Catching Kent Read online

  Catching

  Kent

  Ruth Ann Nordin

  Catching Kent – Smashwords Edition

  Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords

  Copyright © 2013 by Ruth Ann Nordin

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Cover Photo image of background at Dreamstime.com via Daniel Raustadt. All rights reserved – used with permission.

  Cover Photo image of woman at iStockphoto.com via BigWest1. All rights reserved – used with permission.

  Cover Photo image of man at iStockphoto.com via jsteck. All right reserved – used with permission.

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Already Available: More Books with Kent Ashton

  Coming Soon: The Stagecoach Bride

  Coming Soon: Bride by Arrangement

  List of Romances by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Dedication

  Dedication: To Jennifer Karonika Kominczak for inspiring “Kent Ashton’s Backstory” which led to Catching Kent. Because of you, Kent got his second chance.

  Chapter One

  July 1907

  Kent Ashton’s heartbeat picked up when the Statue of Liberty came into view. Why did he think returning to America would be easy? He gripped the rail of the ship and took a deep breath. As long as he didn’t go to New York or Virginia, he should be able to start a new life. This was his chance to be the man his uncle wanted him to be; it was his chance to be the man he wanted to be.

  “Ain’t that a beautiful sight?” the man next to him asked. “It’s a land of opportunity. A place to start new. There are no limits here.” He turned his gaze to Kent and smiled. “You can be anything you want to be. Me? I’m going into business. Going to make shoes. And I’ll give my family a better living than they ever had back in Ireland.” He rubbed his hands together and laughed. “I can’t wait! My wife and children and I… We’re going to Boston. Where are you going?”

  “California.”

  “What’d you going to do there?”

  Turning his gaze back to the Statue of Liberty, Kent took a deep breath. “I’m going to be as far from my father as possible.”

  ***

  A week later

  “Rose, must your head always be in the clouds?”

  Rose Larson shifted onto her side in the hammock so she could face her twin sister. Harriett blew a strand of blonde hair from her eye and juggled the pail of water in her arms.

  “Put that pail down and join me,” Rose said, her blue-green eyes twinkling. “We can pick out things we see in the leaves.” Gesturing to the two trees above her, she added, “I just spotted a young maiden holding a butterfly.” She glanced back at the leaves overhead and saw them rustle in the breeze. “She’s gone. Now I see a wagon.”

  “You’re no longer a child. Why don’t you act like you’re eighteen? The truth is, you can’t see anything in those leaves.”

  “But I do! They form different shapes depending on how the wind blows them around.”

  “It’s not windy. It’s breezy.” With a sigh, she added, “I wish it were windy. I hate summer. Summers are much too hot.”

  “Oh, Harriett,” Rose began as she sat up. “You must take a few moments in the day to sit in the shade and rest.”

  “Ma needs water and she needs it now.”

  Before Rose could reply, her sister headed for the house. As much as Rose wanted to linger in the hammock, she knew she better get back to the chores. She swung off the hammock and landed on her feet. Slipping her hat on, she lowered the brim so the sun wouldn’t hit her eyes and skipped toward the barn, humming a song she heard a week ago. It was too bad she didn’t remember what it was called. She couldn’t even recall most of the lyrics. The melody was catchy, though.

  She almost bumped into her older brother as she entered the barn. Laughing, she gave a playful jab in his chest. “You ought to watch where you’re going, Adam. You nearly knocked me over.”

  “Who’s knocking who down? You came barreling in here and didn’t watch where you were going,” he replied, his slight grin betraying his good humor. “What mischief are you up to?”

  “None. I thought I’d check the crops,” she offered. “You know, make sure everything is growing as it should.”

  “You could check for bugs on the corn.”

  “Oh, yes. I suppose there is that.”

  “But…?”

  She put her hands in the back pockets of her pants and shrugged. “I wanted to get a view of the whole field.”

  “In other words, you want to ride a horse.”

  “Alright,” she admitted. “I’ve been itching to go for a ride. Can’t I go for one? Even a short one? I won’t be more than half an hour.”

  “I hope whatever you do, you don’t become a farmer’s wife. You’d grow bored if you had to spend all your time doing the necessary chores.”

  Realizing her brother was going to let her ride a horse, she kissed his cheek and hurried to Pink Lady’s stall. She named the mare herself because she loved the color pink and thought ‘Lady’ sounded like a suitable name for a horse with such a lovely shade of brown. It was a deep rich color. She ran her hand along the mare’s neck, admiring her beauty.

  “You’re going riding again?” her thirteen-year-old brother asked as he came into the barn with a bucket full of dead bugs.

  “Adam said I could,” she replied as she tied the mare to a post.

