Mary supposed her words were meant to be an insult, but they felt like a compliment. At least Mel saw that she was trying to be a good sister.
“Things have slowed down for the night. Mitch says Ben stepped out, and it looks like most of the guards have found companions for the rest of the evening. They probably figure you saw they were ready and gave up.”
Mel directed them through a passageway, which Mary realized brought them straight into the notorious house. When they reached the room at the end of the hall, she pulled a set of keys out of her pocket. “Swiped it off Colt. Being Ben’s second, he’s got copies of all the keys.”
Mary never would have guessed that she’d end up admiring a fallen woman, but Mel’s resourcefulness was a quality Mary wished she possessed. Actually, Mel had a lot of qualities Mary wished she possessed, like bravery and the willingness to do the hard things, even when it didn’t sound right. Mary wasn’t stupid enough to believe that Mel would walk away from this without getting in trouble herself. Once they got out of here, Mary would make certain that Frank helped the other woman find a better situation.
The third key did the trick. But rather than entering a room to find Mary’s sister asleep on a bed, they came face-to-face with the barrel of Ben’s gun.
* * *
“So you’re the traitor,” Ben said calmly, staring down the barrel at Mel.
Will stepped in front of Mel. This wasn’t her fight. “She just wanted to keep another innocent young woman from being kidnapped.”
“Kidnapped. Such a vile word.” Ben kept the gun trained on Mel. “Rose is here because she wants to be. Isn’t that right, Rosie?”
Mary’s gasp at the sight of her sister coming out of the shadows in a revealing dress brought Will’s attention to Mary, not Rose. Everything on her face told him that her sister’s appearance shattered something in Mary’s heart.
Will turned his attention back to Rose. She bore the look of every working girl in this place, and the haughty way she held her head told him that she didn’t mind a bit.
“Of course.” Rose sauntered over to Ben and kissed him.
“Please, spare us.” Mel stepped forward and approached Ben. “He doesn’t love you. It’s just a game with him.”
Will let out a breath. Thank goodness for Mel bringing some reality to the situation. The gun at his side called to him, but he knew that while he could shoot Ben now, doing so would only turn Rose into the grieving widow, or at least whatever she would be, considering they didn’t have the benefit of marriage. A fallen woman. With no chance at redemption.
“Ben loves me. He told me so,” Rose said in a honey-sweet voice.
“He was with me this morning, you twit.”
“Mel!” Ben pointed the gun at her again. “Don’t make this harder on yourself.”
Mel smiled at Rose. “Surely you aren’t so feeble-minded as to think that he’d meet you and be so overcome with love for you that he’d forsake all of his wild ways?”
From the crestfallen look on Rose’s face, it seemed that she had, in fact, believed just that.
At least Mary had managed to remain silent. Will was certain that she’d start in on Ben, but she seemed to be going along with Mel’s tactic of making Rose see what kind of man she’d settled for.
Ben cocked his pistol, but Mel laughed. “Really, Ben? I’m standing on your favorite Oriental rug. You won’t shoot me here. You’ll never get the blood out.”
Then she brought her attention back to Rose. “Go home with your sister, little girl. You don’t belong here.”
Ben let out a long belly laugh. “So that’s what this is about. Mad Mel’s jealous.”
As he laughed, he set the gun down. Unarmed, he was the perfect target. But with Rose so close to him, Ben’s grip tightening around her, Will didn’t dare risk putting her in harm’s way.
“I forgive you, baby. Why don’t you go pick something nice out of the jewelry box I keep on the dresser and go back to your room? I’ll deal with you in the morning. I do thank you for bringing me these unfortunate souls who just don’t know how to mind their own business.”
Mel turned and walked toward the dresser, and Ben brought his attention back to them.
“It’s a shame, Will Lost-his-badge. You’re going to die here today, and word’s going to get out that you died trying to rob me.” Ben let out a long, dramatic sigh.
“We’re witnesses.” Mary stepped forward and then turned to her sister. “Rose, surely you don’t want to be with a man like this. A murderer?”
Rose kissed Ben again, and Will could feel Mary’s shudder even though she wasn’t touching him. The spoiled brat deserved Ben. Did Rose have any idea what her sister had gone through to rescue her? Did she even care?
Of course not.
When Rose finished kissing Ben, she tossed her head and looked back at Mary. “You’re just jealous. You had your chance with Ben, but you spoiled it. Instead of meeting with him to discuss your wedding, you went on that church picnic, leaving him alone with me. Ben confessed how cold you were and how terrible he felt that he loved you so deeply, but you, you thought you were too good for him, just like you think you’re better than everyone else.”
“That’s not true!” Tears ran down Mary’s face, and Will wished he could do something to make it better for her.
“Mary is a devoted friend and sister,” Will said. He glared at Rose, who still looked more smug than any person had a right to. He’d give Ben credit; at least he’d found someone just like him.
“You have no idea how much
