Vera (Widows of Blessings Valley Book 2) Read online

  “Thank you, Willa,” Wally said, following her up the stairs and to his room.

  “I just put fresh sheets on the bed, so you should be comfortable enough,” she said. “There’s fresh water in the pitcher for you to clean up with. From the looks of it, I’d say half of the Oklahoma red dirt is on you.”

  “You may be right,” Wally laughed, liking Willa almost immediately. “Thank you.”

  “Come on down when you’re ready and put some food into that gut of yours,” Willa reminded him as she turned away.

  Hearing the door click shut, Wally glanced around the room, then stood looking out the window. It had a perfect view of the street. He’d be able to watch the comings and goings of Blessings Valley without being detected.

  When word had reached him that his older brother Thomas had died in a mining accident, his heart wept for all that they’d missed. He’d asked his superiors to be assigned to the investigation and been granted his request under the condition that he keep his personal feelings out of it. He agreed to arrive under the guise of Jack Daniels, to keep his mind on the mining accident, and then to return to Chicago with his report.

  Nothing more. Nothing less.

  As far as he knew, his brother didn’t have a family; at least none he claimed. That fact alone made this assignment much easier. The investigation would be less messy without his brother’s widow to contend with.

  Unpacking his satchel, he undressed, piling the trail-dirty clothes on the floor. Once he freshened up a bit, Wally put on a pair of clean pants, socks, and shirt. Slipping back into the dusty boots, he ran a comb through his damp hair.

  “Let’s do this, and get it over with,” he said, heading out of his room with his dirty laundry under his arm.

  2

  Willa puttered in the kitchen, patiently waiting for her newest boarder—one Jack Daniels—to come down for a late breakfast. Who in their right mind would name a boy after whiskey? A drunkard, no doubt.

  And why did he look familiar to her? Was it his eyes or something about his face? There’d been many drifters over the years who stayed at her establishment; could he have been with one of them? Or did he remind her of someone she knew in Blessings Valley? If so, who?

  Before she could come up with any possibilities, the clop-clop of boots sounded on the floorboards above. Picking up the tray, she walked into the dining room just as Jack Daniels reached the bottom step.

  “I trust you are pleased with your room?” she asked, eyeing the bundle of clothes under his arm as she placed the tray on the table.

  “Yes, I should be quite comfortable,” Jack answered, looking around the room. “Is there a place I can put these to have them cleaned?”

  Willa raised her eyebrows. Surely, he didn’t expect her to wash his dirty laundry. “There’s a laundry across the street. You can take them there once you’ve eaten. In the meantime, just lay them in a chair next to you.”

  Jack nodded, taking a seat next to the chair where he’d dropped his soiled clothing.

  “So what brings you to Blessings Valley?” Willa asked, taking the plate of eggs, bacon, and biscuits with gravy from the tray, and placing them in front of Jack.

  “I’m here to investigate the mining accident for one of the families,” Jack answered, digging into the food as if he hadn’t eaten for a month. “I don’t plan on being here very long though. Once I inspect the mine and talk to a few of the miners, I’ll be on my way.”

  “You think you’ll find out what caused it after all these months?” Willa asked, doubtful there was any evidence left to investigate. The mine had reopened less than a month after the explosion; any evidence of foul play was long gone. “I thought it was determined that gas caused the explosion.”

  “The family I’m working for isn’t satisfied with that explanation.” Jack shoveled another fork full of food into his mouth, followed by a swig of coffee. “And they would like their son’s belongings returned to them. Provided, of course, that I can find them.”

  “Slow down. I don’t want you choking to death at my table,” Willa exclaimed, fighting the urge to remove the plates from in front of him. Instead, she tried to remember if any of the deceased had been single. She came up empty-handed in her memory of even one. So, chances were one of the widows was going to feel the pain of loss all over again, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

  “Sorry if I’ve forgotten my manners. It has been some time since I had a good home-cooked meal,” Jack said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Do you provide meals all day?”

  “Thank you, and no, I don’t. Breakfast is at eight, and dinner at seven,” Willa answered. She was starting to like this young man. There was something about him that made her believe he was a good, God-fearing man. A man that would be good for Vera. Now, if he’d only be around long enough for her to make sure they spent some time together.

  If they got to know each other, maybe Jack Daniels could be convinced to stay on in Blessings Valley. It was worth a shot, wasn’t it?

  “On occasion, I may prepare lunch, but not very often. Otherwise, I’d suggest Millie’s Café. The restaurant at the Grand may be a bit more than you’d want to spend. The food at both is equally good,” she said. “The decision is up to you.”

  “Good to know, thank you for the advice,” Jack said, folding his napkin onto his plate.

  “Mr. Daniels, I know how investigations go,” Willa said, standing to gather the dishes. “Are you at liberty to say which family you are working for?”

  “You might know the name,” Jack stood, collecting his clothes to be laundered. “Baldwin.”

  “Thomas Baldwin?” Willa asked, surprised Vera hadn’t said anything. Did she even know?

  “Yes, Thomas Baldwin,” Jack confirmed as he walked toward the door. “Since he didn’t have family here, I suspect it will be a quick and easy investigation.”

