Plain Trouble (5 page)

“Well I do spend less time on the trail than I used to. Why?”

The grip on his shoulder tighter. “How old are you, Joe?”
“I’ll be thirty-two come spring. Why?”

“A Ranger in possession of a good salary and a desk job is surely going to start thinking about a wife, don’t you think? And what better place than Bitter Springs, Texas to find one?”
 

Shock rendered him speechless. Then came the sound of footsteps. Had Cal Schmidt returned? Automatically, Joe’s hand went to the revolver at his side.

“Pa?” came a familiar female voice from somewhere on the other side of the wall.

Come on in here, Bessie Mae,” Alpheus Jones said with a wicked grin. “Ranger Mueller and I were just talking about you.”

Chapter 5

Ranger Mueller?

Bess pasted on what she hoped would be a pleasant expression then allowed her father to give her a hug before facing Joe Mueller. “I didn’t realize you were still here,” she said to him. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave your men to your conversation.”

Before Pa or his guest could respond, Bess scurried out the door and headed for the staircase. Her foot rested on the second riser from the top when Pa’s voice stopped her cold.

“Elizabeth Jones, I’ve never tolerated rudeness in my home and I’m not about to start now.”

Rude?
Elizabeth?
 

She turned slowly while she adjusted her smile. There at the bottom of the stairs stood her father and Joe Mueller. While Pa wore a familiar irritated look, Joe just seemed to be staring, his soggy Stetson in dangling from his left hand.
 

Likely he rarely heard a grown woman being treated like a child. And yet she knew she deserved the reproach.
 

“I’m sorry, Pa. It was not my intention to offend.”

Pa gestured to Joe. “Then you might ought to come on down here and thank Ranger Mueller here for seeing you got home safe then.”

Back straight. Smile in place. Hand tight on the rail.
 

Bess made her way carefully down the stairs until she reached the bottom riser. This put her just above eye level with her schoolyard tormentor.
 

Though she planned to make amends with Joe as her father asked, she ignored the ranger to address Pa first. “Forgive my impertinence, Pa.” True conviction hit her swift and hard. “Starting with this morning. My behavior was inexcusable.”

Pa seemed surprised. “’It was, but I do.” The look on her father’s face told her there would be more discussion on the topic later.
 

“Thank you.”

“Well, all right then. I’ll leave you two to finish this conversation.” He turned to Joe and offered his outstretched hand. “I’ll look forward to seeing you around the ranch, Joe.”

Seeing you around the ranch?
While Pa disappeared back into the kitchen, Bess worked her surprised expression back into something more neutral before turning her attention to the rain-soaked ranger.
 

Their gazes collided, and Bess tightened her grip on the rail. In the parlor, the clock struck the half-hour.
 

“My father’s right,” she finally said. “I’m grateful you to for my safe return home.”
Though I’ll likely have bruises by nightfall.

Joe ran his free hand through still-wet hair. “Though you’d likely have preferred not to have been tossed across my saddle like a sack of potatoes.”

Actually…
“You’ve got a point,” she said. “A buggy might have been a bit more suited to the weather.”

“A buggy.” He paused. “I understand you went off without yours this morning.”

Heat flooded her face. What else had Pa told the ranger? “It was a lovely morning for a walk.”
 

Inwardly she groaned.
I sound like a silly schoolgirl.

He didn’t appear to know what to say next, so Bess decided to end the agony. “Well, I do thank you for seeing I got home safe, Joe.”

“What?” His shoulders straightened. “Oh, yes, well, I should go. I’m sure Mrs. Klein will be wondering if I’ve drowned.”

Mrs. Klein. She tried not to react to the mention of Pa’s sweetheart.

“Something wrong?” Joe asked.

“Wrong?” She shook her head. “No, nothing.”
Nothing I’d be willing to tell you, anyway.
 

Joe looked doubtful but, after a moment, set the hat on his head. “All right then. I supposed I ought to be going.”

A scrape that could only be a kitchen chair against the wood floor echoed across the hall. “Joe, hold on there,” Pa called.

So her father had been listening. Bess sighed and leaned heavily against the rail. She watched carefully. What was he up to now?

He turned and met Pa halfway. The pair shook hands and seemed to exchange glances before the ranger turned to leave. Or maybe she imagined it.

