Sarah applied a heavy layer of powder to her neck and collarbone. She stood back and surveyed herself in the mirror. Her long, honey coloured hair was done up in ringlets that hung seductively around her neck and shoulders. She wore a tight red dress that showed as much as a saloon girl dared show without causing a riot. Sarah had taken great care to cover up any damage Tom may have done the night before. “I'll prove I'm worthy, Tommy,” she whispered to her reflection. “You'll see.”
After spritzing herself with a cheap, floral scent, Sarah tidied her room. Just as she was about to head down to the bar, she heard voices coming up through the open window.
“She looked so horrible, Josh. I can't wait idly by while your men try and track Brennan down. Somebody knows where he is!”
Sarah looked down on Zooey Pinkerton and Sheriff Duncan as they walked down the dusty road. A surge of panic spread through her belly. “Nobody will hurt my Tommy. I'll fix you, Zooey Pinkerton. I'll be damned if you ruin my plans to get out of this stinking saloon.”
Flushed and angry, Sarah tossed her bottle of scent across the room. She watched it smash into slivers on the floor, engulfing the room with a heady, floral fragrance.
A knock on the door startled Sarah. She hurried to clean up the mess she had created.
“Sarah? Everything aright? You need to get downstairs. The bar will be filling up soon. It's payday. You damn well know what that means! Men want to spend their cash.”
A shudder racked through Sarah's body at the thought of the rough, work-worn hands of the cattle men and cowboys. They liked to paw her as she sang and served drinks.
“I'll show everyone I'm no dumb blonde. Just wait and see.” Sarah hissed under her breath as she mopped up the perfume. She stood and smoothed out the creases in her skirt. Satisfied she was presentable; Sarah pasted on her famous fake smile and headed down to the bar for another days work.
* * *
Zooey could hear the strains of piano music coming from the saloon as she and Joshua entered the Sheriff’s office. After seeing Marta’s swollen face, broken arm, and broken spirit, it made her more determined than ever to find Tom Brennan.
Zooey stopped and stared up at Joshua's face. “Can't help but think of Marta’s face. She's been destroyed, Josh. Tom Brennan has destroyed so many lives…and for what? Greed? All for a man...a “boss” that nobody seems to know?”
“Oh, I'm certain somebody knows. It's a matter of weeding out fact from fiction and finding someone willing to rat him out.”
“Sheriff Duncan!”
Joshua turned to see one of his deputies come charging through his office door. “You may want to read this.”
The young deputy tipped his hat to Zooey and threw a thin sheet of paper down on Joshua's desk. It was a telegraph sheet but Zooey didn't get a chance to look at it before Joshua grabbed it. “Are you sure about this, Arnie?” He asked the young deputy.
“Yes sir. Just got it from the telegraph office myself.”
“What is it, Josh?”
“It looks like we'll finally find out who Tom Brennan's boss is!”
Zooey scowled and leaned across the desk, snatching the paper from the Sheriff's hands. “What do you mean?”
“A good contact of mine across county got word of someone important coming into town. Considering your father's ranch is a big grab, it wouldn’t surprise me if the boss himself was coming to survey the property.”
A surge of excitement swept through Zooey’s body, charging her with some much needed energy. She ran her hand along the barrel of the Colt revolver in her waistband. “We need to be out there waiting for him!”
Joshua eyed Zooey's hand and frowned. “Keep that weapon right where it is, Miss Pinkerton!”
“Miss Pinkerton?” she asked. “Josh, be serious. If you know this man is coming, then why can't you wait for him out at the ranch? You could plan some kind of sneak attack.”
“This guy is sophisticated enough to avoid detection. Do you think he's going to march down the centre of town with flags raised for all to see?”
“No, I suppose not,” Zooey shrugged, deflated. “Damn it all!”
Joshua moved in close to Zooey and placed both hands on her slender shoulders. “I know it’s frustrating. Just let me see what else I can find out. I have to be discreet about it or Brennan and his men will know something is up. I'm surprised he hasn't come looking for you already.”
“I am too,” Zooey remarked. She shivered as if a winter wind had just blown through the room. “He must have been angry that I got away from the ranch.”
“I don't doubt it. For tonight let me do some asking around. I'd feel better if you went back to Charlie's and got a good nights sleep.”
“I doubt I'll sleep much. From the sounds of the music at the saloon, everyone is ready for a party.”
An idea crossed Joshua’s mind, but he wasn't sure if it was appropriate. “Zooey?”
“Yes?”
“I'll be up late trying to sort all this out. Why don't you stay at my place?”
A flush burned Zooey's cheeks. “I don't know about that.”
“It's safe and you'll get some rest. If you want you can even have a hot bath and a decent meal. If I get back early, I'll sleep on the fainting couch in the study.”
“You have a fainting couch?” Zooey was surprised that a bachelor like Joshua would have a piece like that around. It was something a woman would have in her bedroom, not a sheriff.
“It was my mother's. After she died and my father disappeared, it was the piece of furniture I couldn’t throw away.” A far away look crossed Joshua's face. He had loved his mother fiercely. As a young deputy, he had been the first to come across her body on a dark, hot summer night. A gang of bandits had found her alone at the house and killed her for a bit of jewellery. His father had left shortly after and never returned.
“I'm sorry, Josh. I didn't mean to pry.”
Joshua pulled on his coat and nodded. “Not to worry, Zooey. I've known you and your family for a long time. You could never pry. Now grab your things. It's a half hour out of the city.”
“Thank you, Josh. It will be nice to have an actual bath. Sarah, that saloon girl, didn't seem too happy that Charlie was letting me stay, anyway.”
“I wouldn't worry about Sarah. Let's get going before its dark.” Zooey grabbed her coat and followed Joshua out the door. She beamed when she saw Gypsy hitched just outside the door. The horse whinnied and nodded its head in greeting.
“It's good to see you too, Gypsy. You’re all I've got now.” Zooey nuzzled the horses’ neck and scratched her forehead. She inhaled the earthy scent of the animal and swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. You feel like home. A tear trickled down Zooey’s cheek as she realized she may never have a home again.
“Are you ready, Zooey? It's quite a ride out.”
Zooey sniffed and hoisted herself onto Gypsy's back.