Scandal at the Cahill Saloon

chapter Twelve




Agreeing to allow Van Slyck to slither away, a serpent in high grass, had been difficult. That decision ate at Cleve and left him restless through the night.

“Take Boodle out riding,” Leanna had suggested to him as they finished breakfast. “He could use some fresh air.”

“Come with us. We’ll make it a family outing.”

“Papa always said that men need time to just be with men, even if the men are pint-size.”

Since she was right, he had saddled up Fey, who according to his wife also needed an outing, and taken his son on a ride.

The wind had blown away with the dawn leaving behind a perfect day to show off Cabe’s new home to him.

Sunshine touched Cleve between the shoulder blades. He stretched, easing some of the tightness out of his back.

“Fshn.” Cabe sat in him front of him with his boot toes tipped toward the sky. He pointed to a stream.

“As the years go by I expect you’ll spend a lot of time sitting beside that stream, my little man.” He ruffled Cabe’s dark hair with his palm. “We’d take a ride over and thank your uncle Quin for that, but he and your auntie are still away.”

“Fshn,” Cabe repeated.

“All right, but your mama says no hooks until you’re a mite older.”

Cleve dismounted and lifted Cabe from the saddle. He found a reed and tied a string that he found in Fey’s saddle pack to it.

With the boy settled between his knees next to the flowing clear water, Cleve allowed some of his anger from the night before to wash away with the current.

A reckoning time would come, but it wasn’t this fine sunny morning with Boodle chatting happily at the string bobbing about in search of hidden fish.

“Arden would be pleased to see you here.” Someday, when Cabe was older and able to understand, he would tell him about her.

Arden had made the right choice in giving her son to Leanna. With every day that passed, he was more thankful for his sister’s decision.

Cleve hated the fact that he had come to Cahill Crossing with the intention of taking the child away from Leanna.

He tried to imagine Arden’s face smiling down at the pair of them sitting here. It was easier than he would have thought. One day he might speak with her the way Leanna did with her mother.

The no-good man that his sister had been involved with still needed to be dealt with, but not on this fine day.

Besides, he didn’t know who the man was. Trying to force Leanna into telling might earn him a bed in the pantry behind the kitchen.

For as long as she wanted to keep the secret of Boodle’s daddy, he wouldn’t force it from her.

That didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to find out on his own.

“Come on, son, let’s go sit up on that great big rock and see what there is to see.”

“See!” Cabe leaped up and dropped his crushed willow pole.

Cleve lifted him and carried him on his shoulders up the boulder. It was an easy climb with deep chunks of rock hacked out for easy assent.

Apparently, this place had been visited before, many times. He supposed Leanna knew of it.

He pictured her as a child, maybe skinny with knobby knees, her hair in braids while she tagged about after Chance. It could be that the two of them sat in this very spot.

Chance and Leanna had been close; he’d heard story after story of them growing up.

She worried about this brother. Chance ought to have picked up the letter from Mrs. Jameston in Deadwood by now. Too many times he’d caught his wife listening for the train whistle, or watching the road.

“Horsee!” Cabe pointed to a herd running in the distance.

He wiggled, trying to launch his small self off Cleve’s shoulders.

“It’s a long fall from here.” He secured both arms about his squirming son.

Son…it was a good word. Day by day, that’s how he felt. Less of an uncle and more of a father.

Cabe looked up at him with sunshine falling full on his face.

“Go horsee!”

His eyes, wide and pleading, were as blue as his mother’s. Leanna might have given birth to him, the shade was so close. What was all his own was the gold fleck in the blue. It resembled the moon when at its half, with a dot at the tip that looked a bit like a star.

Cleve liked to think that he got it from a Holden ancestor. He wouldn’t allow that his son had gotten a single trait from the bastard who hadn’t stayed around long enough to know that he was a father.

“Lets go, then, Boodle. Let’s see if Fey can catch up with that herd and give you a better look.”





Leanna watched the pulse tick in her brother’s cheek.

“I’m in charge of law and order around here.” Bowie drummed his fingers on his desk, glaring at her, then at Cleve. “You can’t just waltz in here and announce that you didn’t have any luck breaking into the bank.”

Leanna leaned forward in the chair across from him. “I don’t know why you are so upset. It was you who asked me to gather information.”

