Page 55 of Willing to Wed the Rancher
“Seems as though your brother was coerced into becoming a passer.”
“What is a passer?”
“The printer rarely passes the money himself. Almost always has a network of passers he uses—men who take the counterfeit money to pass along as real.”
Franz shook his head. “Eric would never get involved in something like that—”
“He had no choice.” Mr. Bliss handed Franz the letter.
Franz put on his spectacles, leaned into the lantern light, and read it. The note wasn’t long, but with each word his heart sank a little lower.
Eric explained that after poor crops, he’d needed to exchange several of his Deutsche Marks to American currency. As he’d done in the past, he’d taken his coins to the assayer to have them tested in order to have the proof of their quality of gold when he exchanged them at the bank.
The new assayer in town, Mr. Grover, had offered to mint them and turn them into American gold coins. Not only had the man minted the coins Eric needed, but he’d also provided bank notes in exchange for some of the gold.
Eric had used most of the American money without any trouble, but then, while in Denver last autumn, one of the bank notes had been identified as fraudulent. With a little investigating, Eric had learned that counterfeit moneymaking was a big problem, and that often the printers lived in remote places, sometimes in little towns in the mountains. He’d also learned that minting coins was illegal, that only official US Mints could make coins.
When Eric had returned to Breckenridge, he’d gone back to the assayer’s office and confronted Mr. Grover about the fake money and the illegally minted coins. The assayer had denied any wrongdoing, even when Eric had threatened to report him to the local lawman. But going to the sheriff had been a naïve and dangerous tactic.
Franz wasn’t surprised to discover that the sheriff had sided with Mr. Grover. Not long after the incident, Eric had been given an ultimatum—keep quiet and become a passer, or face repercussions not only for himself but also for his family.
He’d felt he had no choice except to do what they’d asked of him. He’d finally reached out to the Pinkerton Agency in the spring.
But clearly, the help hadn’t come soon enough. There was no doubt in Franz’s mind that Eric had been murdered because he’d tried to expose the counterfeiting operation. Or perhaps because he’d wanted to get out of it.
Franz finished reading Eric’s letter. “So, Mr. Grover is the one behind everything.”
“We don’t know if he’s in charge of the operation.” Mr. Bliss surveyed the surrounding area as though making sure they were still alone. “But as an assayer, he would certainly know how to make coins that used other elements in place of some of the gold. And he would likely have the chemicals and other ingredients available for the printing of fake money.”
“His wife is the schoolteacher. Clarabelle had nothing but positive things to say about her.”
“It’s possible she doesn’t know about her husband’s illegal activities.”
It was also possible Mrs. Grover had known and had no choice but to turn a blind eye. According to Clarabelle, the woman was always doing good for the community she lived in. Maybe she did so out of guilt or with the hope of making up for the damage her husband was causing.
Mr. Bliss glanced at the ever-lightening sky. “Hopefully I’ll find the equipment in the shed behind his office and the fake currencies where Eric said they’re hidden.”
“And hopefully, with Eric’s written testimony, you will have enough to convict him.”
Mr. Bliss’s expression was still serious. “Even if I’m able to arrest the assayer before he runs off, you and your family will remain in danger.”
“We will?”
“If Eric was coerced into it, there’s no telling how many other people are a part of the operation. Could be a dozen or more men working together.”
“Can we discover who else?”
“Eventually it’s possible the authorities can get Mr. Grover to release the names of his accomplices. Even then we might not know everyone, might not find out who killed your brother.”
“But why would anyone hurt me or Clarabelle? We were not involved in anything.”
“Once I raid the assayer’s office and attempt to catch Mr. Grover, they’ll assume you’re the one responsible for contacting me and bringing me up to Breckenridge. And they’ll be sure to let you know they’re not happy about your interference.”
“I will tell them that Eric was the one who contacted you.”
Mr. Bliss scoffed. “These are dangerous people, Mr. Meyer. I don’t need to remind you that what happened to your brother could happen again.”
What would they do next? Franz’s mind reeled with the possibilities. He didn’t even want to think about someone coming out to the farm again. Eric’s death and the plundering of the cabin had been more than sweet little Bianca could bear. How would she survive if anything else happened?
