Whiskey Rose (Fallen) (22 page)

“I just… I ah… need a minute.” He grabbed his shirt and walked out the door closing it softly behind him.  He wasn’t sure where he was going but he pulled his shirt on and headed for the back door. He heard a thump and stopped short. He reached for his gun but gripped only thigh. He had left his gun behind. He heart began to pound a slow steady rhythm as he moved slowly forward. He heard the thump again and saw that it came from the back door. It was cracked open and thumping against the jamb. He looked up the back stairs but he didn’t see anyone. He stepped out the back door and looked both ways. He stepped back in and shut and locked the door. He thought one of those frisky cowboys must’ve left the door open on his way out.  He sat down on the second step of the stair case and looked at his hands. He shouldn’t have walked out. But something inside of him has seized when she’d said she had never done that before.  She lied to him. It was the first time he knew for sure she had lied and it hurt
. It burned in his gut. People lied to him all the time. Every man he had ever arrested had sworn he had the wrong guy. But this was different. He wanted to trust her, he needed to trust her. If he couldn’t then she was a suspect and right now it looked very likely that that’s what she was. In fact it was likely that she had been playing him the whole time. He only knew of one virgin mother and she wasn’t it.

Rose pulled the sides of her shirt tightly around her. She suddenly felt acutely alone. She never expected that the fact that she was a virgin would bother him so much. She really had
n’
t intended to tell him but for some reason it suddenly seemed important that he know. She squeezed her eyes shut, she knew why it was important that he know. She wanted him to know that he was special. That she would
n’
t open herself up to just anyone. She loved him.

Matt didn’t go back into the bedroom until she left it. Then he went in for the rest of his clothes and left by the backdoor. He was a coward for avoiding her and he knew it but he wasn’t ready to face her either. He needed to get a hold of his emotions. He had messed up this time. He had been taken in by those smoky eyes and forgotten his professionalism. All wasn’t lost though. He hadn’t done anything that couldn’t be salvaged. He would put aside his personal feelings and be the Ranger he was trained to be. After all of this was over, after he caught Benji’s killer then he would go home and lick his wounds.

“
Jack
.
”

“
Matt, good to see you
.
”

“
You too
.
” Matt sat down in front of Jac
k’
s desk and put his feet up on the corner
.“
Tell me you know something interesting
.
”

“
I know a lot of interesting things
,
” Jack said blandly and Matt smirked.

“
No you do
n’
t, you just think you do
.
”

“
For instance Mr. Frank McGill began life in Tennessee a coal mine
r’
s son. Got into some trouble running moonshine, which led him to hook up with Shawn Wiccam,who was Hank Wicca
m’
s son. Turns out Shawn is
n’
t quite the bank robber his daddy is. He and his pal got picked up when they fumbled an attempt. After a string of minor offences. Frank found himself a real criminal to emulate. Orin Kline
.
” Matt sat up straight and put his boots back on the floor. Now they were getting somewhere.

“
Go on
.
”

“
He is listed as a known associate in several reports. He was not picked up at the time of Klin
e’
s alleged death though. Since then he has been Isaiah Madison and he has been squeaky clean
.
” Matt stood up and paced he always did his best thinking on his feet.

“
What makes a career criminal go legit
?
”

“
Not much
.
”

“
Religion, family
.
” Matt held up a finger for each and looked at Jack
.“
Fear
.
” He ticked up the third finger
.“
Fear of being caught or fear of being killed. Given the two choices I think I would fear Kline more than the Rangers
.
”

“
H
e’
s hiding from Kline
.
” Jack said.

“
He crossed him somehow and I would bet my teeth it was over the girl
.
”

“
Ahh yes the gir
l
… The last family that was killed, census records show their oldest child was a girl. Savannah Wallace, her body was not found.  The records also show that the mother was born Melody Kline
.
” Matt slowly sank back down to the chair
.“
So it would seem that Kline followed his sister to Texas
.
”

“
So why did he kill her? And her whole family
?
”

“
Got me
.
” Jack shrugged
.“
I think the more important question is did McGill save her or follow her
?
”

“
Oh damn
.
” Matt surged back to his feet
.“
He saved her last time but now h
e’
s laying the ground work to be able to kill her. Trying to make it look like someone else. He might even be behind the killings of those other four that look like her. Kline may be dead after all. This may have all been McGill. I gotta go
.
” 

Matt was uneasy when he reached the Saloon. It was quiet but it was always quiet. The front doors were still locked up so he went around to the back. He looked down the alley, Benji had died in this alley did Izzy kill him? Was it more important to him to find Benj
i’
s killer or to protect Rose? He took a deep breath that was an easy answer. Rose might have been playing him for a fool but he was still sworn to serve and protect. She was alive. He had to keep her that way.

