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The food was delicious; Logan could handle the fiery hot sauce, while she had to opt forthe next few ed--Logan’s, "Pass the salt, please," and Kelsey’s "Another beer?"

"Sounds fine," Logan agreed Ricky brought them a second round By the tian seeer under control

"Why did your friend Sandy buy this place?" he asked

"She’s coveted the Longhorn for years," Kelsey said "She loves Texas history and grew up here, listening to stories about the Alahorn She took business and hospitality courses, andwhen the previous oas ready to sell it and retire Sandy worked really hard to get this place Her folks died close together ere about nineteen She got her education, plus money for the down payhed "She was devastated when Sierra Monte was killed while she was in theit Or, I suppose I should say, disappeared, leaving behind so much blood that she couldn’t possibly have survived They had to bring in a biohazard cleanup crew, and there were a nual situations she had to deal with--in theon, the saloon has really been a labor of love for her"

He nodded "Did Sandy know Sierra Monte?"

"No, not really She was in and out of here at the tied a feords, but they weren’t friends or even acquaintances" She hesitated a minute "Do you want to see Room 207?"

"Yes, I’d like to see it very an started toward the bar to pay their bill, but Kelsey flagged Ricky down "Don’t worry about it I have a house account," she told hihtly

"I pay my way," he insisted

"So do I," she said pro to be partners Paying their oay didn’t mean they couldn’t take turns--not that she’d ever been one to worry about that kind of accounting She was happy to treat

She hurried up the stairs, aware of being watched When the saloon was in full swing, those not staying at the inn often watched guests ht behind her

As she reached the balcony, she paused

She was used to being observed, casually or sometimes, with male appreciation Actually, the drunker the clientele, the ht, she felt so her intently She walked to the carved white wood rail that overlooked the saloon So poker with their peanut shells Quite a feere entranced by the music, while others were just interested in their drinks and the conversations they were enjoying at the long bar

She surveyed the room below

Ricky was out on the floor He set down a beer, looked up at her, grinned and waved She realized he’d seen Logan, as well;lucky

She flushed and waved back

Sandy was on the floor, too, and she waved So did the cowboy, Corey Si doors to the sidewalk They were fitted into glass now, to protect the flow of air-conditioning delass, she could see a face The eyes in that face, she kneere directed at her

The face belonged to the reporter Ted Murphy

Let hian The al Better not to risk another confrontation Or another re," she said "I was just thinking that the saloon probably looks just like it did a hundred-and-fifty-plus years ago Sandy studied old drawings and photographs to get it right, and she had the furniture repaired or replaced with si in her bag for her roo thank-you," Logan said, pushing open the door after she’d unlocked it

Entering the room, he stood still for a moment and slowly looked around "I wasn’t here at the ti--of Sierra Monte occurred," he said "And homicide detectives froation None of the bodies that were found are Sierra Monte--we know that fro--but it seems more and more likely that she was a victihtfully "Yes, she was obviously a stabbing victim like some of the others--like Jenny Doe and Josie Doe They have that in coled his head "Every murder has to have a crime scene We simply haven’t found them yet And there’s another question Was Sierra Monte killed in this room by sheer coincidence, or is there a reason that two different wo in different centuries were killed here?"

"What could the past have to do with Sierra Monte’s death?" she asked "The first murder was really sad--well, all end I’ve picked up, Rose Langley started life as a sheltered plantation girl She fell in love with a drifter, who pimped her out as they made their way across the states And then she was kidnapped by another guy, who eventuallyfrom her," she told him

"He?"