Cera's Place (10 page)

Grabbing his arm, she demanded, “Where the hell have you been?”

Jake winced before he could stop himself. “Take it easy, Red.”
“Are you sick? Did you go drinking somewhere else yesterday?” Ginger clucked her tongue. “I didn’t figure you to be so fickle. Don’t tell her I told you, but Cera’s been watching those swinging doors like a hawk, waiting for you to come back.”

“Damn.” He sat heavily in the nearest chair and rested his hands on his knees, one of the few body parts that didn’t hurt.

“Oh, Lord!” Ginger gasped as the light from the wall lamp hit his face. She bent to get a better look at the bruises. “Who did this to you?”

“I’ll give you three guesses.”

“I only need one—Biggs.”

“Actually, his two thugs,” Jake corrected.

She took his chin in her hand, turning his face back and forth. “You look terrible. Can I get you anything?”

“Just Cera, unless you think my looks will scare her away?” He tried for a smile, but it came out as a grimace.

“Hell, no, she’s tougher than all of us put together. I’m more worried about what she’ll do to Biggs when she sees you. Good thing she’s out getting supplies with Isaac.”

“Damn,” he repeated. “Will she be back soon?”

Before Ginger could answer, a police officer swung open the saloon doors. The serving girl’s nose wrinkled as if the air had turned foul. “Officer Klein. I hate him,” she hissed under her breath.

The man stood shorter than average, though his rigid stance suggested he thought himself tall. Perhaps to compensate for his baldhead, he wore a long, thick mustache, curled tightly on each end. His dove-gray uniform hung loosely on his slight build.

As he strutted over to them, he tapped a nightstick against his leg, shooting puffs of road dust into the air. His eyes lingered on Ginger’s bosom before he spoke. “Afternoon, Miss Ginger, you’re looking well.”

Ginger plastered a stiff smile on her face and nodded hello. “It’s always a pleasure to see you, Officer Klein.”

Klein’s eyes narrowed, obviously not believing her. Turning to Jake, he asked, “What’s your name, soldier?”

“This here’s Mr. Jake Tanner,” Ginger offered with forced cheerfulness.

“The man can answer for himself, can’t he?” He leaned forward, inspecting Jake. “Or is he struck dumb?”

“No, I’m not dumb.” Jake stared back, unflinching.

“No, your kind never is.” The officer paused, his fingers stroking his mustache. Satisfied every hair was still in place, he continued his inquisition. “What’s your purpose in town, Tanner?”

“My purpose? Just passing through, I guess.” He kept his tone even, unwilling to let the small man rile him.

Klein smirked at his answer. “There’s a city ordinance against vagrancy. Am I to understand you don’t have a job?”

Understanding where the conversation was headed, Jake sighed in disgust. “Not at the moment.”

“Hold on now,” Ginger protested. “Half the men in this saloon don’t have a job. I don’t see you harassing them.”

Klein pointed a finger in her face. “I’m not talking to you. Keep it up and I’ll take you down to the station house. I’m sure me and the boys can find plenty of ways to shut your hole up!”

Shocked, Ginger’s hands fisted, but Jake grabbed her wrists before she could use them. As he stood, he whispered in her ear, “It’s all right.”

Klein shifted the nightstick in his hand, causing Jake to bark out a short laugh. “No, officer, I’m not going to give you any reason to use force. If you are intent on taking me in, then I will go peacefully.”

“Jake, no!” Ginger cried out in dismay, as Klein shoved him toward the door.

“I’ll be fine,” he called over his shoulder. “Please tell Cera I came back to see her.”

Out on the street, Klein pointed him in the direction of the Harbor Station. “I’d take a few shots at you myself to wipe that look off your face, but it looks like someone got there first.”

“If you must, I’m sure I can take more,” he offered politely.

Klein pushed him again without replying.

“That’s what I thought,” Jake snorted.

When they arrived at the police station, Klein announced to the officer at the check-in desk, “Vagrant.”

He led Jake down a short hall and unlocked one of the jail cells. After shoving him into the small room, the officer slammed the door. “Let’s see how you like visiting my city now.” When Jake didn’t bother with a retort, Klein nodded. “That’s what I thought. You ain’t so cocky now, are you?”

