Reenactments were much harder than I had thought, particularly since the people I was doing this one with became thespians as soon as the figurative costumes went on.
“Sorry.”
“Let’s try this again.”
I waited for my cue and hit my mark. I got a thumbs up and then he was off directing someone else.
Maureen walked over dressed as a gunfighter. “How did you get that role and I have to be some damsel?”
“Years of participating.”
“I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be doing. Why would a woman in full formal attire be standing in the middle of the street during a gunfight?”
“Drama. How are you enjoying Deadwood?”
“I like it very much. It’s a great town and after talking with Madge, I know it’s also a town rich with history.”
“That it is.”
“How’s the nursery?”
“We’re slowing down, people are preparing for winter, but I do sell trees and poinsettias so we’ll be gearing up again after Thanksgiving.”
“I’m sorry again that I accepted and then backed out.”
“I really didn’t have much for you to do with the season coming to an end, but anything is better than being Charlie.”
She wasn’t wrong about that.
“Thea, I need you to swoon,” Dinky said as he came hurrying over to me. “Your hand to your forehead and then crumble, but daintily.”
“I don’t want to swoon. Give me a gun. I’ll hide it in my garter. No one will be expecting that.”
“You’re the damsel.”
“I want to be a gunfighter.”
“Your job is to faint.”
“Then shoot me. We could get one of those prop bags. A hit to the stomach and I can die slowly while the fighting is going on around me.”
Dinky lowered his clipboard. “You’re a bit bloodthirsty.”
“I just want a role I can really sink my teeth into.”
“And when you’ve got a few reenactments under your belt, we’ll discuss that. For this one, you’ll elegantly faint.”
The urge to kick the ground in frustration almost had me doing so, but when I got my cue, I fainted demurely.
I had just gotten back on my feet when Maureen muttered, “Brace yourself.” Before I could ask her meaning, Janice appeared in my face.
“Where’s your husband?”
Like I’d tell her anything about Damian.
“He won’t get away with it?”
“With what?”
“That place is mine. I own it. He’s not taking it from me.”
“The bar?”
“Don’t act like you don’t know what he’s doing. It’s the only reason you came back here, to take it away from me. I earned it.”
I saw red. Earned it. She stole it. “Earned it how?”
“She brought me out here and then she died. I should be compensated.”
I wanted to punch her in the face “His sister? She died a horrible death from cancer and you should be compensated. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Well, yeah.”
I made a move toward her, but felt strong hands on my arms pulling me back. Snapping my head around it was to see Razor. He wasn’t looking at me. He was glaring at Janice.
Turning back to her, I shook Razor’s hold but I didn’t make a move toward her. “I not only hope he does take it away from you, I’ll do everything I can to help him.”
She lunged at me, her claws out. “Bitch.”
In a flash I was behind Razor. The sheriff appeared, probably summoned by one of the onlookers because there were a lot of onlookers.
“Maybe you need to cool your heels at the station.” The sheriff said to Janice.
“What about her? She threatened me.”
“I didn’t hear a threat.” Maureen said.
“Me either. You’re the one who approached her. Then took a swing. I’ve the scratch to prove it. I’m sure my skin is still under your claws,” Razor added.
“Let’s go, Janice. Don’t make me have to cuff you in front of all these people. You can calm down at the station.”
Razor dropped his arm around my shoulders. “You are bloodthirsty. I like you, Thea.”
Damian appeared a few minutes later. He was livid. “Where is she?”
“The station,” Razor said as he stepped in-between Damian and me.
Damian wasn’t having that. He swatted Razor aside like he was nothing more than a fly and glared at me. “And you provoked her?”
“I stood up to her. There’s a difference. She said she earned the bar because Amelia brought her out here and died. That pissed me off, so I called her on it. I’d do it again.”