Monday Evening

Crystal woke from her afternoon nap and wrote in her black notebook: Tonight Kitty will find the collar in her room and rumors will spread like wild fire, with me setting the flame.

She tucked the notebook away and glanced at the clock. It was almost time for everyone to go downstairs for work. She put an ear to her door to listen. Once the three women were gone she'd make her move.

She heard doors open and close, footsteps, quiet voices, Betty Sue's laugh, another door, more footsteps and then silence. Satisfied that all three women had gone downstairs, she waited another two minutes to be sure. All was quiet. She grabbed the minister's collar and opened her door a crack. The hall was empty and quiet. She tiptoed down the hall, careful to stay close to the wall, leaving no chance she'd be seen from the saloon. She reached Kitty's room and turned the knob. As expected it was unlocked. No one locked their door unless they were inside. She opened it just enough to slip through. Once inside she stopped short. She'd never been in Kitty's suite and was surprised it was so beautiful. There was an attractive sitting room with a dining area off to the side. An alcove over to the left probably led to a bedroom with a private water closet. She was curious and almost went to look, but decided it best to be gone quickly. In any event Kitty's rooms were nothing compared to the palatial home she'd have in the near future. She was about to set the collar down when she saw a tube of Kitty's lipstick. She smeared some on the collar and smiled. Pleased with herself, she set the collar on the table and went back to her room to get ready for work.

Betty Sue was already working the room when Kitty came down and walked over to Sam to talk about a whiskey order. A bit later Diane came down and joined them. Kitty turned and smiled, "I see you found the dress I left on my bed for you. It looks lovely."

A smile lit Sam's craggy face, "It sure does Miss Diane, that royal blue color sure suits you." He suddenly realized it had been Kitty's dress and panic filled his eyes, "Miss Kitty, I didn't mean the color didn't suit you. I …"

Kitty put a hand on his and smiled kindly, "Sam, don't fret. I know what you mean."

Diane reacted to neither compliments nor smiles. She was deadly serious, "Miss Kitty, I need a word with you." Her tone got Kitty's attention. "Let's go to the back table."

Kitty assumed that Diane was going to say she was pregnant, broke or needed help. What she heard shocked her.

"Diane, are you sure Crystal didn't hear you in my bedroom putting on the dress?"

"Absolutely. When I heard the door I thought you'd come back, but before I could call out I saw her through a separation in the slide door. I didn't move, I didn't hardly breath."

"Where's the collar now?"

"On your table where she left it."

Kitty's mind was racing, "Thank you Diane. I'll handle it from here."

She hurried to her room, grabbed the collar and went to room #4. Crystal was about to leave when she heard a knock.

"Who is it?"

"Kitty"

Crystal grabbed Jeb Barker's watch and tucked it in a drawer as the door flew open.

Kitty stepped in holding Reverend Bates' collar, "I believe you left this in my room."

Shock washed across Crystal's face but she quickly recovered. "I don't know what you mean."

"Someone saw you put it in my room. I'd return it to you but I think the marshal will find it of interest when he gets back. He'll have some questions for you." She started to leave but turned back, "Oh, nice touch smearing my lipstick on it. The witness saw that too. " She closed the door behind her and heard a loud curse and breaking glass.

She called over her shoulder, "That was a nice vase, it will come out of your pay."

Crystal paced the room, not knowing what to think or do. Finally she stopped and looked in the mirror, "Crystal my dear get hold of yourself. You have to find the witness." She finished her make-up and walked downstairs trying to look natural. She was looking around the room when her eyes rested on Diane. The woman looked particularly beautiful tonight. Maybe it was that dress. She continued to stare and it came to her. Kitty was wearing that dress the other night. Things immediately gelled in her mind. When she'd heard doors, footsteps and voices she'd assumed everyone had gone downstairs. Diane must have been going to Kitty's room to get the dress. She was Kitty's witness. Crystal breathed a sign of relief. All she had to do was stop Diane from telling the truth, and Kitty would look like a liar who wouldn't admit to having a relationship with the dearly departed minister.

She instantly formed a plan and walked past eager eyes to one of the grungy farmers who'd been with Pete Maxwell the night before. "Hi, I'm looking for Pete. He carried my bag when I got to Dodge and I'm grateful. I was funning him last night, but I think he took it serious. Can you find him for me? I'd like to make it up to him."

The farmer nodded in astonishment. 5 minutes later he returned dragging a mistrustful Pete Maxwell along. She hurried over, "Oh Pete, I was joking last night and you took it to heart. Please, come to my room so I can make it up to you." She rubbed his arm and smiled into his eyes. He nodded mutely, feeling like the luckiest man in the world. She grabbed a bottle of whiskey and two glasses and started up the stairs. Pete followed as if in a dream.

Kitty was watching unable to imagine what Crystal would want with Pete Maxwell, a very sweet but very poor farmhand known more for his size than his brains. She saw Sam's bemused look as he watched the unlikely couple. "Sam, if he wants to spend a month's salary on Crystal who are we to interfere? It's not like she tricked him into getting drunk like she did with Botkin."

Upstairs

It didn't take long for Crystal to get Pete into bed and even less time to discover he was a virgin. She gave him pleasures he never imagined. He was grinning happily when she dramatically turned her head away,

"Crystal what's wrong? Is it me?"

She slowly looked at him with sorrowful eyes, "Oh Pete, I'm just sad that I won't be able to see you again. I have to leave tomorrow."

"Leave." He sat up, "Why?"

She looked down as if reluctant to speak, then met his eyes, "Diane is making my life miserable." She's Miss Kitty's favorite and is always telling lies about me. She steals my things and even slaps me. I can't stand it. I have to go. I want to stay and be with you, but I can't."

Pete was horrified, "That's awful. Is there anything I can do?"

She kneaded her brows in concentration, "Maybe there is. Maybe if Diane knew I had a protector she'd stop. Pete, you could tell her she can never say anything against me to anyone, or something bad will happen to her. And - I know this will be hard for you, you'll have to slap her to show you mean it.

He looked uncertain, "I never hit no woman."

"Oh Pete, I'm not talking about hitting, just a slap. Like she slapped me. Just a warning that things could get bad for her if she accuses me of anything."

She could see him mull it over and took his hand, "Please honey for me, for us, so I can stay. Pete listen, when you're in her room you'll see my lipstick. It has a 'C' on it to show it's mine. She slapped me, slapped me hard and stole it. That's just the last thing. She's been spreading terrible lies about me. She has to learn it is dangerous to do anything that would hurt me. That's the only way to stop her."

Pete saw the hope and trust in Crystal's face and nodded with determination. "Crystal, I am your protector. I'll tell Diane to never say a bad thing about you to anybody and I'll slap her face to show I mean it. I can do that, I can do it for you."

Crystal gave Pete a grateful kiss and sent him on his way. She picked up a tube of lipstick marked with her 'C', left it in Diane's room and went back to work.

TBC