PLAYING WITH FIRE
Chapter One
Hey, dollface!" called one of the frequent visitors to the Shady Oak Saloon.
"How's ‘bout some more beer and some company! I could use a little lovin',"
he said, leering at the barmaid walking by his table.
She bent low and pinched his cheek. "You know I'd do anything for my favorite
customer!"
Harv reached out his hand to touch her, and she slapped it. Before she could
move away, he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her down onto his lap. "How's
‘bout that lovin' first?"
Shoving against his chest, she stood to her feet. "Now you know better than
to ask me that, darlin'. Shame on you for suggesting such a thing!" she scolded,
taking her tray and smiling all the way to the bar, but not before Harv gave
a little swat to her backside.
"Now that's one little tart I'd love to get my hands on!" Harv exclaimed,
watching her walk away.
"Fat chance, Harv," Clyde exclaimed. "Ev'body knows ole Black Jack Brady's
got first claim."
"Yeah, and ain't nobody gonna challenge him!" echoed Jack.
"Well, mark my words," Harv stated. "I'll get me a piece a that sweet thing
one way or another!"
"I'm gonna love watchin' ya try!" Frank laughed, the others joining with him,
only causing Harv to get even more angry.
"All right, ante up!" he barked.
Too far away to hear the conversation taking place, Kay walked back to the
bar and looked up to the stairs to find Brady watching her. He winked, showing
his approval of her work and actions regarding the customers. She smiled in
return, then focused her attention on the bar.
"So, Kay, what'll it be?" the bartender asked.
"Umm, four beers, Jim," she replied, turning to look back up at the stairs
where Brady stood.
"Ya all right, Kay?" He paused to allow her to answer, but realized she was
not paying him any attention. "Kay!" he said, a little louder, snapping his
fingers in front of her face.
"Jim, what's Brady's Christian name?" she asked straight out, turning around
and facing the bar again, giving Jim her full attention.
Jim coughed, recovering quickly, then released a long, low whistle. "Now whatever
made ya go thinkin' of that?"
"Oh, I don't know. I suppose it's because I've always heard everyone call
him ‘Black Jack Brady' and it got me thinking. Does he go by anything
else?"
"Uh, well...." he began.
"He does! I knew it!"
"Now, Kay, I ain't so sure ya need ta be troublin' yaself ‘bout that."
"Why, Jim? What's his big secret?"
"Oh, it's no secret, really, it's just sorta understood that ya don't ask,
is all."
"But, why?"
Jim sighed. "See, it's like this. Brady's got himself a reputation, and the
last man fool enough to ask ain't around to tell his side of the story no
more."
"Oh, I see." She paused, allowing Jim's words to sink in. "So, he really killed..."
Jim cut her off. "Look, Kay, I said it ain't somethin' ya should be worryin'
yourself ‘bout, so just forget I said anythin' all right?"
"All right," she agreed.
"For now, perhaps!" she said with a glint in her eyes.
Jim smiled. "I shoulda known ya wouldn' let it go. Now, how many beers did
ya need?" He steered the conversation back to something safer.
"Four," she replied, looking back to the table where Harv and his friends
sat.
"Those men ain't botherin' ya are they, Kay? Cuz if'n they was, you know it'd
be my pleasure ta throw ‘em out!"
"Oh, no, they're no trouble, really," she assured him. "Nothing I can't handle,
anyway, but thank you, Jim, for your concern," she smiled and placed one small
hand on his large one. "Besides, that's why we have Lars!" They both looked
over at the six-foot-five, two-hundred-thirty-pound bouncer standing by the
door and watching the entire room, and they shared a laugh.
"Four beers, just like ya asked!" Jim lined the beers up on the bar and Kay
placed them on her tray, turning back towards the table.
Jim watched her go, smiling to himself. She had only been working there a
couple of weeks, but everyone at Shady Oaks felt a fierce desire to protect
her and make sure she was always safe. She was very unsure of herself when
she first came to work there, and Jim and Belle had taken it upon themselves
to help her. He remembered Kay not liking the idea of working in a Saloon,
though unsure why she felt that way, even though this wasn't your average
Saloon. Sure, there was the gambling and the occasional brawl, but there was
no evening entertainment in the back rooms. They served food, just like a
restaurant, and since they were one of only two places in town where you could
get a good, hot meal, they had business during dinner and supper and into
the night. Brady made sure the place closed down a little after midnight so
his workers could clean the place and still get some sleep.
It took some adjustment for Kay, staying up that late and dealing with the
regular customers. Still, she had learned fast, and was now one of Shady Oak's
best girls. She was just a little mite of a thing, with a beauty unmatched
in these parts, but she had a temper to match the red highlights in her waist-length,
golden-auburn tresses (he'd only seen it down once), and boy, could she use
it! Everyone who worked at the Shady Oak had fallen for her right off, but
the boss-man was the one who had shown first interest, and there was no question
that meant ‘hands off'!
