Stealing West by Jamie Craig Page A

back on sharing more information for as long as he could, but this far into the plan, he wasn't as worried about Thomas backing out on their deal. For being a bounty hunter, Thomas had a streak of honor running through him as deep as the Grand Canyon. Leon trusted him to keep his end. As long as Leon kept up his.
    “Silver Sue. Last I heard, she had a show at a place near the piers.”
    “How do you know her?”
    “Her brother. Me and Kenneth helped him out of a scrape a few years back. Susie was still in Texas then, but we kept in touch with him off and on. He took her to San Francisco when their parents passed.”
    “So she would remember you if you met her again? She trusts you?”
    Leon grinned. “As much as anyone does, I guess. Why? What do you have in mind?”
    “Brute force won't get Phoenix. He's too smart, he's too fast, and he's too ready to gun down everybody who gets in his way. He's already killed at least two bounty hunters. Plus, if he thinks he needs to run to Mexico, he's not going to care about adding another body to his count. We need to get him when he's comfortable. When he has his guard down.”
    “So you want me to be with Susie when he comes to visit her. Take him by surprise.”
    “Yeah. Would you be willing to take that risk?”
    “I've taken a lot worse.”
    “I don't know. Phoenix strikes me as the jealous sort.”
    “I'm not worried.” He tilted his head in Thomas's direction. “You're going to be watching my back, aren't you?”
    “Of course. The day I can't sneak under the nose of a blind woman is the day I should give up and retire.”
    “And after?” He hadn't meant to blurt it out, but the question had been plaguing him for days. “I guess you'll haul him down to the marshal's.”
    “Yes. How else would I collect his bounty if I don't turn him in to the authorities?”
    Leon flushed. He deserved such a blunt response. He shouldn't have tried fishing in the first place. Except...
    “So will that satisfy our agreement, then?”
    “Yes. You can go on your way, five hundred dollars richer.”
    Though he nodded in agreement, Leon felt a stab of disappointment. Of course that was what would happen. That had been the deal they struck. Better to part ways when they were still on amicable terms. It was less likely Thomas would come after him later then.
    “Sounds like a plan.” He turned back out to watch the bay, a smile returning. “Even a good one.”
    “You going to go catch up with your partner?”
    The question surprised him, though he kept his reaction neutral. The issue had never been brought up since Leon had asserted he was dead, but obviously, Thomas hadn't believed him. Still, Leon couldn't give Kenneth up now, even if he trusted Thomas in that particular moment.
    But he couldn't lie to Thomas, either.
    “I don't know what I'm going to do.” There. That wasn't a lie, and it protected Kenneth. That was as good as Leon could do right now.
    “Five hundred is a fair amount. Enough to start a new life somewhere.” Thomas glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “Enough to stay out of trouble.”
    “Oh, but trouble's so much fun. Besides, I have to give you some kind of reason to come looking for me, don't I? Might as well make it a good one.”
    “You'd really want me to find you again? You do enjoy taking risks, don't you?”
    There was no way to answer that without giving any more away. Thomas didn't need to know how happy Leon was with him, not the real depths of it, at least. He simply continued to smile and watched as the ferry neared the shore.
    * * * *
    Thomas found them a small room over a saloon on Clay Street. Leon took care of the horses in order to keep the questions that might come up to a minimum. Nobody had paid him any nevermind since they'd come back into civilization, but Leon wasn't taking any chances. He didn't doubt that if someone threatened him, Thomas would simply take charge and claim him as a bounty. He just didn't want it to get to