plain, enveloping them in a cloud of red clay. “Thought I had her that time. Clean shot and everything. The woman must be blessed.”
“Will you shut your mouth?” Butch stared down the lonely road to the cow town. No one had followed them; the noise had seen to that. Yet he knew that their boss would not be pleased with their failure to gun down the prissy authoress. Haskwell accepted excuses from no one. He wanted results, and settled for nothing less.
“We’ll have to trail her. Christ, I’d hoped to have this thing done by now. We’ll have to find out what she’s doing, where she’s going. You still got that barber friend in town, the one who cut my ear?”
“Yeah. He didn’t take too kindly to your decorating his chair with lead,” Damien said sullenly.
“Ain’t that a shame. Tell him unless he wants me to come back and do the rest, we want to know where that girl’s heading. And who she’s going with.”
“Right.” Damien grinned, his sallow face wolfish. “Don’t worry, Butch. She’ll be on Boot Hill with the best of them.”
“She’d better. Or I’d hate to be the one to tell Haskwell we’ve failed.”
Damien’s smile disappeared. He jerked on the reins, and started back toward town.
The Drovers Cottage hotel stood beside the railroad. Cowboys sat on the shaded veranda, whittling long chunks of cottonwood while watching the trains unload. Rows of single windows stared out into the street, echoing the vacant gazes of the cowhands below. Spruce green shutters framed the windows, offering the only touch of color on the beige clapboard hotel.
Amanda followed Luke inside, dragging her bird cage and carpetbag behind her, oblivious to the disbelieving stares that her appearance warranted. Inside, she could see past the register desk to the bar and restaurant, and what appeared to be a billiard room. A stout, matronly woman glanced up from behind the desk and gave Luke a broad smile.
“I’m Lou Gore. Can I help you with something?” The woman’s face wrinkled with worry when her eyes fell upon Amanda. “Does your lady need assistance with those…things?”
“We’re not in any hurry,” Luke said smoothly, shooting Amanda a warning look. “We just need a room for the night.”
“You’re in luck, I’ve one left. Cattle train arrived yesterday, you know. Got the stockyards filled. There’s two things you boys all want when you get to town.” Lou beamed as she scribbled out the names. “You’ve got the one, and I’ll help you with the other.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Amanda put down the owl and scrutinized the hotel matron. “What are the two things?”
“Amanda.” Luke’s hand tightened on hers, then he sent Lou an apologetic smile. “It’s been a long ride.”
Amanda gasped in outrage, but the woman gave her a sympathetic glance and nodded.
“I know, it’s hardest on the ladies. Hauled across country on some godforsaken trail, and for what? Gold, cattle or homesteading. Expecting too, some of them are.” She smiled at Amanda, taking in her rumpled dress and stained sleeves. “I’ll take good care of you, honey. A nice bath and bed, and you’ll feel like a new woman in the morning.”
“But I feel fine…” Amanda protested, earning another approving glance for her bravery.
“You two just come with me and I’ll take care of everything.” Ignoring her protests, the woman hefted Amanda’s bag, then escorted them up the staircase to the long, narrow corridor lined with doors. Selecting room number twenty-one, Lou fitted a key into the lock and opened the door.
“There you are, bag and baggage. I’ll send a girl up with a bath. The dining room’s downstairs, with a place for male refreshments. And if you need anything else, you just holler.”
Amanda waited until they were alone, then stared at Luke quizzically. “Why did you only get one room? Did she forget the key?”
“No,” Luke said patiently. “She thought we…wanted a single
“Will you shut your mouth?” Butch stared down the lonely road to the cow town. No one had followed them; the noise had seen to that. Yet he knew that their boss would not be pleased with their failure to gun down the prissy authoress. Haskwell accepted excuses from no one. He wanted results, and settled for nothing less.
“We’ll have to trail her. Christ, I’d hoped to have this thing done by now. We’ll have to find out what she’s doing, where she’s going. You still got that barber friend in town, the one who cut my ear?”
“Yeah. He didn’t take too kindly to your decorating his chair with lead,” Damien said sullenly.
“Ain’t that a shame. Tell him unless he wants me to come back and do the rest, we want to know where that girl’s heading. And who she’s going with.”
“Right.” Damien grinned, his sallow face wolfish. “Don’t worry, Butch. She’ll be on Boot Hill with the best of them.”
“She’d better. Or I’d hate to be the one to tell Haskwell we’ve failed.”
Damien’s smile disappeared. He jerked on the reins, and started back toward town.
The Drovers Cottage hotel stood beside the railroad. Cowboys sat on the shaded veranda, whittling long chunks of cottonwood while watching the trains unload. Rows of single windows stared out into the street, echoing the vacant gazes of the cowhands below. Spruce green shutters framed the windows, offering the only touch of color on the beige clapboard hotel.
Amanda followed Luke inside, dragging her bird cage and carpetbag behind her, oblivious to the disbelieving stares that her appearance warranted. Inside, she could see past the register desk to the bar and restaurant, and what appeared to be a billiard room. A stout, matronly woman glanced up from behind the desk and gave Luke a broad smile.
“I’m Lou Gore. Can I help you with something?” The woman’s face wrinkled with worry when her eyes fell upon Amanda. “Does your lady need assistance with those…things?”
“We’re not in any hurry,” Luke said smoothly, shooting Amanda a warning look. “We just need a room for the night.”
“You’re in luck, I’ve one left. Cattle train arrived yesterday, you know. Got the stockyards filled. There’s two things you boys all want when you get to town.” Lou beamed as she scribbled out the names. “You’ve got the one, and I’ll help you with the other.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Amanda put down the owl and scrutinized the hotel matron. “What are the two things?”
“Amanda.” Luke’s hand tightened on hers, then he sent Lou an apologetic smile. “It’s been a long ride.”
Amanda gasped in outrage, but the woman gave her a sympathetic glance and nodded.
“I know, it’s hardest on the ladies. Hauled across country on some godforsaken trail, and for what? Gold, cattle or homesteading. Expecting too, some of them are.” She smiled at Amanda, taking in her rumpled dress and stained sleeves. “I’ll take good care of you, honey. A nice bath and bed, and you’ll feel like a new woman in the morning.”
“But I feel fine…” Amanda protested, earning another approving glance for her bravery.
“You two just come with me and I’ll take care of everything.” Ignoring her protests, the woman hefted Amanda’s bag, then escorted them up the staircase to the long, narrow corridor lined with doors. Selecting room number twenty-one, Lou fitted a key into the lock and opened the door.
“There you are, bag and baggage. I’ll send a girl up with a bath. The dining room’s downstairs, with a place for male refreshments. And if you need anything else, you just holler.”
Amanda waited until they were alone, then stared at Luke quizzically. “Why did you only get one room? Did she forget the key?”
“No,” Luke said patiently. “She thought we…wanted a single
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