Free Beauty and the Bounty Hunter by Lori Austin Page B

Alexi?”
    “Well…” He blinked at her. “Sometimes we had you.”
    “Anyone else?”
    Mikhail turned away, hunched his shoulders, and began to rub his head. “Mebe.”
    Cat frowned. She’d never heard this before. Of course, she’d never asked. Before, she’d just been trying to find a reason to keep breathing.
    “How long have you known Alexi?”
    “Long as I can recall,” Mikhail repeated.
    “Is his name really Alexi?”
    “Sometimes.”
    Cat gave up. Did it matter how long they’d knowneach other? Who they’d traveled with? Even what they’d done? All that mattered was that they could help her find
him.
If she had to run a few double crosses along the way, so be it. She’d done worse.
    Two days later, Cat and Mikhail approached a midsized Western town. She’d never been here before. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. No one should recognize her—not that anyone ever had—but she was also walking in blind. One thing Alexi had been adamant about was reconnaissance. Always know the layout. Always have an escape route. Lack of preparation led to discovery. Or worse.
    She was certain Alexi had a plan. According to Mikhail, the two of them had passed through here before, and Alexi had told Mikhail the town would be perfect for one of their favorite performances. However, in this dodge she wouldn’t hear the details until she was already there.
    She didn’t like it. But then Alexi hadn’t asked her what she liked before he’d taken off in the night like—
    Cat’s lips tightened.
    Like she had.
    Cat flicked a glance at the sign posted on the outskirts of town.
Brooks, Missouri—Founded 1845
had been carved into the wooden plank.
    Cat just wanted to ride hard for Denver City and finish what she’d started. That she was riding into Brooks, Missouri, on a Tuesday afternoon in July, made her mad as a hornet and ready to sting. However, any emotions but the ones necessary to her masquerade could get them caught.
    Since Katriona Capezzi, the greatest medium in all of Italy, knew what would happen before it did, she had no reason for anger, for fear, for anything but calm. Catenjoyed playing Katriona; she’d done it several times before.
    Trust Alexi to pick a well-worn and familiar dodge to get Cat back in the game. What she wasn’t quite sure of was why he wanted her back in.
    She’d dressed for the part, donning the peasant skirt she’d worn for the posse, but instead of the low-necked blouse, she wore a black shirtwaist and a black hat with a veil. Signora Capezzi communed with the spirits while behind that veil. Only if she remained hidden from the eyes of the world would they continue to speak.
    Alexi’s idea—and a good one. The more mystery surrounding the signora, the better.
    Cat entered town slowly at the busiest time of the day so everyone could scrutinize her, become curious, begin to talk among themselves. She would take a room at the hotel, and she would wait. If Alexi had done his job right—and when hadn’t he?—telling his tale of the medium he’d seen in the last settlement, a woman who knew so much, who would tell them all about it…for a price, then the people would come to her.
    Cat rode through Brooks, but no one seemed to care. No one whispered. No one pointed. No one followed her. Instead, they all murmured and stared at the east end of town.
    Their behavior made Cat uneasy, but now that she was here, she had little choice but to follow the plan. So she sat in her room throughout the stifling afternoon, with Mikhail parked in the hall. He would inform every arrival that the signora was conversing with the spirits and would be unavailable for readings until the following day. This not only increased her prestige, but gave Alexi time to slip in and tell her everything he’d learned about everyone.
    However, no one came to call. No men, no women, no children. No Alexi. Considering the way everyone had acted earlier, Cat shouldn’t be surprised. But she was.
    For the