[Alaskan Quest 03] - Whispers of Winter (31 page)

“And you have proof that this man is wanted by the legal authorities in the States?” a stern man asked Jayce. The gentleman had introduced himself as Zachary Hinman and declared himself to be in charge of all legal matters for the area.

“Yes, Mr. Hinman.” Jacob handed him the letter from Stanley. “As you will note, my wife’s brother is an agent with the Pinkertons. When my wife requested information on the man, he looked into the matter and revealed the situation that I’ve just told you about.”

“This is indeed a find,” Hinman said, sitting up a little straighter. “The man who captures this Mills fellow would make quite the name for himself.” He stroked his thick black mustache. “I’m intrigued.”

“I’ve asked around,” Jacob began, “and it seems people have seen the man in town. Some even remember being approached by him.”

“You can be assured, Mr. Barringer, that I’ll see personally to this matter. If the man is still in the area, I will apprehend him.”

Jacob got to his feet. “As you can see, the authorities warn that he is to be considered dangerous. If he comes near my family, I won’t hesitate to take the matter into my own hands.”

“Never fear, Mr. Barringer. We have some good men on the payroll. We’ll see that this man is captured.”

Chapter Twenty-five

A
shlie Ivankov leaned against the rail of the
Spirit of Alaska
and sighed. Soon she’d be in Seattle and once again in the presence of her beloved Winston. Never had she met anyone who intrigued her or gave her reason to care as much as this soft-spoken, humorous man. She thought of his tall stature and broad shoulders and laughed to herself as she realized she’d fallen for a man who was built much like her father.

Ashlie fondly remembered her mother talking of how her father’s sense of humor first attracted her—that and his honesty. Ashlie knew the same could be said of her interest in Winston. The man was good to speak his mind but also to hear her speak in return. Ashlie found him attentive to the interests and dreams she held. Not only that, but he was very supportive of her goals. Other men—boys, really—that she’d talked to for any length of time could hardly be said to have any concern for her desires at all. They were generally self-centered—more interested in war and playing soldier than anything else.

But not Winston. Winston detested the war. He wanted to heal and repair bodies, not destroy them. She felt the same way. She’d seen a few of the men who’d returned after serving in Europe. Some were missing limbs, while others were blind or suffering serious lung ailments. Winston said it was because horrible tactics were being used in this war. Men were being gassed—poisoned—as they fought under raining bullets and shrapnel. She shuddered.
It’s positively hideous
.

She pushed the images away and focused on dreams of her future with Winston. If things went well, she reasoned, she and Winston could be married before her father and brothers returned to Alaska. Cousin Myrtle was all for having a summer wedding. Her gardens were a delight, and she had suggested to Ashlie on more than one occasion that such a setting would be perfect for a day wedding. Winston had liked the idea very much. His parents were deceased; after becoming parents much later in life, they had passed away in their late sixties only a year ago. First his mother had died of some stomach ailment, and within four months his father had passed peacefully in his sleep. Winston said it was from a broken heart. Given this, and the fact that Winston was an only child, neither one expected to have a large wedding. Although Ashlie had numerous friends from school and church, and Winston shared many of the same acquaintances, neither she nor Winston desired a big to-do.

Ashlie turned from the rail and began moving down the deck. She smiled at a young woman with two small children.

“Someday that shall be me,” she murmured under her breath.
I shall be married to Winston and be mother to his children
. The thought of such intimacy with the man made her blush.

“Excuse me,” a man dressed in a fine black suit declared. He tried to hurry away, but Ashlie was certain she recognized him. His hair was combed in a different fashion and he was clean-shaven, but she was sure she knew him. Wasn’t he the Russian man who wasn’t really a Russian? The one who’d come to her house only to have her father declare him a fraud?
Oh, what was his name? Bab-something. Babcock? Babinokov?
He glanced quickly over his shoulder and Ashlie suddenly remembered. “Mr. Babinovich!”

The man turned, looking rather alarmed. He hurried away without a word.

“How strange. Why would he do that?”

Ashlie thought perhaps the man had heard that his game had been found out, though she couldn’t really see the harm in pretending to be someone he wasn’t. These were troubled times, and perhaps the man thought that by playing a Russian nobleman, he’d avoid having to serve in the army.

She continued her stroll on the deck. Her father and brothers were enjoying an early lunch, and Ashlie was enjoying the time to herself. Her father was far too protective, watching her every move. The only reason she was able to be alone now was because her father believed her to be resting in their cabin.

Ashlie remembered protesting her father’s actions once to her mother. She had argued about his need to always know where she was going. “We live on an island,” she had told her mother. “Where could I possibly go?”

She smiled at the memory of her mother patiently explaining Adrik’s protective nature and desire to keep his family from harm. “God has given him a family and the responsibility to provide for and protect them. Your father considers that job to be a great honor … but also of the utmost importance.” Ashlie took a seat on one of the deck chairs and wiped a tear from her eye. She missed her mother at times like this. She would love to talk to her about falling in love with Winston and about the wedding she had been planning since Winston first declared his love for her. How her mother would have enjoyed helping her make a gown. Instead, Ashlie had already planned to purchase a lovely gown that she’d helped a local seamstress to design. The woman was working on it in Ashlie’s absence, in fact.

Oh, Mama, you would like Winston
. Ashlie closed her eyes and tried to imagine her mother sitting beside her.
He’s so like Papa.
So gentle and sweet, yet strong and capable. He makes me laugh, and yet he cares about my tears
.

