Wanted: Zookeeper (Silverpines Book 19) Read online

  The sun shone warm and the shoveled snow piles melted, causing the dirt yard to turn muddy. Ellen slipped on over-boots before leaving the porch’s shelter. Niles reconsidered his request to meet her menagerie when his boot slipped and he stumbled to regain his balance without falling unceremoniously onto his backside in the mud. Thank God for his cane.

  She looked at him with concern. “Are you alright?”

  He stood to his full height, lifted his chin, and adjusted his lapel. Of course he was alright. He had managed not to fall down in the mud. “I’m fine. Let’s take a look at your petting zoo.”

  She smiled and turned to show him the way. He paused a moment, lost in the memory of her smile, and then watched the sway of her hips. Something about every movement this woman made mesmerized him. She turned back. “Are you coming?”

  “Just admiring the view.” Niles lifted his eyes to the mountainous horizon to the north and west. Being the last house in the cluster of residences had two advantages for the Myers. Nothing obstructed their view of the majestic mountain and Ellen could spread out as needed with her rescued animals beyond the legal boundary marking their property line.

  Until the town grows more and the residential houses fill in between Silverpines proper and the Silver Mine.

  She walked him around the various pens and crate-like containers crudely crafted. “You make these yourself?”

  “Yes.” Ellen had a spark of pride in her tone. “Tonya Watts lets me gather scrap wood from the lumberyard and I do the best I can to fashion shelters for the animals. Grandpa worked the livery before he retired and taught me how to put together a pen. Like you, we use hay to insulate and the animals own body heat keeps them warm.”

  “Clever.” Niles admired the crude but efficient construction.

  Ellen stepped back from him and angled her head to look up into his eyes. “No more clever than you. Managing to bring a dozen exotics halfway across the world and only losing two in a devastating storm at sea. You, Mr. Phinney, are the clever one.”

  Niles held her gaze. A smile creased his mouth. She was resourceful, too. The more he learned about Ellen Mae Myers, the more he wanted to remain with her… forever.

  This thought drew him up taut. Forever. He did want to remain with her forever. Would she go with him to Seattle? He looked across the yard of pens and fences. This was her home. He hadn’t called Seattle home in many, many years. “Ellen, may I ask you a question?”

  “Of course.”

  He met her soft blue eyes and almost lost his words. “If one should decide he wanted to settle in Silverpines, but he had an odd collection of large animals, where could he… is there a piece of land that could be purchased? Somewhere out of the way, but easy to access. Not in the forest, of course—”

  Ellen eyes widened. “You’re thinking of staying here in Silverpines?”

  “I – the thought has crossed my mind.” He gathered her hands in his. “Would you want me to stay?”

  A blush reddened her cheeks. He loved the way embarrassment filled her face. Her eyelashes fluttered before she answered, “Yes.”

  His smile widened. “Well then, I need to send a telegram to my brother and start looking around for some land suitable for a zoo.”

  “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

  He drew her hands to his chest, pulling her closer to him. “I believe I am. Ellen, you are the most amazing woman I have ever met and I want to get to know you even better.” He yanked his hat from his head. “Will you allow me to court you?”

  Her eyes danced between his, an angelic smile exposed her pearl white teeth. “Oh, Niles. I find you intriguing and different from anyone I’ve ever known, too. I love the idea of you staying here in Silverpines. If-if you’re sure your brother won’t be upset that you’re not coming home?”

  “I’m not that far away, now. I think he’ll understand.”

  She bounced on her toes, and threw her arms around his neck. “Then yes, you may court me!”

  He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her off the ground, and pressed his lips into hers. She kissed him back, sweetly, and then pulled away. “We’ve gotta tell Grandpa.”

  “Oh. Your grandpa!” He held his ground even though she pulled him to follow her back to the house. “I never considered— will he be angry that I didn’t ask his permission?”

