Kisses With KC (Cowboys and Angels Book 11)(29)

KC took the donkey to the barn, and Eliza went to the house to get a meal on. It was simple food on Sunday. The beef stew had cooked while they drove to meeting and back. KC didn’t come in to eat, and Eliza was glad of it except for a part of her heart that felt dark and dry.

As she was cleaning up after dinner, Kailin ran through the kitchen door with Rayna on her back. “They’re here. Come on. Ma and Pa are here!”

Eliza dropped the pan back into the wash tub and dried her hands on her apron as she followed her little sister out the front door. Her parents were hugging Ellis when the girls threw their arms around the group. She felt relief that they were home safe. Her mother pulled each of their faces to her for kisses.

When they released each other, Eliza noticed that Uncle Morris was still in the carriage while Michael walked around to his side. Her little cousin had grown a couple of feet and was the size of a bear. His sisters had changed a great deal in the eight years since they’d seen each other. That would make Michael twenty-three, Donella and Diane twenty-one in a couple of months since they were just younger than her, and Polly and Pam were eighteen.

“Welcome!” Eliza called out to her cousins, and the hugging started again. “I’ll bet you’re tired. I’ll put some water on to heat. Come in.”

They began walking to the house, and Eliza’s mother started giving orders. “Uncle Morris will use the washroom off the kitchen as a bedroom. Ellis, move your bed in there for him. Eliza and Kailin, help the girls get settled in Ellis’s room. Get the extra quilts down and make pallets for them. Michael and Ellis, you’ll bunk in the barn. Mr. Murray already has the loft, so make yourself a place down by the stalls.”

It took an hour to get everyone somewhat settled. Eliza could feel a weight removed from her shoulders. Her ma was back, and Eliza could just be herself again.

The family went to bed early, tired out from their travels. Eliza sat in the front room. KC came in and nodded toward her. “This is for your father.” He placed a letter on the table and left.





11





KC Murray



For the hundredth time, KC regretted letting Eliza think he was getting out of her life. He didn’t know any other way to protect her. Being around him was deadly. This scheme had just gotten a whole lot deeper now that he knew the last two Holman boys were involved. Would she understand later? She might not give him the chance to explain. If Holman had shot him last Sunday, he’d have shot Eliza just for being near him. If it meant losing her to protect her, he’d do it.

KC sat in the woods, watching the Turley homes, which were close together but across property lines. He’d left a letter for Mr. Turley explaining about himself and that he needed to do some investigating on this case. He recommended that they post regular watches. He’d also stated that he’d appreciate meeting with Mr. Turley on a private matter.

He ran through the puzzle pieces he had. Anders was buying specific land between Creede and Lake City. Little Archie was part of this. There might be fraud involved in the claims on the homesteads that were originally filed in their names. There were possibly two dead homesteaders—Alpin and Baldwin. The Holman boys were involved. The cave that KC now owned was of interest to the Holman boys. There were three homesteads near Creede and one closer to Lake City that Anders hadn’t purchased yet.

It was time to make a visit to the telegraph office again. He hoped Arthur Jameson had the clue that would help him bring this together. He nudged his horse and turned toward Creede. When he got there, the office was closed for lunch. He’d come back in a couple of minutes. He had intended to stay put and wait until he saw the Holman boys walk into The Nugget Saloon. In a second, KC was on his feet following them into the saloon. Then he chose a seat at the bar near where the men sat.

“You new around here?” asked the man on the stool to his right.

“Yeah, new homesteader.” KC ordered a drink. The conversations around the room were loud.

“Where abouts?” the man to his left asked.

This time, KC was facing the direction of the Holman brothers. “I’ll be homesteading southwest of town. Out past the Turley place.”

“Cattle or sheep?” the first asked.

“Cattle mostly, but it seems that there’s a good amount of mining around these parts. I might try my hand at that, too.” KC wasn’t sure, but it looked like one of the brothers about choked on his ale. Their heads went together as one whispered to the other. KC thought it was a good time to leave.

Arthur, with the mailbag under one arm, was just unlocking the door to the telegraph office when KC arrived.

“You mind if you lock up for a moment longer so we can talk, Arthur?” KC asked. “This might be something that no one else in this town should overhear by accident.”

Arthur waved him inside, but before he could relock the door, Marshal Wheeler pushed into the building as well. Arthur looked at KC, who nodded that it was all right.

“I see you got my letter,” KC said to the marshal.

“Yes, sir, and I’d like to know what you know.”

“I was just getting to that with Arthur. I’m glad you’re here.”

“You have my attention, Mr. Murray. Is there something I can help you with?” Arthur asked.

“Yes. Well, I hope you will.” The wooden floorboards creaked as KC walked to the counter.