“Most people don’t frown about nothing,” she said, mimicking something he’d told her the first time they met. “What are you thinking?”
After a few paces he answered. “I saw something strange, and I don’t know quite what to think about it. While you were dress shopping, I went to the saloon. When I got there, I noticed Elijah coming out the front doors. His hat was bent forward and he wore a bandana that covered his mouth and nose. His clothes were different too, so it seemed like he was trying to disguise himself. I only recognized him because of his shoes and the way he walked.”
“That is strange,” Lily agreed.
“When I asked Daniel what the man wanted, Daniel told me that he asked for a book of matches. He didn’t order a drink. Daniel didn’t recognize him, and I guess no one else did either, except for me of course. Now what would that man want with matches from my saloon?”
Lily thought for a moment. “I don’t know. Maybe he just needed to light a fire?”
“But he could have gotten matches anywhere. Why would he disguise himself to get matches from the saloon? Something seems wrong.”
“Yeah, I see what you mean. If you’re worried about it, maybe you should report it to the marshal or something,” Lily suggested.
Jesse considered that. “I think you’re right. The marshal might laugh me out of his office for reporting something so minor, but at least I’ll have gotten it out in the open in case there’s something underhanded going on. Thanks, Lily girl.” He brought her hand to his lips and gave it a quick kiss.
Chapter Nine: A Woman Like No Other
Reporting the preacher’s suspicious behavior to the marshal turned out to be the best advice Lily had ever given and the best advice Jesse had ever acted upon. A day later, a fire broke out at the church, and despite the townsfolk’s best efforts to snuff it out, the building burned to the ground. A few yards away from the smoking embers, the marshal found a half-used book of matches with the saloon’s logo printed on it, clear as day. Near it was something Jesse hadn’t even noticed was missing—his two-pronged piano tuning fork.
Because of Jesse’s report, which Daniel corroborated, the marshal attributed the crime to the preacher. He arrested Elijah and charged him with both starting the fire and trying to frame Jesse. When the same four witnesses from before came forward to provide a false alibi for Elijah, the marshal threatened to charge them with obstruction of justice and perjury. The witnesses quickly decided to save their own skin and recanted their lies.
Jesse sat across from the marshal’s desk after Elijah’s arrest. “That’s the most dangerous kind of man,” the marshal said, with a head jerk to the cell in the back of the jailhouse. “He’s got half the town fooled and the other half flummoxed. No one suspects this kind of behavior from a preacher.”
Jesse nodded. “The whole town is learning a lesson about judging a man based on his occupation. One thing I’m glad about is that Maria will get some sort of justice, although Elijah still won’t be prosecuted for the crime against her. Is that true?”
The marshal nodded. “Yes, true, but the crimes we can prove should keep him locked up for some time.”
“Why would he do such a thing to his own church? It doesn’t make much sense. He’s willing to give up his livelihood just to frame me?”
The marshal rubbed his beard. “Likely his supporters would have banded together and erected a new church before winter. Before that, he could’ve used another location or simply preached outside. It’s warm enough. He’d have gotten a new church and his revenge against you. Makes perfect sense to me.”
Jesse lifted an eyebrow. “Well, when you put it like that, marshal…”
“I’m glad it sounds outrageous to you, Jesse. Unfortunately, I know all the usual tricks. Now, since I don’t see the preacher taking any sort of plea deal, I imagine this’ll go to trial. You’ll need to testify in Tucson.”
“Of course,” Jesse said immediately. “I want to see that man locked up for as long as the law allows. I’m willing to travel.”
“Good. Hopefully it won’t disrupt your life too much. I hear you and Lily are getting real close. That’s one thing Elijah told the truth about, eh?”
Jesse smiled and agreed. “Yeah, you’re right about that.”
He left the marshal’s office feeling vindicated. Finally, there was proof and the backing of the law as to Elijah’s character. It seemed that all would work out for Jesse in his plan to continue the successful enterprise of running the saloon and his plan to marry Lily.
He found a little house a half-mile east of town and made plans to buy it using his savings and a loan from the bank. He could already picture their life together, and he hoped they would be blessed with children to fill and liven the empty rooms in the house.