In the cell, four wooden bunk beds were bolted to the walls and a half-filled honey bucket of excrement stood in the corner. Substances of various colors, which Jake chose not to identify, stained the walls.

Two other men had arrived before him. As he stepped over the one passed out and snoring loudly on the floor near the bucket, he nodded hello to the other who watched him from the top of the nearest bunk. When the man didn’t respond, Jake shrugged his shoulders and chose the bunk across the room.

********

“Cera! Cera! You have to help him!” Ginger came into the kitchen pulling Johnny behind her.

“Slow down, girl. Help who? Johnny?” Cera carefully put down the eggs she was unloading and turned toward the boy. “What have you gotten yourself into now?”

Ginger shook her head. “No, not Johnny—Jake! Officer Klein arrested him.”

“Mr. Tanner? For what?” She tried to sound nonchalant, but the fingertip-shaped bruises that suddenly appeared on the tomato she held told another story.

“Vagrancy,” Ginger huffed indignantly, “but you know Biggs is behind it.”

“How do you know that?” Isaac interrupted. “The soldier looks like a drifter to me. Maybe Klein was justified.”

“It was Biggs. Tell them, Johnny.” Ginger nudged the boy on the shoulder. When he opened his mouth to speak, Ginger hushed him with a wave of her hand. “Johnny saw Biggs talking to Klein outside the saloon. Biggs pointed at Jake as he was coming in here. Then Klein came in and arrested him. Don’t you see? Biggs told him to do it.”

Isaac folded his arms. “I’m not convinced.”

“Please, Cera,” Ginger pleaded, tears glistening in her eyes.

Pressing her lips together, she thought about what her friends had said. All she knew about Jake was his kisses were soft, his face hard, and his eyes sincere, and then there was his tie to Sadie. Would a worthless man spend four years searching for a girl to return a locket? Finally, she nodded. “I’ll go to the station and see what can be done.”

Ginger grabbed her into a hug. “Thank you!”

“Cera,” Isaac warned. “It’s none of our business. You’re in enough trouble with Biggs as is. Do you really want to push him more?”

“I can’t show Biggs I’m afraid, and I can’t let an innocent man rot in jail or be sold to the nearest labor farm.”

Isaac let out a groan of frustration. “Fine, but I’m going with you. Knowing your temper, you’ll end up in a cell too.”

Cera rolled her eyes, but didn’t deny the prediction.

*****

As they approached the Harbor Station, Isaac warned Cera to mind her tongue.

“I’ll try to be polite,” was the best she could promise.

After greeting the desk officer, who reminded her of a small ox, she inquired about Jake. “I understand Officer Klein brought him in a short time ago.”

The officer glanced through the papers littering his desk. “I don’t see nobody by that name, but there’s a few men back in the cells who ain’t been processed.”

“May I go look at them, sir?” she asked.

The officer shrugged his indifference, but then pointed at Isaac. “The gentleman better go with you.”

Cera bobbed her head. “Of course, thank you.”

As they entered the hallway to the cells, she took one look at the floor and grabbed up her skirt in one hand. When the smell of urine and vomit reached her nose, her stomach rolled. Covering the lower half of her face with her sleeve, she peered into the first cell where four men sprawled on the bunks. Not recognizing any of them, she moved on to the next cell. She was about to move on again when a familiar pair of worn boots caught her eye. “Mr. Tanner!”

Jake sat up on the bunk. “What are you doing here?”

She frowned at the displeasure in his voice. “Getting you out of here, obviously.”

“You shouldn’t have come. This is no place for a lady.”

“I agree,” Isaac snapped. His face wrinkled in revulsion as his eyes darted about. “Is that a rat over there or a small dog?”

Cera elbowed Isaac in the ribs. “I’m going to try to talk some sense into the desk officer. We’ll be right back.”

Jake held up a hand. “That’s not necessary. I’ll be fine. Go back to your saloon before you get yourself in trouble.”

“You heard him. Let’s go.” Isaac took her arm and tugged her away from the cell.

