Tenderness (33 page)

“Peterson, McGarvey, meet Ralph Marsh. He’s been a great help.”

“Howdy.” The men shook hands. “Thanks for the help. This wet-eared kid needs all the help he can get.” Peterson grinned at
Ethan.

“I remember a time or two when this wet-eared kid saved your bacon, huh, McGarvey?”

“Yeah. I remember the time he was chasin’—”

“Whoa!” Peterson said. “If we get into reminiscing about the tight spots we’ll be here all day. I hear you’re about to be
a
former
Bureau man, Bredlow.”

“Yeah, kid.” McGarvey removed his billed cap and scratched his head. “What caused you to change your mind about staying with
the service?”

Ethan grinned. “It’s about time I settled down. Hell, I’m not getting any younger and I don’t fancy catching a bullet. I want
a loving wife and kids before I turn up my toes.”

“So do I,” Peterson said. “I keep thinking I’ll turn in my badge, but something like this comes along and the juices flow.”

“Dinsmore should be on the noon train. He said he’d be here the first of July.” Ethan showed the men a copy of Dinsmore’s
letter to Louella Lindstrom. They read it and “the drummer” tucked it away.

“And the woman—?” Peterson asked.

“She’s still here. She has been employed by a doctor as housekeeper.”

“Is there a connection?” McGarvey asked.

“None. I’m absolutely sure. I had to give Ralph the story and he vouched for the Doc. I’ve been afraid the Doc would send
her packing. His children are upset, and his home is in turmoil. That Louella has got more gall than any woman I’ve ever met.”

Peterson, the man with the large black case, chuckled. “She’s gutsy all right, and she’s got an air about her that makes folks
think she’s somebody. I’m surprised she’d take a job as housekeeper.”

“She explains it to people around town that she’s a friend of the family and that she’s tutoring the children.” Ethan silently
hoped Pauline, with her explosive temper, didn’t hear about that until they had LoneIla in custody.

“We need to tie her and Dinsmore together,” Peterson said. “We’d better wait until they meet to make the arrests.”

“I agree to that. Meanwhile, you two have been on the train all night and need some rest. Ralph won’t mind if you flop down
in the back room.”

“Make yourself to home,” Ralph said and handed each of the Bureau men a bedroll. “I’ll go to the bakery as soon as it’s open.
Ethan will make coffee. He ought to know how—he’s drunk ten gallons since he’s been here.”

The morning dragged until the whistle of the noon train sounded. Ethan took up watch at the window of the newspaper office.
The passengers had to come this way to get to the hotel or the rooming house. Several buggies were lined up behind the depot.
Ethan was sure none were waiting for Dinsmore. Several drummers passed by before Ethan spotted the man he was waiting for.

Jack Dinsmore, carrying a small carpetbag and dressed in a black serge suit, a stiff derby hat and shiny black patent leather
oxfords, stepped up on the boardwalk. He had a neatly trimmed mustache and black slicked-down hair. His appearance was that
of a well-to-do businessman. He paused to wipe the tops of his shoes on the backs of his trouser legs.

“Vain bastard,” Ethan muttered as he watched him swagger down the street.

Ethan stepped out the door fanning himself as if he were out getting a breath of air and watched Dinsmore enter the hotel.
Remembering that the suspect planned to be standing in front of the post office at half past noon, Ethan looked at his pocket
watch and then down the street toward the doctor’s house. In the distance he saw a woman coming toward town carrying a parasol.
It was Louella Lindstrom. He stayed to watch Dinsmore come out of the hotel without his carpet bag, light a cigar, and casually
amble toward the post office.

McGarvey, in his worn pants and shirt and with a billed cap pulled low on his forehead, was no more than a dozen yards behind
Dinsmore. His intention was to catch up with the man when Mrs. Lindstrom met him and overhear the conversation that passed
between them.

He was lucky; for when Louella attempted to pass Dinsmore, he laid a hand on her arm to stop her.

“Well, forevermore, if it isn’t Louella Lindstrom,” Jack proclaimed pleasantly and tipped his hat. “How are you, ma’am? Imagine
seeing you after all these years.”

“As I live and breathe, Jack Dinsmore. What in the world are you doing here?” Louella said, then whispered, “Where are you
staying?”

