“Where to?”
“Jail.”
Shadow found it interesting that Jimmy’s hand was still on the rifle. Maybe the new sheriff wasn’t the straight arrow he pretended to be.
“Sorry, Sheriff. I don’t like jail.” The hairs on the back of Shadow’s neck rose just as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned, lashing out. Something crashed into the back of his head, and the world shimmered out of focus.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“YOU’VE GOT A VISITOR, INJUN.”
Shadow moaned as the voice pierced the din created by the hundred hammers inside his head, beating on his brain. A visitor. He cracked an eyelid and raised his head. Bars were all he could see. Dropping back flat, he squinted at the water stain on the ceiling. He was in jail. As soon as the hammers let up, he’d have to see about busting out.
Covering his eyes with his forearm, he muttered to whomever was trying to wake him. “I don’t want any visitors.”
“I don’t think she particularly cares what you want.”
She? Had there been a she last night? He had a vague recollection of deciding to get drunk, and looking forward to a fight, but not much else. He looked at his knuckles. No scrapes. Apparently he’d accomplished only one of his goals.
“Who is it?”
“Now, that’s not any of your business. She paid for five minutes and she’ll be having it.”
Paid? Lifting his arm, Shadow peered at the deputy. “How the hell can it not be my business? It’s my visitor.”
“It’s a lady. So here.”
A bucket of cold water splashed over him, soaking his clothes and the bed. Shadow sat up, sputtering.
“Clean yourself up.”
Shadow hadn’t been in a jail yet where a deputy or sheriff didn’t run it like their own personal little kingdom, handing out humiliation as if it was the only way they could get through the day. Apparently this was no different. He sluiced the water off his face with his hands, caught a whiff of his own stench and shook his head. It was going to take more than a bucket of water to get him clean.
The door opened. A small woman, dressed in beautifully patterned silk, her mouth accentuated with a touch of red and her hair elaborately coiled on top of her head, came through the door.
Lin.
With a bow, she told the deputy, “I thank you for allowing me this time, Deputy.”
The man openly leered at her. “The name’s Ryan. And five minutes is what you paid for.” He held out his hand.
Lin placed two coins in it. Ryan kept his hand out. Ignoring it, Lin glided into the room with Ryan on her heels, not stopping until she reached his cell. “Half before and half after, this was our agreement, yes?” she said.
“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll need payment in full now.”
Lin slipped her hand through the bars. “Would you hold this for me?”
Two dollar coins rested in her palm. Clever woman. Over her shoulder, Shadow smiled at the frowning deputy as he took the coins. “I’d be happy to.”
Belatedly understanding what was going on, Ryan stepped forward. “Hey, you can’t do that.”
As serene as a summer day, Lin replied, “The handling of finances is a man’s duty.”
“He’s a prisoner.”
Lin inclined her head. “Behind the bars of your sturdy jail, so the money should be safe.”
“Of course,” Shadow goaded, “you could always take it up with the sheriff.”
Ryan shoved his partial payment in his pocket and checked his pocket watch. “I’ll be coming for that in five minutes.”
It was a threat that made more of an impression on Lin than Shadow.
Shadow tossed the coins in his hand. “I’ll be waiting.”
Lin stood by the cell clearly expecting the deputy to leave. Shadow could have told her he wasn’t going to leave voluntarily. The man had buck teeth, bad skin and an odor that outdid Shadow’s current condition. It was a safe bet that they didn’t get much in the way of female company, and company as exotic as Lin? Well, the man wasn’t going anywhere. Not without some encouragement.
“I would like privacy, please.”
“I can’t leave you alone with him. He’s a dangerous man.”
“He is behind bars.”
“This one’s a tricky one.”
“I have been alone with him before.”
“You have?”
“He is married to my cousin.”
That was news to Ryan. And not good news, if his expression was to be believed. “You married up with a Chinese, injun?”
Shadow took off his moccasins and poured the water out. “Who the hell I marry is none of your business.”
“What the hell are you going to do about it if I make it my business?”
Just what he needed. A pimply-faced kid making a challenge. “Knock those ugly-looking teeth of yours down your throat.”
“Watch your language. There’s a lady present.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
“You sure you want to be in here with him? A pretty little thing like you could do better.”
