Naughty Marietta

“No. I mean, what’s to tell?” The fat man shrugged and shook his head. “I know nothing about her, other than that she stars in the opera.”

Lightnin’ left without responding. He went around into the alley to talk to the Burnett brothers. “Did Marietta go out this afternoon?” he asked.

Con Burnett answered. “She did, but we were with her every step of the way, Lightnin’.”

“Where did she go?”

Jim said, “She went into that ladies shop up on the corner of Eureka and Glory. You know that place where they have all them dainty things for women.”

“Anywhere else?”

“The Far Canyon Café,” stated Con.

Lightnin’s eyes narrowed. “How long did she stay?”

“Quite a while,” admitted Jim, never noticing his brother’s silencing frown. “We just got back here not ten minutes before you and Maltese arrived.”

“Did you go in the café with her?”

The big brothers looked guilty. Con told Lightnin’, “Miss Marietta ordered us to stay outside. Said she wanted to enjoy her lunch in peace.”

Lightnin’ frowned. “Either one of you big, dumb bastards bother to have a look through the front windows to see who else was having lunch?”

The Burnetts exchanged worried looks. Con spoke up. “I’m telling you nobody else went in that café. We’d have seen ’em if they had. Marietta was alone the whole time.”

Lightnin’ looked from one to the other. “All right. But you boys better start keeping a closer eye on that red-haired singer. I don’t trust her. She’s far too young and high-spirited for Maltese.” He paused, kicked at a clump of grass with the toe of his boot and reminded them, “Our only loyalty is to Maltese. If Marietta ever steps out of line, I’d better hear about it before he does. You understand me?”

“Yes sir,” the brothers said in unison.

“I don’t think Miss Marietta would do anything behind Maltese’s back, Lightnin’,” Jim offered.

“That’s your trouble, Jim, you don’t think.” He reached out and thumped the side of Jim’s head. “Start using your noggin or you’ll be out of a job.”

“We will,” said Con. “You’ll see.”

“When I say, ‘Don’t let her out of your sight,’ I mean it.”

“You can count on us,” promised Jim.

Cole wished that when he grabbed Marietta, they could hop on the Colorado Central at Blackhawk and ride the narrow-gauge train down to Denver. But he knew that was out of the question. She would undoubtedly scream and carry on and have him arrested for kidnapping.

So the day after their lunch at the Far Canyon, Cole visited Pollock’s Livery Stable where he purchased a fine-looking black stallion, assuring the stable owner he’d be back for the black within a day or two. He considered buying a pack burro, but decided against it. Once he had Marietta, he would need to make a quick getaway. A mule or burro would slow him down.

From the stable, Cole went directly to Central City’s largest general store. Parker’s Emporium carried just about everything anyone could ever need. Cole picked out a comfortable saddle and a bridle with long leather reins. He shopped around, tossed a couple of blankets on the counter.

He lifted a pair of soft chamois trousers, held them up to his lean frame and saw that they were way too small. He figured they would fit Marietta just fine. He tossed the trousers on the counter and looked for the smallest shirt he could find. He chose a white cotton one with a long tail and sleeves. He snagged two pairs of leather moccasins, one pair for him, one for Marietta. He lifted the moccasins, examined them and placed them on the growing stack of supplies.

Pete Parker came up to Cole, smiled and asked, “Can I help you find anything, my friend?”

“I believe that’ll do it,” Cole replied. “If you’ll add all this up I’ll be back to get it in a day or two.”

“Sure thing,” said Pete, then asked, “You aiming to take yourself a little trip, are you?”

Cole smiled and gave no reply.

The sun was already beginning to wester by the time Cole finished shopping and stepped outside. He squinted in the dying sunlight, reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a cigar. He bit off the end, spit it out and placed the cigar in his mouth. He scratched his thumbnail against a Lucifer and lighted the smoke, cupping his hands against the slight mountain wind.

He was shaking out the lighted match, when he looked up and saw Marietta. That bright coppery hair instantly caught his attention. She was with Maltese and the pair were coming down the sidewalk toward him. Behind them was the man called Lightnin’.

Cole’s first impulse was to turn and rush away. But that would make him appear to be guilty of something. He stayed where he was. Didn’t budge. Nor did he look at them when they passed. And he hoped that Marietta was clever enough not to look his way.

She was not.

Marietta tried very hard but couldn’t keep from glancing at Cole. He never knew it. Neither did Maltese.

But Lightnin’ did.

The hired bodyguard caught Marietta subtly stealing a look at the dark stranger.

He immediately wondered, Was something going on or had something already gone on between this Texan and Marietta? Lightnin’ sensed trouble ahead. His hand automatically touched the pearl butt of the revolver on his hip.

He would, as soon as he got back to the opera house, threaten the Burnetts with their very lives if they didn’t keep a closer eye on Marietta.

Nine

Cole stayed right where he was until the trio had passed him. Then he snapped into action. He went back inside Parker’s Emporium and told Pete Parker he had changed his mind, that he needed the supplies right away.

“Toss in some beef jerky, a tin of crackers and a couple of cans of beans,” Cole said to Pete. “I’ll take the saddle and bridle with me now and be back for the rest of the things in the next half hour.”

Pete nodded, then asked, “You want some help carrying that saddle?”

“I can manage,” Cole said as he hoisted it up onto a shoulder.

He stepped outside, looked both ways and walked directly down to Pollock’s Livery Stable. At the stables he dropped the saddle and went into the stall where his newly purchased black was penned.

Cole carefully examined the stallion and the big black neighed a greeting and playfully bit at Cole’s shoulder. Cole stroked the stallion’s sleek neck and murmured soothingly into a pricked ear.

Turning to the stable boy, he said, “I’ll be taking the black tonight. Have him saddled and ready to go by nine o’clock. I’ll be back to get him.”

“He’ll be ready, sir,” said the lad with a toothy grin.

Cole ruffled the boy’s hair, then peeled off a bill and handed it to him. He was heading back to Parker’s Emporium, when he passed Lilly’s Ladies Apparel. Cole stopped abruptly, snapped his fingers and turned back. He had, until this minute, forgotten about the lacy blue satin nightgown he had purchased yesterday afternoon.

Cole glanced about, then went inside.

Lilly looked up and smiled warmly at him. “You have come for the beautiful blue nightgown?”

“I have,” Cole said decisively.