Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
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Charlie had found no paperwork regarding a will or his daughter. Mostly it was ledgers concerning the store, invoices, statements, and other such things. There was a picture of his wife and Agatha taken some time before the mother had died. For the life of me, I can’t remember her name. I didn’t know them well when the epidemic swept through.
He pronounced that the Peabodys could move in. And with their few possessions it wouldn’t take them long. They didn’t need furniture since Martin’s was already in the apartment. As soon as they could start working and making money they would be able to feed themselves on a better diet than just beans, then warmed up beans and if they were fortunate, eggs from the widows.
Marshall Peabody was a little concerned about doing his community chores. Lucas said he would cut wood for the widows and Darnelle and Mateo said that Alejo was old enough to do most of the other work. He wasn’t a carpenter, but he could repair things such as chicken coops, chop wood, clean up around the town so that was a relief to Marshall.
The very next day, I went by to find the store open. Lois was dusting off the shelves and items on the shelves. Marshall was doing inventory and acquainting himself with the products. When I came in he laughed, “First time I’ll be able to come home from work looking half human.”
The miners up in Silverton that worked in the larger mines made a decent salary, but much of it went to pay rent for the company houses. Those that didn’t waste their money on booze had to pay exorbitant prices for food. It was really much like the sharecropping system–go broke, stay broke, die broke.
Lois ran over to me to give a large hug. With tears in her eyes, she just repeated, “Thank you,” over and over. Standing back and wiping the tears away, she said, “That nice young girl, Miss Foster, said she would come by and show us how to set up ledgers and order. Then after we’d been working a month or so, she come by to see how things we going and help organize better.”
“Darnelle is a good girl,” I replied. “I don’t know much about storekeepin’, but Molly and I’ll help in any way we can.”
As I left the store, the thought struck me. “Darnelle isn’t a girl any longer. In fact, she is in her upper twenties. I just don’t figure how some guy hasn’t swept her up and married her.” Then I laughed as I walked getting strange looks from a couple of people on the street. “Course Darnelle might have a say in the matter.”
Entering the diner, I saw Mateo sitting with Doc. Mateo doesn’t come by to make himself at home like Charlie and Doc does. He is friendly, but stays busy working the streets. In fact, it’s hard to find him in the office sitting down doing the paperwork that comes with the job.
I grabbed a cup and filled it before sitting. Molly was in the kitchen having a meeting with Marta and Emelda while Lola was wiping down tables. Doc started right up with the conversation. “Heard that we’re having beef this year for Thanksgiving. I don’t know why you don’t go out and get a few turkeys.”
“Nothin’ from Grizz?” I asked. Grizz usually showed up around this time with elk and venison for the dinner, but we hadn’t heard a word from him this year.
Mateo was shaking his head. “Lots can happen traveling alone, especially in those mountains.”
Both Doc and I nodded our heads, then I began to drink my coffee. “Molly was telling us that Cecil Thompson and Bert Winfield would supply the diner with beef for the dinner. Emelda’s eyes lit up when she heard; she wants to make menudo and barbacoa.”
“Cecil said that he’d sent his cook, Reese Donovan over to bbq the steer along with a couple of cowboys to help him,” Doc informed me. “He further stated that he might send his whole crew into town for the feast. That along with the miners and townsfolk that come by could mean quite a crowd.”
I smiled, finished my coffee, then pointed with cup in my hand at Mateo. “Our illustrious marshal should be able to handle them readily enough.”
“I thought I heard you in here,” came the voice of Molly walking towards me with a piece of pumpkin pie in her hand. “Figured you might want a taste.”
Just as I was ready to take a bite, there was the sound of gunfire across town. Mateo glanced at me, then took off towards the sound. I thrust a large piece of pie in my mouth and followed after him with Doc on my coattail.
Lola came to Molly. “What could have that been?”