Sitting beside her, Cleve shook his head.

“You can’t blame your brother. What he asked is that you listen, not gather.”

She shot her husband a severe frown.

“As I recall, you were already breaking into the bank when I got there.”

“Only to keep you from doing it.” He smiled at her, of all the nerve! “Besides, I’m not the one who promised to stay out of trouble.”

“The only reason you know about that promise is because you were eavesdropping.” She could scarcely believe that Cleve was taking her brother’s side.

Bowie slammed his fist on his desk. “The pair of you are lucky you didn’t get inside the bank. I’d have had to arrest you.”

Annoyed, she snatched her glare from Cleve and settled it on Bowie. “You wouldn’t arrest your own sister.”

“I’m the law. I’d be obligated to.”

“In that case you…” Leanna bit off her words. She had nearly blurted out that, as the law, he was obligated to find out who killed Mama and Papa and had failed to do so. She had come within a breath of reverting to that selfish girl who had argued with Mama that last day.

It wasn’t that Bowie didn’t need arguing with, but he didn’t deserve to have hurtful accusations hurled at him.

“Here, now.” Cleve smoothed open her clenched fingers. “We can discuss this and settle some things, or we can argue and not.”

Bowie nodded.

Leanna shrugged because while she was willing to listen calmly, and even discuss some things, she was not willing to stop doing whatever she could to find the murderers.

“Bowie was right,” Cleve said to her. “It was a mistake to break into the bank.”

He turned his attention on Bowie. “But I have to tell you, brother, listening for clues is worthless. Van Slyck sits in his chair and chats with his buddy Fitzgerald most evenings but they don’t talk about anything more revealing than the weather or the charms of widow Greenly.”

“We came here this morning to inform you of our progress,” Leanna said. “I just want to let you know that there is none.”

Bowie stood, his arms anchored across his chest. “And I want you to know that you’re off the case.”

“Bowie, I respect your right as a lawman to say so.” Cleve stood, as tall as her brother, engaging him eye to eye. “But Leanna has a right to know what happened. I’ll do my best to keep her out of trouble, but we are going to continue to try and find out.”

Leanna rose. She presented her back to her brother and her smile to her husband.

“I love you, Cleve.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek, then walked around the desk to Bowie.

She kissed his cheek. “I love you, too. Even if you are more like Quin every day.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Think about it, King Bowie.”

Cleve touched her waist and guided her to the open door.

“Annie, you are second in command here and when I say your job is to… Oh, hell.” Bowie was silent for the moment it took them to cross the threshold.

“Holden, if anything happens to my little sister I’m taking it out on your hide.”





Thanks to Massie, Cleve’s hide remained safe from Bowie, for the time being, at any rate.

He stood outside the church this crisp Saturday morning relieved that a wedding had kept Leanna too busy to hunt killers.

Scarcely an hour after they had left the marshal’s office last week, Massie and Sam had paid them a call. Sam had begged Cleve’s permission to marry his one and only true love…the very next day.

He had given his blessing without hesitation. Leanna had not.

According to Leanna, Massie would be wed with music, flowers and a gown to make her groom weep. Not in a hasty rush like they had something to be ashamed of.

With the ceremony just finished, Sam’s eyes were damp, along with Leanna’s, Lucinda’s, Cassie’s and, he couldn’t deny, his own.

At one time Massie may have been labeled a fallen woman, but with Leanna’s help she had learned to stand. This morning she emerged from the front door of the church a glowing bride.

Only one person equaled her for radiance. Leanna followed her fledging, showering her with flower petals as she came down the church steps with her new husband.

The newlyweds stopped to kiss.

Leanna snatched up the lacy hem of her skirt and hurried across the grass to him, her face flushed pink with victory.

He couldn’t recall when he’d seen her more beautiful.

“Hearts for Harlots did this!” She hugged him about the middle, then leaned back to gaze at his face. Her eyes reflected the pure September sky.

“You did this.” He ran his thumb along the curve of her smile, as proud of her as she was of Massie.

“In two hours our Massie is going home. I feel like dancing a jig.” She spun about. A froth of violet lace whirled about her. “We still have a couple of hours to celebrate before the train leaves.”

