May 10, 1864. Reached Jacksonville. No sign of Joel, but he was in town recently. I hope we find him soon.

Tomorrow brought more of the same. They asked about Joel in the last few stores, then also at the livery and forge. The man at the livery said Joel would probably return to Jacksonville the next day. “He’s got a string of pack mules,” the man told them. “Likely haulin’ supplies between Klamath and here.”

“How’d he get into that business?” Jonah asked.

The man shrugged. “If it makes him money, Pershing’ll give it a go. He ain’t fussy. I think the militia hired him.”

“What’re we going to do today?” Will asked.

“I could hunt,” Jonah said. “Or fish. That river looks mighty good for salmon.”

“I could use a hand cleanin’ out the stables,” the livery owner said. “You boys look like you got strong backs.”

“We’d work for enough to buy dinner at the hotel,” Will said.

The man nodded. Jonah groused about working in the stuffy stables on the fine warm day, but Will insisted they’d be better off eating a real meal for a change, instead of roughing it.

At the end of the day, the liveryman paid them. “Here’s an extra ten cents,” he said. “It’ll buy you some grub for tomorrow as well.”

“Will you let us know if Mr. Pershing gets here?” Will asked. “We’ll be camped by the river tonight after we eat.”

The man smiled. “I’ll tell him. And you boys come back tomorrow. I’ll keep you busy until he gets here.”

May 11, 1864. Ate fried chicken in the hotel tonight. We might see Joel tomorrow.

Chapter 26: Which Child Needs Me More?

Mac hovered in the bedroom Monday morning while the doctor examined Jenny. “You’ve had no more trouble, Mrs. McDougall?” the doctor asked.

“No,” she replied. “And I’m tired of being confined to bed.”

“I’ll allow you to get up,” the doctor said. “But you must stay in the house. No lifting. And a lie-down every afternoon.” He smiled. “Same as your toddler. If you have any more pains, I want you back in bed. Otherwise, I’ll visit you again next week.”

By the time Mac ushered the doctor out and returned to their room, Jenny was dressed and ready to go downstairs. “You should take it easy today,” he protested. “Your first day up.”

“I’ll spend the morning mending,” she said. “That’s restful enough. You go on to your office. Maria and Mrs. O’Malley will be here.”

Mac carried her sewing basket to the parlor, then walked to town. He sorted through his mail, drafted a response to William Ladd in Portland about the status of the bank incorporation, and then wrote Byron Pengra in Eugene to request an update on the road survey.

He was about to return home for the noon meal when Sheriff Thomas stopped by. “You got a minute, McDougall?” the sheriff asked.

“Certainly.” Mac leaned back in his chair, trying to seem relaxed, though he couldn’t think of any positive reasons for the sheriff to stop by.

“Sounds like Johnson’s back in the county,” the sheriff said. “Deputy Albee heard tell of a man asking about your family on Saturday.”

Mac sat up straight. “And you’re only now telling me?”

“Yesterday was the Sabbath,” the sheriff said virtuously.

“Is Johnson still in town?” Mac asked.

“No telling. All Albee knows is a man asked about you, your wife, your son—though whoever it was didn’t seem to be aware the boy is missing.” Sheriff Thomas frowned at Mac. “Is there something I should know?”

Mac shook his head. He still didn’t want to reveal the full story to the lawman. “I told you before, my wife and I were acquainted with Johnson back in Missouri. My wife grew up in those parts and was acquainted with Johnson as a child. I had a falling-out with him shortly before we left there.”

“What kind of falling-out?”

Mac swallowed, then said, “I told you—he assaulted my wife, as he did here. His father assaulted her as well. I killed the older Johnson in self-defense. Jenny shot Jacob.”

Sheriff Thomas cursed. “No wonder Johnson has it in for your family.”

“He was in the wrong, Sheriff. He and his father both. They had it coming.”

“No matter. He’s had years to nurse his grudge. And it seems that’s what he’s been doing.”

“Seems so,” Mac acknowledged. He asked again, “Is Johnson still around? How do we keep Jenny safe?”

The sheriff raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know where he is now—he ain’t been seen since Saturday. You best stay close to home. And Albee and I’ll keep our ears to the ground.”

After the sheriff left, Mac returned home. As he strode up the hill, he debated how much to tell Jenny. She needed to know Johnson was in the area, but he didn’t want to worry her, not while her health was fragile. But any warning he gave would make her anxious.

She would worry not only about their safety, but about Will. A part of Mac had wondered if Johnson had followed Will and Jonah wherever they’d gone—if the ruffian had confronted the boys, maybe hurt them. But it sounded as if Johnson didn’t know any more about Will’s whereabouts than Mac did.

Jenny beamed as the family ate dinner, seeming happy to be downstairs with the children. She presided over their noon meal with a pleasant chatter Mac hadn’t realized he missed until she was back at the table.

After they ate, he asked her to join him in his study. “Sheriff Thomas came to see me this morning,” he said, after he sat her in a chair across from his desk. “Jacob Johnson was spotted on Saturday. He asked about our family. But the sheriff doesn’t know where he is now.”

“Why is Jacob bothering us?” She twisted a handkerchief in her lap.

Mac shook his head. “I don’t know, and neither does Sheriff Thomas.”

“And William?” Jenny asked, twisting the handkerchief tighter. “Does the sheriff know where William is?”

“No,” Mac said. “There’s no sign of Will.”

“Oh, Mac,” Jenny said. “It’s been almost two weeks now. Can’t you find him?”

Mac rubbed his forehead. “Where do you suggest I look, Jenny? No one has seen any sign of the boys. They could be anywhere by now.” He wished he could do more for her, but he didn’t know how to begin.