Lies Become You
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The day after the wedding, the entire town of Castle Rock held a reception in honor of the newlyweds. It was an event that would have taken place even if they hadn’t been married and it was all planned by their mothers.
The bride’s mother, Mrs. Ruth Martin, had sent out invitations to every family member on her side; the groom’s mother, Mrs. Mabel Kinsolving, had sent out similar invitations to everyone from her husband’s family who lived nearby.
Everyone from both families attended as well as the mayor and other city officials. The reception took place at the local fairgrounds where there were two large tents set up for guests. In one tent, tables were covered with white tablecloths and lined with plates filled with food.
A second tent held the bar area complete with liquor, wine, beer, and sodas. There were also several buffet lines set up so people could choose what they wanted instead of waiting for someone to serve them.
There was no shortage of food or drink. As soon as people entered the tent, they found themselves surrounded by friends and neighbors offering congratulations. Many shook hands while others hugged. Most people stood around chatting while some sat down to eat.
They talked about everything from the weather to the state of affairs in Europe. Some discussed the upcoming elections, which were still months away. Others spoke about how hard life had become since the railroad came through and brought prosperity to the region.
Still, others debated whether the new law requiring licenses for guns would help reduce crime or only make things worse. One man said he wouldn’t mind seeing more men carrying guns because criminals might think twice before trying something foolish.
Another woman said she didn’t want any troublemakers running loose and wondered why anyone needed to own a gun anyway. Then another woman piped in saying, “I’d like to know how many of these fine men here have ever killed a deer.” That remark drew chuckles from the audience.
One thing almost everyone agreed on was the importance of the union between Danny and Ellie. Their marriage meant stability for the community, especially given the current situation involving the mine. Although it was owned by a corporation, it employed hundreds of miners and paid its worker’s good wages.
If anything happened to the mine, the town would suffer. Not only would jobs be lost but also the money generated from the sales tax would drop dramatically. For years, the company had made regular payments to the city for taxes.
With the mine closed, this revenue stream would disappear entirely. And if the mine remained shut down, it was likely the company would try to lay off employees rather than pay them unemployment benefits. So far, none of the men working in the mine had been laid off but that could change anytime now. People feared it could happen as early as today.
Some of the women at the reception wore dresses made from lace and silk while others opted for dresses made from cotton or linen. All of the ladies outfits were designed in shades of blue. The color represented hope, love, faith, purity, and loyalty—all things important to the couple.
When asked, each of the women explained that the choice of color wasn’t random. Blue symbolized loyalty, friendship, and trust. These were all qualities necessary for the successful marriage of Danny and Ellie.
Danny had chosen his tuxedo carefully. He chose black and silver because those colors represented strength and confidence. He knew that if he dressed properly, the world would expect him to act appropriately.
But he didn’t intend to let anyone see just how deeply affected he was by his wife-to-be’s death. He had already told his brother that he would never marry again. Now he intended to follow through. He believed it would give him the opportunity to mourn privately and focus on his work.
This way, he could devote himself completely to the sheriff’s office and put aside his personal pain.
When we arrived at the fairgrounds, we walked into the main hall first and then moved toward the bar. We passed by dozens of people and were met with smiles, hugs, handshakes, and kisses. The women looked lovely in their dresses and hats; the men were dapper in their suits.
Even the children were decked out in their Sunday best. After walking through the main room, we entered the banquet hall. We stopped briefly to say hello to the mayor and his wife. I smiled politely and accepted a hug from Mrs. Mayor. She patted my back gently and whispered in my ear: “Don’t worry about your father, dear. His heart is broken but he won’t show you his sorrow.”
We finally reached our seats near the front and took our places next to one another. The reception started immediately with the band playing lively tunes. There were songs from Broadway musicals, country favorites, and old standards. A few couples even danced to the music. Danny turned to me and said, “How about we dance?”
“Not really,” I replied.
He frowned. “You don’t want to get up and join us?”
