The Talisman - Crisscross

by Shaunna Gonzales

  *

  Trish leaned on the table between them. Pierre reclined against the back of his chair, much more at ease.

  "I don't know. The fellers are already lining up for your favors."

  "But I'm not a whore."

  "Woulda been helpful if you gave us that information when you got here."

  "Lucinda introduced me to Zelda. I'm sure she didn't say I was a whore."

  "Maybe not, but she did say she couldn't put another one of Quinn's girls up at her place."

  "And that means I'm a whore?"

  "You wouldn't be the first whore Quinn's brought around here. He has a mighty good eye for horses and whores."

  "I'm not a whore and you can't make me."

  "But are you a dancing girl?"

  "I didn't say I'm a dancer. I said that if you had a piano I could sing and maybe try my hand at dancing."

  "So you were a singer before you came here."

  "No." Trish stopped, seeing Pierre's disgust. "I don't know, but I'd be willing to try."

  "All right. You stand right there by the bar and sing." Pierre motioned to the bar expectantly.

  "Now?" Trish gasped.

  "Now's a good time. Ifn' you can't sing for Zelda and me, how you gonna sing to a bar full of fellers that think you're a whore."

  "But I need a piano to sing."

  "Piano's are expensive."

  "I'm sure you could buy a secondhand one in Eagle Rock."

  "She's sure I could buy one in Eagle Rock," Pierre reiterated to Zelda who sat close by. He leaned forward, his hands on the table. "Maybe you think I have a gold mine out back too. You'll sing and you will sing tonight. A right pretty songbird you will be, 'cause I don't run a charity house here. You will pay for that room you have up there. I don't much care how. You can sing for your supper and keep the boys comin' back for more drinks or you can do it on your back."

  Pierre pushed his chair back. It grated on the floor.

  "If you don't care how I make my way, can I sweep the floor and wash dishes?"

  "That too. I'm in business to make money. I'll give you one week to prove I ain't losin' money with you stayin' here and you can stay. But mind you, I better see more money coming in or you're out." He stalked out of the saloon by way of the back kitchen, leaving Trish very few options.

  "Come on." Zelda invited as she moved toward the stairs. "Even a singing girl has to have clothes that these boys will look at."

  "I better get to the dishes and the cleaning."

  Zelda chuckled, "That old mule, he's already done the chores of cleanin' in here and I washed the dishes. So thank you for taking that chore off my hands. Be sure to dry the spots off the glasses but until the fellers start drifting in, we better spend the time finding you somethin' to wear. Those schoolmarm clothes just won't make peace with the fellers. They want to see some shoulders and a little leg."