Dorothy Garlock (16 page)

“She'll tell you when she's ready for you to know.” Thad picked up a dish towel and started drying the dishes.

“You don't have to do that, ”Jill protested.

“I want to. I like being in here with you like this. It's like we were old married folks living in our little house out on the prairie.”

She glanced up at him. His shimmering green eyes were busy exploring every feature of her face. His smile was lazy and satisfied. Her belly felt warm; her heart thumped; her senses splintered.

“If that were the case, you'd be washing dishes and I'd be sitting over there in the rocking chair watching you.” She suddenly felt deliciously reckless and smiled into his eyes.

“You'd be boss? ”he asked with mock horror.

“Of course. The smartest one is always the boss, ”she said with a sassy grin.

“I'd be boss. I'm bigger than you are.” A rumble of laughter came from him.

“I notice you didn't say smarter.”

“I was getting around to that.”

They were laughing into each other's eyes when Jill glanced over his shoulder to see Lloyd Madison's silhouette filling the doorway. The smile left her face so quickly that Thad turned. His eyes followed hers.

“The rooms back of the stairway are private family rooms, Mr. Madison, ”Jill said coolly. “If you need something, you can speak to Mr. Evans at the front desk.”

“I'm sorry, Miss Jones. The hotel is so homey, I didn't realize that there were places in it where guests were not welcome.”

“You're welcome to use the porch and the lobby.”

“Well, yes. I'm aware of that.” Lloyd smiled shyly and managed to look embarrassed. “I was looking for you.”

“Well? ”

“I came to ask if you'd walk uptown with me. We could get an ice cream or some popcorn.”

“No, thank you. I have work to do.”

“It's early. I can wait until you're finished.”

“No, Mr. Madison. I'm not interested in going out with you.”

“Why not? I haven't heard that you're going out with anyone special.” He glanced at Thad standing beside Jill with a dishcloth in his hand, then, with a lift of his brows, dismissed him.

“I can set you straight on that, Madison.” Thad spoke before Jill could open her mouth. He looped his arm across her shoulders. “Jill is spoken for. She's my girl. And I'm possessive as hell of what's mine.”

“Is that so? ”Lloyd spread his feet, rocked back on his heels and crossed his arms across his chest. His face was set in a condemning expression. “I'm considered a good catch, Jill. As a lawyer, I will earn considerably more than a day laborer.”

“What you earn may be important to some women but not to me.” Jill looked Lloyd in the eye and leaned closer into Thad's embrace.

“After a few years of drudgery you may change your mind.”

“I think not. I'm proud to be Thad's girl, Mr. Madison.”

“Then why did you walk out with Westfall the other night? ”

Jill's face reddened. Her blood was churning, yet so far she had been able to hold on to her temper. Now it was about to break out and spew all over him. When she spoke, her words were sharper and her voice louder than usual.

“I don't have to explain my actions to you.”

“No. No, you don't, ”he said in an apologetic tone. “I was just curious. Some women would think Westfall handsome. Being rich is also in his favor. You should be careful of him, though. Most people think that he killed that prostitute who was staying with him.”

“Talk is cheap, Madison.” Thad's hand tightened on Jill's shoulder. “If the sheriff and the officer they brought in agreed with
most people,
Westfall would be in jail.”

“If folks get riled up, he won't make it to the jail.” Lloyd moved back out of the doorway. “Guess I'll walk uptown and see in what direction the wind is blowing.”

Thad went to the door and watched Lloyd saunter past Justine's room and out onto the porch through the lobby. When he turned, Jill was beside him. He looked down into her worried eyes.

“He gives me the creeps and it has nothing to do with the thing on his face. Somehow, I can't even feel sorry for him because of it.”

“I think we set him straight about you being my girl.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Thad's eyes scanned her face, lingering long on her mouth, sliding down her throat to the neck of her dress. In his temple ticked a racing pulse. His breath was warm on her face and in his eyes she saw the signs of an internal battle being fought. He dragged his gaze away from her, afraid that he had allowed too much of what he felt for her to show.

“It's no more than what any gentleman would have done in order to save a damsel in distress.” The old teasing grin was back and he winked at her.

