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"I'd better go," he said, turning toward her.
She feared what she would see in his eyes, but for once his lack of expression was a blessing. "I really don't know anything," she said.
He nodded and moved past her toward the door. She wanted to say something, anything to make it right between them. There were no words left. He was right; they were strangers.
He opened the door.
·'Justin?''
He paused.
She raised her hand toward him, wanting to touch him, then let her arm drop to her side. "I don't know if this helps or not, but there was another saloon girl killed about four years ago. She was beaten to death, as well."
"What happened?''
"I don't know." She held her palm out. "I was caring for my father while he was ill, so don't yell at me for not being concerned about her death. I don't know any of the details, but they sound the same as those surrounding Laurie Smith's death. Maybe it will help."
"Thanks for telling me. No one else bothered to." He grimaced. "I don't suppose you would consider asking around about Laurie? Maybe people would tell you something they won't tell me?"
She wouldn't have been more shocked if he'd asked her to take off her dress and parade around in her petticoats. "I can't. What would people—"
"Think," he finished grimly. "Stupid of me to ask."
"That's not fair. No one I know would be familiar with a saloon girl."
He stepped into the hallway. "Tell me, Megan, does it get cold and lonely being perfect?"
He didn't wait for an answer, he simply walked away. She stared after him, biting her lower lip and fighting the tears. He wasn't being reasonable. He wanted too much. And he was right. Her world was much colder and emptier than he could ever imagine.
Justin stormed along the boardwalk, then stomped through the mud on his way back to his office. Damn Megan for her heartlessness. He pulled his mouth into a straight line and barely had the good manners to nod as one of the new settlers in the area greeted him.
She couldn't risk her precious reputation to ask a few questions about a dead girl. Laurie Smith had never hurt anyone; she'd been the one hurt.
His steps slowed as he remembered the look on Megan's face as she'd tonelessly spoken the words that had proven his innocence. That Laurie knew Justin's form in the dark because he'd bedded her. More than once.
He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He'd been so young, then. So infatuated with Megan, so determined to do the right thing. But night after night of kissing her and nothing more had left him as randy as a stallion teased by a mare in heat. He'd taken his release with Laurie because she was young and smelled sweet and because if he closed his eyes, he could pretend her curves were Megan's. He would have cut out his heart rather than let Megan know what he'd done.
He shook his head but that didn't banish her look of hurt and shattered pride. She was too innocent to understand the needs of a man, especially a foolish young man. She wouldn't know that time and experience would temper those needs and that spending his coin on Laurie didn't mean he had loved Megan less. Things would be different now. He could handle the temptation without giving in. He had developed self-control. Not that it mattered. There was nothing between him and Megan and there never would be. When his year was up, he was leaving and never looking back.
He stalked around the pile of manure by the sheriff's office, then jerked open the door. He was so intent on forgetting Megan and trying to concentrate on her news of another murder four years ago that at first he didn't notice Thomas cowering in front of a tall, large-boned woman.
"Sheriff," Thomas said as Justin stepped into the office. "I'm real glad you're back. This lady here—" he motioned to the poorly dressed older woman "—needs to speak with you."
The woman turned her cold stare on him. There was something meanspirited about her and Justin understood why his deputy was squirming.
"Are you the last person I got to explain this to, or should I just hold my tongue a spell? I ain't fond of chewin' my food twice."
"I'm the sheriff here," he said and motioned for her to take a seat. He took off his hat and coat and hung them on the hooks by the door, then offered her his most charming smile.
