CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

I NSTEAD OF HEADING UP TO THE LIbrARY , J ENNY ROUNDED THE CORNER and walked downhill, past the Liberty Theatre to Hull Avenue. In the old days, this area was part of the Tenderloin, the toughest section of town.

Both Hull and Queen, the street below, had been lined with saloons, bordellos, and cribs. There was even a set of stairs that led down from Main Street—Husband's Alley, it was called—a not-so-secret passageway for businessmen who wanted to spend the afternoon with a working girl.

Some of the old buildings remained, turned into souvenir shops, art galleries, and boutiques. Jenny wanted to see where the shooting—if it had actually happened—might have occurred. If Cleo were there, perhaps the woman could sense the exact spot the man had fallen.

Coming up empty, Jenny headed back up to Main, then on up the hill to the Jerome Public Library. The search through old newspapers was overwhelming. The Jerome Chronicle, 1895; the Jerome Mining News, 1897; the Daily News and the Reporter, 1898, and at least half a dozen others.

There had to be a better way.

Spotting the librarian, Evelyn Dunning, one of the town's most respected historians, Jenny went up to the front desk.

"Mrs. Dunning?" An attractive woman with silver-touched hair worn in a buzz cut, Evelyn wore tiny, round silver spectacles attached to a silver chain around her neck.

She looked up. "Yes?"

"I'm Jenny Spencer. I own the Copper Star. I was hoping you might be able to help me."

The woman smiled. "I'd be happy to. What do you need?"

"I'm trying to dig up information on a shooting that occurred way back in the mining heyday. I understand you're an expert on Jerome history."

"I'm interested in the history of the area. It's part of my job, but I'll admit it's also an obsession."

Jenny smiled. "After everything I've learned, I understand your fascination. I'm looking into the possibility of a shooting that might have occurred on the street in front of a bordello. I'm thinking it could have happened on Main Street, Hull, or Queen. Unfortunately, I don't know the time frame. I've been told the victim died and that he was a miner."

Evelyn laughed. "Well, that certainly narrows it down. There must be dozens of incidents that fit your description. Jerome was a notoriously lawless town."

"I know it isn't much to go on. I don't know the man's name or who shot him. I just thought something might pop into your head, something you've read or heard."

"You've checked old newspaper articles?" Evelyn asked.

"I spent a few hours at it, but there are so many papers, printed over so many years. I didn't even make a dent."

Evelyn nodded in understanding. "I can't think of anything off-hand that might help, but give me a little time. There are indices available, ways to access information by subject matter. I might be able to narrow it down, even run across an article about the shooting."

"That would be wonderful. I don't have a business card, but I can write down my—"

Evelyn smiled. "If you own the Copper Star, I know where to find you. Should I run across something of interest, I'll get in touch."

"Thank you so much."

Jenny left the library feeling slightly better. Evelyn Dunning was clearly an expert. She prayed the woman would find what they needed.

Jenny sighed as she walked back down to the saloon. Unfortunately, even if they discovered the name of the miner and the circumstances of his death, she had no idea how to get rid of him. He was, after all, a ghost.

She imagined Cleo had already talked to Nell about it. Maybe if they all put their heads together, they could figure out what to do.

In the meantime, she would take Cleo's advice and stay out of room 10.

* * *

Cain spent the rest of the morning in the study in his suite. Problems had come up with the Titan acquisition. He should have stayed in Scottsdale, made certain everything was in order, remained there until the deal was officially closed.

Instead, his mind had been filled with Jenny, a distraction he couldn't afford. He'd driven back to Jerome, had a fit of jealous temper, which had never happened before, then fortunately managed to extricate himself from the mess he had made. He hadn't returned to Scottsdale, though he should have. Now problems had surfaced, and the closing had been postponed.

He checked his watch. He was meeting Nick Faraday in the bar. His detective friend had Cain's enemies list, but they hadn't discussed it. Cain shut down his computer and headed downstairs.

Nick was waiting when he arrived, sitting at the bar, a rocks glass in front of him.

