Whiskey Rose (Fallen) (17 page)

“
I do
n’
t know. Seems like I should
.
”
 
He smiled but he shook his head.

“
No you should
n’
t
.
” She smiled again and leaned back slightly.

“
I do
n’
t know where the line is
,
” she said softly,
“
I do
n’
t want to cross it
.
”

“
There is
n’
t a line
.
”

“
There is always a line. A point of no return
.
”

“
There is
n’
t a line
,
” he repeated
,“
I told you I wo
n’
t let you get burned
.
” She stared at him wide eyed for a moment. She believed him, she could
n’
t immediately identify why but for some reason she felt like she could do or say anything and he would continue to be as steady as a heartbeat.

“
Matt, can I have a word
?
” They both looked up at the sound of Izz
y’
s voice. Matt looked back into her eyes once more before he got up and walked toward Izzy.

“
What can I do for you
?
” Izzy led him back toward his office.

“
I thought you should know, I heard something odd while you were gone
.
”

“
Oh yeah, wha
t’
s that
?
”

“
Someone talking about a Ranger getting killed here
.
”

“
Why is that odd, there was a Ranger killed here
?
”

“
Yeah but I had no idea he was a Ranger until you showed up. How would anyone else know
?
”

“
Who was talking about it
?
”

“
A trapper, he is not a regular. I ca
n’
t for the life of me remember his name and
I’
ve been trying. But he has a cabin northwestof here right on the longhorn trail
.
”

“
Thanks
.
” Matt turned to go.

“
One more thin
g
…”

“
Yeah
?
”

“
Try to remember this is a case for you and yo
u’
ll be moving on but this is her life and when you pack it in sh
e’
s still going to be here
.
”

“
Understood
.
” Matt said before he walked out.

He was still thinking about the exchange as he rode, Izzy had stopped just short of warning him away from his daughter but he might as well have. He doubted Izzy knew that he knew the truth about his lack of relation to Rose. Intuition told him that Izzy was sending him on a wild goose chase, that he just wanted to get him out of the way for a while. But then there was the possibility that he wasn’t, that he really had heard what he claimed.  So Matt had to make a decision, stick close to Rose and make sure she was safe or run down a potential lead to Benji’s killer. The answer was so easy it rocked him. Now he was headed back to the saloon and Jack was looking into the phantom trapper.

He slipped in the back door and went up the back stairs. He crept quietly down the hall knowing that at least some of these rooms were inhabited. He heard muffled voices and laughter
from the rooms and Saloon noise drifting up from downstairs.  He made his way to the end of hall, very near the perch that Rose had pointed out to him. He stayed back far enough to be in the shadow as he looked over the room. Izzy was dealing cards. Rose was behind the bar. Everything looked as it should and he had to wonder if he had been a little paranoid in coming back and sneaking back in. He heard someone coming down the hall and tensed just in case but then he smelled her perfume.

“
Dixie
,
” he said without turning.

“
Hi cowboy, whatcha looking at
?
”

“
Can see the whole room from up here
.
”

“
Yeah, i
t’
s a pretty good vantage point. Pam used to stand up here and sing sometimes
.
”

“
Really
?
”

“
She was good, maybe better than Katrina, but do
n’
t tell her I said so
.
” Dixie had a faraway look in her eye and he could see she was remembering.
 “
Ah the good o
l
’ days
.
” She sighed and smiled
.“
So what are you looking for? I have a great eye for detail
.
”

“
I am not looking for anything, just looking
.
”

“
She is beautiful. She goes to a lot of lengths to hide it but it still comes through
.
” Matt knew she was talking about Rose.

“
Yeah
.
”

“
So what are you going to do about it
?
”

“
About what
?
”

“
About the fact that you are in love with her
.
”
 
Matt nearly choked but he recovered quickly.

“
I am her husband
.
”

“
Yeah and I am her mother
.
” Dixie laughed.

“
You look good for your age
.
” He smirked and she laughed again.

“
So why are you here really
?
” He arched a brow at her and half smiled.

“
What makes you think I am here for a particular reason
?
”

“
Well you were here casing the place a week before you actually showed up
.
”
 
He was surprised, he did
n’
t think anyone had noticed him
.“
Do
n’
t look so surprised hun, I never forget a handsome face
.
”

“
I am investigating
.
”

“
Oh what are you? A Marshall? A Ranger? A Pinkerton
?
” She wrinkled her nose at the last and he laughed.

“
Ranger
.
”

“
So are you investigating him
?
” Dixie pointed at Izzy.

“
Ros
e’
s father
?
”

“
Again if he is her father then I am her mother
.
” Matt smirked at that but did
n’
t repeat his earlier comment.

“
Dixie, I think you and I should talk
.
”

“
Well step into my office
.
” He followed her back down the hall to the very last room before the back stairs.

“
So is this your new room that you battled for
?
”

“
It sure is. What do you think
?
” He looked around. Everything was in disarray there were piles of clothes and half-filled crates.

“
I think you have some unpacking to do
.
”

“
Yes
,
” she sighed
,“
It seems that I forgot to consider what a pain the neck moving is
.
” Matt laughed and moved a crate out of the chair so that he could sit. Dixie hopped up on the corner of the bed and it bounced.

“
So, what are you investigating
?
” He could see the interest glittering in her eyes
.“
Or should I say who are you investigating
?
”

“
The murder that happened in the alley about a month ago
.
”

“
O
h
… that was a sad day
,
” she said softly.

“
You seem a little disappointed
.
”

“
Well i
t’
s not quite as intriguing as investigating someone here is it? So why did
n’
t you just tell us who you were and why you are here
?
” She looked at him and gasped
,“
You think one of us is the killer
?
” Suddenly the interest was back in her eyes.

“
Not likely. The worry was more that you might inadvertently tip off the real killer. Izzy said you girls could
n’
t keep a secret
.
”

“
Ha, is
n’
t that the pot calling the kettle black
.
” Dixie said indignant
.“
He spills more than a sieve
!
”

“
So did he tell you he was
n’
t Ros
e’
s father
?
”

“
Oh no honey, that one was easy. No father looks at his daughter the way he looks at her. Not unless there is something wrong with him
.
”

“
Really
?
” Matt tried to think back to the last time he had seen them in the same room together and realized that they were almost never in the same room unless it was the saloon.

“
He just gets chatty when h
e’
s amorous
.
”

“
Yo
u’
ve had him in here
?
”

“
Oh honey, who has
n’
t had him in. He enjoys the perks of running a cat house
.
” Dixie laughed
.“
Yeah he has paid at least one visit to everyone. Except for Katrina, and Rose of course
.
”

“
Right because he ca
n’
t afford her
.
” Matt smirked and Dixie laughed.

“
I love that she says that, and she has no idea that it just makes her that much more appealing to them
.
”

“
So why did you assume I was investigating him
?
”

“
Oh I do
n’
t know h
e’s
… He has mentioned some past misdeeds. I do
n’
tthink there is anything current. But h
e
… I dunno I just do
n’
t get good vibes from him
.
” Matt had to admit that he found that to be very interesting. He did
n’
t doubt the power of wome
n’
s intuition.

“
That is interesting. He certainly does
n’
t like having me here
.
”

“
Of course not
,
” she laughed
,“
Yo
u’
re another rooster in the hen house
.
”

“
Yeah but I am no
t
… messing with the hens
.
” He smirked.