* * * * *
Kay finished wiping down the last of the tables and tossed the wet cloth into
the soapy bucket with a splash. Straightening the chairs and making sure there
were no mugs left around, she walked to the kitchen, meeting Belle on her
way.
"Had a little trouble with Harv and them boys tonight, huh?" She smiled.
"Nothing I couldn't handle," Kay replied. "They were only being their usual
rowdy selves."
"Oh, I don't know. I think ol' Harv's got his eye on you!" Belle teased.
"I'm not worried about him. He's just conceited, thinking every woman within
a hundred miles will fall for his charms. Well, not to worry. I'm not falling
for any of his tricks!"
"Good for you!" Belle affirmed. "‘Sides, you best be savin' yourself
for ol' boss-man."
"Brady? Now, why would you say something like that?"
"Oh, come on Kay! Everyone knows you two got somethin' goin'. It's as plain
as the nose on yer face! Ain't ya seein' how he looks at ya when he's around?
He's gone plumb off his rocker for ya!"
Kay unconsciously glanced up at the stairs, half expecting Brady to be standing
there, smiling at her. She had to admit, he seemed to be around a lot more
than usual, but that was just because he was watching out for her, right?
He couldn't actually be entertaining feelings for her, could he?
"That's absurd!" Kay rebutted.
"Well, say what ya like, but mark my words, he's got more interest in ya than
what you wanna admit!"
"Why would he..."
"Unattached, beautiful girl like you, with an unknown past? Any man'd be plain
stupid not to go for ya. You're a mystery to them, and that gets ‘em
interested." She paused, placing an arm around Kay's shoulders. "Trust me.
I been around this business long enough to know the in's and out's of it,
and you're a prize to be won!" She leaned closer, conspiratorially, and lowered
her voice. "But ya know what? I can think of no better catch than old Black
Jack Brady! He's quite a man!"
Kay blushed, smiling her crooked smile, one side of her mouth turned up. One
look at Belle, lifting her eyebrows to convey her meaning a little clearer,
and Kay let out a full-fledged laugh, causing Belle to join in with her. The
two walked the rest of the way to the kitchen, deciding to leave anything
else for old Amos, the saloon swamper.
Kay still remembered what Belle had told her the first day she began working
there. "It ain't the best job in the world, and I know we been called gold
diggers for workin' here, but it sure beats bein' a biscuit shooter at that
uptight restaurant over yonder. At least here, we get to have some fun, too!"
Kay couldn't help but agree. Making sure their things were put up for the
night and ready for the next day, they went upstairs to their room to catch
a few hours sleep before starting it all over tomorrow.
Kay had a hard time falling asleep, though. Thoughts of her past and how she
came to be here were a mystery to her. There wasn't a day that went by when
she didn't think about it. There were even times when she thought she was
remembering, but she just brushed it off as her overactive imagination playing
tricks on her again. Everyone at the Shady Oak had been so helpful and friendly
towards her since she first arrived in town, despite her initial hesitancy.
She had even managed to become close friends with Jim and Belle, and they
had helped more than anyone else by making her feel more comfortable with
her work and life here.
If only she knew who she was and how she came to be in that train yard. If
only she could remember what happened before she woke up in a bed in Brady's
Saloon. Where was she headed, and what did the rest of that telegram say that
was found in her pocket? Was there anyone who would be missing her? Would
anyone come looking for her? Word of her accident and memory loss had spread
quickly enough through a town this small, and by now everyone treated her
as one of the townsfolk. What would happen if someone did come to town asking
about a woman who fit her description? Would they have just heard the story
and be seeking a chance to take advantage of an unfair situation? Would she
be able to trust them? After at least an hour, she finally fell into a restless
sleep, dreams full of bits and pieces of memories she couldn't recognize.
* * * * *
"Kay! How nice to see you this morning!" Julia Morgan greeted warmly, embracing
the younger woman.
"It's nice to see you, too, Julia!" Kay returned with a smile.
Julia had been one of the few members of this small railroad town to accept
her right away. She stayed by her bed day and night, nursing her back to health
after the accident, assuring her that everything was going to be all right.
After that first week of recovery, Julia was responsible for securing her
job at the Shady Oak, having convinced Brady that it would be a good idea
to get her doing something useful, rather than lying in bed all day.
She came and checked on Kay every day to be sure she was doing alright, and
once or twice, Kay had been invited to supper at the Morgan's home attached
to the mercantile. She grew very fond of the older woman, and Kay attributed
it to the fact that there really weren't that many years between them. There
was just something about Julia that made Kay laugh and forget her problems
for a while. It was obvious she had a lot of pull in this town, and once Julia
had accepted her, the rest of the townsfolk had warmed a little, as well.
