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“Shame something like that happened. Worked with him on Porter’s place. Nice fella. Hope Whit catches who did it.”
Spring replied, “Mrs. Doc’s offering up a big reward for information.” Mrs. Doc was the nickname the locals lovingly bestowed upon Regan after she married Colt.
“Do tell.”
Spring nodded. “Whit’s going to put up posters to let everyone know about it.”
The interest on the faces of the others in theroom was plain. Once word got around about the size of the reward, she was confident someone would volunteer the evidence needed. It wasn’t every day someone could earn ten dollars gold for simply turning on a skunk like Ketchum.
As if conjured up by her thoughts, Matt Ketchum entered the dining room with Jarvis, the male secretary Swan, and the daughter, Hazel. Silence descended as they took seats and all eyes watched. Spring took a perverse joy in seeing the lingering damage to Matt’s face by Garrett’s well-placed fist. It was bruised black-and-blue from his very swollen and crooked nose to his eyes. Upon noticing Spring, his mouth twisted nastily.
“I hear someone put that man of yours in his place,” he said nasally. “Glad they did. I know you probably think I was involved, but you can’t prove it.”
Dovie returned with Spring’s food. As she set the plate down, Spring replied to Ketchum, “You know, Matt, that might have had more sting if you didn’t resemble and sound like a raccoon with cotton stuffed up its nose.”
Snickers were heard.
Spring glanced up to see Dovie smiling. “Thanks, Dovie.”
“You’re welcome.” Dovie then turned to Ketchum. “Any more of your ugliness and you’ll be asked to leave.”
“Says who?”
Dovie walked over to where he sat. Towering over him from her six-foot-plus frame, she replied calmly, “I whipped you when we were nine. I whipped you when we were fourteen. If you want to try me again, let me know.” Matt turned beet-red beneath his bruises. Upon hearing the chuckling, and taking in the grins of those looking on, his face twisted with anger and he got up and walked out.
The amused Spring began eating her stew. For all his bragging and threats, he’d always had a thin skin. She expected Jarvis and his companions to follow his exit, but they stayed.
After placing their orders with Dovie, Jarvis got to his feet and walked over to Spring’s table, much to her ire.
“Miss Lee?”
She looked up and waited for him to say more.
“I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am for what happened to McCray. I did warn him as you remember.”
She wondered why he’d added that last part. If he’d come to express true concern, he could’ve done it and moved on. “Were you involved?”
“Of course not.”
“Just wondering why you included the ‘told you so.’ Couldn’t help crowing, I suppose.”
His anger plainly showed he didn’t like where she’d taken the conversation, but someone tried to put McCray in his grave. She didn’t have to play nice. “You should probably go back to your seat.”
He gritted out, “You might need to be taught a lesson, too.”
“Someone already did. You’re speaking to the result.” She refused to be intimidated, especially by a man ignorant enough to believe being allied with Ketchum was a good idea. She again wondered what the two were really up to, but her food was getting cold. “Anything else?”
“I hope I’m around to witness you being brought down a peg or two. I’ll enjoy it.” He turned and went back to his seat.
She supposed she could’ve told him he wasn’t the first person to wish her ill, and probably wouldn’t be the last. Being a burr beneath some people’s saddles seemed to be part of her charm, as McCray called it. Thinking about him put a damper on her mood, so sending good thoughts his way, she refocused on her meal.
When she finished eating, she paid Dovie and left.
Before going back to her brother’s office, she wanted to talk with Odell, so she stopped at the telegraph office. To her surprise, there was no checkers game underway. In fact, Odell was alone.
“I sent the telegram to McCray’s people,” he told her. “Hoping we’ll hear something back soon.”
She wondered how they’d respond. Even if she and her brother were still estranged, getting word that he’d been injured, she’d’ve been on the next train heading his way. She wondered if his family would do the same. “Okay. Came to talk about the Ketchum land we purchased. Matt told Jarvis the acreage was sold illegally.”
