Judith Stacy - The Dreammaker

Kaitlin turned sideways and dropped her hands onto her belly. “Come to admire your brother’s handiwork?”

Isabelle’s eyes widened and she fell back against the closed door. “Saints alive, Kaitlin, I can’t believe you!”

Kaitlin’s smile broadened and she wiggled back and forth. “Looks good, huh?”

“It looks horrible!” Isabelle sheltered her eyes, then drew in a breath and looked at her again. “I can’t believe my brother let you talk him into this.”

She patted her round belly affectionately. “He does good work, wouldn’t you say?”

“You’re disgusting.” Isabelle tossed her armload of packages onto the brass bed. “I found a bonnet like you asked for in a millinery shop down the street—it’s the ugliest one in this whole town. Of course, there’s not much here to choose from.”

“And just as well.” Kaitlin turned back to the mirror and tucked a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear. “The smaller the town, the better. We need to be in and out of this place quickly.”

Isabelle unpinned her hat. “Please, Kaitlin, think this over. It’s not too late to change your mind.”

Kaitlin sighed impatiently. “You promised you wouldn’t nag if I let you come along.”

“You don’t know what might happen. You don’t know these people. What if they toss you in jail?”

Kaitlin planted her hands on her hips. “Who in their right mind would throw a woman in my condition in jail?”

“You don’t have a condition!”

She bounced her fists off her belly. “Yes, I do.”

“I’m going to kill my brother.” Isabelle shook her head slowly. “He’d better stick to harness making from now on.”

“Leave him out of this. He only did what I asked. And did it very well, I might add.” Kaitlin leaned her shoulder closer to her friend. “You can’t see the straps, can you?”

Isabelle glared at her, then walked over. “No.”

“How about in the back?” Kaitlin turned around.

“No.”

She looked over her shoulder. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Good.” Kaitlin turned and lifted the bulk of her belly higher. She frowned. “This might be uncomfortable, if I were really pregnant.”

Isabelle moaned and covered her face with her hands. “Kaitlin, please don’t do this. You can’t go around pretending to be pregnant. Somebody will find out.”

“No one will find out. We’ve never been to this town before—neither of us. No one recognized us on the stage this morning, or when we checked-in. We’ll be out of here on the afternoon stage. What can go wrong?”

“A thousand things!”

Kaitlin drew in a determined breath. “That crook Harvey Stutz stole every dime I had in this world. Tricked me out of it, and waltzed away with a big smile on his face. I’m getting it back—no matter what I have to do.”

“But Kaitlin—”

“You know what I’d been saving that money for.”

Isabelle’s shoulders sagged. “Yes, I know.”

“Harvey Stutz stole my dream.”

She nodded sorrowfully. “I know.”

“He pretended he liked me, pretended he cared about me, until I told him about all the money I’d saved. Then he broke into my room and took every cent.” Kaitlin squared her shoulders. “Well, he’s dead now, and if it means pretending to be his pregnant widow to get back what belongs to me, then so be it.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right. Now, help me get ready.”

Isabelle pried open the hat box she’d tossed on the feather mattress and took out the black, straw bonnet. “Try this on.”

Kaitlin winced. “It’s ugly, all right.”

She turned to the mirror and pinned the hat in place, then lowered the thin black veil over her face. The hat was a trifle too big, and that made her look small and vulnerable; her stomach bulging beneath the black dress completed the effect.

“How do I look?” She turned to Isabelle.

“Awful.”

“Good.” Kaitlin drew in a deep breath. “Well, I’m going now. The sheriff is expecting me.”

“Do you have everything?”

Kaitlin held up her left hand displaying her mother’s gold wedding band, then patted her stomach. “Ring and baby. That’s all I need.”

“Are you sure you remember your story?”

“Of course. My dear husband Harvey—the rat—and I were married some time ago. I knew little about him, except that he traveled a great deal. When I read his obituary in the newspaper I was devastated, of course. So, here I am to collect his belongings. What could be simpler than that?”

“What if the sheriff doesn’t believe you?”

Kaitlin wagged her finger at Isabelle. “Are you doubting my acting abilities?”

“But what if there really is a Mrs. Harvey Stutz?”

“He’s been dead over a month now. Any legitimate wife would have already come forward—if there’s a woman out there stupid enough to have actually married a crook like him.” Kaitlin nodded confidently. “And, if one should show up, I’ll just be devastated that Harvey married me too, and run crying from the sheriff’s office.”

“Well, I guess you’ve thought of everything.”

“Don’t worry.” Kaitlin patted her belly. “Junior and I will be back within the hour, then we’ll be on our way home.”

Isabelle wrung her hands. “Just be careful.”

Kaitlin left the hotel room ready to give the performance of a lifetime. She’d learned about performing, mostly from her mother. But then Harvey Stutz had come along and taught her what it could really mean, what it could lead to. Harvey, who used his own acting talents to con unsuspecting, young women out of their money. Even now, it galled Kaitlin that she’d been so gullible.

In the hallway she made certain no other hotel guests were about, then hurried down the stairs to the lobby. The young man behind the desk was busy with a couple and their three fidgeting children and didn’t even look her way as she crept out the front door.

The noon sun brightened everything, even from behind her black veil. Horses, wagons and carriages crowded the dirt street, pedestrians moved slowly along the boardwalk.

Odd, but everyone seemed to get out of her way, stepping aside, giving her plenty of room to pass. Men she didn’t know tipped their hats. Kaitlin thought her black mourning dress was the reason, then realized every man she passed gazed at her belly first before looking at her veiled face. Decidedly uncomfortable, Kaitlin hurried to the sheriffs office down the block and went inside.

The place smelled of coffee and gun oil. Across the small office sat a desk cluttered with papers. Rifles hung in racks on the walls flanked by Wanted posters. A dark corridor allowed Kaitlin a glimpse of iron bars. She shuddered, Isabelle’s dire warnings coming back to her.

“Help you, ma’am?”

The deep voice from the opposite side of the room startled her. She jumped as she saw two men standing at the potbellied stove in the corner, and touched her hand to her bulging stomach.

“Take it easy now, ma’am.”

A man—his gaze glued to her belly—hurried over. Gray hair showed below the brim of his hat and a badge hung on his vest. He cupped her elbow.

“Just come have a seat, ma’am. Don’t get yourself all upset. Doc’s out of town and we don’t want no surprises.”

The sheriff led her to the chair in front of his desk. “Get some water over here for the lady, will you Callihan?”

Kaitlin plopped into the chair, her huge belly bulging out in front of her. She shifted awkwardly. Mercy, this thing was uncomfortable.

“You want to put your feet up? My missus, she always wanted to put her feet up,” the sheriff said.

Kaitlin nearly gasped aloud. Good grief, if she raised her feet she’d surely tumble backward out of the chair.