Like him. The implication was clear. Shadow had to give Lin credit for not losing her breakfast over the thought of stepping out with that piss poor excuse of a man. Rather than puke, Lin nodded with complete composure.
“I am sure. His wife has asked me to speak to him of matters of importance to their marriage.”
“Importance, huh?” Ryan smirked at Shadow. “Sounds to me like you’re not going to be married much longer, injun.”
Knocking the deputy’s teeth down his throat was becoming more and more enticing. “If my wife had any sense, this marriage would have been over long ago.”
From his position Ryan couldn’t see the dirty look Lin shot Shadow. It didn’t go with the demure dip of her chin and her softly voiced entreaty. “Please, I have given you your money. These are private matters.”
Ryan hiked up his pants. “I understand, but a woman like you needs protection.”
Lin was shaking her head before Ryan finished. “My father would not approve of me speaking before an audience.”
Shit, Shadow thought, if Ryan gave any thought to anything beyond the happy feeling in his pants, he’d realize Lin’s father wouldn’t approve of her being here at all.
Ryan tucked his thumbs in his waistband and rocked back on his heels in a clear emulation of the sheriff. “That much privacy will cost you more.”
The deputy’s gaze traveled from the top of Lin’s head down to her toes and then back up again, lingering in the middle. “Of course, if you’re short on cash, I’m sure we can work something out.”
Lin gasped.
Shadow had had enough. “Get your ass out of here, you little puissant, before I tell the sheriff how you’re profiting off your prisoners.”
Ryan spat. “The sheriff doesn’t give a shit what I do.”
“Maybe not, but I bet he cares about not getting his fair cut.”
Ryan swore and stomped through the door, leaving it open. Shadow didn’t imagine he went far.
Lin reached over and pulled it closed. Ryan immediately shoved it back open. “Rules are, it has to stay open.”
“Please, just for a few minutes. I will pay a dollar more.”
Ryan held our his hand. “Money up front.”
Reaching into her glove, Lin produced the coin. Rolling it between his fingers, the deputy left them alone.
The meekness dropped from her demeanor as soon as the door closed. With a quick smooth of her skirt, she stepped toward the bars and studied the dried blood on Shadow’s forehead.
“Are you all right?”
“Just a slight disagreement as to whom the bottle belonged.”
“Did you win or lose?”
“I don’t remember.”
“You all right in there?” The door opened and Ryan looked in. Apparently satisfied with the distance between Lin and the bars, he nodded.
“Call me if you n
eed me.”
Lin bowed. “I will.”
“Sure you don’t want to charge for that?” Shadow sneered.
Ryan just grinned and closed the door. Shadow gripped the bars and glared at Lin. He felt like shit and Lin wasn’t the woman he wanted to see. “Don’t you have a stage to catch?”
“It leaves in an hour.”
“And your uncles let you out and about?”
“They do not know I’m here.”
“They don’t do a very good job keeping track of you.”
“They trust in my obedience.”
“Obviously a mistake. So why are you here?”
“We need to talk.”
“Is everything all right?”
“I am fine.”
He couldn’t help wondering why Fei hadn’t come.
“Did Fei stop to dress up, too?”
“Are you making fun of my dress?”
“No, you look pretty. Real pretty. I think the deputy is going to be dreaming about you for years to come.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I would prefer not to be part of his dreams, but I did want to distract him.”
Holding the edge of her sleeve in her hand, she brought it across her nose. “Were you wrestling cows last night?”
“Something like that. What brings you here, Lin?”
“Fei.”
“So you said. But what exactly, pertaining to Fei?”
“You threw her away.”
“The hell I did.”
“I want to know why.”
“I don’t know how much Fei told you about me, Lin, but I’m not exactly the most upright of citizens.”
She waved that away as if it wasn’t relevant. “You could go somewhere else.”
“I’ve got the whole U.S. Army on my ass and quite frankly I’m tired of running.”
“And this is why you did not tell my uncles of your marriage?”
“I told them.”
She looked surprised. “Oh.” A pause. “You did this to protect her.”
“Yes.”
She lowered her sleeve from her nose. “Do you know the life that waits for her, Mr. Ochoa?”
He cut a glance to the door. Lin’s voice was pretty low, but it was possible the deputy had heard. The last thing he needed was for the sheriff to know who he was.
