Fletcher's Pride Read online

  Fletcher stood at the window, both hands shoved in his pockets, looking across the street at the boardinghouse. Not paying much attention to the conversation behind him, he thought of the body and the missing horses, wondering if they might be connected.

  His gaze moved to an older man walking out of Baker’s, noting the tattered suit and not much more. Then his eyes lit on a slender figure in a blue dress, a simple bonnet tied under her chin. She glanced at the street, her hand raised to help shield the sun. Looking both ways, she crossed, skirting around a wagon and two riders before stepping onto the boardwalk. As she got closer, Fletcher stilled.

  “What the…” He started for the door. “I’ll be right back, Brodie.” Rushing outside, he glanced down the street, his gaze darting from one woman to another, searching for the blue dress. He caught a glimpse near the Merchant Bank. “Maddy!”

  If the woman heard, she didn’t respond. Fletcher started running, brushing past pedestrians, focusing on the last place he’d seen her. By the time he’d reached the jail, he’d lost sight of her. He began to retrace his steps, looking into every shop he passed, not seeing her.

  Taking off his hat, he slapped it against his leg, cursing.

  “Fletcher MacLaren. You watch your language.”

  He winced, recognizing an older woman a few feet away. “Ach, I’m sorry, ma’am. Did you see a woman walk by wearing a bonnet and blue dress?”

  Glaring at him, she shook her head. “No, I haven’t. And I hope you weren’t cursing because of a woman.”

  “Uh, no, ma’am.” The lie rolled easily off his lips. He touched a finger to the brim of his hat. “Have a good day, ma’am.”

  He waited a minute until she’d moved on, then made a circle, searching up and down the street. Where did the lass go? he thought, frustration gripping him. Fletcher knew he’d seen Maddy, would bet his life on it, but she’d vanished as quickly as she’d appeared.

  Sucking in a breath, his gaze landed on the boardinghouse. She’d come out of Baker’s. Heading back to the telegraph office, he shoved open the door. “Brodie, I’m needing to go to Baker’s. I’ll be coming right back.”

  “If I’m not here, I’ll be at the jail, lad.”

  Raising a hand in acknowledgment, Fletcher ran across the street, bursting inside. Mrs. Baker stood at one of the dining room tables. Spinning at the sound of the door flying open, Henrietta glared at him, crossing her arms.

  “Fletcher MacLaren.”

  He came to an abrupt halt, taken aback by the disapproving glower on her face. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Baker.” Clearing his throat, he took a step closer.

  “What do you want?”

  Stopping, he blinked, wondering what he’d done to anger the older lady. “I saw a woman walk out of here a few minutes ago. Blue dress and bonnet. The lass walked up the street, but I lost sight of her. I wondered if you might know who she is.”

  Henrietta’s gaze narrowed on him, her mouth set in a thin line. “Yes, I know who you mean.”

  He swallowed, realizing this wasn’t going to be as easy as he first thought. “Would you be knowing her name, Mrs. Baker?”

  She took several steps forward, stopping a couple feet away. “I usually keep the names of my boarders private. Why do you want to know, Fletcher?”

  Inwardly groaning, he shifted his stance, beginning to feel foolish. “The lass is a friend of mine.”

  Henrietta tilted her head to the side, her arms crossed over her ample chest. She quirked a brow. “A friend?”

  Fletcher felt like squirming under her scrutiny. “Aye.”

  “All right. What is your friend’s name?”

  “Maddy.”

  Henrietta knew her as Madeleine Leigh, but the nickname made sense. “Do you have a last name, Fletcher?”

  Feeling his frustration grow, he shook his head. “Nae. I never asked the lass.” He saw her eyes spark with disapproval at his answer.

  Henrietta let out an annoyed snort. “Well, I’ll give her your name. If she remembers you, I’ll get word to you through Brodie.”

  Fletcher didn’t want to wait. It had already been too long. “Do you know when she’ll be coming back?”

  “You are not going to wait here for her, young man. If she knows who you are, I’ll let Brodie know.” Henrietta arched a brow when he didn’t make any move to leave. “Is there something else, Fletcher?”

