There's Always a Motive

by Calamity Renee

Part One

“Gotta warn you, Andi. Seems Melinda’s got a new suitor,” Chad commented as he helped me into the wagon. Chad was picking me up from school, and the warm May sun had me hopping to get home so I could ride Taffy.

But at Chad’s news I stopped right where I was and stared at him. “A new suitor? Already?” I exclaimed. “I would have figured she’d had her limit with suitors, especially after that awful Jeffrey Sullivan!”

It was still fresh in my mind when Jeffrey struck me with his fist, and I shuddered at the awful memory. Then I remembered when Mitch held him under water in the horse trough, and a small grin crossed my face. Perhaps that bruise he’d given me was worth it a little, after the revenge we’d gotten on him!

            “Would you hurry up and get in the wagon?” Chad grumbled, rolling his eyes. “We’re burnin’ daylight.”

            I complied and climbed the rest of the way onto the wagon. Turning in my seat, I waved goodbye to my friend Rachel, who stood in front of the schoolhouse waiting for her father to pick her up. “Bye, Rachel! See you at church!”

            “See you then!” Rachel called back, waving.

            Chad flicked the reins and nudged the horses into a brisk trot, turning them down the main street in Fresno and towards the direction of our ranch. I settled back in my seat and mulled over the piece of information Chad had just given me.

            “Who’s Melinda’s new suitor?” I asked. I couldn’t imagine what young man would dare court Melinda after the whole town went abuzz about the “Carter Brother Justice System.”

            “Actually. he’s a friend of Justin’s.” Chad informed me, turning the horses onto the road out of town and past the vineyards. “You know him. His name is Donovan Reagan, that Southerner that moved in last year near the Kellys’ place.”

            Did I remember him? How could a twelve-year-old girl forget a man like Donovan Reagan? Reagan was tall, with dark brown hair and green eyes. Everything about him was gentlemanly and kind, and he spoke to me like I was grown up. There was nothing about Reagan I didn’t like. He was one of the few young, eligible gentlemen in the area that I agreed with Melinda about. He was downright handsome and had all the fine qualities Melinda was looking for in a man.

            “Well, of all of the past suitors of Melinda’s, I kind of like the idea of Donovan courting her!” I announced, glancing at my older brother.

            Chad didn’t respond, only grunted. But I thought I saw a bit of uncertainty in his blue eyes. What has he got to worry about? I thought. Donovan is nothing like that good-for-nothing Jeffrey Sullivan.

Or was he?
             
 Part 2:
          Dinner that night was good. After all, we were having chicken and mashed potatoes. What wasn’t good about that? During the entire meal, Melinda kept batting her eyelashes at Donovan Reagan, who returned her look with a pleasant smile.

            Donovan’s voice was a pleasure to listen to; his deep, southern drawl was so fascinating. He had such elegant speech it was no wonder Melinda was head over heels in love with him. But . . . something didn’t seem right. Donovan was almost too nice.

            I wouldn’t have thought much about it if it weren’t for the fact that Chad regarded him suspiciously. Every other look from Chad was one of raised eyebrows or studying eyes, and I didn’t like it. Chad never did like Melinda’s suitors, but he’d never quite acted like this.

            Justin and Donovan chatted all through dinner, talking about politics and the like. Mother listened politely, adding her thoughts every now and then. Justin seemed fine with Donovan, as did Mitch. But I don’t think Mitch was paying too much attention to him; he was paying much more attention to the food on his plate.

            Only Chad acted strange, and I made a mental note to ask him about it later.

            “So, Andrea, how is that golden horse of yours doing?” Donovan asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

            “Fine. She’s the fastest horse in town,” I answered proudly.

            “So I hear.” Donovan chuckled. “Especially after your little escapade through town where you nearly ran over your teacher.”

            I squirmed in my seat, embarrassed he’d brought that up. That had nearly been a year ago; I was much more mature now!

            After dinner I managed to corral Chad long enough to ask him what was bothering him about Donovan.

            “I dunno, sis. I don’t think he’s here for Melinda,” Chad muttered.

            “What on earth could he be here for then?” I demanded.

            “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” Chad assured me. He tugged on one of my braids. “Now, stop worrying your head about it and start worrying about some chores I know you ‘forgot’ to do.”

            I crinkled my nose and made a face, and Chad laughed. “Can’t I do the chores tomorrow?” I pleaded.

Chad shook his head. “Get on it with, girl!” He playfully spanked me as I made my way to the door, and I stuck my tongue out.

             But even the thought of picking up dirty manure couldn’t cloud out what Chad had said to me: “I don’t know but I’m going to find out.” What could Donovan Reagan possibly want from us? And why would he use the guise of courting Melinda to get it? I decided right then and there that I should help Chad get to the bottom of this too. I didn’t want Melinda to get hurt again by another man that used her.

Part 3
The next day was Saturday, my favorite day of the week. No school and all day to ride Taffy! But I had resolved I would help Chad any way I could to figure out what Donovan was sticking around for.

Even though it meant skipping out on a wonderful sunny day, my sister was more important to me than a horseback ride. I decided to start at the bottom and work my way up. First stop: Melinda.

“So, Melinda, what do you think of Donovan?” I asked, plopping myself on my sister’s neatly made bed and watching her brush her hair out.

“Isn’t he wonderful, Andi? He has such fine manners, such a rarity in the West.” Melinda sighed dreamily.

“Yeah, I noticed. So, you like him then?” I prodded.

“Of course I like him!” Melinda exclaimed. “I wouldn’t let a man court me if I didn’t like him!”

