"I get the feeling she is not indifferent to you. One of the reasons she kept losing track of our conversation was that she kept looking out the window. You may be the ‘what’ that distracts her." It wasn't what he expected to hear and he cleared his throat. "Me? I doubt it."
"Yes, well, I am guessing. I hope so, anyway. I’d hate to think she's having other complications from hitting her head." They'd arrived at the mercantile and Sarah stopped. "Promise me you'll talk to her. See if you get a sense of what could be troubling her. It's not natural, the way she hides from people. I see the look of longing in her when spotting groups of people enjoying themselves. No matter what she says, like insisting she's a shy loner, I have a feeling it's not true at all."
"Sometimes, people go through an experience that changes their nature," Lucas told her, his mind already turning on how to approach Camille.
"That's true. And I am overstepping my friendship with her by speaking to you. It’s just that, for some reason, I can't shake the feeling something is horribly wrong." Sarah tapped his arm. "Come over for supper tonight. I'm making stew."
"I will."
"Deputy McKade," a red-faced man rushed to him. "There's brawling over behind the saloon. Two men against one."
He gave Sarah a quick nod before rushing to where the man indicated.
The burly man who sat in the cell a few minutes later spat blood on the floor and scowled up at Lucas. "I ain't stayin' here. Let me go, lawman. You got no reason to arrest me."
Lucas tried to ignore his pulsing jaw and pointed to it. "I got more than reason enough."
When he'd broken up the fight, the man in the cell swung at him and had connected with so much force that Lucas ended up on his bottom. "What are you and your partner doing in this town?"
When the man's narrowed eyes met Lucas’ and his lip curled, some sort of sound resembling a chuckle came from the man. "I got my reasons. Needed to see some things for myself."
"What kind of things?" Brogan walked up, his gaze shifting from Lucas to the man in the cell.
The prisoner sat on the cot and leaned back against the wall, his dark gaze never leaving Lucas. "You'll find out soon enough."
Brogan shook his head. "I suppose we will."
Both lawmen walked out to stand outside the front door of the jailhouse so the man couldn't hear their conversation. Lucas looked back toward the inside. "What do you think he's implying? Gave us a look like it may have something to do with us."
"I doubt it. That man wouldn't make it a day with Bill Burns’ gang. He and his friend are just looking for trouble. Maybe some sort of diversion so the other one can do something stupid. Let's look around."
"I'll walk around," Lucas told the sheriff. "You on horseback?"
After a nod, Brogan went to find his steed while Lucas took off on foot.
An hour later, Lucas walked into the darkened saloon. The smells of furniture polish, whiskey and stale cigar smoke filled the air. Most of the tables were empty except for one in the corner where two old timers sat playing cards.
Behind a huge, polished, dark, wooden bar stood the bartender and a woman he recognized as Lacy, who handled the women who worked in there.
Since it was early afternoon, most of the girls were probably still in their rooms resting.
The bartender, Will, lifted his hand in greeting. "Deputy, how are you today?"
Lacy, a tall redhead, wasn't as friendly. Her green eyes raked over his length before she rolled her eyes and sauntered away.
"You still mad at me, Lacy?" Lucas said to her back and she ignored him.
A bark of laughter made him turn to Will. "She don't take kindly to being turned down."
"I reckon not." Lucas smiled at Lacy who rolled her eyes again.
"What can I get you?" Will placed an empty glass on the bar. "Whiskey?"
"Nothing, thank you," Lucas let out a breath, he never could get used to the dank smells inside a saloon. "You need to air out the place."
"Front door is open. Why don't you go out through it where the air is fresher?" Lacy snapped from across the room.
Lucas ignored her. "Where did the other man go? The one who was with the one I arrested?"
"He walked toward the stables. I reckon went to get his horse," Will said. "Not a good friend if he leaves the other one behind."
"I doubt they are good people. They left poor Jim Horn pretty bloody. What was that about?"
"They said he cheated at cards."
"He probably did." Lucas felt bad for Jim, but the man was a cheat. The reason no one in town played cards with him.
He walked out of the saloon and took a deep breath. He'd have to do something nice for Lacy. It wasn't that he disliked her, nor did he judge her occupation. But he'd grown up without a father and vowed never to sire a child, whom he'd not be around to raise.
Lacy had expressed more than just wanting him as a client. She wanted a relationship and although the woman was attractive, he couldn't bring himself to care for her.