a part of the investigation, and I thought maybe he could be useful to us down the road,” Lakewood replied, hoping the answer would show Smith that he was only thinking of the end results. “He has connections that we might be able to use.”
“So once again you were doing my thinking for me. Is that it?” Smith shook his head and got to his feet. He paced a moment, then took a stand directly behind Gerome. “I can’t have that, Lakewood. I’m quite capable of doing my own thinking.”
He drew a revolver, and Lakewood’s eyes widened. His chest tightened. Smith needed him. He needed his help. He wouldn’t kill him.
Gerome looked confused. “Samuel, you look as if you’ve just seen a ghost.”
Lakewood had opened his mouth to assure Smith that he was completely useful to him when the gun went off. A bullet tore into his chest.
For a moment Lakewood felt searing pain. The bullet seemed to pin him to the chair. He tried to take a breath, but only a strange gasp sounded, and no air entered his lungs.
As he fought to stay alive, Lakewood watched Smith move to the side of the open-mouthed Gerome, put the revolver to his head, and pull the trigger. Gerome slumped forward and his head hit his plate of food. Blood poured out across the fine linen tablecloth.
It was the last thing Lakewood ever saw.
CHAPTER 24
Faith could think of nothing but the danger in which she’d put her family. Lakewood would be furious when he found out she was gone. She never should have left.
Andrew took pity on her and cut the trip short. “You won’t be at ease until you see for yourself that everyone is all right,” he told her as they raced back to Portland from Astoria.
They docked late afternoon on the twenty-fifth, and Faith wanted only to go to the hospital and check on Seth’s condition. Andrew refused to let her go alone, so he put his men in charge of the Morning Star and accompanied her in a hired cab.
“I’m here to see Seth Carpenter,” she told the nurse at the reception desk.
The woman looked at her for a moment. “Who are you?”
“I’m his . . . well, he’s married to my cousin. Her name is Nancy, and she runs the boardinghouse where we all live.” Faith knew she was rambling, but there was something in the woman’s expression that worried her. “What room is he in? I know my way around the hospital from my classes here.”
The nurse glanced over her shoulder as if making sure no one could overhear her. “He’s not here anymore,” she replied, turning back to Faith.
Faith’s heart dropped. “He died?”
The nurse again looked around the room and down the hall. She shook her head. “No. I don’t know where they took him. They were worried about his safety.”
Faith let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” She turned and took hold of Andrew’s arm. “Let’s go.”
At the boardinghouse, Faith was surprised to find two armed soldiers on the front porch. She knew Major Wells had promised protection, but it seemed strange to have uniformed men patrolling her place of residence. After answering the guard’s questions and waiting for someone to verify who they were, Faith and Andrew were finally allowed to come inside.
“It’s been chaos.” Bedelia was the one who had identified them and seemed to feel it her duty to catch them up on all that had happened. “The soldiers arrived not long after you left. They had orders to guard us and to protect Mr. Carpenter at the hospital.”
“But he’s here now, as I understand it.” Faith discarded her wrap and hat.
“Yes. Mrs. Armistead and Nancy thought it best to care for him here at the house. The doctor comes once a day unless there is a problem. We haven’t had any real complications, however, since last week. He’s doing much better, but it will be a long recovery.”
“I’m sure.” Faith looked over her shoulder at Andrew. “Why don’t you wait for me in the front room while I check on Seth? Maybe you can sweet-talk Miss Bedelia into a cup of coffee.” She smiled at the spinster. “I think we could both use one, if it isn’t too much trouble.”
“Of course not. There’s always a pot on the stove, as you well know.” Bedelia sounded gruff, but there was a softness in her expression that hadn’t been there before. “I’m glad you’ve come back. We were quite concerned