Between Love and Lies (9 page)

“So give it to her.”

“And then what?” He shook his head. “Watch her work herself to death trying to farm a strip of land that’ll be flattened every spring by the first cattle drive?”

Lewis laughed. “A lot of things can change on the way to granting a lady her wish.”

Anger coiled in his gut. “Friend or not, I’m gonna slug you if you suggest anything inappropriate. She may work in a saloon, but she doesn’t belong there.”

“Ever thought of courting her?”

The image of him standing beside Sadie before an altar rose in his mind again. He shook his head. “I can’t marry her.”

Lewis raised one brow. “Because you don’t find her attractive?”

“Because,” Noah hissed, “she won’t willingly spend a single minute with me.”

“Use her farm as incentive.”

His entire body went rigid in rejection. “You’re suggesting I bribe her?”

“Entice her.”

“Impossible,” Noah scoffed, but his muscles had lost their stiffness. He wasn’t leaning against the blasted porch post either. When had that happened?

“How many acres are the farms ’round here?” Lewis asked.

“Not sure…maybe a hundred.”

“That’s not even a tenth of your ranch. Your earnings for helping drive my herd north could buy that with money to spare.” When Noah shrugged, Lewis’ head tilted at a contemplative angle. “Well, at a hundred acres, her farm won’t be difficult to acquire, but it’ll make the
rest
of my idea harder.”

“Which is?” Noah asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

“You give her one acre every time she agrees to see you. She gets her farm back, and you get a hundred reasons why she should talk to you, spend time with you. The
rest
I leave up to you. If you can’t woo her under those terms, you don’t deserve her. That’s when you write me, and I’ll return and—”

“You’ll do no such thing.” Noah was now poised on the top step.

Lewis raised his hands. “Hey, like I said, if not me, then—”

“She’s been through too much. I won’t take advantage of her.”

“Of course you won’t force her to do anything. Give her the option. She can always say no and await your next request. But that’ll mean she has to wait a little longer for her farm.”

Noah felt his jaw drop. It might work. “Sweet Jesus, you’re diabolical,” he said in growing wonder.

“Hey, don’t knock a sound plan. Or in this case, the only plan you’ve got.” Lewis grasped Noah’s hand and gave it a firm shake. Then he mounted his horse and reined the animal south. “Good luck,” he called over his shoulder. “You’re gonna need it!”

Noah watched Lewis ride away. When he couldn’t see him anymore, he turned in the direction of the bank. No more standing around waiting. It was time to return what he’d taken from Sadie, time to give her what she desired most—her farm.

* * *

Leaning against
the glass of her bedroom window, Sadie tried to rub the chill from her limbs while she kept her gaze on the two men standing across the street at Dodge’s jailhouse. She’d been watching the Star’s veranda, looking for Gertie, when the conversation between Noah and his friend claimed her attention.

Mr. Adams adjusted a bedroll on the back of his saddle and then a saddle bag. He appeared to be packing for a long trip. Was Noah leaving as well?

A shiver rocked her, and her gaze darted back to him. He stood with one shoulder resting against the jail’s porch post. The sturdy gray that he’d ridden out to the cemetery was nowhere in sight.

She realized she was holding her breath and let it out.

Distance and the wagons rattling down the rutted street made it impossible to hear their conversation, but the range of emotions—frustration, alarm, anger, disbelief—flitting across Noah’s face and frame fascinated her.

Noah’s gaze followed his departing friend. Then he spun on his heel and strode off in the opposite direction.

What had they discussed? And where was he now heading, so purposefully?

The familiar creak and reverberation of the Star’s swinging half-doors jarred her from her thoughts. Pressing against the window again, she peered over the balcony to her right.

The top of Gertie’s head appeared, followed by her narrow shoulders and broad backside. She stepped off the boardwalk, opened a copper-colored parasol that matched her hair and dress, and set off in the direction of the Great Western Hotel. The wind was at her back, propelling her forward like a ruffled sail of taffeta and lace in pursuit of lunchtime entertainment.

She didn’t know how long Gertie would be gone. She did know her future hung on rare moments like these. Moments when she could continue her search with less chance of being caught.

Edward’s most cherished possessions remained missing. He’d told her he’d faced financial ruin many times. Not once had he considered gambling his mother’s silver Faberge jewelry box or his father’s gold Cartier pocket watch. The watch never left his waistcoat pocket and the box always graced a shelf over the card table in his hotel room. Reminders, he’d said, that some things were too precious to risk losing.

According to the townsfolk, Orin had most likely run off with both heirlooms.

If Orin had them, Edward would’ve been content. Edward said they’d both enjoyed many partners of both sexes until they’d found each other, fell in love and became monogamous. He’d decided they needed to live with a woman to confuse the gossipmongers, especially when they returned to his home in Boston.

Edward’s syphilis made it imperative that they go east to find better care for him. Before they could, another tragedy had struck.

Sadie was convinced that Edward had interrupted Gertie’s thievery. The madam had killed him rather than face the consequences. Convincing anyone else would be impossible. Although she longed with all her soul to bring Gertie to justice, no one would believe her. The law wasn’t on her side. No one was.

Edward was gone. The debt she owed him wasn’t. Because of him, she’d survived her first role as a prostitute untouched and a whole lot better prepared to deal with Gertie.

She couldn’t afford to be distracted by Noah. She must find Edward’s treasures. Then she’d head for Chicago and disappear.

She hastened across her room and out onto the second-story landing overlooking the main floor. She forced herself to saunter, so as not to draw any attention. Below her, only a pair of old timers slouched over the bar. Hardly daring to breathe, she halted by Gertie’s bedroom door and, keeping her back to it, glanced right then left. The landing remained empty.

