Reynolds shook his head. “All still on the hoss, I reckon.”

Sheemie, Susan thought. Where are you, Sheemie?

Jonas reached out and caressed one of her breasts briefly. “Nice,” he said. “Tender and sweet. No wonder Dearborn likes you.”

“Get yer filthy blue-marked hand off me, you bastard.”

Smiling, Jonas did as she bid. He turned his head and regarded the mule. “I know this one; it belongs to my good friend Coral. Along with everything else, you’ve turned livestock thief! Shameful, shameful, this younger generation. Don’t you agree, sai Renfrew?”

But her father’s old associate said nothing. His face was carefully blank, and Susan thought he might be just the tiniest tad ashamed of his presence here.

Jonas turned back to her, his thin lips curved in the semblance of a benevolent smile. “Well, after murder I suppose stealing a mule comes easy, don’t it?”

She said nothing, only watched as Jonas stroked Capi’s muzzle.

“What all were they hauling, those boys, that it took a mule to put it on?”

“Shrouds,” she said through numb lips. “For you and all yer friends. A fearful heavy load it made, too—near broke the poor animal’s back.”

“There’s a saying in the land I come from,” Jonas said, still smiling. “Clever girls go to hell. Ever heard it?” He went on stroking Capi’s nose. The mule liked it; his neck was thrust out to its full length, his stupid little eyes half-closed with pleasure. “Has it crossed your mind that fellows who unload their pack animal, split up what it was carrying, and take the goods away usually ain’t coming back?”

Susan said nothing.

“You’ve been left high and dry, Sunbeam. Fast fucked is usually fast forgot, sad to say. Do you know where they went?”

“Yes,” she said. Her voice was low, barely a whisper.

Jonas looked pleased. “If you was to tell, things might go easier for you. Would you agree, Renfrew?”

“Aye,” Renfrew said. “They’re traitors, Susan—for the Good Man. If you know where they are or what they’re up to, tell us.”

Keeping her eyes fixed on Jonas, Susan said: “Come closer.” Her numbed lips didn’t want to move and it came out sounding like Cung gloser, but Jonas understood and leaned forward, stretching his neck in a way that made him look absurdly like Caprichoso. When he did, Susan spat in his face.

Jonas recoiled, lips twisting in surprise and revulsion. “Arrr! BITCH!” he cried, and launched a full-swung, open-handed blow that drove her to the ground. She landed at full length on her side with black stars exploding across her field of vision. She could already feel her right cheek swelling like a balloon and thought, If he’d hit an inch or two lower, he might’ve broken my neck. Mayhap that would’ve been best. She raised her hand to her nose and wiped blood from the right nostril.