by Connie Mason
Nothing made sense. Obviously Meg didn't trust him enough to confide in him. His mind grew so groggy wotj thoughts and suppositions that Jess's head began to nod. Finally he rose, undressed, and crawled into bed. Sleep claim him before he'd resolved a thing where Meg was concerned.
After the worst night of his life, Jess arose early and prepared for the day. He steered clear of the kitchen, where he'd last seen Meg, and decided to forego breakfast. His first patient arrived early. Toward noon he received a message that Mrs. Larkins was in labor and having problems. And so his day went.
Three miserable, tension filled days passed. Jess kept waiting for a message, a telegram, anything from Meg, but nothing arrived. Another train bound for Denver was due and Jess pondered whether or not he should purchase a ticket and follow Meg. His heart said yes but his pride said no. Then he considered his chances of finding Meg should he decide to go to Denver. Meg and Arlo could have gotten off the train anywhere between Cheyenne and Denver, diminishing his chances of ever finding her.
In the end, Jess decided to remain in Cheyenne. Why should he chase after a woman who cared nothing about him? What he'd thought was love must have simply been lust on Meg's part. The love he'd perceived had been an illusion, something he wanted to believe in and now knew didn't exist.
Jess was putting his instruments and medicines away for the day when he heard the bell over the door announce another patient. Sighing tiredly, he walked from the examining room into the reception area. He bit back a groan when he saw Zach standing just inside the door.
"Howdy, Doc, I just got off the train. I'm on my way to see Mary and decided to stop in and let you know I'm back. How's Meggie? I had the strangest feeling when I hit town, that's why I stopped here first. You didn't let her go off bounty hunting, did you?"
"Sit down, Zach," Jess invited. Shocking the man was the last thing he wanted to do. "You're looking well."
"I'm feeling good, Doc. That medicine has worked wonders. I feel like a new man. Of course, having inherited a fortune from my wife didn't hurt any. I'm rich, Doc. Now I can marry Mary and take care of Meggie. Meggie will never have to endanger her life again."
Zach searched Jess's face, his own smile dissolving as he sank down into the nearest chair. "Something's wrong, ain't it? It's Meggie. Something happened to her. Tell me, Doc, I can take it."
"A lot has happened since you left," Jess began. "Arlo Skully turned up in town."
Zach shot to his feet. "The hell he did! What happened? Did he hurt Meg?"
"As far as I know, he didn't, though he did try to convince her to leave town with him. He claimed their marriage was still valid."
"The hell it is!"
Zach's face had turned so red that Jess sought to calm him. "I brought her to town, where I could protect her. I intended for her to stay with me until you returned. Then we were going to get married."
"Now that is good news."
"You're not going to like the rest. Meg left town with Skully four days ago. She was seen boarding the Denver Express. I didn't want to believe it but there were witnesses; the facts were indisputable. Obviously Meg preferred Skully. What hurt the most was that she cared for me so little for me that she didn't bother leaving note. She just up and left."
"Meggie would never go anywhere with Arlo Skully," Zach said with conviction. "She loved you. She couldn't hide that from me. You're a damn fool if you think Meggie left willingly with Skully."
Chapter Thirteen
Jess wanted to believe Zach, God he wanted to believe him. If there was a logical explanation for Meg's abrupt departure, he needed desperately to hear it.
"I just don't understand. Everything was fine between us before Meg left. She said she was going to ride out to the house for the rest of her clothing and that's the last I saw or heard from her. It doesn't make sense."
"Arlo forced her," Zach said with conviction.
"Deputy Taylor saw them together and swore she boarded the train without any coercion from Skully. Sheriff Bufford said she'd collected her five hundred dollar reward the day before."
"What are you gonna do about it, Doc?" Zach challenged. "Something smells fishy to me. I don't like it one damn bit. How long has Meggie been gone?"
"Four days," Jess said. "I've argued with myself about going after her but logic prevailed. She could have gotten off the train anywhere between here and Denver. Where would I start? Besides," he stated with little warmth, "she left me. What do you think that did to my pride? I loved her, Zach, and I'm hurting."
