Plain Trouble (4 page)

The woman paused on the porch to right her bonnet then gave up and tossed it aside. Hairpins went flying, revealing a length of glossy wet hair the color of mahogany. Still she held tight to that empty basket.

Concentrate, Mueller
. He still had another mile to go before the Klein house would welcome him, but at least he’d done his duty and delivered the lady to her doorstep.

“Preciate you bringing my girl home,” Alpheus called as he ducked back onto the porch. “Come on in out of the weather.”

Movement behind Alpheus Jones drew Joe’s attention. There in the hallway was a blond-haired man. A man who could have easily been the man on Pale Indian’s wanted poster.
 

* * *

Even though she knew she must be leaving a trail of water puddles behind her, Bess held her head high until she reached the safety of her bedroom. Only then, with the door solidly closed, did she set the basket aside, sling the wet bonnet on the floor, and then remove her shoes and stockings.
 

Next, Bess stepped out of her skirt and dropped it beside her bonnet then fumbled with her petticoat. She’d only just washed her favorite yellow dress, and now she’d have to do it again.
 

“And look at the mud caked on the hem. I’ll be scrubbing for days to get that out.”

Then she spied her reflection in the mirror atop her dressing table. “Of all the people to see me drenched like a wet hen, it would be Josef Mueller,” she muttered as she pushed away the reminder of what it felt to lean against his muscled shoulder, to feel his arm around her, even if it was merely to keep her from falling and tripping his horse.
 

Oh, but hadn’t the years been kind to Joe? And a Texas Ranger?
 

“Mercy,” she whispered.
 

Then came the reminder in the form of the rhyme her handsome hero had once been a schoolyard bully with a wicked ability to rhyme and wound. Another glance at the mirror confirmed the truth of it.

“Bessie Mae, plain as day. Well, isn’t that the truth?”
 

Turning her back on the mirror, Bess made short work of changing into dry clothes then went back for her brush and wrangled her hair into submission. That feat accomplished, she walked to the window.
 

Outside the fat pellets of rain peppered the pane and obscured the familiar landscape. She pressed her finger to the glass and traced the path of a raindrop, but her mind was back at the little schoolhouse on First Street.
 

She was seven, not twenty-seven, and her papa told her almost every day that she was the prettiest girl in the second grade. Bess knew now that her father learned to braid hair from the ranch foreman’s wife, but back then she just thought he was good at braiding because he was good at everything.

Then came Josef Mueller and she knew Pa hadn’t been truthful with her. It was the second-worst day of her life.

“At least he’s just visiting,” Bess said as she rested her forehead on the cool glass pane. “Soon as Joe leaves, things’ll get back to normal around here.”

Then she thought of Ida Klein and the fact her father would likely marry up with the woman sooner rather than later. Another drop traced a path down the glass quickly followed by more, this time on the inside of the pane.

And this time they were teardrops.

Chapter 4

Ten minutes after he deposited Bess Jones at the front door of her Pa’s house, Joe had the mare in a spare stall in the barn and was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for Alpheus Jones to pour coffee. Despite the offer of a towel, his damp clothes were sticking to him in places that made lingering uncomfortable, and there was a chill in the room.
 

Still, he had a job to do. Finding out about the blond stranger came before creature comforts.

“You worked here long?” he asked the man who stood nervously in the doorway.

“Today’s my first day,” he said without meeting Joe’s gaze.

“Cal’s quite the roofer.” Alpheus sat a steaming mug in front of Joe then took the seat across from him. “Thanks to him we got the hole patched before the bottom fell out of those clouds.”

“Where’d you live before you came to Bitter Springs, Cal?” Joe asked as casually as possible.

His ears turned red and then, by degrees, the color spread to his face. Still he would not look at Joe.

“He’s cousin to the Schmidts,” Alpheus offered.

“Is that right?” Joe toyed with the edge of the towel. “Where’d you live before?”

This time Cal braved a glance in his direction. “San Antone,” he said.

Joe’s eyes narrowed. Had he found the man who might be Pale Indian so easily? It seemed so.
 

“Why’d you leave?” he asked evenly then punctuated the question with a lift of his brow.