“True,” I mused. I thought about my next question carefully, then said, “So, when did you meet up with him again, and when did he ask Justin to court you?”

“When Mother and I went to San Francisco a couple of weeks ago he was meeting with Justin to see if Justin would represent him in court. I guess the poor man bought a piece of land near that small town Santa Rosa, only to discover it didn’t even exist in the first place.”

Melinda turned and faced me as she continued to brush her long blond hair. “He’s pressing charges against the man who ripped him off, but Justin says there is no proof of Donovan purchasing the land and therefore his case will never stand up in court.”

Now there could be a motive. Perhaps Donovan wanted to get something from Justin so he could get his money back from that realtor fraud!

The rest of Melinda’s story was full of the usual fluff of her relationship with Donovan, and gushing with flowers and candy, which I didn’t listen to very well at all. All I could think about was what Donovan could possibly get from Justin that would help him press charges.

That afternoon Donovan came over on his flashy, black Tennessee Walker. I stuck around the entire two hours he talked with Melinda to see if I could learn anything, but the only thing they talked about was what they should do after church on Sunday.

I finally got so tired waiting for Donovan to slip up in his conversation that I meandered over to the front door and went outside to sit on the steps that led to our house. I stared at a ladybug climbing up a nearby dandelion and sighed. I wasted my whole Saturday for nothing. Perhaps I was wrong; maybe Donovan was a normal man who was interested in marrying my sister someday.

I heard the sound of hoof beats and raised my head to see Jesse Young, the telegraph operator’s assistant, galloping up to the ranch. He brought his sorrel Quarter horse to a stop in front of me and tipped his hat.

“Hi, Andi.” He greeted me with a smile. “Is Justin around? A telegram came in for him from Georgia.”

“No, he’s out with Mitch checking on the cattle in the north pasture,” I told Jesse. “I can take the telegram for him if you want, though.”

“Thanks. I’ve had a long day,” Jesse said with a sigh, removing his hat to scratch his sandy blond hair. He reached into his pocket and handed me the telegram. “See you around.”

“Bye.” I waved goodbye and glanced down at the telegram in my hands. What I read made my heart stop.

 Part 4

Donovan Reagan using you to get money STOP 

Involved in real estate fraud STOP

 

With each word I read my eyes grew wider and wider. This was the very proof I was looking for!

“Whatcha got there, Andi?” I jumped up and whirled to face Donovan, who was peering over my shoulder at the telegram. He took one look at my face and I could tell he knew.

“So, the secret’s out,” he said slowly, his green eyes meeting mine.

“How dare you use Melinda to get this!” I snapped. “You’re trying to keep Justin from discovering you were the one trying to take money from that other fellow!”

Donovan shrugged. “I knew your brother had telegraphed some contacts of his in the South about me, and I knew they’d tell him the truth,” he said nonchalantly. “Melinda seemed an easy way out of it. I get close to her, and when the telegram came in I’d destroy it before Justin got it.”

“My sister has already been used once before by a man. I can’t believe you’re low enough to do it to her again!” I clenched my fists and glared at Donovan. Every word that hurled out of my mouth only half of what I wanted to say to him.

“You’re right. That was not gentlemanly of me at all,” Donovan agreed.

I stared at him. “What?” I managed, not believing he’d just agreed with me.

“I will stop this courtship right now so I don’t have to further involve her in any more pain,” Donovan announced. He then put his hand out. “On one condition. You give me that telegram.”

I bit my lower lip, not sure what to do. “I don’t think so. This is Justin’s.”

Donovan stepped toward me. I took a step back as I looked into his now-cold eyes. “Give me the telegram, Andrea.”

This would be a good time to run. I decided. Without giving Donovan a chance to realize what I was doing, I turned around and fled to the barn. Donovan shouted at me to stop, but I kept on running. Rounding the corner of the barn I nearly ran into Chad, who was saddling his horse.

“Hold your horses, Andi. Where are you going in such a hurry?” Chad demanded.

“Chad!” I cried. “Help me!”

I shoved the telegram into his hand and then hid behind him as Donovan came tearing around the corner. He came to an abrupt halt, realizing he was too late at the sight of the telegram in Chad’s hands.

Chad looked from me to Donovan, then his gaze rested on the telegram. “Ah, so that’s why you were courting Melinda,” he growled after reading the telegram. He looked up at Donovan, and I could see a storm was forming behind those ice-blue eyes of his.

“Well done, Andrea.” Donovan muttered, giving me a look that could almost be counted as a death glare. “You might find you regret this.”

“Is that a threat?” Chad roared, ready to punch Donovan in the face. “Let me tell you something, Donovan. No one threatens my sisters.”

“Chad, what’s going on here?” I turned around to see Justin sitting on his horse with Mitch at his side. They must have rode in at a walk. I didn’t even hear them!

Chad silently handed Justin the letter, and Justin read it over. With a sigh, my lawyer brother shook his head and looked at Donovan. “I thought as much,” he said.

***

It was mother who broke the news to Melinda that her courtship with Mr. Donovan Reagan was over. Once Melinda knew the reason why, she burst into tears.

I felt sorry for her as I stood at the edge of the bed and watched Mother comfort her, but I was glad that I had discovered it before Melinda had grown too attached to him.

“Why does this keep happening to me, Mother? Why?” Melinda cried.

I knew I shouldn’t have said it, but the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Maybe you should stop accepting suitors?” I asked hopefully.

I think every neighboring rancher heard my shrieks as Melinda chased me through the house with a pillow.

Yeah, not the best suggestion ever.

 

The End