Justin's Bride. Susan Mallery

me say these things.”

      “Explain that to Laurie.”

      “Who?”

      “The dead girl. She had a name, you know.” His dark, angry eyes refused to release her. She tried to look away, but she couldn’t. “She was just your age, Megan. Not much taller than you. Not nearly as pretty, though. But because she worked in a saloon and took money for what you offered me for free, it’s all right that she’s dead?”

      “No!” She jerked her hands free and pushed at his chest. “I never offered you anything.” She banished the memory of their times by the stream. Nothing had happened.

      But she’d wanted it to.

      Justin straightened. Only then did she realize the door was open and that anyone could have overheard their conversation. She sent up a quick prayer, then rose and moved around him to close it.

      “Keep your voice down,” she said quietly.

      “Ah, yes. Your precious reputation.” He mocked her, then took her chair without asking. He stretched his long legs out in front of him, trapping her by the door.

      She glanced at the desk. Alice had curled up on the order forms and had gone to sleep. The sight of the sweet kitten reminded her that Justin had brought her the cat as an apology for the harsh words he’d said yesterday. Here they were, arguing again.

      She tugged at the waist of her dress, then looked at him. “You didn’t really expect me to know her, Justin. I’m sorry she’s dead. I’m sorry I don’t know anything, but you can’t blame me for her life or her death.”

      He placed his hat on his lap. “I suppose not.” He thought for a minute. “Did anyone demand a more thorough investigation?”

      “Not that I remember. Sheriff Roberts told everyone it was one of the drifters who had killed her.”

      “That’s it?”

      She nodded. “Justin, I’m sorry. He was the sheriff. Why wouldn’t he tell the truth?”

      He leaned forward in the chair, resting his elbows on his knees. He dangled his hat from his hands. “I’m not saying he lied on purpose. I just wonder why he didn’t bother looking into the case further.”

      “You think there was another killer?”

      “I don’t know.”

      He looked desolate. Megan had to hold herself back to keep from going to him. She wanted to touch him and tell him that everything was going to be all right. Except she didn’t know that to be true. And even if she did, Justin wouldn’t want comfort from her.

      “Her name was Laurie,” he said.

      “You told me.”

      “Laurie Smith.”

      Megan grabbed on to the door handle for support. She stared at his bent head, then watched as he looked up at her. She tried to school her features, but couldn’t. Heaven knew what he saw on her face. His dark eyes gave nothing away.

      “So you remember.”

      “Yes,” she whispered. “She was the one—” She swallowed the bile rising in her throat.

      “The woman I was accused of beating seven years ago. Interesting, don’t you think?”

      “She cleared your name.”

      “So I heard.”

      “But you don’t know how.”

      “What do you mean?”

      Megan was sorry she’d said anything. She didn’t want to have this conversation with Justin. There was no way for her to talk about it without him guessing how much she’d been hurt. No one had known the truth, she reminded herself. That was the only thought that had kept her alive during those awful days. When she’d heard the story, she’d known she’d made the right decision about staying in Landing. What would have happened if she’d left with him and then found out? She would have been destroyed.

      “Megan, tell me what you’re talking about.” He rose from the chair and approached her. With the closed door behind her, there was nowhere to go. He tossed his hat on the chair and gently held her upper arms. “Tell me.”

      “I...” She looked up into his face, then away. “When she said it wasn’t you, the sheriff wanted to know how she was sure. He told her it had been dark. She said—” Her voice caught. She swallowed again, then closed her eyes. It was easier to speak of it without looking at him. “She said she would have known you anywhere. That you’d been with her several times, some of them in the dark.” She blinked back the tears, but could do nothing about the pain. “You spent those summer evenings kissing me and tempting me on the bank of the stream, but you spent your nights with her. You went from me to a w-whore.”

      His fingers gripped her tighter. “Sonofabitch.”

      She flinched at the harsh word.

      He released her then, and turned away. “So even if you knew anything about her death you, wouldn’t tell me,” he said.

      “That’s not true. If you think that, you don’t know me at all.”

      “You’re right, I don’t know you.” He picked up his hat. “It’s been seven years, Megan. Despite the past we shared, we’re strangers.”

      Then why does my heart beat faster around you? She didn’t ask. He would have no answer, at least none that she wanted to hear.

      “I’d better go,” he said, turning toward her.

      She feared what she would see in his eyes, but for once his lack of expression was a blessing. “I really don’t know anything,” she said.

      He nodded and moved past her toward the door. She wanted to say something, anything to make it right between them. There were no words left. He was right; they were strangers.

      He opened the door.

      “Justin?”

      He paused.

      She raised her hand toward him, wanting to touch him, then let her arm drop to her side. “I don’t know if this helps or not, but there was another saloon girl killed about four years ago. She was beaten to death, as well.”

      “What happened?”

      “I don’t know.” She held her palm out. “I was caring for my father while he was ill, so don’t yell at me for not being concerned about her death. I don’t know any of the details, but they sound the same as those surrounding Laurie Smith’s death. Maybe it will help.”

      “Thanks for telling me. No one else bothered to.” He grimaced. “I don’t suppose you would consider asking around about Laurie? Maybe people would tell you something they won’t tell me?”

      She wouldn’t have been more shocked if he’d asked her to take off her dress and parade around in her petticoats. “I can’t. What would people—”

      “Think,” he finished grimly. “Stupid of me to ask.”

      “That’s not fair. No one I know would be familiar with a saloon girl.”

      He stepped into the hallway. “Tell me, Megan, does it get cold and lonely being perfect?”

      He didn’t wait for an answer, he simply walked away. She stared after him, biting her lower lip and fighting the tears. He wasn’t being reasonable. He wanted too much. And he was right. Her world was much colder and emptier than he could ever imagine.

      * * *

      Justin stormed along the boardwalk, then stomped through the mud on his way back to his office. Damn Megan for her heartlessness. He pulled his mouth into a straight line and barely had the good manners to nod as one of the new settlers in the area greeted him.

      She couldn’t risk