“The hotel, room thirty-one. Don’t worry, dear lady, nobody in this hick town knows about us,” he whispered back. He glanced
at the tramp looking in the store window, then spoke in a normal tone. “You are looking extremely well, Mrs. Lindstrom. Will
you allow me to treat you to a cool drink in that quaint little establishment across the street?”

“I don’t know… I’m on an errand for the doctor.”

“Come now. You can spare me a few minutes of your delightful company—for old times’ sake.”

Without waiting for an answer, he cupped her elbow and they walked to the corner and crossed the street. As soon as they were
inside the restaurant, McGarvey entered the store that housed the post office and walked rapidly through to the door leading
to the alley.

“They’re together in the eatery across the street,” he said as soon as he entered the newspaper office. “We don’t have to
wait until night.” Then he repeated word for word the conversation he had overheard.

“All right, let’s go,” Ethan said. “Ralph, do you want to be in on this?”

“No. Keep it as quiet as you can. I’ll run headlines tomorrow and shock the hell out of this town.”

“I’ll go in the front and greet Mrs. Lindstrom and chat a minute. She knows me. While I have their attention, you two come
in from the rear of the building.”

“If this goes well, we can be on the six o’clock back to Buffalo,” Peterson said gleefully.

It did go well.

Ethan walked into the restaurant and acted surprised to see Louella.

“Well, hello. It’s nice to see you out of Doc’s kitchen for a change. Are the kids giving you fits again? Who’s your friend?”

“Mr. Dinsmore, Mr. Bredlow. He works for the newspaper.” Louella made the introduction reluctantly.

“How do you do?” Dinsmore said politely.

“Are you going to be in our town very long, Mr. Dinsmore?”

“No, I’m just passing through.”

“Did you know that this woman makes the most delicious pies you ever ate in all your born days?” Ethan said, moving closer
to Louella after seeing his fellow officers enter from the back door and move up behind Dinsmore.

“Well, I guess this is it.”

As soon as the words were out of Ethan’s mouth, Peterson slapped the handcuffs on Dinsmore. At the same time Ethan grasped
Louella’s arm.

“You’re under arrest,” Peterson said and jerked the man to his feet.

“What the hell is goin’ on? Is this a joke?” Dinsmore asked belligerently.

“It’s no joke. Move.”

Ethan cuffed Louella and snapped the other cuff around his own wrist. He placed money on the table to pay for the drinks the
couple had ordered.

The diners sat in stunned silence as Ethan opened the screen door for Louella to pass through.

“This is an outrage. You’ve embarrassed me to death,” Louella protested when they reached the walk in front of the eatery.
“You have no right—”

“I’ve every right. The United States Board of Inquiry wishes to chat with you, dear lady.”

“It’s about McKinley, isn’t it? I had nothing to do with that. I was unfortunate enough to live in the same rooming house
as that… fellow.”

“Save your breath, Louella. My job was to bring you in and not to judge you. Peterson, the city jail is there at the end of
the street. You can stash Dinsmore there until time for the train. I’ll take Mrs. Lindstrom to the doctor’s house to get her
things.”

Ethan’s heart was light. The job was done and now he was free to make a life with Pauline.

Louella was sullen and quiet as they walked the few blocks to the house. Luckily, they passed no one on the way. Ethan was
glad. It wasn’t his intention to embarrass the woman.

All was quiet at the doctor’s house when they reached it. Since the front hall was empty, Ethan knocked on the surgery door.
Doctor Forbes opened it and saw the handcuffs. He looked at Ethan with a puzzled frown.

“What’s going on, Ethan?”

“I work for the United States government, Doc. I’ve been trailing Mrs. Lindstrom for months. I’ll explain after I see her
off on the train with my two partners. We’re here to get her things.”

“Go ahead. Do what you have to do. I guess my children were right about this woman.”

“You didn’t appreciate a thing I tried to do here, did you, Hollis?” Louella declared angrily. “I took your brats’ back talk
and Jesse’s interference and tried to bring refinement into this home. The fact that you let your children associate with
a nigger was appalling. I never told a soul about that. I wish I had now.”

“Your definition of refinement is different from mine, Mrs. Lindstrom. My children were happy before you came here. I will
say that the meals you served were good, and I enjoyed them, but my family and I will be glad to see the last of you.”

