Chapter 13, by Patina

"This is my town and it's my duty to protect her citizens," said Roy with some heat in his voice.

"I'm not disputing that fact," said the marshal with aggravation in his voice. "What I said was that Adam Cartwright should be protected at all times since he has information that can lock away the Farrows for the rest of their lives."

"Ben and his other two sons can keep an eye on Adam better than anyone else can. Besides, I doubt Adam's goin' dancin' with that leg of his."

"That's not the point!" the exasperated marshal replied. "The other Cartwrights can't babysit Adam at all times. Bentley here can keep Cartwright under protective custody until the trial is over."

"There's no reason for Adam to be kept in jail durin' the trial!"

"I never said he had to be kept in jail, Coffee. I just have to be sure that the Farrows won't try another way to get him out of the picture so he can't nail their coffins shut."

"There's no proof that one of the Farrows shot Adam—no one saw anythin'. Adam doesn't even know who pulled the trigger."

"They probably hired someone," said Billy snidely. "It's not their way to do their dirty work themselves."

Taylor shot Billy a glare to shut the boy's mouth. The last thing he wanted was for the sheriff to feel he was being backed into a corner or being pushed aside. He wasn't about to let the Farrows get away with murder yet again by a small technicality. This time, come hell or high water, the Farrows would get what they deserved. And maybe a little extra.

"You've got too much personal history with the Farrows, Taylor. How do I know you don't just want the Cartwrights stowed away somewhere so you can arrange an accident of sort for the Farrows?"

"Just what are you implying? Are you saying I'd go outside the boundaries of the law to pay off a personal vendetta rather than bring criminals to justice?"

Deputy Bentley broke into this heated exchange. "How about this—I'll serve as Cartwright's bodyguard. If he'll be separated from his family for any reason, even if he has to go to the necessary after dark, I'll make sure that our key witness isn't a clear target for anyone with itchy fingers. This way, you and the sheriff can keep law and order here in town and keep your eyes on both the Cartwrights and the Farrows."

Both the sheriff and the marshal squinted in thought. "Who's goin' to keep an eye on Folly?" asked Roy. "I don't like that she was listenin' in on our conversation over at the Yucca. She might be passin' information to the Farrows for all we know. Maybe Bentley should keep an eye on her."

"I'll keep an eye on her, Sheriff," offered Billy.

Taylor shot Billy another glare. The young man was cocky and angry at the Farrows; if Folly was on their payroll, Billy would be an easy target for a professional manipulator like her.

***********

Folly didn't like being ordered to cozy up to the Cartwrights—it was one thing to socialize as part of her job but it was another to do so to advance someone else's agenda. She couldn't shake the image of Byron's cool appraising eyes undressing her slowly during that meeting. The anger radiating from Dirk towards his brother had been hot enough to make bacon sizzle. Not only was she caught between her employer and his boss but she was also trapped square in the middle between the Cartwrights and Farrows. Both were powerful families, so the wrong roll of the dice could leave her jobless and penniless or, even worse, dead.

She had been told to keep a close eye on Adam since he apparently held the key to identifying which Farrow had been behind a killing in Placerville. Mr. Farrow (the father) wanted her to pay Adam a visit and gently pick his brain about his brief stay in that town before leaving for college. If gentle didn't work, she dreaded to think what the Farrows would do to the eldest of Ben Cartwright's sons to get the information they wanted.

Adam heard a gentle tapping on the hotel room door. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Folly."

Adam got out of bed and limped over to the door. He opened it and asked, "Did you need something?"

"I just wanted to check on you and make sure you're all right. Could I come in for a few minutes?"

"I'm really tired."

Folly heard the exhaustion in Adam's voice and knew he wasn't using weariness as an excuse to not speak with her. Maybe she should just come back later. "Where's your family?"

"Out." He was wary because of her eavesdropping on the conversation in her room with the sheriff and marshal. She had probably been paid by someone to do that; otherwise she surely would have been downstairs in the saloon earning her keep.

