Cera's Place (9 page)

Isaac stared into his coffee, swirling the black liquid with a turn of his wrist. Putting the cup down, he shrugged his shoulders. “I’m worried for you, Cera. You got Biggs threatening you and this stranger coming around. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Before she could respond, the girls came clattering down the stairs ready for another day of work. Ginger gave her a hesitant smile, but she pretended not to notice.

Pushing up from the table, Isaac called out, “Sonya, Mary Beth? Let’s see what’s cooking in the kitchen today.” He gestured with his head and the girls followed him, leaving Cera and Ginger alone.

Ginger nervously fingered the pendant on her necklace while she waited for her boss to say something. With her best poker face on, Cera stared straight ahead. She was being mean spirited and stubborn, but her jealousy over Jake and Ginger still rubbed her raw.

Finally, Ginger blurted, “I didn’t do anything with Jake. Honest. I was only giving him some advice.”

Tilting her head to the side, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Which had to be given upstairs?”

“You don’t understand.” Ginger gestured helplessly with her hands. “He’s hurting. I’ve seen it dozens of times since the war’s ended. He’s got demons inside and they’re tearing him apart.”

“He told you that?” She didn’t bother to hide her disbelief.

“Aw, honey, he didn’t have to. He wears that soldier’s coat but insists he ain’t a soldier no more. He spent the last four years looking for Sadie hoping to put an end to his war and now he doesn’t know what to do with himself.”

“You figured out all this?”

“All you have to do is look into those sad eyes and you’ll see it for yourself. And you know what else you’d see? Someone who’s head over heels crazy about you.”

“I don’t know. In my experience, men aren’t worth the complications they bring.” Cera hung her head as she absently picked at a loose thread on her skirt. “Besides, I haven’t been what you’d call encouraging toward him. Chances are he’s left town already.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, but my money’s on him sticking around.” Ginger palmed a coin from her pocket. “Want to place a wager?”

Cera snickered. “Gambling’s for suckers.”

The kitchen door opened and Isaac stuck his head out, surveying the situation. With a pleased nod, he came out with Sonya and Mary Beth. “So, did you tell Ginger your plan?”

She made a sour face at him. “There’s nothing wrong with my plan.”

“Except it will get us all killed,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“I got an idea, Miss Cera.”

Startled, Cera glanced around to see who spoke. “How long you been there, Johnny?”

“Not long, ma’am.” He ducked his head sheepishly, as everyone turned to look at him.

She shifted in her chair. “Well, um. I see…” Her mind raced through her conversation with Ginger, hoping nothing had been too personal. “You sweeping my floor today or bothering folks on the street?”

“Last night, Miss Ginger told me to come on by. Said you had work for me.”

Ginger leaned over and whispered in her ear, “He was looking scrawnier than usual.”

Cera nodded. “Make sure you see Li in the kitchen when you’re done with the cleaning. Get yourself some stew.”

“But don’t cha want to hear my idea?” Johnny jumped up from his chair. Pointing to his chest with his thumb, he proclaimed, “I can follow Mr. Biggs.”

Isaac shook his head. “No, Johnny, we appreciate the offer, but this man is dangerous. We’d never forgive ourselves if he hurt you.”

“But grownups don’t never see kids.” Johnny flashed them a knowing smile. “Y’all didn’t see me till I said somethin’.”

Cera’s lips pursed as she thought about the idea. “It could work.”

“Are you crazy?” Isaac exploded. “He’s just a youngster. You are not going to risk that child.”

“That child has more common sense than most of the men who pass through this saloon,” she shot back. “He’s survived this long on the streets by himself. I’m sure he can stay out of harm’s way and lend us a hand at the same time.” With hands on her hips, she waited for Isaac to give in.

“Fine, maybe the child can help,” Isaac conceded, “but that doesn’t solve the problem of what we do once we know when Biggs is going to take his next girl. He has too many friends in high places. The police won’t get involved without indisputable proof.”