"I gotta think about this," Zach said, dropping into a chair. "Do you think Skully knew you were wanted and threatened to expose you if Meg didn't go with him?"
"I've considered that," Jess ventured. "If that's the case, Meg should have trusted me to find a solution. I don't really think Skully knew about me, although he kept insisting that he'd seen me before. He just couldn't remember where."
"There you have it," Zach exclaimed excitedly. "You gotta save her, Doc. Arlo Skully is one mean bastard."
Jess's expression turned mutinous. "Meg made her choice, Zach. She's too damn independent. She should have trusted me."
"Is that your last word, Doc? I thought you loved Meggie."
"I'm too tired to think straight, Zach, and you look exhausted. You're risking your health if you don't go home and get some rest."
A stubborn frown darkened Zach's worn features. "If you won't go after her, I will."
"You just returned from an exhausting trip. Rest a few days, then we'll decide together what's to be done. Go see Mrs. Dowling. She's probably eager to see you."
"You're right, Doc, I'm too tired to worry properly. I'll head over to Mary's and come back tomorrow. By then I should be clear-headed and better able to think this through. But I ain't letting you off the hook. If something happens to Meggie, I'll never forgive you."
For a moment Jess saw a glimpse of the hard, relentless man Zach had been at the height of his career.
Jess closed and locked the door behind Zach and went into the kitchen to fix himself something to eat. He hadn't the energy nor the will to buy his meal out tonight. He found biscuits left over from the day before and opened a can of beans. Then he sat down and ate without really tasting the food. He finished quickly and went up to bed, where he spent half the night being angry at Meg for disappearing without a word and the other half worrying about her.
Jess fell into a troubled sleep around dawn. He was awakened abruptly when he heard a ruckus at the front door. The room was awash in light and he realized he had overslept. He pulled on his shirt and trousers and raced downstairs. He opened the door and found the meat cutter from the grocery store on his doorstep. He was holding a bloody towel around his hand. His name was Tom Rooker.
"The knife slipped, Doc," Rooker said. "I reckon I need a few stitches."
Jess ended up putting sixteen stitches in Rooker's palm. Rooker promised to send over two thick steaks as payment and went on his way. Since no other patients were waiting, Jess cleaned up, donned fresh clothing, and made a pot of coffee. He scarcely had time to enjoy his first cup before the bell jangled again.
His patient was Harvey Dooley, the postmaster. He complained of a hacking cough.
"Since I was on my way here anyway, thought I'd bring this to you myself, Doc," Dooley said, handing Jess a letter. "Just arrived this morning."
Jess stared at the letter as if it were a snake about to bite him. Who would know to find him here? He wanted to tear the letter open immediately but forced himself to treat Dooley first. The moment the postmaster left, Jess ripped the letter open. Tiny bits of paper sifted out, landing at his feet.
Puzzled, he scooped the pieces up and tried to fit them together. His eyes widened in shock when he realized he was looking at pieces of the wanted poster bearing the images of the Gentry brothers. He stared at the envelope; it bore no return address. He knew without being told who had sent it.
Meg.
Denver
Th
e two days it took to reach Denver were a lesson in perseverance for Meg. Arlo acted as if he owned her. Once she dozed off and awoke abruptly to find him trying to remove her guns. She quickly put a stop to his shenanigans and vowed to remain alert during the remainder of the trip. During a short stop in Fort Morgan, she tore up the wanted poster, purchased an envelope and stamp at the post office, and mailed the torn pieces to Jess. It was something she had to do.
The train pulled into the Denver station in mid-afternoon. A hired carriage took Arlo, Meg and their baggage to the Antlers Hotel. When Arlo bespoke a single room for them, Meg vigorously objected, insisting on separate rooms. When people began to stare at them, Arlo shot her a venomous look and asked for adjoining rooms. Rather than raise a ruckus, Meg agreed to adjoining rooms, vowing to keep the connecting door locked at all times. The only reason she agreed to the arrangement was because she knew Arlo would wire Sheriff Bufford and expose Jess if she didn't. Meg couldn't allow that to happen. Somehow Arlo Skully's threat to Jess would have to be dealt with.