  A momentary flash of defeat rolled through him. Gritting his teeth, he pushed it away, his determination returning. “Nae, Mrs. Baker. I’ll be letting Brodie know you’ll be getting a message to him. Thank you.” He turned to leave, stopping at her clipped words.

  “Only if she agrees to see you.”

  Swallowing, he nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Stepping outside, Fletcher settled fisted hands on his hips, looking up and down the street. Glancing at the law offices of August and Bay, he briefly thought of sitting in their parlor to wait for Maddy’s return. Glancing behind him, he discarded the idea. As steady as a sentinel, Henrietta Baker’s hard gaze narrowed on his, lips twisted, almost daring him to do something to anger her. He couldn’t afford to provoke his one connection to Maddy.

  Finishing her walk, Maddy drew in a deep breath as she approached the boardinghouse. She loved this time alone, enjoying the activity on the main street and warm breeze wafting across her face before having to change clothes to start her shift at the restaurant.

  When she’d left the boardinghouse, Maddy chastised herself for divulging the details of her pregnancy to Mrs. Baker. But once she started, stopping wasn’t possible. She’d spoken of it to no one until today, and the fact her landlord listened without interrupting encouraged Maddy to continue. Somehow, recounting the story provided a relief she hadn’t expected. When finished, Mrs. Baker considered what she’d heard before saying she could stay at the boardinghouse for another month or two, until her condition became obvious to everyone.

  During her walk, a relived grin slid up the corners of Maddy’s mouth as she thought of the conversation before the need to stay vigilant sobered her. She didn’t need to cross paths with any of the MacLaren men, taking the chance one would recognize her.

  Today, luck wasn’t with her.

  Twice, she’d avoided coming across MacLaren men. Once when Brodie walked down the boardwalk toward the jail, and the other time she passed Quinn as he stood next to a wagon.

  At least Fletcher hadn’t come to town with them, she thought, continuing her slow pace. An instant later, she glanced across the street and her breath caught. Fletcher walked out of the gunsmith shop, long strides taking him in the opposite direction.

  Avoiding him, she turned to stare through the window of the Gold Dust Hotel, groaning when the diners at the table inside startled. Giving them an apologetic shrug, she glanced over her shoulder. Fletcher stood by the wagon, talking with Quinn. Wasting no time, she hurried to the boardinghouse and rushed inside, sucking in gulps of air to calm her racing heart.

  Taking a quick glance outside, she turned, startled to see Henrietta behind her.

  “Are you all right, Miss Leigh?”

  Placing a hand over her chest, she nodded. “Yes, I’m fine, Mrs. Baker. I, um…” She took another shaky breath, straightening. “I’d better get to my room and change for work.” Giving Mrs. Baker an embarrassed grin, she started toward the stairs.

  “There was a man in here looking for you today.”

  Maddy stopped, her body going rigid before she shifted back around. “A man?”

  Henrietta nodded, motioning for Maddy to follow her to a table. “Sit down and I’ll tell you about it.”

  She took a seat, unable to stop herself from glancing at the window to the street outside. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, Maddy tried to relax.

  “He came in not long after you left this morning. He’d seen you leave and thought he recognized you.”

  “Did he give you his name?”

  Henrietta nodded. “It was Fletcher MacLaren, your baby
’s father.”

  Maddy shook her head for what had to be the tenth time, unable to focus on the diners in the restaurant. She’d already mixed up two orders, delivering meals to the wrong tables. Embarrassed, she apologized, correcting her mistake, vowing to do a better job the rest of the night.

  Learning Fletcher searched for her didn’t provide the comfort she’d expected. For so long, she’d hoped, prayed he’d return from Settlers Valley and look for her. It was a ridiculous notion. The morning after Bram delivered Fletcher’s message, she’d packed, taking the stagecoach to San Francisco.

  It had been the first week of her job at Parker Hill when Maddy suspected she carried Fletcher’s baby. Two weeks later, the full impact of the situation settled in, along with the panic filling every day since.

  “You have another table, Madeleine.” Suzette nodded toward four men. Returning her gaze to Maddy, she studied her face. “Are you all right? You don’t look as if you feel well.”