“Then we will give them proof.” Cera got up and walked toward the kitchen. As far as she was concerned, it was settled. Isaac swore under his breath and followed her, badgering her with “what ifs” and repeating the obvious flaws in the plan.

*****

Mary Beth wagged a finger at Ginger. “You know whose help we need, don’t you?”

“Oh, no.” Ginger shook her head, whipping her red curls from side to side. “She’ll never agree to that. Not more than five minutes ago, she told me men were worthless. I damn the day that good for nothing Conrad walked into this saloon and ruined her life. But you’re right. We sure could use Jake’s gun.”

“Maybe you should talk to him,” Mary Beth suggested brightly. “Cera don’t need to know.”

Ginger let out a humorless laugh. “No. I’m in enough trouble already with her when it comes to that man.”

“Well then, maybe I should talk to him.”

Ginger shrugged indifferently. “It’s your funeral, honey.”

*****

Cera hated herself as she watched the saloon doors, hoping Jake would walk through them. She was pathetic, worse than pathetic, actually. She had a business to run and Biggs to deal with and all she could think about was his soft blue eyes and his hungry lips. And where the hell was he? Had he given up on her and left town?

With another look toward the doors, Cera sighed. It would serve her right if he had. She hadn’t been kind to him, so why was he pursuing her in the first place? It was all too confusing. She wasn’t used to having feelings for a man. She didn’t know how to act or what to say. All she knew was she wanted to be close to him again. To breathe that scent that made her dizzy. To feel that touch that made her quiver.

In frustration, she slammed a full beer on the bar in front of her customer. The man jumped back as beer sloshed over the brim of the mug and landed on his sleeve. “Something wrong there, Cera?”

“Pardon me?” Cera blinked rapidly a few times. She didn’t know what she had been doing while ruminating about Jake.

“I asked if something was wrong. You’re acting a bit strange today, like your skin’s all itchy and irritating.”

“Oh, um, no, nothing’s wrong.” Ignoring the bemused expression on her customer’s face, she wiped up the mess. “Beer’s on me, Ben. Sorry about that.”

She made a beeline for the kitchen. Maybe a break would help her find the sanity she had obviously lost. Li looked up from the counter where he was kneading dough and nodded. She gave him a smile in return, picked a carrot from a nearby bowl, and took a bite. “Where’s Hu?” she asked between chews.

“She help Sadie with laundry.”

Yesterday’s image of Li and Hu working together flashed through her mind. “How’s everything going with her?”

Li’s brow creased a bit at the question. “She hard worker. It good have help.”

“So, you are getting along fine? No problems?”

Li punched the dough a few times, sending puffs of flour into the air. “I like her. She nice girl.”

Cera suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. It was all so simple for men. She bet Jake wasn’t sitting around thinking about her.

“Li, you’ve known me for a long time, right?”

“Many years.”

“Would I—” She hesitated, toying with another piece of carrot. “Would a man find me pleasant to have around?”

Li shook the flour from his hands and then wiped them on his apron. “Yes.”

Embarrassed, she turned to leave. “Thanks.”

“No worry, Cera. He come back.”

She stopped at the door. “Why do you say that?” Cera held her breath, waiting for Li’s reply.

“Because man not risk life for woman, then leave.”

Cera pushed the kitchen door open. A quick scan of the saloon told her what she already knew. Jake still wasn’t there, though it looked like half the neighborhood was. Any other night, she would be happy with the extra money coming in, but tonight the added noise and smoke made her head ache. Rubbing her temples, she wished for closing time. A roar came from one of the gaming tables as someone won big. A round of laughter broke out when Ginger offered to marry the winner.

As the night wore on, she gave up hoping he’d come to visit. Finally, she kicked the last three customers out into the night. They left arm in arm, singing loudly and stumbling over the words to an old soldiers’ song. Exhausted, she barred the saloon doors and rested her forehead against the wall. The drunken singing faded and all was quiet.

How could things get so complicated so quickly? She rubbed her chest, wishing the heaviness she felt would go away. Hearing a creak from above, her head jerked up in alarm.