  “Don’t worry about it, Eli,” Adam told their brother. “She’s going to marry a wealthy man and have servants do all the work for her.”

  “Ha ha,” she smirked and picked up her favorite saddle. “Little do you know, I am capable of hard work.”

  Adam snorted. “When?”

  “When she’s not daydreaming,” Eli quipped, “and she never stops daydreaming.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with daydreaming,” she insisted as she secured the saddle. “Why, I’ll have you know that an active imagination prevents people from becoming boring. It’s a shame both of you don’t try it sometime.”

  “We’re not boring,” Adam argued. “We’re sensible. Daydr
eaming doesn’t put food on the table.”

  Hopping up on the horse, she asked, “You need to do more than put food on the table. You ought to find a wife. You’re twenty-five.”

  “You’re eighteen and I don’t see you accepting any offers you’ve had.”

  She grimaced. “That’s because no one interests me.”

  “And no one interests me either. I want a marriage like our parents got. When I meet a lady who’s as good as Ma, I’ll marry her. In the meantime, I’ll be a happy bachelor.”

  Their father came into the barn and they grew silent. Glancing between them, their father asked, “Did I interrupt something?”

  “Nah,” Eli said. “Rose is about to ride Pink Lady through the fields.”

  “Adam said I could,” she clarified.

  “It’s either that or have her waste time on the hammock daydreaming again,” Adam inserted.

  “Rose has a lot of your uncle Joel in her,” their father replied and headed for the wagon. “He was a daydreamer too.”

  She caught her father’s smile and grinned. “See? Pa understands.”

  “But I want you to help your ma and sister when you get back,” her pa added. “Eli, you and I are going to pick up some things in town. Adam, you stay here and take care of the rest of the afternoon chores. We’ll be back by supper.”

  “Alright, Pa.”

  Eager for a ride on such a lovely day, Rose bid her father and brothers farewell and directed the mare to take her out of the barn. Once she was outside, she closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air. What could be more wonderful than a pleasant summer day? “Come on, Pink Lady. I wonder how many flowers we’ll see today?” Excited, she nudged the horse in the sides and led her into a trot across the land.

  ***

  Kent got off the train and stretched his stiff muscles. The ride had been a long one, but it wasn’t over yet. But he made it to Omaha, Nebraska. He’d start his new life in California soon enough. Releasing his breath, he waited by the train for his suitcase. He only brought one, but one was all he needed until he reached his destination.

  He rubbed his eyes and yawned. He’d spend the night here, get a good night’s sleep and bath, and leave in the morning. Pulling out his uncle’s pocket watch, he saw that it was a little after two. Good. He had plenty of time to rest. Even if he’d spent all his time sitting in a train, he relished the idea of sleeping in a bed. A nice walk wouldn’t hurt either.

  When the baggage handler placed Kent’s suitcase among the others, Kent approached him and handed him his brass ticket. Once Kent had his suitcase, he wove through the crowd and out of the station. Taking in the fresh air and sunlight, he stood still for a moment, letting the breeze cool him off.

  “Sir?” someone called out to him.

  He turned to face a man who was heading in his direction. “Yes?”

  “I need help,” the men said as he wiped his forehead with a bandana. “Got a son stuck in a barrel in the alley.”

  “Stuck?” Kent asked. “How could he get stuck in a barrel?”

  “Foolish kid thought it was funny to jump in there. I told him not to, but did he listen? Anyway, I can’t pull him out by myself. Will you help me? He’s just down there.”

  Kent glanced at the nearby alley and nodded. “Alright.”

  “Thank you, sir. I sure do appreciate it.”

  “It’s nothing.” When they reached the alley, Kent went in first, the man close behind him. He saw the barrel a few feet away and looked in it. “There’s no one here.”

  As he turned, he saw two men. The man who led him to the alley gave him a swift punch in the jaw. Stunned, he dropped his suitcase and didn’t have time to block them from pinning him to the ground.

  “What are you doing?” Kent demanded, fighting against them.

  “Get his pocket watch,” the first man said to the second one. “It’s real gold.”

  “No!” Kent rolled to his side but the first man kicked him several times in the ribs.

  He cried out in pain and the second man slammed his hand over his mouth. “Now listen here. You want to get out of this alive, don’t you?”

  Even though the second man expected an answer, Kent’s attention went to the first man who was going through his pockets.

  “Money,” the first man said, nudging his partner in the arm. “I was right. This one is rich. You can tell by the suit.”

  The second man nodded and grinned. “We’ll take his suitcase too.”

  Kent bit the second man’s hand, getting only a mild sense of satisfaction as he pulled away and yelled. He struggled to get to his feet, but the shooting pain in his sides made him collapse to the ground. From there, everything was a blur as the two men kicked and punched him. The world around him spun before everything went black.

