Whiskey Rose (Fallen) (2 page)

Rose closed the door and leaned against it wearily. She flipped the deadbolt then automatically she began pulling the pins out that were holding her wig in place. She carefully placed the blond cap on the wig stand on her vanity next to two others. She took off the hair net next. Then she buried her fingers deep in her hair and shook like crazy. She sighed as the hair on her arms stood on end. There was just something therapeutic about literally letting her hair down.  The shoes were next in her routine. She sat down and rubbed her feet for five minutes each before moving to the next step. Her night time routine was always the same. She never changed it, never even added subtle variations. Her routine reminded her that she was in control of her life. Reminded her that this was only temporary, that everything she did served a purpose. Once she completed the routine she sat down on the edge of the bed and retrieved a bible from the night table drawer. She ran her hand over the smooth leather cover. She flipped it open and stared for a moment at the faded photograph that was marking the page.  She read through the scripture that was marked. Feeling relaxed enough she laid down on the bed. She drifted off to sleep holding an image of a blond curly haired toddler in her mind.

Matt looked up at the wooden building frame, it looked quite a bit different in the light of day. All the people were gone now. It seemed almost deserted, as if the building its self were sleeping in the crisp morning air. He was ready to head back in now though, now he was armed with exactly what he neede
d
… information.

Matt stepped though the swinging doors. This time he was met with the scent of coffee rather than smoke and booze. He even thought he detected a hint of bacon. 

“
Sorry Darli
n
’ w
e’
re not open yet. Try Maggi
e’
s up the road. Sh
e’
ll get you a hot breakfast
.
” The suggestion came from a blond woman with a soft Texas drawl standing behind the bar. She was tall with exaggerated curves in all the right places she was beautiful but he expected nothing less from this place now.  

“
Thanks for the tip. I am looking for Isaiah Madison
.
” The woma
n’
s attention seemed to focus on him he could tell she was evaluating him. He kept his posture carefully relaxed and tried to look friendly.

“
Who shall I tell him is calli
n’?
”

“
Wo
n’
t do any good he does
n’
t know me
.
”

“
Then what is your business with him
.
”

“
I
t’
s personal
,
” he said and smiled. She returned his smile but he could see she was a little annoyed. 

“
Just a minute
,
” she walked through a door just past the end of the bar. She returned seconds later followed by a broad chested bear of a man with dark hair and a handle bar moustache.

“
Help you
?
” The man asked. He was very to the point. There were no unnecessary words not eve
n‘
can
I’
.

“
I certainly hope so. Is there some where we can talk privately
?
”

“
Anything you have to say you can say in front of my daughter
.
” The man said and Matt smiled. H
e’
d been told Isaiah ran this place with his daughter but he expected she was more of a behind the scenes figure. Certainly not the toothsome woman behind the bar. He did
n’
t see the resemblance but then again that would be like comparing a grizzly to a wood nymph.

“
Maybe you want to hear what I have to say before you make that decision
.
” Matt looked long and hard into the other ma
n’
s eyes hoping he would get his meaning. He did.

“
What did you say your name was
?
”

“
I did
n’
t
.
” The two men stared at each other for a moment before the older man relented.

“
Come with me
.
”

Once they were ensconced in his office Isaiah dispatched with the pleasantries.

“
What is it that you want
?
” He asked dropping down into the chair behind the desk. Matt tossed Benj
i’
s badge on the desk before he sat down.

“
W
e’
re not breaking any laws here Ranger. So what is this, a shake down
?
”

"The man that wore that badge was my partner. He was murdered behind your saloon." Isaiah's expression lightened perceptibly.

"I am sorry for your loss Sergeant but as I told the Sheriff we didn't see anything. I'm not saying he wasn't here. He very well could have been. We are very busy on the weekends, but no one remembers him and no one saw what happened." Matt felt a surge of temper that he quickly reined in. No one remembered him, he remembered, he wasn't going to let him be forgotten.

"It is very likely there was a murderer in your Saloon possibly frequently in your Saloon."

"This ain't a church. The very nature of our business attracts some very unsavory characters."

"You would know, wouldn't you Mr. Madison? Or should I say Mr. McGill?" Matt watched the other man lean back in his chair slightly and took a deep breath.

"Relax I am not here to run you in. I don't care about something that happened twenty years ago I care about what happened to my partner."

"I would like to help you, I really would but I just don't know anything. Sorry."

"You can still help me."

"How's that?"

