Whiskey Rose (Fallen) (15 page)

“
What if I told you Orin Kline is still alive. That I might have a lead on him
.
” The Captain perked up sitting up in his chair.

“
You think that butcher is still alive
?
”

“
I have a reason to think so
.
” The Captain stood up and walked to the window. He was quiet for a long time. Matt could almost see the memories filling him.

“I was there that day. We had the place surrounded. Thought we had him for sure. He was holed up in a little sod shack down by the gulf. It caught fire, started on the inside. We expected him to run out but he d
idn’t. They said it was suicide. That he would rather die his way then swing from the gallows. But after the fire was out there was no sign of a body. They still declared him dead, guess that was better than the public panic that was getting stirred up. But I never believed he was really dead.” Captain Henning turned back and looked at him. “What have you got? Is it solid?” Matt hesitated. He almost wished he hadn’t said anything.

“
A woman, claims she knows him that she knows h
e’
s not dead. Truthfully she is terrified of him, hiding from him
.
”

“
Well if she knows him she has a right to be terrified. You believe her
?
”
 
Did he believe her? Matt had to think about that. Everything she projected was false but she had
n’
t directly lied to him and if she had
n’
t been intoxicated she never would have told him about Kline in the first place.

“
Yes, I believe her
.
”

“Well if a woman is the key I would say you are the best one for the job.” Captain Henning walked to a file cabinet in the corner and took out a file. He sat back down.  “I’ve been keeping tabs. Kline is a sick sucker. He kills without regard. Obliterates entire families, killed every person in a church once. Since he supposedly died there have been a few incidents that reeked of him.” He handed the file to Matt and he began reading through it. “The first came about six months after his alleged death. It was a whole family again. Mother, father and two boys. Ten and twelve I think. I don’t know why he targeted this particular family. According to the neighbors they were new to the area and kept to themselves.”

“
How do you know it was him
?
”

“
The blood. He has a thing for blood. Douses everything it. The walls the furniture. He drains every drop from the bodies an
d
… well I do
n’
t know how to explain what he does but suffice it to say the places he visits are uninhabitable when he leaves
.
”

“
What are these other ones? More families
?
” Matt flipped to the pages in the back of the file.

“
No they are women. There have been four in the last four years. Again i
t’
s the blood that makes me think i
t’
s him
.
” Matt read the descriptions of the murdered women and it felt like ice in his chest
.“
Brown curly hair
.
” One said
,“
Frizzy dark hair
.
” Another said. All were in their late teens or early twenties, taller than average height and average body type. All were mutilated beyond recognition.

“
These women sound very similar
.
” Matt said keeping his voice even.

“
Yes it would appear that his has developed a type. Which is why I am not certain i
t’
s him. H
e’
s never had a type before it was his methods that were his signature
.
”

“
What if i
t’
s not a type? What if he is looking for one woman in particular? What if he is searching for her
?
” Matt said staring at the words in front of him. The Captain leaned forward onto his desk.

“
Yo
u’
re woman matches this description does
n’
t she
?
”

“
Yes
.
” Matt said simply. The Captain leaned back again.

“
You think she can give you enough to find him before he finds her
?
”

“
I do
n’
t know, maybe
.
”

Rose had been crying. He could tell the moment he saw her. But she smiled at him. She had beaten him to the meeting location. But then she had to reassemble her look. The wig was back in place. She looked just as he expected her too except for the red rimmed eyes.

"How was your time off?" he asked.

"Rejuvenating. How is your Captain?"

"Cantankerous as always." she laughed at that and he realized he had missed the sound. He had missed her.

"Shall we?"

"You sure?" h
e asked, "We don't have to, we could just run away. Ride off in to the sunset." her expression slipped just for a second and he realized she was tempted. She really did want a new life. Even more disturbing was the fact that he was tempted. He could just walk away from everything. It wouldn't even be a difficult decision.

“
Come on le
t’
s get going
.
” She turned her horse and headed up the road shattering the indecision for both of them.

“
So, how often do you make the great escape
?
”

“
Why
?
”

“
Just wondering how often I get to see my wife
?
” He grinned, she arched a brow at him but she smiled too.