"You can trust me, Adam. I'm on your side."

"Until the bullets start flying?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked in indignation.

"It's just an observation."

"About…?"

"Seems odd that someone seemed to know I was heading over to Roy's office the night I was shot. What's even stranger is that they let me talk to Roy and waited until I was heading back for the Yucca. How do you suppose someone might have known where I was going?"

"I was in the room with Hoss and Joe! Ask them if you don't believe me!"

"Maybe someone was next door with an ear to the wall."

Folly turned scarlet as she remembered Roy Coffee barging into the girls' room to confront her about eavesdropping. "I only want to help!" she protested.

"Why don't you go on back to the Yucca and help some young cowboy part with his money?"

Folly slapped Adam hard across his clean-shaven cheek, leaving a red handprint behind. With a glare, she turned and stormed down the hall. Adam had to admit he wasn't too surprised by her reaction—he had been goading her to find out whose side held her loyalty. Even with the slap, he wasn't entirely sure.

*********************

Billy was sitting at a table in the Yucca, sipping a warm beer and trying to observe the customers and saloon girls. Some of the girls seemed awful young to be entertaining men in private. This Folly, though, was a mature woman who would soon have to find another way to earn a living. He was thinking that with the right incentive, she'd accept any offer that put nooses around the Farrows' necks.

Folly came down the stairs in a pale yellow dress. Many of the Yucca's clientele stopped what they were doing to admire her. Not many women could make a cheap dress look expensive, yet Folly could make a potato sack appear glamorous. Some of the younger girls noted the slow way she descended the stairs, her eyes scanning the room below and her hand barely touching the banister as she seemed to move fluidly. Thalia gave her cowboy's neckerchief a tug to turn his attention back to her; she needed to earn her money to support her ill mother.

As she progressed down the stairs, she took note of who was in the saloon. Her eye caught a young man she had seen in her room while eavesdropping. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth—here was chance to make a few dollars and get information she could provide to either side in this conflict.

Reaching the first floor, she greeted regulars with a seductive finger stroke to the chin or a playful tug on a neckerchief. She made her way through the tables to the young man, who seemed to be transfixed by her. Stopping at the table, she asked, "Buy me a drink?"

"Um…Bartender! Bring me a bottle of whiskey. And two glasses."

Pulling back a chair, she sat close to him and noticed he barely looked old enough to be shaving. A pang of guilt made its way through her heart, but she couldn't be worried about him. After all, she wanted to be among the living when the trial was over.

"Aren't you a bit young to be buying ladies drinks in saloons?"

"I'm 19," he protested.

"Are you passing through Virginia City on your way somewhere….? I didn't catch your name."

"It's Billy."

The bottle of whiskey arrived and she poured them both a glass. Raising hers, she said "Nice to know you, Billy." She drank hers in one gulp and noticed that Billy was making a face after his first sip. Too many times she'd seen a young man trying to impress a girl by knocking back a whiskey only to be sick all over the floor minutes later.

She poured herself another glass and let it sit there on the table. There was no point for her to keep drinking if he wasn't going to be able to keep up. "So, what brings you to Virginia City?"

"The trial."

"Are you just a spectator?"

"In a way."

She knew he had arrived with the marshal so he wasn't here for the trial's entertainment value. "You plan on staying for the whole trial? Sometimes these things last for weeks."

Billy took another sip of whiskey and said, "This one will be short."

"You seem rather sure of that," she replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll just say there's going to be a big surprise for the Farrows."

"I don't recall if the money that was stolen from the bank was ever found."

"This has nothing to do with the bank robbery."

Folly reached for her shot glass and tossed her drink back quickly. He must be talking about Adam being able to identify the Farrows. She was expected to let the Farrows know any new information immediately yet she wanted to pass a warning on to Ben Cartwright.

