Rivers of Gold (36 page)

“We’re taking you back to Dawson and letting the law sort this out,” Adrik told Cec as he finished tying him to the chair.

“I’m tellin’ you, if you’d just listen to me,” Cec demanded, “you could be rich.”

Adrik shook his head. “I don’t want to be rich. I want Jacob Barringer out of jail.”

“Well, he ain’t never gonna get that way if you take me in,” Cec said snidely. “I’ll tell ’em all how I saw him kill that old man.”

“You’ll do nothing of the kind,” Adrik said. “You’ll tell them the truth or I’ll beat you senseless.”

“Go ahead. Beat me. That will only help my case.”

“Why do you need this box to be rich?” Teddy questioned.

Miranda stayed close to his side, fearful that Cec might yet break loose or that Mitch might awaken. She didn’t want to be anywhere near either man should they find it within their own strength to gain the upper hand.

“Look, you let me go,” Cec tried to dicker, “and I’ll give you half the claim. Mitch ain’t much good to me anyway. I have a claim on Bonanza Creek.”

“Those are some of the richest claims in the territory,” Adrik said matter-of-factly. “Where in the world did you get a claim like that?”

“I had a partner,” Cec replied. “He went north while I stayed in Whitehorse. We figured I could keep sellin’ whiskey while he went up and scouted us out a claim. He found one, but we needed to sell the saloon in order to finish paying the owner of the claim his askin’ price.”

“So you paid him off, received the deed, and your partner decided he wanted the claim for himself ? Is that it?” Adrik asked.

“That’s about the sum of it,” Cec declared. “Only thing is, I hid the papers and the map. He didn’t know where, but he thought he did. He knew it had something to do with the sled and so he stole off in the middle of the night and took the sled with him. He tried to take the dogs, but he never had learned how to hitch ’em to the sled, so they got away from him.”

“So the man who showed up here to sell me the sled,” Teddy interjected, “was your partner?”

“That’s right.”

“So what does the sled box have to do with this?” Adrik asked.

“That’s where I hid the papers. He didn’t know it, though. He figured, like I said, that they were hidden somewhere on the sled, but he couldn’t figure it out. I had a secret compartment on the box, a false bottom where I hid the papers. When he robbed me of the sled, he robbed me of everything.”

Teddy examined the box and, to Miranda’s surprise, quickly figured out the puzzle of the box and opened a panel in the side. Tipping the box sideways, Teddy spilled out several pieces of paper. Miranda quickly retrieved them and handed them to her husband.

“It’s a deed, all right,” Teddy replied. He handed the paper to Adrik. “I don’t know too much about such things, but since you have a claim of your own, maybe you can tell if this is the real thing or not.”

“Looks real enough,” Adrik said, studying the paper.

“This looks like a bill of sale,” Teddy said, handing Adrik yet another piece of paper. He unfolded the final piece of paper and held it up. “This is the map.”

“See, I weren’t lyin’.”

“Well, perhaps that’s the only one of the commandments you haven’t broken yet,” Adrik said, “but I doubt it.”

Cec spit on the floor. “Look, if you want that boy of yours to go free, then you’re gonna have to do business with me. Mitch was out in the woods waiting for me the night the old man died. I’ll tell the law it were him and not Jacob who killed the Swede.” He looked hopefully to Miranda and then to Teddy. “That way we’ll all be happy.”

“I don’t imagine Mitch would be too happy,” Teddy countered.

“And then you’d be breaking the commandment about lying,” Adrik added, “and I know how that would just about break your heart.”

“I ain’t gonna rot in a jail. Not when this claim on the Bonanza is worth fifty thousand if it’s worth a dime.”

The front door, which had been left partially open after Adrik had passed through, now opened in full. Two Northwest Mounted Police officers entered looking for all the world as if they materialized out of thin air.

Adrik turned to the men. “Have you heard enough?”

“Indeed we have. We’ll take the prisoner into custody for the murder of Gumption Lindquist, as well as the kidnapping of Thomas and Miranda Davenport.”

Adrik chuckled. “Ah, I’m sure there are quite a few more charges you can figure out to pin on him. Just remember, lying isn’t one of them.”

“I have my serious doubts about that,” the sergeant said.

“Well, to tell you the truth, I have my doubts as well,” Adrik admitted.

