through the sensitive pads of her index finger and thumb. Smooth, even clicks until . . . there, the more decisive click of a tumbler falling into place. Eyes still closed, she spun the dial in the other direction. It took less than a minute for her to open the safe.
Her breath came out in a low, soundless whistle. Apparently, old Vance Calhoun had been planning to invest heavily on his overseas trip, because inside, neat as roosting hens, lay thick, banded stacks of European bearer bonds. Several fortunes’ worth. The grin that started on her face died. As much money as it was, it wasn’t enough to purchase what she’d lost.
She withdrew the bag she had tucked in her waistband and opened it, filling it with every packet the safe contained. She pulled the drawstring together and was about to close the safe and replace the dummy set of books when an impulse seized her. Cocking her head to listen for sounds that the diners were finished and preparing to leave the table, she scribbled a quick note on a piece of paper.
Heard a U.S. marshal was here looking for me. Appears I was late for our date. A girl needs something to see her through her disappointment. Guess I’ll have to make do with your money.
Lightning Lil
She stuck it in the safe, leaving the metal door wide open. She swung the bag over her shoulder and fled out the French doors, heading for the alley across from Jim’s boardinghouse, where she’d left her horse. She’d caught a glimpse of Jim earlier as she stood in the shadows staring up at his window like a lovesick puppy, waiting for the sun to give up the last of its light. He’d looked rough, his silver-spackled curls tumbling over his forehead, his posture wearier than she’d remembered, as he looked out the upper window and studied the horizon. She’d wanted— “Oh!”
A strong arm snatched her around the waist in an unbreakable grip as a hand clamped over her mouth.
“Going somewhere, Gilly?” His voice in her ear was as cold as a February midnight and twice as dark. He spun her around, releasing her abruptly, as though he couldn’t stand to touch her any longer. “You set me up, didn’t you? Right from the start. You never were hit by any bullet. The cast was just a prop, isn’t that right? Even leaving that saddle behind was part of the set-up. You planned it that far back.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“I was the dupe, the patsy. It was all a setup, a way of getting you close enough to Calhoun to figure out where he kept his money, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“You’re smart as a whip, Gilly, I’ll give you that. I don’t know a man who could have planned it better.”
“But that was before I knew—No!” He’d turned and was striding away, eating up distance at a killing pace. She’d known, she’d seen it in the future, she’d told herself a hundred times that when he found out what she’d done, he’d feel betrayed and used. He would hate the sight of her.
So, he did.
But she couldn’t let him go thinking it had all been planned. That everything had gone her way. That she hadn’t suffered for her brilliant plan. She caught up with him at the mouth of the alley, grabbing his wrist and sinking her heels into the ground.
When he refused to turn, but just dragged her along, she pounded her fist against his back, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. “I’m sorry I used you.”
He stopped then, and turned to look down at her. “It isn’t that you used me, Gilly. I can’t damn you for something you started before we’d even met.”
“You can’t?” she echoed incredulously.
“I was using you too. Remember? I was using you as a way out of here. My big story.” He shook his head. “But I let that notion go after I,” he broke off and then forced himself to meet her eyes, “realized I loved you.”
“Jim!”
“No.” He held her off with one arm. “You can’t have it both ways, Gilly. You were willing to sacrifice what we had for your own purposes. I
Her breath came out in a low, soundless whistle. Apparently, old Vance Calhoun had been planning to invest heavily on his overseas trip, because inside, neat as roosting hens, lay thick, banded stacks of European bearer bonds. Several fortunes’ worth. The grin that started on her face died. As much money as it was, it wasn’t enough to purchase what she’d lost.
She withdrew the bag she had tucked in her waistband and opened it, filling it with every packet the safe contained. She pulled the drawstring together and was about to close the safe and replace the dummy set of books when an impulse seized her. Cocking her head to listen for sounds that the diners were finished and preparing to leave the table, she scribbled a quick note on a piece of paper.
Heard a U.S. marshal was here looking for me. Appears I was late for our date. A girl needs something to see her through her disappointment. Guess I’ll have to make do with your money.
Lightning Lil
She stuck it in the safe, leaving the metal door wide open. She swung the bag over her shoulder and fled out the French doors, heading for the alley across from Jim’s boardinghouse, where she’d left her horse. She’d caught a glimpse of Jim earlier as she stood in the shadows staring up at his window like a lovesick puppy, waiting for the sun to give up the last of its light. He’d looked rough, his silver-spackled curls tumbling over his forehead, his posture wearier than she’d remembered, as he looked out the upper window and studied the horizon. She’d wanted— “Oh!”
A strong arm snatched her around the waist in an unbreakable grip as a hand clamped over her mouth.
“Going somewhere, Gilly?” His voice in her ear was as cold as a February midnight and twice as dark. He spun her around, releasing her abruptly, as though he couldn’t stand to touch her any longer. “You set me up, didn’t you? Right from the start. You never were hit by any bullet. The cast was just a prop, isn’t that right? Even leaving that saddle behind was part of the set-up. You planned it that far back.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“I was the dupe, the patsy. It was all a setup, a way of getting you close enough to Calhoun to figure out where he kept his money, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“You’re smart as a whip, Gilly, I’ll give you that. I don’t know a man who could have planned it better.”
“But that was before I knew—No!” He’d turned and was striding away, eating up distance at a killing pace. She’d known, she’d seen it in the future, she’d told herself a hundred times that when he found out what she’d done, he’d feel betrayed and used. He would hate the sight of her.
So, he did.
But she couldn’t let him go thinking it had all been planned. That everything had gone her way. That she hadn’t suffered for her brilliant plan. She caught up with him at the mouth of the alley, grabbing his wrist and sinking her heels into the ground.
When he refused to turn, but just dragged her along, she pounded her fist against his back, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. “I’m sorry I used you.”
He stopped then, and turned to look down at her. “It isn’t that you used me, Gilly. I can’t damn you for something you started before we’d even met.”
“You can’t?” she echoed incredulously.
“I was using you too. Remember? I was using you as a way out of here. My big story.” He shook his head. “But I let that notion go after I,” he broke off and then forced himself to meet her eyes, “realized I loved you.”
“Jim!”
“No.” He held her off with one arm. “You can’t have it both ways, Gilly. You were willing to sacrifice what we had for your own purposes. I
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