  ***

  Dave Larson loaded the last box into the wagon. “I think that’ll do, Jacob.” He turned to his twenty-two-year-old son. “How’s it going with the mercantile?”

  “Great,” Jacob replied. “Thanks for helping me buy it from Ralph’s son.”

  He chuckled. “I thought Ralph would live forever. It almost doesn’t seem the same without him.”

  “I know. It doesn’t. I hope I can fill his shoes.”

  Patting his son on the shoulder, he smiled. “You will. Give it time and learn the business. Patience and sticking to it will see you through.”

  Eli came up to them. “Pa, what are those men doing?”

  Dave followed Eli’s gaze, his eyebrows furrowed as he watched two men hop on horses and nearly run a couple people over as they hurried down the street. “I don’t know, but wherever they’re going, they sure are in a hurry.”

  “They came out of that alley,” Eli said, gesturing further down the street.

  “If they were coming out of an alley, then what were they doing with a suitcase?” Jacob asked.

  “Good question,” Dave replied, his gaze traveling to the alley between the butcher’s shop and the bakery. The train station wasn’t too far from it. Something told him the suitcase belonged to one of the passengers who got off the train. “Eli, stay with your brother.”

  “What?” Eli didn’t hide the frustration in his voice.

  “Those men were trouble,” Dave replied. “Whatever’s in that alley, you don’t need to see it. Jacob, watch after your brother.”

  Jacob nodded and Eli grunted.

  “Don’t be in a hurry to grow up,” Dave told Eli, tapping his hat.

  Glancing both ways, he jogged across the street. He passed the butcher shop and turned down the alley, stopping when he saw a man lying by a barrel.

  “Hello?” he called out.

  When the man didn’t respond, he continued heading in his direction. The man was lying on his side, his back turned to him. He picked up his pace until he was kneeling beside him.

  “Sir?”

  He gently rolled the man onto his back and paused, shocked by the extent of the man’s injuries. Bruises covered his face and he had a bloody lip and nose. Considering how tattered his clothes were, Dave could only guess what injuries were elsewhere. After checking his pulse to make sure the man was still alive, he slid his arms under him. The man groaned in pain and Dave reconsidered moving him.

  “Wait here. I’ll get help,” Dave said.

  Dave hurried out of the alley and scanned the street. The two men who’d beaten the injured man and stole his things were long gone, and there was no way of telling where they went. He shook his head in aggravation. He should have gone after them. They deserved to be in jail for what they did.

  “Pa?” Eli called out from across the street.

  Dave motioned for him to come over and when he did, he said, “There’s a man in the alley who needs a doctor. Get your uncle Joel.”

  With a nod, Eli hurried to the doctor’s office.

  Chapter Two

  Rose swallowed the cooked carrot, her gaze traveling to Harriett, Adam, and her mother who sat in silence. Her mother left h
er uneaten food and made another trip out of the room. Rose’s stomach tensed. By the looks on Adam’s and Harriett’s faces, they were just as worried as she was.

  When her mother returned, Adam asked, “Any sign of them?”

  Her mother shook her head and gripped the back of her chair. “Your father’s never missed supper. He should be back by now.”

  He set the fork on his plate and stood up. “I’m going to look for them.”

  “They were going to the mercantile. If you don’t see them, ask Jacob if they stopped by?”

  “I will.”

  Rose glanced at Harriett who met her gaze. “I’ll clear the table,” Rose offered. There was no way she could eat the rest of her meal knowing her father and Eli could be hurt, or worse.

  “I’ll help,” Harriet said. “Ma, why don’t you watch for them, in case they come home?”

  Their mother indicated her agreement and headed for the porch.

  As Rose helped her sister clear the table, she took note of the evening sun. The closer to dark it got, the harder it was to focus on the dishes. “Do you think something happened to them?” she asked Harriett as she scrubbed the dishes.

  “Of course something happened. It’s a question of what. If a wheel came off their wagon, then they’re fine.”

  “Do you think that’s why they’re late?” she asked, needing something—anything—to give her hope.

  “I don’t know, Rose. It could be anything. I’m just thinking of possibilities.”

  She handed her sister a clean plate and bit her lower lip. “Well, I suppose one of the horses could have suffered an injury to its hoof.” That was certainly better than thinking of something worse, like Eli falling under the wagon and—

  “They’re back!” their mother called out in relief as she ran into the kitchen. “And they’re alright!”

  Rose dropped the plate in the water and joined her mother and Harriett. She halted on the porch when she realized there was someone lying in the back of the wagon. From a distance, she couldn’t tell what was wrong with the man, but she spotted a few bandages on him. Her father pulled the wagon into the barn and her mother followed. She hurried over to Harriett and Adam who were close by.