When Hannah walked up behind the bar to take Cain's order, he simply pointed to Nick's drink. Knowing Cain drank Johnny Walker Black, she poured the drink and set it in front of him; then he and Nick carried their drinks over to a table in the corner.

"This place is really looking good," Nick said, surveying the interior, the wood paneling, the low lighting that illuminated the impressionist desert landscapes on the walls. "Looks like you'll be finished in time for the party."

"Unless disaster strikes. Which lately seems to be happening more and more." He took a drink of whiskey and enjoyed the relaxing burn. "You must have gotten your invitation. Will you be coming?"

Nick smiled. "Masks, women in sequined gowns, and guys in tuxedos. Wouldn't miss it." He tipped his head toward the bar. "I got an invitation, but Hannah filled me in. Should make for an interesting evening."

"The girls wanted to make a splash."

Nick raised a black eyebrow. "The girls?"

"Politically incorrect, I suppose. Millicent and Jenny. They figured, with Halloween so close, it should be something that tied in, but had a little more class. It's costing me a fortune. I hope they're right."

Nick grinned. "You can afford it, and the idea's intriguing enough that everyone on the guest list will be there."

"Need a room?"

"I thought I'd stay at the Copper Star, leave your fancy rooms for the people you're trying to impress."

Cain grunted. "Make sure you don't stay in room ten."

"That the murder room?"

"Yeah." He didn't say more. It was embarrassing to realize he believed Jenny's theory about a ghost being responsible for Brian Santana's death. But whatever he'd felt in that room had been murderous, at the very least.

Nick sipped his drink. "About your list . . ."

"What have you got so far?"

Nick pulled out a sheet of paper and began to read. "Roger Duffy, Alvin Cline, and Maryann Whelan, your former employees, all landed on their feet after you let them go. They're employed and making good money. That moves them down the list."

"Down but not off."

Nick shrugged. "We'll see." He glanced back at the information on the paper. "Barton Harwell, your old partner? Last known address is a boarding house in San Cristobal, Bolivia."

"Lithium. That's what they mine there."

"He moved out, but I haven't found out where he landed."

"Good bet he's still there somewhere, trying to strike it rich."

Nick nodded. "Decker, Rosen, and Steel, guys you used to run with when you were a kid?"

"Troublemakers. Thank God, I wised up before it was too late."

"Decker's in prison for attempted murder. Rosen has a rap sheet a mile long, but he's currently not wanted for anything. He's in the wind, which means he's still on the list."

"And Steel?"

Nick smiled. "Michael ‘Butch' Steel is married, the father of two kids, a boy, six, and a girl, four. He's gainfully employed, a district manager for Ace Hardware. Sources say it's a happy marriage."

Cain grinned. "Good for Butch. I guess that takes him off our list."

"He's off—unless something changes."

"What's Ryder Vance up to these days?"

"His trial date's been postponed. He's out on bail and in the wind. That moves him up the list. The problem is, Sun King was already missing when you two butted heads."

"Butted heads. That's putting it mildly. At the time, I was trying to kill him. But that's just between you and me."

Nick sat back and took a sip of his drink. "It's a good thing you didn't succeed. You'd need an attorney a lot more than a detective."

"I still might if the bastard comes near Jenny again."

One of Nick's black eyebrows went up, but he made no comment. He looked back down at the paper.

"Ray Aldridge, the guy you beat out of a deal, lives in Phoenix. I went to see him. He's working a couple of new moly claims, still trying to hit the jackpot. Since he's making barely enough to survive, he's up at the top of the list."

Cain just nodded.

"Last but not least, your lady friends, women who might want revenge against you for dumping them."

"That was Jenny's idea. Frankly, I don't see any of them stealing a bunch of horses, then castrating the one that belongs to me."

"According to Shakespeare, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

"Actually, it was William Congreve, The Mourning Bride . I still don't buy it."

"Maybe not. I ran a background check on all of them, but didn't find anything to convince me any of them were involved. I also made some phone calls."

Cain sipped his drink.

