partition between us and try to slit my throat or harm this lady.” Morgan smiled.
“I could, providin’ I had me a knife.” Leroy wiped his whiskered chin. He glanced at Casey and squinted.
I do look familiar to him.
“Maybe so.” Morgan was unbelievably calm, reminding her of how still the prairie lay just before a twister. “But we’re going to talk first. I’ve got a proposition for you.”
“Like what?” Again the old man’s attention swerved in Casey’s direction.
“You help me, and I’ll help you.”
“How can you help me?” Irritation wrinkled Leroy’s brow.
“By talking to the warden and recommending parole if you cooperate with me.”
Casey saw the confidence in Morgan’s face, but she knew he feared the same outcome as the previous day.
Leroy cocked his head. “You’re lying. Somethin’s in this for you.”
“How will you know unless you hear me out first?” Morgan leaned back in his chair.
Leroy blew out an exasperated sigh. “State your business, Andrews. I ain’t got all day.” He sat sideways on the straight-backed chair, as though he might spring from the room like a trapped animal.
“Well, since you’re such a busy man, I’ll get right to the point. I need your help in getting a pardon for one of Jenkins’s gang.”
“Where were they when I needed ’em? Now yer wantin’ me to help ya? Yer crazy.”
Not a trace of emotion touched Morgan’s features. “This person is innocent. Wasn’t even around during the train robbery or some of the other jobs you pulled.”
“Who is it?” The convict peered down his nose.
Morgan glanced up at the guard. “Could you let me have a few moments alone with Mr. Wilson?”
He nodded. “The warden said you might ask for that.” He stepped through the metal door. “I’ll give you five minutes. No more.”
“Agreed.” When the guard disappeared, Morgan leaned in closer to Leroy. “I want to prove Casey O’Hare is innocent of robbery and murder. Don’t you recognize her?”
Leroy squinted at Casey and chewed on his lower lip. “Is that really you, Miss Casey?” The soft manner in which he spoke her name eased the anger etched into his face.
“Yes, Leroy, this is me. I haven’t seen you in a long time.” Her heart thumped faster than a hummingbird’s wings.
Leroy grinned and displayed a toothless mouth. He whipped his attention to Morgan. “And what did you say you’re gonna do for me?”
Morgan cleared his throat. “Told you before, recommend parole. I’ve already talked to the warden, and he’ll draw up the papers if you’ll agree to help Casey.”
“I want it in writin’.” Leroy rubbed his chin with the back of his hand.
Morgan opened his leather satchel for pen and paper and waited until the guard reappeared. “If you can write all this down for Leroy to witness, I’ll sign it, too.” The uniformed man unlocked the door separating them and took the writing material. All the while, Morgan continued to talk to Leroy about the latest news from the outlaw trail.
“I’m tired of your jawin’. Now what did you want me to say about Casey O’Hare?” He gave Morgan his full attention. “What they pinnin’ on her?” Thank goodness he understood the risk she had taken in coming there. Her stomach still felt strange.
“Murder, train robbery—a whole list of things. You’ve seen the wanted posters.”
Leroy whipped his gaze around the drab room. “She ain’t never done nothin’, at least not while I rode with Jenkins.”
“What did she do for the gang?” Morgan’s implication startled her. A surge of anger trailed up her spine. What did he mean by that?
“I thought you wanted a pardon for her,” Leroy said.
“I do, but I have to know what she did do for Jenkins.”
Morgan, didn’t you believe me? The old hurt caused her to ache all over. Surely he had a reason for this.
“Just like I said, nothin’. Most times she just rode with us, so’s folks would see her with all that purdy hair and face. Jenkins liked that, ’cause he claimed she was his. But when it came to jobs, she refused to help. Why, she stayed back at the camp most times unless Jenkins was in a fit. Then he made her ride along to watch the horses or somethin’ like that. Miss Casey was a good girl, yes sirree. She never shot nobody or stole nothin’. All she did was bandage us up and cook.” Leroy stared at Morgan triumphantly. “So if you’re figgerin’ to get me to say somethin’ bad about her, forget it. I’m no fool, Andrews. You’re trying