Love Inspired Historical November 2017 Box Set by Karen Kirst

Author:Karen Kirst
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488017957
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-10-11T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Seamus tugged on Heather’s sleeve. “The sheriff is coming.”

She unfastened her apron and stepped onto the front porch. The sheriff, flanked by Mitchell and Mr. Kelemen, approached.

“Fetch Sterling,” she said. “He’s in the barn. And Joe. Tell him I need someone to look out for Gracie for a short time.”

The sheriff reined his horse. “I’ve got an arrest warrant for Otto Berg.”

“Otto Berg?” Heather asked, unable to hide her shock. “What’s happened?”

Mr. Kelemen raised his hand. “Perhaps we should wait for explanations until Mr. Blackwell appears.”

“Explain away,” Sterling said from behind her, startling them all. “What’s this about arresting Otto?”

The sheriff swung off his horse and propped one foot on the bottom stair. “Apparently Mr. Kelemen was concerned when Otto Berg petitioned to buy the Blackwell Ranch. Your employees supplied us with the accounting ledgers for the ranch from the past few years. Mitchell here went through the paperwork and discovered several discrepancies.”

Heather touched her cheek. “But there’s no way to prove that Otto stole the money.”

“As a matter of fact there is, Mrs. Blackwell. Mr. Kelemen and Mitchell, along with myself, were able to match the amount of money Mr. Berg deposited in his checking account with the amount of money he was stealing from the late Mr. Blackwell,” the sheriff said, before he headed toward the bunkhouse in search of Otto.

Mr. Kelemen balanced precariously on his horse, his short legs splayed over the horse’s round belly. “Apparently the late Mr. Blackwell had started an investigation into the matter months ago. The confusion surrounding his sudden death put the investigation on hiatus. When Mitchell and I discovered the discrepancies in the books, we contacted the bank. Our inquiries revived the investigation and led us to Mr. Berg.”

“What’s going to happen to him?” Sterling asked.

“He’ll be arrested on charges of fraud. He’ll also be arraigned on charges of child endangerment and child abandonment.”

“I don’t understand,” Heather said, exchanging a glance with Sterling.

“I can explain,” Mitchell said. “After Mr. Berg gave his testimony, the judge in town recalled an article he’d read in the newspaper about a certain mail-order baby. He contacted the reporter, who put him in touch with the authorities in Ohio. We’ve got a witness from a girls’ school who will testify that she was paid by Otto Berg to deliver the child to Butte. The porter from the train can identify him. Given all the evidence, we can tie him to the abandonment. That’s a lot of evidence against Mr. Berg.”

“The ranch is yours, Mrs. Blackwell,” Mr. Kelemen declared. “Free and clear. Otto made the purchase with embezzled money, which makes any deal he made null and void. He’ll be spending the next few years in jail.”

Heather clasped her hands together. “That’s what you were trying to tell me before.”

“I couldn’t reveal all the details. I didn’t want Otto to know we had discovered his crime. He might have tried to run. Don’t be too angry with that reporter. He found most of the information for us.

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