I shrugged. “It isn’t exactly dancing, is it? It looks more like two men bumping against each other.”
The look on his face suggested that he hadn’t expected such an answer.
After a moment, I added, “And besides, I’m wearing high heels. They’re killing me. How can I possibly stand for long periods of time in these shoes?”
“Well, there are chairs available over there.” He pointed to where several tables were set up behind the bandstand. “Why not go sit down until the music stops?”
“That sounds like a great idea.” I grabbed my purse and followed him to the table. As I did, I glanced over my shoulder to check on Danny and saw him smiling proudly.
I picked up a glass of champagne and sipped at it while watching the festivities unfold. Some of the couples danced, some sat around talking while others ate. Several musicians played instruments during breaks in the music.
One of the performers was a tenor who sang “Bali Ha’i” from South Pacific. Another performer played the piano and sang “Someone to Watch Over Me,” a song originally written by Cole Porter. While I enjoyed listening to the music, I couldn’t help thinking about what I would do if I ever found myself alone with Danny.
Would he take me in his arms and kiss me? Or would he ignore me and leave me sitting alone in this fancy chair? My stomach clenched when I thought about being rejected once again. If only someone else would ask me to dance. Maybe they wouldn’t reject me.
A short distance away, I noticed Danny talking to the mayor. The two seemed to be laughing together as they talked. When I caught the mayor’s eye, she gave me a friendly nod. I returned her smile and waved before returning to my seat.
I felt relieved. For now, the mayor appeared content with Danny’s attention. At least that meant she didn’t have any suspicions regarding Danny’s relationship with me. And since Danny had promised his mother that he would always protect me, he would certainly keep his word. That was why he had asked the mayor to watch out for me. With a little luck, she might never know.
One of the guests approached us and introduced herself. “I’m Nancy Dunningham, daughter of the late Sheriff Sam Dunningham.” Her voice was warm and sincere. “My daddy loved the sheriff dearly. You must feel so proud to carry on his name. Don’t worry about the rumors spreading throughout the town. People will learn soon enough that you aren’t related to him.”
Danny smiled politely. “Thank you for your concern. Your father was a good man.”
Nancy nodded. “Yes, he was.” Then she turned to me and continued. “But now I understand why he wanted you to attend tonight. He probably wanted everyone to meet you.” She extended her hand and said, “Welcome to our family.”
She led me over to the table where she was seated and introduced me to several members of the Dunningham clan. By the time we left the party, I’d learned many things about the family and the town.
Most important was the fact that no one suspected Danny of having anything to do with his father’s death. Everyone assumed that the killer was one of the three men who worked at the ranch or was a member of the Dunningham clan.
As we drove home after dinner, I told Danny how pleased I was to see his parents.
“They seem nice,” I said.
“Yeah, but let’s hope nothing happens between them.”
“What makes you say that?” I asked.
“Because I think Mrs. Dunningham has a thing for me. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
***
For the first week, Danny kept his promise and protected me. He escorted me everywhere, including church services. Once the funeral service ended, we stood outside the chapel waiting for his mother to come out.
His brother stepped forward and spoke to him. After a few minutes, Dan pulled me aside and whispered, “Come with me.” He then led me inside the church and took me to a pew near the back. He stayed close beside me, guarding my every move.
Although I tried to hide it, I could tell by the way he stared at me that he was jealous. Was I supposed to return his feelings? Did I love him? Could I ever fall in love with a man whose whole life revolved around protecting me?
What if I wasn’t able to change the direction of his life? Where would Danny be if he hadn’t taken an interest in law enforcement? I knew too much about police work to believe that most officers made a difference in their communities.
So, was I simply using Danny as a stepping stone to get to a better place in life? Shouldn’t I be helping Danny find his own happiness instead of trying to force mine upon him? But if I refused to become involved with him, would I end up resenting him?
