Sins of the Father (4 page)

There were five men left at the poker table. The game had started out with eight men and every one of them had come to the table with a wad of money. There was probably ten thousand dollars or more to be won by the last man in the game. Each of the eight men who started agreed on the rules. There would be no limit on the bet size and they all agreed to play until all their money was lost, and each man had to have at least one thousand dollars to get into the game. Eddie Sloan had his thousand when he sat down and now that the game was down to five, he was up to about three thousand. That, and his cheating skills, gave him the upper hand. He had just won the last three hands in a row.

The other four left at the table with Eddie Sloan were Stan Nobel, Will Morton, Gabby Hunt and Willie Hodges. They were all well to do men and business owners in Abilene and didn’t need to worry about where their next meal was coming from. Willie Hodges had been consistently losing and you could see the agitation on his face.

“You sure seem to be having a run of good luck today, Sloan,” Hodges remarked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Sloan never looked up from his hand, which was a good one, especially since he had palmed a pair of aces when he had dealt the hand. “Luck has nothing to do with it, Hodges. I’m just too damn good. Of course, you knew that when you sat down at the game so why complain about it now?”

“Because I’m losing all my money, that’s why.” “Then maybe you shouldn’t have joined the game today. Every man that sits down knows he is either going to win or lose, it’s that simple.”
“Yeah, well you seem to be doing a lot of winning, especially when you deal the cards.”
Sloan looked up at Hodges. “Now, don’t go making accusations you can’t prove or it might get you into a spot you can’t get out of,” said Sloan, with a hint of a threat in his voice. Hodges knew of Sloan’s reputation at poker, but more importantly, he also knew about his reputation with a gun. The glaring look in Sloan’s eyes made Hodges shut up, and he returned his attention to his hand again. None of the other three men spoke during the banter between Hodges and Sloan because they knew better than to do so.
About five hands later, a slim built, neatly dressed man walked into the Blue Diamond Gambling House. He looked around for a moment and then walked up to the bar and ordered a whiskey. Sloan had noticed that the man was wearing a nice pistol and holster worn low and tied down, the mark of a gunslinger. Sloan did not recognize the man but he made a mental note to keep an eye on the man, anyway. Willie Hodges had won a few hands now, but Will Morton and Stan Nobel both had folded up, losing all of their money. Sloan had about six thousand dollars, Willie Hodges had about three thousand dollars and Gabby Hunt had almost two thousand. They decided to take a break and the saloon owner had two men with scatterguns watch the table so that no one would get the idea of trying to grab the money. Willie Hodges and Gabby Hunt sat at a table together and ordered some drinks and something to eat. They had known each other for a long time. Sloan went up to the bar and ordered the best brandy the saloon had. He figured he could afford it, especially with his winnings today. The game wasn’t over yet, but Sloan knew what the outcome would be in the end.
The man who had walked in earlier was Jack Stone. He hadn’t recognized Eddie Sloan when he had walked in but he recognized him now as he leaned on the bar; five other men separating them. He put his drink down after he almost had it up to his lips.
“Well, I’ll be damned, if it ain’t the one and only card shark, Eddie Sloan. I didn’t even notice you when I walked in, even though I saw a poker game going on. I should’ve known if there was a high stakes game going on, you’d be in it.”
Sloan looked down at the man and then he recognized him. “Jack Stone?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Remember? You took all my money in that high stakes game over in Dodge City last year. You shot a friend of mine a few months after that. I didn’t have a problem with you taking my money but killing my friend, well, that wasn’t right.”
“You know, now that you mention it, I do remember killing a man a few months after that big game in Dodge City. It was in some small town, I don’t even remember the name of the town, but I do remember why I killed him. He called me a cheat and then he drew on me. He shouldn’t have done either of the two. Now, do you still have a problem with that?”
Jack Stone took another shot of whiskey and sat his shot glass down ever so gently and then looked up at Sloan. “I guess I do.”
“Well, if we’re going to settle a problem, let’s get to it. I have a poker game to return to and more money to win. I hope you’re better with that smoke wagon then you were at playing cards.”
“As a matter-of-fact, I am better drawing a sixgun than cards.”
“Well,” said Sloan, “do you want to do it here, or outside?”
“I like it fine right here. I can pour myself another shot right after I plug your sorry ass.”
The other men at the bar had already moved away, as well as anyone behind Sloan or Stone, who both had their hammer straps off and both had their right hands near the butt of their pistols.
“You’re a betting man, ain’t you Sloan?” Stone asked.
“You know the answer to that question already, so why ask?”
“Because I’d like to make a bet between you and me, Sloan. I have two hundred dollars in my pocket that says I can outdraw you. I’m willing to put it on the bar if you match it. We have witnesses, so whoever is standing when it’s over can collect the four hundred. What do you think?”
“I’ll take that bet. I don’t mind taking your money along with your life, if you insist.” Sloan and Stone both put their two hundred dollars on the bar and the bartender took the money, counted it and placed it back on the bar in the middle between the two men. Sloan and Stone were both staring at each other now, one trying to read the other.
“You ready, Sloan?”
“Go ahead and slick that thing out.”
Stone was the first to reach for his pistol. He was pretty fast and had almost leveled his pistol at Sloan’s chest. He wasn’t quite fast enough, though, and Sloan’s first shot hit him dead center in the chest. Sloan fanned a second shot before Stone fell and hit him in the stomach with the second shot. Stone turned to his left and fell to the floor. He gasped a few breaths and twitched twice before he finally passed on. Sloan had his gun trained on him just in case. Once Stone expired, Sloan collected the four hundred dollars from the bar and ordered another fine brandy. The banter started back up in the saloon and Sloan felt comfortable in his element. The fact that he had just killed another man did not bother him in the slightest.