Sonya stood at the balcony. “Come to bed, Cera. There’s no use worrying about him now. I’m sure there’s a good reason he didn’t come a-calling tonight. You’ll see him tomorrow and everything will be fine.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. He’s nothing to me. I’m worried about Johnny following Biggs. That’s all.” Cera climbed the stairs and brushed past Sonya, but stopped when she got to her bedroom door. Feeling bad about her temper, she mumbled, “Thank you, Sonya.”

Sonya nodded in return. “Tomorrow will be a better day.”

“And you truly believe that?”

“Of course, I do.”

However, her friend’s dark eyes hinted at another truth. “Someday, I would like to hear about your past life.”

The corner of Sonya’s mouth turned up into a wry, half smile. “Good night, boss.”

Chapter 7

Early the following day, Johnny crashed through the saloon doors yelling for Cera. Whirling around in surprise, she dropped the mug she was drying, sending shards of glass flying in all directions.

“Johnny! I ought to cuff you on the head. Look what you made me do!”

The boy stopped in his tracks, dismayed at the mess. “I’m real sorry, Miss Cera. I’ll clean it up. Don’t be mad. Please!”

Realizing Johnny expected her to follow through on the threat of bodily harm she cringed. Sometimes she forgot where he came from and what he’d been through. “It’s all right, honey. It’s just a beer glass. I got dozens more. I’ll sweep it up, though. I don’t want you to cut yourself.”

Her words failed to soothe the boy as he stood rigid, waiting for the expected blows.

Cursing her short temper, Cera came around the bar. When she put her arms around him, fear flickered across his face. “Everything is fine. I’m sorry I yelled. Friends?”

The boy nodded slightly.

“Good.” She brushed back the hair from his eyes and smiled. “Now, what’s got you running in here like your unmentionables are on fire?”

“I got news on you know who,” the boy whispered, though the bar was empty.

“Biggs?” Her voice also came out low.

“Yes, ma’am. I heard him talkin’ outside of Rosie’s Café. He’s meetin’ a China man at his restaurant on Jackson Street at nine o’clock tonight.”

Cera’s hands clenched. “Did you hear the name of the man that Biggs’ is meeting?”

“I think he said ‘Hip Yee’. Mr. Biggs was shovin’ food in his fat face, so I couldn’t understand everything.” Johnny grimaced at the memory.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a three-cent coin. “Good work. Let me know if you hear anything else.”

Johnny grabbed the money and threw her a salute as he raced out of the saloon.

Cera shook her head. If only he would save the money for something he needed, such as new shoes, but she knew better. He’d be buying candy or tobacco, whichever he found first.

As she finished sweeping up the broken glass, Ginger came downstairs.

“Did we have a customer? I thought I heard voices.”

“No, just Johnny. He told me Biggs is meeting Hip Yee at Yee’s restaurant tonight.” After tossing the glass in the bin, the dustpan dangled from her hand, as she stood lost in thought.

Ginger clapped her hands together exclaiming, “That’s great news! We can tell the police and they will arrest them all.”

“For what? Eating supper after six o’clock? No, the police won’t do anything.” She pulled on her bottom lip with her teeth. “We need more proof…”

“Oh, no.” Ginger grabbed Cera by the shoulders and shook her. “You aren’t going to that restaurant. Isaac will tie you up before he’ll let you do that!”

Cera scowled. “Since when have I let a man rule me? Maybe if I get proof of what they’re up to, it will be enough for the authorities and we won’t have to catch Biggs in the act.”

“Darn it all, Cera, it’s too dangerous!”

“I promised Hu I’d help—and I’m not going back on my word. I’ll be careful,” she promised, “and you’ll keep quiet and cover my tracks so Isaac don’t find out.”

******

It was mid-afternoon when Jake walked into to Cera’s Place, pain radiating through his body with every step. Scattered around the saloon, a handful of customers drank and smoked, but there was no sign of Cera. Ginger was there, though, and hurried toward him, a frown marring her normally hospitable face.