“Stop it, Isaac!” she hissed, pulling her arm free. “I’m not leaving until we at least try to help. It’s our fault he’s in here.”

“Why do you say that?” Jake asked, leaning forward, though he remained in the bunk’s shadow.

She looked around and then dropped her voice to a loud whisper. “Johnny saw Biggs talking to Klein before he arrested you. I figure it was retaliation for the other night in the saloon.”

“Who’s Johnny?”

“He’s a street kid whose information may not be reliable,” Isaac explained impatiently. “Cera, we really should go.”

“I’m surprised at you, Isaac.” She turned and marched to the front of the station with Isaac following on her heels. She addressed the ox-like man once again. “Officer, there’s a man in the second cell who must be released. He’s done nothing wrong.”

“I’ve heard that before,” the officer replied in a bored voice. “If he’s done nothing wrong, then why did Officer Klein bring him in?”

“Because Klein—” she began hotly but stopped when Isaac bumped her in the back. Taking a deep breath, she tried again. “Because there’s been a terrible misunderstanding. Officer Klein thinks Mr. Tanner is a vagrant when in fact I hired him earlier this week.”

Isaac let out a low whistle behind her.

“Yes. I needed a worker to do some…renovations to my saloon.” Cera smiled sweetly to hide the lie. “Perhaps Officer Klein didn’t give Mr. Tanner a chance to explain his current employment situation.”

“Hold on there.” A scowling Officer Klein stood in the doorway of the station. “The man’s up to no good. He’s in jail where he belongs.”

Ignoring Klein, she asked the desk officer, “Is Chief Williams at this station today? If I could speak with him, I’m sure this could be cleared up and we’ll be on our way.”

“Yeah he’s here, but I ain’t sure if I should disturb him...” His fingers drummed on the desk as Cera stared him down.

“The bum’s staying put,” Klein snarled.

“He’s not a bum!” Her voice rose in frustration. Before she could say another word, Isaac grabbed her elbow and headed for the door. They were two steps away when the chief of police came out of his office.

“What seems to be the problem out here?” the chief asked.

“Nothing, sir.” Klein straightened to attention at the sight of his superior. “I’ve got everything under control.”

Once again, she pulled away from Isaac. “Oh, Chief Williams, perhaps you remember me? I’m Cera Cassidy of Cera’s Place on Kearney. We were introduced a few years back at the St. Patrick’s Day parade.”

The chief took the hand she offered. “Of course I remember you, Miss Cassidy, how could I forget? Are you in need of our help?”

“Yes, in a way. I hate to bother you, but there’s a man being held unjustly in one of your cells.”

“She’s lying, Chief,” Klein interrupted, his face growing red.

“Mind your manners, Officer Klein,” the chief reprimanded. “I’m sorry, Miss Cassidy. Please go on.”

She let out a breath of relief. “Thank you, sir. I’m so very grateful. You see, it seems your officer here mistakenly arrested one of my workers for vagrancy and since by definition a vagrant doesn’t have a job and my worker obviously has a job—he should be released immediately.”

“Is that true, Officer Klein? You arrested him on vagrancy?”

Clenching his nightstick in his hands, Klein glared at her. “He doesn’t work for her. I was told…”

“You were told?” The chief’s eyebrows rose. “By whom?”

Klein’s mouth worked soundlessly as he tried not to implicate Biggs. “I meant to say, I could see he was a bum. Just look at him.” Klein waved his hand in the direction of the cells.

“Huh.” The chief scratched his chin. “That’s a good idea. Let’s go meet this man.”

Cera and Isaac exchanged looks, but followed the chief.

“He’s in the second cell, sir. His name’s Jake Tanner,” she offered.

“Jake Tanner?” The chief’s eyes widened at the name. “No. It can’t be…”

The chief stopped at the second cell. “Tanner? Captain Jake Tanner?”

Jake sighed. “The war’s over. Let it be.”

The chief’s mouth dropped open. “Damn, it is you!” Remembering Cera’s presence, he hastily apologized. “Excuse my language, but I’d know that voice anywhere.”