Why did I even care if I fell in love with him or not? It wouldn’t matter anyway because I already knew that I would never marry anyone. I couldn’t bring myself to live with another person, especially someone like Danny.
No matter what happened, I would always remember Danny’s face as he looked down at me from the floor. I wondered whether he would ever look at me the same way again.
During the next week, Danny began working full-time at the jail. This meant leaving me behind more often than not. In order to pass the time, I decided to visit the Dunningham ranch. While there, I met the ranch foreman, Jim Dennison.
A short, stout man with gray hair, Jim was pleasant and easy to talk to. I liked him immediately. As we walked along the perimeter fence surrounding the property, he explained that he ran the ranch while his nephew tended the cattle.
“You know,” Jim said, “a lot of people don’t realize that ranchers spend all day looking after the animals. They also tend to fences, repair equipment, and perform other chores that make it impossible for them to sit around drinking beer all day.”
When we reached the barn, Jim invited me to ride one of the horses. The stallion had a white blaze on its forehead and was extremely handsome. When I mounted the horse, Jim handed me a leather bridle with a red saddle blanket.
He pointed toward a small herd of cows grazing on the hillside and said, “That’s my favorite part of this job. There’s something so peaceful about watching a herd of cattle graze peacefully.”
After we returned the horse to its stall, we headed for the corral where two bulls were penned. “The bulls are fine until they decide to fight each other,” Jim said. “Then it’s hell.”
I watched as the bull whirled around in a circle before charging toward us. Jim yelled, “Watch yourself!”
I grabbed the reins and kicked the animal in the chest. The bull stopped dead in its tracks and raised its head. Before I could react, Jim threw himself onto the animal. With both hands, he clamped down on the bull’s horns and held on for dear life.
For some reason, the beast turned sideways and charged away from me. Jim hung onto the horns until he saw me coming toward him. Then he released the bull and jumped off the animal.
We spent the rest of the morning riding around the ranch and visiting with the ranch hands. At noon, I left the ranch and returned to the hotel. By midafternoon, I found Danny standing outside the jail door.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked.
He nodded. “Let’s go.”
We drove through town, crossed the bridge over the river, and drove into the country. Soon, we passed a house and stopped. I got out and followed Danny across a dirt road. After walking for a mile, we arrived at a shack that looked like it belonged on a plantation.
Standing outside the front door, I could hear loud voices coming from within. We waited a few moments for whoever was inside to notice our presence, but no one emerged. Instead, we heard shouting.
Danny pushed open the door and stepped inside. I followed him inside. Both men turned around when they spotted us. One of the men shouted, “What do you think you’re doing here?”
Dan smiled and replied, “It’s none of your business.”
One of the men came forward and shoved Dan against the wall. I stepped between them and told the man who’d hit Danny to leave him alone. That seemed to satisfy the men because they backed off and stood side by side. “Who are you?” one of them demanded.
“Just passing through,” I answered. “And neither of these men is bothering you.”
They glared at Danny, then at me. Neither man offered any explanation why they should leave Danny alone. So, I asked, “Would either of you mind telling me what’s going on?”
Neither man responded. They stared at me suspiciously and didn’t answer. It occurred to me that if we stayed much longer, we might be forced to defend ourselves. If that happened, the outcome would most likely be unpleasant for everyone involved.
As I started to turn away, Dan touched my arm. “This isn’t getting us anywhere,” he muttered.
I agreed. “If they won’t tell us anything, maybe we can get an answer from someone else.”
A woman stepped through the doorway carrying a baby. She wore a long dress and her dark brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. When she saw us, she dropped the infant’s blanket and hurried over to us. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth formed a tight line. “Where did you come from? What are you doing here?”
I introduced myself and Dan. The woman took a step back and glanced at Danny. “Well, well, look what the cat dragged in.”
“Excuse me?” I said. “Cat?”
She ignored my question. “How did you find me?”
“My name is Mary Travis. And we don’t know how we found you.”
Her expression softened and she asked, “Why are you here?”