For an instant her eyes flashed like lightning as she glared up at him. Her heart was heavy with the hurt that he would make light of his saying she was his girl, even if it was a lie to protect her from Lloyd Madison.

“You're no gentleman, Thad Taylor.” She managed to speak lightly, trying to appear nonchalant. “But you are a pretty good dish dryer. So get busy.”

Radna sat close to Justine's bed. The two women talked in low tones.

“He wants me to be afraid of him. He knows that I can't even lift my damn hands to defend myself! ”

“He won't hurt you. He knows that if I didn't kill him, Thad would. He just wants to keep you scared.”

“He's doing a damn good job of that.”

“And you're letting him.” Radna arranged the pillows behind Justine so that she could sit up a little straighter. “Bernie Shepard didn't stay long today.”

“Long enough. I told him that Lloyd wanted me to give him control of my affairs.”

“And what did he say to that? ”

“He snorted and said that Lloyd had known that I'd not do that. Bernie called it mind games he was playing with me. He said that I'd better have an airtight will. He's going to look things over and be back in a day or two with a paper for me to sign while I can still move enough to put an X on it. He said he'd bring Judge Broers and several others to witness it. The judge's wife, Patsy, and I are old friends.”

“Did you tell him anything about Lloyd? ”

“I had to. He's one of the few men in town that I trust. He's been in Rainwater almost as long as I have.”

“I remember when you and Ralph built the hotel. I thought you were just pouring your money down a rat hole. Shows you what I know. It provided you with a living when Ralph died.”

“I want this place sold as soon as I'm gone, Radna, ”Justine said earnestly and looked pleadingly into the eyes of her friend. “And I don't want Lloyd Madison to get his hands on a penny of it.”

“I'd not worry about that. Bernie knows what to do.”

“But Lloyd's smart and he knows the law.”

“Yeah, but Bernie knows the law, too. Stop worrying. You've got me, Jill and Thad, and soon you'll have Joe Jones. If he's half the man Thad is, he's a corker.” Radna lifted her brows. “Flitter, Justine, why couldn't I have met a man like Thad when I was younger? ”

“Because you've always had some good-for-nothing booze-hound hanging on that you felt you had to take care of. You don't leave any time for anyone else.”

“Jesus! I'm sorry I asked.”

“It's true.”

“I'm the only person in the world that cares if he lives or dies, Justine.”

“Did you ever stop to think that he made his own bed and you should let him lie in it? ”

“Many times. But that doesn't mean that I can walk away from him. Let's talk about something else. I think that Thad likes Jill a lot.”

“Of course he does. He told me the night he came here that she was like a little sister to him.”

“Sister, my hinder. He may have thought that the day he got here, but his attitude changed the minute he got a good look at her. He watches her like a man starving for a drink of water. He can't keep his hands off her.”

“I've seen men like that and so have you. Most of the time it means they're desperate to get their rocks hauled.”

“This isn't like that. If it was, he'd have turned handsprings when he saw Laura Hopper. You've got to admit that you've never seen a more beautiful girl than Laura. I don't think Thad even noticed.”

“Oh, he noticed. Most men go into instant lust when they see Laura. Thad just hides it better than most.”

“What a terrible burden for a girl to bear, ”Radna said with a deep sigh.

“I've seen plenty of men go into full erection when they looked at you, ”Justine said with a cocked brow. “Even Bernie Shepard gave you the eye before he was married.”

“That was when I was young and women around here were scarce as hen's teeth.”

“Not that scarce.”

“Are you about ready to sleep now? ”Radna stood up and stretched her arms over her head.

“All right, change the subject when you think I'm going to mention that good-looking lawman who was head over heels in love with you.”

“It wouldn't have worked and you know it. I'd have dragged him down and he'd probably have lost his job. Now … are you ready to go to sleep? ”

“Are you going out there tonight? ”

“It's a perfect time. Sheriff Page is so busy with the murder, he'll not be paying attention to me.”

“Be careful, Radna.”

“I'm always careful.”

“You know what I mean? ”

“I know. Do you think I've given Thad enough time to kiss Jill? ”

“I have a feeling that if he wants to kiss her, he'll make the time. I wish to hell I could handle that gun under the pillow.”

