“Those boys have been with us too long for that kind of nonsense. Like I said, they know if they dared to cause trouble they’d be quickly dealt with—like with Abe. They’ve also seen it happen before when we had fellas less inclined toward loyalty. Now that most of them have been with us for a time, they know how things go.”
“Good. Our system is working well. They know what’s expectedand do what they’re told, or they die. It’s that simple. And no one but you needs to know I’m holding the reins. Keeping my identity a secret is to everyone’s benefit.”
“Yes, sir.” Gus drank the rest of his coffee and got up to get another cup. “What did you have in mind for us to do next?”
“We’re laying low for a time. The army is still out there trying to locate the Indians who robbed the stage and killed the passengers.” Granite finished off his coffee, then continued. “And that money box was full. It’ll hold the boys for quite a while and help me build my new house.”
“What about that fella you’ve got in your house?” Gus asked, holding up the pot toward Granite. “More?”
Granite shook his head. Gus made the worst coffee in the territory, and he had no desire to suffer through another mug. “Don’t you worry about the man in my house. It’s done wonders to keep Laura busy. She’s been the dutiful nurse, and the preacher is lost in his mourning. I guess I am a little sorry for him. It wasn’t in my plan that there would be women on the stage. Seems we seldom get women traveling this time of year, and the fact that they happened to be his mother and sister is a tragedy, to be sure.”
“If Abe hadn’t lost his mind when the older woman pulled a derringer out of her bag, they might still be alive.”
“A derringer, eh?” Granite had to admire Mrs. Porter’s gumption. “Well, it’s done, and the haul was excellent. The law believes it was the work of Indians, just as they will on the next job we pull.”
“And when will that be?” Gus asked, reclaiming his seat.
“Those soldiers and lawmen are gonna be searching until spring. By then, the Indians will be getting itchy to get off the reservations, and the army will have their hands full. The lawmen will be busy with new settlers coming in, and I’vealready gotten word that there will be at least ten different new herds of cattle coming our way. A group down in Texas is planning to unite and push up here to resettle. Not to mention sheep. There’s a herd of a couple hundred that are being relocated here from Colorado Territory. The owner came and finalized his purchase of land last week. Ought to be interesting. I never did see a time a sheep man and cattle rancher could get along. With all that going on, you’ll get your chance for a new adventure.
“In the meanwhile, talk to that other cousin of yours and lay in more of the Indian wares. That always serves us well.”
“Harvey will handle it. As long as you supply him with rifles and ammo to trade, the Sioux will give him whatever he asks for.”
“You’ve got quite the interesting family, Gus.”
The man shrugged. “We know how to deal with the law and those who get too out of hand.”
Granite got to his feet. “Thanks for all you do. There’s gonna be some extra cash coming your way. Oh, and thanks for taking care of that kitten.”
“I didn’t.” The man looked at Granite with a blank expression. “Never did find the thing.”
“Hmm, well, it’s gone. I suppose that’s good enough. Since Laura’s said nothing about it, maybe she found it another home. I made it clear I didn’t like animals in the house. Could be she cared enough to do something about it. Wouldn’t that be something? An unselfish act from an Evans.”
“Your daughter seems to be a good sort.”
Granite gave a slight smile. “She does, doesn’t she? She never gets into my business and seems content to just sew with her lady friends, nurse Mr. Porter, and go to church. She’s the kind of good sort that would make a quality wife,and I intend to find her a husband as soon as possible. If I can connect her to one of the more powerful and wealthy men of our town, we might be able to create a force that people will have to deal with. And eventually that force might put me behind the governor’s desk.”
“As I hear it, you may be put there by the president. Rumor has it you’re in the top running with one other fella.”
Granite nodded. “But I’ve never relied on rumors, nor trusted them. It’s hard to tell who’s putting out the information. Washington is a long way off, and a lot can get misinterpreted along the way. I hope they’re right, but I’ll rely solely on myself to make it happen.”
Will heard the front door open and wondered if Laura had returned. He found himself almost hoping she had so that they could visit. Lately, her company had become more and more appealing, although he continually forced away thoughts of how perfectly suited they were. Will had often thought of the kind of woman he’d one day marry, and Laura met his requirements and then some. She cared deeply about the people around her and took responsibility for things whether they were hers to deal with or not. Just taking care of him was an example of that. Making sure the kitten had a home was another. She was also respectful of her father even when he said things that were harsh and uncalled for. The man always apologized after his outbursts, especially if he caught sight of Laura’s pained expression, but there was something of a mystery about him that Will didn’t quite understand.
Just then, the very man looked into Will’s temporary room. “Am I disturbing you?”
“No, sir. This is your house, after all.” Will did his best to sound welcoming.
“How’s the recovery coming along?”
“Good, I believe. The doctor seems to think it too soon for me to master stairs, and Mrs. Cooper is still unable to offer me a ground floor room. Otherwise, I would be thanking you for your very kind help and letting you have your room back.”
Granite Evans surprised him by laughing heartily. “You haven’t been any trouble at all, and this is just an extra room. If all houseguests were as quiet and easily dealt with as you’ve been, I’d have them all the time.”
“Still, I know you’re a very busy man and having a stranger around all the time can’t be easy.”
“Honestly, son, if you were a problem, you wouldn’t be here.” Granite stepped in closer. “But seriously, how are you feeling? You seem rather ... dark of mood.”
Will didn’t know how the man knew what he was feeling. He’d been around so seldom that unless someone else had told him, Will wasn’t sure how he’d deduced this.
