Blue Creek. What the hell?

Coltrain's trail led straight back to town. Drew kicked his horse into a gallop. Maybe the outlaw had finally made a fatal mistake. Drew would just hunt up that innocent-eyed working girl, and if he was lucky, Coltrain would be right beside her.

Drew thundered into town, drawing curious glances from the townsfolk. He ignored them all, pulling his horse to a stop in front of the whorehouse and jumping to the ground. Throwing his reins over the hitching rail out front, he slammed through the front door.

The lower floor was empty. Drew glanced up the staircase, then took the stairs two at a time. His gaze lit on the door to the room he'd been in only the afternoon before. Without a second thought he kicked it open.

The woman in bed sat up and shrieked. Drew ducked as a table lamp flew toward him, shattering against the door.

"Hold on. I just want to talk to you."

"Get out. Who the hell do you think you are? Joseph!"

Drew stepped inside and slammed the door behind him. Then he took a good look at the woman. She was naked to the waist, her full breasts rising and falling with indignation. Blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders. His gaze flicked up to hers. Her eyes narrowed, then lighted with a cynical, knowing expression in a face worn by years of hard living.

Drew sighed. Wrong woman. This one was the owner. He'd talked to her about Charlie when he'd first come to Blue Creek.

"Where's the girl that was here yesterday?"

"What girl?"

"You know the girl. She was in here with a man the size of the Rio Grande. Dark hair and eyes- Mexican maybe."

"I don't have any girl like that."

"You sure?"

"Listen, Ranger. I own the place. You know that. I think I'd know if I had a girl workin' for me that fits

your description. Hell, I'm a businesswoman. I wouldn't let an opportunity pass me by." She smiled and stretched her arms over her head, pushing her impressive chest out for his perusal. "If you close your eyes, lawman, I can be anyone you want."

"No, thanks. I-"

The door behind him suddenly burst open, and the mountainous man he'd spoken with the day before entered the room. The man took one look at Drew and frowned.

"You want me to throw him out, Luanne?"

Luanne smirked. "Well, he hasn't been too friendly."

Joseph took a step toward Drew. Drew held up his hand. "I'm leaving. You don't have to strain

yourself."

The big man shrugged. "Fine by me."

Drew nodded to Luanne and went out the door. Joseph followed right behind, and Drew turned to him

with a curious look.

"I'll just make sure you find your way out," Joseph said with a grin.

Knowing argument would be useless. Drew said nothing. When they reached the front door, he paused.

"Who was she?"

Joseph raised an eyebrow as he leaned his massive frame against the wall. "She?"

"The woman in bed with you yesterday."

"I don't kiss and tell."

"Obviously she doesn't work here. I assume she's a friend of Coltrain's, and she stayed behind to trick

me so Charlie could get away. Did she leave with him when he came back here?"

Joseph didn't answer, just continued to stare at Drew with an amused expression.

"Have it your way then," Drew muttered. "I'll find her myself."

He walked out of the whorehouse, the sound of Joseph's chuckle grating on his nerves. Swinging into the

saddle, he glanced up and down the single street of Blue Creek. He'd been in the general store the day

before, and the owner had not been very forthcoming. Drew's gaze lit upon the livery stable.

"Aha." He turned his horse in that direction.

Five minutes later he rode toward the edge of town, his destination the church. The man at the livery stable had been adamant. The man who had ridden out and then back in on the big white horse had delivered the animal to the church before returning to the whorehouse. And that man had not been Charlie Coltrain. Drew was beginning to see he had been duped.

Entering the church, he blinked at the sudden loss of light compared with the bright shine of a Texas afternoon.

"May I help you?"

Drew focused on the priest who walked warily up the aisle toward him. The man's eyes were riveted on Drew's guns. Drew raised his hands in a gesture of peace and the priest met his gaze.

"I hope you can. Father," Drew answered. "I'm looking for a woman-small, dark haired, maybe

Mexican."

The priest was already nodding before Drew finished his description. "Yes, I know her."

"She was with a man?"

"Yes. Tall, light hair." The priest frowned. "Very worldly. Dangerous."

"That's him. Do you know where they went?"

"Not for certain. They rode west." He shrugged. "But they could have been going anywhere."

"They didn't say where?"

"No, I didn't ask. I know better than to question such as he."

Drew nodded his agreement. "Thank you, Father." He turned away.

"Young man."

Drew turned back.

"Are you a relative of hers?"

"No, I'm looking for the man."

"Oh." The priest's voice reflected his disappointment.

"Why, Father?"

"I just hoped that perhaps you could return her to her people in Corpus Christi."

"She's from there?"

"She is now. I got the impression she would have preferred to return to the convent."

Drew had to remind himself to close his mouth, which had dropped open at the priest's words. "The convent?"

"Why, yes. I assumed you knew. The man you seek is traveling with a postulate. Though I have no idea what she's doing out here, so far away from where she belongs."

"Did she tell you her name?"

The priest's brow creased. "No, now that you ask, I realize she did not. An interesting oversight."

"Yeah, ain't it." Drew handed the priest some coins from his pocket. "Thank you, Father. You've been very helpful."