“You won't need it. Thad sleeps on the canvas cot in the hallway.”

“What's to keep him from coming in the window? ”

“Him? You mean Lloyd Madison? ”

“Or anyone.”

“Do you want me to sleep in here with you? ”

“No. You have things you want to do. I can still yell loud, if I have to.”

“You don't have to tell me that. Back in the old days you could yell loud enough to raise the dead if someone was rough with one of your girls. I've seen a few suckers leaving here in the middle of the night carrying their pants in one hand and holding their tally-whackers with the other.” Radna's laughter filled the room. “You were behind them with that old blunderbuss, yelling so loud you woke up everyone on this side of town.”

“Lord! That seems a lifetime ago. Don't let Jill hear you saying anything like that. That's a part of my life I don't want my family to know about.”

“You were some woman in those days. Your family should be proud of you.” Radna laughed again and tossed her head. The thick dark hair, tied back with a ribbon, bounced on her slender shoulders. She moved like a young girl who owned the world: her head back, her shoulders straight.

Radna hasn't changed all that much since I first met her,
Justine thought, watching her as she went to the door.
She's still a damn good-looking woman. She's used her little dab of Negro blood as a shield between her and any decent man who wanted her. Lord, I wish she could find a good man who would take care of her after I'm gone.

“I'll lock the door and give Jill the key. She'll be in to turn out the light.”

After the door had closed behind Radna, Justine slowly turned her head and looked toward the bureau at the picture of her late husband.

“Another long, lonely night ahead, my love. Help me to get through it.”

Hunter Westfall sat at the desk in a dimly lit room in his house. He stared down at the papers he knew needed his attention, but he couldn't concentrate. The past two days had been the most hellish of his life.

When things were not going well for him, he had always been able to relax and enjoy himself with a woman — one for whom he didn't have to have much, if any, consideration, one who enjoyed the bed games as much as he did.

The weight of guilt he felt for bringing Carsie here had almost brought him to his knees when he saw the butterfly on the body he had played with for over a period of a week and a half. She had been a lusty, full-of-life woman when he left her Saturday to go to the meeting. She didn't deserve to die like that. He prayed that she had been dead before the monster began cutting her.

His last conversation with her had played over and over in his mind the last few days. As hard as he tried, he couldn't ferret out a reason for her to be so angry with him that she would leave so suddenly.

They had been at the dinner table. Dinah had prepared a delicious meal and he had brought out a bottle of his best for an after-dinner drink.

“This meeting is important, or I wouldn't go, ”he explained and playfully pulled Carsie down on his lap. Dipping one of her full breasts in his liquor glass, he sucked on the nipple beneath the thin material.

“Lover! That feels good. I'd tell you that you're the best lover I ever had, but you've already got an inflated opinion of your abilities.”

“This is a hell of time to have to go to a dull meeting.” He tipped his glass and let the whiskey trickle down between her breasts.

“Oh … you just filled my belly button! Stay here, lover. You'd have more fun with me.” She wiggled on the hardness of his erection beneath her bottom.

“I'll be back about nine. We'll have all night and all day tomorrow …after we go to church.”

“Church, my foot! ”Carsie laughed. “If I know you, we'll stay in bed all day.”

“It's what you want, isn't it? ”

“Sure it is, lover. I have a few new tricks to show you. Don't you dare stop along the way.” She wiggled on his hardness again.

Hunter laughed. “Better stop that or I'll have to go change clothes.”

“I don't want the edge taken off this.” She rocked back and forth on his lap.

“If it were, there would still be plenty left for you.”

“That's what I like about you.” She put her arms around his neck and kissed him with an open mouth. “Morning, noon or night, you're ready and randy as a billy goat. I heard that a goat can do it every hour on the hour all day long. Have you ever tried it? ”

Hunter grinned at her, then nipped her lower lip. “No, but I'd like to …with you. I'd need to rest for a week before going on a marathon like that. Now get that sweet butt of yours off my lap so I can get going.”

“I'll be waiting.”

The last time he had seen her was when he took his hat from the hall tree, bent and kissed her on the lips and walked happily out the door thinking about the night ahead.