to live on the streets, that all they really want is to survive and for people to care about them.”
Emma’s hands stilled, and she nodded. “Isn’t that what we all want?”
Livy smiled. “Yes.”
They worked in silence, Livy glancing out the window every few minutes. Still no sign of Jake. What could’ve happened? It’d been hours since he left. She finished cutting up a chunk of beef and dumped it in the pot to boil. She looked around. Breakfast was ready and waiting, and everything they could prepare ahead of time for the evening meal was finished.
She couldn’t wait any longer or she’d go crazy. “Emma, I need to go look for Jake or at least see if Sheriff Carter has seen him.”
“Do you think you should? You breathed in a lot of smoke, and that tumble in the creek didn’t help matters.”
“I’ll be fine.” Livy didn’t tell her that her lungs still felt like fire and she hadn’t completely warmed up, but she couldn’t stop worrying about Jake.
Emma tipped her head toward the door. “I’ll manage by myself. Take my coat. It’s mighty cold out there.”
“Thanks, Emma.” Livy hugged the woman, thankful she’d found Emma. Not only had she given her an income that helped out at the orphanage, she’d been a lifesaver last night.
Livy hurried toward Main Street. Merchants were opening their businesses and getting ready for the day, some standing in clusters and talking about the excitement of the night before. She slipped past, in a hurry to get to the jail. She shook her head at the irony.
McIver swept the boardwalk in front of his store.
“Morning, Mr. McIver. Have you seen Jake?”
His broom stilled, and he shook his head. “Not since he arrested Gibbons last night.”
Livy gasped. “Gibbons is in jail?”
“Yep.” He jerked his head in that direction. “Jake might still be there. I haven’t seen him or Sheriff Carter this morning.”
“Thank you.” Livy rushed across the street, trying to keep the hem of Emma’s dress and coat from becoming coated with mud. Had Gibbons resisted? Had Jake been hurt? Fear mounted as she turned the knob.
Sheriff Carter looked up when she stepped inside, his double-barrel shotgun lying at the ready across his desk. His hand fell away from the weapon. “Morning, Miss O’Brien.”
“Good morning, Sheriff. Have you seen Jake?”
He mopped his pasty-white brow with a damp handkerchief. “He left about three hours ago to escort you back to the orphanage. You haven’t seen him?”
Apprehension pooled in Livy’s stomach. “He never showed up at Emma’s.”
“Don’t worry yourself, girl. Jake can take care of himself.”
“Mr. McIver hasn’t seen him either. Something’s happened to him. I just know it.”
Sheriff Carter scrunched up his face as if he might be thinking the same thing. “It doesn’t look right.” He glanced at the cells behind him. “Miss O’Brien, can you do me a favor?”
“Yes, sir.”
He grabbed two pieces of paper off his desk. “I can’t leave our guest alone, but I need to send these telegraphs to Chicago. Can you run over to the post office and do that for me?”
“Got it. Anything else?”
“Could you ask McIver to head on over here? He’ll stand watch while I take a look-see around for ol’ Jake.”
“Yes, sir.” Livy stopped, her hand on the knob. “You feeling all right, Sheriff?”
A grimace of pain crossed his face. “Just a little twinge. I’ll be fine. Now, go on, girl.”
Livy scurried away. She gave Mr. McIver the sheriff’s message and hurried to the post office. After giving the postmaster the messages, she checked at the boardinghouse. Miss Nellie hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Jake all night. Livy thanked her and left. She stood on the boardwalk, trying to decide where to look next.
Panic clawed at her. Gibbons’s men wouldn’t think twice about killing Jake and throwing his body down a mine shaft or dumping him through a hole in the icy creek. If he’d run into those men, she’d probably never see him again. In desperation, she headed to shantytown. A lot of people had been out and about last night, helping fight the fire. Surely someone had seen something.
The temperature had risen, and the snow melted, dripping from the roofs in slow, steady streams. Livy slogged through the slush, keeping to the boardwalk as much as possible, but this part of town didn’t have many walkways, unlike Chicago’s cobblestone streets. She grew more fearful with every step, with every person she asked about Jake. No one remembered seeing him, not since he and Sheriff Carter