“The integrity of the things I design depends on the soundness of my calculations. I take that seriously. Very much so. When it’s done correctly, math is reliable.”
“And people aren’t?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But it’s true.”
“Mostly it’s true,” he said.
Lily stopped walking as Lizzie took a left turn into the alcove that marked the entrance to the dress shop. “We’re here,” she said. “Please don’t follow us inside. You have business with Ben, I believe. You should see to that.”
Roen agreed, albeit reluctantly. “I asked Clay to come by after he finished his chores. If that’s satisfactory with you, that is.”
“It’s fine.”
“I spent the morning poring over maps. I have a route planned for Saturday. That’s when I’ll need Clay for the day.”
“All right.”
“All right,” he repeated. His eyes lingered on her mouth, and her smile faltered. He was definitely sorry for that. He reached for the door and held it open until Lizzie and Lily were inside, then he raised a hand to acknowledge Mrs. Fish before he backed out of the alcove and headed down the street to find the sheriff.
Chapter Seven
As near as Roen could tell, Ben Madison hadn’t twitched since he’d last seen him. He was still behind his desk, still nursing a cup of coffee, still leaning as far back in his chair as gravity would allow.
“Please tell me that’s fresh coffee,” Roen said as he sat in a visitor’s chair opposite Ben.
“Fresh ten minutes ago,” said Ben, raising his mug. “You want a cup?”
Roen shook his head. “Just had a root beer fizzy.”
One of Ben’s fiery eyebrows lifted in a perfect arch. “You were at Mangold’s drugstore?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Alone?”
“No. With Lily and Lizzie Salt. Mrs. Salt had root beer same as I did. Lizzie had the cherry.”
“They were on their way to the dress shop.”
“That’s where they are now. We parted ways at the entrance.”
“Huh. I knew you were a pretty persuasive fella when I heard you speak to the council and later at the town hall. You sold them on Northeast’s plans for new rails through here, but better than that, you sold them on you. That’s not easy to do.”
Roen offered a modest shrug.
“Of course, Lily Salt didn’t attend the town hall meeting, so she didn’t see what I saw. How’d you get her to go to the drugstore with you?”
“I used Lizzie. She begged prettily when I suggested a fizzy drink, and her mother gave in. Reluctantly, I admit. Most definitely against her better judgment. She told me the nexttime I take Lizzie by the hand to lead her away, she’ll holler bloody murder.”
“She said that?”
“Almost verbatim.”
“She doesn’t holler.”
“That’s why I thought. She barely raises her voice. I can admit that I find it a little unnerving. I’m more familiar with loud and chaotic.”
