still going to get his share of that reward.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Molly said.
And so they marched off to find Marshal Wheeler, who was having a very bad morning. “Good morning, Marshal,” Molly chimed. “Hi, handsome,” Sophie said with a bold smile.
“Look,” he groused, popping up from his desk, “if you’re wanting to know where my prisoner is, I can’t tell you. I’ve already had some real unpleasant visitors.”
“Well,” Sophie said, “you must know since your deputy is also missing.”
“But I don’t,” he protested. “I just told some of Ford Oakley’s friends the same damn thing. They had this little surprise party all worked out north of town. You can imagine how pissed off they were when the Elko stage came through and there was no Ford and no Marshal Long.”
“My heart bleeds for them,” Molly said. “So what did you tell that bunch of cutthroats and thieves?”
“I told them the exact same thing that I’m telling you. I don’t know where my deputy is and I don’t know where that federal marshal went to.”
“I think,” Sophie said in her nicest way, “that you’re telling a little fib.”
Wheeler blustered, “What you think, Sophie, doesn’t matter to me.”
“It did once,” she said sweetly. “It meant about everything to you.”
Wheeler blushed and dropped back down in his desk chair. Agitated, he began to rearrange some old wanted posters on his desk.
“Abe?” Sophie said, walking up to the desk and leaning over it so that he could see some cleavage.
“I… I got to get back to work,” he stammered, trying to keep his eyes on the papers. “You ladies better run along. I got nothing more to tell you about Ford Oakley, my damned deputy, or Marshal Long. Now that’s all that I’m going to say. So… go on now.”
Sophie batted her long eyelashes. “Anything YOU say, Abe, honey.”
The marshal blushed even more deeply, but he kept his hands busy and nailed his gaze to the papers as if he were staring at the eighth wonder of the world. “Well,” Molly said, “good-bye.”
“Yes,” Sophie said, “good-bye.”
“Good-bye, ladies!”
They went outside. “What do you think?” Molly asked as soon as they shut the office door.
“He’s lying through his teeth.”
“I know that,” Molly said. “But can you make him talk?”
“I’m sure that I can. Did you see the way I got him all flustered just now?”
“Of course! The man is crazy for you, Sophie.”
“That’s true, but making love to him now would be like coupling with a frog.”
Molly laughed. “Oh, come on now! You and the marshal had quite a thing going a few years back.”
“He’s changed a lot and none for the better,” Sophie said. “He’s really gotten hidebound and crotchety. He’s starting to look old enough to be my father.”
“Maybe he is your father.”
They both laughed, and then Molly said, “We really do need to know where Custis took Ford. Without a few friends, that federal marshal doesn’t stand a chance of getting Ford to Elko and that eastbound train.”
“I know,” Sophie said, looking back at the door. “But I really would prefer not to …”
“It wouldn’t take long,” Molly assured her. “I’d do it myself except that you’re the one that lights his fire.”
“If he’s got one left,” Sophie said.
“Ah,” Molly scoffed, “I’ll just bet that he will surprise you. Might be why he’s gotten so crotchety these past few years. It’s common knowledge that Marshal Wheeler and his fat old wife sleep in separate rooms and she’s as mean as a teased snake. I almost feel sorry for the man.”
“Me too.”
“Be a Good Samaritan,” Molly urged. “I’ll watch the door to make sure that you’re not interrupted.”
“Oh, all right,” Sophie finally agreed. “But this had better not take long.”
“It’s all up to you,” Molly said. “I’d just tell him right up front what the deal is. Information for … well, whatever you think you have to give.”
“Probably whatever the old goat wants,” Sophie groused as she opened the door again, went back inside, and turned the key in the lock.
Marshal Wheeler glanced up at Sophie. “I told you that I couldn’t help you, Sophie. Now will you please … what are you doing!”
What Sophie was doing was placing one heeled shoe on the seat of Deputy Trout’s empty chair and slowly pulling up her skirt to reveal her lovely thigh encased in some very expensive black silk stockings.
“Stop it!” Wheeler croaked, his eyes bugging a little.
Sophie reached up and undid her garter belt, then began to roll down the stocking to reveal her milky white thigh. “Abe, I remember how you used to lick me starting right here,” she said, pointing to a place inside of her
