Morgan snorted. “There’s too damn much talk at every breakfast. You’ll have to be a tad more specific.”
“About your friend. The one I ran into outside of Mrs. Garvin’s shop.”
“That was almost a week ago. I hardly remember it.”
“Liar.”
He grunted softly but did not offer a defense.
“I think you have someone in mind who fits the description I gave you.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Something about the way you looked then and your evasion now. Who is he?”
“Not my friend.”
“That was my word, not his. He only said that the two of you ‘went back a ways.’”
“He could be anyone.”
“I realize that. But who do you think he is?”
Morgan sighed, rubbed the back of his neck. “I reckon he could be one of my brothers.”
Jane’s eyes widened. “Why ever wouldn’t you say so?”
“Lots of reasons, but mostly because I am trying to figure out what I want to do about it.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
“I know you don’t, and I know it’s my fault. Maybe it’s wrongheaded, but I still have this notion that there might be things I will never have to tell you.”
“If it helps, I will remind you again that I am not going anywhere.”
He smiled. “Since you’re still here after I told you about Zetta Lee, it seems like that’s something I can hang my hat on.”
“Yes,” she said. “Hang your hat on that.”
For a long moment, Morgan was quiet, then he said, “Did you notice if he limped some?”
Jane thought about it. “No. We did not walk together. He was suddenly there in my path and then he wasn’t.”
“Jackson limps. He fell halfway out of his saddle during a cattle drive, got his foot caught in the stirrup, and was dragged a piece before Gideon could help him. He put his knee out. It never set right with him after that.” Morgan shrugged. “The limp’s a good distinguishing feature. Otherwise, it’d be hard to describe them in enough detail to set them apart.”
“All right, but everyone at the table except Jem offered a name, and each name belonged to someone who lives in or around Bitter Springs. Your brothers don’t, do they?”
“No. The last I knew they were living in Kansas.”
“That’s quite a way off. Is Zetta Lee there now?”
“Not that I know of. I think she’s still in Lander.”
“So they might have come back this way to visit her.”
“Possible, I suppose, but there’s no love lost between them and Zetta Lee either. And before you ask, the answer is: I don’t know. Neither of them ever said a word to me that makes me think Zetta Lee had them in her bed. Same as I never said a word to them. There’s enough other reasons they’d as soon choke her as look at her.”
“Do you mean that?”
