Baker let out a slow breath and nodded. Still, his relief didn’t last long. “And what if you’re wrong?” he asked meekly.
“If I’m wrong, I’ll own up to what I did and face the consequences. I’m the one they’ll remember, since I doubt Tom will even recall you doing more than asking a few questions.”
Keeping his eyes fixed upon Tom’s still form, Baker sighed and nodded to himself. Every breath he took was coming to him easier than the one before it. “No. I did more than ask questions. I helped do this, so I’ll own up to my part if that’s what I have to do.”
Clint walked up to him and placed a hand on Baker’s shoulder. “Tom drew his gun on you and he meant to use it.”
“I know he did.”
“Besides, there is definitely something going on in Red Water. I can feel it in my bones and there’s plenty of signs pointing to it. You must have seen a clue or two yourself, or you wouldn’t have lent me a hand when I needed it.”
“You’re right,” Baker said. “This didn’t seem right from the moment I signed that damn book. I needed the money, though. Since none of the others saw fit to ask any questions, I guess I figured I’d just do my part and collect my pay. The marshal said it would only be for a few days, anyhow.”
“Flynt knew how long you’d be gone?” Clint asked.
“Yeah.” Baker squinted and added, “That does seem peculiar.”
“Considering he didn’t know where these outlaws were or when he would catch up to them, having any sort of schedule doesn’t make any sense unless he wanted to get you men away from Red Water for that amount of time.”
Clint looked down at Tom and studied him the way he might study a load of barrels that needed to be stacked onto an old wagon. “If you could just help me get him onto the back of my horse, I should be able to do the rest. No need for you to get in any deeper.”
“What? You can’t bring me in this far and just turn me loose now,” Baker said.
“I shouldn’t have brought you in at all. You’re right. This could end up messy, but it could end up as nothing. Either way, you stand to lose more than me simply because you live around here and I can ride somewhere else when it’s all said and done.”
Baker walked around to Tom’s feet and reached down for the bottom edge of the ropes that were wrapped around him. “Marshal Flynt’s an asshole. His men are loudmouths that strut around like peacocks for no good reason. It won’t be a surprise to anyone in Red Water to find out those men had their hands in some nasty business.”
“You still have to live there. Ride away now and you can join up with the posse. Just do what you need to do, collect your fee, and—”
“Too late,” Baker cut in. “I made up my mind. I was just a little shook up before but I’m better now.”
“You are?” Clint asked.
“Yes.”
Lifting Tom’s upper half, Clint watched Baker closely. There was a difference in him now that he’d managed to wrap his head around what was going on. “So do you know a good spot we can leave Tom?”
“There’s a field about a quarter mile outside of town. It’s overrun with weeds and nobody’s got any cause to go there. But if he gets loose, he’ll be able to walk back into town before too long.”
“That should be fine. Whatever is set to happen, my guess is that it’ll start pretty soon.”
“All right,” Baker said. “Let’s get moving.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
Tom woke up somewhere along the way to the field outside of town. Since he was draped across Eclipse’s rump, there wasn’t much he could do other than squirm and thrash around like a grounded fish. The field was just as good as Baker had described, which meant it was actually fairly bad. By the looks of it, no one had raked or hoed that ground for years and the grass came up well past Clint’s waist.
Baker and Clint hauled Tom to a spot in the middle of the field that was conveniently marked by a tattered old scarecrow. The post may have been weathered and covered with fungus, but it was still solid and had been sunk deeply into the ground. Clint anchored the deputy down well enough that the redhead couldn’t find nearly enough leverage to get free anytime soon.
Stepping back, Clint was happy to see that the only visible sign of Tom’s presence was a section of flattened grass at the base of the scarecrow. The weeds were thick and tall enough to cover the rest.
“Okay,” Baker said. “I’ve dug myself in too far to crawl out now. What next?”
“There doesn’t have to be anything next,” Clint replied. “Things are going to pan out pretty quickly or not at all. Either way, Flynt and his deputies will be exposed as incompetent liars if nothing else and you could get away with being my unwilling accomplice so far. Any further, and you’re in for the whole stretch.”
Baker nodded slowly and looked back to the part of the scarecrow that was sticking up above the weeds. Tom was obviously struggling, but the movement could easily be mistaken for the wind or some critters gnawing at the base of the post. Looking back at Clint, Baker asked, “You have a plan or are we just going to ride in more circles?”
“I’ve got a plan. In fact, I’ve already set a few lines in the water and there could be a nibble anytime.”
“That’s a hell of a lot more than Flynt offered. I’m in for the stretch.”
Clint extended his hand. “I appreciate the help, Baker.” Before he shook the hand Clint was offering, Baker asked, “What exactly did you have in mind for me to do?”
“You remember the faces of those men from that wanted notice?”
“Yeah.”
“Just keep looking for those faces as we go along,” Clint said.
For a second, Baker seemed confused. He waited as if he were holding his breath in expectation of a gut punch. When the punch didn’t come, he asked, “That’s it?”
“There may be a bit more to it, but nothing more than what you’d expect when riding with a real posse.”
Baker shrugged. “Fine, then. Let’s go.”