Her mother had always told her that the most important thing to have in a mate was a man who knew the Lord and loved Him. Ashlie saw that daily in Winston. He loved helping people, because he felt confident that it was what God wanted him to do. He and Ashlie had discussed this more than once. Winston had even made it clear to Ashlie that he would not impose the life of a doctor’s wife on her unless she desired to serve in the medical field. Ashlie had laughed, telling him that for ages now she’d considered being a nurse.

Ashlie thought of her mother again. She couldn’t help but wonder: If her mother had been closer to proper medical facilities, would she have died?
I’ll become a good nurse, Mama. I’ll
study hard and help save lives. I just wish we could have saved you
.

“Miss Ivankov. I’m sorry that you remembered me. You’ve put me in a rather difficult spot.”

Ashlie opened her eyes and looked up in surprise. “Mr. Babinovich?”

“Mills, actually.” With a quick glance over his shoulder, the man reached out to take hold of her Ashlie’s arm. “You will come with me.”

“I will not.” She tried to pull away, but he held her fast.

“If you do not, then I’m afraid something bad will happen to one of your brothers. Perhaps the youngest one. Little boys always have a penchant for getting into trouble.”

Ashlie froze. Her heart pounded harder. “How dare you threaten my family!”

“Come, come. Your family has threatened my livelihood and you question me on my actions?”

He pulled again, and this time Ashlie, seeing there was no one nearby to help her, walked with him. “What do you want and who are you? My father says you are not Russian.”

“And so he is correct, although I have fooled hundreds, maybe more, into believing I am. My name is Mills. Rutherford Mills. And your family has caused me a great deal of trouble.”

“I don’t understand. What kind of trouble? How problematic can it be for my father to know that you’ve lied about being Russian?”

He pulled her toward an inside passage and again Ashlie pulled back. “Miss Ivankov, I grow weary of your games. I am taking you to my cabin. You will either accompany me there of your own free will or I will be forced to do something rather drastic.” He opened his coat just far enough to reveal a revolver.

“What? Will you shoot me here and bring everyone running? I do not easily cower, Mr. Mills, and I’m not a stupid child. Tell me now what it is you are after.”

“I will tell you in my cabin. I do not wish to bring you harm.” He shrugged. “Although you probably do not believe me. Still, I have something to discuss in private. I would hate to hurt you, but this is a life and death matter to me. Therefore the stakes are quite high.”

“Life and death? I’m sure I do not understand you.”

His grip grew stronger. “I’m losing my patience, Miss Ivankov.” He narrowed his eyes and leaned close enough for Ashlie to smell the spirits on his breath. “Do not make me hurt you.”

Ashlie weighed the matter briefly, allowing him to guide her down the passage as she considered her choices. She was uncertain at this point what would be best to do. There was no one in the passageway to aid her, and if she began to cause a fuss, Mills might well find a way to harm one of her brothers. Perhaps, she reasoned with herself, it was better to simply see what the man wanted and then if he wouldn’t let her go, she would simply wrestle the gun away from him. He didn’t know the manner of woman he was dealing with. She was, after all, an Alaskan.

“Get inside,” Mills declared, giving Ashlie a push inside his cabin, then locked the door behind him. “I have watched your family closely ever since learning that the authorities were looking for me. You see, I am not inclined to be taken into custody.”

“Taken into custody for what? What are you talking about?”

He looked at her oddly for a moment. “So your family didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” Ashlie crossed her arms and tried to look bored with the entire matter. “Why don’t you just tell me why you’ve forced me to come here?”

Mills took a seat and motioned her to do likewise, but Ashlie refused. He acted as if it was of little consequence, but Ashlie could see in his eyes that he didn’t know quite what to make of her defiance.

“Someone in your family learned of my true identity and turned that information over to the local authorities. They have dogged my heels ever since. When you recognized me, I knew I could not let you make it back to your father. You would alert him about my presence and my circumstance would be known to everyone.”

“Why would my father care about your presence on this ship? Why would the local authorities care about your true identity? I know you sold fake jewels to Helaina. Is that what this is all about?”

Mills laughed. “Hardly. That is the least of my offenses as far as the criminal authorities are concerned. You need to understand, Miss Ivankov, I am a wanted man. I had thought to seek refuge for a time in Alaska as many of my cohorts have done in the past. But alas, your friends and family made that quite impossible.”

“But whatever are you wanted for?” Ashlie looked at him hard. “Not for the fake jewelry sales?”

He shrugged and looked almost proud. “I’m wanted for murdering foolish women who nai
vely believed themselves capable of handling a man like me.”

Ashley raised a brow. “Are you suggesting that I am foolish or nai
ve with regard to you?”

“That remains to be seen. I will weigh that matter momentarily after I have told you what I mean for you to hear.”

“Then please be quick about it. My father will soon be looking for me, and you will have to explain yourself to him.”

Mills shook his head. “I do not think so. You see, I saw him in the dining room with your brothers. They were only beginning their meal. I had thought myself safe because no one even noticed me, but then I crossed your path on deck. I seriously doubt they will worry over your whereabouts for some time. But I am just as anxious as you to be done with this. Here’s the matter as I see it: I managed to slip out of Alaska under the nose of the authorities, but if anyone believes me to have made it this far, they will no doubt have the authorities waiting for me in Seattle. That would prove to be quite uncomfortable for me. Therefore, I plan to utilize your services in two ways.”