CHAPTER FIFTEEN of 20 or so
Sheriff Anderson jumped to his feet when Zeeb returned to the parlor. The corner of Zeeb’s mouth was turned up in a nervous grin, his brow was raised an inch or more, and his eyes were as wide as saucers. Lambert slowly stood.
“What’s the mystery, Zeeb?” the sheriff asked.
“Can’t say,” he said, relaxing his facial muscles and glancing at the floor. “But Doc wants ta see ya both.” Zeeb licked his dry lips and fixed his eyes on the sheriff. “He’ll tell ya hisself, I reckon.”
“Did he discover something significant?” Suza asked, sliding to the edge of his seat.
Zeeb was puzzled. “Don’t know’d ‘bout 'see niffy can’t,' but Doc’s got sumthin’ mighty important ta say just the same.” Then an impish grin formed on his lips. “So never ya mind, Doctor Suza. When the time’s right, ya’ll find out.”
On hearing that, Suza hopped to his feet.
“What the hell do you mean by that, sir?” Suza asked. He took a step toward Zeeb, but Sheriff Anderson blocked his way.
“Sit down!” the sheriff said. “Until Doc tells us what he’s found, remain calm... And don’t leave...” The sheriff waved his hand at all of them. “None of ya. Ya hear?”
Suza returned to his chair, and the twins nodded. Zeeb led the sheriff and Lambert to the examination room.
#
“Whatcha find, Doc?” the sheriff asked as soon as he stepped into the room.
“Actually, Zeeb found it... A fetus...”
“Fetus?” the sheriff asked. “What’s a—”
“An unborn baby,” Winston said.
“I’ll be...,” Lambert said. “She was pregnant.”
The wheels in Lambert’s mind were turning, and the puzzle pieces were falling into place. The deceased woman was young. Her long, midnight-black hair and kanzashi sticks suggested she was Japanese. Since the woman was pregnant, that ruled out Mika as the corpse's identity, at least according to Miss Lilly, so that pointed to Sakura, the only other Japanese woman in the picture. But as neatly as the puzzle was fitting together, Lambert had lingering doubts. Mika had the opportunity, but he could not fathom why she would murder Sakura.
Then the sound of Doctor Winston’s voice redirected Lambert’s attention.
“...And as near as I can determine—her being a China woman and all—she was about five to six months along.”
“That throws a new light on the situation,” the sheriff said.
“How’s that?” Lambert asked.
“Motive. Now we gotta motive fer her murder.”
“Don’t drive your herd up a box canyon, Sheriff,” Lambert said, shaking his head.
“What ya mean?”
“Opportunity: when he do it?” Lambert asked.
Winston and Zeeb swapped glances.
“Miss Lilly and Jeb said Mika and Sakura were together on a buggy ride until about seven-thirty,” he continued. “If the medicine show started at six, and Suza was on stage, hawking his elixir, he couldn’t have done it.”
“That’s not how I sees it,” the sheriff said, sweeping his hand toward the door. “The prime suspect’s sittin’ right out in that there parlor, Lambert, plain and simple. He got angry ‘cause she missed the show, they fought, and he killed her—on purpose or by accident; it don’t matter a hill of beans, one way or the other. He’s guilty just the same.” The sheriff turned to leave. “And I’ll get ta the truth, with or without yer help.”
“Sheriff... Wait. Wouldn’t the twins know what—”
But Lambert’s plea fell on deaf ears. Sheriff Anderson was already through the door.
#
“Will you tell us what’s going on?” Susa said, getting to his feet when Sheriff Anderson entered the room. Lambert, Winston, and Zeeb followed close behind him.
The sheriff leveled his gun on Suza.
“I’m arrestin’ ya fer the murder of yer China woman, so hand over yer gun.”
“What?” Suza said, waving his hands. “I—I didn’t kill anyone.”
“I said ta hand over yer gun.”
“I don’t have one, Sheriff.”
“You’re making a big mistake, Sheriff,” Lambert said, stepping toward Suza.
“Stand aside, Lambert. I’ll handle this.”
“Before you do something you’ll regret, may I question Doctor Suza?”
“Don’t sees how it’ll hurt none. He ain’t a-goin’ nowheres.”
“Why don’t you and Doctor Suza have a seat.”
“Lambert...” the sheriff said.
“Humor me, Sheriff.”
