A Truth Revealed (The Heart of Cheyenne #3)

Chapter 22

22

“Will, this is Gus Snyder,” Evans introduced in the dimly lit warehouse.

Will couldn’t make out much of the man’s facial features. It was too dark, and he wore a wide-brimmed hat low to further shadow his face.

“Pleased to meet you,” Will said, extending his hand. Gus didn’t reach out, and so Will gave a shrug and pretended to be caught up in the warehouse. “Is this where you keep things for the store?”

“Yes, along with other pieces I come to own,” Evans replied. “I wanted to bring you here so you could become familiar with the business from the ground up. If you’re to be a part of this family, then you’ll need to know it all.”

Will was surprised at how casually Evans had included him. He was even more surprised at how easily Snyder could disappear into the background.

“Gus handles a lot of things for me. Most importantly, he manages the men who work here. I want you to spend time with him and get to know the warehouse and the more physical side of my investments.”

“All right.”

Evans turned to Gus and motioned him forward. “Take him with you to oversee off-loading at the train yard. Show him how things are done, but he doesn’t need to actually do anything. Will is going to be working in more of an office job given his education, but as I said, I want him to understand how things are done.”

“Yes, sir,” Gus replied.

Will wondered if he harbored any jealousy over a new man showing up and laying claim to an important role that might overlap some of Gus’s own work.

“I’m going back to the store, Will. When Gus finishes with you, come and find me there.”

“Sounds good, Mr. Evans.” Will watched him leave through the same door they’d entered before turning to face Snyder. “So what now?”

“Now we go to the depot.” Gus moved across the warehouse to an entirely different set of doors. These were large double doors big enough to allow a wagon entry. Several men were working just outside. Will didn’t know if they were employed by Evans, so he asked. After all, finding someone willing to speak against the man was why he was there.

“Are these fellas working for Mr. Evans?”

Gus pulled down on the brim of his hat. “They’re nobody so don’t concern yourself with them. If you need to know who someone is, I’ll introduce you.”

He kept walking down the long alleyway toward the depot. Will wasn’t surprised to find Snyder a man of few words. He also wasn’t surprised that the man kept to the shadows, avoiding wide-open spaces—hugging the walls whenever possible. Synder reminded him of a wild cat stalking its prey. He blended in so neatly with the various wagons, equipment, and shipping crates that Will found himself forced to keep his gaze fixed on him at all times.

They were soon on the back side of the train depot. There, Will found a lot more activity, what with the railroad workers, the freight drivers with their teams, and laborers to load the dozen or more wagons.

“Stay here,” Gus instructed, leaving Will near a wooden platform.

Gus wove his way around to where two men were straining to lift a wooden box into the back of an already heavily loaded freight wagon. He waited until they’d finished before motioning the larger of the two men over to the side. Will watched as Gus and the big man talked. He couldn’t hear any of the conversation, but the big man glanced over at Will. A deep frown etched his features.

Will did his best to memorize how the men looked. The larger man had massive shoulders, a bearded face, and a large nose. Will turned his attention to the smaller man as Gus concluded his discussion and came back to where he’d left Will. The smaller man was nothing notable. Medium build and height, no distinguishing marks.

“Come with me,” Gus instructed.

“Where are we going now?”

“We’re going to drive that wagon to where Mr. Evans wants it.”

“Why aren’t the men who loaded it going to drive it?”

Will saw Gus clench his hand into a fist, then release it. The man did not like being asked questions. It was something to use to his advantage, and when Gus wasn’t forthright with the answer, Will pressed the matter.

“I just want to understand the process and how Mr. Evans wants things run. He told me I could ask you any questions I had.”

Gus grunted. “They have another wagon to load.”

When they reached the wagon, the men had already finished securing the load and had walked off to tend to something else. Will climbed up beside Gus on the wagon seat.

“So where are we off to?”

“Just another warehouse,” Gus said.

“Not the same one, eh? How many warehouses does Mr. Evans have.”

“Three.”

Will could hear the irritation in the man’s voice. Gus snapped the lines, and the two draft horses pulled forward.

“For someone who’s only been here a little over a year, Mr. Evans has certainly done well for himself. I admire that kind of ability in a man, don’t you?”

Gus said nothing, and Will didn’t press him this time because he saw another curious thing. The bigger of the two men Gus had been talking to was now mounting a large strawberry-roan gelding. Will watched as the man made his way in the opposite direction as they were going. He did his best to act as though he was just gawking around the area so that he could see where the man was headed. He thought about mentioning it since Gus said they were to load another wagon, but Will realized that might draw attention to the fact that he was watching the man.

“I’ve never been down here. At least not since I arrived,” Will said instead. “It’s impressive the way Cheyenne has built up. Seems there are more people coming in every day. Say, did you hear that I’ll be part of the escort bringing the governor to Cheyenne?”

He decided to stir things up a bit. “Not that I can much stomach the guy. I’d just as soon he’d have died in the war. We have some hard feelings between us. Maybe I’ll get a chance to teach him a lesson while he’s here.”

Gus said nothing, but Will knew he heard every word.

Later that day after Evans sent him home, Will made a roundabout trip to the Vogels’ house. Edward met him at the door and welcomed him in.

“Would you like to stay for supper?” he asked Will.

“No, just wanted to report in and let you know what I learned today, which isn’t much. There are a couple of warehouses, one over between Fifteenth and Sixteenth off O’Neil and the other south of the tracks. Supposedly there’s a third warehouse, but no one said where it was.