As they put the field behind them, Clint could hear the rustling of Tom’s legs against the ground. To ears that didn’t know any better, the sound could easily pass for an errant breeze.
TWENTY-NINE
Joan’s Emporium was a quaint little place that could have passed for a shop selling any number of things. The sign didn’t draw much attention to itself and the frilly curtains in the windows were always drawn. There was a neat row of flowers on either side of the walk leading up to the front door and the closest neighbor was twenty yards away. The Emporium was situated on the outskirts of a small town, so the owners were left alone to conduct their business as they saw fit.
They paid their taxes and they contributed to local functions. They took care of their own affairs and never asked for any extra attention from the law or anyone else. Anyone riding by might assume the place was anything from a dress shop to a fancy school. Stepping inside, a traveler would be greeted cordially and offered a refreshment. Unless the traveler was too rowdy or unsavory, they would enjoy another form of entertainment that was actually the specialty of the house.
The three men who walked into Joan’s most recently were on the verge of being escorted to the door without getting the offer they’d been after. Fortunately, one of the men had a smooth enough manner to rectify the situation.
“Goodness, you ladies look lovely,” Chris Jerrison said through a wide smile. His face was dirty and covered by thick, brushy stubble, but he carried himself as if he’d been scrubbed clean enough for Sunday mass.
Chris sat upon a padded sofa, while his two partners had picked out chairs in different spots around the sitting room. Also scattered throughout the room were women of various shapes and ages. All of them were dressed in formal attire, carefully eyeing the three men sipping the tea they’d been given.
The woman who’d provided the tea was older than the rest, but her long, silver hair flowed over her shoulders in a way that made her face seem regal. She nodded politely and
said, “Thank you very much. You men look . . . well . . . I’m sure you’re just fine under all that dust.”
Grinning amiably, Chris shrugged. “It has been a long ride, to be certain.”
Suddenly, the youngest of the three men set his teacup down and perched upon the edge of his rocking chair. “We didn’t come here for tea and we didn’t come to swap fancy talk. All we want is—”
“Excuse young Harvey,” Chris interrupted. “We’re all a bit frayed around the edges after our ride.”
“I ain’t frayed and don’t call me Harvey!”
Samuel ground his teeth and Chris started to say something to counter what the younger man had blurted out, but was stopped short by one of the women who’d been standing on the edge of the room since the three men had arrived.
She was a tall blonde with a trim body that was wrapped in a cream-colored dress. High cheekbones, thin lips, and a pert little nose all came together to form a petite, friendly face. At the moment, her blue eyes were fixed directly upon the kid. “It’s all right,” she said as she reached down for his hand. “I can tell you’re just a little wound up and I think I’ve got just the thing for it.”
Caught in the middle of his fit, Harvey muttered, “You do?”
“Yes!” Chris said happily. “I believe all of us are wound up pretty tight.”
After getting a subtle nod from the woman with the silver hair, two more ladies stepped forward from the group. One of them was a short woman in her twenties who looked as if she could be Spanish, Mexican, or even South American. Her exotic features and darker skin tone were warmly received by Chris when she stepped over to him and offered her hand. The woman who approached Samuel was the smallest of the bunch and had delicate, Chinese features that made her look like a doll. Samuel took her hand as gently as she’d offered it, which put a cute little smile upon her face.
“The ladies will discuss rates when you get to their rooms,” the silver-haired woman explained. “You’ll enjoy our baths, I’m sure. Lord knows you all need one.”
Chris continued to talk to every woman in his sight and was practically dragged from the sitting room. Samuel spoke quietly to his escort. Harvey was nowhere to be found.
THIRTY
The blonde’s room was one of the nicest the kid had ever seen. Every surface was covered with either pillows or lace and the air smelled like expensive perfume. As he’d been led there, he couldn’t stop thinking about the softness of the arm wrapped around his or the silky touch of her hair when it brushed against his cheek. Now that they were alone, he practically swallowed his tongue. Fortunately, the blonde was more than ready to keep the silence from getting awkward.
“So,” she said. “You don’t like being called Harvey. What should I call you, then?”
“Folks call me Laramie,” he said proudly.
She nodded as if she were genuinely impressed. “That sounds like a name you earned somehow.”
The smirk on the kid’s face widened, but he obviously held back from saying what first jumped to his mind. “I’m known for a few things,” he told her. “And, yeah, I earned my name well enough.”
“Well, I’m glad to meet you, Laramie. You can call me Pearl. It’s not my real name either.”
He nodded and shook her hand. “Pleased to meet ya.”
Rather than let his hand go, she took it and placed it upon her hip. Even though her dress was modestly cut, it clung to her trim figure as though it had been drizzled onto her naked body. Moving his hand up and down along her side, she kept her eyes locked upon him and asked, “You like that, Laramie?”
“Y-yes, ma’am.”
She grinned at the discomfort she was causing and then led him to the back of the room. A white bathtub sat in the corner, surrounded by small tables full of salts and powders. “How about I help you out of those clothes?” Not waiting for a response, she began to unbuckle and unbutton him until his clothes could be pulled off.
Laramie stood and nervously shifted on his feet. Although he was entranced by what Pearl was doing, he could only utter a few stuttering laughs and clipped words of encouragement.
