Read Online Belle Gone Bad by Sabine Starr - Free Book Online

and she’d better remember it or she might succumb to every one of his little ideas. Somehow, that didn’t seem so bad.
    Mercy hurried into the stable with a cloth drawstring pouch in his arms. “I got everything.”
    â€œLet’s see,” Manny said.
    Mercy pulled out a purple, rose, and green flower print shawl with black fringe. “Silk. Cost a pretty penny, too.” He tossed it toward Belle.
    She caught the shawl and stroked the luxurious fabric. “It’s lovely. I’ll pay you back.”
    â€œNo thanks. This is part of finding Diana.”
    â€œWhat about the wig?” Manny asked.
    â€œI’m not sure it’s to Belle’s taste, but it’s the only one Ludmila had in her store.” He pulled out an object that looked like a dead squirrel.
    â€œThat’s awful!” Belle objected. “And it’s bright red.”
    â€œLudmila wasn’t too keen on it, either. Somehow or the other, it arrived in a shipment of shovels.”
    â€œShovels!” Manny chortled.
    â€œYou can take it right back.” Belle pointed at the wig while holding the elegant shawl close. “If I wore that, I’d look like a lady of the evening.”
    â€œIsn’t that the idea?” Mercy asked.
    She frowned. “But I could at least look like a classy strumpet.”
    â€œLudmila won’t take it back. She said nobody would ever buy it and she wanted it out of her store. She gave it to us.”
    â€œOh, all right.” Belle snatched the wig and shoved it, along with the shawl, inside her saddlebag.
    â€œWith that wig, guess your new name is easy. Red .” Manny chuckled.
    Mercy joined his laughter.
    Belle closed her eyes and counted to ten to keep from letting her irritation get to her. As a bounty hunter, she was used to a certain level of respect. Now she was getting none and it rankled.
    â€œI apologize,” Mercy said as his laughter dwindled. “I know you wanted a fancy name, and you can still have one.”
    â€œThat’s the least of my worries.”
    â€œBelle, you oughta see your face. The idea of you wearin’ that red wig instead of a six-shooter is funny as all get-out,” Manny said.
    â€œDo I look amused?” When her words set off another round of laughter, she rolled her eyes. “Will you two get serious? Every moment we waste here, Diana is being taken farther away.”
    â€œSorry.” Manny turned sober.
    â€œSo am I,” Mercy agreed. “Guess we’ve been so worried about Diana that the least thing sets us off.”
    Belle swung up on the back of Juniper.
    Mercy tied his extra pouch on top of his saddlebags and then mounted his gelding.
    â€œYou two be mighty careful in Indian Territory.” Manny walked alongside them as they headed out of the stable.
    Outside, Belle looked up and down Main Street. Everything appeared normal, so she glanced down at Manny.
    He nodded and patted Juniper’s rump. “You take care of that red wig now.”
    â€œI’ll be sure to bring it back so you can have a turn at it.”
    With Manny’s laughter ringing in her ears, she headed onto the street with Mercy by her side.

Chapter 11
    A s Mercy rode out of Delaware Bend with Belle, he glanced up at the sky to check the time. With the Sun riding high overhead, they were leaving about noon. He’d wanted to get out of town sooner, but they’d needed the extra time. Now they were as prepared as they could be.
    Ludmila waved from the front of Adler Emporium. He waved back. On down the street, he noticed Mama Lou in front of her café. He waved again. Saul gave a thumbs-up from under the portico of the Lone Star Hotel.
    â€œThat’s just great,” Belle grumbled. “What do we get next, a marching band?”
    â€œGuess they wanted to give us a good send-off.”
    â€œDidn’t they consider the fact that somebody might be watching to see how we reacted to