“My name’s Michael.”
She blinked and then nodded. “My apologies. I forgot. Mr. Michael, what do you think is the life my cousin will enjoy when she leaves here?”
“I think she’s going to have pretty dresses like the one you’re wearing. I think she’s going to find a nice man of her culture, and I think she’s going to forget all about the time we spent together except as a smile in her voice when she talks to her grandchildren about the adventure she had when she was a young woman.”
Lin shook her head. “You have no knowledge of our culture.”
She said that with a great deal of disgust.
“I know you take care of your own.”
“Yes, but what is our own is very specific.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that purity of blood is highly valued. Fei is not Chinese. She is only half. I do not know how it is among your people, Michael, but among the Chinese, a woman of mixed ancestry has limited options.”
“You mean she’s not going to marry a prince?”
“She will not marry at all. There are many levels of belonging for women of our culture. As I am pure Chinese and of good family, I will marry a man of prominence. The marriage will be arranged for me. I will likely be first wife.”
“First wife?”
“I have heard it is not uncommon among many Indian cultures to have more than one wife.”
“I was raised white.”
“Oh. Well, in Chinese culture a man is allowed more than one wife and many concubines. All have a place in the household, but their status differs. I will be first wife. First wife is a position of great respect and, over the years develops much power, as long as I produce a son. This will be my destiny, because I am of pure blood and good family.”
“Fei is of the same family.”
“But not of pure blood.”
He didn’t like what he was hearing.
“My influence right now is small, but I can try to find Fei a position of concubine—”
“That sounds like a mistress.”
“It is similar. As I was saying, I can try to find her a position of concubine within my household so I can offer her protection, but my future mother-in-law may not like this. She could see the two of us in the same house as a threat to her power, so I can make no guarantees.”
“Just because Fei’s mother was American?”
“Yes. Perhaps if Fei were properly submissive and strived more to please, it is possible that she could be second or third wife to a lower-ranked family, but it would not be a happy time for her. Always, she would be taunted because of her blood. And her children, if she were allowed to have any—”
“What the hell do you mean ‘if she were allowed to have any’?”
“First wife may decide that such children should not be born so as not to bring shame to the family.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“No culture is perfect, Mr. Ocho—Michael.” She paused. Then, “Fei is not made for such a life. She enjoys her adventures and longs for more. She has always been this way. Even as a child.”
I have decided to embrace my American ancestors.
He could see why now.
“Then why did she go with you?”
“You made it clear there was no place for her in your life. The same pride that will not allow her to be concubine will also not allow her to be a beggar for your attention.”
“Why the hell didn’t she tell me this?”
“You repeat yourself.”
“Likely because I’m pissed.” He hadn’t sent Fei to safety. He’d sent her to hell.
“Where is Fei now?”
Lin looked at the door and then back at him.
“You might as well tell me all of it.”
“She ran away last night. I know not to where. She did not leave a note.”
“Because she didn’t want to be found, or because she was stolen?”
“I saw her leave.”
“You saw her leave and you didn’t tell your uncles?”
“My uncles are burdened with anger because of my loss of face.”
“Nobody knows about your loss of face.”
She smiled. “And it will stay that way. But still, they know, and their knowing I am afraid may cost Fei.”
So she let her go.
“It’s a dangerous world out there for a woman alone.”
“Yes.”
“And that explains why you’re here.”
She nodded again. “I know Fei argues and has strong opinions.”
“I rather like that in her.”
“This I know, too. I came to ask you, Mr. Ochoa—” he didn’t bother to correct her this time “—how much room there is in your heart for Fei?”
“A lot of people will tell you I don’t have a heart.”
“And a lot of people will tell you that Chinese are dumb like mules. Saying something does not make it so.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“You evade my question.”
“Probably because I don’t have an answer.”
“You do not care for her?”
He cared too damn much. “I kinda stopped myself at the knowledge that she wasn’t for me.”
“You did not stop yourself from her bed.”
That was definitely censure.
“I’m not a saint, Miss Yen, and Fei is a very tempting woman.”
“Yes, she is, and only a fool would let a woman like that leave his life.”
“I don’t recall there being any ‘let’ about it. She was just as clear about how I wasn’t for her.”
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