“I went with Gus Snyder to pick up a load of stuff at the depot. There were two men who loaded the wagon, but Snyder didn’t introduce me to them or even let me get near them.”

“What’d they look like? Would you know them if you saw them again?”

“I would the first guy. He was a big man—tall, broad shoulders, and a bit of a belly. He wore a beard and had scraggly hair down to the shoulder. Wore a faded felt hat. He rides a strawberry roan with a white face.”

“I know that man. His name is Bigs. Bigs Brixton. He’s hasn’t been in Cheyenne all that long. He’s been in trouble more than once. You know, we could probably use him. He hates to be in jail and will go out of his way to avoid it. I might be able to set up something. Maybe set it up so that he gets in trouble and then bring him into the jail. Of course, if we can wait long enough, Bigs will probably get himself sent there.” Edward grew thoughtful. “It makes sense that he works for Evans. Anytime he gets himself in jail, he doesn’t seem to have any trouble paying his fines and getting back out. And the times he’s been accused of more serious crimes, the witnesses disappear, or new ones come forward to say he wasn’t the man.”

“Yeah, it would make sense if he had a wealthy benefactor.”

An older woman appeared with a pail of water. She gave Edward a nod. “Your supper is on the stove, and the cleanup is done. I’ll be headin’ home now.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Knudson,” Edward said. He looked to Will. “This is the woman I hired to help Marybeth. Her husband, Ollie, owns the livery stable on Fifteenth. Mrs. Knudson, this is Will Porter. He’ll be around a lot, so you might as well get to know him.”

“Mr. Porter,” she said with a nod.

“Glad to meet you, Mrs. Knudson.” Will gave her a smile.

Edward continued. “She made Swedish meatballs and noodles, and they’re really good. I sampled them.” He grinned. “Are you sure you won’t stay?”

Will laughed. “No, I can’t, but invite me another time.”

There was a knock on the front door, and Mrs. Knudson moved toward the stove. “I’ll answer it on my way out.” She poured water into the stove’s reservoir, then put the bucket on the floor. “See you tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Knudson.”

“I’ll head out the back,” Will said. “No sense in making my presence too well-known.”

“Why, hello, Miss Evans,” the men heard Mrs. Knudson say. “Mr. Vogel is in the kitchen.”

“I just brought a few things by to drop off,” Laura replied.

Edward and Will both headed for the front room. Edward chuckled as they tried to go through the arched entryway at the same time.

“A little eager?” he murmured to Will.

Will grinned, but his focus was on Laura. She was holding a large basket and smiled when she caught sight of him.

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” she said, holding up the basket as Mrs. Knudson headed out the front door. “I brought a dozen diapers that I finished hemming for Marybeth. There’s also a couple of flannel gowns.”

“Marybeth is resting, and Carrie is over at the neighbor’s playing,” Edward told her. “But you’re welcome to stay. I’ll let Marybeth know you’re here.”

“No, that’s all right. Just let her rest. I’ll leave these things and get the basket tomorrow.”

“Have you plans for supper?” Will asked. “I thought if not, you might be willing to go with me.”

“I have no plans, and Father is out for the evening. Mrs. Murphy has already fixed a meal, so why don’t you come on over to the house? The staff will be there so there won’t be any improprieties.”

“Sounds good to me. It’s hard to turn down supper with a beautiful lady.” He turned to Edward. “Beauty trumps Swedish meatballs.” They laughed.

As they walked back to her house, Laura asked Will about his day. She knew her father had instructed him to come to the store first thing.

“Did you have a good day with Father?”

“It was interesting to say the least. I spent some time with him and then some time with Snyder. He is as dark and brooding as you described.”

“I don’t care for him at all. Ever since Mrs. Duffy said he snuck into the house to see Father, I’ve taken to locking my bedroom door when I’m at the house alone.”

“I would too.” Will frowned. “I don’t know why your father would allow that now that you’re in residence.”

“As far as he knows, I’ve no knowledge of it, and he’s told the staff to completely ignore Mr. Snyder. It terrifies poor Etta. She said she’s never seen him on the second floor, but there could always be a first time.”

“How did you get Etta to come back to work for your father?”

“It wasn’t easy, but I told her that we had to keep things as normal as possible so Father wouldn’t be suspicious. I also told her that I needed her and would do everything in my power to keep her safe. She spends a lot of time with me now. When she’s working, I try to be near her, and when she doesn’t have much to do, we just sew and visit. Sometimes, I accompany her when she does the shopping, and if I can’t be there, I make sure Mrs. Murphy and Rosey are around.”

“I was just seeing Edward to tell him about one of your father’s workers. We’re hoping to find a man who would be willing to turn against your father and testify to his illegal dealings.”

“I’m praying it works,” Laura said, shaking her head. “But I worry that you could be found out. If Father is as ruthless as we think, then he won’t hesitate to kill you if you get in his way.” She felt a band tighten around her chest. It would be so unbearable if Will were to die.

She glanced up at him, and Will met her gaze. “I care for you, Will.”

“And I care for you, but I think you already know that.”

She looked away as her cheeks warmed. She wanted to ask him about what her father had said of Will asking for her hand. She wanted very much to know if it was just a pretense—part of the game. But she held back for fear that it was nothing more than that. If only for the moment, she’d like to believe it was more. It was then that she realized they were holding hands. She drew their hands upward and smiled back at him. “Looks like a good fit, eh?”

“A very good fit.”