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woman?”
    â€œAnswer the question,” Clint said. “I’d like to hear the answer myself.”
    â€œI . . . did things for him,” she replied. “Helped him. He paid me and I was safe so long as I did what I was told. There’s a whole lot worse jobs out there.”
    â€œWhat about now that your partner is dead?” Clint asked. “Are you willing to help us?”
    â€œHe’s not my partner,” she said vehemently. Slowly, a bit of hope shone in her eyes. “Is he really dead?”
    Clint straightened up, reached for a bundle wedged beneath his shirt and waistband, and then tossed the bundle to the ground. The nickel-plated .44 landed with a solid thump.
    Rosa started to reach for it, but quickly pulled her hand back.
    â€œGo on and take a look,” Clint said. “It’s not loaded.”
    She reached for it again. This time, however, her hand stopped less than an inch shy of grabbing the handle. Gritting her teeth, she took hold of the gun and seemed almost too weak to pick it up. Once she hefted its weight, she turned it over and looked at the sapphire embedded into the grip.
    â€œIt’s really his gun,” she said. “He must be dead.”
    â€œIsn’t that what I told you?” Clint asked.
    Handing the pistol back, she looked up at Clint with wide, tear-streaked eyes. “What do you want me to do?”
    â€œI want you to answer some questions. But not here. We’ve got some riding to do before it gets dark.”

SIXTEEN
    Rosa had her hands tied to the saddle horn of her horse. Actually, it wasn’t her horse, but one of the animals that had been pulling Johnny’s wagon. She did a good job of keeping her balance, but it took a good deal of concentration as the terrain started to get more and more uneven. “Where are you taking me?” she asked while shifting to keep from falling.
    Johnny rode beside her with his reins in one hand and his rifle in the other. Rosa’s reins were tied around his saddle horn. “We’re going to get my wagon, if you must know,” he replied. “After that, I’m finishing up my business.”
    â€œYou mean we’re going back to that bank? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
    â€œYou don’t have a say in it,” Johnny snapped. “I’ll do what I need to do and I don’t need your say-so to do it!”
    From behind both of them, Clint shouted, “We’re not going to that bank.”
    Johnny’s head snapped back so quickly that it almost looked like it was going to come off his shoulders. “What?”
    â€œThere are plenty of other banks in the country, Johnny. You know that, right?”
    â€œYeah, but my money’s in . . .” Johnny paused and shot a glance over to Rosa. “You know.”
    â€œSo does she, remember? No need to speak in codes.”
    After grumbling incoherently under his breath, Johnny said, “Well, I don’t like this idea. That bank is a damn good one and I want a place I can trust.”
    â€œAnd what if something happened to that bank?” Clint asked. “Like, for example, an assassin tried to kill you walking into it one day?”
    â€œSmart ass.”
    â€œIt’s a good idea to use more than one bank. Believe me, I’ve been doing it for years. Keeps the bad element like that lady over there and her friends from getting their hands on your valuables.”
    â€œDo you know a place I can trust?”
    â€œI’ve got one in mind right now, as a matter of fact.”
    â€œWhat about her?” Johnny asked as he nodded toward Rosa. “What if she gets word as to where the rest of her assassin friends should go next?”
    Rosa hung her head low, but didn’t say a word in her own defense.
    â€œShe won’t tell anybody about it,” Clint said confidently.
    That brought a similar look of surprise to both of the others’ faces. The only