The Judge's Daughter

SIX

Ellie loved gazing into Austin's blue eyes, and right now it was the color the mesmerized her, but the sparkle of excitement that had happened as they talked about the case. Her heart tripped over every beat, and she was relieved they were sitting next to each other. She would have been tempted to lean against him and peer into his eyes at a closer range. How silly would she have looked, then? Heavens, that handsome man made her crazy sometimes.

Yet, now they were discussing her uncle, and what Austin had just told her made her upset. "Uncle Wesley told you that?" She shook her head. "When we get to Dodge City, you can ask anyone in town. My father was very generous... almost too generous, especially with his brother."

"I tend to believe you over your uncle." Austin arched an eyebrow. "So, now the question that's throbbing in my head is wondering if your father was upset about your uncle the night before he died."

Ellie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Well, I wish I could answer that for you. As I'd mentioned, Father was bothered about something. As the night grew on, Father seemed be be less aggravated. Josie and I had gone to our rooms to change into our nighdresses, but I heard someone come to the door. The man's voice at the door was Uncle Wesley. I snuck downstairs and saw him give my father a birthday present."

"What was it?" Austin asked with eagerness in his voice.

"A flask."

Austin's forehead creased. "A flask? Does your father drink?"

She shook her head. "He's only a social drinker."

"Does your uncle know that?"

"I'd think he would." Ellie shrugged. "But then my uncle can't afford much at all, so for him to give Father that flask makes me wonder if Uncle Wesley was trying to cheer my father up for some reason."

"Hmm..." Austin sat back in his seat and folded his arms. "That's good to know."

"After Uncle Wesley left the house, my father retired for the night. Early, the next morning, he was up and getting ready for work. He didn't act sick at all."

"All right, so let's talk about your father's last morning with you."

As the memories returned, her chest tightened. She hated to relive these moments, only because it brought so much pain and loneliness. "I had made him breakfast that morning. He likes oatmeal, but he only took a few bites and he drank his coffee before hurrying out the door. At one o'clock that afternoon, the sheriff arrived at my door to tell me..." Her voice broke as tears filled her eyes.

In a flash, Austin moved from his seat to occupy the one next to her. He wrapped his arms around her, and she immediately pressed her cheek against his chest.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this," he said softly.

"No, it's something I must say. If we are to find this criminal, I need to tell you all I know."

He stroke her hair, which calmed her. But she didn't want to move out of his arms. "The sheriff took me to my father's office. They had taken away his body by that time. The sheriff told me that father had been sitting at his desk, writing a letter to his daughters."

"Yes, I read the note," Austin said. "He worried that he was dying, and if he was, then someone surely killed him."

Elie inhaled shakily and nodded. "He'd died while writing the note."

"I know."

Austin's gentle hand soothed her and the tears gradually stopped. She was relaxed – as long as he kept stroking her hair. "The sheriff hadn't found anything in the room that might have killed him. He'd been drinking coffee and tea that day, and he hadn't eaten since breakfast."