Julia agreed and followed West toward the hills, and she hoped they found the hiding place before Kate Mulligan did.
Julia rode up next to West and asked, “Are we sure that Kate Mulligan stole the chest? What about that ridiculous bounty?”
“The description of the person who attacked Father Dominic fits, and she disappeared about the same time Father Dominic left town. It wouldn’t have been difficult for her to follow him here. Dressed as a cowboy, Father Dominic might not have noticed her, and if he did along the way, he would probably have dismissed her as another traveler,” West explained.
“That makes sense,” Julia agreed. “How are we going to find the right cave? That map just shows some bushes and trees and a stream.”
West shrugged. “We’ll use our uncanny abilities to solve mysteries and try to think like Father Dominic and look for what we might consider the ideal spot for hiding a treasure.”
Julia laughed. “Yes, you can teach me how to be the perfect agent by finding the cave with your eyes closed.”
West looked at Julia, ready to explain that it was his training that would help find the spot when she winked at him and spurred her horse to ride in front of him. That woman was driving him slightly mad. He would need time off to recover after this case.
They rode for several hours comparing the scenery to the crude map Father Dominic had given them. Each time they found a possible match to the plan, they couldn’t locate a cave. West finally decided that it was getting too dark to properly search the area, and they should make camp.
West built a small fire, and Julia made coffee. They shared the bread, cheese, and fruit they bought from Smiley’s.
Each was quiet after their simple meal until Julia broke the silence.
“So, tell me,” Julia said as she sipped her coffee. “Tell me about your family. Do you have a lot of brothers and sisters?”
West shook his head. “No, I have one sister. No brothers.”
“Same with me, just my brother and myself. Makes for a small family.”
West laughed out loud. “My sister has five children. I saw a circus that came through Denver last year that was quieter and tamer than her house. I have never seen or heard the kind of ruckus those five children can cause.”
“How old are they?” Julia asked.
West tapped his palm on his knee and stared off into the trees for a moment. “The oldest is six, maybe seven. The baby is almost a year old. Three boys and two girls.”
“That sounds like a delightful family. I’d like to have a half-dozen children.”
West paled, and Julia laughed.
“Don’t worry yourself, husband. Our marriage is in name only, remember. I’m not planning on having all my children with you,” Julia said, doing her best not to laugh at West again.
West nodded, blowing out a breath of relief, wondering if he was genuinely happy to hear that or a bit disappointed.
“Tell me about your life back in Wisconsin,” West suggested.
“There’s not much to tell. I grew up in the small town of Gentle Falls. My aunt and uncle own the mercantile. When my father died, my brother and I did our best to help our mother keep the farm going. When she died, my brother said he was tired of farming. My spirit broke, and I went to stay with the kind sisters. The Mother Superior and my mother went to school together, and I knew I’d be welcome,” Julia shared.
“So, you just left the farm unattended?”
“I didn’t, but my brother did, for the most part. I’m sure my uncle is having someone go out and check on things, but my brother did sell off all the animals. He left some money with Mother Superior knowing one day I would leave the convent. It’s how I afforded to make the trip to Denver,” Julia said.
“And now?” West inquired.
“I don’t know. I have no idea where my brother is. He said he’d keep in contact with my Uncle Louis. Since I’m an agent now, I’m not opposed to selling the farm if my brother wants. When I first decided to leave the convent, I thought I’d go back to live on the farm, but it’s hard work alone.”
“I think the agency could find your brother. We have agents all over. A name and general description just might bring in some information,” West told Julia.
“Maybe, but not now. He hasn’t been gone that long, and he might have written Uncle Louis. My brother wanted to strike out and find gold or whatever dream life could offer him. I found mine, he deserves time to find his.”
“You found yours?” West asked a bit of unexpected hope in his voice.
“Of course,” Julia said and winked. “I’m a Pinkerton Detective, aren’t I?”
West was getting more and more exasperated by Julia’s ability to render him speechless. He managed to mumble, “At least we don’t have to argue about who gets the bed and who sleeps on the floor tonight.”
Julia’s soft voice floated across the campfire to him. “I told you I don’t mind the floor. I used to sleep in the barn when I was a kid. When one of our horses was ready to foal, I didn’t have the heart to leave her alone. I did it with our dog, too. My mother would tell me that girls shouldn’t sleep on barn floors, and my father would say it would make me stronger and prepare me for life. I don’t think he ever expected it to prepare me for this night.”
West nodded and said, “I think he’d be proud of you.”
“Thanks,” Julia answered before turning over and pulling her small blanket over her shoulder.
West did his best to