  “I-I don’t know. He and I have been alone together so long, I just assumed someday I’d marry. I figured he’d assumed it too. But we never discussed etiquette or expectations.” She skipped sideways, pulling Niles along with her. “Only one way to find out.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  “So I wondered if you had any advice for me as to where I might section off a large piece of land for a menagerie such as mine. A… small zoo of sorts.” Niles stood beside one of two wing-back leather chairs with a multi-colored stained-glass lamp between them. The study in the Myers’s home was dark but warm. Walter Myers sat in the chair, having shared a celebratory sniffer of brandy with his future grandson-in-law.

  “Hmm. You’d need something level, I reckon. North and west of town is too steep and full of timber. South, if you stay along the river would be suitable, but… I don’t know…” Mr. Myers eyes glazed with something Niles had difficulty deciphering. Was it grief or nostalgia?

  “What was it over there, on the south side of town, sir?” Niles remembered seeing the tent town that the locals called Chinatown and remembered his Chinese workers’ excitement when they spotted the small community, but it wasn’t near the river.

  “Well…” Walter finished his brandy. “It’s just a sensitive— some people are still grievin’.”

  Ellen entered the study with a tray and poured Niles and her grandpa some tea. She poured herself one and sat on the settee. “There was a tent town next to the river, Niles. Timber workers lived there with their wives and children.”

  Niles heard the emotions building in her voice. He wanted to walk to her and hold her, but he remained where he stood, holding his glass of brandy instead. He wasn’t sure how intimately affectionate he should be with her even though they were now courting. Her grandpa expressed pleasure to learn about the courtship by digging out a bottle of brandy he had been saving for a special occasion. He didn’t seem offended that Niles hadn’t talked to him first. But Niles felt in his gut he still needed to mind his manners and curb his affections until he and Ellen were married.

  “They all died during the mudslide.” Ellen choked on her words. “Every last one of them. It was horrible.” Her voice broke with unshed tears. She lowered her teacup to the saucer in her lap and stared at it.

  “Oh.” Niles acknowledged the sacredness of the area he wanted for a zoo. “I see.” He swirled the brandy in his glass, thinking. “Not having seen the area, what if we memorialized it somehow, to honor the men, women, and children who were lost. What did you call this tent town?”

  “Timber Town.” Ellen looked at him, hope glistening in her eyes.

  Niles nodded. “Timber Town… Memorial Zoo.” He listened to the name as he said it out loud. “How does that sound?”

  Ellen jumped to her feet. “It sounds wonderful.” She shoved a tear from her cheek. “What do you think, Grandpa?”

  Walter sat quiet. He pursed his lips and drew in a deep breath. “Welp, I think it sounds nice and all, but I don’t know if the town council will go for it. Like I said, folks are still grievin’. A lot of families were just wiped out in the blink of an eye. Good people. And you know, as much as the town has moved on, rebuilt, reopened the mine and buried the dead, nobody’s ever once mentioned doing anything with Timber Town. Not even Flora Adams. She lost a business out there and several good workers.” He sat statue still, his eyes drifted to the side, and yet he seemed deep in reverie.

  “Maybe Niles could bring the idea up to the council, Grandpa.” Silence engulfed the entire room. “Grandpa?”

  He seemed to snap back. “I just don’t know, baby girl. I don’t suppo
se it’d hurt to ask. Presenting it as a memorial might help. I’ve heard some discussions of building a stone marker to commemorate the miners lost at the cave-in, why not set up an entire zoo to remember the timber workers and their families.” A glimmer of possibility shone in his watery blue eyes. “Perhaps that stonemason could carve out something appropriate for your memorial zoo.”

  “When’s the next meeting?” Niles nodded. That was a really good idea. He kept his gaze on Ellen, although he was speaking to her grandfather.

  “They meet once a month. I’m not so sure this is something that can be figured out quickly, Mr. Phinney. Will your animals be alright in that warehouse?”

  Niles considered his question. He moved to stand in front of the leather chair and sat down. “Please call me Niles, Mr. Myers.”

  “Walter.” Her grandpa waited for Niles to respond to his question.

  “I suppose they’ll have to be. But the real question is will the owner of the warehouse allow me to keep my exotics in there for much longer?”

