Hannibal Rising by Jon Sharpe Page A

shivered and shook and exploded.
    His set off hers. Charlotte’s mouth gaped wide and she levered up, and it was a wonder the canopy didn’t crash down on their heads. “Yes! Yes! Oh, God, Yes!” She spurted and spurted.
    Gradually Fargo slowed. He pulled out and eased onto his side with his head on his arm.
    “Damn you to hell,” Charlotte said.
    “You’re welcome.”
    “You did that on purpose. I wanted to take our time. We have the rest of the afternoon.”
    Fargo rolled onto his back and his hat came off. He put it back on, tugged his pants up, and buckled his belt.
    “Say something, damn you.”
    “You should have been honest with me.”
    Charlotte rose on an elbow and poked him in the chest. “You’re acting awful high and mighty. I had to keep up my act. Sam and the others think I’m a saint and they need to go on thinking that. It’s the only advantage I have.”
    “You want the inheritance for yourself.”
    “What a stupid thing to say. Of course I do. Anyone with any brains would want the same. You don’t think Sam wants it? Or Tom? Or Charles? They’d kill to get it, the same as me.”
    Fargo took note of that. “You didn’t mention Roland.”
    “He’s not as greedy as the rest of us. All he’s ever cared about is being out in the woods hunting and whatnot.”
    Sitting up, Fargo swung his legs over the side of the bed. “See you around.”
    “Wait a minute.” Charlotte grabbed at his buckskins. “Let’s get a few things settled first. Now that you’re working for me I want you to—”
    “Sam,” Fargo said.
    “What?”
    “Samantha hired me, not you.” Fargo stood and adjusted his Colt so it rode on his hip.
    “We have an agreement, you and I. Twenty thousand dollars, remember? More money than you’ve probably ever had in your entire life.”
    “I never said I’d take it.”
    Charlotte sat erect, her breasts jiggling with the movement. “Now, you just hold on. You never said you wouldn’t, either. I took it for granted you accepted. Why else do you think I let you make love to me?”
    Fargo cupped himself low down. “You did it for this.” He smiled and made for the door. As he came around the foot of the bed she flew at him, growling like a wildcat. He caught her wrists as she went to rake his face and held firm. She kicked at his knee and he sidestepped. “Enough.”
    “You son of a bitch!” Charlotte was nearly beside herself. She drove a knee at his manhood and he twisted so his thigh took the blow. “No one does this to me. Do you hear me? No one.”
    Fargo pushed her onto the bed. She immediately began to get back up but he wagged a finger and said, “I wouldn’t.”
    “Bastard.”
    “Bitch.”
    “You don’t dare hurt me!” Charlotte hissed. “I’ll have you arrested.” Her face lit with vicious guile. “That’s it! I’ll tell everyone you raped me. I’ll have you thrown behind bars so you can’t take part in the hunt. All it will take is a scream loud enough to raise the roof.” She opened her mouth wide.
    “Go right ahead,” Fargo said. “And while the sheriff is arresting me I’ll tell him about the killers you hired.”
    Charlotte froze.
    “You’ll have to scream louder than that.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    Fargo turned and walked to the bedroom door. She called his name and he paused with his hand on the latch.
    “I did no such thing. You’re making that up.”
    “Am I?” Fargo opened the door.
    “You think you’re clever but you’re not. You trust Sam and you shouldn’t. There’s more to this than you can imagine. The truth is, you’re a bumpkin in over his head and it’s going to get you planted six feet under.”
    “And you’re a money whore with her tits hanging out.” Fargo shut the door and heard something thud against it. He grinned as he walked down the hall. He’d enjoyed that. But she was right about one thing: he had been only guessing about her hiring killers.
    He could only hope she was wrong about