Without its clerk, the Emporium was closed up tight when they arrived. It looked deserted. With the street door closed and the inside dark, the place lost much of the mysticism and novelty of Dakota’s first visit. It was just a*****e now. And the June heat seemed to dampen the excitement of the city, too. Everything felt much more subdued.
Except for Gage, who turned and shot them a look of pure excitement before producing a cluttered key ring. Searching for the right one, he unlocked the door and slipped inside. They followed his example and closed the door behind them.
Sun filtered in and lit up the dust in the air. He hit a couple of switches, which turned on a small fan, the cash register, and two display cases. “Uh, welcome,” Gage said mostly for Kenna’s benefit. He scratched at the
