Rocky Mountain Oasis Read Free Page A

Jason getting married . Unshakable heaviness settled on his shoulders.
    “Get a grip, Jordan,” he grumbled and forced himself to focus on the road ahead as he resettled his hat. There was nothing he could do for the poor woman. And maybe she’d be good for Jason.
    With renewed determination to let the matter go, he retrieved his stallion, mounted up, and cantered out of town, leading the mule behind.

2
    Lewiston, Idaho Territory
    August 1885
    In the shadow cast by the telegraph office a man stood with his head bent low over a telegram. He leaned one shoulder into the building as a sardonic smile twisted his lips and he read the message again.
    It’s in the back room STOP Come at your convenience STOP Have men in place STOP
    L C
    Pierce City
    He rubbed his hand across his chin, still staring at the paper before him. His first two fingers paused on his chin, and he tapped it slowly twice as he thought. The news was good, but so many plans still had to be made. He peered both up and down the street. Although it teemed with traffic, no one looked his way, so he slipped back around the corner and into the telegraph office.
    The operator was just heading out the door. Startled, he pulled his round spectacles to his eyes by the rim. “Oh, hello again—” one side of the paunchy little man’s mouth tilted up nervously, his eyes darting across the room to a board with several wanted posters pinned to it— “did you forget something?”
    “I need to reply to this message.” He made sure his tone and face emanated calm.
    The operator quickly returned to his side of the counter and took up a pen. With a shaking hand, he dipped it into the inkwell before him and waited expectantly.
    The man dictated, “Coming by stage to Pierce City. STOP. Wait for my arrival.” He glanced at his watch. 11:59 a.m. As the operator reached to send the message, the man leaned across the counter and gripped his shoulder. Jumping, the operator turned toward him with a frightened expression, but he only said, “Wait,” and paced across the room to peruse the wanted posters.
    Slowly the second hand ticked around until the time read 12:05 p.m. He nodded at the operator, who was now sweating profusely. “I will wait until you have sent the message.”
    With shaking fingers, the operator tapped out the message to Pierce City. Once the message had been sent, he allowed his face to soften. He even thanked the operator politely for his help and patience.
    Mopping his sweat-covered brow with a white handkerchief, the operator smiled his relief and nodded, face calming.
    The man turned toward the door and took two long strides. Then, suddenly changing his course of direction and not bothering to use the gate, he placed his hand on the counter and, in one smooth motion, leaped across it to the side where the now gaping, slack-jawed operator sat. Grabbing the trembling telegrapher by his collar, he dragged him into a small room he could see at the back of the office, pressed the trembling man against the wall, forearm to his throat, and pulled a knife from his sheath under his jacket.
    He turned the blade, watching as the light glanced off it and made pleasant patterns on the operator’s plump face. “Be a shame if somethin’ were to happen to your missus,” he murmured.
    The little man clutched at the arm pressed to his neck and nodded vigorously.
    “Funny thing about those wanted posters. They seem to pop up all over the place. A man can’t get any peace.”
    This time the telegrapher shook his head. “I have never seen you, I swear.”
    Chuckling, he pressed the tip of his blade to the soft skin under his captive’s eye. The man scrunched his eyes tight.
    He grinned. As though that will protect them from my blade.
    “P-Please. I won’t say a w-word.”
    He let the knife point bite the flesh just enough to draw blood. “See that you don’t. I’ve seen your missus, and it would sure be a shame if somethin’ were to happen to such a pretty