Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,144

find a more settled way to make a living.”

Like we’re planning to do, Parlan thought. Problem is, there’s no point trying to settle into a town that’s dying, so more and more of those men will be coming to the towns that are stable—or being revived. Like Bennett. We need to get there first, need to become a strong presence in the town.

“I’ll get a stake in the town as soon as I can,” he said.

“Unless I find something interesting, I shouldn’t be more than a day or two behind you,” Judd said.

Finished with the call, Parlan poured himself a large whiskey.

One way or another, Sweeney Cooke and Charlie Webb would cease to be a threat to the clan. One way or another, the person who identified Dalton and put his name on a wanted poster would be found and also cease to be a threat.

One way or another, he’d deal the winning hand that would get the clan established in Bennett.

CHAPTER 27

Watersday, Messis 25

With the last animal fed and the last cage cleaned, Barb realized she had a free afternoon. She could go to the bookstore and browse—and visit with Joshua. But she didn’t feel as comfortable being around him since the dog fight. She’d seen a side of him that scared her. Worse, he seemed to know that he scared her and was okay with that.

Since the dog fight, it had slowly occurred to her that whoever had named him had understood he would never conduct himself like someone who had grown up among humans. Whoever had named him had known that “painter” was another name for “panther.”

Wondering if writing to her brother and asking for advice was really just asking for trouble, Barb headed for the saloon. She wanted a cold soda and some time to sit at a table and chat with one of the girls.

One look at Lila Gold told her this wasn’t a day for chatting.

“What’s wrong?” Barb asked. “Where is everyone?”

“Yuri and Freddie are working the later shift. Madam Scythe is doing paperwork in her office, and Don is in the back, doing inventory and fetching supplies. Candice is upstairs, changing into her work clothes, and Garnet and Pearl are coming in later.”

“But what’s wrong with you?”

Lila made a face. “Cramps. It’s okay. It’s quiet in here today, and all I have to do is mind the bar for an hour.”

“Well, I can do that.”

“Oh, no …”

Barb edged close to the door of Scythe’s office. “Madam Scythe?”

A moment later, Scythe stood in the office doorway and smiled. “Barbara Ellen. Have you come to visit Yellow Bird? I feed him as you taught me, and he sings every day.”

“I’m glad he sings, but I really came in for a cold drink.”

Scythe turned her black eyes on Lila. “You can do this.”

“That’s the thing,” Barb said. “Lila isn’t feeling well. It’s a human female thing, and it would be kind to let her lie down for an hour. I could stand behind the bar and pour drinks if anyone comes in.”

“You are not dressed for the work, Barbara Ellen.”

“We’re about the same size,” Lila said. “Barb could wear my other costume.”

Barb beamed at Scythe. “It would be fun. And it would be a kindness.”

“I would need to pay you,” Scythe said. “That is a rule. I would need to fill out forms for an employee.”

“You could pay me in free soda this afternoon. Then we could skip the paperwork because free soda isn’t the same as money. And it’s only for an hour.”

Barb held her breath, waiting to see if Scythe’s gold hair would change color.

No. The thin streaks of blue didn’t widen, and no red or black—the danger colors—appeared.

“Very well,” Scythe said. “You will work behind the bar for one hour so that Don Miller can do his other work and I can do mine. Tell Candice that she must come down in an hour and take your place.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Barb and Lila went upstairs, knocked on Candice’s door to tell her that her shift would start in one hour, then went to Lila’s room so that Lila could get out of her costume and Barb could dress in the alternate one.

She had no more desire to work in a frontier saloon than in a regular bar, but she’d wanted to try on one of the costumes since the Bird Cage opened and she saw how the girls got to play dress-up.

“A corset?” She wrinkled her nose when Lila held it up. “Really?”

“Just enough of