Free For the Love of Suzanne by Kristi Hudecek-Ashwill

husband was still
lost in the desert. Now Addison was doubtful.
    “I’m fine,” Suzanne finally told
him. “Thanks for—“
    “Excuse me for interrupting,” he said
congenially. “But why were you with Cody? Did he capture you or
steal you? Murder your family?” he asked suspiciously, hoping
her answer agreed with what Cody had told him.
    He’d known Cody for a long time; he knew he
was an Indian agent and was trying to ease tension between the
Indians and the white people, but what if the Indian in him had taken
over and he’d turned to murder, marauding, pillaging, and rape
like some of the others? What if he’d joined the renegades, and
had free reign of the fort and was more of a spy? No one would
suspect him because of his status as an Indian agent. He came and
went as he pleased.
    Addison couldn’t see his friend doing that.
Cody had an aversion to war and bloodshed and he wasn’t at all
underhanded or nefarious. He was more honest than most of the men at
the fort. Still, every man had a breaking point and to get the
Indians moved to the reservations was a daunting task with which
neither man agreed.
    She looked up at him. “No,” she said
at the absurdity of the thought. “He helped me. He found me in
the desert. I would have died if it hadn’t been for him.”
    He knelt down again. “Where is your family,
Miss Suzanne?”
    “New York. My mother and stepfather are
there along with my stepsisters,” she said honestly.
    “Forgive me for my impertinence, but why are
you out here in this godforsaken place when your family is back
East?”
    “Addison Taylor!”
    All of them looked at Annalee as she came storming
out of the brothel, wearing a pink plume on her head and very low
cut, tight pink dress that accentuated her thick waist and balancing
herself on obscenely high black heels.
    “Just what the hell do you think you’re
doin’?” she demanded angrily. “Those girls are
supposed to be workin’.”
    He rose to his feet and faced her. “Miss
Annalee. How very nice to see you again,” he said congenially,
successfully masking his contempt for the woman.
    She glared at him. “I’m sure,”
she muttered caustically, putting her hands on her hips. “Do
you have business with these girls?”
    “No, ma’am. We’re just getting
acquainted,” he said smoothly.
    “You know the rules,” she said
sharply, pointing at him. “You either pay or get a move on.”
    Suzanne felt Addison Taylor looking at her and
wondered if he was really going to pay Annalee for just talking to
her. The woman was a greedy bitch and demanded money for every little
thing, which was ironic since there was no place to spend it. What
was she going to do with it?
    “Miss Annalee, with all due respect, I do
believe that Miss Suzanne and I have some official business to take
care of so if you don’t mind, I’ll just escort her to the
post.”
    “Oh, I mind,” she hissed. “I
think you’re lyin’. You just told me you were gettin’
acquainted.”
    “We were, but she has aroused my suspicions
about Cody Black Fox. She’ll be back soon,” he assured
her and offered his hand to Suzanne. “Ma’am,” he
said politely.
    She took it and let him help her to her feet, then
looked at Mika. “I’ll be right back, honey,” she
told the girl and walked with the lieutenant to another building,
ignoring Annalee’s furious rant.

Chapter 11
    Addison Taylor took off his hat upon entering the
building and got Suzanne another cup of water. The room was dirty,
like everything else in the desert, but neat. There were two other
men in the room working quietly at different desks.
    “Thank you,” she murmured, taking the
tin cup from him.
    “You’re welcome. Come this way
please,” he gestured toward a meaty man with greasy black hair
and a heavy black mustache. He was over six feet tall and had to
weigh three hundred pounds, which she suspected was not fat.
    “Sir, this is Miss Suzanne—I’m
sorry,” he looked at her.