“Mr. Harper sent us. Someone needs to watch over his daughter.”
“Don’t worry,” she assured me. “No one will bother her.”
I thanked the woman for her help and escorted Dan out of the house. As soon as we walked away from the shack, Danny shook his head. “You shouldn’t have let her talk to me.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing. Let’s just keep moving.”
By late afternoon, we reached the city limits. “We need to stop by the sheriff’s office before heading to Mr. Harper’s home,” I said.
Danny nodded. He pulled over to the curb and killed the engine. “Stay here.”
After locking the car doors, I went up to the sheriff’s office and entered. Sheriff Lee was sitting behind his desk reading a newspaper. He rose and greeted me. “Miss Travis!”
“Sheriff Lee, how are you?”
The sheriff chuckled. “Better now that I’ve seen you. How about you, young man? You seem familiar. Have I ever met you before?”
“Maybe,” he mused. “But not lately.”
“Sheriff, I’m looking for a friend who may be staying with the Harper family.”
Lee’s brow furrowed. “Which Harper?”
“William Harper.”
His eyebrows shot upward. “Yes, I remember hearing William mention last night. Why do you ask?”
“I thought he might be here,” I explained. “That’s all.”
The sheriff shrugged. “Can’t imagine anyone wanting to visit this place.”
I gave him a puzzled look. “Have you never been to Abilene?”
“Not since I left to join the army.” His eyes suddenly brightened. “Wait a minute… Maybe there’s something to this.”
He led me down the hall and opened the door to the captain’s office. “Captain Williams! Miss Travis has some information about William Harper.”
Williams looked up from his desk and frowned. “Did you say ‘Harper’? Or maybe it was ‘Will’ or even ‘Bill.'”
I told him where I’d heard the name. “Does anyone else live there besides the Harpers?” I asked.
“Only the girl, Alice.”
“Alice? Is that her real name?”
“Yeah, but no one calls her that except William and his brother.”
“Has anyone gone missing recently?”
“Never mind,” the sheriff interrupted. “Let’s go outside.”
We followed Williams into the front yard. The street was quiet. Only two or three houses were visible from the sidewalk. Most of the buildings looked like shacks. One building had a sign advertising free meals for soldiers returning from the war. Another advertised a boardinghouse. A small store sat on the corner. An old-fashioned soda fountain occupied one side.
I noticed several people walking toward the sheriff’s office. Some carried grocery bags; others held bundles of clothing. Several children ran past our group, laughing. They stopped abruptly when they saw us. The boys pointed at Dan and whispered to each other. Then their attention shifted to me.
One of them called out, “Hey, there’s the new lady.”
“There’s the pretty lady,” another boy added. “Aren’t you pretty, pretty?”
They continued to stare at me until Williams yelled at them to leave. “Come on,” he commanded. “Go play.”
When we returned to the sheriff’s office, the captain told us that William Harper lived in an apartment across town. “Do you think you can find your way back?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good luck. Oh, and if you happen to see William, tell him he has visitors coming.”
Dan and I got into the car. It wasn’t much different than the ones we drove in Kansas City. We didn’t drive very fast because I was afraid of getting lost. When we passed the hotel, Dan asked, “Where exactly does Mr. Harper live?”
“It’s hard to explain,” I replied. “I’ll show you once we get closer.”
As we neared the center of town, traffic picked up. There were more horse-drawn wagons, and men and women walked along the streets. I spotted a few black faces among the white population. That surprised me. I figured everyone would look alike to these people. But then again, what did I really know? I’d only been living in Texas for a day.
We parked the car on the street in front of the apartment building. I could hear music playing inside as we approached. “You ready?”
“Just don’t expect me to dance,” he teased. “My feet are too big.”
A band played popular tunes inside while guests mingled around tables filled with food and drink. I recognized many of the men as members of the church. Others were dressed like businessmen. Two of the women were wearing dresses and hats. A woman stood by the piano. She sang a slow tune. The sound echoed through the halls.
