoebe that she couldn’t see straight. Tried to pass it off as concern, but what it was, was jealousy. She did not want Phoebe anywhere near Thaddeus, and I didn’t want Fiona anywhere near you.
“Fiona had the will to leave Twin Star but not the means. She confided in me, Ben, and I listened to her. Phoebe’s abduction, the ransom, it was all in aid of funding Fiona’s escape. I was helping her, don’t you see?”
“Tell yourself that, Mother, but you had your own reasons for wanting Fiona gone. You’ve been in love with Thaddeus for years, maybe always, and the only person who didn’t seem to know was Thaddeus.”
“You’re wrong, Ben. It was about you. Always about you.”
“Stop. Just stop.”
Natty said, “This is all very touching, but it has nothing to do with me.”
“Of course it has to do with you,” said Ben. “You took Phoebe from the train, set up the ransom, didn’t stop those two miscreants from robbing the passengers, and worse, didn’t stop them from murdering Blue Armstrong.”
“Carried out your mama’s plan,” said Natty. “Same as you. You seem to be forgetting that most of that ransom ended up in your hands. I know because I put it there. Doesn’t matter to me what Ellie wanted to do with the money. That’s her business. As for the miscreants—and that might be the best word ever applied to them—they’re finished. Ellie and I have reached an agreement that has nothing to do with you. Leave it be, Ben. Better that you stop threatening to open your mouth more than you already have. It’s done. Or it soon will be.”
Natty, Ellie, and Ben turned as one when the barn door creaked loudly and a pair of lanterns swung into the opening ahead of the two men carrying them.
Doyle raised his lantern to cast light over the intimate gathering. He smirked. “Told you, Willet. Told you I saw them duck in here.”
Chapter Forty-two
Willet kicked the door hard enough with the heel of his boot to make it shudder when it closed. “You did tell me they were here. You have to wonder what they’re up to standing around in the dark.”
“I’m not wonderin’ at all,” said Doyle. “Plottin’ is a word that comes to mind. Up to no kind of good, is what I’d say.” He lowered the lantern so light spread in a circle around his feet. “Hello, Mrs. Madison. Ben.” He stared hard at Natty. “I figured we’d cross paths sooner or later. Had the feelin’ you were avoidin’ us.”
“Not avoiding,” Natty said easily. “Just nothing to say.”
Doyle snorted. Willet remained silent.
Natty thrust his bearded chin forward. “What do you want?”
“Nothin’ in particular,” said Doyle. “Mostly curious. Willet and me couldn’t exactly hear what was being said from the other side of the door on account of the fiddles, but we sure could tell you was talkin’. Kinda contradicts that notion that you have nothin’ to say.”
“To you,” said Natty. “Nothing to say to you or your brother.”
Ellie said, “I think you should extinguish the lanterns before the light attracts attention and someone gets curious.”
Willet shook his head. “We’re not doing anything, so what do we care if someone comes nosing around? You got somethin’ to hide, Mrs. Madison? Ben? No point in asking anyone else. Your man’s always hiding something. Never knew him not to have a card or two up his sleeve.”
Ben took a step sideways to be closer to his mother. “I admire your nerve, coming here today. Rubbing elbows with the law. Taking a turn with Phoebe. Chatting up Remington like you were an old friend. They’ll figure it out, you know. Blue’s murder. There will be justice for him and Miss Carolina, and you’ll know I’m speaking the truth when they’re stringing you up.”
