“May I help you, sir?” the clerk asked without a hint of condescension.
“I’d like a room for the night. If you have one with a bath, I’d appreciate it.”
“We do, but it costs an extra dollar per night.”
“That’s fine.”
As the clerk turned to take a key from a hooked board, Jake signed the register. After he finished writing, he scanned the names above his, just in case his father had used the hotel. He didn’t find Chester Elliott, but on the opposite page of guests, someone had registered as R.L. Kemper. It would be a strange coincidence for someone with the name of the missing baker would take a room around the same time that his father might have arrived in Helena. There weren’t any dates, so Jake wasn’t sure how old the entry was. He stared at the name but was unable to determine if it was his father’s handwriting.
When the clerk handed him his key, Jake reached into his jacket’s inner pocket and slid out his wallet. He handed him a five-dollar note which the clerk slipped into the cash drawer then handed him his two dollars change.
As he accepted the notes, Jake said, “I rode from Fort Benton looking for my father. I noticed that a man named Kemper registered here around the time he could have arrived. His real name is Chester Elliott, but he might have used Mister Kemper’s name. You don’t recall the man; do you?”
Jake expected the clerk to protest about privacy in the hope of extracting a gratuity, but he didn’t.
He just smiled and said, “Many of our guests don’t use the names given to them by their parents. I do recall Mister Kemper, though. He was covered in trail dust, much as you are. Most of our guests arrive via coach or carriage, so riders who have spent a long time on the road are noticeable. Can you describe your father?”
“He’s about two inches shorter than I am, but a bit heavier. He has the same hair color as I do but has gray eyes rather than my hazel green. He wore a beard when he left but might have shaved it off. What was most memorable about him, aside from his dominating presence, was that he wore a tan Stetson with a dark band decorated with bull elks.”
“I didn’t see Mister Kemper’s hat, and I’m not sure he was that tall, but he could have been your father.”
Jake tried to restrain his excitement as he asked, “Do you know where he stabled his horses?”
“We have a contract with M&M Livery just a block to the right as you leave the hotel. Guests can have their horses boarded there for half price.”
“Thank you. I’ll head over there to drop off my horses and ask if they remember his two brown geldings.”
The clerk said, “Good luck, Mister Elliott,” before Jake nodded then turned and quickly crossed the lobby.
He mounted Mars and turned him down Broadway, picking up the large livery as soon as he was in the saddle. Jake’s excitement continued to grow with each of his red gelding’s steps.
After dismounting, he led his pair of horses through the double barn doors and was met by a liveryman who was much cleaner than he was.
“Howdy. Are you gonna leave those handsome fellers with us?”
“Yes, sir. I have a room at the Flanagan Arms and the clerk said that their guests use your livery for boarding their animals.”
“It’s a good deal for us and them, too. It’ll cost you fifty cents a day for both horses.”
“That’s fine,” Jake said as he pulled two quarters from his pants pocket and handed them to the liveryman.
Before he transferred Mars’ reins, Jake asked, “My father might have stayed at the hotel three weeks ago. He was riding a plain brown gelding and was using a similar horse as a pack animal. Do you remember anyone boarding a pair of horses like that?”
“Nope. I woulda remembered ‘em, too. Most of their guests don’t have packhorses. You’re the first feller to have one in a long time.”
Jake nodded then gave the liveryman Mars’ reins. He stepped back to Vulcan and removed his clothing pannier before walking out of the livery. As he felt the late afternoon sun on his face again, he was surprised by his lack of disappointment. He’d been so excited with the possibility of finally finding his father that he believed failure would crush his spirit. While he wasn’t overjoyed by the negative results, he had to admit to feeling relieved.
He was still trying to understand why he felt that way as he passed through the lobby and soon entered the hallway to his room. He figured that the rooms with private baths were all on the first floor because of the weight of the tubs when full of water and guests.
As he entered his room, he was smiling as he envisioned a naked guest climbing into his second-floor bath and then after the floor gave way, making a spectacular entrance into the first-floor room below during an intensely intimate moment.
After leaving his clothing pannier on the floor, he walked to the window and had an impressive view of the adjacent building’s outside wall. He still stared ahead as he thought about his reaction to the liveryman’s negative answer. Did he even want to continue the search?
Just a week ago, he had been determined to find his father and at least have him explain why he’d committed such an unforgivable act. Everyone except Sara had urged him to stay. He was sure that even his mother would have added her voice to the chorus
