Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 126098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
She nodded. “Yes, Sir. Born and raised.”
The man rubbed his chin. “I went to Vegas in ‘66. With my wife.”
“Win big or lose big?” Abby asked.
“Well, like I said, I went with my wife.”
Abby laughed.
“I’m Milo.”
“I’m Abby.”
“Did you go by Vegas when you lived in Vegas? Wasn’t that confusing?”
Abby shook her head. “Nope. Met a guy yesterday who called me ‘Vegas’. I kind of liked it. I don’t want to live in Vegas, but it’s my hometown and I still love it.” Abby sipped her gin. “Speaking of this guy,” she said casually. “I was wondering if someone here knew him. I had a thing I wanted to ask him about.”
“Got a name?” Milo asked.
Abby shrugged. “Not really. Tex. Just Tex. Ex-army, lives around her somewhere, but he didn’t say where and I didn’t think to ask.”
Mile rubbed his chin again. “Might know him. What do you want with him?”
Abby shook her head. “Don’t want anything with him. He was on a Harley, and I wanted to ask him a question about a Harley. So I was just wondering.”
Milo looked at Maria who had moved further down the bar and was restocking the clean glasses. “Maria!” he called out. She looked up from her task. “Red’s looking for Tex.”
Maria’s eyes narrowed on Abby and she felt herself actually shrink into the stool. “Why?” Maria demanded.
“Got a question about a Harley,” Milo replied, but his voice was teasing.
Abby scowled. “I do,” she insisted. “Have a question about a Harley. And he seemed like maybe the man to ask.”
Maria stared at her for a few minutes then she thumped on the swinging door. Moments later Slick appeared. “Red wants Tex,” Maria announced.
Abby felt her face flush. She did not want Tex. Women like her didn’t want men like Tex. Oh, they thought about men like Tex. Maybe fantasized about men like Tex. But wanting Tex? It would be like being handed the reins to a 2,000 pound stallion and being told to hold on.
“You know Tex?” Slick asked. “I thought you said you just got into town last night?”
“I did. I had some car trouble and he stopped. And I forgot to get his name is all. I just wanted to ask him some questions, being as I’m new in town. That’s it.”
Slick studied her thoughtfully. Jesus, Abby thought. She hadn’t meant to alert the whole town. She picked up her purse. “Look, I’m not a stalker,” she said, pulling out one of the business cards she’d had printed as soon as she’d gotten the job. It had made everything feel more official. She put it on the bar and slid it toward the two women. “I just want to talk business with him. So since you obviously know him, maybe you could give him my card the next time you see him. If he wants to call me and help me out, great. If not, I’ll find someone else. It’s not a huge deal.”
Slick picked up the card and read it. “You’re the Assistant Manager at the Custer Hotel?”
“Yes. Well, officially I am. Though I don’t start til Monday.”
Slick was still bouncing her gaze back from the card to Abby. “Listen,” Abby finally said, “If he’s your boyfriend or something, I’m really not trying to chase after him. I’m new in town, I had a question about a bike, he had a bike, I thought he might be able to help me out. That’s the truth.”
“He’s not my boyfriend. I’m married,” Slick replied. “To Tex’s old lieutenant when he was in the army.”
“Shooter,” Abby said without thinking. Slick looked surprised. “He mentioned it.”
Maria put her hand on her hip. “Must’ve been an awful long conversation.”
Abby shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant. “My car was acting funny so I pulled over. I was cleaning spark plugs and he happened along. We got to talking while I was fixing my car.”
“Tex made you fix your own car?” Slick asked.
Abby’s eyebrows furrowed. “Made me? No. I was already fixing it when he pulled up behind me. It’s my car.”
Slick pocketed the card. “I’ll tell him you’re looking for him.”
Abby was momentarily stunned that everyone had made this such a big deal. “Okay. Well...thanks.” She poured the rest of her gin directly down her throat, and left a twenty for the bill. “Good night,” she said to them and quickly left the building.
Jeez, she thought as she headed to her car. They’d all acted like she was trying to track him down for alimony or something. She slid behind the wheel and cranked the engine. Thankfully the idle was still the right speed though she did need to have the plugs replaced. She pulled out of the lot and headed back to the condo.
Rapid City sure wasn’t anything like Vegas.
CHAPTER TWO
On Sunday night, Tex pulled his Harley in behind Hawk’s and killed the engine. He pocketed his keys and headed across the lawn and up the steps of the two story log cabin. He entered without knocking. He was the last to arrive and he shucked his leather jacket, hanging it up in the entryway next to the others.