Morgan's Woman

'Yes, I have. He's quite adamant about what he found in the barn. He'll be a good witness for the prosecution. I always advise my clients to avoid being found standing over a body whenever possible.' Dimitri chuckled at his bit of humor and adjusted the knot of his perfectly tied cravat.

Tamsin nibbled her lower lip and studied the little man. Had she seen Dimitri Zajicek on the street, she would have passed him without suspecting that beneath that graying cap of hair, with its center part and heavy layer of Acme Hair Oil, nestled a steel-trap mind. Strange that two such different men as he and Ash should have developed such an obvious respect for each other.

She smiled. So Ash played a good game of chess, did he? He was full of surprises. If she survived the rope and Ash his outlaws, she'd have to challenge him to a match. Her grandfather had taught her chess when she was eight, and it had been a passion ever since.

'A trial date has been set,' Dimitri announced, pulling her back to her present situation. 'Monday, a week.'

'You can't let Henry Steele preside,' she replied. 'I'm certain that he killed his own brother. What other reason could he possibly have for being in that barn that late at night? I heard Sam order him off the ranch that day. They were furious with each other. Apparently it wasn't enough for Henry to covet his brother's wife. He must have hated Sam enough to shoot him in the back.'

'Henry Steele cannot judge this case. It's illegal and impossible. Leave that to me. But if you hope to cast suspicion on a judge, we must have more evidence than his being there,' Dimitri reminded her. 'You were there, and you're innocent. It could have been a third party who committed the crime. A disgruntled employee? A passing horse thief?'

'If it was, then there were two of us there to steal horses that night.' She shook her head. 'It makes no sense. Unless Sam Steele was the horse thief. Someone took Dancer and Fancy from the livery stable the night before, and they weren't the first horses to go missing in this town according to the boy who mucks up for the hostler.'

'You mentioned the lad before.' Dimitri whipped out a pencil and a small leather-bound notebook. 'Give me his name and his exact words.'

'I'm not sure of his name, but he was about fourteen with olive skin and black hair. He said, 'Sam Steele trades in horses. Some people say he's not particular whose they are.' '

'You're certain that's what he said?'

'Yes. And you should question Mr. Edwards, the livery stable owner. He seemed a dishonest sort to me. Either he sold my horses to Sam, or they were in league with each other. Sam insisted he had bills of sale for both animals, but I didn't see them. They could have been false.'

'Or the papers never existed,' Dimitri suggested. 'I'll put bills of sale at the top of my questions for the widow Steele. If there are such papers, she should be able to produce them.'

'If Sam Steele's widow, Sarah, I believe I heard him call her, was behaving improperly with the judge-'

'Then she may be a hostile witness as well,' the lawyer finished. He pursed his lips. 'Leave Mrs. Steele to me, Mrs. MacGreggor. I've questioned deceitful witnesses on the stand before.' He moistened the pencil point with the tip of his tongue. 'Can you remember anyone, other than this Mr. Edwards, who saw you ride into town with your horses?'

She shook her head. 'There may have been a cowboy outside the feed and grain store.' She nodded. 'There was, but he mounted up and rode out. I don't think he ever looked in my direction, so I couldn't give you a description.'

'Very well. Let me follow up these leads. You're not to worry, Mrs. MacGreggor. Criminal law is my favorite aspect of the justice system. I'll do my best for you and Ashton. I promise you that.'

'And you won't let Henry Steele preside over my case?'

'If he tries it, we'll scream loud enough to bring the governor running.'

'Just as long as he runs fast enough to get here before I go to the gallows.'

'Let's hope it doesn't come to that.'

'Amen to those words.'

Dimitri finished his cup of tea and departed, leaving Tamsin alone in her cell until noon, when Helen Zajicek appeared with a basket lunch. She took one look at the plate of beans and the dry biscuit that the deputy, Joel Long, had provided and shook her head in disgust.

'I wouldn't feed that to a dog.'

'Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but I'm really not hungry,' Tamsin protested as Helen began to unpack her hamper.

'Tish, tish. You need to eat to keep up your strength. You must not become downhearted. Have faith in Mr. Zajicek. He is an excellent barrister, and he will stop at nothing to provide you with the best defense.'

'I'm sure he will,' Tamsin replied. But her real faith lay in Ash. She kept hoping he'd relent, break her out of jail, and force Henry Steele to confess he'd committed the murder.

Helen leaned close and whispered, 'Mr. Zajicek wrote down everything you told him about…' The plump woman stopped and silently mouthed Sarah Steele and Judge Steele. 'He intends to question the widow Steele at great length.'

'Thank your husband for me,' Tamsin answered. 'Thank you for everything. I don't know what I'd have done without you.'

Helen smiled. 'Stuff and nonsense, Mrs. MacGreggor. You would have done what you've done all along. Any woman who can survive being captured by hostile natives is strong enough to face a jury.'

'Time's up,' Long called.

Helen murmured a few words of consolation and let the curtain fall across the cell door. Tamsin heard the woman's footsteps recede and a brief exchange as Helen passed through the outer office.

Despite the smell of chicken drifting from the basket, Tamsin left the food untouched and sat on the metal bunk along the far wall. Outside the window, boys threw stones and shouted catcalls. She ignored them as well. Both her stomach and her mind were uneasy.

Ash had told her that he wasn't going after Texas Jack, but that didn't keep her from imagining Ash wounded and bleeding along some lonesome trail, or worse, lying dead. Images of Shiloh trotting into sight with an empty, blood-soaked saddle formed in the back of her mind and made her crazy.

Dimitri's statement haunted her: 'Ashton has honorable intentions toward you.'

Ash hadn't promised her anything beyond what they'd had. She couldn't expect more than his friendship. Certainly not marriage. If he'd wanted things to be different, he would have said so by now, wouldn't he?

If she got out of this mess, she would have to go on to California alone. Doing that would be hard, but not impossible. What she couldn't face were her fears of never hearing his deep voice or seeing his wicked grin again.

Hours passed. Night fell, and the moon rose.

Ash promised me he'd be back, Tamsin thought as she paced the cell. He wouldn't break his word. But he had when he left her at Jacob's cabin. Why would this time be different?

Then she heard the sound of a horse and ran to the window. She pushed the toe of her shoe into the cracked plaster and pulled herself up to peer out through the bars.

A single rider waited there, a tall figure in a plainsman's hat.

'Ash?'

'Who else were you expectin'?' He chuckled. 'Sorry I'm late, darlin', but I've been talking to that cowboy you told me was fired from the Lazy S, Broom Talbot.'

'You found him?'

'Workin' on a spread east of here. He pretty much backed up your story of what happened that day. He said he threatened Sam but he wouldn't have killed him.'

'See? It happened just like I told you.'

'I tried to ask Henry Steele, but he won't talk to me. Either he's protecting himself or his brother's wife.'

'Widow.'

'Yeah, widow.'

Tamsin's fingers ached from holding on to the plaster. 'Can you come inside?'

'Not until morning. The office is locked tight as a drum. Joel Long is the deputy on guard duty, but he's probably asleep.'

'Oh.' She wanted to touch Ash… to have him hold her in his arms and tell her everything would be all right. She