Page 45 of Wyoming Tough

Morie lifted her chin. Spanish royalty from three generations ago showed itself in her comportment and arrogance. “I have never stolen anything in my life,” she said with quiet pride. “And you will regret this. I promise you.”

“Threats!” Gelly scoffed. “The last resort of a thief caught red-handed!”

“You remember it,” Morie told her evenly. “You’re wearing last year’s clothes, probably bought from a consignment shop, and trying to insinuate yourself into the boss’s life,” she said flatly, shocking everybody, especially Gelly. “You’re a fraud, too, lady. I don’t know what your game is, but sooner or later, you’ll betray yourself.”

Gelly moved closer to Mallory. There was something oddly dangerous in the other woman’s delicate features. Something Gelly recognized, because she’d seen it before.

“How would you know anything about fashion?” Mallory asked coldly, indicating Morie’s stained and torn jeans and old sweatshirt and disheveled condition.

“You might be surprised at what I know, and where I learned it,” she told him. Her black eyes were snapping like fireworks under her long, black eyelashes. “One day you’ll know the truth about me, too. And you’ll regret to your dying day that you ever accused me of a crime.”

“Criminals always say such things,” Gelly chided.

Morie smiled coldly. “You’d know.”

“How dare you!” Gelly stepped forward with her hand raised.

“Lawsuits will ensue if you hit me,” Morie told her. “I promise.”

Mallory caught the woman’s arm and pulled her back. “Let’s get this over without complications,” he told her. He was feeling really sick at what he’d charged Morie with. He hadn’t even let her speak.

“If you have a defense, let’s hear it,” he added, his eyes on hers.

Morie just laughed. “Sure. I’ve been set up and she—” she indicated Gelly “—knows it. But nobody is going to believe me. I’m just the new hire.”

She put her things into the rucksack and gathered up her small television and iPod and coat. “This is all I brought with me. May I ask someone to drive me to the bus station in town, or would you like me to walk there?” she added icily.

Mallory felt even worse when he saw how little she had. Maybe she’d been desperate for money. But if she had, why not come to him and ask for help? His face hardened. He’d made that impossible, with his own antagonism.

“I’ll drive you, honey,” Cane said gently. “Let’s go.”

“I can drive her,” Tank protested.

Neither of them believed her guilty, and it was obvious.

“Thanks,” Morie told them sincerely. “I’ll remember you both kindly, years from now.”

Mallory was fuming. He hated being put in this position. And he really hated having his own brothers make him look like the villain.

“Darby, could you drive me to town, please?” she asked the older man. “If the boss doesn’t mind.”

“Drive her,” Mallory said curtly. He glared at his brothers. “In case you didn’t notice, she had Grandmother’s jeweled egg in her rucksack!”

Both brothers looked at Gelly with veiled hostility.

She stepped closer to Mallory. “Why are you looking at me? I didn’t steal anything!”

“Neither did I,” Morie told her as Darby gathered up the heavy things and she shouldered her pack. She smiled at Gelly. It wasn’t a nice smile. “When I get home, my father will want to know all about you,” she added softly. “I’m sure he’ll find interesting things.”

Gelly panicked for just a minute. But she noted the other woman’s pitiful clothing and lost her worry. “Oh, I’m sure.” She laughed. “Does he even own a computer?”

You might be surprised,Morie thought, but she didn’t speak. She looked up at Mallory as she passed him, with sadness and pain.

“You might have given me the benefit of the doubt,” she said quietly.

“I did,” he muttered.

She sighed. “You think I stole from you,” she said in a soft, wounded tone.

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