“Oh, not a thing! Although I am sorry about Mrs. Canton.”
Matthew paused. “What do you mean?”
“Your wife, Mrs. Canton. Not your mother.” She giggled behind her hand, which was about the least remorseful thing Matthew thought he’d ever seen. Although remorse for what, he still didn’t know.
“You’ve lost me, Miss Timperman. Can you explain?”
“Oh!” Her face furrowed into one of sympathy—although it lasted maybe just a second or two. “I saw her with a man. I . . . thought you knew.”
He narrowed his eyes at her as a horse and wagon lumbered by. Nothing in her expression indicated she thought he already knew. She was waiting for his reaction. “What man?” he said carefully.
“Oh, I don’t know. He was tall. Portly.” She shrugged as if it didn’t matter at all. “It looked as if they knew each other well.”
Matthew stared at her, alarm snaking its way through his body. The man who had come asking for him when he wasn’t here fit that description. “Did she appear to be in distress?”
Miss Timperman shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think so? They looked . . . close.” But she sounded far less sure of herself.
His eyes searched the street. A terrible feeling wound its way through every muscle and bone in his body. “Where did you see them? And when?”
“By the bank. I don’t remember when. Matthew, if you don’t trust Mrs. Canton, then perhaps . . .” She clasped her hands together. “Well, I feel terrible for suggesting such a thing, but I met an attorney who’s only just arrived in town. I imagine he could take care of it for you.”
Matthew stared at her, incredulous. He didn’t have time for this nonsense, not if Sophia was in trouble. “By the bank,” he repeated. And then something else occurred to him—something that made him go cold all over.
The man Sophia had feared was Francis Durham had been seen at the bank.
Miss Timperman appeared confused for a second, as if she’d expected him to up and agree to meet with this attorney immediately. “Yes, near the bank.”
He ran a hand through his hair, his hat still inside the office. And without a word, he began to walk quickly in that direction.
“Matthew!” Miss Timperman’s footsteps sound from behind him. “Please,” she said when she caught up. “I think you ought to let them be.”
He didn’t answer her. Passing shops and empty lots and barely noticing a person he passed, Matthew moved as quickly as he could toward the far end of town. It couldn’t be Durham . . . but it all felt far too coincidental for itnotto be him.
He was desperate enough to come all the way to Colorado. And if he’d cornered Sophia . . . Matthew felt sick at the thought.
Miss Timperman scurried along after him, uttering protestations and pleas for him to stop. It made no sense, her desperate concern for himnotto go after his wife. But he could worry about that later, once he’d found Sophia.
The bank had just come into view when he saw her. A man much larger than Sophia appeared plastered to her side. She was shaking her head as he reached for the door.
“Durham!” Matthew called.
The man whipped his head around, searching for the source of his name being spoken aloud. Itwashim, then. Matthew balled his fists and jogged ahead—just as Durham laid eyes on him. In a matter of seconds, the man slipped into the bank, dragging Sophia with him as she dropped her carpetbag.
“Matthew, please!” Miss Timperman grabbed hold of his arm as he reached the door. “Don’t go in there. He’s dangerous and he’ll—he’ll—”
Matthew paused, his hand on the door, and turned to look at the woman behind him. Suddenly, it all made sense. “You know him.” He recoiled from her hand on his arm, shaking it off. “You’re working with him.”
She tucked her hands against her dress, her expression appropriately downcast. “It was wrong, I know that, but he promised . . . and I wanted . . .”
Matthew shook his head. He didn’t have time for Miss Timperman’s pathetic apologies, not while Sophia was in danger.
He went to yank open the door, only to find it locked. He banged on the door.
No answer.
Miss Timperman watched him, wide-eyed with one hand to her mouth as he backed away and circled around the building. There was a door in the rear, also locked.
One of the windows would have to do.