  “I see. Well, good luck.” Stunned, Willa watched Jack walk out the door. As he crossed the street toward Nana’s Laundry, she suddenly realized who he reminded her of.

  Vera’s late husband, Thomas.

  Maybe he shouldn’t have told Willa Alexander why he was in Blessings Valley to investigate. But something in his gut told him he could trust her with the information.

  The atmosphere of the town itself made him feel even his secrets could be safe here. If he decided to tell any of them. He’d never been in a town that gave off the sense of security and trust before.

  That question remained: once he started his investigation, would Blessings Valley open up about Thomas and his life here?

  Wally strolled across the main street of Blessings Valley, assessing the town. A dry goods store. One bank. A saloon. A hotel that, from this distance, looked too rich for even him to stay in.

  There was a newspaper office he’d noticed on his way back from the livery earlier this morning. It was at the top of his list of where to start asking questions after he deposited his dirty clothes at the laundry.

  With any luck, he’d be able to get a picture of the life his brother led after leaving the family behind. Two years felt like just yesterday, yet it felt like forever since Wally had watched his mother cry as Thomas rode away and never looked back.

  He never really understood the consequences of what had happened between his brother and their father regarding the family business. Once Thomas was out of sight, he was erased from the family, at least outwardly. Then the news came about the mining accident. His father cursed, then went out to the barn and began splitting wood in the middle of the summer. His mother wept and asked him to bring what was left of her eldest son home.

  Shaking the image away, he stepped through the open door of the laundry. It was as hot and humid inside as it was outside. When the young lady at the counter turned around, his heart flipped upside down. She was beautiful. Dark brown hair. Green eyes flecked with gold. The smile on her face that made him think he’d gone to Heaven didn’t match the sadness in her eyes.

  “Ca
n I help you?” she asked, placing an empty basket on the counter.

  “Um, yeah, I have a few things that need to be washed,” Wally stammered, nearly dropping his bundle on the floor.

  “You can put them in here,” she instructed, pushing the basket toward him. “You’re not from Blessings Valley, are you?”

  “No, I’m here on…” Wally began, suddenly deciding the fewer people who knew exactly why he was in town, the more forthcoming they may be with information. “I’m just passing through.”

  “I saw you this morning riding up to Willa’s,” she said, writing out a ticket as she inspected his clothes.

  “You are quite observant,” Wally said, offering his hand to her. “I’m Jack Daniels, but everyone just calls me Jack. Or whiskey,” he laughed.

  “I can’t understand why,” she said sarcastically, her gaze assessing him closely. “These aren’t heavily soiled. I’ll do my best to see if we can get your things back to you tonight. If they are done, I’ll deliver them on my way home. You can pay for everything then. Do you want them pressed as well?”

  “Thank you, that won’t be necessary.” Wally nodded, wishing he would be staying around long enough to find out more about her. She may have some valuable information about his brother, and she seemed sweet and wasn’t bad to look at on top of it all. “Have a good day.”

  “You also, Mr. Daniels,” the young lady said, the gold flecks in her eyes sparkling.

  Wally walked out the door then jogged across the street toward the Blessings Valley Chronicle.

  Vera stood in the door, watching the stranger cross the street. For someone who was new in town, he looked vaguely familiar.

  “He’s quite good looking, don’t you think?” Mollie commented, joining her.

  “I hadn’t noticed,” Vera denied, feeling her cheeks flush with warmth.

  “Do you think he’s one of the new miners?” Mollie continued, taking Vera by the elbow. “I wonder if he’s married or not?”

  “Mollie!” Vera exclaimed, hiding a giggle. “Why would you wonder that when you have a wonderful family and a man who loves you senseless?”

  “Oh, not for me,” Mollie stated. “For you and that little one you keep trying to hide. You need someone to look after you, Vera.”

  “How long have you known?” Vera asked, her tummy fluttering at the idea of that handsome stranger taking care of her. Then just as quickly, guilt swept over her. Would Thomas have wanted her to find another to care for her? She was too young to spend the rest of her life alone, even if she’d have the baby.

  “Not too long. I started figuring things out when you absentmindedly were caressing your belly more often. And then that little bump appeared.” Mollie smiled, her eyes sparkling. “Not to mention the few times when you’ve had a blissful, faraway look in your eyes. Just before you’d fall asleep for a few minutes.”

  “I need this job, Mollie,” Vera said, knowing she wouldn’t be able to survive without the work. Many of the widows had already secured employment, and she didn’t think anything else suitable was available to her. Especially not in her condition.

  “Oh, honey, you have nothing to worry about,” Mollie promised, giving Vera’s shoulder a squeeze. “You will always have a place here for as long as you need.”

  “And after the baby comes, then what?” Vera asked, scared of the words she felt certain would come.

  “You will still have a place here. Blessings Valley and her people take care of their own. You and the baby are family, Vera,” Mollie stated, leaving Vera standing in front of the counter.

  Her heart soared with love for Mollie. For all of Blessings Valley.

  Glancing one last time at Jack Daniels as he bounded up the steps of the Chronicle, her baby changed position, reminding her he was still there

  3

  Wally sprinted up the steps of the Blessings Valley Chronicle. The latest edition was in a display window on the front of the building next to the door.

