Rose by Jill Marie Landis Page B

his chest or the icy frigidity in his sky-blue eyes. She knew exactly what he was doing, for she could feel his gaze searing its way through her clothing. So she chose to think about her options instead. By concentrating on the glaring facts of harsh reality, Rosa was able to keep her mind off the man who watched her cross the street.
    The facts were simple, the challenge great. She would use the ticket money to help herself get established. Before nightfall she must find a place to live, employment, and the hope of making enough money to pay Marshal Kase Storm back every last lira she owed him. Dollar, she reminded herself. Dollar.
    With her newfound confidence undiminished, Rosa pushed open the doors of the Ruffled Garter Saloon and stepped just inside the large, nearly empty room. A tall, lanky man in a ruby satin vest and ruffle-fronted white shirt looked up from a deck of cards long enough to nod and smile at her from beneath a waxed handlebar mustache. He was seated across from the grizzled, strangely dressed man with the white hair and scarred face who had been in the marshal’s office. The old man made no move. He just stared at her with his one good eye. There was no one else in the room except a short older man working behind the bar.
    As she walked inside, determination in every step, the stout bartender hurried around the end of the long bar and met her before she could get more than a few feet inside the door. His face was shadowed with worry, his brows drooped, matching the downturned corners of his mouth.
    “May I help you, ma’am?”
    “ Sì . Yes. I am Giovanni Audi’s wife. I come to learn about his store.”
    The man did not ask her to step in farther or to sit down. Neither did he ask if she cared for any refreshment. Rosa thought it rude that he should not, but kept her thoughts to herself. She needed his help.
    “His rent was all paid up, Mrs. Audi. Right up until he... well, till he died. Don’t you be worrying none about that.” So saying, Paddle O’Hallohan looked as if he expected her to leave.
    Rosa took a deep breath. The man with the cards stopped pretending to shuffle them and leaned back, avidly watching their exchange.
    “I want to pay for the store.”
    “Rent, you mean?”
    “Yes,” she said. “Rent. I like to rent Giovanni’s store. How much is?”
    Obviously flabbergasted by her request, Paddie sputtered. “Your husband paid five dollars a month.”
    “Five?” She paused and repeated the number to be certain she understood him correctly.
    “Well, I could let you have it for four-fifty.”
    Rosa was silent for a moment, blinking once as she recalculated and stared. “Four-fifty?”
    Paddie shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “All right, four dollars a month. But that’s as low as I can go.”
    Quattro. “Bene. I pay now.”
    Rosa set down her valise and reached into her pocket, withdrawing the crumpled wad of bills the ticket agent had given her. She counted out four dollars and paid Paddie O’Hallohan the rent on the building next door.
    “You drive a hard bargain, Mrs. Audi. Now that you have it, what are you planning to do with the place?”
    She shrugged. “A store.”
    “Busted Heel’s got one store already. Al-Ray’s. Why, Alice and Ray Wilkie have been here since the railroad came through and the town was laid out. It won’t be easy to cut into their trade.” He considered her for a moment. “Marshal Storm know you’re staying on?”
    She smiled. And lied. “But of course, Mr. Paddie. He is—how do you say it?—delighted.” She heard the man with the eye patch begin to cough.
    Paddie looked none too sure about her statement, but nodded and smiled in return. “I’ll get you the key. Been leaving the place unlocked, seeing as how there’s nothing in there. You’ll be wanting to lock up, though.” He spoke to her over his shoulder as he moved away. “I’m right here if you need anything.”
    Within moments Rosa was walking down