  Ellen glared at her grandpa. “Can’t you call an emergency town council meeting? Those animals need more space. They can’t stay in that warehouse forever. Besides, Tonya and Millie will be filling it up come spring. Several other store owners will be needing the space to store their deliveries—”

  “Certainly, I can ask. I’m just thinking how to broach the subject. Like I said, emotions are still pretty raw.”

  Ellen rose and bounced to her grandpa. “I’m sure you’ll figure something out. You always do.” She kissed his cheek and grabbed Niles’s hand. “Let’s go feed our critters— mine and yours.”

  #

  Ellen waited with Niles in the back of the Town Hall as council members filed into their usual seats. Worms wriggled in Ellen’s tummy. Convincing the council to turn what was Timber Town into a memorial zoo was a wonderful idea. Doing anything with Timber Town was a wonderful idea. It had nearly been a year since the disasters and just leaving the mud covered debris was a daily reminder of all the lost souls. It stifled so many people in Silverpines from moving on. Turning that area into something fun and exciting would be a beautiful way to remember those poor children who used to come listen to her stories about her rescued animals.

  Flora Adams and her husband, Mac McMillan, were the last members to enter. Mid-morning was very early for them, from the looks on their ragged faces. But in fairness, the saloon kept them busy until three or four o’clock in the morning. The Mayor, Luther Garrison, lifted his gavel and slammed it down with a crack.

  Flora jumped, closed her eyes, and sighed. Ellen did her best to hold in a giggle.

  “May this emergency meetin’ of the Silverpines Town Council come to order. Now, since it’s an emergency meetin’ we’ll dispense with reading the minutes from our last meetin’.” He glared at Ellen’s grandpa, who seemed unaffected by the Mayor’s obvious jab for inconveniencing everyone to call an impromptu meeting.

  “So, Walter Myers, what you got your drawers all in a knot about that the McMillan’s had to get out and about so early?” Mayor Garrison dipped an apologetic nod toward Flora.

  Ellen’s grandpa stood. “Well, my Ellen and Mr. Niles Phinney are officially courting—” He paused to allow everyone a moment to acknowledge that Ellen had accepted the new stranger’s proposal to court. Ellen closed her eyes against the heat filling her cheeks, then opened them and graciously accepted the accolades.

  “And this here is Mr. Niles Phinney. He’s the feller who brought that train into town in spite of a blue northern that shut everything down except the Cutler’s Mercantile. Course I never known Millie to shut down the mercantile for any reason, bless her heart.”

  Clay Cutler nodded his appreciation for his wife’s diligence to their business and the townsfolk’s needs for supplies. Even with their family expanding after they combined two families into nine children between them, she still never missed a single day of unlocking the shop’s door. Church service was the only time those doors remained locked.

  “Anyway, Mr. Phinney ran into my Ellen whilst she were galavanting after that darn pig o’ hers.”

  “Grandpa!” Ellen’s cheeks burned. “Just introduce Niles and let him explain what he needs.”

  “Oh, yeah. I reckon he’d best be the one to explain the reason he’s asked y’all to come together today.”

  Ellen’s grandpa sat down and Niles stood. “Hello. I’m Niles Phinney. I’m a veterinarian. My twin brother took over an English garden up in Seattle when our father passed several years back. I was in Africa at the time and… well, that’s not what’s important. I was bringing a dozen or so animals… exotic animals… to set up some exhibits at my family’s resort, but things have changed—“ He reached down and took Ellen by the hand, pulling her to stand beside him. “I have decided I’d rather settle here in Silverpines. So… the question is: what to do with my exotic animals. I’ve got them stored in that big warehouse across from the depot. But it’s just a temporary place for them. I understand your mercantile and your lumberyard will be needing the space, as well as some other merchants, when their supplies come in.”

  A murmur rippled across the council members. Most of them had businesses in the downtown area and did use the warehouse to offload supplies into the warehouse of which Niles spoke. Niles nodded, acknowledging he was right about their needing the warehouse.

