"I'll bet he didn't," he said with a laugh. "Does Jasper know the entire story?"
"Most of it," she replied, tightening her lips. Some of her plans were her own and she wouldn't share them with anyone. "Where do we go from here, Mr. Barlow?" she asked, indicating the end of her confidences.
"First, I'll get a statement from Mr. Thurgood, the undertaker, stating your father was indeed murdered. I'll talk to the sheriff to confirm your report and gather any information he may have acquired regarding the murder. Then I'll need to travel to San Francisco to search some records to see if we can verify your father's claim. When I return, we'll meet again to discuss our next move."
"How much is this going to cost me?" she asked, cutting to the crux of the matter.
"It will depend on how things move along," he replied.
"I have two hundred dollars. Will that be enough to start?" she asked hopefully, holding out the coins.
"I'll take that as a retainer, Miss McKay," he agreed, writing her out a receipt.
"Thank you, Mr. Barlow and remember, Clem McKay has taken off for parts unknown," she reminded him as he escorted her to the door.
"I'll keep that foremost in my mind, Crystal, and let me give you a little advice." At her nod, he continued. "Don't take the law into your own hands, young lady, no matter the provocation and don't underestimate Jasper Montgomery. While he gives the appearance of a gentleman of the highest order, for these parts at least, underneath he's much tougher than he seems."
"Is he dangerous?" she whispered, careful not to let his clerk overhear them.
Adam laughed. "Not in the way you mean, but he doesn't suffer fools gladly and if he's got his eye on you for a bride, I have no doubt you'll be walking down the aisle on his arm in short order."
Crystal gave a very unladylike snort, snapped open her parasol and marched from the office. She could still hear Adam chuckling halfway down the boardwalk. Jasper did have a bit of a temper. She'd seen it and felt it, but there wasn't any meanness in him. Clem acknowledged she could do a lot worse for a husband, and he did have a way of making her body crave his at the most inopportune moments. A smile, a wink, and her heart sped up like a runaway pony. His lips on hers or, heaven forbid, on her breasts and she was panting, and when his hand slipped between her legs, good Lord the sounds she produced. It was mortifying and glorious all at the same time.
It saddened her to realize there was the distinct possibility he would withdraw his proposal and his friendship once she started taking men up to her room, but that couldn't be helped. She felt a deep sense of commitment to finding her father's murderer. Somebody knew something, and even the best kept secrets had a way of leaking out, as she'd just so disturbingly learned. Adam Barlow now knew far more than she was comfortable with.
Not that she suspected him of being in any way involved, but she had no idea who his clients were. Perhaps one of them was the murderer himself and she'd just given her identity away. She could be in grave danger and not even know it if Mr. Barlow was the type of man who didn't respect a confidence. If she got the chance she would ask Jasper about his character, something she probably should have done before spilling her guts and handing over two hundred dollars of… well she couldn't say 'hard earned money' but saying 'pleasurably earned money' didn't seem right either. The thrill that coursed through her had her momentarily wondering if she really needed that gold mine. If Jasper was willing to pay her that kind of money every night for her to suffer through the wondrous torment of taking her body, did she need more? Marrying him had its appeal, but husbands didn't pay wives for that sort of thing, at least she'd never heard of that, and she needed the money.
Shoulders slumping, she entered the door of The Red Petticoat, savoring the cool interior. It was time for dinner and she was hungry. After, she'd take a ride out to the mine and see if anything had changed. It was best to keep her mind on her mission and not let the thought of Jasper's hands… and other parts, sway her. Hopefully, there would be plenty of time for those pleasures once her father's murderer was either brought to justice or dead.
"Crystal, a word please," Gabriel called as she walked toward the stairs to return the things she'd borrowed.
"Yes," she replied nervously. He seemed a nice enough man, but one never knew.
"I'm going to assume you don't know that one of the rules Madam Jewel and I adhere to are that none of our gems go out without letting either Jewel, Charlie, Nettie or myself know," he began.
"But it's the middle of the day," Crystal exclaimed.
"I understand that. However, in the future you are not to leave the premises without informing someone. And, you are to be back before dusk. The rule is for your own protection."