Chapter 12 – The Waiting Game

Ginny hurried up the stairs to Mae's room. The door was open and Mae was sitting on the bed; Red standing next to it. "Good, Sammi Jo, you're back. Mae wanted to see you. She has to stay in her room; I'm supposed to lock her in." Red reached over and handed Ginny a key. "I want you to have the other key. Just to be safe."

"You're sure these are the only two keys?" Ginny asked out of habit.

Red gave her an odd look but nodded anyway. "I'm sure. I think she'll be safer here than at the jail. Let me know if you need anything, Mae."

The blonde reached up and grabbed Red's hand. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, and she still looked like she might burst into tears at any given moment. "You've been so kind to me. I'm sorry I was hard to get along with before."

Red brushed Mae's hair out of her eyes and patted her hand. "That's okay, honey, I understand. And I want you to know – we'll get you outta this. I know you didn't shoot Grant."

The saloon owner limped out of the room and closed the door behind him. Mae looked up at Ginny and managed a small smile. "I . . . I don't know what to say to you. I treated you the worst of all."

"Mae, now that some time has passed, I need you to think. What time was it when Grant went downstairs?"

"I'm . . . I'm not sure."

"What about you? When did you go down?"

Mae looked bewildered but had an answer. "About three o'clock."

"Did you fall asleep right away? Or were you awake for a while?"

"I was awake for a few minutes. I asked Grant if he'd be long, and he just kinda . . . grunted. So I curled up on the settee. I fell asleep right away."

Ginny sat down next to Mae on the bed. "And you never heard anything until the gun was fired?"

The long-haired blonde beauty hesitated. "Well . . . I thought I heard someone else in the room . . . like a body moving around . . . but I'm not sure. Then sometime later I heard the shots. Bang, bang, two right in succession. I thought I was dreaming and it took me a few seconds to open my eyes, and when I did Grant was already lying on the floor . . . bleeding . . . oh, Grant!" And tears started falling all over again. Once more Ginny wrapped her arms around Mae and held her until the sobbing slowed.

"What did you do then?" The Pinkerton agent asked softly.

"I . . . I kneeled down and looked for a pulse . . . there wasn't any. And when I looked up, the gun was lying right there, on the floor, like someone had dropped it . . . and I . . . I reached out and grabbed it . . . and stood up, with it in my hand. I started to . . . cry . . . and Jerry ran in and stared at me. Then he ran out, and I just stood there. I was frozen . . . then Tom Springer was next to me . . . and he asked me why I shot Grant . . . not if I shot him . . . why I shot him. And all I could say was 'no, no, no, no, no' and keep crying. I don't remember much after that until you came to the jail." That bewildered look reappeared in Mae's eyes and she asked quietly, "You ain't no saloon girl, are you?"

Let Mae think what she wanted, Ginny was not about to reveal the truth. "Yes, yes I am, Mae. My name is Sammi Jo Withers and I came here from Denver. That's the truth; that and I believe everything you've said. Your back was turned to the rear door when you were lying on the settee. Could someone have gotten out it when you were examining Grant?"

A small nod of the head. "I think so. Especially if they were already close to it."

"But you didn't hear the door close?"

"No."

"Did the marshal try to open the door when he was there with you?"

"Yes . . . no . . . I don't know. Wait, I remember. He did try, and the door was unlocked. Why . . . why are you tryin' to help me?"

"Because I know how you and Grant felt about each other . . . I found the ring he gave you. Its right where you left it, don't worry. And I know you didn't kill him."

"Then who did, Sammi? Who killed Grant and tried to pin it on me?" Mae sobbed.

"Shhhh, honey, I don't know. But I'm gonna do what I can to find out. There's something I need you to do for me, alright?"

"What's th-th-that?"

"Don't tell anyone your suspicions about me. Can you do that?"

Another nod of the head, accompanied by a faint, "Yes."

"Good. I'm gonna lock you in here for a while, but I'll be back. Is there anything you need while I'm gone?"

"Can you get . . . can you get me some coffee? With a shot in it, please?"

"I can do that. You just sit tight and I'll be back." Ginny gave Mae's shoulder a squeeze and left the room, locking the door behind her. She hurried down the hall, then down the stairs, and over to the bar. "Will, can you get me a coffee, please? With a shot in it?"

Will handed Ginny the coffee and she hurried back to Mae's room before Frank had a chance to talk to her. A knock on Mae's door was greeted with a faint "Come in," and Ginny unlocked it and handed the 'prisoner' her coffee. "I'll be back in about an hour. You stay right here, okay?"

Fifteen minutes later Ginny had changed and was dressed for a night of work. Before she went out on the floor, however, she went back to Red's office. The door was open and she walked in just as he looked up. "Sammi Jo, come on in. How's Mae doin'?"

"Pretty good, considering. I took her some coffee and told her I'd be back to check on her in an hour. Don't give anybody else the key to the room, Red. No matter who it is."

Mitchell nodded. "I understand. The real killer's out there somewhere. But surely . . . "

"Nobody, Red. Not the marshal, or Frank, or Beatrice, or any of the other girls. Nobody."

Red looked at Ginny in a way he'd never looked at her before. There was something in his eyes . . . but he said nothing, just nodded. Ginny went out to the saloon floor and straight to Frank behind the bar. "How's Mae doin'?"

"Not real well."

"How are you doin'?" There was genuine concern in Frank's voice.

"I'm okay," Ginny replied. "Have you seen Suzanne?"

"Yeah, she just went back to one of the poker tables." Ginny gave Frank a little smile and headed back to find Suzanne. She wasn't hard to locate, she was pouring a drink for one of the gamblers. When she finished, Ginny pulled her aside.

"What time did that telegram get here?"

"What?" Suzanne asked. "Oh, the telegram. Just a few minutes before you came back from dinner. Why?"

"And when did Mae get here? Who brought her in?"

"I don't know, Sammi. I was upstairs gettin' ready for tonight. Why do you need to know?"

"I'll explain later. Thanks, Suzanne."

Next she went looking for Beatrice. Bea was laughing and drinking with one of Kansas City's more prominent bankers at the roulette wheel and was none too happy to be pulled away. "I'm busy, Sammi Jo. Can't it wait?"

"No, it can't. I need to talk to you now."

Since Ginny hadn't let go of Beatrice's arm, the older woman was forced to follow the Pinkerton agent. "What do you want, Sammi?"

"You were here when Mae was brought in. Did the marshal bring her in by himself, or was someone else with him?"

"Why? What difference does that make?" Beatrice was not happy that she'd been forced to leave a paying customer for Sammi's question.

"Who brought her in, Bea?"

"Tom and Red. They were the only two with her. When they got here I went upstairs with 'em to help get her settled. Then when she asked for you I came back downstairs to wait for you and Frank to get back. What in heaven's name is wrong with you?"

"I'll explain later. Thanks for the information." Ginny let go of Bea's arm and headed for the staircase. The older woman stared at the back of Ginny's head before muttering 'damn' under her breath. Ginny went up to Mae's room and unlocked the door. Mae was lying on the bed, staring into space. Ginny locked the door behind her.

"What now?" Mae asked.

"Now we wait," Agent Malone answered.