Fallen Angel

Part 7

It was two days after they returned to Silver Rock before Gina felt ready to go back to work. After dropping Hank off at the doctor's office, she hadn't seen him or heard from him, but the news quickly spread of his victory over the Carlin Brothers and she heard more than one speculation about whether the marshal would stay or leave town. She knew he had no other reason to stay, so she determined to put him out of her mind, as he apparently had done with her.

When she entered the Wild Oats Saloon, only the bartender was there, polishing glasses behind the bar. "What're you doing here?" he asked, staring at her with a mixture of confusion and apathy.

"I still work here, don't I?" she said, crossing the room.

"You'll have to take that up with the boss." He nodded his head toward Brodie's office door then picked up another glass. He, uncharacteristically, was through talking.

With a sudden foreboding feeling, Gina knocked on the office door, entering when she heard Brodie's summons. She found him standing behind his desk looking over some papers spread out, a half-empty glass in his hand and a hard look on his face.

When he looked up at her, he seemed just as confused as the bartender. "What do you want, Gina? I figured you'd be far away from here by now."

With a deep breath, she shut the door behind her and moved further into the room, still unsure if she was in some sort of trouble or not. "I suppose I want an explanation," she said carefully. "Am I no longer in your...employ? And if not, why?"

Brodie smirked, drained the rest of his drink then sat down. "You're not just here to try to get something from me? Because you owed me, Gina. And not just what that gambler friend of yours left, but for all I did for you after he ran out on you."

"I know that, Brodie, and I haven't complained to you once. I've worked hard for you."

"Yes you have, but now you apparently don't need me anymore."

"I don't understand."

"You really don't know, do you? You're debt has been paid."

Paid? How could that be possible? Brodie had told her she'd be working for him for another year at least. Yet here he was, telling her she was free. For an instant it was as if a weight had been lifted, but the next moment it came crashing down again. "Hank," she breathed.

Brodie shrugged, then picked up the stack of papers and leaned back in his chair. She was dismissed. Without a word of goodbye, Gina left the room. Ignoring the bartender, she hurried outside and started running toward the sheriff's office.

Hank was stuffing the last of his gear into his saddlebags when he heard the front door open. "That was quick," he called out. Zeke had volunteered to pay his fee at the livery stable and bring his horse around. It gave him something to do other than mope around the office.

He looked up when he heard a step at the doorway. "Gina," he said, clearing his throat. "What's wrong?" He took a step toward her and she lifted a hand to her flushed cheek.

"I'm fine," she said, looking everywhere but at him, till finally she saw his bags. "You're leaving. I thought the doctor would want you to rest."

"Apparently the wound wasn't that serious," Hank said, patting his side, then groaned, wishing he hadn't. "You did a good job back at the mine."

"Where are you going?"

"The Carlin brothers are dead," he said, moving back to the bed. "My marshal appointment is done."