'Wait a second,' Doreen said. 'I get that Frazier started dating me a couple of weeks ago so that he could keep an eye on Elly. And I understand that he forced Stuart Griggs into a partnership. But how did he know that you would come to Cadence to see Elly?'
Alice looked at Cooper. 'Good question.'
Cooper shrugged. 'Frazier still had contacts and connections back in Aurora Springs. He had been a member of the Council, after all. Last month it was no secret that I was making arrangements to spend a couple of weeks here in Cadence courting Elly.'
Elly felt her jaw unhinge. '
He spread his hands. 'You said it yourself: Aurora Springs is a small town. Every man on the Council and probably most of the members of the Guild and their families understood that I considered our wedding postponed, not called off.'
Elly sagged back against the counter. 'This is so embarrassing.'
Doreen grinned. 'I think it's incredibly romantic.'
Cooper smiled at her, pleased. 'Thanks. Glad someone appreciates the work involved here. As I was saying, everyone expected me to head for Cadence sooner or later. I figured six months was long enough to wait. But as the Guild chief, I couldn't just up and disappear for a couple of weeks. I had to organize matters so that Elly's dad and the Council would be able to handle Guild affairs while I was out of town.'
Doreen nodded sagely. 'And someone back in Aurora Springs notified Frazier of the date you planned to head for Cadence.'
He yawned again. 'Like I said, it was an open secret.'
Alice drummed her fingers on the kitchen counter.
'You're telling me that Frazier spent months setting a trap that was supposed to end with you being arrested for dealing drugs, Boone?'
Cooper propped one shoulder and his head against the wall. He crossed his arms and half-closed his eyes. 'Uh-huh. I was supposed to be DeWitt's second and biggest bust.'
'Seems like a pretty elaborate sort of plan,' Alice said slowly. 'Why not just lie in wait in the alley out back and shoot you when it was convenient?'
'Killing a Guild boss in cold blood is sort of a big deal to the Guilds,' Cooper said dryly. 'Sets a bad example. Frazier didn't dare try it back in Aurora Springs because the risk was too great. Small town thing, you know? Hard to get away with a high-profile murder in a place where everyone knows you. And regardless of whether or not there was any proof, he had to be aware that he would have been suspect number one in the eyes of the Council.'
Understanding lit Alice's face. 'And the murder of a visiting Guild boss here in Cadence would have infuriated Mercer Wyatt. He would have turned the city upside down to find the shooter.'
'Frazier had to keep himself above suspicion at all costs,' Cooper agreed.
He started to slide down the wall. Alarmed, Elly hurried over to him, grabbed one arm, and slung it around her shoulder.
'You need to get to bed,' she said.
Alice angled her chin at the officer in the doorway. 'Give her a hand, Drayton. Boone looks like he's going to pass out. He's too heavy for Miss St. Clair.'
'No problem.' Drayton moved forward. 'I'll handle him, Miss St. Clair. Where do you want him?'
'This way,' she said.
She went down the hall to the bedroom. Drayton maneuvered Cooper as far as the bed.
'Thanks,' Cooper mumbled. He fell full length onto his back on the quilt. He closed his eyes. 'Are you all going to stand around this bed and watch me sleep?'
'We're leaving.' Elly leaned down and kissed him gently.
Cooper smiled a little, looking content.
Elly made shooing motions at the others. They backed out of the bedroom reluctantly.
'One last thing,' Doreen said from the doorway. 'Why was Frazier so sure you'd come after Elly sooner or later? You didn't need her or her father's influence to become the chief of the Aurora Springs Guild. You already had the job.'
'That was the one thing he got right,' Cooper said without opening his eyes. 'He figured I'd show up here sooner or later because he knew Elly was my weakness. Like everyone else back home, he knew that I loved her.'
'He knew
Cooper turned on his side and went to sleep.
'Typical male,' Doreen said.
Chapter 41
HE AWOKE A LONG TIME LATER AND SAW THAT NIGHT had fallen. The familiar emerald light of the Dead City infused the fog outside the bedroom window.
There was a small scurrying action at the foot of the bed. Rose drifted up to his chest and looked down at him with her bright blue eyes.
'Hey there, gorgeous.' He smiled and patted the top of her head or at least where he thought the top of her head probably was.
Rose bounced a little. The beads of a red-and-gold bracelet necklace gleamed in the shadows.
'You're awake.' Elly uncurled from the chair in the corner, put down the leather-bound journal she had been reading, and came to stand beside the bed. 'Thank goodness. I was starting to get worried because you were conked out for so long. How are you feeling?'
He was vaguely surprised to see that she was dressed in a nightgown and robe, her hair loose around her shoulders.
She looked beautiful, he thought. But, then, she always did, no matter what she was wearing or the time of the day. She would look beautiful fifty or sixty years from now. She would always be the most beautiful woman in the world to him. He had known that from the beginning.
'I'm fine.' He raised his arm so that he could check his watch. 'It's nearly midnight. How'd it get so late?'
'Time flies when you're sleeping off a bad afterburn.' She sank down on the edge of the bed and rested her hand on his arm.
He wrapped his hand around hers. 'What have you been up to while I was out?'
'Acting as your secretary for the most part. Taking messages.'
'What messages?'
'Let's see. Bertha Newell came by. She said to tell you how grateful she was and that she'll be back in the morning to thank you in person. Emmett and Lydia London stopped in for a few minutes to make sure that we were all okay. Emmett said he'll call you tomorrow to get the details. Lydia brought Fuzz and Ginger along. Rose showed them her jewelry collection. I believe they were impressed. Lydia may have to take them shopping soon. Oh, and Mercer Wyatt phoned.' She paused. 'I think that's everyone.'
'You have been busy.'
'They all made it clear that they expect an invitation to the wedding.'
'Yeah?' His insides clenched, but he managed to keep his voice even. 'What did you tell them?'
She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the mouth. When she raised her head again, he could see the love that lit her eyes.
'I told them that they would all get one, of course,' she said.
He pulled her down on top of him. Rose scrambled out of the way with a grumpy protest, tumbled off the bed, and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.
'I love you,' Cooper said. 'I fell for you the first day I met you.'