Pete stopped by the table and asked Billy, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I'm just passing the time with one of your fine ladies," he replied.

Pete's mouth smiled but his eyes didn't. "Just keep on enjoying yourself." He shot Folly a look before continuing his rounds.

She was pouring herself another glass when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Hello, Miss Folly." Her spine stiffened at that voice. What on Earth was he doing here? She turned to look and her worst suspicion was confirmed—it was Byron. When had he come in? She hadn't noticed him when she came down the stairs. Surely he hadn't been here the whole time.

Billy was taking another sip of his whiskey and glared daggers at the intruder.

Folly couldn't believe this was happening. There wouldn't be any way for her to massage the truth to either side now. She wondered if she was as pale as she felt.
"I just couldn't leave without stopping to say hello. I'll have to come back later so we can catch up on old times."

She hoped she was flashing him a smile as she said, "You do that, Sugar. I'll be right here."

After Byron left, Billy asked, "Who was that?"

"An old friend."

"You don't look happy to see him."

"Like I said, he's an old friend. How about another drink?"

*************************

Byron had been eavesdropping on Folly's conversation with Billy. So, there was going to be a surprise at the trial that had nothing to do with Dirk's crime here. He'd just have to do something about that.

On his way out of the saloon, he asked one of the younger girls, "Would you happen to know the Cartwrights?"

She giggled and said, "Everyone knows Little Joe."

"I'm looking for one named Adam."

She pouted a bit and said, "He's so boring."

"Do you know where I could find him?"

"He's at the International House, across the street."

"Thank you," he said as he slid a dollar into the décolleté of her dress. She turned a bright pink and said, "Thank you, Mister."

Byron crossed the street and went into the hotel lobby. Stopping at the front desk, he casually inquired about the Cartwrights, saying he was a cattleman who had business with them. The clerk provided their room number and Byron gave him a half-dollar as a reward.

Casually walking to the stairs, he made his way up to the specified room and quietly knocked on the door. There was no response. He tried the knob and it wasn't locked. He slowly opened the door and looked into the dim room; there was a figure lying on the bed. Byron went in and stealthily crossed the room. Looking down at the man's face, he recognized Adam Cartwright. He had last seen Adam ten years ago yet there was no mistaking this man for that youth. Suffocating him with a pillow was tempting, but he didn't want anyone to hear a struggle and interrupt them. He'd just have to find another way.

*************************

Joe and Hoss entered the Yucca for a beer and to see if they could gather any information. Pa had told them to meet him back in the hotel room in a half hour, so they didn't have too much time.

"Little Joe!" Pearl practically squealed.

"How's my favorite jewel?" he asked with a flirtatious wink.

She toyed with his shirt collar as she said, "A man gave me a dollar for telling him Adam was at the hotel. I'll tell you something if you'll give me a dollar."

Hoss frowned at hearing that. Why would someone be paying for information on Adam's whereabouts? He quickly scanned the room and saw Folly and Billy together. That boy was playing a dangerous game and would probably come out the loser. He felt an elbow nudge his arm and Joe said, "We have to go."

"Can't I finish my beer?"

"Now."

The two men hurried from the saloon and over to the hotel where Joe took the stairs two at a time. Reaching their room, Joe drew his gun and tried the knob. It was unlocked, so he flung the door open and went in prepared to shoot lead at anyone who shouldn't be in there.

"Joseph!" His father's voice startled him and he quickly uncocked his pistol. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Could you keep it down, Pa?" mumbled Adam without opening his eyes.

"Has anyone been in here?" asked Joe.

"No one," replied Adam. "Now let me sleep."

Hoss had a very uneasy feeling. Why would someone pay Pearl to find out where Adam was and then not check out that information? He was going to go back to the Yucca and see what he could find out.

"Where are you going?" asked Ben.

Hoss used his best defense at getting what he wanted. "I'm hungry, Pa. I won't be too long." With that, he left the room determined to make Folly tell him everything she knew.