“Of course. I wasn’t going to let them get the better of me. The shaft isn’t very deep and it’s mostly horizontal. As I told you, the mine played out early. There might still be something worth digging out, but that takes machinery that I can’t afford or dynamite that I don’t want to handle. I have no desire to be Morrison Mining. I have smaller ambitions.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Operating a station for the railroad and managing the post office and telegraph service seems rather ambitious to me. Especially since you still have to get that route established.”
She sighed. “It sits on my brain every day. Sometimes it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by it. Operating the station is what I know, but getting the government and the railroad to agree on the route that benefits us, that’s been more difficult. It’s not a pleasure talking to the politicians. And the thought that I might have to put money in their pockets to see my way clear, well, that just rubs me wrong.”
Call felt the full effect of Laurel’s frank stare and held his own.
“And now,” she said, “there’s this robbery. I know word’s gotten around. Mr. Abrams will have heard. And the government man, Mr. Berry, surely knows. It wouldn’t surprise me if it occurred to them that I had a part in the theft. I’m not certain if they’ll hold it against me or assume that some of that money will find its way to them.”
“That’s why I’m going to clear you. There will be no doubt when I’ve finished that you’re not involved.”
“You sound very sure.”
“Because I am. It would help my investigation if you’d stop harboring guilt for something you had no part in.”
“I hired Mr. Pye. It’s not unnatural to feel a measure of responsibility for his crime.”
“If you say so.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
“No,” he said flatly. “I’d say I was responsible for hiring him and that’s all. What he made of the opportunity is his blame to bear.”
“But I presented him with the opportunity.”
“And you’ve given the same one to Rooster and Dillon and Hank and probably a dozen others and none of them used it for criminal purposes. You can’t be sure that Josey Pye didn’t arrive with a plan.”
“If he did, he was a long time in executing it.” Laurelconsidered that possibility a moment longer and then shook her head. “No. Too many coincidences in that event. He couldn’t have known that I would hire him or much about the stations between Denver and the end of the line. I’m confident the idea for the theft was born here.”
“And not your responsibility,” said Call. “There’s no need for you to martyr yourself.”
She stiffened. “I am not martyring myself.”
“Uh-huh. If you say so,” he said again. Rather than debate the point as she seemed poised to do, Call turned and headed for the buckboard. He climbed aboard and took up the reins. “There’s still another entrance to close if you want to come along. I could use your help.”
Laurel didn’t move. “Can we agree not to have this conversation again?”
Relieved, Call said, “You have my word.”
“All right.” She walked over to Abby and swung herself onto the mare’s back. “Do you want to lead the way or shall I?”
“It’s probably better if you do.” He waited until she was out in front before he snapped the reins and followed.
The second mine had an entrance about two hundred yards from the first. Laurel had a much smoother ride than Call. The buckboard bounced so hard and high across the uneven and rocky ground that he was almost unseated twice.
Laurel helped him unload the lumber and carry it to the entrance. It didn’t take long for them to put the boards in place and they accomplished the task without any conversation at all. It struck Laurel that they worked well together, but because she was unsure of what he would make of that, she refrained from saying so.
Call stood back to admire their work. “I think we did that tolerably well.”
“It’s not precisely skilled carpentry.”
“No, but I didn’t hammer my thumb and you didn’t drop a board and it looks as if it’s going to hold.”
“Uh-huh.” She gave him a wry look. “The test will be repeating our success. There’s one more entrance to board.”
“What? I only found the two we’ve done.”
“The other one might have collapsed, but we should look. Besides, you brought enough wood to build a cabin.”