“I spent half of last night thinking about the reception at Steven’s Restaurant.” He smacked his lips. “Nice rare steak, mashed potatoes, succulent berry pie.”

“Oh!” Leanna covered her mouth with both hands. She looked suddenly pale. “I’ll meet you there.”

She hurried around the side of the building. She must have remembered some important wedding detail that she had forgotten, some decoration or frill in Steven’s dining room.

Cleve lifted Cabe from Dorothy’s arms and carried him the short walk to the restaurant. Happy chatter surrounded him. For a couple of hours he would try and forget that his own young marriage was based on a lie and very possibly doomed as a result.

“Melvin Wood!” Dorothy called. “You leave that pup be and come back here!”

Melvin dashed into a stand of trees behind the church trailing a big shaggy mutt.

“Oh, that boy,” she huffed.

“If he catches it will you let him keep it?”

“That would be your decision, Mr. Cleve. It’s your house he would be bringing it to.”

“A house needs a dog.” The more he considered it, the better he liked the idea. Dogs wagged tails when family approached. They bared teeth and snarled at strangers.

When they reached Steven’s Restaurant, Leanna waited for them on the front porch, her smile bright and welcoming.

The feast, joyous with many toasts, was halfway finished when Melvin dashed in the front door. He glanced at Cleve, then Leanna. His unhappy expression indicated that he had not caught the dog.

He hurried to a shadowed corner of the room where he slid onto a chair and slumped, staring at the floor until a whistle announced the arrival of the noon train.

The wedding party grew silent for a moment. Leanna looked at Massie, Massie looked at Leanna. Everyone stood because the train wouldn’t wait on their goodbyes.

As a group they escorted the newlyweds the short distance to the station. Tears streamed down the women’s faces to puddle in the creases of brave smiles.

It might be a long time, or forever, before Massie saw her friends again.

The groom twisted his hat in his hands and apologized to Leanna for being one of the folks who had scorned her upon her return to town.

Leanna hugged Sam and Massie, one arm about each of them. She whispered something in Massie’s ear.

The whistle blew again, a signal that the locomotive was ready to pull away from the station.

The Webbers boarded the train only a moment before the big wheels moved on the rails and a rush of steam poured out from under the engine.

As one, they waved and watched until the train was a speck of smoke in the distance.

“Mr. Cleve.” Melvin tugged on his arm. “There’s something I’ve got to tell you.”

“What is it, son?” The child looked miserable.

Leanna touched his forehead the way women do when they are hunting a fever.

“It’s just…” Melvin glanced sideways at Leanna. “Can this just be between men?”

“I reckon that would be fine.” He arched a brow in question at his wife. She answered with a nod.

Cleve walked away with Melvin while the rest of the group turned for home.

“You didn’t eat anything earlier. What do you say we get a bite of whatever smells so good coming from the baker’s oven?”

Melvin shook his head. “My belly’s not right.”

“Is something troubling you, son?”

Melvin reached into the pocket of his pants and withdrew a dollar bill.

“I didn’t want it.” He pressed the bill into Cleve’s fist, then wiped his hand on his pants. “But if I didn’t take it, I figured the man would think I knew he was up to no good…must have figured me for a simpleton.”

It was Cleve’s turn to look around.

“What man?” He gripped Melvin’s shoulder and tugged him closer.

“Don’t know who he was, but he was hiding in the trees when I went after the dog. He caught me by the arm and said he meant me no harm.” The boy glanced back over his shoulder. “I figured he wouldn’t have been hiding behind a tree if that was true.”

“You ought to have called for help.”

“Wouldn’t have found out what he was up to if I did.”

“Did you find out?”

Melvin nodded. “Said he’d give me that dollar and another one later if I’d bring Cabe to the stream where it cuts behind that old elm at the schoolyard. Claimed he has a present for him,” Melvin said in a rush. He gulped a deep breath. “He told me to come tonight when everyone’s asleep. I didn’t want to let on that I was shaking, but I was that scared of him. Miss Lucinda always says that just because a fellow looks like a gentleman doesn’t mean he is. I expect he was one of those.”

He was exactly one of those.

“Thank you, Melvin. I’ll take care of him.” Cleve squeezed his shoulder. “I think it’s better that we don’t mention this to the women.”