Relieved at the Mounties’ appearance, Miranda longed for the horrid man to be taken from their cabin. She wasn’t at all pleased when her husband suggested the hour was too late to start back for Dawson.

“You’re welcome to keep him in the back room. There are no windows and only one entry.”

The Mountie nodded. “I believe it would be prudent.” He motioned for his subordinate to take Cec in hand.

“You ain’t gonna pin that murder on me,” Cec declared. “They’ll hang Jacob for sure now.”

Adrik crossed his arms and stared hard at the older man. Miranda saw his eyes narrow. He opened his mouth to say something, then turned and walked out the door. Miranda looked to Teddy. “I’d like to go talk to him.” Teddy nodded.

Miranda slipped away from her husband even as Cec continued with his protests—cursing them all for their stupidity. Following Adrik outside, she was relieved to see that the snow had stopped completely and the sun was out.

“Adrik,” she called after him. He had walked away from the house, but paused and turned.

“Sorry, I just had to get some air,” he said as she joined him.

“I can well understand. I’ve been in his company for three days now and feel like the only thing I want is a bath. The man is as bad as they come. He doesn’t care about anything but himself.”

“He’d have let Jacob die.”

Miranda shuddered. “Yes, he no doubt would have.”

“I can abide a lot of things, Miranda, but that isn’t one of ’em.”

“I know.”

Adrik pushed his hat back. “I’ve seen enough corruption and evil to last me a lifetime. Here we are on the verge of new century, and it seems the entire world is so wrapped up in itself that most folks can’t even see what’s right or wrong.”

“Teddy told me that many people believe the end of the world will come on the last day of the year.”

“I’ve heard the same,” Adrik replied. “They get all excited about dates on a calendar rather than focusing on what’s real and true. And that includes folks in the church as well as those who aren’t.” He paused and shook his head. “I just don’t get it. Makes me sorry I ever came north.”

“I’m not sorry I came north,” Miranda replied. “I might never have met Teddy. But I am sorry for the greed and the sins of the men who are driven by that greed. I rejoice in the Lord, however, that He made a way for Jacob to be found innocent without having to wait for a long trial. I’m sure he’s miserable enough in jail.”

“He is. His faith’s been really shaken. Leah’s, too. But I think they’ll come out of the fire proven as gold. They’re good folk and their hearts are right.”

“Karen’s done well with them, as have you. I know Jacob spoke to me of how much he admired you. You’ve become his only father figure. Do you mind taking on a ready-made family?”

Adrik grinned. “I hadn’t figured to even marry, to tell you the truth. Didn’t figure I’d find a woman up to the challenge. Karen proved me wrong on that. So I guess I can handle being father to a couple of orphaned kids. Especially when they’re as great as Jacob and Leah.”

“I’m glad. I wondered what would become of them since it’s pretty certain their father never made it past the avalanche.”

“I’ll offer them both a home for as long as they want it.”

Miranda smiled. “On the coast of Alaska?”

“Yes, ma’am. Back where I belong,” Adrik replied enthusiastically. He looked to the cabin and then to Miranda. “You’re good medicine. You’ve got me thinking back on what’s important and right in my life, instead of what’s wrong. Teddy’s a lucky man. You’re going to do him proud.”

“Thank you,” Miranda said, feeling suddenly embarrassed by his praise. “How about we go back now and figure what we can put together for dinner.”

Adrik nodded. “The Mounties and I brought a few provisions. I couldn’t rustle up much since we were struggling to keep pace with you, but what I have is yours.”

Miranda looped her arm through his and pulled him forward. The big man kept an even gait with her steps, neither saying another word.
It is good to have friends like this
, Miranda thought. She knew no matter where the future took them, she’d always be able to count on Adrik Ivankov. He was just that kind of person.

Later that night, Miranda stepped out for a walk with her husband. The air was cold but not uncomfortably so. They walked hand in hand for a time without speaking a single word. Finally, Miranda looked up to catch Teddy watching her.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked.

“I was just remembering when you were brought to my cabin. You were so lifeless, I was sure you were already dead. Nellie was the only one who believed you’d make it. The men who brought you wouldn’t even stick around for a meal, they were so certain you would die while they were there. And being very superstitious people, they didn’t want to deal with your spirit being unleashed. Especially since it would be a most troubled spirit from having died so tragically.”

