5489ca3d66bdc781b84e71f936a6af70 by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-09T23:50:56.487300+00:00

* * *

Storms in Leadville were much worse than he’d seen in Denver, Will concluded after supper. The wind was howling more loudly than it had been earlier in the day, and though he knew Mary was eager to return home, he was glad they’d made the decision to stay. Sitting by the cozy fire in the parlor, Will couldn’t think of a better place to be. The forced relaxation was only relaxing because he knew that in the storm, Ben couldn’t do anything, either.

Jasper pulled up a chair next to him. “I’ve been thinking about your case.

What information do you have so far?”

Will looked around. The ladies were occupied with examining some sort of cloth and paying them no mind. In fact, Mary had done her best to avoid him since their discussion before the storm hit.

“Not much.” Will blew out a breath. “All I know is that he’s in Leadville.

I’ve spotted some of his gang, so I know they’re planning something. I met a woman, Mel, who confirmed that something big is going to happen, but she didn’t know what. With dozens of banks, assayer’s offices and mines, it could be anything.”

Jasper inclined his head in Mary’s direction. “How does she fit into this?”

“I don’t know. They were engaged at one time, which Mary claims is off, but Ben made a spectacle of it the other night. Either way, I can’t help but wonder if she knows something that can be of use. She doesn’t act innocent when I bring him up.”

That was the real problem. As much as he wanted to believe in Mary’s innocence, her body language and demeanor told him otherwise. He’d had the same suspicions with Daisy, but she’d charmed her way around them.

Though he knew Mary and Daisy were two different women, he also knew that in the area of interpreting body language, his gut was never wrong.

So, what was Mary hiding?

“And if she has nothing of value to tell you?”

Will sighed. In truth, he’d spent an awful lot of time pursuing Mary without knowing how she could be of help. What if he was wasting his time?

“I have no other leads.” He went through all of his encounters with Perry since arriving in Leadville. Except...

“What do you know of The Pink Petticoat?”

“That flophouse?” Jasper shook his head. “A man’s got to be desperate to go there.”

“What do you think Ben Perry would be doing there?”

Jasper raised an eyebrow as if to question Will’s idiocy. Everyone knew what a man did in there.

“But why The Pink Petticoat? Why not one of the, um, classier, places that seems to be more Ben’s style?”

The ladies all laughed in unison. They wouldn’t be laughing if they knew what Will and Jasper were discussing. Such things were not spoken of in front of ladies. But if Will didn’t unravel this puzzle soon, he was going to go crazy.

Mary laughed again, the melodic notes of her voice stinging Will’s heart.

How could someone so innocent get caught up in Ben’s game?

Jasper cleared his throat.

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