“How do you feel about dancing?” I asked.
“If you insist,” he said dryly.
“Well, let’s give it a try.”
Before I took my next step, Dan grabbed my hand. “What is this?” he demanded. “Some sort of joke?”
“No, it’s not a joke,” I answered.
“Then why am I holding your hand?” He released mine and turned away from me. “I’m going back to the car.”
“Why are you being so stubborn?” I shouted after him. “Don’t you want to learn how to dance?”
He stopped and faced me. “Of course I do, but—”
“But nothing!” I cried. “I won’t let you run off without trying.”
“So you’re just going to stand there and watch?”
“No. I intend to teach you.”
He eyed me suspiciously. “Teach me what?”
“How to dance.”
“Like you taught me today?”
“Exactly. And I’ve watched enough movies to know which steps work best for this song. Come on. Let’s start now before someone interrupts us.”
We went upstairs. No one seemed to pay any attention to us as we entered the hall. I motioned for Dan to follow me to a large room with a long table and chairs arranged around the walls. At the end of the room sat the band.
Musicians tuned their instruments as we stepped inside. I noticed a pair of ladies standing near the pianist. Both wore fancy dresses. One of the women gave us curious glances. I assumed she worked here.
“All right,” I began. “This song is called ‘The Cripple Creek Waltz.’ You need to listen carefully to the lyrics. Don’t worry. I’ll repeat myself until you understand.”
After I explained the words, I showed Dan the steps. We started out slowly, easing into the rhythm of the music. Dan moved awkwardly at first. But his coordination improved rapidly as I corrected his steps. In no time at all, I had him doing everything correctly. He even looked comfortable. His shoulders relaxed, and his face grew animated.
“That’s good,” I praised him. “Keep practicing, and you might be able to impress some of the girls someday.”
His smile faded. “Girls?”
“Sure, you never know.” I shrugged. “Now let’s go outside and practice some more.”
Back down on the street, Dan stared at me strangely. “You mean—you have plans for me?”
“I’m sorry. Did you forget that I’m a lady detective?” I tried to keep my tone light. “I always carry a gun when I travel, and I also use disguises. Sometimes I pretend to be a man. But I’ve found that sometimes men will take better care of themselves if they believe you’re female.”
“And you plan to marry me?”
“Yes. As soon as possible.”
He frowned. “You can’t possibly think I’m good enough for you.”
“Oh, yes! You’re perfect.” I laughed. “I wouldn’t ask you to marry me unless I thought you were worthy of becoming part of my family.”
“Your family? What makes you say that?”
“Because I love you. Nothing else matters.”
“Not yet.” He shook his head. “There’s something you haven’t told me. Why did you leave Kansas City? Didn’t you tell anyone where you were headed?”
“Only two people know.” I hesitated. “One is my brother, John. I left a note telling him to meet me in Denver.”
“John knows?”
“No. Not exactly. He thinks I’m meeting up with a friend named Joe. I didn’t explain why.”
Dan’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure he doesn’t know who I am?”
“Yes. I’m positive. My brother has a keen sense of intuition. If he knew who I was, he would have figured it out by now. Now come on. We don’t have much time.”
As we drove back toward town, Dan glanced out the window. “Did you notice the look those two women gave us?” he asked.
“I did. They probably saw you dance earlier.”
“They probably know what happened in Kansas City,” Dan mumbled. “I wonder what they meant by their stares.”
“Who cares?”
“It could get complicated.”
“Nothing can happen between us. That’s why I brought you here.”
“What about the other guy?”
“What other guy?”
“You said there were three gunmen. There’s still another person involved.”
“Other than the two gunmen I mentioned, there are others who helped me escape. None of them knows who you are. Besides, it’s none of their business.”
“If you’re certain,” he said.
“Absolutely!” I smiled. “But if you ever want to talk to them—”
“Never.”
“Well…goodnight then.”
The End