“Joe,” Pa called as the ranger opened the door. “Bess makes a fine roast. What say you join us after church on Sunday? That would be nice, wouldn’t it, Bess?”
 

“Nice,” she echoed, unable to believe her ears.
 

Thankfully Joe appeared ready to turn Pa down. At least that’s what he undecided look seemed to say.
 

“I’d have to be sure Mrs. Klein doesn’t have plans to make her own Sunday dinner, though.” He glanced over at Bess. “I’m staying at the Klein place while I’m here.”

She gave a half-nod, sufficient to let him know she heard.
 

“Then you’ll definitely be here because Ida told me just this afternoon that she’d be pleased to eat with us on Sunday.”

Ida?
Bess jerked her attention toward Pa as the words sunk in. “She did?”

“She did,” her father said evenly.
 

“Well then, I’ll see you both on Sunday,” Joe tipped his hat to Bess then made good his escape.
 

When the door shut, Pa gestured for her to follow him into the kitchen. She did, reluctantly.
 

“I know what you’re going to say, Pa,” she said from the doorway. “And before you do, you should know that I’m very happy you’ve found some measure of happiness with Mrs. Klein.”

“You are?” Pa settled in a chair and rested his elbows on the table. “You sure?”

Bess sighed. “I’m sure I will be.”

He smiled. “That’s my girl. Now, what’s for supper?”

“Supper?” Bess asked. “I thought you were taking supper with Mrs. Klein.”
 

“I changed my mind.” Her father shrugged. “Figured I’d rather spend time with my daughter this evening.”

“That’s not the truth at all, is it, Pa?”
 

“Bess,” came his warning tone. “I changed my mind, and that’s that. Now if you don’t mind I’m going to go check on things in the barn while the rain’s let up a bit.” He rose. “Go on and get started. I’d like to get to bed early tonight. It’s been a long day.”

“All right, Pa, but don’t expect
kolaches
.”

He stopped at the door and glanced over his shoulder. “Why?”

“Let’s just say there’s not much left of the ones I bought in town this morning.”

Pa started to laugh. “Oh no.”

“Oh yes,” Bess said. “And it’s going to take more than one washing to get the remains out of my pocket.”

“Next time I’ll fetch them myself,” he said with a chuckle.
 

“Next time I’ll take the buggy.” Bess attempted to keep a straight face, but soon joined her father in smiling even as she reached for the dish-towel.
 

“Well, thank the Lord for Joe Mueller.” When she didn’t respond, Pa continued. “He’s a good man, that Joe.” A pause. “And he’s spoken favorably of you.”

Bess froze. “He’s what?” She let the towel drop onto the counter. “How can he speak of me at all? Joe Mueller doesn’t even know me anymore.”
And when he did, he treated me awful.
 

“Now don’t you take that tone with me, Bess Jones. I believe the Lord led Joe here, and I’ll not hear anything about it from you.”

“Why would the Lord lead him here? According to Marian up at the Sheriff’s office, the ranger’s based out of San Antonio, so technically if he’s here at all, it’s not to stay.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “So you’ve been discussing him as well?”

“I’ve done no such thing. But try and stop Marian when she’s busy telling a story.” Bess turned back to her dishwashing.
 

“Yes, well, just promise me you’ll give the ranger a chance, Bess.”

“A chance?” She glanced at Pa over her shoulder. “What sort of chance would Joe Mueller be asking for anyway?”

“I suppose we’ll find out soon enough,” he said, though Bess had the distinct impression her father already knew the answer to her question.

And that troubled her more than anything.

Chapter 6

The dining room smelled of roast beef and apple pie, and the table had been set in what was surely the Jones family’s best china. Sunlight streamed through windows framed by curtains that matched the napkin stretched across his lap.
 

Joe looked across the table at Bess Jones, a vision in blue gingham, and wondered whether the pretty girl had forgotten how to smile. She’d certainly seemed unhappy when he slid into the Jones family pew at church this morning.
 

When he sang, she frowned. And on the ride back from town she’d failed to appreciate the fact he’d arrived in a buggy rather than on horseback, something he’d done just to make her grin. She’d only ridden beside him because her pa insisted.

