Read Online Disorder in the House [How the West Was Done 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Karen Mercury - Free Book Online

mean.”
    Levi closed his eyes patiently. “Yeah, I’ve sort of figured that out by now, Garrett. You could’ve informed me beforehand.”
    Garrett was wide-eyed with surprise. “Oh, did I not mention that? You told me never to mention that subject to you ever again.”
    “What subject?” Liberty asked brightly. “Mr. Colter, did you have some bad run-in with my father? He’s a softy, I assure you.”
    Garrett wiggled his eyebrows. “It’s not your father he doesn’t wish to discuss, Libby. Now, about these tongs. Did you get any information?”
    Although she looked puzzled, Liberty picked up the tracklaying tool that Levi wished he could toss out the window. And throw Garrett out there with it, too. “Yes. Of course you know what the UP stands for. But these numbers indicate the station where the tool was meant to be used. In this case the Sherman Summit station, about twenty miles southeast of—”
    Abruptly she quieted. Raising her brimming eyes from the tongs to Levi, he instantly knew they were both thinking the same thing. Sherman Summit was where the dizzying Dale Creek Bridge had been built. The monumental engineering feat that had so roused everyone on the train that a certain young lady had gone wandering about in a car packed full of thugs. They never would have bumped into each other were it not for Sherman Summit.
    Levi finally dared to smile at her. “Yes,” he said softly. “We know where it is.”
    He was testing her. Testing her to see how she responded. He knew she must loathe him now, realizing that a mere Indian agent had put his hands on her. Had kissed her. Had dared to sink his fingers into that slippery bun and crush his open mouth to hers.
    He was awash with relief when she smiled back and continued, “It indicates the station of Sherman Summit. I hope that tells you something.”
    “Well,” said Levi, glad that when he took the tongs from Liberty, their fingers briefly touched. “These bloodstains indicate that someone was murdered at Sherman Summit. Or by someone working at Sherman Summit last month.”
    “Caeser Moxus,” Garrett breathed.
    At last, Liberty looked at Garrett. “Who’s that?”
    Garrett exhaled mightily. “I guess I didn’t mention that to you. But Shady Barnhart, well, we suspect him also of murdering this Indian chief and forging his name on a treaty.”
    Levi liked the way Liberty turned fiery then. “Son of a gun! That twisted shit!” She fixed Levi with her blazing eyes. “I certainly hope you are a more upstanding agent than that odious bastard, Mr. Colter!”
    Levi tried to look humble. “It would be hard not to be more upstanding.”
    Liberty continued, “What gives you that suspicion? That Shady murdered this Caeser Moxus?”
    Levi sighed. This would be the tricky part. Before Garrett could forge ahead with some balled-up answer that would permanently scare off Miss Hudson, he said, “It was written down anonymously in a letter Garrett received.”
    Liberty looked thoughtful. “This sounds like something Caleb Poindexter could help with.”
    Where had Levi heard that name before? He struggled to think. That was it. Marshal Tempest had mentioned this Caleb fellow as being helpful in Indian matters. “Certainly, if you think this fellow can help. Maybe you could set up a meeting. Don’t tell him about our suspicions first. Who is he?”
    Liberty said, “He’s a seer of sorts, apparently. My sister mentioned him to me. A visionary who assisted her fiancé, Marshal Tempest, in finding a murderer.”
    Levi had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Not another medicine man. He doubted the veracity of any of that nonsense. All of that chanting, smoke-waving, and piercing oneself through the breast to gaze at the sun—it all gave Levi the creeps. He had just seen too many people die when they thought they were protected by some god. Some of the herbal remedies worked, but he drew the line when it came to taking professional advice from a