Chapter Four

Nick walked into the saloon and sat down at a table near the front window. He and Adam had been over to the law office only to find it completely empty. The two men would have simply went to the law office, but Adam Greene had had other business to take care of, and Nick had decided he could use a drink. As Nick glanced around the establishment, he couldn't help but notice the bartender was keeping an eye on him. It only served to make it so Nick grew even more determined to stay until he got the information he was looking for. It was obvious he was right when it came to being more than a good Samaritan who had helped him. If he wasn't, why did everyone he talk to act so uncomfortable and hurry to excuse themselves.

"May I get you something cowboy?" A five foot four, brown eyed, black haired beauty smiled and walked up to Nick; she was holding a try with a couple glasses of beer on it.

"A beer and another drink…" Nick paused as he knew what she'd think if he asked her to stay. Then again, maybe he'd have better luck getting some information from her. After all, in her profession, the pretty young waitress might have heard something. "Another drink for whoever joins me." He smiled at her as he made the request. He wasn't surprised when the waitress set one of the drinks in front of it and placed the second glass next to him. "I've got a few minutes. You new here, cowboy?" She sat down, placing the tray on an nearby chair.

"Passing through, though I'll be spending at least one night, maybe a couple of nights, and the name's Nick Barkley. What's yours?" Nick answered as took a swallow of his beer.

"Connie Henderson, but just call me Connie." The young waitress answered as she studied the cowboy in front of her. She'd met many cowboys in the short three years she'd been working in the saloon. Most were okay, others were bad, but this one, he was no ordinary cowboy; she could tell that much. She also saw the look of someone who wanted something from her through, for the first time in her short career; Connie felt strongly he didn't want what the other cowboys were always asking for. She didn't have to wait very long to find out what it was.

"How long you lived in Martinsdale?" Nick asked, thinking if she wasn't a long time resident he might have more luck.

"I moved here just over three years ago." Connie let out a half hearted chuckle and told him she didn't know why. "Town's not exactly growing. I'm surprised the town has enough to pay for their own law enforcement." There was no way Connie could know that the sheriff and his deputy-who also worked part time outside the office-had both voluntarily suggested their wages be cut so the town could keep some law and order in town. "Why do you ask?"

Nick took another swallow of his beer and told her what he was looking for. He wasn't surprised by the next question she asked or the confusion that was in her eyes as she asked it.

"Someone is nice enough to bail you out and insist on trying to track them down? Why? If someone does a good deed, and wants to do it anonymously, why push the issue?" Connie asked as she took a tiny sip of the drink he'd bought her; it wouldn't do her any good if she allowed herself to consume every drink someone bought her.

Normally Nick would agree with her, but there seemed to be an invisible force pushing him to find his benefactor…and being told by the deputy to leave town when he, Nick, hadn't done anything wrong irritated him. On top of the deputy's reaction, there was the saloon owner telling him to stick around for a few days. "I can't explain it; I just have to find out." Nick said as he finished off his beer.

"Want another drink?" Connie asked more out of habit than anything, though she had a feeling it was a waste of time in asking; the cowboy's mind was too focused on this hunt of his.

"No," Nick said as he pulled out a few coins. "You sure you have no idea who paid my bail?"

Connie was sorely tempted to lie when she saw the money Nick was offering her, but she didn't. She was, and had been, a lot of things, but a liar was not one of them. "I wish I …" She hesitated and then continued, "I wish I did, but you know both our part time sheriff and the deputy would know, along with Philip over there," she nodded towards the saloon owner. "Of course, the sheriff has been coming and going a lot lately so I don't know if he's available or not."

"Deputy doesn't seem to think I shouldn't worry about it, and your boss hasn't been much help either." Nick went ahead and handed her the coins, even when she tried to turn it down, saying she'd been of no help to him. "Keep the money, you told me what you could." Nick said as he stood up and then headed for the door. He had to go see if that part time sheriff was around or not.

~oOo~

Henry wasn't pleased, though he wasn't surprised, when the door to the sheriff's office opened and Nick stepped inside. Before the sheriff had left, he'd told Henry that he was sure Nick Barkley wasn't going to go away until he'd done all he could to get a straight answer, but then encouraged Henry to do all he could to convince Nick to do just that anyway.

"Thought your business with the Greene's would be over by now." Henry said as Nick walked up to his desk.

"It is and, normally, I would mount up and ride out grateful that I had the good fortunate of being bailed out by another person's act of kindness." Nick replied as he put his hands upon his hips. "But I can't shake the feeling I need to stay in town and find out who paid my bail." He wasn't about to add that Philip Jones had stepped out of the saloon's side door and talked to him, once more telling him that if he wanted to meet his benefactor and talk to him, he-Nick-needed to stick around. "So, if you're not going to tell me anything, when's your sheriff going to be in the office?"

Henry opened his mouth to reply only to have the door to his office open once more. Nick also turned around to see who had entered to see a red headed gentleman who looked to be around five foot ten and in his late thirties enter the room.