It wasn't until she starting working that things improved, drastically. Now,
she felt like she belonged, if only she knew who she really was.
"So, what brings you over here this fine morning?" Julia interrupted her thoughts.
"Brady ain't got ya fetchin' his supplies for the Saloon, now does he?"
"No," Kay smiled. "I'm here for some things for myself. I'd like to make some
more suitable dresses for life outside of Shady Oak. I have the two Belle
gave me, but I'd just like to have some of my own."
"Of course!" Julia exclaimed. "I can't believe I didn't think of this before.
Of course you would want to have some other clothes than hand-me-downs from
someone else and those dresses you wear at work! I'm sorry I didn't get you
any material."
"Oh, that's quite all right, Julia. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful in the
least. Perhaps just a few yards of that blue material there." She gestured
towards the bolts of fabric rolled up on the table.
"Oh, I think this pale green will look absolutely beautiful on you! It will
set off your hair and eyes just perfectly!"
Kay thought about it for a moment, considering the meager amount of money
she had saved. "Well, I only have a little bit of money, so I can't afford..."
"Nonsense!" Julia said, dismissing the notion with a wave of her hand. "I
won't take a cent for this. It's my gift to you!"
"Oh, no, I couldn't..."
"I won't take no for an answer!"
Kay sighed. She really needed the material, and she couldn't very well turn
down such a gift. She straightened her shoulders, determined to pay for something
on her own. A sudden thought of Belle, and she knew what she would like. "Very
well. I accept your gift, but I would like to purchase something of my own.
Would you happen to have any rose water? Belle had some lavender water the
other night, and for some reason, it reminded me of something. I don't know
why, but I love the smell of rose water, and I would like to have some."
"Of course! I keep it right over here," Julia replied, moving to prepare the
items for Kay to take back with her. She had long ago stopped questioning
Kay's interest in things she said she liked, such as smells and non-revealing
dresses. Maybe she was remembering some things, after all, even if she didn't
realize it. If nothing else, her speech was a dead give-away Kay was not from
around here. Still, she had blended in very well with this town, and Julia
felt it was her responsibility to make sure she was happy.
"Here you are. That will be one dollar."
Kay handed over the money and collected her purchases. "Thank you, Julia.
Have a nice day!"
"Oh, Kay, wait!"
"Yes?"
"Thomas and me want to invite you to Sunday supper this week, that is if you
don't already have plans."
"No, I don't have any plans, and I would be delighted to join you both. Thank
you for the invitation," she accepted, smiling and turning to leave.
"See you in church, then!" Julia called. Kay lifted her hand in a wave, acknowledging
that she heard. Turning to leave the mercantile, she bumped shoulders with
a man entering at the same time.
"Oh, pardon me," Kay excused herself.
"That's all right, Kay. No harm done," Brady replied, smiling.
"Good mornin', Brady!" Julia greeted. "It's not often we see you out and about
this early."
Kay dipped her head in greeting, turning to leave.
"Kay, if you don't mind, I'll escort you back to the saloon," Brady hurried
to get out before she left.
"Thank you. I would enjoy the walk. I'll be waiting outside for you to make
your purchases." Stepping out onto the wooden planks, Kay inhaled a deep breath
of fresh air, luxuriating in the hint of sunshine that was sure to warm up
the day.
"Poor thing," Julia said, more to herself, watching Kay leave.
"What's the matter?"
"Oh, nothing, I just wish we knew more about her, is all. I feel so badly
for her, not knowin' who she is or where she come from. She's sure lucky to
have you to watch out for her."
"Yes, I'll admit I wasn't too keen on hirin' a woman with no past. I mean,
what if someone who knows her was to show up and start causin' trouble? She's
been a great help at the Shady Oak, and my regulars have sure taken to her.
I'd hate for someone to come and mess things up."
"Now, are you worried about her or yourself, Brady?" Julia pinned him with
a meaningful look.
Clearing his throat, he pulled out his list of items and handed it over to
Julia. "If you could get me those things, I can be on my way," he replied,
avoiding the topic, though not entirely knowing why. Watching Julia smile
then walk around and collect the items on his list, he thought about Kay and
why he had grown so attached to her.
He still remembered rescuing her from the explosion down at the train yard.
He could tell by her clothing she was not your average frontier woman. When
she regained consciousness and spoke, her speech made it even more obvious
she had lived a cultured life somewhere, at least for a time. How she came
to be in this small town, he had no idea. The only clue was the piece of torn
paper found in her pocket that must have been a letter, as it was far too
wordy to be a telegram. If only he could have found more to that letter, maybe
he could have contacted someone about her accident.
