Something Borrowed (Jordan-Alexander Family 3)

"We don't know. Maybe he thought David would continue the investigation even after he located the little girl."

"Adoption," Lee said suddenly. "He was afraid of the adoption proceedings. Because in most states and in the territories a legal adoption requires an act of the legislature. Senator Millen was afraid that if David adopted L-I-L-Y, the forged marriage license might surface and David, of course, knew he hadn't married Caroline Millen. Most of Washington knew he hadn't married Caroline. There would have been no reason for the senator to ruin his own son-in-law."

"But David's name was already legally recorded as the little girl's father."

Lee grinned. "Yes. But Tessa wouldn't be satisfied with that. She wants to adopt L-I-L-Y as their own, the way they adopted Coalie—to become L-I-L-Y's legal guardian right along with David."

"But women can't be the legal guardians of their children." Pinkerton pointed out.

"That's correct in just about every state in the Union, but Wyoming is an exception. In Wyoming, woman can and do vote, sit on juries, and hold public office. In Wyoming, women are recognized as having the same rights as men."

"And David and Tessa Alexander reside in Peaceable, Wyoming Territory."

Lee nodded. "So if Senator Millen couldn't stop David from trying to locate L-I-L-Y, or hiring us to do it, then David posed a threat and had to be watched. But by whom?" Lee thought for a moment. "Did Sarrazin tell you anything about this man?"

"Only that he received his share of the money for his work in the counterfeiting operation and left Denver before the others were arrested."

"But Sarrazin doesn't know who he is."

"Sarrazin doesn't know the man's real name. Only how to contact him when he needs a job done. But I suspect Sarrazin may have contacted the man before he was arrested. I suspect he may be aware that we're on his trail."

Lee thought back. "The only man in the Denver ring who didn't get caught was the pen man. The forger. So that's how he escaped capture. He was paid early. He probably banked his money and ran. Money… bank. Banker!" The tiny hairs at the back of Lee's neck stood on end and he jumped to his feet, startling Lily, who was napping. "Holy Mary, Mother of God! I've got to go!" Lee started for the door.

"Wait! What is it?"

"Just a hunch. But I've got to go."

"Don't forget to send me a full detailed report," Pinkerton demanded, sounding just like his father, Allan.

"I resigned." Holding Lily tightly, Lee hurried out the front door and down the stairs.

"Send me a report anyway!" Robert yelled after him.

Lee had been gone five days. He and Lily Catherine would be arriving in Cheyenne on the morning train and Mary knew she wouldn't be there to greet them because she knew she would never make it to the train on time. And there didn't seem to be anything she could do to prevent it. She listened helplessly as the last train whistle blew one last time. The day had been a disaster from start to finish and appeared to be getting worse by the minute. Mary felt like crying when she realized she wouldn't be able to get to Cheyenne by early evening as she'd planned. Louisa had stayed home to take care of two of her children who had come down with the chicken pox. And although Mary had help from Nan and Birdie and Sylvia, the brunt of the work of preparing the meals fell to her. Breakfast was late. So was dinner. And Mary was trying desperately to salvage supper. She had sent one of the boys down to the depot to send a telegram to the Trail T to tell them she would be delayed. She wouldn't be able to leave Utopia until Sylvia arrived in the morning, and that was only if Madeline and Barker were feeling better. Maddy and Barker didn't have the chicken pox, but were suffering from the upset stomach they got when the two of them shared a plate of strawberry tarts when Mary was called upstairs to the schoolroom to help one of the new boarding students unpack and settle in.

After being gone for five days, Lee was scheduled to arrive with Lily at eight the following morning. David and Tessa and Coalie and Reese and Faith were waiting on the platform to greet him, but there was no sign of Mary, Judah, or Madeline. The train chugged into the station right on time and Lee held Lily in his arms as he exited the train. David and Tessa surrounded him almost as soon as his feet hit the platform. Once again Lily clung to him.

"Oh, David." Tessa turned to her husband. "She's so tiny and so pretty."

"And she's finally ours." David smiled at his new daughter.

But Lily buried her face in Lee's collar.

"It's all right, sweetheart," Lee soothed. "These are the people I was telling you about. This is your daddy and this is your mama. And this is your big brother, Coalie." He carefully introduced the little girl to David, Tessa, and Coalie.

"May I hold her?" Tessa asked.

Lee glanced at Lily. She looked to Lee.

"This is your new mama," Lee repeated. "And she'll take very good care of you."

Lily looked as if she wasn't going to let go of Lee, then suddenly, she changed her mind and reached, not for Tessa or David, but for ten-year-old-Coalie.

Coalie turned to Tessa. "What do I do?"

"Hold her," Tessa said, with tears in her eyes. "She trusts you."

Lily slipped into Coalie's arms.