Making a pretense of cleaning at the far edge of the park, Hiram waited until she stood to leave. And that was when he realized he’d been watching his sister all along.
“Well, I’ll be.” He elbowed Shep. “It’s Addie.”
Shep looked up to see what Hiram was talking about. “Where?”
“Right there, stupid. The woman in black and white with the straw hat.”
“That pretty one?”
“She’s the only lady around.” Hiram grew irritated with Shep’s lack of understanding. “That’s Addie. I’m telling you it is.”
“Sure grew up pretty. Who’d have thunk that?” Shep asked.
“Of course she’s pretty. She’s got enough money to buy whatever she needs to make herself look beautiful.” Hiram clenched his teeth a moment, then relaxed. “And now she’s gonna have to share that money with us.”
8
Hiram and Shep followed Addie at a distance. She didn’t go to the expo, even though Hiram recognized the outfit she was wearing. She was apparently working at the fair as one of the Camera Girls he’d seen around taking pictures. It surprised him that she would be working a job. If his sources had been right, Addie left the Yukon with over a hundred thousand in gold. That was enough to take care of her needs for the rest of her life. Surely she hadn’t already gone through it all.
He supposed it was possible she had squandered it or lost some, but that wasn’t like Addie. She was meticulous with her money. He had once found out she had been saving a few cents here and there when they’d lived in the Yukon. He had demanded she give it to him for tobacco, telling her she had no need for it. Only immoral women had their own money. She had handed it over to him without a word. Just like he planned for her to hand over her fortune now.
“Where do you think she’s going?” Shep asked as they wound their way through the pines, trying to keep out of sight.
“Who can say, but she’ll have to stop sometime.”
“Why don’t we just grab her now?”
“Because I want to see where she’s going. Now shut up.” Hiram wearied of Shep’s questions. With him it was always questions. He never seemed to have sense enough to figure out the answers on his own, and frankly, Hiram wished he’d drop off the face of the earth.
Hiram pulled Shep behind a tree and used a group of blackberry bushes to take cover when Addie stopped to talk to a woman. He waited while the two exchanged words and then began walking together.
He gave Shep a push to go but found him eating berries. “Stop it,” he muttered, “those aren’t ripe yet.”
“I like ’em tart.”
“You’ll get a bellyache and won’t be able to work, and I’ll end up having twice the trash to pick up.”
They progressed a little farther, then Addie led the woman to a small house on the edge of the lake. Apparently, this was where she lived because she was the one who unlocked the front door. The two women disappeared inside, leaving Hiram to wonder what his next move should be.
It was convenient to think Addie had a house near the expo. It would allow him and Shep to quit their jobs and stay with her instead of that wretched dormitory. Their room was far too much like a prison cell to suit him.
“Let’s get back to work. We’ll figure this out by and by.” Hiram pushed Shep back in the direction from which they’d come.
“Aren’t we gonna make her give us her gold?”
“Of course we are, just not right this minute. Timing is everything, Shep. We can hardly go make ourselves presentwith that other woman in there. We’ll wait. You’ll see. It’ll be all right. Maybe we can grab her tonight.”
“I’m sorry that I feel unwell,” Addie told Pearl. “It was kind of you to see me home, but really I’m all right.”
“No, you aren’t. I’ve known you for years, Addie. You aren’t all right. Something is wrong, and I want to understand so that maybe I can help you.”
Addie sighed. “Would you like some tea? I think tea might settle my stomach.”
“Then you let me make it while you get into bed. Turn around and I’ll unbutton that blouse.”
She did as Pearl commanded, then headed back to her bedroom. Addie felt dizzy, almost weak. She wondered if she was coming down with something but knew it was most likely her encounter with Isaac and his nieces that had her feeling this way.
With the clothes discarded and her nightgown and robe on, Addie went back to the kitchen. “Thank you for your help.” She started to sit at the table, but Pearl would have none of it.