Arlo left her at the hotel while he went out to drum up a poker game for that evening in his room. Before he left he ordered Meg act as his hostess during the game, serving drinks and being pleasant to his customers. Meg's refusal threw Arlo in to a rage.
"Keep on defying me and I'll follow through with my threat," Arlo shouted. "One telegram will put your lover behind bars. I gave in to you on separate rooms but don't expect me to give in to your whims again. If you're as fond of that doctor as you say, you'll put on a fetching dress and present yourself in my room tonight."
"Very well, I'll do as you say, but don't expect me to bed any of the men you intend to fleece."
"We'll see," Arlo muttered, warily eyeing her six shooters.
Meg ordered dinner sent up to her room that evening, savoring her privacy. Two days in Arlo's company had nearly undone her. If it wasn't concerned about Jess's safety she would have run out on Arlo long ago. After she ate, Meg dressed in her best dress, a crimson silk with snug waist and modest neckline. Zach had bought it for her on her eighteenth birthday and she'd had little occasion to wear it.
Around nine o'clock Meg heard people moving about in Arlo's room. A short time later Arlo knocked on the connecting door and invited her inside. Dragging in a calming breath, Meg slipped a small pistol into her pocket and opened the door. She wasn't about to enter the lion's den unarmed.
Meg counted five men besides Arlo in the room. All looked to be prosperous business men. Arlo always liked to go first class. A table had been brought up to accommodate the men and a makeshift bar and buffet was set up on the dresser across the room. All the men turned to ogle her as she entered the room.
"Well, well, who do we have here?" a stout, well-dressed man in his mid forties asked, leering at her.
"Let me introduce my wife," Arlo said, grasping Meg's arm and turning her toward the men. "Gentlemen, meet my wife. Meg is here to be of service to you. Let her know your needs and she'll be happy to accommodate you."
Meg winced but said nothing.
"Meg, the gentleman who just spoke to you is Darby Williams," Arlo continued.
Meg greeted each man coolly as Arlo introduced them. Besides Darby Williams, there were Carl Jones, Felix Menton, Bill Finney and Larry Dodge. Six in all, including Arlo. Though the men appeared to be upstanding citizens, Meg wouldn't be surprised to learn they all were philanderers and womanizers.
"Shall we begin?" Arlo said, motioning toward the poker table. "My wife will serve drinks and food."
As the evening progressed, Meg grew excessively tired of having men look down her cleavage as she served them. It was demeaning and embarrassing. When Carl Jones groped beneath her skirt as she passed him, she upended a glass of gin on his head. Then she smiled sweetly and apologized. Arlo shot her a warning look and told her not to let it happen again.
But it did happen again. A short time later, Darby Williams got up to stretch his legs. Meg was standing at the makeshift bar with her back to him and didn't see him approach. She was shocked speechless when Williams grasped her bottom in both his hands and squeezed.
"I'll reserve a private dining room for us tomorrow night, sweetheart. You'll join me, of course. After dinner you can appease my other appetite."
Meg's temper exploded as she aimed her elbow backward into his soft gut.
"Take your hands off me! I'm a married woman," she blasted.
Williams gave a grunt of pain. "You don't expect me to believe that bullshit, do you? You're a whore, lady. Skully doesn't know any other kind of woman." His hands returned to her bottom.
Meg had had more than enough. She whirled, at the same time pulling the small revolver from her pocket. She pointed the gun low, shoving it against his privates. Williams let out a high pitched squeal.
"Listen, mister, and listen good," Meg hissed. "Try that again and I'll shoot off your balls and mount them on the wall."
Williams turned a sickly shade of green and backed away.
"What's going on?" Arlo asked when he saw Williams stumble backward.
"Get that whore out of here!" Williams demanded in a tone that brooked no argument. "She's a menace to society."
Arlo leaped to his feet, shoving back his chair so fast it hit the floor with a resounding thump. "What did Meg do?"
"Threatened me with that little firearm of hers."
Arlo's gaze swung around to Meg. She smiled smugly at him and said, "I refuse to be groped by scum like this. I'm not a whore, I'm not even your wife. Find someone else to service the men you intend to fleece."