Izzy was
n’
t in the office. Matt took a deep breath and walked into the saloon. Rose was sitting at a table with ledgers and papers carefully laid out around her.

“
Have you seen Izzy
?
”

“
Not today
.
” She responded not looking up.

“
Any idea where I can find him
?
”

“
H
e’
ll turn up, he always does
.
” She was writing in one of the ledgers and he hated that he felt guilty for walking out. He walked up to the table and spun one of the chairs. He straddled it and to his surprise she actually looked up and met his eyes.
 “
Is there something I can do for you
?
”

“
No
.
”

“
Alright
.
” She focused her attention back on the papers in front of her.

“
Rose about last nigh
t
…”

“
Do
n’
t worry about it
.
”

“
I think I should explain
.
”

“
Matt, you won. There are no explanations necessary
.
” She flipped the book closed and began gathering up the other papers.

“
Won? Won what
.
”

“
The ridiculous wager that you made
.
” She stood up taking the papers with her.

“
Rose I was only teasing about that
.
”

“
If you say so
.
”
 
She walked into the store room and he rubbed his eyes.  He could
n’
t protect her if she kicked him out. He needed to be able to catch Izzy in the act because at this point he had no proof. He gritted his teeth and followed her into the store room.

“
Rose, it was
n’
t like that
.
”

“
Matt, just let it go, i
t’
s over
.
” He was surprised that the words stung. As angry as he was,he was
n’
t ready to let go.

“
Rose
,
” He stepped forward and put his hands on her arms
.“I’
m sorry I walked out. I was just surprised
.
” She looked as if she did
n’
t believe him
.“
Tha
t’
s a lot of pressure to put on a guy
.
”

“
What are you talking about
?
”

“
I just mean that if i
t’
s the first time it should b
e
… right
.
” He could see her resolve starting to crumble and his guilt burned in his gut.

“
It wa
s
… right
.
”

“
Not right enough
,
” he whispered. He touched her face and she closed her eyes
.“
Rose, I never meant to hurt you
.
” As much as he hated to admit it,that was the truth. This whole operation had become about keeping her from being hurt, he did
n’
t want to be the one to do it.

“
Matt
I
…”

“
Do y
a’
ll know where this came from
?
” Matt looked up at the new voice it was Dixie in the doorway. She was holding something. Rose was thankful for the interruption she walked to Dixie to see what she was holding. It was a necklace. It was an ornate gold D on a long gold chain.

“
I
t’
s beautiful but I have
n’
t seen it before, why
?
”

“
I found it on my door knob
.
”

“
Looks like you have an admirer. D for Dixie
.
” Rose grinned and Dixie laughed. Matt stepped up and looked at the necklace.

“
I did
n’
t think anyone was that taken with me
.
”

“
Well wear the necklace tonight. I bet yo
u’
ll be able to tell who it came from by his reaction
.
” Rose suggested and Dixie grinned.

“
You think I should
?
”

“
Why not, wha
t’
s the worst that could happen
?
”

“
I think I will
.
” Dixie grinned then turned and practically skipped out the door.

“
Ros
e
…”

“
Matt do you believe in destiny
?
”

“
I suppose so
.
”

“
I do
n’
t
,
” she said simply and he frowned
.“
Life is a series of events. Some of them random,some of them cause and effect. All you can do is take those events whatever they are and make the best of it
.
”

“
What
?
”

“
Matt. It is what it is.
I’
m not upset so do
n’
t apologize just let it go
.
”
 
She turned and walked out of the store room but he did
n’
t follow her this time. He could
n’
t.

Rose shut the door and turned the lock. She squeezed her eyes shut as she slowly slid to the floor.  It was better this way, she told herself. She had a carefully calculated plan for the rest of her life and it did
n’
t include him, it could
n’
t include him. Besides he would be gone as soon as he finished his case.