Lucas shrugged noncommittally. “That’s got nothing to do with it. I’m not like you, Billy. I just didn’t want a wife, that’s all.”
“Then why’d you let me talk you into sending for one?” Billy’s voice rose with agitation.
“You’re making me feel guilty as all hell, Luke. Willow said I’d end up regretting butting into your life.”
“Forget it. I went along with it since it seemed like a good idea. It wasn’t your fault. I never planned on actually marrying the girl.”
“Did she know that?”
“She does now.”
Billy whistled softly. “So that’s why she took off.” Lucas nodded. “That leaves you married, but without a wife to show for it. You willing to go on like that?”
Lucas considered explaining the nonlegality of his marriage, but decided against it. “I won’t have to, Billy. Sharisse will take care of ending the marriage just as soon as she gets back to New York.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Billy frowned. “You planning on paying your respects at the Tucson graveyard again?” he ventured. “Is that why you’re packing so much stuff?”
“I did that a few days ago.” Lucas finally looked at him squarely. “I’m quitting this place.”
“You ain’t!”
Lucas couldn’t help laughing. Billy, with round, incredulous eyes, didn’t look like Billy at all.
“Why are you so surprised?” Lucas asked. “You knew I’d move on soon.”
“Yeah, but not yet. It ain’t over. How can you go before it’s finished?”
Lucas shrugged. “The last phase is in the works. I’m not needed here for anything else.”
“I can’t believe it. After all the time you’ve put in to make your plan work?”
“That’s just it, Billy. I’ve been here too long.”
“It’s because she’s gone, isn’t it?”
“Maybe,” Lucas hedged. “What’s the difference? You can handle the end of it. All those thank-you letters that came in from the different charities we dumped Sam’s money into are in my room. All you have to do is see that he gets the lot of them as soon as Buskett sends word that Sam’s ranch is sold and the last of Sam’s money given to a worthy cause. He’s not a stupid man. He will realize immediately that he’s been taken for everything he owns. And I bought the bank myself so I could cancel all those mortgages. I’ll send an agent in to take care of that.”
“Another expense you figure is worth it?”
“I want the folks here to be free to move on to more prosperous towns if they’ve a mind to, yes.”
“You know they’ll go. This town will be dead within a year. But shoot, Luke, I thought you wanted to deliver the blow to Newcomb yourself,” Billy grumbled. “What kind of revenge is that, taking off without even seeing the expression when he reads those letters? I just don’t understand.”
“It was never revenge, Billy. It was justice. And that’s been served. And I can imagine how he will look,” Lucas said grimly. “I don’t have to be there to see it. I’ve wiped him out. Next to go will be his wife and his small army that made him feel like a king. All he’ll have left is a suite in a hotel that never earned any money and never will, and soon there’ll be a ghost town to surround it.”
“What about this place?”
“Sell it if you can find someone fool enough to buy it. Or keep it, if you like. It doesn’t make any difference to me what you do with it. And you’re welcome to it.”
“I’ll probably head back to the reservation. Willow likes it better there.”
“I figured that.”
“And you?”