  Glancing quickly over the headlines, he caught one about the arrest of Lizzie Bordon for the murder of her parents and then another on the upcoming presidential election. These were along with the article about the opening of the new addition to the Grand Hotel. Otherwise, things appeared peaceful here with the only other news coming from the East.

  Pushing open the door, the scent of printer’s ink hanging in the air stung his nose and felt to be settling on his shirt.

  “I’ll be with you in a moment,” the man bent over the printing press called out at the jingle of the bell above the door.

  “Of course,” Wally answered, walking around the newspaper office. One by one, he passed copies of the newspaper on the wall. Each was a copy of that edition’s biggest headlines. From tornadoes to the hotel he’d seen.

  Then there it was. The front page regarding the mining accident. And another about the findings of the investigation.

  Wally’s blood ran cold as he read the short articles and looked at the picture of the closed mine opening again after the findings of the investigation. Not much information was given; there was no caption.

  The article regarding the investigation itself confirmed natural gas was the cause of the explosion and the mine could reopen as soon as the debris was cleared away. And although lives were lost, it could have been many more if most of the men hadn’t already come out for lunch.

  His brother had died in the explosion. What Wally read wasn’t enough. He wanted answers to take back home to their parents. To let them know where their estranged son was buried and what kind of a life he had led.

  “That mining accident is a tragedy many of us are still reeling from.” The man’s voice came from behind Wally. “The only blessing is that more men weren’t killed.”

  Turning around, Wally roped in his emotions. “What happened?”

  “A gas leak, that’s what the inspector said. Not that it has helped the widows who have stayed behind to try and rebuild their lives,” the man said, shaking his head. “The crew was coming out for lunch when it happened.”

  Wally’s stomach churned at the thought of those widows staying behind. Didn’t they have family to care for them? No one for them to turn to? No home for them to go back to? How could that be?

  He understood wanting to be near their loved one, but how practical was it for the women if they couldn’t care for themselves? It took a special kind of woman to do so, and there must be many of them here in Blessings Valley.

  “It must have been hard for them to go back to their families without their husbands,” Wally mused, approaching the man. “You said a few stayed behind? How many?”

  The man looked at him, questions darkening his eyes. “If you don’t mind me askin’, what business is it of yours?”

  “I’ve been hired by one of the families to find out what happened.” Wally extended a hand in greeting. “My name is Jack Daniels.”

  “Humph! Was your father a drunkard to name you after whiskey?” The man grinned slightly, grasping Wally’s extended offering. “I’m Clint Wagner, and I will tell you straight up. Blessings Valley is protective of the widows who live here,” Clint warned, looking Wally over a bit closer. “Have you been in town before? You look familiar.”

  “A lot of people have told me that over the years. Guess I have one of those faces,” Wally answered, attempting to keep from falling down the rabbit hole of Clint Wagner’s suspicions.

  “Humph, be careful of what and who you ask concerning the mining accident or the widows,” Clint warned. “Or you may find yourself buried next to the miners just east of town.”

  “I’ll heed your warning. Thank you, Clint.” Wally nodded then walked out the door. Standing on the top step, he looked up and down the street, deciding where to go next.

  Wally walked down the steps, then headed west toward the Grand Hotel. There may be someone working there who would talk to him about the mine and the miners who were killed. And what happened to their families, if they had one.

  As
he approached the front steps, the building’s simple elegance took him by surprise. Whoever the architect was had enough sense to allow the building to be grand, but not so much so that it would drive away customers. It may not be able to compete with the hotels of New York or Boston, but out here, it was luxury at its finest. Whoever built it had money, and plenty of it.

  Even in the way the new dress shop had been added to blend quite nicely with the original façade. The designer took care even with the simple sign hanging near the door—Elizabeth’s Buttons and Bows. A dressmaker may know something about the miners’ wives if it was anything like a barber shop where the local gossip was discussed. Did any of the seamstress’s clients pour their woes out while being pinned?

  Even a little bit of gossip might prove helpful. He hated obtaining any information from those who were still grieving. It always felt as if he were prying into their private lives and opening up that sorrow all over again. But the sooner he got what he’d come for, the sooner he could ease his mother’s pain. If that was at all possible. And the sooner he could go back to city life in Chicago.

  Wally pushed open the door, glancing up at the bell, jingling his arrival. He’d never been inside a dressmaker’s shop before. As he looked around, he realized it wasn’t much different than a tailor’s shop.

  Except maybe for the colorful bolts of fabric and the dress-covered dress forms. The lovely scent of lavender lightly filled the room. Otherwise, it looked similar, just more feminine.

  “Hello, may I help you?”

  Wally turned toward the soft voice and straight into the eyes of a lovely lady with pins sticking out the corner of her mouth and a tape measure draped around her neck. Her auburn hair spilled out from the topknot on her head, and her blue eyes were full of surprise to have a man standing in her dress shop. She was almost as stunning as the young lady at the laundry—almost.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Wally swept his hat off his head. “I’m looking for the owner of this establishment. Do you know where I might find him?”