Caleb wanted to ask Ruef what he knew about God but held his tongue. He pushed the letter Ruef had given him toward Patrick. “Are these figures agreeable?”
Patrick did nothing but stare at Ruef for several seconds, then finally he glanced down at the paper. If he was as surprised as Caleb had been, he didn’t show it.
“Here are all the papers you need to prove your business and home ownership. The previous tenants have already left the city, so the house and attached shop have been abandoned. You’ll be able to start business immediately, and I know that Mayor Schmitz is anxious for you to help with the downtown restoration. Your prior experience with commercial construction is invaluable to us at this time. There will be a meeting in three days with other contractors and business owners. All the details are in the folder. Plans need to be drawn up to decide what will be rebuilt and what will be abandoned. We’ll expect you to be there, Mr. Murdock.” Ruef held out a thick folder. “The vouchers are on top.”
Patrick took the folder but didn’t bother to look inside. Ruef seemed about to say something else, then seemed to think better of it.
“I’m sure Mr. Murdock will be available for the meeting,” Caleb said.
“If you would be good enough to sign this, acknowledging receipt of compensation,” Ruef said, holding out another piece of paper.
Caleb took it and looked at it. It was simple and to the point. He handed it to Patrick. “It’s safe to sign.”
Patrick looked up from the letter. “I’ll be needin’ a pen.”
“Of course.” Ruef quickly complied.
Patrick signed the receipt and tossed it atop the mess on Ruef’s desk. He followed that with the pen. “Now, if that’s all...” He looked at Ruef as if challenging him.
Ruef gave a cool smile. “It is. If you take the door to the left of my office, it will lead you downstairs and out into the alley. You’ll find the horses and freight wagon awaiting you there. My man is expecting you.”
Patrick fixed Ruef with a hard gaze. “In the spirit of rebuildin’, I’ll keep my peace, but there is bad blood between us, and an Irishman can’t be easily settin’ that aside—even if he is a man of God.”
He didn’t wait for Ruef to reply but strode from the room. Caleb looked back at Ruef and shook his head. He wanted Ruef to account for so much, but now wasn’t the time.
“Good day, Mr. Ruef.”
Walking away was the hardest thing Caleb had ever done, but he kept going. The day would come, he promised himself, when Ruef would account for all the wrong he’d committed. It might be a long way off, given the current situation, but it would come.
CHAPTER
5
Twenty?” Micah looked at the tables set up for surgical procedures. “Twenty gunshot victims?” Most of the patients were conscious and in pain. The man nearest to Micah begged to be put out of his misery.
“They were shot by soldiers,” the nurse told him. “Some of them more than once.” She sounded as disgusted as he felt.
“It’s bad enough we have thousands of earthquake and fire injuries to contend with, but the army has to make it worse by sending us gunshot wounds as well?”
“I’m afraid so.” Micah turned to find one of his associates, Dr. Nystrom. The older man shook his head. “And it’s not just the army. Any ninny who has declared himself a law official is out there abusing his power to shoot and kill.”
“It’s out-and-out murder for those who die.”
“And additional work for us if we want them to live,” Nystrom replied. “I’ll take this side, you take the other. Nurse, get me someone to assist.”
She nodded and went to do just that.
Nystrom motioned to Micah. “Come on, let’s get scrubbed up.”
Micah could see there was nothing else to be done. He certainly wasn’t going to convince the army to stop shooting people. San Francisco was in a state of madness. He would have thought lives would be considered dearer after losing so many to the earthquake, but if anything, it had created an insanity that seemed to discount that precious commodity.
“Have new supplies come in?” Micah asked, shedding his outer coat.
“Yes, thankfully,” Nystrom said. “A ship came from Oakland, loaded with everything we needed. God bless those people and so many others across the country. From what I’ve heard, money and supplies are pouring in.”
“That is definitely something to thank God for.” Micah rolled up his shirt sleeves.
They washed and prepared for a day of surgery. As repulsed as Micah was by the army’s casual attitude toward life, he couldn’t keep his thoughts from drifting to Kenzie. He prayed God would show him how to win her. He knew he would have to move slowly, and that wouldn’t be easy. He loved her and wanted very much for her to be his wife, and he didn’t want to wait. Maybe it was the earthquake and seeing life easily lost on a day-to-day basis that made him feel so urgent, but he was desperate for her to see that they belonged together.
