The dim lamplight cast shadows over his sculpted features. Livy bit her lip. What would it be like if he were her husband and this their kitchen? If the children asleep in the parlor were theirs?
“I wish I could stay, but I’ve got a few more rounds to make before I head back to the jail.”
“What time do you get off?”
“Sheriff Carter relieves me around daylight.”
“You’ll be up all night?”
“Yes. I’ll make a couple rounds around town. Helps pass the time.” He leaned in close and whispered, “Want to come over to the jail and keep me company?”
“Jake!” Livy glanced at Mary, but the girl sat cross-legged in front of Ginger, engrossed in the three kittens in her lap.
“I was just kidding.” He winked at her. “Night, Livy. See you tomorrow.”
Livy wrapped her arms around her waist and watched him walk away until the darkness swallowed him up.
What would it be like to keep Jake company all the time? Her heart tumbled through her rib cage at the very thought.
* * *
Luke spotted the same guy he’d seen with Billy Johansen sneaking around the blacksmith’s house. If he could get a good look at the man’s face, he could prove his and the rest of the street kids’ innocence.
But who could he tell?
The sheriff and the deputy wouldn’t believe him. And neither would the man who had Mark locked up in his factory. Maybe he could bargain with the man. If he knew who the thief was, then he could convince the man to trade Mark for the information.
It was a risk. The man might just kill him, but what other choice did he have? He needed to save his brother.
Luke watched the man slip into the blacksmith’s house. He ignored the cold and settled in to wait.
The thief would come out, and Luke would be watching and waiting.
* * *
Chestnut lay still and quiet, blanketed in snow. Livy pulled her cloak closer, paused at the edge of a building, and let her eyes become accustomed to the darkness. She listened but didn’t hear anything other than the bark of a dog in the distance and the usual sounds from the saloons several blocks away.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t run into Jake tonight, not after he’d taken the time to escort her and Mary home. He wouldn’t like the idea of her venturing out, so she’d kept quiet about her errand. It wouldn’t take long to dart across town and back. She’d be snug in her bed in less than an hour, and he’d be none the wiser.
The thought of his teasing warmed her even in the chill night. He would come around to her way of thinking regarding the boys. She believed he cared, and with time, she could convince him they weren’t the outlaws he thought they were.
She crossed the street and hurried down another alley, cutting across behind the barbershop. Since the night of the break-in at the gunsmith’s, she’d taken the time to explore the alleys and dead-end streets all over town. She didn’t intend to get caught in a bind again if she could help it.
A few minutes later, she reached the spot where she left food.
A sliver of moon cast light over the snow-covered ground, illuminating the alley. Livy picked her steps so she didn’t trip over the boxes and crates scattered about. She moved to the rear of the alley, placed the basket under the edge of the building, and shoved it back. The children would know where to find it.
She looked around, not sensing anyone near. Sighing, she turned away and headed home again. She’d hoped they would eventually trust her enough to come out and talk to her and maybe even come to the orphanage to get out of the cold, but they couldn’t put their faith in her . . . yet. How long would it take, and what would she have to do before they realized she only wanted to help them?
A movement, just the flicker of a shadow, caught her eye, and she flattened herself against the nearest building. A dog looking for scraps? A cat, maybe? Either way, she waited. She’d learned to be patient after years on the streets of Chicago.
The shadow moved and became a man—or maybe a boy. He crouched and ran from one building to the next, focusing on something ahead of him. He never noticed her. Was the thief out and about again? She darted forward, staying low and to the shadows but keeping