Chapter 7 – Corinne

I spent the rest of the morning at the Land Development office, searching the property records in the county. Just in case Dandy had forgotten to tell me about any property he owned. There was none.

I went back to the hotel and stopped at the front desk, and was surprised to find a message there. 'If you'd like to know more about Janet Stinson, come to Denam's Tobacco Store this afternoon and ask for Corinne.'

I was intrigued by this unsolicited message. I would have gone right now, but there was just enough time for me to get freshened up and head over for lunch at Dandy's. I put the note in my pocket and bounded upstairs to my room, washed my face and hands, and changed coats and hats. I had to hurry, but I arrived at the blue house with the white fence right on time. It took a minute longer than usual for the door to open; when it did, Dandy was behind it. "Mrs. Murtaw's in the kitchen. Please, come in."

We went back to the study; I held the door and Jim wheeled over to his desk and opened his humidor. "Join me?"

"Thanks." I struck a match and lit first Jim's cigar, then mine. I took a deep draw and blew the smoke out. "These come from Denam's?"

"They did. Have you been to Denam's yet?"

"Nope. I saw the sign when I was walkin' around this mornin'. Didn't get in there yet." But now I had a legitimate excuse.

We both smoked for five minutes before Jim said anything. "You never did say what you were doing in Grand Junction."

"Didn't I? That's easy – I came to see you."

The look I got was pure puzzlement. "Why?"

"Because Ray Ames said you were dying. And because it was time."

"Time for what, Bart?"

"Time for an explanation. Or an understanding. Whatever you want to call it."

"Really? After all these years?"

Mrs. Murtaw's timing was perfect. "Lunch is served in the dining room, gentlemen."

We both followed her in and were once again treated to an outstanding meal. For the first time I noticed that Jim ate about one-third of what was put in front of him. I hadn't paid attention before and wondered if that was all he usually had. If so, that would definitely account for how thin he was.

Just as we finished, the housekeeper appeared again. "Coffee in the study, gentlemen?"

I made my decision then and decided my talk with Jim could wait. I wanted; no, needed, to know whatever it was that Corinne had to say about Janet Stinson Buckley. "No, thank you, Mrs. Murtaw. I have a previous commitment. Thank you for another excellent meal. Dandy, I have to go."

There was a look of disappointment on his face, but I had a burning desire to hear whatever the young lady at the tobacco shop had to say. Before I finally said my piece to Jim. "What about supper tonight? Could you . . . ?"

I didn't let him finish. "No, I'm sorry, I can't. Haven't you seen enough of me in the last two days to be positively sick of me by this time?"

"Breakfast tomorrow? Say at ten?" There was a hopeful note in his voice, and I found myself answering him in the affirmative.

"Alright, that should work. I'll see you then. Mrs. Murtaw, thank you again."

I couldn't help but wonder why he kept inviting me back. He knew I had something more than just 'Good morning' to say to him, I'd told him that before lunch. Considering how long we'd avoided the subject of Jim's 'betrayal,' maybe he just wanted to get it over with. In any event, I let myself out the front door and headed to Denam's, and the mysterious Corinne.

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"May I help you?" the young woman asked sweetly. She was twenty-five, maybe thirty years old, with brown hair and blue eyes. There was no one in the store but the two of us.

"Yes, ma'am," I answered. "Are you Corinne?"

Those blue eyes got dark quickly. "I am," she stated flatly.

I pulled the note from my pocket and laid it on the counter. "This Corinne?"

"And you're Mister Maverick."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Just who are you, Mister Maverick?"

"First off, it's Bart, not Mister Maverick. Second, I'm a . . . friend of Jim Buckley's."

She looked at me skeptically for a minute or two before nodding her head. "And you didn't know Janet at all?"

"I had no idea the lady even existed."

That seemed to satisfy her. "Tell me, Mist . . . Bart, what brought you to Grand Junction?"

"I heard . . . that Jim wasn't well."

"And you were such a good friend that you had to rush right up here and see how he was?"

"Look, Corinne . . . you're the one that invited me over here. If you don't have any information for me, then I have no reason to stay."

She walked around the back of the counter and closed and locked the front door, then turned the sign over that said 'Closed.' "I'm sorry. You're right, and maybe after I tell you what I know you'll be more willing to answer my questions. My full name is Corinne Stinson. Janet was my sister."