Dancing with the Devil

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The trio rode into Grandy four evenings later. Eyes everywhere were immediately turned in their direction. Ance knew they made one hell of a sight. They were filthy, their clothes torn and stained with dirt and blood. Audrey's blond hair was a rats nest of tangles around her face and dirt smudged her freckled cheeks. 

They were tired, wore down and each of them ready for a nice hot bath and a good nights rest on a real bed...which was strange since Ance had never in his life felt he needed a real bed. 

But before baths and beds could be had, Ance needed to figure out if Rodger York was still in town. If the man was healing up and somewhere in Grandy, and if he caught sight of Audrey, things could go real far south real fast. 

"Irish, take Audrey to the hotel and get her a room." Ance laid some money in Irish's outstretched hand. "Make sure you order a nice hot bath and I'll be along when I can." 

"Ance, I want to come with you," Audrey argued. 

Ance shook his head. "This man has gone out of his way to prove he's a danger to you and I won't have you running around this town looking for him when we have no idea where he's at."

Audrey's jaw locked stubbornly. "But..." 

Ance rubbed the back of his neck roughly. "Now dammit, woman!" he exclaimed, drawing even more attention from those passing by. "Would you for once in our lives together not argue with me? I'm trying to keep you safe, for chrissakes! Now get your filthy ass to the hotel and wait on me while I see to the business." 

Audrey glared at him a moment longer before finally nodding. Ance turned his gaze to Irish who quickly led the cart away with Audrey sitting stiff-backed and mad as hell beside him. 

Ance shook his head. That damn woman would be the death of him. 

Ance wished he had a cigar but he'd long since run out of them. That would have to be another stop he made before returning to the hotel. But first he was going to pay a visit to the doctor. 

As he made his way down the road, Ance was aware of the wide berth he was being given. He couldn't blame folks. His clothes were stained in dirt and blood and he no doubt smelled like the backend of a hog. Ance dismounted his mare, careful not to put all his weight on his leg, which was healing up quite well--hell he didn't even have to limp on it any longer and didn't when there was anyone around other than Irish or Audrey... weakness wasn't something he was willing to show to anyone else. 

Ance walked up the rickety staircase to a door that bore the name 'Dr. Ramsey Habernacle'. Well that name was certainly a mouthful. Ance chuckled as he knocked twice and waited. 

Footsteps neared the door and it was thrown open to reveal a sharply dressed, rather short man with a gold pocket watch chain tucked into his pocket, a gray top hat and a well groomed mustache. "Well don't just stand there," the man snapped. "I'm a busy man, what do you need? Are you injured? You smell dead!" 

"I don't need anything myself, sawbones, I got my wounds tended to already. I'm actually looking for somebody and I heard tell he'd been brought here to Grandy in pretty bad shape." 

The doctor let out a snort and yanked his glasses from his face. He began cleaning them on a stark white handkerchief he pulled from his pocket. "Sawbones?" he snapped. "I don't appreciate the disrespect from a ruffian such as yourself." 

"And I don't appreciate it from a gussied up old bastard such as yourself neither."

The old man stared up at Ance a moment, his mouth working up and down but no words coming out. Finally he sputtered, fixed his glasses back upon his nose and yanked off his hat. "Well why don't you tell me just who you're looking for and I'll tell you whether or not I've treated him," he snapped as he ran his hand through his thinning hair.