ESS AND THE
B
ROWN FAMILY
arrived in Abilene, Kansas just before noon. Abilene had first been established in 1857 and it had grown to be a large cow town located at the end of the Chisholm Trail. There had been a lot of trouble between the Texas cowboys and the local cowboys. It was still a rowdy and wild town, but not the likes of what it was when the cattle drives were at their peak and Wild Bill Hickok was present. The sheriff of Abilene was fairly new since the last one had been shot by an unknown drifter who had come through town.

Bad ‘Axe’ McCoy was the new sheriff, and he had gotten that nickname because of his prowess with throwing an axe. He had won every axe-throwing contest he ever entered and his father had nicknamed him ‘Axe’ since he was about five, when he first picked up an axe and began chopping wood. At age six, he began throwing the axe at trees and he just had a natural ability. After a while, and nobody remembers who it was, someone called him Bad ‘Axe’ McCoy and the name stuck from that point on. He was a no nonsense sheriff with a short fuse for anyone dumb enough to light it. He watched as Jess rode in with the Brown family and headed for the first mercantile store they came to, which was right across the street from the sheriff’s office. The sheriff was sitting in a rocking chair and watched the new family carry supplies out and pile them into their wagon. Bad ‘Axe’ McCoy got up and walked across the street and found Jess standing behind the wagon, pushing boxes full of food and other necessities needed to start a homestead. Jess turned to face the sheriff.

