“That’s him. He musta come along after. He wasn’t around when I was taking aim.”
“What’s important about her hat?”
“I blew it right off her head.”
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” she said under her breath. Drawing her knees close to her chest, Desiree hugged them. “Why? I don’t understand why you wanted to kill her. You like her. I know you do.”
“Like has nothing to do with it. It’s the job.”
“What job? You mean as sheriff?”
“Leave it, Desi. It’s got nothing to do with you.”
“You’re in my room. I’d say you’re wrong there.” When he didn’t reply or show any inclination to remove himself, she said, “Maybe I don’t want to know why you shot at her, but you could tell me why you haven’t shot athim.”
“Who? Alex Berry? No sense in it. Or maybe you meant the preacher’s boy. That sure would have got the town talkin’.”
“Dammit, Carter. I know you’re not a fool. Don’t act as if you are. Wouldn’t we all be better off if you took care of Landry?”
He chuckled humorlessly. “Took care of? You mean kill. I know you’re not squeamish. Don’t talk as if you are.”
Desiree didn’t care for having her words more or less repeated back to her. “All right. Kill. He’s the real fly in the ointment. You said as much when he tracked down Digger and turned him over in Denver.”
Carter shrugged. “Digger’s no threat. He knows what he knows, which ain’t all that much. What’s Landry going to do with anything Digger told him? Pye’s a dead end, so to speak.” He opened one eye and spared Desiree a glance before he closed it again. Predictably, she was making a face. His pun did not set well with her. She didn’t like it when he mentioned Josey Pye. “Cheer up. You’ll get your money soon enough.”
“I don’t understand why I don’t have it already.”
“You got some.”
“Not enough. Not nearly what we agreed to.”
“I didn’t agree to it. That was your agreement with Pye. He thought he could cross me and, well, you know what happened.”
“You took his saddlebag.”
“So? I gave you some money then for your trouble and your loss and I took the bag.”
“Then why can’t I have my share now?”
“Because I don’t have it anymore. I helped myself to some greenbacks and turned over the rest.”
Desiree eyed the Springfield lying next to Carter and wished she knew how to use it. Wouldn’t he be surprisedto open his goddamn eyes and find himself squarely in the sight of his own weapon?
“Put it out of your mind, Desi,” he said as if he could read hers.
She gave a little start. Lord, she despised this man. “What do you mean you turned the money over? Who has it if you don’t?”
“The money. The bag. It’s not important who has it now. Not to you. I told you that you’d get yours.”
Desiree wasn’t certain she liked the sound of that. She let it go without comment.
“You’re better off not knowing everything. You should be thanking me.”
“Maybe I will someday. I think it hangs on you leaving now.”
Carter sighed heavily, rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands before he opened them. He stared at the Springfield and his expression was regretful, not remorseful. The rifle had failed him. It had been a long time since that had happened, and he did not want to repeat it. Next time he would use the Enfield.
He scooted to the edge of the bed and set his feet down, and then he picked up his rifle and set it across his lap. “I don’t suppose you’d let me leave this here?”
