Chapter 7 – Silent Partner

It had been a pleasant day, but it had gotten Ginny no closer to finding out where the missing women were disappearing to, or so she thought. She had a suspicion that Frank Carson was involved, but no actual proof other than instinct. And she had no idea at all that he had begun to rethink the decision that 'Sammi Jo' would be the next girl sent to San Francisco.

When they returned to Diamond Lil's it was almost six o'clock, and the head bartender found a note waiting for him. 'I think it's time we had a talk, don't you? Meet me at the usual place after midnight.'

Carson shoved the note in his pocket and poured a cup of coffee for Ginny. "I had a great time today," the agent told him. "Maybe we can do it again sometime? Soon?" There was an air of hopeful expectation in her voice – somehow she knew that the man she'd spent the day with had a connection to her investigation.

"I'd like that," came his reply. "How about Sunday afternoon? There's someplace a little further south I'd like to show you."

Ginny nodded. "That sounds great. We can take some food with us and find a place for lunch. And maybe some wine?"

"I thought you didn't drink?"

"Just whiskey," she replied. "I don't like the taste. But wine would be nice."

"Do you want to ride again, or shall I get a buggy?"

Ginny giggled, as she assumed Sammi Jo would. "Let's ride again. You bring a blanket and the wine. I'll get the food. Around noon? Or is that too early?"

The bartender smiled. His meeting at midnight was going to be interesting. "Nope. Sounds good to me. I'm gonna work this evening, so I'll see you at seven. And Sammi? I had a great time, too."

She climbed the stairs and was about to enter her room when Beatrice appeared in the hall. "You just gettin' in?"

"Yes, ma'am. We had a lot of fun."

"Get dressed and come on down here. We need to talk."

Ginny did just that. She put on the blue, low-cut dress she'd had made recently and brushed her hair, then headed down to Beatrice's room. "Come on in!" she heard before she could even knock.

"What did I do now?" Ginny laughed as she walked in and sat down on that familiar boudoir chair. Beatrice was getting dressed for work but stopped what she was doing once Ginny was seated.

"Heard you had a run-in with Mae this mornin'."

"I did not." The most pleasant greeting Ginny had ever received from Mae had been characterized as a 'run-in.'

"Came in early this afternoon and said you had yourself draped all over Frank."

"We were waitin' for our breakfast. I was nowhere near the man."

"And that you were rude to her."

That made the Pinkerton detective laugh. "I never said one word to her, not one. Did she tell you she wasn't alone?"

Beatrice sat down abruptly on the bed, a look of surprise on her face. "Nooooooooooo. Do you know who she was with?"

"Grant Milton. She even introduced him to us, and he announced he'd be here this evenin'."

Beatrice let out an audible gasp. "Grant Milton? Really? Grant Milton? So that's who she's been sneakin' off to see."

"That's what Frank said."

"No wonder. If she's been seein' Grant Milton, and he's comin' here tonight . . . "

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Ginny was confused. What significance did Grant Milton coming to Diamond Lil's have?

"No, but it means somethin' to me. Go put your hair up on your head that way you do. I gotta go tell Red that Milton's comin'." And before Ginny could say another word, Beatrice was out the door.

"I didn't know Bea could move that fast," Ginny said out loud. She left her friend's room and closed the door behind her. Why Beatrice wanted her to put her hair on top of her head she had no idea, but she stopped in her room and did just that before going downstairs to find out what all the excitement was about.

XXXXXXXX

Bart crossed the jail floor and leaned against the bars of the cell. The man inside the cell hadn't moved until now, but he suddenly came alive and met his brother at the bars that separated them. "You made good time."

"Wanna tell me what happened?"

"Somebody killed Danny Fletcher, and I got blamed for it."

"Why?"

"They killed him with my gun."

"Ooh. That could pose a problem."

The black-eyed man inside the cell did not look amused. "You think?"

"How long have you been in town?"

"Couple a weeks."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Two words. Ginny Malone."

"She went somewhere I couldn't go."

"Fight?"

"No."

"Disagreement?"

"No."

"What then?"

Bret shook his head. "Long story."

The younger man sighed. He'd gotten to New Mexico as fast as he could, and there was a lot he hadn't explained to Bret. It appeared he wasn't the only brother keeping secrets, but for now that would wait. "Tell me when this is all over and you're outta there."

"Agreed."

"Now, about that gettin' you out part . . . "

XXXXXXXX

"Are you sure?" Red asked incredulously. "Milton said he was comin' here tonight?"

Bea nodded just as Ginny knocked on the door to Red's office. "Who is it?" Red asked.

"Sammi Jo."

Beatrice and Red exchanged glances. "She'd involved in it, whether we want her to be or not," Bea stated.

Red nodded and called out, "Come in." When he saw Ginny, he looked startled but said nothing.

The detective picked up on his reaction almost immediately. "Why did you want me to put my hair up?" she asked Bea. "And what's going on?"

Once more Red and Bea looked at each other, before Bea answered calmly, "With your hair up like that you look like Elizabeth Milton, Grant's wife. I'm sure he saw the resemblance this mornin'."

"So? Why would that bring him here? And what's so important about Grant Milton?" Ginny asked the two people standing in front of her.

Red hesitated before slumping back down into his chair. When he finally answered, Ginny was taken by surprise. "He absolutely adored Elizabeth, but he hasn't been here for quite a while." Red stopped for a minute, and when he continued there was a desperate tone in his voice. "He's my silent partner. The only time he comes here is when he wants something."