Now, it had been about a month, and no one had come looking. Then again, he
wondered if there was anyone who would even know she hadn't made it to wherever
she was headed. She had settled into the routine of working for him, and had
even made several friends in the small town. Everyone liked her, despite their
initial hesitancy to accept someone they didn't know. He liked her, too, more
than he wanted to admit. He had always told himself not to get involved with
the women who worked for him, but this one was different. He had never met
any woman like her.
She just drew attention wherever she went, and on more than one occasion,
he found himself feeling jealous of the attention she paid some of his customers,
especially since she had shown no interest in him, outside of token kindness.
There was an obvious friendship between them, but she was always so formal
towards him, keeping her distance, and only talking with him when he happened
to catch her off duty at the saloon. Sure, she was grateful for the assistance
in her recovery and the opportunity of a job, but why did she always turn
down every invitation to have supper or take a walk? Why was she talking more
with his bartender and the other barmaids more than she talks to me? What
do I have to do to get her attention?
"Here you go, Brady," Julia interrupted his thoughts.
"Thank you, Julia. Could ya just put it on my bill?"
"Of course. Have a good day."
"You, too," he returned, walking outside to join Kay. "Ready?" he offered
to take her packages, then held out his free arm, which she took, not saying
a word.
They were more than halfway to the Shady Oak, when she did speak. "Beautiful
day, isn't it?"
Brady pretended to notice the sky and sun. "Yeah. Looks like it might be warmer
than yesterday."
"Yes, I am glad that it's spring. I love it when everything comes alive, fresh
and new, and ready to begin again!" she exclaimed, stopping and closing her
eyes, taking another deep breath.
Brady turned and observed her, face upturned to the sky, and was struck again
by her beauty. Again, he wondered why no one had come looking for her. Surely,
a woman this beautiful had a man in her life, maybe even a husband. That thought
made him shudder, involuntarily. What would happen if she did turn out to
be married? What would his customers think if word got out he had hired a
married woman? She wasn't wearing any wedding bands or rings, but that didn't
necessarily mean she was unattached. Now, he wasn't sure if he did want her
to find out about her past. What secrets would be revealed?
He started when he realized she had opened her eyes and caught him staring.
He cleared his throat, starting them again walking towards the saloon.
* * * * *
Kay just couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched. Oh, she had gotten
used to the stares and lusty looks from some of the men who frequented the
Shady Oak, but this feeling was entirely different. This time, she felt like
someone was watching her every move, but for a different reason, altogether.
She tried to brush if off, continuing to perform her duties, making sure the
customers were happy and had what they needed, but the feeling stayed with
her.
"Ya all right, Kay?" Jim asked, noticing she had been acting very distracted
for quite a while.
"I don't know, Jim. I keep getting this feeling someone is watching me," she
shuddered, slightly.
Jim smiled, "A woman with your looks? That's to be expected!"
Kay blushed at the compliment, smiling self-consciously. "Thank you, but it
doesn't feel like that. It's something different."
"Well, I'll keep an eye on ya, if that'll make ya feel better," he assured
her.
"Thank you, Jim. That really means a lot to me." Balancing her tray of beers
in her hands, she turned to go back to work. That was when she saw him.
A man was sitting at one of the tables by the wall and staring directly at
her. She felt as if he could see right through her. Her heart pounded rapidly
and her body lost all feeling, but she couldn't be sure if it was fear or
something else she felt as she locked eyes with him. She grew very uncomfortable,
but she couldn't help but feel that she had seen this man before.
One of the other ladies waited on him, and he gave his order without once
taking his eyes off of her. She had no idea where she would have seen him,
but so many men came in and out of the saloon, it was easy to forget them.
This one, however, had a look about him she was sure she would have remembered.
His long hair fell below his broad shoulders, and his face was ruggedly handsome,
his eyes holding an open yet intimidating look in them. She wondered if she
should ask around and see if anyone else knew who he was, but her feet were
frozen to the floor. Her eyes locked with his, and she couldn't move, even
if she tried.
The same man who
had been watching Kay last night was there again the next night. Kay tried to
ignore him, but every time she chanced a look in his direction, he was watching
her. If it weren't for the fact that she was completely unnerved by the look
in his eyes, she could have gone on with her work. As it was, she had already
spilled three drinks and nearly tripped more than once over her own feet. Who
was he? Why was he watching her like that? Why didn't he just come up and talk
to her?
"Jim, that same man is here again, at the same table. What do you think I should
do?" Kay asked the bartender. She had spoken with him and Belle last night at
closing, telling them both about the mysterious man who had been watching her
all night, but walked out without a word. They'd all wondered if he'd be back.