"I need to find the killer before he knows I am looking for him."

"So you want to go undercover in the Saloon."

"Exactly." Matt smiled glad he didn't have to spell it out. If push came to shove he still had deniability with the captain if he didn't actually say the words.

"It won't work. The girls can't keep a secret, not one of them. If I don't tell them who you are they'll be suspicious."

"So tell them I am a relative." The older man looked at him for a moment as if sizing him up.

"No matter what, you're going to need Rose's help."

"I thought you said the girls couldn't keep a secret."

"They can't. Rose is not one of the girls." Matt resisted the urge to smirk. Clearly the man was blind when it came to his daughter. Isaiah eyed him a moment longer then stood and walked to the door. He called her and she appeared a moment later.

"Rose, I'd like you to meet..." he hesitated, "what was your name?"

"Matt Harrison."

"Rose I'd like you to meet Matt Harrison, your husband." It took all of Matt's training to keep the shocked expression off his face. To her credit the woman did
n’
t react. She looked at him then back at her father. He could see a hint of a flush under her skin.

“
Would you excuse us for a moment Mr. Harrison
?
” she said softly. He was tempted to refuse just to see if that invoked a reaction but he did still need her cooperation so he simply stood and stepped out of the office.

“
Tell me what is going on right now
.
” Ros
e’
s voice was calm,in direct contradiction with her inflamed temper
.“
Do you owe money? Did you lose a bet? Are you gambling again
?
”

“
No of course not, i
t’
s nothing like that. He is a Texas Ranger. He is investigating the death of that man they found behind the Saloon. He needs a cover
.
”

“
So you gave him me
?
”

“
It seemed like a good solution, the girls are starting to wonder about your husband that they have never seen. Now they will have seen him. He will be around a week or two until he catches the killer or decides to move on. Everyone wins
.
”

“
Everyone wins
?
” She wanted to shout but she was
n’
t a shouter
.“
Has it occurred to you that I will have to act like this man is my husband, play the doting wife to some stranger
?
”

“
You can do it, yo
u’
re a pro. Besides you wanted to hire an enforcer, now you do
n’
t have to. Yo
u’
ll save money
!
” He grinned and she wanted to take a swing at his head.  She walked to the door and opened it. As she expected he was standing in the hallway.  He was tall and good looking. He had sandy brown hair and pale blue eyes. The combination was only going to cause problems.

“
If you are going to be here there are going to be ground rules. If any of them are unacceptable then you need to find an alternative cover now
.
”
 
Matt was a bit surprised to hear her voice had lost its soft Texas drawl. She sounded almost stern now. He got the feeling she was daring him to refuse. Maybe hoping he would.

“
Alright, le
t’
s hear these rules
.
”

“First you are only pretending to be my husband. You will not be sharing my bed. You will not touch me unless I invite you to do so for the sake of your cover
,” she paused and he nodded, she was attractive certainly but not to the point that he couldn’t control himself. He liked his women a little more… friendly. “You will not fraternize with the girls. You are supposed to be a married man after all.” He smirked at that. He couldn’t help it. Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Since we are helping you I expect you to help us with a need that we have.”

“
Wha
t’
s that
?
” Matt was instantly on alert.

“
We need an enforcer
.
”

“
What does that entail
?
”

“
Occasionally we have problems with cowboys who drink too much or think they can get rough with the girls. We need someone that can show them the door. Can you handle yourself in a pinch
?
”

“
I am a Ranger
,
” he said, feeling that was answer enough
.“
Anything else
?
”

“
Your name is Matt Anderson, you are in the army, Calvary to be specific and you are here on leave
.
”

“
What difference does my name make
?
”

“
Anderson is my name. You want to be my husband so you take my name. When I want to be your wife
I’
ll take your name
.
” He smiled at that.

“
Where am I stationed
?
”

“
Austin
.
”

“
So why are
n’
t you there
?
” She glared at him and he smiled again
.“
Just trying to get my facts straight
.
”

“
Because you are gone more than you are there. I come to see you whenever you have time off
.
”

“
Well tha
t’
s nice of you
.
”

“
Mr. Harriso
n
…”

“
Anderson
,
” he interrupted and he could see she was getting more irritated by the second.

“
If this is just a big joke to you why are you wasting everyon
e’
s time
?
” His smile fell away immediately.

“
I
t’
s not a joke
,
” he said coolly.

“
Come on
I’
ll show you where yo
u’
ll be staying
.
” Matt followed her.