When Cal didn’t answer immediately, Alpheus pushed back his chair and shook his head as he rose. “Ida tells me you’re a Ranger now, Joe.”

He tore his attention from Cal to find Alpheus studying him. “Ida?”

“Ida Klein.”
 

Joe couldn’t help notice it was Alpheus’s turn to look embarrassed.
Interesting.

“I am,” he said. “Ranger Company out of San Antone.” Joe stared past Alpheus at Cal. “Sounds like you and I come from the same place. Small world, isn’t it, Cal?”

“Sure is.”
 

“I’ll say.” Alpheus shrugged. “Look at how you just happened to be coming down the road at the right time to save my Bess.”

Joe nearly fell out of his chair. That gorgeous woman was…“Bess?”
 

Bessie Mae, plain as day had certainly blossomed in his absence. Now he was likely the man looking embarrassed.

Alpheus chuckled. “She lit out of here this morning with more spunk than good sense. I reckon she took exception to the fact I had Cal up on the roof helping instead of her.” Another chuckle. “Ain’t that right, Cal?”

Silence. Joe looked around to see that Cal was gone.

Alpheus shook his head then took a healthy gulp of coffee. “Don’t mind him,” he said as he set the cup back on the table. “He’s not much for conversation.”

Most bank robbers-turned-murderers aren’t.
“What do you know about him, Alpheus?”

The older man shrugged. “Gus Schmidt come by with him last week. Said his nephew was new in town and needed work. Said he’d vouch for him. Why?” He paused to narrow his eyes. “You’re here on Ranger business aren’t you?”

Joe only hesitated a moment before making the decision to draw Alpheus Jones into his circle of confidants. “I’m going to need your cooperation and your word that what I tell you won’t leave this room before I answer that.”
 

“You’ve got both,” he said.

He leaned closer and lowered his voice lest the man in question was lingering nearby. “No questions asked?”

“Don’t need to,” the rancher said. “Your daddy raised you to be a good God-fearin’ man, and the state of Texas put a badge on your chest. That’s good enough for me.” He rose abruptly. “Let me just go make sure it’s just the two of us in the house.” He paused. “And Bess, of course, but she’s not likely to be interrupting us. Not with her temper and that soaking she took.”

He grinned and managed a nod. “Probably not.”

Alpheus stepped out and then a minute later returned. “All right. It’s just the two of us. You can speak freely.”

A sip of the strong brew, and Joe was ready to tell the tale. Choosing his words carefully, he caught Alpheus up on his reason for returning to Bitter Springs.
 

“I’m not sure if Ben Bauer wants me to take Tommy in or prove him innocent,” he added. “I know what I’d prefer, but I’ve got to stay neutral.”

Even as he said the words, Joe knew they weren’t completely the truth. There was nothing he’d like better than to prove Pale Indian was someone – anyone – other than Tommy Klein.

The older man rose and walked to the stove then returned with the coffee pot to pour himself another cup. Joe waved away his offer of more then watched while the rancher returned the pot to the stove.
 

“So either I’ve got a criminal for a neighbor or a criminal for an employee?”
 

Joe rose and carried his cup to sit it in the sink. “Or neither.”
 

The older man’s expression was unreadable as he seemed to be considering both options. Finally he straightened and stepped away from the stove. “All right, Ranger. How can I help you?”

“I’m already staying with Mrs. Klein, so I’ll know if Tommy comes around.” He paused to think a moment. “But I’ll need access to your place, sir. If I’m going to keep an eye on Schmidt, it can’t appear as though that’s what I’m doing.”

“Understood, but then you’re always welcome here, son.” ”

“Much obliged, sir.” A thought occurred. “And there’s one more thing. Your daughter knows about Pale Indian.”

He gave Joe a sideways look. “Oh? How do you know that?”

Joe elected to continue his questions rather than answer his host’s. “Does Bess sell eggs in town? Maybe to the sheriff? She mentioned she did.”

“She does. That’s how she came to be walking back alone.” He shook his head. “Actually she generally takes the buggy, but she left here in a huff this morning. Guess I should’ve known she’d not take kindly to me dividing my time betwixt her and, well, I just should’ve talked to her first then maybe she wouldn’t have left like she did.”
 

