Chapter 9 - Two Women Under One Roof
Beatrice moved into the east guest room.
Not because Lena invited her warmly.
Because Warren’s creditors began circling the Santa Fe house Beatrice had shared with him.
Her attorney advised remaining near probate proceedings.
The arrangement felt absurd.
For six years Beatrice had visited Red Willow as mistress of house.
Now she asked Lena whether she could use the blue parlor.
Lena said yes.
Neither enjoyed it.
Breakfast became careful warfare.
Beatrice poured her own coffee.
A visible act.
Lena pretended not to notice.
One morning Beatrice burned toast.
Lena smelled it from hallway.
“You turned heat too high.”
Beatrice stared at black bread.
“I've never used that stove.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“You never entered kitchen unless complaining.”
Beatrice almost smiled.
Then said:
“I deserved that.”
“Yes.”
Something shifted.
Not friendship.
Reality.
Beatrice began assisting Whitlock with Warren’s records.
She knew his habits.
Which banks.
Which ledgers he hid.
Which initials he used for speculative companies.
Her knowledge led Amos Webb to a company called Mesa Water & Freight.
Warren owned it secretly with two railway agents.
The company had purchased options on land around Red Willow.
If the railway reservoir proceeded, they would profit enormously.
More troubling:
Mesa Water & Freight had paid Harlan Vale’s old estate account for “document acquisition.”
Warren had purchased old family papers.
Including Clara’s blank marked sheet.
He planned the forgery deliberately.
Territorial authorities issued warrant for financial fraud and suspected evidence fabrication.
Warren’s attorney claimed misunderstanding.
Warren remained absent.
Reid suspected he might come to Red Willow for documents.
Night watches continued.
Lena slept with Clara’s shawl folded near bed.
Not for magic.
Memory.
One night Beatrice knocked.
“There's something you should know about Reid.”
Lena immediately hated sentence.
“What?”
“My father considered him family.”
“I know.”
“No. More than foreman.”
Lena waited.
Beatrice explained Silas once planned to make Reid manager and eventually sell him a minority interest in ranch operations.
Not the land.
The cattle business.
“Why tell me?”
“Because Warren knows too. He’ll use it.”
“Reid already told me about ten percent.”
Beatrice looked relieved.
“Good.”
“Anything else?”
She hesitated.
Lena stared.
“Beatrice.”
“Father once suggested you and Reid would be suited.”
Lena groaned.
“Silas planned everything except telling people the truth.”
Beatrice laughed suddenly.
A sharp, genuine laugh.
Lena started laughing too.
First time together.
When laughter stopped, awkward silence remained.
Beatrice said:
“My father liked you.”
“I liked him.”
“Even now?”
Lena thought.
“Yes.”
Beatrice seemed confused.
“How?”
“People don't become one thing because they failed you.”
Beatrice looked away.
“That would make life easier.”
“Probably.”
Then Lena asked:
“Did you love Warren?”
“Yes.”
“Do you?”
Beatrice’s eyes filled.
“I don't know.”
That was answer.
Love did not disappear on schedule when evidence arrived.
Lena understood more than she wanted.
The next day Reid and Lena rode old Mercer boundary.
Six hundred forty acres.
House.
Spring.
Orchard.
Meadow.
Part of current cattle pens.
Most of Red Willow’s five thousand acres lay outside.
If Lena won, she would not become cattle baron.
She would own valuable core.
Reid said:
“You could lease spring to cattle company.”
“Beatrice’s company?”
“Partly.”
“And yours.”
“If will holds.”
Lena looked at him.
“Would you work for me?”
Reid smiled.
“Dangerous question.”
“Why?”
“People already think I’m after property.”
“I don't care what people think.”
“You should sometimes.”
“Answer.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you're smarter about horses than Beatrice.”
Lena laughed.
“Romantic.”
“I can improve.”
He became serious.
“I'd work if terms fair. I’d leave if not.”
“Good.”
She liked that.
No eternal loyalty disguised as love.
Then Reid noticed fresh tracks near spring.
Horse.
One rider.
Approaching from western ravine.
They followed.
Found boot prints near old smokehouse.
Someone had entered through broken window.
Nothing obvious missing.
Then Lena noticed Silas’s iron document chest had been moved.
Inside, Clara’s original land patent was gone.
Copies remained.
But original federal patent carried strongest physical proof.
Warren had returned.
Or sent someone.
Lena ran toward house.
Beatrice’s east room was empty.
On bed lay a note.
Beatrice came with me willingly.
Signed:
W.
Reid cursed.
Lena stared.
Was Beatrice abducted?
Or had love pulled her back toward husband?
Then she noticed something beneath note.
A burned piece of toast.
Ridiculous.
Beatrice had placed it there deliberately.
A signal only Lena would recognize from breakfast.
On back, scratched with charcoal:
NOT WILLINGLY.
Lena looked at Reid.
“Get Sheriff Hale.”
A new sheriff? Need introduce. Let's use Sheriff Tom Bell maybe. We have not named sheriff yet. Introduce Sheriff Owen Hale. Fine.
Reid headed for town.
Lena looked at empty room.
Beatrice had testified against Warren.
Now Warren had taken her.
And for the first time, Lena did not think of Beatrice as the woman who threw a suitcase at her feet.
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She thought:
We have to get her back.