“It was that bad, eh?”

Teddy nodded. “Gravely so. You were so very sick. With each passing day and no response from you, I felt confident that all I could do was pray for you to pass easily into God’s awaiting arms.” He stopped walking and pulled her into his embrace. “I’m so very glad He didn’t take you then. I cannot imagine my life without you in it.”

“I spent so many months angry that God would allow such a thing to happen to me. I imagined my grieving parents and friends and just thought what a horribly cruel joke it was to play on them,” Miranda admitted. “Now, with that time behind me, I see how God took the bad and made it come together for good. He gave me you and he brought my brother back together with Grace. He was worried about leaving me here alone—about my being stranded and penniless. That’s what brought him up here.”

“Your brother is a good man,” Teddy said, gently tracing Miranda’s jaw with his thumb.

“He’s changed a good deal—for the better, I’m happy to say. He never would have picked you to be my husband— not with the way he used to think and evaluate the potential suitors in my life.”

Teddy dropped his hold and stepped away feigning hurt. “You mean I wouldn’t have been good enough for you?”

Miranda laughed and the sound was lyrical and lighthearted. How good it was to be happy. To laugh again and have everything come together in proper order.

“To the way Peter Colton used to think, no one was good enough for me,” she said, still smiling. “But he changed his thinking and suddenly realized I knew what was best for myself all along.”

“And what was that?”

“You,” she replied, stepping forward to wrap her arms around his neck. “Only you, Thomas Edward Davenport.”

—[CHAPTER THIRTY TWO]—

JACOB HEARD THE COMMISSIONER say he was free to go, but the words barely registered. His soul soared on wings—the wings of freedom. Leah jumped into his arms, laughing in her excitement.

“Did you hear that! You’re free! I told you God would work it all out. I told you He wouldn’t let us down.”

“Yes, you told me,” Jacob said, chuckling. Leah’s laughter was contagious.

“We’ve been after this man for a long time,” the commissioner said, leaning back in his chair. “Of course, we had no idea that the man who killed the true owner of the Bonanza claim and the man who killed Mr. Lindquist were one and the same.”

Jacob loosened Leah’s hold on him and sobered. “So he killed more than Gump?”

“Indeed he did. Mr. Blackabee killed the rightful owner of this deed.” The man held up the paper as if for evidence to his statement. “We had witnesses to the crime, but no one knew the killer by name. We even had a drawing made up. See here?” He pulled a paper from his drawer. The likeness was very much like that of Cec Blackabee.

Adrik stepped forward. “We’d like to leave Dawson as soon as possible. How long before this can be cleared up? What with Jacob being a witness to Gump’s killing, and all.”

“It shouldn’t be more than a matter of weeks at the most,” the commissioner declared. “We’ll do what we can to see the matter resolved in an expeditious manner. We have Mr. Barringer’s written statement, as well as the statement of the Mounties who overheard Mr. Blackabee’s confession. With the other charges against Blackabee, Jacob’s testimony may well not be needed. Cecil Blackabee will most likely be hanged.”

Jacob shuddered. It could just as easily have been him they were talking about. In spite of the way Cec had left him to take the blame for Gump’s death, Jacob pitied the man. After all, he had saved Jacob’s life. His mind protested too much concern, however, as Jacob knew Cec would have let him die in order to save his own neck.

Adrik and Karen led the way outside, with Jacob and Leah following close behind. Jacob drew in a deep breath as soon as his feet hit the muddy street. Freedom. How very precious it was. He had taken for granted the privilege and joy of just being able to come and go as he pleased.

Thank you, God,
he prayed silently as they made their way to the Dawson Lucky Day Hotel.
I feel so blessed that you have delivered me from jail—from the possibility of death
.

“Peter Colton said to tell you that you could have a job with his shipping company whenever you were ready,” Leah told Jacob.

Leah’s news was just an added bonus to the day. “That’s good to hear.”

“What’s this all about?” Karen questioned. “Are you making plans behind our backs, again?” She smiled and winked, making it clear she wasn’t serious.

“I think I’m going to have to make some plans sooner or later,” Jacob said, quite serious. “I’ll be seventeen in January. I ought to find a decent job. I kind of figured if I got work with Peter, I could learn some kind of trade.”