Free Blood Game by Ed Gorman Page A

them.”
    â€œI take it you’re talking about your bounty hunting now.”
    Guild shrugged. “I suppose. You track them a few months and take them in, and by then you start to wonder if they are really guilty and what’s going to happen to them in prison and what’s going to happen to their families while they’re gone.”
    â€œI haven’t met many people like you, Guild.”
    â€œI haven’t met many people like you, either, Clarise.”
    â€œIs that a compliment?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œI just wanted to make sure.”
    Guild reached over and put his hand on hers. “You know what you should do?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œGet on a train this morning and leave this town.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œSo you can break your tie to Rooney.”
    â€œWhat tie?”
    â€œFollowing him around, always waiting for something bad to happen to him. He’s got you.”
    â€œGot me? What’re you talking about?”
    â€œYou hate him so much you can’t let go of him. It’s like being in love with somebody. You can’t let go of him then, either.”
    â€œI hope Sovich kills him.”
    â€œGiven Sovich’s record, I’d say that that’s at least a possibility.”
    â€œI know how I sound, Guild. So hateful. It’s not very Christian. But I can’t help myself. My brother was a decent man.”
    â€œI’m sure he was.”
    She paused, stared out at the blue sky and the golden sunshine. “You really think I should get on a train?”
    â€œRight now.”
    â€œAnd go where?”
    â€œAnywhere you can start a life for yourself.”
    â€œBut I’d always think about him. About Rooney, I mean.”
    â€œBut maybe after a while you won’t think about him so much.” He looked down at the remnants of his over-easy eggs, sausage, and toast. With the last remaining slice of toast, he wiped up a long, juicy streak of egg yolk and jelly. It tasted wonderful. He finished this off with coffee. He picked up a toothpick and got to work.
    Clarise stared down at her long, delicate hands. They looked dark against the white tablecloth. In the hard light you could see all the crumbs from breakfast on the cloth. They seemed the size of pennies.
    â€œI’m scared,” she said.
    â€œOf what?”
    â€œOf not knowing where to go or what to do. At least trailing Rooney around gives my life a shape.”
    â€œI still think you should take a train out right now.”
    â€œYou wouldn’t be trying to get rid of me, would you?”
    The waiter interrupted, saying, “We are supposed to ask all customers if they would mind giving up their seats when they’re done with breakfast. The crowd in the lobby is out on the sidewalk and around the block.”
    Guild shook his head. “No, I’ve got to be getting up to Stoddard’s room, anyway.”
    Clarise nodded, dabbed daintily at her mouth with a blood-red cloth napkin, and then stood up. She looked wonderful again this morning in a blue silk dress with a brocaded top. “I’ll see you out at the fight this afternoon.”
    â€œI still wish you were taking that train.”
    â€œDon’t worry, Guild. I can’t shoot Rooney or anyone. You’ve got my gun.” She smiled at him with very white teeth.
    He walked her out to the lobby. The place was worse than the waiter had said. Everybody was shoving. It was like being on board a sinking ship. He managed to kiss Clarise on the cheek. She vanished into the mob.

Chapter Fifteen
    He had worked as a field hand until he was fifteen. Perhaps because of his ugliness, which was considerable, and perhaps because of his surliness, which was also considerable, the white people who ran the plantation had never considered using him in the house. His father and mother were in the house. His sisters and brothers were in the house. But not him. No, he went out into