It was enough to make a man think he’d lost his ability to woo a woman. Not that he was trying to do that, of course, though it did wound him a bit when she missed his attempt to help her from the carriage and stepped right past him.

“Didn’t the reverend have a nice sermon, Joe?” Mrs. Klein asked as she dabbed at her chin with her napkin.

“Yes, ma’am,” Joe said. “I’ve heard some preaching in my day but today was exceptional.”
 

He slid Bess a glance and noticed she seemed to be studying him. When Joe met her gaze, the Jones girl looked away.

“Bess, wasn’t Ida’s pie delicious?”
 

This time Bess met her father’s stare. “It was,” she said. “Might I have the recipe, Mrs. Klein?”

“Of course, dear,” Ida said.

Alpheus relaxed visibly, and then offered Bess a smile before reaching to place his hand atop Ida’s. “Why don’t I show you that new foal we’ve got out in the barn, Ida?”
 

“I would like that very much,” Ida said. “But might I have a word with Bess first?” She hesitated. “Alone if you gentlemen don’t mind.”

Joe rose first, unwilling to witness any family trouble. While he was willing to keep to his agreement with Alpheus to watch over Bess, he had his limits.

By the time he reached the porch, Alpheus was on his heels. “I think it’s going pretty well, don’t you?”

“Depends on what you’re trying to accomplish, Alpheus.” Joe stepped off the porch, avoiding the patch of mud still remaining from the deluge of the last two days. “I’d give that conversation that’s about to happen even odds on whether it’s going to be good or bad.”

Alpheus clapped his hand on Joe’s shoulder. “Have faith, boy,” he said. “Ida and I have been praying about this.”

“Well, good,” he said. “Now, about your employee Cal. I spoke to Sheriff Bauer yesterday afternoon.”
 

“And?”

“And it turns out Bauer’s known Cal since he was a kid. Something about Bauer’s wife and Cal’s grandmother being kin.” Joe shrugged. “It’s enough to satisfy me for now, but I’m still not convinced. The sheriff’s going to check out the suspect’s whereabouts for the past month.”

“The suspect?” Alpheus stopped short. “You sure you’re still remaining neutral?”

“I’m trying,” Joe said.

“Well that’s all we can ask now, isn’t it.” Joe pointed to the tool shed. “If you’ve got a few minutes, I’d like to show you the pistol I found behind the well yesterday.”

“Pistol?” Joe shook his head. “Why didn’t you mention this sooner?”

“Because it’s an old flintlock, Joe, and not in any condition to be shot. Likely carried downhill with the flood. Have you ever seen one of them?”

“I have,” Joe said, “but it’s been awhile. Mind showing me?”

“Come with me. I’ve got it taken apart so I can clean it but I think you’ll still find it interesting.” Alpheus turned toward the shed, and Joe followed. “About Bess, I couldn’t help but notice things are a bit cool between the two of you.”

Joe stepped over the rocky outcropping. “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, Alpheus. At this rate no one in Bitter Springs’s going to believe I came here to make a wife out of Bess Adams. Why, she won’t even give me the time of day.” He paused. “I’d appreciate any advice you might give me. Otherwise, I’m going to forget about this plan and come up with another one.”

“I wonder if maybe…” Alpheus paused to gesture toward the road. “There’s somebody coming.”

Joe followed his gaze to see the lone figure riding toward them. It only took him a minute to recognize the rider.

“Tommy.”

* * *

“Bess, I’d like to speak to you woman to woman.” Ida Klein settled back against her chair and rested her hands in her lap. “And not to talk pie recipes.”

“All right.” Bess fumbled with the napkin then set it aside to give her attention to the blue-eyed woman at the head of the table.

“I understand your father’s spoken to you about me.” Her gaze never wavered, even when Bess remained silent. “I love him, Bess, but I won’t come between a father and daughter, and I’d never dream of taking the place of your mother in your heart.”

Well that wasn’t what she’d expected.
 

The older woman sighed. “So I’m here to turn propriety on its ear and ask you for your blessing on our relationship.”

“My blessing?” The words soured in her mouth. “But I don’t have the right to. That is, my father’s a grown man and he-”

“And he would never hurt you, Bess. Unless you approve of us, I’ll leave him to you.” She rose. “Much as it will pain me and, likely Alpheus, I’ll do it to keep from driving a wedge in this family.”