Set Fire to the Rain 2, Ch. 23 "Business"

This fanfiction is intended for mature readers due to the vivid depiction of a consensual adult relationship.  The setting is First Season, post-The Preacher.   No oily reprobate businessmen were harmed in the writing of this fic.

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“Oh…”  The word slipped out of Kitty’s mouth before she could stop it. 

Irving Hepley hurriedly removed his hat and greeted her cordially, “Miss Russell.  You are looking very lovely this evening.  I trust that you’re feeling much better.”

Her cheeks colored at Dempsey McCray’s close scrutiny, but she quickly recovered.  “Why, yes, Mr. Hepley.  Much better, thank you.  Won’t you please come in?”

She stepped aside as both men entered, holding her head high as McCray’s gaze raked over her form while he passed.  She fought back a shudder, refusing to let him get the best of her, her skin crawling as she remembered his heated stare at the riverbank.  “Please, have a seat.  Can I get you something to drink?”  She hovered by a chair so that McCray would be unable to sit next to her.

“Oh, no, thank you.”  Hepley smiled cheerily, taking a place on the settee.  “We want to remain clear-headed for business, you see.”

“Of course,” she replied as McCray leaned back on the cushions, on the end of the settee closest to her, crossing his arms and watching her insolently while she perched gingerly on the edge of her chair. 

Hepley cleared his throat.  “So, you have decided that you want to sell the property, have you?

Kitty answered, “Yes, I’m afraid so.  It pains me to part with my aunt and uncle’s home, but I can’t run a ranch by myself.  This place needs to belong to someone who can take care of it.”  She kept her eyes circumspectly on Hepley.  “Perhaps a family.  Someone who can make their own lifetime of memories here.” 

Mr. Hepley replied, “Well, Miss Russell, we can surely help you with the details.  Mr. McCray will be a very great boon to you as we go about finding a buyer.”

She refused to look at McCray as he smiled his oily smile at her and lazily crossed his legs.  He drawled in a low voice, “Do you intend to make repairs before the sale?  I understand the flood caused quite a bit of damage to the outlying buildings and fences.”  The corner of his mouth twitched and his eyes continued to slide over her body.  The man was truly odious.  “You may have to take a considerable loss on the sale.”

She gave a tiny shiver as she imagined him picturing her as she was that fateful day after she and Matt were nearly killed in a mudslide, but she gave him no indication that he affected her in the least.  

“Why, I’m not sure.  That’s one of the reasons we invited you out here…”  She looked pointedly at Hepley since he was the one who had been invited, most certainly not McCray.  “Perhaps you can advise me what I should do.”

At that moment Matt walked into the parlor, his eyes lighting on Dempsey McCray.   Kitty saw the hate in his hard stare and the muscles in his jaw clench as he took a step toward McCray.  She quickly stood and intercepted, “Matt…” she explained carefully as she put a gently warning hand on his arm, “Mr. McCray has come to help with the sale and to advise me on the property repairs.”

Matt looked at her and saw the pleading in her eyes.  She didn’t want him to make a big deal out of this, to call attention to her earlier indiscretion at the riverside by threatening the man.  Matt’s expression softened.  “Alright, Hepley, let’s go out and look around while we wait for supper.”  He glared at McCray.  “You come, too.”  He glanced at Kitty meaningfully, “Why don’t you stay here and rest?  You’re not up to walking around very much yet.  I’ll show them around.”  He pointed the way toward the back door of the house, through the kitchen, and watched them open the back door. 

Matt Dillon pulled Kitty Russell close, whispering in her ear.  “I’m going to keep you as far away from that bastard as I can.  Besides, Sheriff Ware will be back here soon.”  He glanced to make sure no one was looking back and kissed her quickly on the cheek.  “Don’t be too charming around him, alright?”  She smiled playfully and watched as he headed out the door to join the lawyer and his associate, throwing her a backwards glance and a wink.

She turned and looked out the window, and right then she spotted Sheriff Virgil Ware ride up in the front yard and tie off his horse’s reins, then walk across the porch, hat in hand.  Kitty noticed his dark hair was still wet from a bath, slicked back from his pleasant face.  He wore a nice suit, string tie and boots that looked like they’d been polished recently.  Sheriff Ware was a very attractive man, indeed. 

She went to the door before he could knock and opened it with a wide smile, inhaling the masculine scent of something he’d used in his toilette that was very becoming.  “Sheriff…  Virgil...” she blushed.  I’m so glad you could come.”  She wasn’t used to dealing with men who didn’t want to pay for her services.  This was taking some getting used to.  Her hand slipped in her pocket and touched the business documents headed “Orleans Western Railroad” she’d found stashed in her aunt’s book of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poems and smiled again as she glanced down at his missing little finger.  “Virgil, I have something here I’d like to ask you about.”

tbc

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