  She turned away before Suzette’s scrutiny moved to her stomach. Having her boss suspect her secret would be devastating. The job would disappear, along with her ability to support the baby.

  “I’m fine. A little tired, nothing more.”

  Lifting a brow, Suzette’s skepticism faded. “All right…for now. If you are ill, I need to know.”

  “Of course.”

  The curl in Maddy’s stomach tightened and didn’t fade during the night. Besides Suzette’s probing questions, the bloating in her stomach increased. And despite loosening the top two buttons on her skirt, it was miserably uncomfortable, making it hard to draw a breath at times.

  By closing, exhaustion rolled off her in waves. Misery dogged her on the trip back to the boardinghouse, knowing she’d have to speak with Suzette soon. Maddy didn’t know what she’d do if she lost the job as well as her lodging.

  Topping off the wonderful thoughts, she knew Fletcher would be coming back to Baker’s. She and Henrietta had agreed to say nothing to Brodie, ignoring Fletcher’s visit as if it hadn’t happened. Both knew the decision would gain them a small amount of time and nothing more. The MacLarens may be upstanding citizens, but when seeking information or going after what they wanted, they were relentless.

  Maddy had no doubt Fletcher wanted to find her. He wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of speaking with Henrietta if he didn’t. She also believed he’d walk away the instant he learned of the baby. He had no intention of offering more than sharing time in her bed, and would never believe he’d been the only man to cross her threshold since she arrived in Conviction.

  Taking the last weary steps into the boardinghouse, she crept up the stairs, not caring to draw attention to herself. Tomorrow, she’d stay inside, rest, and hope Fletcher made no further attempts to find her.

  Circle M

  “It was Maddy. I’m certain of it.” Fletcher paced inside the barn, accomplishing nothing except growing more agitated with each breath. Stopping, he glanced at Bram and Camden, both leaning against stalls, not commenting. “I should ride to Baker’s tonight, see if the lass is still there.”

  “It’s after ten, lad. Baker’s will be locked, and you don’t want to face the old woman’s wrath if you wake her. She’s a tyrant during the day. No telling what she’s like at this hour.” Bram bent down, picking up a piece of straw, twisting it between his fingers.

  Camden began coiling a length of rope, considering all Fletcher had told them. “Wait a couple days to see if she gets word to Brodie. If not, we’ll all be riding to town to find the lass. Did you speak with Frankie at Buckie’s?”

  Fletcher continued pacing. “Aye. He hasn’t seen the lass since the morning she left for San Francisco.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Ach. I’m tired of going in circles on this. I need to find the lass.”

  Bram raised a brow. “We’ve a need to ride to town in two days for supplies. We’ll talk to Mrs. Baker again, take turns watching the boardinghouse if she won’t speak of Maddy. The lass will have to leave sometime. When she does, one of us will be waiting.”

  Camden placed the coiled rope over a hook. “It’s a good plan, Bram.”

  Fletcher shook his head. “I don’t want to wait so long.”

  “Be patient, Fletch. You’ve not seen the lass in months. Waiting two days is nothing if she’s the lass you want.” Tossing the bent piece of straw aside, Bram straightened. “But you’d best be making sure she’s who you want. You’ll not be going back on this once you claim her. Have you spoken to Ewan and Lorna, told them of the lass?”

  Fletcher pressed his lips together, a vein pulsing in his neck. “Nae.”

  “Then you’ve tomorrow to explain of your intentions,” Bram said.

  “And tell them of the lass’s background.” Camden walked to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It’s not something you can keep from them, Fletch.”

  A rueful grin crossed his face. “I’ll be telling them once I find the lass. Maddy and I have things to say, an agreement to reach.”

  Bram raised a brow. “An agreement, Fletch?”

  “Aye.”

  Camden cocked his head. “Will you be explaining this agreement?”

  “Only to Maddy. It’s between the lass and me.” He refused to voice the doubts he still harbored about Maddy and other men. Frankie had been firm in his comment about Fletcher being the only man she allowed in her bed. Still...

  Bram let out a breath. “You’ll do what you must, lad. Whatever you decide, I’ll be with you on it.”

  “As will I.” Camden grinned. “I’ll also be saying this is going to be interesting.”

