Chapter 9
As nighttime activities turned to daytime activities in the Bend, Lucky awoke with a crick in his neck. He sat up from his slump outside Tempest’s door and stretched his cramped muscles. He quickly stood, glanced in both directions, and was glad nobody was in sight. He preferred not to be seen loitering outside a lady’s door, even if it was for a good cause. Maybe he could trust Tempest. Maybe he couldn’t. Either way, now that he’d found her, he wasn’t taking any chances on losing her.
He knocked on her door. “You awake?”
For a long moment, he heard nothing, and then came the sound of a chair being moved. When the door opened, he was struck anew by her beauty. Those violet eyes set in a heart-shaped face could move mountains, or men. But looks were the least of her attributes. He had to keep that in mind. She was most likely used to men ogling her and wanting her, so he was betting she’d be immune, or even annoyed, by male reaction to her.
She was all dolled up in her new clothes and looked more vibrant out of black. She was wearing a fancy chatelaine bag clipped to the waistband of her green skirt. With a silver filigree clasp across the top of a black, crocheted purse, it looked old, expensive, and not much like her. He wondered if it was a family heirloom from better times. Fortunately for him, she’d given the impression that she needed money.
He looked past her at the neatly made bed, the stacked dishes, and a folded pile of black clothes. He liked the fact that she’d gotten up early, and then made ready for the trip. That spoke well for them getting along.
“Good morning,” she said, giving him the once over. “You have a rough night after you left me?”
He glanced down at his wrinkled shirt. He adjusted his gun-belt. “I got some sleep.”
“You didn’t change your mind, did you?”
“No.”
“In that case, I’d like to have my money.”
“You want to be paid up front?”
“Yes.” She straightened her shoulders. “At least, I’m thinking half up front and half when the job is done.”
“How much do you want?”
“I don’t know how much a Spirit Rattler gets paid.”
“Me, either.”
She chuckled, shaking her head. “We’re a pair.”
He smiled, liking her more than he thought was prudent. “What about a double eagle?”
“That’s twenty dollars.”
He didn’t want to lose her by not valuing her enough. “And another one when we’re done.”
“Forty dollars? That’s a lot.” She cocked her head to one side, as if considering his offer.
“Maybe a bonus, if all goes as planned and I get what I want.” He liked the fact that she was smart enough to get the best deal.
“How much?”
“I won’t know till it’s all said and done.”
“If I perform as expected, no matter how long it takes, then I deserve a bonus.”
“I’m not going to quibble with you. If you deserve more, you’ll get more.”
She smiled, revealing pearly white teeth. “Okay.”
“Are you ready to go?”
“I don’t know what to do about the dishes.”
“Saul will see to them.”
“I’d like to donate my black clothes to someone in need.”
“Saul will take care of that, too.”
“Guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Where’s your nightgown?”
She blushed, pink spreading over her pale skin. “I don’t have a carpetbag, so I’m wearing it under my outer clothes.”
“We’ll get saddlebags for your things.”
“Is that part of my payment?”
He hesitated, realizing the question was fraught with danger. He knew that she wouldn’t accept charity or gifts from a man, so there was only one answer. “Yes. I’m paying for the expenses of the trip. That includes everything you need to accompany me. When we’re done, you may keep what you’ve used as part of your payment for the job.”
She nodded. “That’ll do.”
He was glad that he’d settled it so well. He was also glad that he wouldn’t see her wearing those black clothes again. Now he just needed to keep everything moving along at a brisk pace.
“I travel light. Don’t want to overburden my horse,” he said.
“Wait a minute. Aren’t we going by train?” She crossed her arms over her stomach. “Mrs. Bartholomew said they were going to march in the towns along the Katy tracks. Atoka. Stringtown. McAlester. Places like that.”
“That’s all well and good, but any liquor sold in Indian Territory is illegal, so you won’t find it out in the open. It’ll be sold in the countryside, or out of backrooms in towns.”
“I’d still like to carry the message of temperance to Indian Territory.”
“Mrs. Bartholomew and her ladies will take care of that.”
“I’m sure they will, but still—”
“You’re working for me now. We won’t have time.”
“In that case, we must amend our partnership.”
“What?”
“I told you before. You’re not the only one who has something important to do.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
“No. It’s a personal matter. I need to go where whiskey is bought and sold.”
Lucky stared into her violet eyes, trying to figure out what was going on inside her head. He needed to be on the east side of the Choctaw Nation, not the west side where the trains ran.
“I see you don’t believe me.” She clasped her hands together. “Okay. I’ll forgo the bonus if you’ll help me find whiskey peddlers.”
“That’s dangerous. Those men don’t want to be found. If you do locate them, you’ll most likely wind up facing the wrong end of a revolver or a rifle. They won’t take a chance on setting foot in Judge Parker’s court in Fort Smith. They’re good at evading Deputy U.S. Marshals and Lighthorsemen. What makes you think we have a chance of finding them? Indian Territory is a big country.”
“That’s discouraging news.”
“I hope so. We don’t have time for dangerous games.”
“This is no game for me.” She bit her lower lip. “We finish my business first, and then we’ll tackle yours.”
“You forget who’s paying for this trip.”
“And who has what you need.”
He groaned at her obstinacy. “You can’t do what you need without me. I can’t do what I have to do without you.”
“That leaves us where?”
“We work together. No way to know what we’ll learn when or where. If we get a lead on your peddlers, we’ll follow up. Otherwise, we go where I need to go.”
“Maybe our goals are somehow connected and can be followed at the same time?”
“I doubt it.” A thought struck him. “If you’re planning to destroy whiskey when we find a peddler, forget it. That’s too dangerous.”
“I want a lot more than that, although I wouldn’t mind dumping whiskey in a river.” She cocked her head, eyes darkened with thought.
“Don’t even think it.” He reached out, drawn to touch her, but lowered his hand. “If you can come to trust me more, this’ll all go smoother.”
“That goes for you, too.”
He nodded. He’d eventually have to trust her, but not till it was absolutely necessary. “Come on in to my room. I need to stuff a few things in my saddlebags.”
“I’ll wait downstairs.”
He clasped her upper arm, glad that he had a reason to touch her. “Not so fast. I prefer to keep you in my sight till this job is done.”
“I insist on some privacy.”
“Not this morning.”
He heard footsteps coming up the stairs and glanced down the hall. Big Jim and Saul came into view, looking like trouble.