“Well, Mr Llewellyn, as you asked so nice and polite and all, I mean to say Alice has left Ironwood all together.”
Everything stopped. He knew his head and his mouth should be working but neither would. He should be saying something to clarify. He should be doing everything in his power to get the singer to explain. He should be formulating a plan of attack.
But…everything had stopped.
“What do you mean?” The words stuttered from him, fractured and raw.
She crossed her arms. “I mean what I say.”
Alice wasn’t here. Alice wasn’there?“I don’t understand, I... She was just here yesterday.” The words didn’t fit, didn’t make sense in his head. How could she not be here?
The singer stood there, her arms folded and her expression unforgiving. He didn’t know what to say. How could he not know what to say? He always knew. He always could come up with the right thing, get anyone to do anything he wanted. Christ, why was his brain failing him? Why couldn’t he think of a single argument, a single reason for her to tell him where the hell Alice was?
Get a hold of yourself, man.
Ruthlessly, he pulled himself together. He had to get the information out of Pearl, and he wouldn’t do it by becoming a gibbering mess.
Though it felt more a grimace, he pasted a grin on his face. “Might I inquire as to where she is?”
“You can inquire all you like.” Resolution hardened her features, and her expression clearly stated she would not be telling him a thing.
Attempting to soften his target, he widened his smile. “Miss Pearl, surely you can see my dilemma. Only yesterday Mrs Reynolds and I were…discussing our situation, and I thought to continue the discussion today. How can we do such if you will not tell me where she is?”
“I don’t particularly care if you never continue your conversation with Alice, so you can see how such an argument wouldn’t convince me one way or the other.”
Why the hell wouldn’t she tell him? Fury and frustration melding, he slammed his fist on the bar. “Goddamn it, woman, just tell me where she is!”
Garrett, who had thus far remained still and silent during their exchange, manoeuvred himself so he stood behind Pearl. The gunslinger remained in his chair, but his frame had tensed, as if poised to leap to action should it be required.
Rupert couldn’t find it in himself to care that these men clearly thought he would harm a woman. His mam would roll over in her grave if he even entertained such a notion, and he knew he would never do such a thing. He just…he needed to know where Alice was. Forcing a degree of calm, he said, “Please. Tell me.”
Her expression distinctly unimpressed, she uncrossed her arms. “You should leave. Now.”
“I’ll tell you where she is. For a fee,” the gunslinger said lazily. Rupert turned. The gunslinger still sprawled in his seat, still had his hand curled about his whiskey, but now aa hard glint lit his eyes.
Pearl glared at him. “You hush up, Wade. You don’t know a goddamn thing.”
The gunslinger’s gaze didn’t move from Rupert. “I know where Mrs Reynolds has departed to, and it seems this here man is desperate to know.”
Panic coiled inside him, turning his muscles tense and his stomach to churn. “You have to tell me. Please. I—”
“I don’thaveto do anything.” She bit off the words, her tone lowered and vibrating with anger. “And neither do you, Wade,” she added before the man could speak. She threw a withering gaze at Rupert. “She told me what happened. It was fairly hard to miss, her being all worked up as if she would explode. You’re a bastard, and nothing you say will make it right. You, with your fancy talk and your ludicrous clothes. What have youevergiven her, besides heartache? She’s better off without you.”
Blood pounding, heart beating as if it would rip right through his chest, he stepped closer to the bar. The sounds of the saloon faded away, so it was only him and Pearl and the knowledge she wasn’t divulging. “Tell me where she is.”
The breath exploded from her. “You keep asking the same question as if you’ll get a different answer. And it seems to me you should do the proper thing and leave.” Pointing, she jerked her chin towards the door.
Frustrated beyond reason, he slapped his hands on the bar.
Pearl jumped, and Garrett took a step forward, his expression hardening.
Christ, what was he doing? Since when had he taken to scaring women? “My apologies, Miss Pearl, I didn’t mean—”
“Don’t come any closer to her, Llewellyn,” Garrett said.
“No, no, of course not, I—” He raked his fingers through his hair, pomade thick on his hand. WhyshouldPearl tell him anything? He had done Alice wrong. He should have told her, and damn the agreement. She was worth more than any piece of paper, but he couldn’ttellher that if Pearl wouldn’t tell him where she was. “Please. Where is she?”
She folded her arms over her chest. “Why should I?” she retorted.