"Rebecca Carter, the former assistant DA you dated for a couple of weeks, called you a few choice names, but the rest of them gave you at least a four-star review."

"Very funny. Rebecca and I had a slightly hostile parting. I didn't know she was separated from but still married to her husband, who occasionally showed up at her apartment—and he didn't sleep on the couch. I don't date married women, and I certainly don't share them with their spouses."

"How'd you find out?"

"Showed up unexpectedly one morning, and there he was. Rebecca was angry I hadn't called first. I wasn't too happy about it myself. We argued. That was the last time I saw her."

Nick just smiled. He glanced down at the paper. "I was surprised to see Anna Hobbs's name on your list. Somerset, I guess it is now. You dated her in high school, didn't you?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it dating. We had sex whenever she wanted a little excitement. That was it. I didn't see her again for years, until a few months back. I slept with her a couple of times in Scottsdale, but ended things after that. I wouldn't have written down her name, but she keeps showing up like a bad penny. That and the fact that her wealthy husband kicked the bucket shortly after their marriage. Makes you wonder how far she'd go to get back at someone."

"I'll give her another look, but on the surface, I didn't see anything."

"As I said, I don't think any of my exes are involved. Most women have a soft spot when it comes to animals. I'm sure that's a generalization, but that's been my experience."

Nick's gaze slid toward the door. "Speaking of women . . ." He rose as Jenny approached.

She smiled. "Hi, Nick."

Cain rose and pulled out one of the upholstered leather captain's chairs around the table. Jenny turned and gave him an intimate smile that instantly filled him with lust. "Cain . . ."

He tamped it down and brushed a kiss over her cheek as she took a seat. "What would you like to drink?"

"I have to work late. Club soda would be great."

He spoke to Hannah as she approached. "Club soda for Jenny."

"No problem." Hannah returned a few minutes later with a tall, iced glass and set it on the table. Jenny took a sip just as Cain's cell phone rang.

It was Martin Cohen, one of his VPs. Martin was frantic.

"I know you're busy, Cain. I really hate to bother you, but this deal is not going to happen without you. We need someone who can put the pressure on, convince these guys they have to stand by the agreement they made or else. We're meeting the top execs for a late supper at Flemings." A fine-dining steakhouse not far from the office. "Is there any chance you could make it?"

He wanted this deal, wanted it badly. Jenny would be working late at the Star, and it was past time he got over this ridiculous need to spend every minute with her. From the start, he had planned to enjoy her, enjoy the relationship, for as long as it lasted. He'd never intended to get in so deep.

"What time's the meeting?"

"Eight-thirty." It was a two-hour drive to Scottsdale. Cain checked his watch. It was six o'clock now. He could make it.

"Save me a seat at the table. I'll be there." Cain ended the call and rose from his chair. "I'm afraid something's come up. I've got a meeting in Scottsdale I can't afford to miss. I need to change, and then I'll be heading out." He looked at Nick. "Let me know if anything new turns up."

"Will do," Nick said, rising.

Jenny also rose.

"Ride up with me." Cain set a hand at her waist as they headed for his private elevator. "I won't be back tonight," he said, as the elevator door slid open and they walked inside. "Will you be staying in my suite?"

As the door slid closed, Jenny cut him a glance. "I'm not staying here without you, Cain. I'll be staying at the Star. I have to close up anyway. Will you be back tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure. I'll call you in the morning."

Jenny must have heard something in his voice. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but the elevator door opened, and he walked out into his entry.

Jenny followed him out, rested a hand on his cheek, leaned up, and kissed him. "Drive safely." Stepping back inside the carriage, she hit the button and closed the door.

Cain took a deep breath, missing her already. Chiding himself, he headed into his bedroom to change out of his jeans into a sport coat and dress pants. His feelings for Jenny were growing. They were interfering with his work. Jenny was becoming an obsession he couldn't afford.

He wasn't coming back tomorrow, he decided, or the rest of the week. It was past time he slowed things down, gave himself a chance to think.

He would come back for the party. By then, maybe he'd have his head on straight.

Maybe.