"I dunno, Kay. Why not just go talk to him, maybe ask ‘im if he wants anythin'
ta drink. I mean, that's your job, so at least ya wouldn' be doin' anythin'
outta the ordinary," Jim suggested. He agreed with Kay and Rose. It was just
too weird to see the man watching Kay's every move, yet not making any effort
to introduce himself. He watched as Kay walked over to the man's table, promising
to himself if the man didn't cooperate, he'd use his fists to make him talk.
He didn't like seeing Kay upset like this.
"Good evening. Can I get you anything to drink?" Kay asked the stranger. She
avoided his eyes, knowing the affect they had had on her the night before and
not wishing to repeat that feeling.
"Whiskey, if ya got it," the man replied, his gruff voice sending shivers up
Kay's spine. She didn't know why, but she knew that voice, somehow.
Going against her
resolve not to look at the man, she met his glance, gasping at the look of recognition
she saw in his eyes. He obviously knew her, or at least thought he knew her,
and she was determined to get to the bottom of this. She tried to move her lips
to talk, but her mouth was dry and no words came. Knowing she had to do something
to muster up some nerve, she decided to get his drink, instead.
"Coming right up," she replied, beating a hasty retreat back to the bar.
"Well?" Jim asked the moment she set her tray on the bar, leaning against it
for support. "Did he say who he was? Did he tell you why he was here? What did
you ask him?"
Kay smiled wanly at the barrage of questions from her friend. He obviously cared
about her and was concerned about her feelings, or he wouldn't be looking out
for her as much as he was. She sighed, trying to think of how to proceed and
put into words what just happened. "He just ordered a whiskey, nothing more.
He didn't tell me who he was or offer any other information, but the strangest
thing happened when he spoke."
"What's that?"
"I got shivers all up and down my spine, and I had the strangest feeling I had
heard that voice before, although I know I have never spoken to him or seen
him in here before last night," she explained. "I was trying not to look at
him, since every time I have, I lose all sense of where I am. However, I couldn't
resist, and this time, when I looked at him, I saw a distinct look of recognition
in his eyes, but it was one mixed with shock as well. It was almost as if he
was trying to figure out if he knew me, and when I was standing in front of
him, he was sure he did."
"An' you're sure you ain't never seen him before?"
"I'm certain. I wouldn't forget a face like his. It's strange, isn't it? He
almost looks like he belongs in a saloon, but I know last night was the first
time he was here," she mused, wondering why she had thought that about the man.
"Well, he sure don't look like any of the folks around here, but I'll admit,
he seems down right comfortable-lookin' there at that table. Wonder if he visits
a saloon somewhere else and he's maybe here checkin' out the competition?" Jim
chuckled to himself, causing Kay to look at him with a curious expression in
her eyes. "Maybe he's just like all the other men ‘round here. He just
plumb fell fer ya the minute he laid eyes on ya. I know I did, and if'n I weren't
involved with my Betsy, I'd have trouble keepin' my eyes off ya," he grinned,
devilishly.
Kay playfully swatted him with her tray, causing him to step back a little from
her assault. She smiled, but at the same time wondered if Jim was right. Was
this man just attracted to her? No, that couldn't be it. She was sure of what
she saw in his eyes, and she was certain there was much more to this than she
knew. It was time to do something about it.
"Jim, can you get me that whiskey? I'm going to get the man his drink and then
take a break and go up and talk with Brady. Maybe he can shed some light on
things."
"Sure, Kay," he replied, reaching for a glass and the bottle. "Whattya gonna
ask ‘im?"
"I'm going to try and see if Brady remembers anything more about what happened
when he found me. Maybe this man was there, or maybe there's some other clue
as to why this man is here, now." She took the glass of whiskey, walking over
to the table in the corner where the man sat. "Here you are!"
He reached into his pocket and tossed two bills onto the table, nodding his
thanks. She stared at the money, obviously too much for just one glass of whiskey.
Looking back at him, it was obvious he knew it, too. The look he gave her was
almost like a dare for her to take the money, so she did. Pocketing the bills,
she turned and purposefully walked towards the stairs, feeling the man's eyes
on her back the entire way.
* * * * *
She timidly knocked on Brady's door, then waited for his voice to invite her
to enter. When she heard it, she turned the knob and walked into his office.
Looking up from his work, Brady smiled when he saw Kay come around the partially-open
door. He immediately stood and walked around his desk towards her.
"Kay! Welcome, what brings ya up here durin' workin' hours?"
"Brady, I need to talk to you, and I hope you will be able to help," Kay began.
"You're not in any kinda trouble, are ya?" he asked, worried by the look in
her eyes. "Cuz if anyone's botherin' ya, you know I'll have them taken care
of," he threatened, menacingly.
