“I’m going to wonder,” Charlotte answered. “Um, that depends. Tell me where I am and why, and maybe I won’t try to run.”

“You’re down by the river caves,” Daniel said shortly. “And ‘maybe’ is not an acceptable answer.”

“But you didn’t tell me why,” she said, her tone unmoving.

“We’ve gone over why a couple times. You were an idiot and left the town.”

“And you keep dodging the question. We’ve established I was stupid. But there’s still the other half of the equation; whoever kidnapped me, and why they did it. Was it you?”

“No, it was not me. I just pulled you out of your own little mess. Don’t ask me to explain what other people’s brains are thinking. I’m not a mind reader.”

“Is there anybody else here with us?” She shifted her position. Truth was, her wrists ached from being tied up. But she wasn’t willing to concede just yet.

“If you’re meaning in general, there’s about fifty folks around. Or something like that. I don’t keep close track of hands that aren’t mine.”

“Fifty? Is this a camp or something? Why are fifty people gathered? That’s what I’m asking.”

“Oh, I don’t know, might have to do with that little upset down by the track that included a run in with one of the West’s largest gangs. And a faulty shot. Never known the Marshal to have to use two bullets to kill a man she wanted dead.”

“Oh.” She paused, wriggling her wrists around. The bindings were starting to irritate her. “Sarcasm noted. Now you can untie me.”

“Why? So you can run and I either have to chase you, doctor you, or explain to the Marshal that you were an idiot? I ain’t payin’ for your funeral, kid.”

“What else am I supposed to do, sit around? I don’t even know what’s out there, except a bunch of people, which sounds like a whole lot of nothing to do. I could explore, but that’s clearly forbidden.”

“Yeah, you’re pretty much stuck. So sitting around is pretty much it.”

“Mister whoever-you-are, I don’t think I’ve sat around in probably about fourteen years.”