Junior drew her into his arms and, disobeying her request, executed a series of intricate turns and dips. “Very nice,” he said, smiling down at her when they lapsed into a more sedate two-step. Using the arm he had placed around her waist, he pulled her tighter against him. “Very, very nice.”
Alex let him hold her close because it felt good to have two strong arms around her. Her partner was handsome and charming and knew how to make a woman feel beautiful. She was a victim of his charm, but knowing it was her safety net.
She could never actually fall for a glib charmer like Junior, but small doses of attention from one was fun temporarily, especially since every time she was around Reede, her confidence and ego took a beating.
“I
s Reede a club member?” she asked casually.
“Are you kiddin’?”
“He hasn’t been invited to join?”
“Oh, sure, as soon as he won sheriff the first time. It’s just that he feels more at home in another crowd. He doesn’t give a fuck—excuse me—for society stuff.” He stroked her back. “You seem more relaxed than when I picked you up. Having fun?”
“Yes, but you got me here under false pretenses,” she accused. “You’re a long way from becoming drunk and talkative.”
His smile was unrepentant. “Ask me anything.”
“Okay. Who’s the man over there, the one with the white hair?” Junior identified him by name. Her instincts proved correct. His name had been among those at the bottom of her letter. “Introduce us when the band takes its next break.”
“He’s married.”
She shot him a look. “My interest in him isn’t romantic.”
“Ah, good, good.”
He did as she asked. The banker she had picked out of the crowd seemed disconcerted when Junior introduced her. As she shook hands with him, she said, “I received your letter, Mr. Longstreet.”
Her straightforwardness surprised him, but he recovered admirably. “I see that you’re taking it to heart.” He slid a knowing glance toward Junior.
“Don’t let my being here tonight with Junior fool you. I can appreciate what he, his father, and Mr. Lambert mean to Purcell and its economy, but that does not mean I’ll suspend my investigation. It’ll take more than a letter to scare me off.”
Clearly irritated, Junior spoke to her out of the side of his mouth as he escorted her back onto the dance floor a few minutes later. “You could have warned me.”
“About what?”
“That you are armed and dangerous. Longstreet’s a big wheel who shouldn’t be put on the defensive. What’s all this about a letter, anyway?”
She explained, reciting as many of the names as she could recall. “I hoped to meet some of them here tonight.”
He pulled a deep frown, regarding her with asperity. Eventually, however, he shrugged and fashioned a beguiling smile. “And here I thought I’d swept you off your feet.” Sighing in resignation, he added, “Well, I’d just as well help you out. Want to meet the rest of your adversaries?”
Trying to make it appear as casual as possible, Junior moved her through the crowd, introducing her to those there who had signed their names to that subtly threatening letter.
A half hour later they moved away from a couple who owned a chain of convenience stores throughout West Texas. They had invested heavily in Purcell Downs and were the most demonstratively hostile. By that time, though, word had gotten around who Junior’s date was, so they’d been laying for her.
“There, that’s everybody,” he told her.
“Thank God,” Alex whispered. “Are the knives still sticking out of my back?”
“You’re not going to let that old biddy’s rapier tongue get to you, are you? Look, she’s a dried up old shrew who hates any woman who doesn’t have a mustache as thick as hers.”
Alex smiled in spite of herself. “She all but said, ‘Be on the next stage leaving town… or else.’ ”
He squeezed her arm. “Come on, let’s dance again. It will take your mind off your troubles.”
“I need to repair the damages,” she said, slipping out of his grasp. “Excuse me.”