Sundance by David Fuller

came in off the porch and shut the front door. Thinking she was alone, she let her body deflate, falling back against the door, hands shaking. She brought them to her face. After a moment, she lowered them, then jumped with a small shriek when she saw him leaning against the wall, in shadow between two windows, out of sight of the outdoor posse.
    â€œLord have
mercy
!” said Mina.
    Longbaugh sensed that something other than LeFors’s presence was upsetting her, but he did not know how to ask her what it was. “Eighteen’s not enough, but twenty makes a fair fight,” he said with a half smile, trying to get on her good side.
    â€œHow did you get in here?” she hissed, as if the posse might be listening.
    â€œI thought your husband was alive.”
    â€œHe is. In Indiana with his new . . . family.” She struggled for composure. “Care to tell me how you got past all those men?”
    Longbaugh shrugged. “LeFors never was too bright.”
    â€œHe’s a lawman, perhaps you should show him respect.”
    â€œSomething’s wrong, Mina. What is it?”
    â€œ
You!
You scared me half to death!”
    He knew better than to press her. He was silent a moment, then said, “Where is she?”
    â€œYou are some kind of brazen, sneaking in here like this. But you always did sneak around.” There she was, the old Mina he had expected, the haughty sister-in-law who looked down on him.
    â€œSo you’re back to being Wilhelmina Matthews. No more Mrs. Fallows.”
    She glared at him and he was sorry to have retaliated.
    â€œWill you at least tell me if she’s all right?” he said.
    â€œI’d say it’s fortunate that Mr. LeFors told me you might be alive. I would have had you for a ghost. I should call him back in right now.”
    â€œWhy don’t you?”
    â€œThat man is a nincompoop, he doesn’t deserve to catch you. But I’d do it, Harry, I’d do it. Only she wouldn’t like it.”
    â€œWhere is she?”
    â€œNew York! Where
you
sent her!”
    â€œShe’s still there?”
    She crossed her arms. “I do not know.” He thought her anger was forced. She may have disliked him, but once again he guessed she was covering something. He looked around to give her a moment to collect herself. He had always liked this room, large and masculine, heavy wooden furniture, a fireplace made of large stones and walls stained dark brown, although now that her husband was gone, so were the old hunting trophies. The room had been softened by flower and landscape paintings, with doilies under lamps. The foreman would have stayed to handle the ranch for her. He was a good man, and would not have left a woman to try to run it by herself. He didn’t remember the foreman’s name, and he flashed on the moment in Browns Park when he hadn’t remembered the cook’s name, then realized all that had happened only three days before.
    â€œYou were a fool to come here, Harry.”
    â€œI’ll be gone soon enough. When did you last hear from her?”
    â€œA year, I suppose. Or two—it’s not safe here.”
    His pulse quickened. “A year or two?”
    â€œDoes that surprise you?” Mina smiled coldly.
    Longbaugh said nothing. She would be pleased to think that her baby sister was out of touch with the man Mina disliked.
    â€œFine. Stay and risk yourself. I’d feel sorry for you, except for what they told me.”
    â€œWhat did LeFors say?”
    â€œHe said that you killed a boy.”
    â€œI see.”
    â€œThat’s it, that’s all? No explanation? No justification?”
    Longbaugh said nothing.
    Her voice softened, impressed that he made no excuses. “I’ve never thought of you as a killer, Harry.”
    â€œI want to find her. If she’s done with me, she needs to say so.”
    Mina watched him in the shadow. “Apparently the newspapers