"That's reassuring, but it's not going to protect her when someone puts two and two together," Jasper snapped. "Whoever killed Clyde McKay isn't going to stop looking for his son."
"I agree, but why? He got away with it and as far as anyone knows, the kid is long gone. Why stir up trouble?"
"I wish I knew. Maybe he's sorry he left a witness, or maybe something will turn up in San Francisco. Adam Barlow is still looking into it for her."
"In the meantime, what are you going to do?" Gabe asked.
"What would you do?"
"That's easy." Gabe laughed, finishing his coffee and rising. "I'd do exactly what you just did only more often and I'd cart her ass out of town so fast her head would spin."
"Technically that's kidnapping, Gabe," Jasper drawled, "not that it hasn't occurred to me."
"So what's stopping you?"
"Clementine's different from most women, Gabe. That girl has a fire in her soul a few good times and baubles couldn't come close to soothing. Even if I got away with it and relocated her, I'd have to watch her every second. The minute my back was turned she'd be gone, on her way back to Culpepper Cove," he sighed. "I know she has feelings for me. She's full of lust, but it's not for me, it's for revenge."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. If I could see an end to it, I could wait, but there's no guarantee her father's murderer is even around here. He could simply have been a hired gun. This could go on for years. Clem's stubborn; she'll never give it up and she can't move on until it's resolved." Shaking his head sadly, he threw some money on the table.
Suddenly, a commotion had him looking at the doorway. The gems filed in for breakfast in various states of dishabille.
"You're up early," Gabe said with a grin.
"Yeah," Amy replied. "Someone woke us up screaming her head off," she snapped, nodding her head at Crystal who was straggling behind.
"Shut up, Amy," Dottie scolded. "It wasn't her fault."
"Good morning, ladies," Jasper said with a courtly bow.
"Humph," Opal sniffed as she pushed by him.
Jasper ignored her disdain and took note of Crystal. She was barefoot, wearing a frothy, ruffled white robe that dragged on the floor behind her. Her eyes were red and swollen and she carried a brocade pillow. Reaching out, he clasped her hand as she walked by and raised it to his lips.
"Good morning, Crystal. You look lovely this fine morning," he said sweetly as she raised her chin and looked at him haughtily.
"Drop dead, Montgomery," she replied, yanking her hand from his grasp.
Jasper smiled. "My, my, it appears someone is in a foul mood."
"And whose fault is that?" Opal demanded. "Take your showboating down the road, Jasper. We're not in the mood, are we ladies?" she asked.
"Certainly not."
"That's an understatement if I ever heard one."
"Mr. Vazquez, I enjoyed our conversation, but I believe I'll take my leave," Jasper remarked, picking up his hat. "It seems I'm not very desirable company this morning."
"You bet you're not," Crystal said from between her teeth as she placed the pillow on her chair and sat with a hiss.
"I'll be back tonight."
"Thanks for the warning."
"Listen, Jasper," Opal said, turning in her chair to glare at him and speaking as though she were talking to someone of slightly less than adequate intelligence. "Frankly we don't give two shits what you do at night, but when you wake us up at the ass-crack of dawn it doesn't exactly put you in our good graces, does it, ladies?"
Jasper smiled as they murmured agreement.
"Please forgive my sudden and intrusive behavior this morning. I'm truly sorry I disturbed most of you. Rest assured I shall make it up to you. Good day."
"Oh good," Amy said with delight. "I hope it's with something expensive."
"Shut up, Amy," Crystal sighed, laying her head on the table.
Chapter Twelve
Jasper was as good as his word. That afternoon several pretty packages were delivered to The Red Petticoat Saloon. Amy cooed over her bottle of expensive perfume that came all the way from Paris, France. Opal received an outrageously expensive new bonnet that tied beneath her chin with lavender ribbons. Dottie got a stuffed green parrot in a gilded cage. Citrine received a golden fringed shawl.
There were numerous boxes of chocolates, an assortment of ribbons and pretty do-dads and even a gaily wrapped box for Crystal which she didn't want to open and was sorry when she had.
As soon as she peeled back the tissue paper, the laughing started. Her gift was a smooth and highly polished wooden paddle in the shape of a heart. Her face flamed when she read the words painted on one side. 'For Crystal's Calamities'. Tossing it back in the box, she walked away, ignoring the titters behind her as the girls admired the craftsmanship.
Opal plucked the card from the box and read it out loud.
"Don't be embarrassed, darling. I made this myself especially for you. As soon as my hand cooled down his morning, I realized that every job requires the proper tool.
J.M."