Dolores, Woman of Sorrow

Part 1

The small Chinese woman began to chastise Adam as he came up the stairs. "Mistah Adam, you late, very late. Missy Dolores, she mad as hornet. Watch that she not sting!"

Adam laughed. "I hope she does sting-I'll sting her back. Now you go tell "Missy" Dolores I'm here and not to keep me waiting or I just might go find me another girl."

"Yes, Mistah Adam," she said, bowing to him, "I go tell now."

Adam shook his head, chuckling to himself. He let himself into the room and put the package he had been holding on the nightstand and sat on the bed and began to take off his boots. He smelled the sweet scent of her gardenia perfume that seemed to infuse the sheets and even the walls. And then she walked in and stopped, facing him, her legs apart, her hands on her hips forcing her silk wrap apart.

Adam appraised her and as usual, she delighted him; everything about her delighted him, from her glossy dark hair to her narrow waist and her strong legs. She was stunning. "You are one good-lookin' woman," he said to her and then made a sound of admiration.

"You are late," she said, resisting his flattery. "You told me that you would be here at eight and it's closer to ten. I have already lost at least two customers waiting for you to show up."

Adam stood up and in his bare feet walked over to her and pulled her to him with a jerk. "No one made you wait for me. Why didn't you go ahead and take them?"

Dolores caught her breath; Adam always had an impact on her-he actually left her breathless as if the wind had been knocked out of her. "Because I needed you, not any of them." She slid her hands up his arms. "Sometimes the money isn't worth it." She expected Adam to kiss her; his mouth was so close that she could feel his breath. But he didn't.

"I brought you a little something," he said, turning away and letting her go. Her arms dropped beside her.

"Oh, now, I wouldn't call it 'little,' " she remarked with a half smile.

Adam laughed loudly and felt himself relax. He wished he could find a respectable woman who could make him laugh as she did, a woman who behaved as she did yet who couldn't be bought by any man who could afford her high price. Well, he would marry a woman like that if he could find her. Smiling, he walked over to the nightstand and picked up the package he brought. "Here," he said. "Come and get it." He kept a small smile on her face. He knew that her curiosity would make her take it from his hand and it did. She walked over and as she reached for it, he held it over her head. "Say, please.'

She looked at him, her eyes starting to express the desire she always felt with him. "Please."

"Please what?" A darkness always seemed to come over him at times like this; a dangerous edge.

"Please give me your gift and I'll give you mine. Whatever you want," she said deep in her throat.

"Ah, now that's my girl." He handed her the slim box and she opened it.

"Oh, Adam, they're beautiful!' She had placed the box on the bed and gingerly held the two silk handkerchiefs that were edged in tatted lace. "They're so beautiful." She unfolded them and rubbed them over her cheeks, enjoying their smoothness.

Adam had begun to undress. "Only the best for you…and for me." He had taken off his shirt and reached for her. "You can use them to clean me up afterwards. But now, put them aside. I want all your attention." And Adam held Dolores in his arms and kissed her and she felt her resolve to be in control fall away; he owned her.

Early the next morning, as Adam sat at breakfast discussing the work for the day with his father and brothers, Sheriff Coffee arrived. Joe went to the door and let him in.

"Roy," Ben said, standing up, "come have some breakfast with us. C'mon, sit down."

"No, no. I've eaten already." The sheriff came over and from the way he looked, Adam knew that Roy was there for him and that it was about something bad. Roy always tapped the fingers of each hand together in front of him when he was upset; it seemed to be his way of holding himself together.

"Well," Adam said, "at least have a cup of coffee." Adam walked over to the sideboard and poured a cup as Roy answered that he supposed that he could do with one cup and sat down at the table.

Adam placed the cup and saucer in front of Roy who proceeded to pour cream in it and then sip. He cleared his throat. "Adam I need you to come into town with me-I got to take a statement from you."

"A statement?" Ben asked. He had no idea why Roy would need a statement from Adam. Of his three sons, Adam would be the last one that Ben would have guessed Roy would be there to see.

But Adam was just curious. "What is it, Roy? What do you need a statement about?" Adam picked up his coffee cup and took a sip.

"Well, this is private in a way, Adam. I think it would be best if we talk outside and I'll tell you there. Then I want you in my office so's that Clem can be a witness."

"A witness to what?" Adam was now becoming annoyed. He had respect for Roy but sometimes Adam thought that Roy behaved like a doddering old fool.

"Okay, Adam," Roy said, his chin up. "I tried to keep it private for you but I'll just tell you here. Dolores, the whor-woman you were with last night was found beaten to death in the alley behind the brothel and you were the last one to be with her, least-ways that's what her maid says and that's what the girls waitin' downstairs said. Now I need a statement from you sayin' what happened."

Adam sat stunned-his ears were filled with a whirring sound. Dolores was found dead, beaten to death. He couldn't accept it. Dolores, beautiful, vital Dolores wasn't alive anymore-gone from existence. He stood up, regained his composure and walked out onto the porch where he hoped the crisp, cold morning air would help him.