  Fletcher’s eyes crinkled. “Aye, lads. Perhaps more interesting than I’d expected.” Or wanted, he thought as they left the barn.

  Chapter Six

  Martinez

  Dob tossed back another glass of whiskey, cursing his luck. They’d spent days in Oakland looking for Maddy without success. He’d been sure she’d be in Martinez, working in a restaurant or maybe a saloon, wherever she could to put food in her stomach. After three days, they’d come up with nothing.

  “I say we consider riding to Sacramento. The girl would flee someplace with plentiful work and large enough for her to disappear.” Lew Quick sipped his drink, taking it slow in sharp contrast to Dob.

  An excellent leader with a talent for picking good men, he had two flaws—alcohol and a short, cruel temper. Lew had seen it enough times to keep his distance when Dob’s mood deteriorated beyond recovery. Tonight may be one of those times.

  Grabbing the bottle, Dob filled his glass for the fourth time, draining it in one gulp. Wiping an arm across his mouth, he focused red eyes on Lew.

  “She has the damnedest luck. Anyone else and we would’ve already buried her somewhere and been on our way.” Picking up the bottle, he poured a full measure. “If the wench didn’t know so much…” Dob shook his head, as if trying to clear it.

  Lew’s mouth twisted in disgust. “But she does. Maddy knew when she ran off it was a death sentence.”

  “And I’m more than ready to oblige.”

  “She could be all the way into Utah by now, Colonel.” Taking another sip, Lew looked around, seeing no one watching them. “On her way back to the hideout. If she gets there before us…” Lew raised a brow. “What would stop her from cleaning us out?”

  Dob blew out a strong string of curses. “Her life would be worthless if she stole from us.”

  Lew let out a mirthless chuckle. “It’s worthless now, and she knows it. She may believe there’s nothing to lose. What worries me is her stealing our money before she talks to the law. We won’t be safe anywhere.”

  Shaking his head, Dob’s jaw hardened. “She’s not heading back to Kansas. Maddy’s still around here somewhere.”

  “How do you know?”

  Dob shot him a shrewd glance. “The girl’s out of money, no horse, nothing. She’d never be able to make the trip to Kansas before starving.” Snorting, he poured another glass of whiskey, his movements slowi
ng. “We’ll ride to Sacramento tomorrow. If she’s not there, we head to Conviction. There was something about how the bartender spoke of her.”

  Lew’s brows furrowed. “Frankie, right?”

  “Yeah. Makes me think they’re friends. I’m certain he’d protect Maddy if she returned.”

  Emptying his glass, Lew pushed the bottle out of Dob’s reach, motioning to the bartender to take it away. “Are you ready to ride out?”

  Scrubbing a hand down his face, Dob stepped away from the bar. “Let’s go. We need to take care of that girl and get on to more important business.”

  Conviction

  “Where are you headed in such a hurry?” Bram grabbed two coiled ropes, tossing one to Camden. They’d finished supper, making a decision to stay at the ranch. A rare occurrence on a Saturday night.

  Fletcher didn’t look at either one of them as he swung into Domino’s saddle. “It’s been two days.” He didn’t say more, knowing those words explained everything.

  “Wait a few minutes for Camden and me to get our horses. We’ll be riding in with you.” Bram settled the two lengths of rope back on hooks.

  Fletcher scowled at his cousins. “I’ll not be waiting long for you.”

  Shrugging, Camden moved to the back door of the barn, whistling for Duke. Bram did the same for Bullet. Five minutes later, both horses were saddled, their riders settled on top.

  “You miscreants ready now?” Fletcher didn’t wait for them to answer before kicking Domino enough to leave them behind. Heading toward town, he ignored their laughter and gibes as they caught up with him.

  “What do you plan to do once we reach town, lad?”

  “I’m riding straight to the boardinghouse. Mrs. Baker will be there, and I’ll be finding a way to get her to tell me about Maddy.”

  Bram chuckled. “Then you’ll be needing our support. That woman could kill a bear with one look.”

  “All I’m looking for is information, lad. Don’t be doing anything to anger her.”

  A broad grin spread across Bram’s face as he pushed his hat off his forehead. “I’d never be thinking of making her mad, Fletch.”