Campbell, a bona fide Northerner, had served the Union army faithfully, while Granite could only boast the pretense of peacemaker between the two factions, while making a profit from both. While living in Virginia, close to the capitals, Granite had done his best to ingratiate himself to both sides, claiming that all he wanted was to see the severed nation brought back together. In truth, he couldn’t have cared less. He was neither loyal to the South nor to the North. He was loyal to Granite Evans.
John Campbell’s claim to fame of late had come in helping Virginia reestablish its political system. One of the casualties of war had been the politics of the South. Everythinghad to be made over, along with rebuilding businesses and agricultural endeavors. Campbell was apparently talented in this area, and Grant had likely presumed he could establish the political system for Wyoming’s new territory.
The man was due to arrive the first part of May, and before then Granite had plans to see the unmarried thirty-three-year-old eliminated. Perhaps Indians could be responsible. Most likely, however, it would need to be some sort of accident, or maybe Granite could arrange a poisoning. That was always unexpected.
He grabbed up another glass and poured a third helping of whiskey. No matter what else happened, he needed to figure out how to handle this situation with the necklace. No doubt Porter would come to him with questions now that he knew Laura had the necklace. Perhaps it would be better still if Granite sent for Will. Yes, that might work well in Granite’s favor. In fact, he could get word to the newspaper. Nathan Baker loved a heartwarming story. His “Wide Awake Journal for the People,” as he called theDaily Leader, was full of local tales and stirring accounts. Granite would let word leak regarding the necklace, and Nathan would be after the story like a cat to a mouse, proclaiming how a lost memento had been returned to a grieving brother.
“It’s all a matter of working the angles.” Distracting on one point, focusing attention on another, and throughout the entirety, pulling on the heartstrings.
One way or another, Granite Evans would manage them all. He had worked too hard to see it all fall to pieces now.
18
Will was surprised when Mr. Cooper showed up at Bradley’s Furniture Store with a message for him. He opened the piece of paper and saw that Granite Evans was summoning him to the house that morning, immediately if possible.
Will had tried to see Granite Evans at the store the day before, but he was gone, and his staff didn’t know when he would return. The invitation to the house was more than Will had hoped for. After arranging with Mr. Bradley, he ran all the way to the Evans house, not even remembering that his leg had been broken. He was immediately ushered inside by Mrs. Duffy, who didn’t seem the least bit surprised to see him.
“Mr. Evans is waiting for you in his office,” she said, leading the way down the hall. She paused at the closed door and knocked.
“Enter!” Evans’s strong voice called out.
Mrs. Duffy pushed open the door and stepped back. “Would you like me to bring coffee?” she asked Mr. Evans as Will crossed the room to where the older man sat at a desk.
“Would you like coffee, Mr. Porter?” Evans asked.
“No, thank you.” Coffee was the last thing on his mind.
“No coffee, Mrs. Duffy. Just leave us.”
“Yes, sir.” She looked at Will. “May I take your hat, sir?”
He’d forgotten to even remove it but pulled the hat off now. “No, I’m fine, Mrs. Duffy.” Having the hat gave him something to do with his hands.
“Take a seat, Will. I’m glad to see you up and about. You seem no worse for the accident.”
“No, I’m completely healed. I even ran from Bradley’s to your house.” Will took a seat in a high-back leather chair and rested the hat on his lap.
Granite nodded. “Youth definitely has its advantages. Healing quickly is one of them.”
Will said nothing. He was so anxious to hear what Evans had to say and then question him about the necklace.
“I’ll get right to the point,” Evans began. “I understand you were looking for me yesterday, and I know why. Laura told me that the necklace I gave her for her birthday belonged to your sister, and that it had been taken off her when she was killed in the Indian raid on the stagecoach.”
“Yes.” He had summed things up so succinctly that Will had nothing to add.
Granite Evans leaned back in his chair. “A stranger approached me and offered to sell it to me. He was an average man—nothing special at all. Dirty, unkempt, the roaming type. He had a worn-out horse and saddle and offered to sell me a few things that he had traded for. The necklace was one of those things. I did the sale with him for the necklace but had no interest in anything else. The man then went on his way, and I have no idea of where he went or what his name was.”
“He didn’t give you a name at all? You hadn’t seen him before?”
“No on both counts.”
“When did this happen?”
Granite shrugged. “I don’t really remember.”
“You don’t remember!” Will barely held himself in check. “How can you not remember? It couldn’t have been that long ago.”
The older man looked at him with an expression that suggested he didn’t care for Will’s tone. “It wasn’t of any great importance to me, Mr. Porter. Things like that happen all the time. I suppose it must have been around the time of the party I threw.”