“Afternoon, Sheriff,” said Jess, as he stuck out his hand for a handshake.
The sheriff hesitated for a second and then slowly brought his hand up and shook hands with Jess, but he did not let go of Jess’ right hand and that made Jess feel very uneasy. The sheriff looked down at Jess’ gun and then back up at Jess. “Am I going to have any trouble with you, young man?” Sheriff McCoy asked.
“No sir, I’m not looking for any trouble. I don’t run from any either, though,” said Jess, as he slowly pulled his hand free from the sheriff’s iron grip.
“You drifting through or planning on staying in town?”
“I’m going to help these people haul their supplies out to their homestead, and then I plan on coming back to town later today.”
“What are you here for?”
“Sheriff, why do you ask? I haven’t done anything wrong. I just rode in not ten minutes ago and you come over. I offered my hand as a friendly gesture, and you act as if I’ve done something wrong.”
This little conversation had gotten the attention of both Hadley and Jane, who had now come out of the mercantile with their hands full.
“Sheriff, is there a problem?” Hadley asked.
“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
“Jess here hasn’t done anything since we got here, so what is the problem?”
“The problem is that I know who he is. Jess Williams, the famous bounty hunter, although some have begun to refer to him as a natural born mankiller. You hunting someone here in my town, Mr. Williams?”
“No, Sheriff, but I am looking for someone.”
“Might I ask who that might be?”
Jess thought about it for a moment. “Sheriff, why don’t you let me finish up what I’m doing here and as soon as I get back to town, I will come and see you first and explain.”
The sheriff seemed satisfied with that answer. “Okay, that seems fair to me. I expect you to follow your word on the matter.”
“You have my word on it, Sheriff.”
Sheriff McCoy left and that left Hadley and Jane staring at Jess. “We knew you were a bounty hunter but not a famous one. What did he mean by that mankiller thing?” Hadley asked.
Jess could feel those piercing blue eyes of Jane on him. “Well, it’s probably because I have a reputation of always bringing my man in dead.”
Hadley looked down at the ground for a moment and then looked back up at Jess. “You mean to say that you never bring a man in alive?”
“Nope.”
“Never?”
Jess looked at Hadley and just shook his head negatively.
Jane looked uneasy at first, but then her look turned friendly. “Jess, I don’t care how many bad men you have killed. All I know is that if it wasn’t for you, we would all be dead or worse by now.”
“Thanks for not thinking badly of me. There is a long story behind all of this and maybe one day I will tell you all about it, but for now, let’s get that lumber loaded up.”
“The store owner says they’re short on lumber in town at the moment. Says there will be a shipment in a few days, so you can stay in town if you want. We can unload all of these supplies ourselves, Jess.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, you go ahead and see the sheriff and take care of your business in town. Come and see us before you leave town, though. Our place is straight west out of town about two hours by wagon.”
“I’ll probably do just that, Hadley. Jane, it was nice meeting you and your family, although I wish it would have been under different circumstances.” He shook hands with Harold and when he tried to shake hands with Jessica, she jumped up into Jess’ arms and gave him a long hug. “You make sure you come and visit me, Jess, promise?” Jessica asked.
“I promise,” replied Jess, as he put her back down. “Well, I’m off to see the sheriff.”
Hadley loaded up his family and headed out of town to their new homestead. Jess watched until the wagon was out of sight. He was still trying to deal with the feelings he had for this family and his stomach had knotted up when Jessica had hugged him. It made him feel normal for just a moment and it brought back memories of his own sister, Samantha. He looked across the street and the sheriff was sitting in his rocker, watching Jess. Jess walked over to talk with the sheriff.
“Sheriff, I’m here in town looking for a man by the name of Eddie Sloan.”
The mention of Eddie Sloan’s name made the sheriff sit forward in his rocker. “What’s your business with Eddie Sloan?”
“It’s kind of personal.”
“Well, I’m making it personal and I’m making it my business.”
“He’s my father, although I don’t like to admit it, and I’ve been on his trail for a long time. I’ve never actually met him. I found out a few years back that he was my natural father.”
The sheriff leaned back in his rocker again. “Well, Eddie Sloan left town three days ago on the train. Who knows where he is by now. He cleaned up on a poker game here in town over at the Blue Diamond Gambling House. He won about eleven thousand dollars in that game. He also managed to kill a drifter who came through in the middle of the game. He shot the man twice and went back to his poker game as if he had stepped on a cow chip. If Eddie Sloan is your father, I feel sorry for you, young man.”
“Don’t feel sorry for me, Sheriff. I didn’t say I liked the man, only that he was my natural father.”
“What are you going to do when you finally catch up with him?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think that anything good will come of it.”
“I think you might be right about that. I know all about you, Jess Williams. I know about you killing your own brother. Why did you go and do something like that?”