Kay stayed his vow for vengeance with her hand. "No, it's not that. I just..."
she paused, not sure how to say what she needed to say.
"Kay, why dontcha sit down, here, and tell me what's wrong. I don't like seein'
ya upset."
"No, I'd rather stand, if you don't mind." She tried to collect her thoughts,
wondering how much help Brady could possibly be. He'd already told her what
he knew, so why was she turning to him now? Maybe because he was the only one
with the closest connection to her past? Maybe because she really did find him
attractive? Maybe just because she knew he'd help in any way he could because
of the feelings Rose said he had? There was no sense in pondering her decision.
She needed to get some answers, some clues, anything which might help shed some
light on her swirling confusion of feelings and thoughts.
"Brady, can you tell me again what happened the day you brought me to Shady
Oak?" she asked, starting off with exactly what was on her mind. There was no
reason to waste time in small talk.
The question momentarily caught Brady off guard, but he forced himself to remember,
so he could answer her question. "Kay, I've already told you everything I know."
"Could you tell me again...please? I need to know."
Brady couldn't resist the pleading look in her eyes, and so as not to risk doing
something he knew he would regret later, he turned away from her beautiful face,
forcing his mind to focus on the day he had found her at the train yard.
"I wasn't there when the accident happened, but I heard the explosion and came
runnin' to see what happened. By the time I got there, they were coverin' the
body of the doctor who was killed. The doc here in town took his medical bag,
in case they could contact some family who might want it. I looked around and
saw you layin' over by the tracks, so I ran over to help." Brady turned to look
out his window, searching his memory and trying, for Kay, to remember every
detail of the accident....
"That's about all, Kay. There ain't much else you weren't awake to remember, yourself," Brady concluded, turning back towards Kay. He had turned around to look at her once or twice while he was talking to see the look on her face and was surprised by the mix of confusion and rapt attention he saw there. He wondered about this sudden need to hear the story again, since nothing had changed, or had it?"Someone, get over here, quick!" Brady yelled, running towards the woman lying on the ground. "We got a hurt woman, here!"
Brady knelt down and saw the cut on the side of her head and the blood running down the side of her cheek, marring her soft and beautiful skin. He reached out and tenderly brushed her hair back from her face, looking for something, anything, to stop the flow of blood. He didn't dare move her for fear he would cause more injury to her than had already happened. He took out the bandana he always carried and pressed it to the side of her head, tenderly holding the other side to keep her head from moving.
The doctor came up and took over, but Brady insisted on staying with the woman.
"I ain't leavin' til I know she's all right."
"Well, she ain't gonna be all right until we can get her to a safe bed, where she can rest and recover," the doc replied, reaching into his medical bag for the necessary items to clean and suture the wound.
Brady watched the doc work, hoping for some unknown reason this beautiful woman would recover and not suffer any permanent injury. He didn't understand why, but he was drawn to this woman.
"Brady, what happened, here?" Julia asked, running up and standing next to him. "I heard the explosion."
"I think it was somethin' ta do with the dynamite, some spark or somethin', but they took a man off a few minutes ago, a doctor who didn't make it, and this woman, here, has been hurt bad," Brady explained, standing up next to Julia, but never taking his eyes off the woman.
"What's the diagnosis, doc?" Julia asked.
"I'd say she's sustained a serious blow to the head, which may have caused a concussion. I don't know what hit her, since she was obviously blown a ways from where she was, but I've done what I can do. Now, she needs a place to rest and recover." The doctor put everything back in his bag, checking to see his stitches were secure.
Without really thinking, Brady spoke. "Why don't we take her back to the Shady Oak? She can have the corner room, away from the noise of the saloon."
"I'll make sure she's not disturbed, since I can stay with her while she recovers. Thomas can manage the store for me, and he won't mind me bein' gone to help," Julia offered.
"It appears to be all settled, then," the doctor agreed, closing his bag with a snap. "Let's get goin'."
Once she was settled, the doctor checked her stitches again, then prepared to leave, stopping at the door. "I want to be notified the minute she awakens. Once she does, we'll need to keep her awake to reduce the risk of a concussion."
"You got it, doc," Julia replied, taking a seat in the chair by the bed and taking the woman's hand in her own.
Brady closed the door behind the doctor then walked over to the bed, all the while watching the woman. "Was there any ID on her? Anything which might tell us who she is or where she's goin'?"
Julia shook her head. "The only thing I could find was that torn piece of paper over there," she answered, gesturing to the dressing table by the window.
Brady walked over and picked up the paper, holding it towards the window to read what it said. It was obviously a letter of some sort, but there was no names anywhere, just something about some performance and taking a train to visit. He couldn't make out any of the other words, although he was sure one of them was a city or town name.