Arlo raised his hand to backhand her but Meg deftly stepped out of harm's way.
"I will not let you strike me. Good night, gentlemen," she said, striding through the connecting door. Before she slammed and locked it behind her, she heard one of the men ask, "What's all this about being fleeced? Are you cheating, Skully?"
Meg didn't hear Arlo's answer but she knew the men would be watching him like a hawk. He'd already amassed a small fortune this evening and she hadn't the slightest doubt that he was cheating. She earnestly prayed he got what was coming to him.
Meg was sleeping soundly when Arlo rattled the connecting door hours later.
"Meg, open up, dammit!"
Meg struggled awake, reaching beneath her pillow for her gun as she slowly regained her wits. What time was it? Late, very late, she decided, not yet morning.
"I'm sleeping, go away," she responded grumpily.
"I'm not going away. You'd better open the door before my pounding rouses every patron in this hotel."
Meg reached over and turned up the lamp. Then she checked the chambers in her gun and pulled on a wrapper. Causing a ruckus was the last thing she wanted. Gingerly she opened the connecting door, allowing Arlo inside. He glanced at her gun and gave a snort of disgust.
"You've ruined everything," he charged. "What would it have cost you to be nice to my clients? You're no virgin, for godsake. One more lover or less shouldn't make a difference to a woman like you." His gaze returned to her gun. "Put away that weapon."
"I'm not playing whore for you or anyone else," Meg defied.
"You'll do as I say. I'm having some important men in tomorrow night and I expect you to be nice to them, distract them, if you will. They're all silver barons. I intend to win enough money to put me on easy street for live. When we check out tomorrow, I may even own a silver mine or two. This is your last chance, Meg. You know what I'll do if you don't comply."
"I'll make a deal with you, Arlo," Meg offered. "I'll be as nice as I can without compromising my dignity if you agree to let me go my own way after tomorrow night. You know I'll never be a wife to you. If you try to force me to your bed you won't win, and you'll never know when I might take a notion to shoot you in your sleep. Furthermore, you will not threaten Jess's freedom."
Arlo frowned. "Are you asking me to release you from your promise and forget what I know about Gentry?"
"That's exactly what I'm askin
g. If I help you win a fortune, it's the least you can do. We aren't married no matter what you say. We both know you don't really want a wife. I'll bet you were surprised to learn I was still alive and living in Cheyenne. The only reason you looked me up was out of curiosity, and maybe to punish me for running off the way I did."
She paused and sucked in a deep breath. "If the results of the game meet your expectations, I will have fulfilled my end of the bargain. If you have any honor at all, you'll fulfill yours."
Meg's hand tightened on the butt of her gun. She had no idea what she would do if Arlo turned obstinate; shooting him to keep him quiet about Jess was an option she didn't relish.
"You're right about not needing a wife," Arlo admitted. "But stop and think about the handsome rewards for both of us if we team up. You can distract the players while I fleece them."
"One more time, that's my final offer. Do I have your promise to let Jess alone if I help you this last time?"
"I can't do that. That piece of information about Gentry is all the hold I have on you."
Meg thumbed back the gun hammer. Her finger tightened on the trigger. The metallic click was as loud as a gunshot in the silence of the room. Arlo stumbled backward, his face as pale as death.
"Don't shoot! For godsake, have mercy."
Meg didn't intend to shoot Arlo, though the thought held a certain appeal. It had been an involuntary motion.
"It would be so easy to pull the trigger," Meg said wistfully. "You don't know me anymore, Arlo. I've changed. I've brought men tougher than you down. I'm really not the kind of woman you want to mess with."
"I can see that now," Arlo said, his gaze riveted on the gun in Meg's hand. "I've certainly misjudged you. You're too dangerous to have around. Put the gun down. Let's discuss this like civilized people."
The gun remained pointed at Arlo's middle. "I'm through talking. I'll help you win that fortune you want, but the price is Jess's freedom."
Arlo made a nervous swipe of his tongue across his lips. "I agree. Now put the gun down."
