and go, and now that spring is upon us, they’ll be goin’ down to Denver or over to Cheyenne or Laramie for supplies and such.”
“What about Simone Dumas?” Zack questioned. He found he was rapidly becoming obsessed with the young woman’s welfare.
“I can’t say what might have happened to Simone. Whoever done Garvey in might have taken her. She’s a handsome woman.” Ada paused as if the truth had cost her considerably. “Then again, she might have done Garvey in herself.”
“What?” Zack wasn’t sure he’d heard her right.
“Hey, Ada,” a man called from the bar, “you gonna talk all night or serve me some whiskey?”
“Be right there, Jake,” she replied, then turned to Zack apologetically. “Sorry.”
“Wait a minute,” Zack said, reaching out to take hold of her arm. “Do you have some reason to believe Simone capable of killing Garvey Davis on her own?”
“Not unless you count bein’ unwillin’ to be sold a reason. ’Course, I have no reason to believe she was unwillin’,” Ada said, smiling. “Now, why don’t you stop worryin’ about business. Maybe we could talk again … later.” She gave him a smile, and Zack was instantly aware of the gaping hole where teeth should have been.
He nodded but said nothing. He knew she intended him to be interested in something more than talk, but he was on a mission to prove himself, and nothing but the truth and Garvey Davis’s killer would put his mind at rest. And if that weren’t enough, Zack knew better than to ever entangle himself with a woman like Ada. His mother hadn’t raised him to take part in immoral activities, whether it helped his investigation or not.
Sitting in silence, Zack finished his meal and contemplated what to do next. He had already secured the bed in the back of the storeroom for his night’s rest, and weariness was setting in. With a yawn, he decided that he might be able to think more clearly after a good night’s sleep. Maybe then he could figure out who had killed Garvey Davis and where Simone Dumas had run off to.
TEN
LIFE HAD BECOME one adventure after another for Simone Dumas. After her uneventful arrival in Laramie, she found her courage bolstered and determined that there was nothing she couldn’t do. Still, the ominous weight of her past crowded in on the hopefulness of her future. Constant fears plagued her. Would someone learn of her deed? Would they come after her? Laramie hardly seemed far enough to run once she arrived in the busy town.
The town itself seemed far larger than anything Simone had ever encountered. She gave the horse a loose rein and stared around her in open amazement at the bustle of activity that greeted her. Buildings stretched out for blocks, and people appeared and disappeared inside the confines without seeming to even consider those around them. Realizing the horse had stopped, Simone stared down to see what obstacle had caught his attention. Both she and the horse quizzically considered the dull silver rails that crossed their path. She studied the rails, wondering what it meant and how it worked when a loud blasting whistle sounded just to the east of her. Simone fought to keep the horse under control as a massive black contraption moved along the rail. It came nearer and nearer, and finally Simone turned the horse away and put some distance between her and the great beast.
The whistle sounded again, and looking up, Simone found a man waving down from a small platform at the back of the steam-belching machine. What in the world was this?
Waiting for the entire thing to snake past her, Simone couldn’t help but be amazed by the object. Watching with great curiosity, Simone nearly gasped aloud as she found windows on what appeared to be small boxed houses on wheels. People looked out to her from the windows and some even waved. What could it all mean? It was as if someone had taken a wagon and stretched it out to hold hundreds of people. She would have to find out
“What about Simone Dumas?” Zack questioned. He found he was rapidly becoming obsessed with the young woman’s welfare.
“I can’t say what might have happened to Simone. Whoever done Garvey in might have taken her. She’s a handsome woman.” Ada paused as if the truth had cost her considerably. “Then again, she might have done Garvey in herself.”
“What?” Zack wasn’t sure he’d heard her right.
“Hey, Ada,” a man called from the bar, “you gonna talk all night or serve me some whiskey?”
“Be right there, Jake,” she replied, then turned to Zack apologetically. “Sorry.”
“Wait a minute,” Zack said, reaching out to take hold of her arm. “Do you have some reason to believe Simone capable of killing Garvey Davis on her own?”
“Not unless you count bein’ unwillin’ to be sold a reason. ’Course, I have no reason to believe she was unwillin’,” Ada said, smiling. “Now, why don’t you stop worryin’ about business. Maybe we could talk again … later.” She gave him a smile, and Zack was instantly aware of the gaping hole where teeth should have been.
He nodded but said nothing. He knew she intended him to be interested in something more than talk, but he was on a mission to prove himself, and nothing but the truth and Garvey Davis’s killer would put his mind at rest. And if that weren’t enough, Zack knew better than to ever entangle himself with a woman like Ada. His mother hadn’t raised him to take part in immoral activities, whether it helped his investigation or not.
Sitting in silence, Zack finished his meal and contemplated what to do next. He had already secured the bed in the back of the storeroom for his night’s rest, and weariness was setting in. With a yawn, he decided that he might be able to think more clearly after a good night’s sleep. Maybe then he could figure out who had killed Garvey Davis and where Simone Dumas had run off to.
TEN
LIFE HAD BECOME one adventure after another for Simone Dumas. After her uneventful arrival in Laramie, she found her courage bolstered and determined that there was nothing she couldn’t do. Still, the ominous weight of her past crowded in on the hopefulness of her future. Constant fears plagued her. Would someone learn of her deed? Would they come after her? Laramie hardly seemed far enough to run once she arrived in the busy town.
The town itself seemed far larger than anything Simone had ever encountered. She gave the horse a loose rein and stared around her in open amazement at the bustle of activity that greeted her. Buildings stretched out for blocks, and people appeared and disappeared inside the confines without seeming to even consider those around them. Realizing the horse had stopped, Simone stared down to see what obstacle had caught his attention. Both she and the horse quizzically considered the dull silver rails that crossed their path. She studied the rails, wondering what it meant and how it worked when a loud blasting whistle sounded just to the east of her. Simone fought to keep the horse under control as a massive black contraption moved along the rail. It came nearer and nearer, and finally Simone turned the horse away and put some distance between her and the great beast.
The whistle sounded again, and looking up, Simone found a man waving down from a small platform at the back of the steam-belching machine. What in the world was this?
Waiting for the entire thing to snake past her, Simone couldn’t help but be amazed by the object. Watching with great curiosity, Simone nearly gasped aloud as she found windows on what appeared to be small boxed houses on wheels. People looked out to her from the windows and some even waved. What could it all mean? It was as if someone had taken a wagon and stretched it out to hold hundreds of people. She would have to find out
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