Standing back and looking him up and down, she said, “Now pull those boots off and get in. I’ll go fetch some hot water.”
As soon as Pearl turned her back to him, Laramie hopped on one foot so he could pull the boot from the other. He nearly toppled sideways into the nearest table when he tried to switch feet, but managed to pull off the other boot without doing any damage to himself or the room.
The water in the tub was cool, but he got in anyway. Just as he was getting used to the chill, he saw Pearl walk back into the room carrying a bucket in each hand. She paused after shutting the door, set the buckets down, and then eased her dress off her shoulders. With a slow wriggle, she moved the dress all the way down to expose the gentle curve of her spine and the rounded lines of her tight, shapely buttocks. Her bare skin was every bit as smooth and pale as the name she’d chosen.
Pearl turned around and carried the buckets to the tub. She sat on the edge, dangling one leg into the water so Laramie could get a nice look at the golden tuft of hair between her thighs. Pouring the hot water into the tub, she said, “You like that. I can tell.”
Laramie self-consciously leaned forward to cover up his growing erection. He was even too flustered to object when Pearl emptied a portion of scented salts into the water before adding the second bucket.
“Scrub up now,” she purred. “I’ll wait for you over here.” With that, Pearl walked slowly over to the bed, twitching her hips every step of the way. When she got there, she turned and lowered herself so she was sitting on the edge of the mattress. Pearl closed her eyes and let out a soft moan as she slipped her hand between her legs and started rubbing.
Laramie watched her for a few seconds but once she started tracing quick circles over her clitoris, he couldn’t start scrubbing fast enough. After a quick, thorough bath, he practically jumped out of the tub and rushed over to the bed.
Slowly opening her eyes, Pearl smiled and stood up to greet him. “That’s better,” she said as she took in the sight of his dripping body. Picking up a towel, she started at his chest and then dried him off all the way down to his feet.
Pearl remained on her knees and looked up at him. “Now that you’re all clean . . .” she whispered. Rather than finish what she was saying, she let her actions speak for herself. Pearl’s thin lips parted and she placed them gently around his stiff penis. Resting her hands upon his legs, she slowly licked him and moaned softly from the back of her throat so he could feel it all the way down to his toes.
Before long, Laramie couldn’t help but breathe quicker and grunt louder. His muscles tensed and he reached down to grab hold of Pearl’s head. She read him like a book and calmly pulled away from him while getting to her feet. Ignoring the intensity in his eyes, she moved him to the bed and told him, “Lay back.”
Laramie did as he was told. Every fiber in his body wanted to finish what she’d started, but he wasn’t disappointed by the way she’d shifted gears. As soon as he’d scooted up onto the bed and stretched out, Pearl was climbing on top of him. She crawled like a cat, allowing her long hair to fall forward and brush against his stomach and chest as she straddled his hips.
“Are you ready for me?” she asked as she rubbed her pussy up and down against his cock.
“Hell, yes, I am.”
She smiled, closed her eyes, and sat upright with her palms flat against his stomach. Pearl continued to slide against him until the lips between her legs became wet and all she needed to do was shift her hips to fit him between them. When she lowered herself on him, they both let out grateful sighs.
Laramie’s eyes were wide as saucers and he lay perfectly still while Pearl started to rock slowly back and forth on top of him.
“You like that?” she asked.
Since he couldn’t quite speak, Laramie nodded.
She kept her eyes closed and arched her back as she picked up her
pace. Pearl’s upper body swayed just enough to get her pert breasts moving. Small, pink nipples became erect as she started grinding her hips back and forth.
Her rhythm was slow and easy, causing her lower body to pump with an almost hypnotic motion while her upper body remained quite still. Laramie watched her for a while before he finally reached up to put his hands on her hips. She responded to him immediately by letting out a moan and throwing her hair over her shoulders. Emboldened by that, Laramie thrust up into her.
Pearl let out a groan that filled the room and ran her hands over his chest. Clenching her eyes shut even tighter, she stopped rocking on him and started to bounce. She moved faster and faster, dropping down harder each time. Her breasts shook enticingly as her nipples became fully erect.
As much as Laramie wanted to grab hold of her and feel every last part of her body, it was all he could do just to keep from exploding. He couldn’t slow his breathing down or think about anything else other than how tight and wet Pearl felt as she gripped his cock and rode it all the way up and all the way back down again.
“That’s it,” she moaned softly. “Just like that.”
And, just like that, Laramie was past the point of no return.
Despite the fact that he was the one lying on his back, he felt as if he’d ridden for a few miles on the back of a bucking bronco. He emptied himself inside her and could hardly breathe for a full minute afterward. In that time, Pearl had opened her eyes and climbed off him.
“That was nice,” she said as she walked over to the wall next to the bed and grabbed a robe hanging from a hook there. She pulled the robe on, but didn’t bother tying it shut. That way, her pert breasts were covered, but the wet thatch of blond hair between her legs could still be seen.
Laramie thought of plenty he could say, but didn’t have the breath for it. Instead, he rubbed his eyes and shifted on the soft blanket.
Red Water Page 10