sleeping in the back, said he hadn’t heard from anyone. He also told her not to worry about the drifters. He’d run a few of them out of town last night.
Em moved on to the bank and then to Tamela’s mother’s dress shop. She’d never figured out how Tamela could be so shy and quiet and her mother such a chatterbox. On second thought, Em was surprised Tamela got enough practice in to learn to talk.
When she finally broke free, she ran toward the train station.
Ten minutes later she was furious. It had taken her a little longer to do her errands than she thought, but Lewton should have been waiting for her. She’d paced the platform twice and he was nowhere in sight. For two bits she’d leave him behind and let him find his own way home.
At least the rain had stopped, or, more precisely, decided to hang in the air like thick fog. It occurred to her that this tagalong stranger might have gotten lost. After all, the town had a dozen stores, three cafés, and several saloons. They even had three hotels. With her luck one of the drifters had spotted him as an easy target and conked him on the head. He was probably lying in an ally half dead, and somehow Duncan and the others would blame her.
Another ten minutes passed and Em began planning ways to kill this son of a wealthy family.
A tall stranger stepped on the platform. His high-topped boots stomped along the planks, drawing Em’s attention. He was dressed in dark brown from his well-made Stetson to his lined leather riding coat. When his open coat flapped in the wind, it revealed a tan vest beneath the same color as his gloves.
He reminded her of someone.
When he was within five feet of Em, he raised his head and tapped his hat with two fingers in salute.
Em froze. “Lewt?”
He frowned. “You said buy something appropriate. Doesn’t this pass muster?” He removed his hat and made a low bow, reminding her of what a buccaneer might have looked like a few hundred years ago.
She looked him up and down. The difference between Lewt in a city suit and this man was astonishing. “You’ll do,” she snapped, angry that she should care what he wore. He was still dumb as a rock about work and near worthless on a horse. “We need to be getting back. We’ve wasted half the day already.”
He didn’t argue but simply followed her to the horses. A sack hung off his saddle horn. She didn’t ask what was in the bag as they headed home. More clothes, she guessed.
“You going to stay mad at me all day?” he asked as he swung into the saddle.
“You were late.”
He didn’t apologize; he just thought about it, then said, “So you are going to stay mad.”
“You’re not planning to say you’re sorry.”
He smiled. “Would it help?”
“No.”
“Then I might as well save my breath.”
When they reached the trees at the edge of town, she told him to put on the blindfold again.
He passed her his hat while he tied on the red bandanna, then leaned over and reached out for his hat. His hand bumped her arm.
“Sorry,” he said as he found the hat. “I didn’t know your arm was there.”
“Forget it,” she said, reaching for his reins. “We’ve wasted enough time.”
Before she could turn the horses, a shadow of a man moved out from behind one of the trees. He was dressed in the ragged clothes of a down-on-his-luck cowhand. “Interesting game you two are playing,” he said, looking up at them with bloodshot eyes. “You wouldn’t be kidnapping this man, would you, kid?”
Em saw the gun in the stranger’s hand and froze. If she spoke, he’d know she was a woman. Maybe it was better for her if he thought she was a young man. Her braid was hidden beneath her hat, and the slicker covered her body. Unfortunately it also kept her Colt out of easy reach.
She felt, more than saw, Lewt nudge his horse forward, blocking most of the drifter’s view of her. Moving only her eyes, she risked a quick glance at Lewt. He’d pulled off the blindfold as if he thought he could face the man down with a stare.
She almost yelled for him to get back. He wasn’t armed. But then she saw his face.
His features were hard and unyielding almost as if he were the one stalking prey, but his words came calm, casual.