Pathfinder by Anna Schmidt

Author:Anna Schmidt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2019-11-05T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Emma watched the clock. It was past midnight. Her waitresses had been in bed for hours now. The town was shut down tight. And still she’d heard no wagon coming to the kitchen entrance. Had something gone wrong?

Despite her promise to stay in her room and let Max handle things, Emma simply could not sit still a minute longer. She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and slipped down the service stairs to the second floor. Just as she was about to approach Max’s room, she heard the jingle of a harness and felt a breeze working its way up the stairs. Turning back, she peered down the stairs from the landing.

George was down there talking to a man. The man was apologizing for being so late, and she remembered George telling her he’d found a source for the best chilies in the area.

“The guy’s bringing them over tonight,” he’d said.

Emma was happy for George—the man loved coming up with new chili dishes. But the delivery was late, and somewhere out there, Bert was probably coming with a wagon to move Wolf. George knew none of this, of course.

“Emma?” Max crept down the steps to the landing. “What’s going on?”

“Shh,” she warned, then motioned for him to follow her to the stairway that led to the third floor. She shut the door that closed off the staff area from that of hotel guests, then explained what was happening in the kitchen.

“But Bert’s on his way, and Wolf’s ready to go.”

She placed her finger against his lips. “I’ll take care of George and the delivery man. You go through the lobby to the street and watch for Bert, then wait for my signal.”

“Emmie, I don’t like getting you mixed up in this.”

“Too late and not really your decision. Now go.”

He grinned. “Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a quick kiss and left.

Emma stood frozen for a moment, her fingers touching her lips where he’d just kissed her—again.

But then she heard George’s voice and shook herself. There was work to be done. She pulled her shawl closer and hurried down the back stairs, slowing as she approached the kitchen.

“George?” She forced a yawn and hoped she looked as if she’d just wakened. “What on earth?”

“Emma, meet Sam. He’s the chili man.” There was no denying the excitement in her friend’s tone. She offered Sam a handshake.

“Pleased to meet you, but so late…”

“Sorry about that, miss. One of my horses came up lame.”

Behind the chili man, Emma saw Max waving his arms at something she couldn’t see but assumed was Bert. “Well, no harm done. George has his chilies, and I cannot wait to taste them.” She stifled another fake yawn. The town clock cooperated by striking the half hour. “Oh my, I didn’t realize it was so late. You should probably start home, Sam, and George, that morning counter crowd will be here before you know it. Good night, gentlemen.”

She made a show of reclimbing the stairs but paused as soon as she knew she was out of sight but not out of earshot.

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