Whiskey Rose (Fallen) by Melissa Jones Page A

another life . ”
    “ Yeah another life , ” she sighed. She stood up and picked up the bottle and glass and carried them back to the bar.
    “ Rose . ” She turned and was surprised to find him right behind her. He held his hand out to her. She looked at it and put hers in his. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. She wrapped her arms up and gripped his shoulders tightly.
     
    Matt could hear her coughing in the darkness. He could tell she was trying to muffle it but she was coughing. He smirked to himself and wondered if she would admit that she was sick now. He doubted it.
    When dawn came she still looked exhausted. He did n’ t say anything this time. Not after the way she had misconstrued it the last time he said she looked tired. Dixie however did n’ t have the same fear.
    “ You look terrible Darlin. Did n’ t you get any sleep last night ? ”
    “ Not much , ” Rose responded and then coughed as a punctuation.
    “ Oh Darlin, you are sick. You should be in bed . ”
    “ I already told her that . ” Matt said into his coffee cup.
    “ Oh honey, I meant that she needs to sleep. Not what you have in mind . ” Matt laughed at that but Rose did n’ t appear to appreciate the reference.
    “ Dixie ! ”
    “ You know what you need is a shot of Kentucky Whiskey . ” She said ignoring Ros e’ s outrage.
    “ How is that going to help ? ”
    “ It will kill that cough . ”
    “ It will ? ”
    “ Well it always works for me . ” Dixie said as she walked out of the room.
     
    He had to admire her determination even if he did n’ t see the need for it. She continued with her routine as if she was as right as rain. Even when she was interrupted with bouts of coughing. He was just about to make another attempt to talk her into going back to bed when someone came in from outside.
    “ Rose . ”
    “ Hi Marvin . ”
    “ Have you been outside ? ”
    “ No why ? ”
    “ You better come and take a look . ” Rose followed the man outside and Matt followed her. Rose gasped when she saw it. It was the word Whore scrawled across the front of the building in red paint. 
    Rose stood there feeling a little dumbfounded. She could n’ t imagine who would do such a thing. Matt grasped her shoulder and turned her marching her back inside.
    “ What are you doing ? ” she demanded.
    “ I will take care of this. You just do what you normally do . ” She looked up at him prepared to argue but simply nodded instead.
    Matt was angry as he attempted to scrub the paint off the front of the building. It was n’ t going to come off. Not all of it.
    “ Good morningMr. Anderson . ”
    “ Good morning Mr. McGregor. Do you happen to have any paint ? ”
    “ Sure, there are some cans back there . ” He pointed toward the back corner of the store and Matt started that direction .“ Wha t’ s the matter, you did n’ t have enough for the door ? ” Matt stopped dead and turned back.
    “ What did you say ? ”
    “ I said was n’ t the can Mr. Madison bought enough for the door ? ”
    “ Sure it was, we just had some more things to paint . ” Matt covered .“ Red right ? ”
    “ Yeah, there are a few more back there I think . ” Matt clenched his teeth and went to inspect the paint.
    He bought the red paint, his only other option was white and the letters would have shown through. When he returned to the Saloon he immediately walked around looking for a red door. Sure enough the back door was freshly painted red. On the ground beside the door was the paint can and a brush. Anyone could have used it. He couldn’t prove Izzy had anything to do with it but still it didn’t sit right. The older man had barely been around at all in the last two days. He wasn’t sure if that was out of character or not but it didn’t seem right.
     
    “ Rose, you got a minute . ” Rose looked up and saw Matt framed in the doorway.
    “ Sure . ” She took her apron off and tossed it on the bar as she walked out. She