Tom's Angel by Linda George

that?”
    “ Of course. Remember where we are!”
    He understood. “You're still afraid they'll think you're one of the Yellow Rose girls, is that it?” Tom lifted her chin and kissed her lightly. “We'll be leaving the minute Lizzy can travel. It makes no difference what anyone thinks after that.”
    How could she tell him it meant everything to her, to be sure that she would be remembered “ properly .” She smiled at the word.
    “ What is it? What made you smile?”
    “ You did. Kiss me again.”
    “ Yes, ma'am.”
    It took a moment to realize Sadie was standing at the corner of the house, watching.
    “See?” Rosalie grinned at Tom, then turned to Sadie. “What is it? Lizzy?”
    “ No, Rosie. It's that dandy again. We just heard from a cowboy that he's out of jail, yelling about how foul the place was, heading for The Rose.”
    “ How did he get out this fast?”
    “ Marshal fined him two hundred dollars. He wired his paw for the money, and now he's out and looking for you, Mr. McCabe, with revenge in his craw. Says you're gonna pay for him having to spend time in that filthy jail.”
    “ The businesses within two blocks on every side complain constantly about the stench. I'm surprised he didn't feel right at home there.” Rosalie took Tom's hand and squeezed his fingers. “What are we going to do?”
    “ Face him. If we were in Denver, he'd never try anything against the McCabes. Being away from home has loosened his tongue. I'll have to remind him how things are.”
    “ Please, Tom, don't fight him.”
    Sadie shook her head vigorously at that. “He don't fight fair, that one. We've got the door to Lizzy's room barred from the inside.”              
    “ That's good.”
    Tom gave her hand a squeeze. “Don’t follow me, please. I don't want to worry about you when I face Strickland.”
    She understood. “I promise I won’t get in the way.”
    Tom headed for the dance hall. In only a few weeks, Zane Strickland would be their banker. In the wire, Amos had said, “Don't rile him.” Well, Zane was riled. No changing that. Maybe Tom could trick him into doing something the marshal would take more seriously. Accomplishing that without getting hurt, or losing his temper and doing something foolish, presented the biggest challenge.
    Tom found Zane at the bar, draining a glass of rot gut, pouring a refill.
    “Strickland, you aren't welcome here. I suggest you move on to one of the other halls.”
    Zane turned slowly. The scratches on his right cheek had festered. Even at this distance, he reeked of the jail. His eyes, bloodshot and half closed with drunkenness, focused on Tom, then glazed with hatred.
    “ Just who are you to be telling me where I'm welcome?”
    “ After what you've done here, I expected you to move on to new places, new victims.”
    “ Did she die?”
    “ Might as well have.”
    “ Stupid bitch deserved what she got. You see what she did to me?” He turned his head to give Tom a better view at the oozing scratches.
    “ Not a fraction of what you deserved.”
    Zane's lips pressed into a thin line, then eased. Unexpectedly, he laughed. “I do believe you've gotten to be a whore lover since I saw you last, McCabe. I knew you weren't as upstanding as your sorry paw leads everyone to believe. Why, I'll bet he introduced you to your first whore.”
    Tom seethed with hatred for this pile of horse manure, but held his ground, not wanting to be the one to initiate the fight. “If you don't want your nose broken, you'd better leave my father out of this. I intend to see you back in jail before the sun sets.”
    “ Is that right? Who's gonna put me there? You? All by yourself? Forget it, McCabe. There's not a damn thing you can do to get me back in that slimy hole.”
    “ To tell you the truth, I don't care where you go. Just so you don't come back here.” He decided to try a different approach. “What are you doing in Fort Worth to begin with? Isn't it time you were