The Cowboy and the Angel | ✓

Chapter Twenty-One

"That's preposterous!" the short, blonde girl with giant curls and too many frills on her expensive dress declared as she stood across the counter from Mr. Hugo. She stamped her foot, accidentally stubbing her toe on one of the many suitcases surrounding her feet. The suitcase popped open at the sudden force, and she muttered vehemently as she stuffed the contents back inside and fought to close it.

Dixie had only been in the mercantile for a moment, but she'd already decided that fancy girl was spoiled to the core. Nonetheless, she rushed to help her, and succeeded in shutting the bulging suitcase. "There you go!"

The girl gave a smile, which was a lot prettier than her pout. "Thank you, Miss. . .?"

"Dixie."

A look of shock replaced the smile on the young woman's face and her sky blue eyes widened. "Dixie? As in Dixie Harden?"

Dixie nodded, trying to figure out how this lady knew her when she couldn't recall ever seeing her before. "Yes ma'am, that's me. And you are?"

"Krissy!" She announced. When Dixie didn't seem to recognize her, leaned close and whispered, "It's me, your cousin Kristine Spade. But please call me Krissy, I'll explain later."

Dixie beamed a smile at Kristine, finally realizing who the girl was. She couldn't quite believe her eyes, Kristine had changed a lot since she'd last saw her. She wondered what the whole 'call her Krissy' thing was about, but she'd play along anyhow. There was no telling what her rambunctious cousin was up to. "Goodness gracious! Krissy, I didn't recognize you!"

"Have I changed that much?" Krissy giggled, flinging back a few curls and jamming a hand on her hip. "Never mind that. Could you possibly show me where the telegram office is?"

"Sure." Dixie shot a discreet look at Mr. Hugo, who looked quite relieved. "Is your business here finished?"

Krissy nodded as she smiled over at Mr. Hugo. "Thank you, sir, for all your help. Have a nice day!"

"You too, Miss!" Mr. Hugo returned as a boy ran in and assisted with Kristine's suitcases.

"Goodness! What did you bring with you, everything in your room?" Dixie asked as the boy and a black-haired young man hefted the suitcases into the back of the buckboard which looked more like a carriage than anything else.

Krissy laughed, swatting her small lacey fan at Dixie. "No, silly. Just some clothes."

"Just some clothes?" Dixie repeated in disbelief. "More like your whole closet."

"Dear," Krissy shook her fingers at her cousin as the young men helped them up into the buckboard. "That isn't even half of my closet."

Dixie covered her eyes, muttering to herself. "Oh dear God, have mercy on us!"

"Do you mind telling Philip how to reach the telegram office?" Krissy asked, not hearing Dixie's comment.

After a few spoken directions from Dixie, the two cousins arrived at their destination.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," Krissy said as Philip helped her down. "I'll be back in a moment."

True to her word, Krissy returned in a few minutes with what Dixie assumed was a telegram. She slipped it into a little satchel after returning to her seat on the buckboard. She turned to Dixie with a worried look. "Do you know any place I could stay?"

Dixie smiled and gave her a pat on the knee. "Of course I do. You can come stay with us. We have an extra room for you, and if the boys don't mind, they can stay with the ranch hands."

Krissy clapped her hands together with glee. "Splendid! That makes my job so much easier."

"Job?" Dixie echoed after giving Philip directions to the Broken H.

"I'll explain as soon as we reach your home. It's rather complicated, and--" Krissy lowered her voice so that only Dixie could hear-- "something for the Harden's ears alone."

***

"So you're saying that Uncle Drew sent you here even though he knew you had no clue what to do?" Tavin asked, staring at Krissy like she was some peculiar specimen from another world. And in a way, standing there in such frivolous clothing, she was.

"That's exactly what he did," Krissy affirmed. She shook her head of curls. "He said the mission he was on then was more important. So he sent me here to do his job. But I'm no detective."

Charles stroked his chin. He turned to the hapless girl. "No offense to you dear, but that was a very immature thing for him to do. It was his orders, he should have went instead of sending his daughter."

"You are right." Krissy nodded in full agreement. "But even if I did know what to do, this telegram with the mission is in code."

"And you don't know how to uncode it?" Dixie questioned, Shadow licking her fingers as he sat beside her.

Krissy huffed, tightly crossing ger arms. "No. Not even one word of it."

Tavin shifted on his feet. "What's with callin' you Krissy?"

"It's my undercover name," Krissy answered quietly. "And I'm supposed to be here 'for a visit with family'."

Tavin smiled. "Oh okay. Gotcha." He gave Matthew and Dixie a wink. "Looks like we're in the loop."

Dixie shook her head at Tavin with a laugh. "You're supposed to be a preacher, not a detective."

Tavin cocked an eyebrow. "Who said I couldn't be both? I can catch outlaws and then preach to 'em."

Krissy giggled, her curls bouncing. "You're quite hilarious, Tavin."

Tavin dipped his head. "Why thank you ma'am. You're not so bad yourself."

"Krissy, did Uncle Drew say who gave him the orders to come here?" Dixie asked, her mind in high gear at the possibilities. "If you don't mind, that is."

"Sheriff Reeves over at Dry Gulch. He said he was told by a trustworthy man of the unlawful things happening in Abilene." Krissy replied with a small shrug. "I think he called the man Archer."

Dixie felt like leaping for joy. She beamed a bright smile. "That's gotta be Jason."

Charles grinned at the smile on Dixie's face. "Yes, I believe so."

"Who's Jason?" Krissy looked between them with a questioning glance.

Dixie gripped her hands together so tight in her excitement that her knuckles paled. She was so glad Jason had made it to Dry Gulch safely that she could hardly think straight. "He's my fiance."

Krissy dropped her fan, her mouth agape. "You are engaged?!"

"Yes!" Dixie laughed, her face a mask of happiness.

"When is the wedding?"

Tavin grinned, answering for his sister. "As soon as Jason comes back."

"Dixie!" Krissy exclaimed, hugging her cousin up. "We've got a lot of planning to do! Have you picked out your dress?"

Dixie shook her head. "N-no I haven't. I'm sure they're expensive."

Krissy clapped her hands together cheerfully. "Darling, never fear! I'll get you the dress of your dreams."

"Really?" Dixie asked, astonished in every way.

"Really!" Krissy echoed. "Your wedding to Jason will be one for the books!"