“Bastard! Well, I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“We’ll get her stuff, Doc,” Ethan said and tugged Louella toward the stairway.

Ten minutes later they came down. Ethan carried her suitcase, which had already been half-packed. Doctor Forbes waited at
the bottom on the stairs.

Louella stopped and looked at him, her face a mask of hatred.

“You thought your Dora was so righteous. You couldn’t see me for her. You considered her far above me. Well, I’ve been welcomed
into homes of royalty. And I’ll tell you another thing. I knew your precious Dora long before you did and believe me she was
no angel. As a matter of fact I found a note from her lover in her secretary.” She enjoyed seeing the color leave the doctor’s
face. “Here it is.” She drew the note from her pocket and handed it to the doctor. He took it and crushed it in his hand.

“We’ll be going, Doc. This she-cat and Dinsmore will be leaving on the six o’clock with the two agents that came in this morning.
Tell Pauline I’ll see her tonight.”

Doctor Forbes scarcely heard the words. He walked stiffly down the hall to his bedroom. It was hard to breathe. His heart
thudded painfully. The paper in his hand crackled as his fingers tightened around it. The woman’s words echoed in his head.
He would have scoffed at them if not for the unread note he held tightly in his fist. He was tempted to destroy it, but he
could not, because not knowing would haunt him for the rest of his life.

D
octor Forbes smoothed the crushed paper. As it was written in pencil, he had to put on his spectacles to read it.

Dora,

I saw Hollis get on the train a few minutes ago and if Jesse takes Susan to the May Day party at the school, I’ll be over.
I have something for you. Take heart. I’m sure Hollis doesn’t know.

Dusty

The doctor looked at the note for a long time. He felt sick. Sick at heart and sick in his stomach. No, he hadn’t known or
even suspected. Dusty had been in their home, and had eaten at their table time and again. He had considered him an honorable
man—until now. He could not imagine his Dora practicing deception. Someone had delivered the note. Was it a stable boy who
had bragged to his friends that the doctor’s wife had a lover? Lord! Why did that wretched woman have to find the note and
shatter his belief in the wife he had adored?

He heard the sound of the screen door being slammed and hurrying footsteps coming down the hall. They paused at the surgery
door, then came to his room. Susan appeared in the doorway, not really expecting him to be there.

He was sitting in his old chair beside the bed where he had spent hours, days and weeks before her mother died, his head sunk
on his chest. The hands that had saved so many lives lay limp in his lap.

“Papa! I saw Ethan walking with Mrs. Lindstrom. He had her suitcase. What ever has happened? He’s not running away with her,
is he? Pauline would die of heartbreak. She likes him a lot. But you know Pauline, she doesn’t want anyone to know and acts
like she don’t like him a’tall.”

Doctor Forbes lifted his head and stared at his daughter as if she were a stranger.

“Papa!” Susan went to him. “What’s the matter? Is it… Jesse?” There was a sharp edge of panic in her voice.

He shook himself and cleared his throat.

“Jesse is doing fine. Ethan is a federal agent. Mrs. Lindstrom is a suspected criminal. He’s taking her away.”

“Well! I’ll be a homswoggled billy goat!” Susan said excitedly. “Did you know, Papa?”

“No, I didn’t know. I took her on thinking—well, never mind that now. After I realized that you, Todd and Jesse were unhappy,
I was trying to figure a way to ease her out without causing a to-do about it.”

“Oooh! A real honest-to-goodness crook living right here in our house! I can’t wait to tell Mary Sue and Jeff. You don’t mind
if I tell, do you, Papa?”

“Tell whoever you want. It’ll be all over town by nightfall.”

“You’re not to worry about the house, Papa. We won’t depend on Jesse like we used to. I think Mrs. Klein will come days and
she’ll do the washing too. Half-days would be fine until school starts because I can help. She’ll want to go home nights.
That’s all right with me. I want my room back.” Susan stopped talking when she realized that her father wasn’t listening.

Something else had happened. Her heart beat faster. Surely her father wouldn’t be sitting like this and hurting because old
Ghost-face had left. Maybe it had something to do with the old piece of tablet paper with writing on it that lay on the table
beside the chair. Even as her eyes found it, her father reached for it, folded it and put it in his pocket.

“Where’s Pauline?”

“She took Todd and Jody down to the creek to give them a science lesson. Do you need her?”