"So, how are we to know what her name is, or anything about her, when she does wake up?"
"We'll just have to ask her," Julia replied, making it sound like it was such a simple solution.
They didn't get the chance to get any information out of her, though, since when she awoke a few hours later, she had no idea who she was, much less what had happened or where she was going. The doctor had come to remove her stitches a few days later, pleased there would be nearly no visible scar unless one looked close. Upon further questioning, he proclaimed her as having a case of amnesia, caused by the blow to her head. He wasn't sure if it was temporary or permanent, but he did order complete rest and plenty of nourishing food.
"Well, we gotta have a name for her, we can't just go on callin' her "she" or "the woman," Julia stated, looking at the now sleeping woman, resting, although not peacefully. Several times, she tossed and turned and called out unintelligible names or words, but when she awoke, she didn't remember a thing. They spoke in hushed tones, so as not to awaken her.
"I think she sorta looks like a "Kay" to me, whattya think, Brady?" Julia asked, turning her head to look at Brady, but he wasn't paying attention. He was standing by the window, staring at nothing. "Brady!"
"What?!" he turned, upset at being disturbed, but Julia was undaunted. She knew Brady better than just about anyone in town, even though he never talked much.
"I suggested "Kay" for her name and asked what you thought," she repeated, wondering what had him so distracted.
"Sounds fine to me. Don't matter much to me what we call her, long as we got a name for her," he shrugged his shoulders, noncommittedly.
"Well, one thing's for sure. She ain't from around here!"
"What makes ya say that?"
"Haven't ya been listenin' to her talkin' and such? She's got an obvious cultured tone to her speech. Even the few words she said to us makes it clear she's been born and raised in style, somewhere."
"What's the difference?"
"Well, it's just odd that she was travelin' alone and that no one else has made any inquiries in four days. Wonder if there's anyone, anywhere, who'll be missin' her?"
"Won't know will we, until somethin' happens. Guess we gotta just wait and see."
"In the meantime, once she recovers, and the doctor said he was sure she would in another couple of days, she's gonna have to have some work. Why not put her to work for you?"
"Here at the Shady Oak?!" he asked, shocked Julia would even suggest such a thing. "How do I know she'll be any good?"
"You don't, but I'm sure you can show her the ropes, help her out a bit. My guess is she'll be wantin' to get up and be doin' something' by the start of next week. Lyin' in bed all day gets to a body after a while."
"We'll see. I ain't so sure about puttin' an unknown woman ta work, when I ain't sure who she is or where she come from."
"If you're worried she's got some deep, dark secret, Brady, I don't think you have to worry about that. I mean, you saw the dress she was wearing the day of the accident. Women involved in less than desirable occupations don't wear clothes that fancy!"
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, it's worth a shot. Ain't really got nothin' to lose, anyway. It's not like I'm going to send her off on another train until we find out more about her or maybe until she recovers, fully."
"All right, you go on back to work. I'll be here to take care of her, so everythin's fine," she shooed him out of the room, closing the door behind him and smiling...
"Kay, ya wanna tell me what's goin' on? I mean, why the sudden interest in the details of everything again?"
"Brady, there's this man downstairs who's been here two nights in a row. He hasn't spoken maybe five words to me, but he has been watching my every move each night. When I delivered the whiskey he ordered, he had this immediate look of recognition in his eyes. I suppose it was when I stood close enough for him to see me clearly. Still, he didn't say a word, just paid for his drink and continued to watch me. I didn't know what to say, so I came up here, wondering if you might have seen him around the day of the accident, or if you might know him from somewhere."
"You mean he's downstairs now?" he asked, immediately heading for the door, not sure what he was going to do, but sure he was going to set this guy straight about harassing his workers, especially his Kay!
"Yes, but Brady, don't make a scene, please." She stopped him with a hand on his arm.
He turned to face her and was touched by the pleading look in her eyes. He was momentarily lost in their depths, but he realized he'd better make a move, now, or he'd never leave this room. He opened the door and walked down the hall to the railing where he could look down on the entire downstairs. He roamed the room and spotted a man he didn't recognize as a regular sitting at the corner table, leaning against the wall and just watching everything around him. He glanced up and looked directly at Brady, but Brady turned to go back to his office. He entered the room to find Kay just where he left her, only this time a questioning look was in her eyes.
"I don't know, Kay. I know I ain't never seen him before. He looked up at me for a quick second, but I don't recognize him at all." He was saddened by the crestfallen look on her face. "I'm sorry," he added, taking her hands in his own.
"Brady, do you think you could talk to him, maybe get his name or something out of him? I can go back to work and maybe be nearby to hear him."
Brady looked at Kay, standing not two feet away from him with a trusting and hopeful expression on her face, and there was nothing that could make him refuse her.
