“It’s not a secret that the railroad will lay rail to Stonechurch. There’s eventual profit for them in the investment. The telegraph ended the pony express. The railroad is taking over the stagecoach routes. Until something better, something more efficient, comes along, there’s no stopping it.”
Laurel sighed softly but audibly. “I know. It’s hard to think about much else these days.” Her short laugh was humorless. “Mr. Pye’s activities were almost a welcome distraction. Not really, but you get the idea.”
“I do. So you have a plan?”
“I’m trying to secure an agreement with the railroad that they’ll keep to the Cabin Creek Trail and make Falls Hollow a station on the line. At the moment, it’s still not clear which railroad line is going to win the bid to put down tracks between Denver and Stonechurch. I’ve had conversations with Alexander Berry about it. He’s Federal; at least I’ve been given to understand that. He’s an agreeable sort, always watchful, though, as if he expects to catch someone doing something wrong.” She shrugged. “But he’s the man in charge of the bidding process so I endeavor to be pleasant and not act as if he holds our livelihood in his hands. He’ll also establish the route, and I aim to see that he chooses the one I’ve laid out for him.”
“So he’s been here already.”
“Twice. I’ve written to him a few times, promoting this route, this station. Falls Hollow will live or die by the railroad.”
“You feel responsible for that?”
Laurel rested her head back again and closed her eyes.She nodded because she couldn’t speak for the catch in her throat.
Aware of her distress, Call gave her time to recover but not so much time that she might suspect she was being coddled. She would not appreciate that in the least.
“You have competition?” he asked.
“There’s a spread some fifteen miles from here. Ephraim Hammersmith and his brothers own the land. It’s well north of the living station that’s on the trail now, but if the railroad decided to take that detour—and there’s an argument that can be made for it—the track could bypass Falls Hollow altogether.”
“What’s the argument?”
“The grade is more gradual than the incline leading in and out of Falls Hollow. That weighs heavily with the railroad.”
“Is that the only factor in its favor?”
“As far as land goes, yes, but it’s generally believed that the Hammersmiths come from money. Mrs. Ephraim Hammersmith anyway. I can’t say that it’s true, but I don’t know that it isn’t. You understand what I mean about the money, don’t you? Why it’s important?”
“From what you’re saying, I’m thinking bribery.”
“Keep thinking that.”
“Do you suspect—what’s the government man’s name again?”
“Alexander Berry.”
“Right. So do you suspect Mr. Berry is likely to be persuaded by a bribe?”
“I’d like to believe he isn’t, but that would be foolish on my part.”
Call was inclined to agree. He was formulating his next question when Laurel sat forward in the rocker and turned sharply in his direction.
“If you’re thinking that I had a part in the robbery to manage a bribe of my own, you’re—”
Call threw up his hands as though he could ward her off. “Never crossed my mind. Swear.”
It took a couple of moments, but she finally relaxed, slumping back into the rocker. “I don’t know why not. In your place, I’d wonder about it.”
“I’m not going to win this, am I?”
“No.”
He dropped his hands. “Just so we’re clear, even though you’ve planted the idea full bloom in my head, I’m still not wondering about it.”‘
“You think you know me that well?”
“Probably not, but Mr. Stonechurch thinks he does. He and Brady are both confident you had nothing to do with the theft. Without evidence to the contrary, I’d be hard pressed to convince either one of them otherwise. Without evidence, I’m hard pressed to convince myself.”
