Page 77 of My Heart Will Find You

To her surprise, Max went down the rope again. As she watched, she was very nervous. This wasn’t part of the story. What if a guard saw that seven of the ten men in the hideous cell were gone? They could find Max! They could—

He came back up. His second rope, the one the men had rappelled down, was coiled about his shoulder. “They’ll just have to guess how the men got out.”

She couldn’t help throwing her arms around his chest. She was so relieved that he was all right.

“Come on,” he said softly as he peeled her arms away. “Let’s get out of here before some hog decides that ladder is good to eat. I don’t want to have to jump across a building.”

She knew he was referring to her original plan.

“Remember that hot bath I promised you? I bet we can find it in this big city. And let’s get you some new clothes so I don’t have to wash them every night.”

“You are so good to me. You take such good care of me. You—”

He half set her on the top rung of the ladder. She quit talking and climbed down.

Etta was standing on the train platform waiting for Max to meet her. At her feet were four suitcases—or portmanteaus as someone called them. She was wearing a green dress so fashionable that Alice was going to be impressed.

As always, Max had taken care of everything. After they left the jail, he checked them into the finest hotel Van Buren had to offer. The quality was a great deal better than their previous hotel. This one was decorated in Victorian garish: red flocked wallpaper, heavy, dark furniture, gas lit glass fixtures on the walls.

As a bellman carried their saddlebags and canvas sacks up to their lovely room, Etta whispered, “I like the other hotel better.”

“Me too,” Max replied.

When they were alone, she turned to him. “Now what? Some poor overworked, underprivileged serf carries up our bath water?”

“I, uh...” He hesitated.

She sensed that he had something serious to say.

He took a breath. “I have things to do and we’re going back on the train.”

She had to translate that in her mind. “Things to do? You’re dumping me here on my own, aren’t you?” She wasn’t a good enough actress to sound convincing. She wasn’t actually angry. She understood work.

His eyes sparkled. “I am. I found a place with lots of Freddys.”

Etta didn’t smile.

Max pulled her into his arms. “Since I met you I haven’t done two minutes of work. There are things I can do here. The hotel manager gave me the name of a Miss Louise. You’re going to see her.”

She pulled back to look at him. “For what?”

“A bath, then getting some new clothes.”

“You could come too.”

He shivered. “I’d rather fight a hundred rattlers than go shopping. I’ll meet you at the station at six.” He released her, went to the door, and opened it. A beautifully dressed, pretty young woman was standing there. “She’s going to take care of you, then she’ll deliver you to the station on time.”

He started to leave but then closed the door halfway. Out of sight of the young woman, he mimicked Wyatt Earp’s gesture of kissing his hand and sending the kiss to her.

Smiling broadly, she caught it and put it to her lips.

With a nod of satisfaction, he left the room.

The young woman was looking at Etta with a forced smile, as though she was facing an impossible task.

Some things never change, Etta thought. There was nothing more intimidating than the disparaging look that a saleswoman could give you. “I am yours,” she said, and they left together.

That had been hours ago and Etta had been washed, shampooed, manicured, and finally dressed.

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