Free Love Finds You in Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell

man was and what day he picked up the report?”
    Fred peeked at her. “I–I–I think it was the day your pa died. Your pa signed a paper sayin’ it was all right to give it to the man.”
    “But that doesn’t make sense. Papa planned on dropping the samples off that day, and he never made it to town.”
    Samuel drew himself up and dropped his hand to his side. “No, ma’am. Ben dropped off the samples a few days earlier so’s we could get the assay done….”
    Alex extended her hand and gripped the edge of the desk. “What do you mean? Uncle Joe told me he brought them to town that day.”
    “No, that was the second batch. He brought in the first bunch a week before. I tol’ him I’d like more from another spot nearby, so’s we could know the extent of the find. But he never arrived with the second batch. I don’t believe the ore samples were found on him or his horse.” He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.
    Alex looked from Samuel to Fred. “Do you still have that note—the one the man gave you?”
    Samuel turned to Fred, eyebrows raised. “What about it, boy? That man give you the paper from Ben?”
    “Yes, sir. But he asked for it back. The gent came a couple of hours a’fore your father’s accident. He had a paper and said Mr. Travers sent him. He asked me to sign it so’s he could show Ben he came by. Sounded reasonable, since you said Ben was wantin’ the assay report in a hurry. I signed it and give it back.” Fred clasped his hands in front of his waist and wrung them. “I asked him to sign a paper sayin’ he took the report. That help you any?”
    Alex nearly threw herself at the young man. “You have his name and signature? Yes, please show it to me.”
    Fred shuffled over to the worktable and reached underneath. He slid out a wooden crate, pried open the lid, and stood up with a paper clutched in his hand. “I tol’ him we couldn’t let no reports leave outta here without bein’ signed for.” He thrust the paper at Alex.
    She reached out an eager hand and gripped the paper, her heart rate accelerating with hope. Maybe they could put an end to this mystery. She ran her eyes down the single sheet and stared at the bottom. “There’s nothing here but a statement that someone picked up the report for my father, an X , and the name ‘Tom’ beside it.”
    Fred nodded. “I put down on the paper that the report was bein’ picked up at Ben Travers’s request and asked the man to sign it. He put his mark at the bottom.”
    Alex stifled a groan and rocked back on her heels. This was growing worse by the moment. “Can you describe him?”
    Fred narrowed his eyes and looked up at the board-covered ceiling. “Let’s see. About yea tall.” He held a hand up to his own height. “Brown hair, maybe in his twenties, and not too heavy. Looked like a miner.”
    “That fits a few dozen men in the area. You didn’t recognize him?”
    “Can’t say that I did. I’m sorry, Miss Travers. He said it was Mr. Travers’s signature and I didn’t question it, since Mr. Travers was waitin’ on the results.”
    After scolding Fred one more time, Samuel waved him out of the room. He waited till the young man disappeared through the back door then pasted on a smile. “I’m sorry, Miss Travers. If he weren’t my sister’s boy, I’d never keep him on. He’s a good boy, just don’t always think.”
    Alex tapped the toe of her boot against the wood floor, working to stifle her irritation. “Do you remember the assay findings?”
    “Oh yes, I certainly do. The ore showed a strong indication of gold. That’s why I wanted a second bunch of samples, to confirm his find. But it looked like he’d hit a decent pocket. You find that gold, Miss Alex, and you’ll be sittin’ pretty. Yes, ma’am.”
    Alex headed out the door. She’d left her patient gelding waiting at the hitching rail long enough.

Chapter Seven

    The next morning Justin took advantage of Miss Alice’s offer to watch