He must have realized he was rambling, for he smiled. “Guess it’s too late for the short answer, but that would be yes, Sheriff Bauer’s usually the second stop on her morning route. I believe the Emporium’s first. Or maybe the mercantile. I rarely go with her, so forgive an old man for not remembering. But that don’t explain why you believe my daughter knows something about this man you’re hunting.”

“Because she asked me if I was here to catch Pale Indian. Actually she said Pink Indian, but I think it’s safe to assume she was referring to the man we’ve been discussing.”

“I see. Well, she does tend to chat with the sheriff’s housekeeper. Lord knows that woman can do some talking. The housekeeper, I mean. My Bess, she’s mostly close-mouthed. Except when she’s riled.”

Joe chuckled.

“I can tell you’ve seen it, then.”

“I have,” he said. “So what you’re saying is that it would be reasonable to assume she likely overheard something about Pale Indian while delivering eggs to the sheriff’s office.”
 

“Sure would.”

He chose his words carefully. “You understand I will have to be certain of that before I can completely clear her.”

“Clear her?” Gray brows rose. “Of what?”

Joe gave his father’s old friend an even stare. “Until I told you about him, had you heard of Pale Indian?” When Alpheus shook his head, Joe continued. “Seems like the only folks who have besides the lawmen who want to catch him are his victims and his friends.” Another pause. “I’d like to be sure she’s neither of those.”

“As would I, young man, but before we go any further, there’s something else you need to know. I’ve got a connection to the Klein family that ought to be out in the open if I’m going to be involved in catching Tommy or setting him free.”

“All right,” Joe said, already guessing what that connection might be.

“That Ida Klein, she’s quite a woman, and, her husband was a good man, rest his soul. And, well…” Alpheus cleared his throat and looked away. “I believe the Lord’s trying to put us together, Ida and me, though I’m just as certain Bess isn’t so keen on it.”

Not a complete surprise as his host had mentioned Alpheus Jones more than once during their brief time together. Joe settled on a nod as the appropriate response.

Alpheus’s attention returned to Joe. “She’s never said it, but I wonder if being the last Jones girl still under my roof hasn’t caused her some measure of discontent.”

“Could be.” Hard to believe that one hadn’t been the first to wed, at least if beauty were a measure of marriage-ability. “Which one are you going to listen to, Alpheus, the Lord or Bess Jones?”

A slow smile began. “Wise words, young fellow. And as for this situation with the Indian fellow, I believe I’ve got an idea that just might work.”

A glance out the window told him the rain had let up considerably. Maybe he’d take a look around the Jones place before heading back to Ida’s dinner table. Likely he could find the elusive Cal Schmidt and extract an answer or two.

“Joe, you want to hear my plan?”

He turned his attention to the rancher. “Sorry, sir. Yes, please.”

“All right, so you’ve got a man to catch and I’ve got a daughter to protect.”

“Protect? I’m not looking to arrest her. Just need to be sure she’s-”

“I know all that.” Alpheus waved away his protest. “What I mean is, if either Cal or Tommy is the man you’re looking for, then my daughter’s living in close proximity to a criminal and she doesn’t know it.”

“I can see your point.”
 

He nodded.”My Bess is a friendly gal, and she’s known Tommy since he was a kid in knee pants. Cal she’s not so fond of yet, but he’s right here sleeping in the bunkhouse. Then there’s the issue of why you’re in Bitter Springs. Can’t exactly say you’re hunting a local, now can you?”

“I’ll have to take your word for her being friendly, but I will agree she will need protecting. What are you thinking?”

He grinned, his enthusiasm showing. “Here’s my idea, and understand I’m going to have to run it by the Lord before I decide it’s something I’ll be party to. But what say you tell folks you’ve come back to Bitter Springs on a mission of another sort?”

“A mission?” Joe shook his head. “What kind of mission would bring me back here? Most everyone knows I’m a Ranger and have been for years. What could possibly bring me back to Bitter Springs? And what does that mission have to do with finding Pale Indian and keeping your daughter safe”

Alpheus Jones chuckled. “Oh, that’s the best part, young man.” He reached over to clasp his hand onto Joe’s shoulder. “You’re a Ranger, all right, but word is you’ve been promoted to a desk job up there in San Antone. Is that right?”