Sheriff Anderson waved his gun toward the sofa, and Suza sat next to Chyou and Daiyu. Anderson holstered his weapon, found a chair, and sat. Winston and Zeeb backed against the wall.
Lambert moved a chair to face Suza and the twins and sat. He wrung his hands and glanced at Winston.
“Doc Winston discovered that the woman murdered in Prescott Woods was pregnant—possibly five or six months along. That right, Doc?”
“That’s right, son,” Winston said, nodding. “As near as I can figure.”
“Pregnant!” Suza said, jumping to his feet. “Sakura was pregnant?”
“You’ve got your herd in a stampede, Doctor,” Lambert said. “We don’t know for sure the identity of the woman.”
When Sheriff Anderson heard that, he started to stand, but Lambert motioned for him to remain sitting with a wave of his hand.
Suza ignored Lambert and turned to the twins.
“Did either of you know Sakura was going to have a baby?”
Chyou and Daiyu chattered in Chinese to each other.
“Chyou... Did you know?”
Chyou looked at the floor.
“Daiyu?”
Daiyu looked at the floor as well.
“Why didn’t you—she tell me?”
Neither woman answered.
“All right. All right, Suza,” the sheriff said, getting to his feet. “This family intrigue don’t change nuthin’. Yer still my—"
“Unsaddle your horses, Sheriff,” Lambert interrupted. “I’m not done yet.”
Sheriff Anderson sat and shook his head.
“There’s more going on than a rancher and hired-hand relationship, more than a business arrangement to sell elixir. Am I right, Doctor?”
Suza shifted positions in his seat and looked at the twins. He adjusted his tie and licked his lips.
“Is Sakura your wife?” Lambert asked.
Suza sat stone-faced.
“This ain’t gettin’ us nowheres, Lambert,” the sheriff said, standing again. “I’m fer lockin’ him up till we’s can figger the truth of the matter.”
“Sit down, Sheriff,” Lambert said, “and let me finish.”
Sheriff Anderson plopped in his chair.
“Was Sakura Doctor Suza’s wife?” Lambert asked the twins.
They chattered in Chinese and then nodded.
“I can only think of one reason for your silence, Doctor Suza. Chyou and Daiyu are your wives as well, aren’t they?”
Suza looked at the floor.
“Might as lay your cards on the table, Doctor,” Lambert said. “The truth’s coming out with or without your help.”
Suza squirmed in his seat and wiped his brow.
“You won’t understand...”
“What’s ta understand?” the sheriff shouted, jumping to his feet and unholstering his gun. “Ya got three wives and killed one of them ‘cause she were carryin’ yer baby.”
“No... No... You got this all wrong, Sheriff. When I bought them from the orphanage, I had no matrimonial intentions, just their freedom, and a business arrangement. But after a year or so, I developed strong feelings for them. When they reached marrying age, I asked them if... Having three wives was legal at the time, and I couldn’t give any of them up when the law was passed.”
“But that don’t explain the baby,” the sheriff said.
“I tried... We all tried... But I’d given up hope on being able to father a child,” Suza said with a tear in his eye. “So you see, Sheriff, we wanted a child more than anything, and I couldn’t kill my wife because she was pregnant. On the contrary, I’d be the happiest man on Earth.”
“Then the twins done it out of jealousy,” the sheriff said, pointing his weapon at them.
“Sheriff...” Lambert said. “Your herd’s stampeding in circles.”
“Take no offense, Lambert, but ya Injuns talk in riddles,” the sheriff said. “Spit it out, plain and simple like.”
“For one thing, how’d they do it? When’d they do it? Sakura and Mrs. Prescott left on their buggy ride between two and three. Jeb said the buggy was returned at sundown or about seven-thirty. The medicine show started before then. So the twins couldn’t have killed Sakura. That leaves Mrs. Prescott...”
“Ole Reginald ain’ta gonna like yer insinuation, son,” the sheriff said, shaking his head.
“Would explain her sudden departure on the northbound train, which from all accounts, was unusual even for Mrs. Prescott’s sometimes unpredictable behavior.”
“Where ya get yer schoolin’, Lambert?” the sheriff asked. “Half the time, I don’t knows what yer sayin’.”
Lambert ignored him.
“What time does the train to St. Louis stop tomorrow?” Lambert asked.
“Don’t know fer sure... Just what ya up ta, Lambert?” the sheriff asked.
“Looking for answers. Meanwhile, I’d turn them loose but keep them in town until I return.”
End Chapter Fifteen