A LITTLE FALL OF RAIN
By Jo
Part Eight:
Ben left the hatbox at the desk then went up to his room. Where was Eppie? This
bein' here was a sight too borin' when he couldn't be with Cora. They weren't
makin' plans for robbin' banks right now 'n Cora took away his desire to dandle
some saloon girl on his lap. Damn! He looked at the book on the bedside table.
No, he wasn't in the mood for readin'. Deliberately leavin' Eppie's hat on the
bed because, well, he didn't like it much, he headed back downstairs.
It wasn't close to lunch yet and food wasn't what was on his mind anyway. Cora
was. Walkin' out in front of the hotel, he leaned against its wall in the shade
of the porch, lookin' down the street toward the land office. Be a damn sight
better if Cora was an only child, damn sight! His eyes moved on directly across
to the mercantile. Frank'd probably still left her waitin' in there. He didn't
see a single reason why she should have to wait alone. Or him.
Eppie, pressed against the wall of the landoffice, saw Ben crossing the street
again, his eyes intent on the door of the mercantile. "Oh, Ben, no," she sighed.
Frank came out the door of the office, staring at Ben's back as the man went
inside the mercantile. "Brazen lout!" he said to himself.
Eppie faded into the shadows behind a large barrel, listening.
"Who?" asked another man, also coming out of the land office.
"Fellow who just went into the mercantile," Frank replied. "You know him?"
The man smiled. "Know him? Why that's Ben Wade hisself."
"Wade? Who is Ben Wade?"
"Who...? Oh, yeah, you're from back East, ain't ya? Well, that there Ben Wade is
about the most famous outlaw we got in these parts."
"Outlaw?" Frank turned eagerly to face the other man. "Is he wanted?"
"Wanted would be puttin' it kinda mild-like."
"He said he was in banking."
The man laughed loudly. "Well, don't that beat all! Bankin'!"
"He...?"
"Yep, I'd say he was in bankin' all right! Goes in a bank with an empty saddle
bag, comes out with it full."
Frank inhaled deeply, then rubbed the tip of his tongue along the bottoms of his
upper teeth. "Would there be a...reward?"
"A price on Wade's head? Yeah, he's got that in spades. But ain't nobody here
right now goin' after it. Man's got too many men."
"He doesn't seem to have men around him right now," Frank added.
"Well, just cuz you don't see 'em, don't mean they ain't there. I was in Bisbee
once a while back. Saw Wade leanin' against a post, lookin' like he wuz all
alone in this world. But soon's he stepped out into the street, his men just
come out of the shadows like they wuz ghosts, followin' him. No, he ain't no
easy man to take down if that's what you're thinkin'."
It was exactly what Frank was thinking. The man had obvious designs on his
sister. His eyes narrowed. "What if he is alone?" he asked. "He's been here in
town for some time and only seems to have some young whore with him. What
if...?"
"You serious?" When Frank nodded, the man added, "Cost you big time. You know
that."
"Money is not a problem. I need men." This outlaw was going to drag his sister
through the mud, drag Frank's family name along with it. He had no tolerance
for anything that disrupted his plans. Never had. Didn't matter what it took to
keep things the way he
required them to be. He studied
the short man beside him. "Anything you can arrange for me there?"
"Maybe," the man said. "You thinkin' of a shootout here in the street?"
"Nothing so obvious, no. And not in daylight."
The man smiled. "We just may be able to make some deal then. Come on back
inside."
The two men went back in the land office and Eppie couldn't hear their talkin'
no more. She stayed there, though. She'd damn well follow the bastards when they
left!
"Cora," Ben said, smilin' when he saw her lookin' at a display of soaps from
somewhere far away. He walked up beside her, liftin' a pinkish bar and inhalin'.
"Mighty fine scent."
"Ben." She was bored, glad to see him, yet worried. "Frank could be back any
minute."
"You been here a long time, Cora," Ben observed. "Ain't you tired of shoppin'?"
"Very tired," she sighed. "And I'd like to sit down. I wish...."
"How's about we go on back to the hotel, then, have somethin' cool to drink?"
"Oh, Ben, that sounds wonderful, but I don't think...."
"Don't you worry none," he smiled again. "I'll take care of everythin'."
"But Frank won't...."
"Frank here?"
"No. No, he's not."
"Then Frank don't matter none right now. You come along with me." He extended
his arm.
She looked at it a moment, wanting to take it, finally deciding to do so. As
they passed the man behind the counter, she said, "If my brother should come
looking for me, kindly inform him I went back to the hotel."
Together, arm in arm, they crossed the wide, dusty street. Eppie, watchin',
shook her head. "Man don't got a lick o' sense!" she muttered.
Ben escorted Cora to a table in the restaurant. They were the only ones there.
He pulled out her chair, findin' himself enjoyin' the gentlemanly acts she
inspired. A single waiter appeared a few moments later and he ordered drinks for
them, then tipped his chair back, just lookin' across the table at the lovely
sight she presented.
Cora was still nervous. She didn't want Frank to come storming in, pitching one
of his fits. At least there was no one else around to witness her embarrassment
if he did. Of course, though, Ben was there. That worried her the most, what Ben
might do if Frank got loud, if he grabbed her arm.
Ben could see her nervousness. "Settle, Cora," he said, his voice very low, very
soft. "Nothin' ain't goin' to happen here. Just us havin' our drinks, chattin' a
bit. Nothin' wrong with that."
Nothing was happening, he said? Truly he was doing, saying nothing more than
about their drinks, their talking. Why then did she feel as though the laces at
the back of her dress were loosening, her bodice slowly sliding down a bit too
far? If Frank came in, he would know! He'd be completely aware that she sat
there, the top half of her dress in her lap. Then what?
She tried to meet his eyes, but dropped hers. He was smiling slightly, as though
he were pleased. He pleased her, too...maybe too much. Her pelvis seemed to be
moving more widely apart again, like it wanted to make room to take him inside.
God, Cora, she berated herself. You might as well get a job in the saloon! No,
that wasn't it. Saloon women took any man that paid. She wanted only Ben. That
was right, she admitted. She did want him. Without knowing anything about him at
all, she wanted him. And she knew he knew it. Somehow she didn't mind that he
did. That not minding, that was part of it, part of what had changed in her. She
licked her lips, lifting her eyes again, willing herself not to waver in her
return gaze.
Ben's smile broadened just a bit. Yes, comin' to Flagstaff had been a damn good idea!