  “So, I have looked around your town for a place large enough and level enough to build an adequate habitat for these exotics… and we have discussed Ellen moving her menagerie to this same location where she could continue a storytime petting zoo for the children.” He glanced into her eyes with a smile.

  Ellen searched the council members’ faces, hoping to see agreement among them. A mixture of emotions reflected in their attentive eyes. Her greatest fear was that they would turn against the idea the minute Niles announced where he wanted to build the zoo. She tried to breathe normally and smile like a politician’s wife who suspected they were losing the election.

  Flora Adams stood with an accusatory glare. “Just where are you wanting to build this zoo, Mr. Phinney?”

  Niles nodded. “There is a large area between the railroad and the river, just south of town.”

  The murmur began. Council members leaned into each other discussing privately with the one who sat next to them. Flora turned to Mac with a stern look on her face. Millie Cutler stood. “You mean where Timber Town once was?”

  Niles turned to the small woman. “Yes ma’am. I am aware of the tragedy that happened nearly a year ago—“

  Tonya Watts turned in her seat to face Niles. “So you know we lost several families who were dear to us?”

  “Yes ma’am.” Niles nodded. “Walter Myers explained to me… I’m sorry for your losses. I’m not proposing you forget those whose lives were so tragically taken. I-I want to memorialize them.” He stood to his full height. “If you will allow me to buy that land for a zoo, I’d like to name it ‘Timber Town Memorial Zoo.”

  “Timber Town Memorial—?” Fannie Pearl repeated. Discussions wafted across the room. Some thought it was a good idea, others felt it would be a violation of sacred ground.

  “It’s like a cemetery over there.”

  “We have no idea if bodies still remain under all that silt.”

  “We’ve opened the mine, and they did a good job recovering our men from that soil, why not do the same for Timber Town?”

  Flora turned to the Mayor. “Mr. Garrison. You are new to our town. Your emotional ties are not as… volatile as most of us who lost good people in the landslide. Perhaps, as chairman of the council, you should decide on this matter.” She turned to address the members who still muttered between themselves. “I, for one, think if we can face opening the mine, we can face building something new at the site of Timber Town.”

  Brawny Winter leapt to his feet. “Flora, you lost your saloon and three good people out there.” He swallowed hard. “We all lost good people out there. How can
you be so quick to say it’s time to move on?”

  Flora turned to Mac with a sharp glare. He stood to her defense. “Now, Brawny, Flora’s right. This council agreed to reopen the mine, it’s time to move ahead in Silverpines, everywhere in Silverpines.”

  “You’re not vested emotionally, either, Mr. McMillan!” Brawny pursed his lips and breathed hard through his nose. A tremor in his hand exposed the level of emotions he was trying to hold at bay.

  Mayor Garrison slammed his gavel down hard. “Now folks.”

  The shouting continued despite the chairman’s call for order. Luther hammered his gavel again. “Folks! Let’s settle down.”

  Marshall Sewell stood with his thumb and middle finger between his lips and whistled a loud, sharp sound. The council members stopped talking and glared at him as if they were in shock. Luther took advantage of the momentary silence and struck his gavel on the base. “I suggest we table this discussion. Let’s talk to the men who re-opened the mine, Jeremiah Henderson and Nathan Ryder. Maybe take a closer look at the area y’all call Timber Town. Like a feasibility study. We can reconvene in, say… two weeks.

  Ellen stood. “Mr. Mayor, there are a dozen exotic animals in that warehouse. They need someplace better and soon. I implore you to make this decision quickly.”

  Luther met her eyes. “I understand Miss Myers. We’ll do what we can as quickly as we can. I know Nathan Ryder has left town, but Mr. Henderson is still here. I’ll see what I can do to get this figured out quickly. Alright?”

  She pursed her lips and turned to Niles with a shrug. Niles patted her shoulder as he stood. “I appreciate you looking into it for us, Mr. Mayor. Anything I can do to help expedite this decision, I’m certainly willing to do.”

  “Good.” The Mayor said. “You will accompany us on our look-see of the Timber Town ruins.” He struck his gavel. “This meeting is adjourned.”