Harvey Girl - Part 10

LINKS: Start Here, Last Part (#9), Harvey Girl Page

Quick Recap: Willa, Fin and Dori followed the treasure map in search of the first overlay, but it was gone and the cliffside crumbled under Willa’s feet.

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“Willa!” Dori screamed too late.

The limestone cliff broke away under my feet. For a sickening moment, the horizon tilted, and I hung in mid-air. Time stalled, and I expected my life to flash before my eyes. I’d heard such things happen just before a sudden death.

Oh, what a disastrous end to our outing! And I’d been so keen on enjoying a picnic basket with Fin. And Dori, of course.

My despair, however, was cut short when gravity and the logical part of my brain snapped back into play. I wasn’t falling. No, indeed. The rocks and sediment cleaved and crashed in a twisted orchestra under my shoes, but I had not disappeared with the rubble. A strong arm gripped my waist. 

Fin pulled me close and onto solid ground.

I couldn’t speak. Breathing was barely possible. I only sensed the beating of my heart. Or was it his heart? The man’s chest was too darn close to tell. A proper lady would not comment, but he bent his head to mine. We lightly touched. Now, I couldn’t tell if his lips or his chin had brushed the top of my head. I’m pretty confident it wasn’t his nose. That would ruin the moment. It had to be his lips. 

Oh my, is it wrong to wonder—in the throws of sheer terror—if Dori had noticed a kiss?

“Of all the daring do,” Dori chuckled. “You two sure put on a magnificent show.”

I patted Fin on the chest. His solid, solid chest. “Can we go down now?”

“I’m rather afraid to let go of you,” he said. Panic hung between each word. His concern touched my heart, but this was not the time nor place to lose ourselves. I’m relatively sure Mother would not approve.

Dori clapped her hands together. “You should carry her down. I dare say her knees are weak.”

“No!” I managed, wiggling out of his grasp. “It was almost nothing. The smallest of disasters. Fin’s quick action saved the day, but such heroics will not solve the bigger problem.”

“Of course, you are correct,” Fin said, motioning me to work my way downward through the trees and away from the edge.

“As you wish,” Dori said, “but our Mister Fin is a keeper!” She practically skipped down the path, not caring if the cliff crumbled under her feet.

I caught Fin’s eye and smiled. “Thank you,” I mouthed the words, more than a little chagrin that I needed saving. 

“We are now even,” he said.

My mood brightened. “Oh, are you willing to admit I saved you on the train?”

Fin nodded. “You did me a service. I am glad to return the favor, but we should not make this a habit.” He lowered his stare for emphasis.

“As if any of this is by design,” I countered. “If Mother Nature wants to take down a cliff, who are we to stop her?”

Fin let that one sink in as we retraced our steps, heading down the path. “If anyone’s a match for Mother Nature, it is you.”

I decided it was a compliment but did not comment. Some things should be left to interpretation, or the truth could be upset. Fin had saved the day. I was grateful, but I’d not come on this journey to turn into a simpering miss who batted her eyelashes at a man’s remarkable strength or an almost kiss if that had even happened. If the situation had been reversed… hmm… I might have snatched him out of thin air. Or… we’d more likely have fallen like rag dolls down the cliff.

No matter. I’d marvel over Fin’s quick thinking later. For now, the results of our little expedition had to be tallied. The count would not be positive. The map overlay had already been retrieved from its hiding spot if it had ever existed. I’d have to believe it did, and Father or his partner had found the item. It would take several outings to determine if all four overlays had been retrieved.

“Drat!” I muttered.

“What’s that?” Dori sang, having far too much energy while all turned to rot around us. “Did you also notice the men waiting for us at the buggy?”

I stopped on the narrow path, peeking between two spindly tree trunks. They offered a view downward where our buggy awaited. Fin had hired it. Quite an extravagant gesture, but it saved so much time. Standing beside the buggy were three men. We had not hired them, and their arrival was more than curious.

Several yards behind them was a wagon. Its two horses had been unhitched to let them cool down in the afternoon heat. The wagon was covered with a tarp, so I could not see within. Its back appeared open but offered no clue as to its purpose.

“They’ve been waiting for us,” I gasped, turning to see Fin’s reaction. “Who are they?”

“Land Office Police.” His lips spread into a thin line.

Having never heard of Land Office Police, I bit my lower lip, wondering if I should have known.

Fin’s soft chuckle told me I had not missed some vital common knowledge. “They are part of the Department of Interior, or the Department of Everything Else, as they were jokingly called. They’re supposed to protect the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage.”

Oddly, none of them wore a uniform. I gave the trio another inspection and decided nothing about them looked official except the guns strapped to their waists. 

“What national resources are in Kansas City?” I asked. “They look more like government treasure hunters.”

Fin scoffed. “Don’t say that to their faces,” he said, even though his tone rang with agreement.

We made our way down the path, still taking care, but Fin shouted and waved for the men’s attention. One of them acknowledged us with a hand held high. I decided he was in charge.

“Let me do the talking,” Fin whispered as we neared the officers.

“Oooh,” Dori sighed, “so many adorable men in one spot.”

I pulled her to my side, sure that all the stern expressions weren’t ready for Dori’s exuberance. “I’m sure they’re more charming from a distance.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to take one home,” Dori smirked.

Fin walked ahead, conversing with the men in low tones. He turned to me, and the expression on his face caused a lump in my throat. We were developing a shorthand. His meaningful glance could only mean one thing—it had to do with Father.

The men moved to the back of the wagon. The one in charge ushered me to come and stand beside him. Head high, I complied, noticing how the air around us had grown still. Heat cloaked the air, even disturbing the flies. Several hovered in one spot, practically stunned by the heat.

Fin fell into step with me, whispering, “They’ve found another body and believe you can identify him.”

A question stalled within me. I wanted to ask why, but even though I knew the answer, I wanted to ask. 

“They found papers on him,” Fin said, reading my thoughts. His voice dripped with regret. “They believe he is your father.”

I stopped walking.

He touched my arm. “You are the only one who knows him on sight.”

Looking up at Fin, a dread seized my heart.

“I’ll be with you,” he said, although I doubted his strong presence would help me this time.

Every step sent a shock through my numb feet, but I continued to the back of the wagon. The men parted. I braced for the sight of the body, which would be shocking in any circumstance, but one that might include my father left me cold. The body lay flat on his back, the head nearest the wagon’s edge, feet facing the front. I noticed the mole on the side of the man’s neck and the color of his hair. The clothes were unfamiliar, but his left hand draped over a rounded chest. On the pinkie finger, a ruby ring. The gem stood for passion, prosperity, and protection. Guess it worked on two counts.

A sigh escaped my lips, and the sun flooded my senses momentarily. It caught the deep red of the dead man’s ring. “I helped Mother pick out the ring,” I murmured, “for Father.”

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