“
About once a month
.
”

“
Oh that is not nearly often enough
.
”

“
Well maybe you should make more time for your wife
.
”

“
Maybe I should. The Calvary can survive without me. Can the Whiskey Rose survive without its Rose
?
”

“
Guess w
e’
ll find out soon enough
.
”

“
Wait. Are you serious
?
” Matt was certain that he had heard a plan to leave under the thinly veiled comment.

“
It was never my goal to run the Saloon forever. It is simply a means to an end
.
”

“
S
o
… the end is near
?
”

“
The end is very near
.
”

“
How near
?
”

“
A couple of months
.
”

“
What about your father? Is Izzy going to run the Saloon
?
” She looked at him and felt like the worst detective ever
.“
H
e’
s not your father at all is he
?
”

“
Nope
.
” Matt sighed and rubbed his eyes. He should have seen that, it only proved that he had been blind where she was concerned all along.

“
So he is what to you
?
”

“
A friend,a business partner I guess you could say
.
”

“
How did you hook up with him
?
”

“
I
t’
s a long story but suffice it to say that he saved my life and h
e’
s been looking after me ever since
.
”

“
So how does he feel about you walking away
?
”

“
He is not very happy about it
.
” Unhappy enough to vandalize the front of the saloon? He wondered but did
n’
t voice the question.

“
Why are you telling me all this now
?
”

“I don’t know.” She smiled. “The girls always tease me that I am in a much better mood after a few days of…” She looked at him and he saw her cheeks pinken slightly. “Rest.” She finished and he smiled. “Don’t worry, your investigation should be over before I go. You won’t need me anymore.” He might not need her for that investigation but now he had a new mandate. He would have to work quickly to earn her trust, if this conversation was any indication he had made good strides toward that goal but he needed her to tell him about Kline and he knew that wouldn’t be an easily divulged secret.

The Saloon was in an upheaval of activity when they returned.  He did
n’
t see anyone but he could certainly hear them. With everything that had happened he had completely forgotten that the girls were planning room swaps for today.

“
Do not go up there
.
” Rose said, as if she could tell he was noting the activity.

“
Why not
?
” He frowned wondering if she thought he would get in the way or if she was just banning him from the second floor altogether.

“
Because they are what they are, and you are what you are
.
” He was slightly stung by the explanation. It seemed that she thought he would be overcome with lust just by being up there.

“
Can I have that in English please
?
” She turned around and he stopped his progress down the narrow hallway. She approached him and he stood his ground determined not to back away as she approached. She stopped so close to him that they were almost touching. She looked up at him through partially lowered lashes and he had the overwhelming desire to kiss her.

“Matt,” She reached up and touched the line of buttons on the front of his shirt. “I was wonderin’ could you be a doll and give me a hand?” Her voice had the soft Texas drawl that he had forgotten she did so well. “You see I been tryin
’ but I just can’t manage it and with you bein’ so big and strong and all.” She ran her hand over his bicep and gave it a slight squeeze, “Oh my, that’s bigger than it looks isn’t it.” She said her tone breathy. “Do you recon you could move this little ol’ dresser into that room across the hall for me? Please?” She pouted her lips slightly and blinked twice.

“
Yeah
,
” he said softly
,“
I recon I would move just about anything you wanted just about anywhere you want it
.
” She laughed and patted his chest lightly before she tuned and continued up the hall.

“
And they would gladly take advantage. You would move every single piece of furniture up there. So save yourself the grief and the soreness and just do
n’
t go up there
.
”
 
She laughed
.“
In fac
t
…” She stopped in the doorway
.“
Are you hungry
?
”

“
I could eat
.
”

“
What time is it? Come on, le
t’
s get out of here
.
” She did
n’
t wait for the answer to her first question
.“
Maggie has fried chicken on Sundays
.
” She slipped past him back down the hall and he turned and followed her. His heart was still pounding from her demonstration. He had been extremely susceptible to her and it highlighted one thing, she could have manipulated him into doing anything she wanted at any time and she knew it but she had
n’
t.

“
Hey, what does, you are you, mean
?
” He followed her back out the door and walked beside her up the boardwalk.

“
It means that they have skills for getting what they want from men and you are
a
…” She left the sentence hanging for him to fill in the blank.