* * * * *
He watched the barmaid walk away, knowing for sure, now, who she was. However, that didn't make it any easier to understand what was going on. He knew there couldn't be two women who looked and talked exactly alike, but the question was how did she get here? And why didn't she recognize him? Or was she merely pretending to not recognize him?
He had nearly fallen out of his chair when he entered the Shady Oak and sat at the table, just sitting and looking around, and his eyes had fallen on who he now knew as "Kay." He knew logically that it couldn't have been who he thought it was . He had to be seeing things, he told himself. Obviously from that distance, the woman just looked like her. Still she bore such a remarkable resemblance to her he couldn't stop staring! She was wearing color on her face he noted, not as much as the girls at the Nugget, but just enough to accentuate her beautiful features.
And that revealing dress! That was nothing like "she" would have worn back home! It wasn't quite as revealing as some things he'd seen women wear, but the cut of the neckline and the way the material hugged her shapely figure sure gave away quite a bit of her pleasant attributes! She wore her hair up, but it wasn't pinned tightly and with the way the loose tendrils framed her face, it gave her a very soft appearance. Once again he chided himself for the ridiculous notion that it might actually be her! He sat and watched the mysterious woman all night, trying to make sense of it all and wondering if he might have had one too many drinks!
Last night, he had seen her pause and stare at him, but even when she looked directly at him, there was no recognition in her eyes. He wondered if he was mistaken, but when she finally did approach him the second night and looked him in the eyes, he was sure he was right. There could be no mistaking those unique eyes of her, one brown, one green. Now, he was more confused than ever. Not knowing why she left her work to go upstairs, he kept an eye on the second level and only once saw a man come out who he assumed was the owner, but when their eyes met, the man walked back the way he came. Not long after, both Kay and the man came walking down the stairs, him a few steps behind her.
He watched as Kay went back to work, but he noticed the man who had been with her was now approaching his table. He tried to not watch Kay, but it wasn't easy. He was just so shocked to see her here, and he still didn't understand why.
"Good evenin', I've noticed you've been here two nights in a row, and I don't recognize you from around town," the man greeted. "I'm Brady, the owner of the Shady Oak," he added and offered his hand.
"Hank Lawson," the man replied, shaking Brady's hand in return.
"You been here long?" Brady inquired, gesturing to one of the empty chairs at the table. Hank nodded, inviting him to sit down.
"Nah, I was out on business and happened to be headin' this way, so I thought I'd stop in and have a drink or two. Ya got a real nice place, here."
"Thanks. Best food within thirty miles," Brady boasted.
"Well, I ain't had much of the food, but the whiskey's good," Hank gave Brady a knowing look, swigging his glass and tossing the remaining bit of drink down his throat.
"You mentioned business. What kind of business you in?"
"Saloon, just like you. I own the Gold Nugget in Colorado Springs."
"What brings ya this far out?"
"Just lookin' at my competition," Hank replied, a smirk on his face.
Kay was trying to stay close enough to hear the conversation, but when she walked close enough to the table for Hank to see her, she noticed the talking ceased. Brady saw Hank's attention shift and saw Kay standing a few feet away.
"Kay, why dontcha come over and meet our visitor," Brady invited, waiting until Kay was standing next to them both to drape his arm, possessively around her waist. "Hank Lawson. He owns the Gold Nugget Saloon where he lives, and he stopped by here on his way home."
Kay nodded, bending slightly at the knees. "Pleased to meet you." She was trying hard *not* to step away from Brady, but she didn't want to be too obvious, and it was clear he was trying to make a point to this Mr. Lawson.
The three just remained there, in silence, none of them talking, but Hank's eyes never left Kay's, and Kay kept her focus on the table, while Brady watched them both. Hank couldn't stand it any longer. He was about to say something, when Brady was called to the bar. The silence continued, Hank thinking, "Now that we're alone, maybe she'll talk."
"Michaela, ya gonna tell me what the hell's goin' on, here?" His raised voice startled Kay, who immediately tensed. "I mean, I always knew ya had it in ya, and I kept tellin' ya to get out and live a little, but I never thought ya'd actually listen to me!" He smirked, not realizing his teasing remarks were being met with blank stares. "That get-up sure looks better on ya than those damn buttoned-to-the-neck dresses ya wear all the time!" he finished, allowing his eyes to roam up and down her slender, yet shapely figure.
His leering gaze caused her to redden, deeply, but she recovered enough to respond, "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about, Mr. Lawson. I think you must have had too many drinks this evening, as I have never seen you before in my life," she stated, vehemently. "And just who is this "Michaela" you just called me?"
Hank just sat and stared. There was no way Michaela could be pretending that well. Just what was going on, here?