AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mrs. Smith! Is everything all right in there? I thought I heard voices and noises.”
Emily sat up and frantically looked around. “Oh goodness, that’s my maid Maria.”
Hunter put his finger to his lips as a signal for her not to speak. He eased away from her and quickly dressed. Grabbing her nightgown, he tossed it to her.
“Mrs. Smith! Are you all right?”
“Yes, Maria. I’m fine. You can return to bed now.”
“Are you sure? I’d like to come in and check.”
Hunter vigorously shook his head. He glanced around the room to see if there was any place he could hide. The only spot was under the bed, which he would do, even if it made a dent in his dignity. They could not be caught together. It would be a disaster.
“No, Maria. I think what you heard was me having a nightmare. But I’m fine now.”
“I’ll go fix you some warm milk. That will help you to sleep.” She mumbled to herself as her footsteps receded from the door.
“I have to get out of here before she returns.” Hunter bent and kissed her. “I hate to go.” He sat on the bed and pulled her to him. The feel of her soft, warm body teased him, making him long to stay right where he was. “I want to be able to spend all night, every night w
ith you.”
She burrowed into his chest. “Me, too.”
While they’d been together the fear he’d buried about the trial stayed hidden. Now it resurfaced with a vengeance. As much as he attempted to deny it, his life was on the line. If found guilty, he would hang.
He studied her face, not knowing when they would next be together. He gave her a slight squeeze and rose to go.
She grabbed his arm. “When will I see you again?”
“Ah, sweetheart, I wish I knew. I will try to get in touch with you. But in any event, Jesse will be able to see you. He tells me he intends to call you as a witness, so he will have a reason that can’t be disputed.”
He cupped her cheek, rubbed his thumb over her soft lips and left with a heavy heart.
Chapter 19
Jesse pounded on Jeremy’s door. He’d been knocking for more than five minutes. The desk clerk assured him Jeremy hadn’t left for the day. The door two rooms down opened, and a man stuck his head out. “Stop that racket. How the hell is a man supposed to get some sleep around here?”
“Sorry,” Jesse said just as Jeremy’s door opened.
“What the fuck?” The Ranger stood there swaying on his feet. “Who the hell are you and why are you pounding on my door?”
“Are you Jeremy Steele?”
“Who the hell wants to know?”
“I do. I’m Jesse Cochran, attorney for Hunter Henderson, who I understand hired you to do a job for him.”
“Aw, shit. Yeah.” He ran his hand down his face and opened the door wider. “Sorry. Come on in.”
The place was a disaster. Empty liquor bottles lay on the floor, the rumpled bed littered with papers. Jesse took it all in, as well as the man standing before him, who looked worse than the room. Bloodshot eyes, a couple day’s growth of beard, stains on his shirt and pants. The room reeked of alcohol and tobacco smoke.
But the most damaging item in the room was a hypodermic needle lying on the dresser, next to a sack with Galveston Pharmacy stenciled on it.
“What have you been doing to yourself?” Jesse growled.
“Nothing. I just took a couple days off. I’ve been conducting interviews and checking facts. With Henderson in jail, I thought I’d relax for a day before I resumed my investigation.”
Seeing nowhere to sit that wasn’t covered with clothes, papers and garbage, Jesse remained standing, his stomach churning at the stench not only in the room but coming from the man himself. “Get yourself cleaned up. I’ll meet you at the café down the street on the left.” He strode to the door and flung it open. “Make it fast.”
