CHAPTER 2

The man took Mal’s word as an invitation and took a few more steps into the boat. He looked distastefully at the exhaust trails rimming the cargo hold.

“Are you the Captain of this ship?” the man asked. His voice was nasal, smooth, and pretentious.

“I am,” Mal answered cautiously. “I have papers.”

“I’m not interested in your lies, Captain. I’m interested in your intended passengers.”

“Passengers?” Mal chuckled. “I don’t intend to take on no passengers. Too much regret from a previous experience. Ain’t that right, Inara?”

Inara was silent. Mal was disappointed. Zoë would have said something clever.

“What is your business here, Captain?”

“Just dropping off some cargo.”

“You don’t look to have cargo.”

“Got me something that’s a mite hard to find. Is there something I can do for you, because if not, I have to get back to my—”

“My name is Elias Prio. I have it on good authority that you intend to steal someone from me.”

“Thought never crossed my mind,” Mal said quickly. “Good man like you.”

“Don’t play with me, Captain. Who sent you?”

“I sent my own self here,” Mal answered, wishing desperately for the Lassiter. “I have legitimate business here involving property I stole from someone else.”

Prio gave a blood-chilling laugh, causing his double chin to wobble. Mal cast a side-long glance at Inara; she seemed frozen, her mouth partly open. As nonchalantly as possible, he stepped across, placing himself between Inara and Prio.

“You arrived on Three Hills at the same time as an acquaintance of mine. Chelsea Halden.”

“Ain’t that a coincidence? We were just restocking.”

“As I hear it, she paid for your restocking.”

“Our luck was running a little dry at the time. We weren’t too picky who we accepted charity from. Could be it was your friend. If so, pass along a thanks for us.”

Prio narrowed his eyes, circling Mal; his thug followed closely. Mal matched his steps evenly, maintaining the barrier between Prio and Inara, hand on his weapon ready to draw.

“Every time Ms. Halden