And remembering the sweet warmth of Jessica’s lips and the pliant heat of her body, he wouldn’t change anything even if he could.
Except for maybe killing Frank Morgan before now. That he wished he had done.
When Hammersmith was gone, Nathan Evers asked, “What did he tell you, Mrs. Munro?”
“I believe that’s between Mr. Hammersmith and myself,” Jessica replied. She didn’t fully trust Evers, mostly because he had never acted the least bit interested in her as a woman. Any man like that had to have something wrong with him, as far as she was concerned.
It was a shame too, because he was rather handsome in a bespectacled way.
“If it has to do with the mine, I should be privy to the information as well,” Evers insisted. “I am Mr. Munro’s confidential secretary, after all.”
“If Hamish wants you to know something, he’ll tell you,” Jessica snapped.
She went back into the bedroom, leaving Evers fuming in the sitting room. As she sat down at the dressing table and began to brush her hair, like she usually did whenever she was worried or upset about something, she thought about what Hammersmith had told her.
This lawman Morgan was becoming a problem. Even though Hamish would never take her into his confidence, Jessica was convinced that her husband and Hammersmith were responsible for the explosion at the Crown Royal and the cave-in at the Lucky Lizard. Those were the sorts of things that Hamish would do, although Hammersmith would take care of all the details so that Hamish could keep his own hands clean.
Still, somewhere there might be some bit of evidence tying him to the sabotage, and if that connection ever came out, Hamish Munro would be ruined. He would wind up in prison or worse. Jessica had never planned to wait years before making her move, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready for Munro’s downfall just yet.
On the other hand, it would simplify things if the law did some of her work for her. If anything happened to Hamish, she would inherit his business empire. His first wife had died years ago, without ever having any children. Jessica was the only heir left. Of course, she was sure that Hamish would leave his lawyers in charge of everything…but they would just see how long that lasted. Men always underestimated her. She would wrest control away from those stuffy old attorneys in their suits before they knew what was happening.
“You’re getting ahead of yourself, Jessica,” she told her reflection in the mirror. “Nothing has happened to Hamish yet.”
Perhaps it was time to tilt the odds a little more in her favor.
From inside the marshal’s office, Frank had seen Hammersmith ride up to the hotel, dismount, and go inside. The burly mine superintendent had stayed in there for a while and then left. Frank could make a pretty good guess why Hammersmith had ridden into town. Hammersmith had come to warn Munro that Frank was pushing his nose in where it wasn’t wanted. Probably, he would have tried to talk Munro into sanctioning an ambush attempt, too, if Munro had been there.
Unfortunately for Hammersmith, Munro wasn’t at the hotel. Frank had seen him leave earlier, and he hadn’t come back yet.
A few minutes after Hammersmith rode off, Jessica Munro emerged from the hotel, wearing a long, dark blue skirt and a pale blue blouse. Frank saw her through the open door of the marshal’s office. She angled across the street, seemingly unaware of the avid stares directed toward her by most of the men she passed.
Frank realized to his surprise that she seemed to be heading for his office. He got to his feet.
Jessica stepped onto the boardwalk and came straight to the door. “Marshal,” she said as she paused there, “I’d like to talk to you.”
Frank came out from behind the desk and held out a hand. “Come on in and sit down, Mrs. Munro,” he said. “The furnishings aren’t fancy, but that chair’s not too uncomfortable.”
Jessica came in and sat down. Frank perched a hip on a corner of the desk and asked her, “What can I do for you, ma’am?”
“I’d like to talk to you about Mr. Hammersmith, the superintendent of my husband’s mine.”
Frank nodded. “Yes, ma’am, I know who he is. What about him?”
“I think…” She drew in a deep breath, making her breasts lift. Frank tried not to notice that, but he wouldn’t have been human if he hadn’t. “I think he’s been doing some things behind my husband’s back that aren’t in Hamish’s best interest.”
“How do you mean?”
“I believe he may have had something to do with the trouble at the other mines in the area. You know, that explosion at the Crown Royal and the cave-in and strike at the Lucky Lizard.”
Frank’s interest quickened. “You think Hammersmith was responsible for those things?”
“I…I don’t know. I think, from a few things he said, that he might have some connection with them.”
“But your husband wouldn’t know anything about any of that?”
Jessica stared at him, all wide-eyed innocence. “No, of course not. Hamish is an honest businessman, Marshal. He would never resort to unscrupulous tactics like that.”
Frank scratched at his jaw with a thumbnail. “Why are you telling me this, ma’am?”
“Because I don’t want Hamish getting into any trouble for something that’s not his fault! If Mr. Hammersmith is responsible for what’s been happening at those other mines, I’m sure he’s doing it to help the Alhambra, but at the same time he’s been acting without my husband’s permission or knowledge. I don’t want Hamish being blamed for those things.”
“Does your husband know that you’re here?”
She shook her head. “No, certainly not, and I don’t want him to know. He doesn’t like for me to involve myself in his business affairs.” She laughed. “He says I shouldn’t worry my pretty little head about such things.” A look of concern appeared on her face. “You won’t tell him, will you? You can look into Mr. Hammersmith’s actions without Hamish having to know that I talked to you?”
“I reckon I can try to keep your name out of it,” Frank promised.
She sighed in relief. “Thank you, Marshal. I’m just trying to help Hamish, not get him angry.”
“I can understand that, what with you being his wife and all.” Frank stood up. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“No, I don’t believe so. You will try to find out what Mr. Hammersmith has been up to?”
“Yes, I will.” Frank didn’t tell her that he had already suspected Hammersmith before she ever came over here. He didn’t share her conviction that her husband was blameless in the matter, though. But she didn’t have to know that.
Jessica stood up and offered him her hand. “Thank you, Marshal. You don’t know what a load this is off my mind.”
“Might be a good idea not to say anything to Mr. Munro about Hammersmith,” Frank said as he took her hand. It was warm and supple. “Just let me look into it.”
“All right.” She smiled, making her face light up. “Good-bye, Marshal.”
Frank said good-bye and watched her walk out of the office. As he settled back down in his chair, he thought about what she had told him. The more he thought about it, the less sure he was that he believed anything she had said. Was she really so trusting that she thought Hammersmith would be carrying out that sabotage without her husband’s knowledge?
Just because she acted like a pretty, brainless fool didn’t mean she actually was one. Maybe she was trying to increase Frank’s suspicions not only of Hammersmith but of Munro as well. But why would she do such a thing?
Frank couldn’t answer that question just yet, but he was going to keep it in mind. It looked like Jessica Munro was playing some sort of game of her own. She might turn out to be just as dangerous as her husband and Hammersmith.