involved in this case.”
“Didn’t you? Were you instructed to make love to me? Did you enjoy making a fool out of me? I’m the stupidest woman alive for believing you cared what happened to me and Tommy. I let your pretty words turn my head.”
Realizing she was growing hysterical, Casey grasped her shoulders and gave her a hard shake. “Stop it, Belle! You don’t know what you’re saying. I meant everything I said. I wanted to make love to you tonight for myself, because I care for you.”
Belle gave a snort of laughter. “You have a funny way of showing it. Pick up your money and get out of here. I should have sent you packing a long time ago.”
“I’m not going anywhere. You’re going to sit down and listen to me.” He swept her from her feet,sat her down in the nearest chair, and dropped to his knees beside her. When she tried to get up he pushed her back down. “This won’t take long. I want to tell you about myself.”
“I don’t want to hear it. I feel nothing for you but disgust. Nothing you say will change my mind. Do you have any idea how guilty I feel for not being with Tommy when he needed me?”
“Belle …”
“And do you know where I was?” she continued, too wound up to allow Casey a word in edgewise. “I was in bed with a man, behaving like a paid whore.” She suddenly ran out of words.
“Belle, I’m sorry. Please let me explain. I work for the Pinkerton Agency. I never know what a job requires of me. Allan Pinkerton sent me to San Francisco at McAllister’s request. I was summoned at a time when I was in desperate need of money, and McAllister offered twice the usual fee. No, don’t interrupt,” Casey said when Belle started to speak.
“I’d spent all the money I had in the world hiring lawyers to defend my brother. Mark was accused of murdering a professional gambler over a card game. There was one witness who could have testified that the gambler drew first, but he took off for parts unknown. Consequently Mark was tried, convicted, and sent to Yuma Territorial prison. He’ll spend the rest of his life there if the witness isn’t found and brought to testify. Mark’s lawyer says he can reopen the case if new evidence is found. I needed money, lots of it, to lure the witness forward.”
“And you went after a little boy who never hurt a soul,” Belle charged.
“McAllister offered a lot of money, plus a bonus for finding Tommy. I was reluctant to take the job atfirst, but the money won me over. McAllister said you were a whore, an unfit mother, that it would be in Tommy’s best interest to find him so he could be given a proper upbringing.”
“So you decided to find out if I
am
a whore, and bedding me tonight proved McAllister was right about me,” Belle blasted.
Casey shook his head. “No, Belle, it isn’t like that at all. I’d only known you a day or two when I decided McAllister had lied about you. You’re not a whore. You’re a beautiful young woman who loves her son dearly.”
Belle glared at him in disbelief. “Then why did you betray us? I trusted you. I gave my heart and body to you. You’re a no-good liar, Casey Walker! All this time you’ve been working for McAllister. You’re probably lying about your brother. And even if you’re not, it makes no difference to me. Tommy is the issue here. A small, defenseless little boy who needs his mother.”
Pain and guilt nearly defeated Casey, but he had to make Belle understand. “I didn’t betray you. Do you remember when I went to San Francisco a week or so ago? I saw McAllister and told him I was off the case. I refused to tell him where to find Tommy. He became angry because I took his money and couldn’t pay it back. I gave him an IOU and promised him full payment.”
“When were you going to tell me you worked for McAllister? When it was too late?” she asked. “It’s too late now, Casey. Tommy is gone and I may never see him again.”
“I swear I’ll get him back for you,
“Didn’t you? Were you instructed to make love to me? Did you enjoy making a fool out of me? I’m the stupidest woman alive for believing you cared what happened to me and Tommy. I let your pretty words turn my head.”
Realizing she was growing hysterical, Casey grasped her shoulders and gave her a hard shake. “Stop it, Belle! You don’t know what you’re saying. I meant everything I said. I wanted to make love to you tonight for myself, because I care for you.”
Belle gave a snort of laughter. “You have a funny way of showing it. Pick up your money and get out of here. I should have sent you packing a long time ago.”
“I’m not going anywhere. You’re going to sit down and listen to me.” He swept her from her feet,sat her down in the nearest chair, and dropped to his knees beside her. When she tried to get up he pushed her back down. “This won’t take long. I want to tell you about myself.”
“I don’t want to hear it. I feel nothing for you but disgust. Nothing you say will change my mind. Do you have any idea how guilty I feel for not being with Tommy when he needed me?”
“Belle …”
“And do you know where I was?” she continued, too wound up to allow Casey a word in edgewise. “I was in bed with a man, behaving like a paid whore.” She suddenly ran out of words.
“Belle, I’m sorry. Please let me explain. I work for the Pinkerton Agency. I never know what a job requires of me. Allan Pinkerton sent me to San Francisco at McAllister’s request. I was summoned at a time when I was in desperate need of money, and McAllister offered twice the usual fee. No, don’t interrupt,” Casey said when Belle started to speak.
“I’d spent all the money I had in the world hiring lawyers to defend my brother. Mark was accused of murdering a professional gambler over a card game. There was one witness who could have testified that the gambler drew first, but he took off for parts unknown. Consequently Mark was tried, convicted, and sent to Yuma Territorial prison. He’ll spend the rest of his life there if the witness isn’t found and brought to testify. Mark’s lawyer says he can reopen the case if new evidence is found. I needed money, lots of it, to lure the witness forward.”
“And you went after a little boy who never hurt a soul,” Belle charged.
“McAllister offered a lot of money, plus a bonus for finding Tommy. I was reluctant to take the job atfirst, but the money won me over. McAllister said you were a whore, an unfit mother, that it would be in Tommy’s best interest to find him so he could be given a proper upbringing.”
“So you decided to find out if I
am
a whore, and bedding me tonight proved McAllister was right about me,” Belle blasted.
Casey shook his head. “No, Belle, it isn’t like that at all. I’d only known you a day or two when I decided McAllister had lied about you. You’re not a whore. You’re a beautiful young woman who loves her son dearly.”
Belle glared at him in disbelief. “Then why did you betray us? I trusted you. I gave my heart and body to you. You’re a no-good liar, Casey Walker! All this time you’ve been working for McAllister. You’re probably lying about your brother. And even if you’re not, it makes no difference to me. Tommy is the issue here. A small, defenseless little boy who needs his mother.”
Pain and guilt nearly defeated Casey, but he had to make Belle understand. “I didn’t betray you. Do you remember when I went to San Francisco a week or so ago? I saw McAllister and told him I was off the case. I refused to tell him where to find Tommy. He became angry because I took his money and couldn’t pay it back. I gave him an IOU and promised him full payment.”
“When were you going to tell me you worked for McAllister? When it was too late?” she asked. “It’s too late now, Casey. Tommy is gone and I may never see him again.”
“I swear I’ll get him back for you,
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