Page 23 of The Bastard Heir
“This ass was following us. Trapped him in the alley and he attacked Cas.” Zane explained without looking away from the man. “Who hired you?”
The man shrugged. “I didn’t catch his name.”
“A man hired you to kill me and you didn’t ask his name?” Castillo raised his voice.
“Didn’t say I didn’t ask, just that I didn’t know it. He wouldn’t tell me. He paid me twenty dollars. Looked like he was good for the rest.”
“What did he look like?”
“Dressed like a dandy and had real soft hands. Talked like he was better than me. Figured he was from one of them miningcompanies. What’d you do to piss him off?” Now that Glory was here and obviously not on their side, Johnson seemed to have rediscovered his courage.
“What color was his hair?” Zane asked.
“Hard to tell. He was wearing a hat, but what I saw was white,” Johnson answered.
Derringer. Castillo’s blood ran cold at the confirmation. Derringer was probably in his early fifties, but he’d had a headful of the purest white hair that Castillo had ever seen. They’d figured he’d dyed it, since he was trying so hard to hide, but apparently not. It wasn’t absolute confirmation, but Castillo knew in his gut the man was Derringer.
“How were you supposed to meet him to collect your money once you had me?” Castillo asked.
“He said to ride south and he’d find me.”
Castillo nodded toward the hall and Zane turned. Johnson started to get to his feet, but Zane turned back toward him. “Sit down and stay there. We’ll be right outside the door. If you break one bottle, I’ll put a bullet through your skull.”
Johnson blanched and nodded as he sat back down. Glory backed into the hallway, and Castillo and Zane followed her out, closing the door behind them. “I don’t like this brought into my house,” Glory said as soon as the door shut. She kept her voice low so it wouldn’t travel down the hall or through the walls to the high-society gentlemen eating a late-night dinner in the various dining rooms on the ground level. “I don’t allow guns in here or men like that creature.” She jabbed a finger at the storeroom.
“Apologies.” Castillo inclined his head in mocking deference. “I had nowhere else to take the man who was trying to kill me.”
She took in a deep breath, and her voice was calmer when she spoke again. “Who is after you this time?”
Castillo debated how much to tell her. He didn’t completely trust her, but he did need her as an ally in this. “His name is Derringer. He’s the man who killed my grandfather.”
She nodded. “I haven’t heard that name before. Now I understand why Mr. Pierce has been my guest the past couple of days.”
Zane flashed her a grin. “Your charming company is always reason enough to stay.”
She rolled her eyes and pointed toward the storeroom. “You all have to go. I can’t risk the law knowing he’s here. And I can’t have you here if someone is looking for you. I’m sorry, but I have to protect the women who live here.”
“Sorry, pretty lady, we can’t leave. He stays until we know what’s going on.” Zane crossed his arms over his chest.
“You cannot stay.” She forced the words out through gritted teeth.
“You have a spy,” Castillo said. “If Zane stays he’ll help you figure out who it is.”
“I don’t have a spy,” she said.
“You do,” Zane said. “Someone went through my room.”
She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, mimicking Zane’s stance. “That was me. I was in your room. I knew something was going on and you weren’t telling me what it was, so I went through your room to try to figure it out,” she admitted. “You should know I didn’t find anything except a sketch pad full of drawings many would consider obscene.”
Zane didn’t say anything to that, but he smiled—a real smile—the skin around his eyes crinkling.
“Let Johnson stay, Glory. Just until after the wedding, then we can move him out to the ranch. We can’t keep him there with all the guests arriving. Zane will stay here and keep an eye on him.”
“I’d be willing to offer any other…” Zane paused and allowed his gaze to travel down her body “…services you might need.”
“Keep your breeches on, cowboy.” Then she looked at Castillo. “Fine, he can stay until the wedding, but Zane watches him and is responsible for him. You pay for any damage he causes, and you owe me big after this—all of you, and that includes Hunter.” She moved her finger between them both. “Take him down to the cellar. I have to get back to my guests.”
She turned to go but stopped and turned back. “And I won’t have anyone killed here in cold blood. If he’s hurt or conveniently disappears, I will contact the sheriff.” With that, she swept down the hallway and disappeared through the door that led to the main part of the house.