“I figured you’d know what to do.” Melvin leaned in close to Cleve.

He didn’t, exactly, but come dark he’d figure it out.

“What happened to the dog?”

Melvin shrugged one skinny shoulder and sighed. “I nearly had it but it ran off when the dandy threw a rock at it.”

“I suppose a boy of your age wants a dog pretty bad.”

“More than anything, Mr. Cleve.” Melvin kicked a clod of dirt and sent it rolling.

“Soon as I can, I’ll get you one all your own.”

Melvin stood a bit taller. Freckles crinkled over his nose when he grinned.

“What will I do with the dollar? It’s tainted.”

“That would only be true if you’d done what the man wanted. As I see it, you can do whatever you want with it.”

“Miss Leanna says money ought to be put in the bank so it can grow. I heard her tell Dorothy that she put the money her brother Chance sends her from his bounties in an account so it can be his when he wants it. He doesn’t know it, though, so it will be a surprise.”

“You and I will pay a visit to the bank Monday morning. That dollar can be the start of whatever you want it to be.”

“A horse—I reckon that’s what I want.”





Concealed behind a shrub that grew between the stream and the appointed elm, Cleve watched Van Slyck cross the schoolyard. He strode toward the tree wearing his customary black evening suit.

In the deep shadow of the witching hour he might have been mistaken for a drifting spook had it not been for his clumsy footsteps. Cleve figured inebriation was rare in a specter and Van Slyck was well into it judging by the way he swaggered.

“Good lad.” He lurched toward the figures sitting at the base of the tree. “Wasn’t sure you’d show.”

He crouched and plucked the sleeve of Melvin’s shirt. The fabric shifted and a hank of straw stuffing fell out of the neck. He shook Cabe’s short trousers with the same result.

“Don’t play with me, boy.” Van Slyck stood, gripping the limp dummy in his fist. He turned slowly in a circle, scowling and scanning the shifting shadows of the playground.

“If it’s more money you’re after, bring your little friend out here and I’ll double it.”

Cleve wanted to leap out of the bush and throttle Van Slyck, but he kept still. Who knew what he might reveal, believing that he was babbling to Melvin?

Still, it was a challenge to keep his voice from roaring in outrage and his fists from plowing into Van Slyck’s gut.

Not only was the man a bully to the women across the tracks, he had forced Cleve to deceive his wife. Leanna, making up for his absence at the saloon, believed that he was home in bed with a bellyache.

The lie was half-true, now that he thought about it. His belly did ache with the need to give Van Slyck what he had coming.

He’d have to wait on that, for now at least. Push Van Slyck too far and Leanna might never discover what he knew about her parents’ deaths, if he knew anything.

For Leanna’s sake, Van Slyck would get away with a warning, but it ate at him.

“All I want is for the little fellow to give his mother a message. I won’t harm either one of you…you have my word.” Van Slyck inclined his head, listening. “As a gentleman.”

Cleve shook a branch of the shrub and Van Slyck’s head whipped around.

He wove his way toward the bush, nearly stumbling with a drunken misstep. He spread the vegetation aside, looking down to where he must assume the children hid in terror.

Cleve reached up and grabbed him by his knotted tie. Van Slyck hit the ground hard on his knees.

Nose to nose with him, Cleve watched the coward’s eyes widen. In the dark, the speck in his iris that he had noticed earlier shimmered like a gold nugget.

Cleve’s temper burned so hot that it was hard to see clearly. He stood, yanking Van Slyck up with him. His free hand curled into an impatient fist.

He thought of his wife and the in-laws he would never get to meet. He pictured them in his mind and jammed his fist against his thigh.

“What’s the message, Van Slyck?”

He sputtered. The coward tried to pry Cleve’s fingers from his tie.

“What? Too yellow-livered to deliver it man-to-man?”

Van Slyck cursed. Cleve hauled him up, then dragged him to the stream. He tipped him backward over the water.

“Last chance to get it off your chest,” he said.

“Damn those Cahills, every last one of them. Damn you, double.”

“That’s what I figured.”

Cleve let go of the tie and Van Slyck fell backward into the stream. Dropping this fool on his ass was becoming a regular occurrence.

“Keep the hell away from my family or next time I won’t be so gentle on you.”