She laid her hand on the doorknob behind her. It didn’t budge. Steeling herself, she plucked two hairpins from her hair and bent the U-shaped metal straight.

Her time with Edward had been enlightening in many ways. He hated being bored. Teaching her had become a form of entertainment. Her education had gone beyond dealing cards when Edward instructed Orin to take the reins. With night-black hair and eyes, Orin was breathtakingly beautiful in a boyish way, yet he had an edge to him. Once she’d dared to ask him about his life before he met Edward. She’d never asked again.

She inserted the pins in the keyhole and applied every trick she’d been taught. Finally, the lock clicked. The door opened. She slipped inside and closed the door behind her.

Slumped against the wood, she fought to slow her racing heart. Despite having new skills she wasn’t at ease with her new life. Each day she did things that would’ve seemed preposterous a year ago. Picking a lock so she could rifle through a person’s belongings were additions to an already lengthy list.

Nerves stretched tight, she forced herself to push away from the door.

Twenty minutes later, her nerves were close to snapping. She’d found nothing. Not in Gertie’s dresser drawers, not under her mattress, not even under her floorboards. Each tick of the grandfather clock in the corner chipped away at her courage. She feared the door would swing open at any moment.

Hugging her arms around her waist, she stared at the one place she hadn’t searched. Gertie’s safe. The iron-gray box stood, solid and impenetrable, against the wall opposite the bed. Frustration churned inside her until she was tempted to kick the blasted thing. Opening a strongbox lay far beyond her knowledge. She couldn’t give up, though. There had to be another way to get inside.

Merely a temporary defeat
, she consoled herself as she went to the door and pressed her ear to it. Not a sound came from the other side. She eased open the door enough to peek through.

The landing remained empty. Thank the Lord for small blessings.

She stepped out into the hall, pulled the door closed and inserted her hairpins in the keyhole. Once again, the lock resisted before finally complying.

Relief sweep over her as she shoved the pins into her skirt pocket. Exhaustion rapidly followed. She needed time to consider her next move. Intent on making a beeline for her room, she turned and ran straight into a wall of leather and muscle.

Capable hands enveloped her arms, steadying her. A familiar face towered above her.

“Whoa there.” Noah Ballantyne’s voice was low and soothing, as if he was calming a skittish mare. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

Sadie gaped at him for a heartbeat, then pasted on what she hoped was a guilt-free expression. As far as Noah knew, she’d every right to be in the room she’d exited. He’d only been in town four days. Odds were he didn’t know the location of Gertie’s private domain.

She didn’t like the look on his face, though. Not suspicious, but something equally as disconcerting. Something that hadn’t been there when they’d last met. He’d always appeared robust and capable. The exact opposite of how she felt. Now the man before her wore an air of determination, like he’d made up his mind and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

The notion made her stomach knot for a different reason.

When his hands dropped from her arms, she lowered her gaze, hoping to conceal her irrational disappointment. His faded shirt and rough-cut leather vest confirmed he still hadn’t bothered with the fancy clothing the majority of the newly arrived Texans purchased from the local mercantile. Her gaze caught on a silver star over his heart.

He cleared his throat. “Marshal Masterson made me his deputy.”

“Is that why you were standing in front of—” She pressed her lips tight, mortified that she almost revealed she’d been observing him. “I wasn’t aware that you knew the marshal.”

“Met him last night after I carried you to your bedroom.” The words sounded wicked, especially with him standing so close.

Her face grew hot. So did the rest of her. A delicious heat that coiled low in her body. She hadn’t felt warm since she’d lain under his coat this morning. She should return the garment. She wanted nothing to do with him.

And still she couldn’t bring herself to say the words and give up his coat. Not when she’d previously been so cold. Since leaving her bed, she’d been harassed by the disturbing chill from last night. She’d been looking forward to returning to her room and snuggling under his coat’s comforting warmth.

All intentions of going back to her sanctuary fled. What if he followed her? The prospect of being alone with him in her bedroom filled her with alarm but also made her body tingle in a very worrying way.

Careful not to touch him, she slipped by and headed for the stairs and the saloon below. Noah matched her every step, staring at her as if he wanted to say something of grave importance.

The sun flooded through the ground floor windows, filling the saloon with light and warmth, making her burn even hotter. No additional patrons had entered the Star, and for once, she missed the crowd. The quiet made her exceedingly aware of the man beside her.

When he removed his hat and held it in front of him, she drifted to a halt beside the piano with her fingertips trailing across the smooth mahogany surface. Her memories of Edward playing it were swept aside by a new musing. The wood’s hue reminded her of Noah’s hair. The sunlight picked up the auburn highlights running through the thick waves. Her fingers itched to explore them instead.

She folded her arms and pressed her elbows against her sides, pinning down her traitorous hands.

“I hope you feel better today.” His softly spoken words flowed over her like a caress.

“I’m as well as can be expected. Thank you for inquiring, Mr. Ballantyne.” Aware that she owed him for a lot more, she forced herself to continue speaking. “And thank you for coming to my aid last night.”

“Glad I could help.” His mouth lifted at the corners, the first time she’d witnessed him smile. The most sincere and long-awaited smile she’d ever won. It pulled at something deep inside her.
Something wonderful…and dangerous.

“Will you sit a spell with me, Sadie?” The rumble of his voice grew even deeper, reminding her of the way he’d spoken to her a year ago, when his cattle had destroyed everything she held dear.

You know you can’t trust him, she reminded herself. So stop being foolish.

Erecting a wall around her heart, she turned away from the piano and Noah, angling for the bar and the two old-timers. “I should see if I’m needed—”