“Because he was a bad man.”
“And you always go around killing bad men, don’t you.” It was a statement, not a question.
“That’s right.”
“There are a few bad men in town right now. If you stick around, I’m sure you’ll run into one of them before long. Are you going to shoot them, too?”
“Only if they start it or if they have a bounty on their head.”
“If there was someone in my town with a bounty on their head, I would have already collected it myself.”
Jess smiled. “Sheriff, can you point me to the best hotel in town and the best place to get a meal?”
The sheriff gave Jess the information he had asked about. He found the Star Hotel and got himself a room. Then he treated himself to an extra long hot bath. He then headed for Jensen’s Café, where the sheriff had told him he would find the best meals in town. One smell and a few looks at the plates of food on the tables when Jess walked into the café assured him that the sheriff had given him the right tip. He sat down at a small table, and it wasn’t even a minute when a young woman with dark hair and brown eyes walked up to his table.
She handed him a menu and explained what the special of the day was. “Hello, my name is Candice. Can I get you something to drink while you decide?”
“Hot coffee will be fine, but I’ve already decided to take your special, Candice.”
“Good choice. My mom does most of the cooking in the back and she makes the best fried chicken anywhere in town.”
Jess looked around the café. There were several people eating and most of them Jess figured for locals. Only one man was wearing a pistol, he was dressed nicely, and Jess didn’t figure him for any trouble. Probably only carried a gun for protection. He liked the place. It was clean and there were even white tablecloths on the table. He was not usually accustomed to eating in such a decent place, but it was nice for a change and he liked it.
Candice had re-filled Jess’ coffee a few times before she finally came out of the back with his platter of food. She placed it on the table and delivered some silverware along with salt and pepper and a plate of warm rolls and a slab of butter. It looked and smelled absolutely wonderful.
“I’d wait a few minutes before you bite into that chicken because it’s fresh out of the pan and very hot. Can I get you anything else?” Candice asked.
“I’ll take your advice,” Jess said, as he touched the chicken. If you keep the coffee coming, I’ll be just fine. This really smells wonderful.”
“I assure you that it will taste even better. If you need anything at all you just call for me.”
Jess finished his meal and was stuffed. He ate all four large pieces of chicken, a huge helping of mashed potatoes and gravy, a bowl of carrots and two rolls, along with several cups of coffee. He usually didn’t eat that much, but it was so good he couldn’t bring himself to leave anything on the plate. He left enough money on the table for the meal and a very nice tip for Candice.
He walked around town for about an hour trying to work off all the food, but also to check things out. There were plenty of saloons, mercantile shops and gambling houses. Some of the saloons and gambling houses were quiet and some were quite rowdy. He found the Blue Diamond Gambling House and went inside to see if he could find out anything about his father and maybe where he was headed. He walked in and checked his surroundings. There were two games going on and the faro table was busy. There were three men at the bar, all of them wearing six-shooters. It was early in the afternoon and Jess figured this place would be busy in the evening. Jess ordered a beer and the bartender poured it and placed it in front of him.
“Can I get you anything else, mister?”
“What’s your name?” asked Jess.
“My name is Jonathan. What’s your name?”
“Jess Williams.” One of the three men at the bar turned around at the mention of Jess’ name.
“Jonathan, I’m looking for any information on a man by the name of Eddie Sloan. I know he was in a poker game here a few days ago and the sheriff said he left town on the train. Is there anything you can tell me about Sloan or where he might be headed?”
“I can tell you he’s a real bad one, that’s for sure. He killed a man by the name of Jack Stone right where you’re standing in the middle of the poker game. Sloan went right back to the game, like he had just stepped on a cockroach. Mean son of a bitch, that one.”
“Did he say anything about where he was going?”
“Not that I heard. It’s pretty noisy here at night. Why don’t you come back tonight? Some of the men who were at his table will be here tonight. Maybe they can tell you something more.”
“I’ll do that. Who should I be asking for?”
“Gabby Hunt and Willie Hodges. They play here every night and they were both at the table with Sloan. Willie and Sloan had words, but Willie was smart enough to shut his mouth.”
Jess thanked the bartender, paid for his beer, and left Jonathan a nice tip for the information. As he walked out of the gambling house, the one man who had turned around at the mention of Jess’ name watched Jess as he left. None of this was missed by Jess. He simply chose to act as if he didn’t notice. He didn’t know the man, but that didn’t mean that he would not have a confrontation with him before he left town. He went to his hotel room and took a short nap before going back to the gambling house later to speak with Willie Hodges and Gabby hunt.