The Shopkeeper (30 page)

The consternation on Washburn’s face was more than fleeting this time. The use of numbers that only he and Sprague had known proved that I had Sprague’s records.

“Why are ya here?” Washburn asked, sounding genuinely perplexed.

“To win five hundred dollars. You got it?”

“Yep.” Then his tone turned nasty for the first time. “No thanks to you. But I have sources ya can’t hamper.” He waved over his shoulder. “Clyde, show him.”

“Shoot the first bottle anyway ya want, but ya gotta shoot at the next five in rapid fire. Clyde here’ll call it if ya fire too slow.”

“No problem. And you?”

“I like to show off a bit.” Everybody laughed but this time more from nervous relief. “You saw. But the same rules apply to me, I guess.”

“All right.” I stepped up to the brick boundary and smoothly drew my Colt. I barely hesitated. Six speedy shots blew the bottles to smithereens—all six bottles. When I reholstered, the air was filled with smoke and pieces of flying glass.

Shit. I looked around at the other men, but I could see no support. Nobody moved, nobody spoke, and if anyone was breathing, they kept that quiet as well. I took a step toward Washburn. “No.”

“Oh, I think you will. Yer gun’s empty.”

I glanced around again, but I would receive no help from any of these men. Had I miscalculated? I turned to Washburn and was embarrassed by the slight quiver in my voice. “You wouldn’t dare kill me in front of witnesses.”

He shrugged “You’re right. Just maim ya bad. Now give me that book, or I’ll take it while ya squirm in pain at my feet. Yer choice.”

I hesitated several seconds and then moved forward another step, until I was in his face. “No.”

He went for his gun.

I swept my left arm to knock his gun hand away and drew a pocket pistol from my shoulder holster. Three blasts ruptured the silence. His missed. I put two bullets in his belly.

Chapter 52

“Everybody stay calm!” I yelled.

Indecision gripped the men around me. I held my gun level, pointing at no one specific. My shooting in the contest helped. I pointed at Washburn.

“No more money is coming from that man. I own the mortgages on all Washburn property. I can pay. Nothing’s changed but your boss.” I could tell from the faces that I had given them an excuse for inaction.

I looked down at Washburn. Both hands gripped his gut, and he had his knees pulled up to his chest. His pain had caused him to lose awareness of everything around him, and his groans of suffering almost drew my pity. Almost.

His expression of defeat made the gauntlet ahead worthwhile. I still had to pass through the saloon to escape. I sensed no danger from the men around me, so I holstered my pocket pistol and reloaded my Colt.

Looking toward the door, I saw the burly man who had let me into the yard. I gave him a hard stare, and he just stepped to the side to give me clear passage. I let the Colt hang to my side and walked up the steps and through the saloon without incident. Reaching the boardwalk outside, I retraced my steps toward the train station.

As my luck would have it that day, the train was in the station.

Chapter 53

The prior evening I had gone from the Carson City train station directly to my hotel room. I couldn’t remember ever having been more tired. I slept the night away soundly but woke up famished because I had skipped supper.

By the time I made it to the hotel dining room, Sharp and McAllen had already finished their breakfast and were nursing cups of coffee.

“Toward you? No.” He nodded his head at Sharp. “I’ve given Jeff a piece of my mind, though. I’m used to being misled by clients, but I have a different standard for friends.”

His tone said that whatever had transpired prior to my arrival had been worked out between them. Sharp had preceded me to Virginia City, not only to enlarge the stories about Sprague’s book and his pending arrest, but also to spread rumors that I had Washburn’s enterprises under siege and was about to take over his operations. It had worked well enough to get me out of town safely.

“He did me a service.” I looked at Sharp. “One I’ll be eternally grateful for.”

Sharp flipped his hand. “Forget it. By the way, McAllen’s exchanged telegraphs with the police chief in Virginia City. No charges. Almost twenty witnesses said it was self-defense.”

“I’m not going back to Pickhandle,” I said. After the waitress brought my coffee, and I had the first sip of the day, I added, “Commerce Bank will control all of Washburn’s assets. They’ll need a manager.”

My breakfast arrived, so conversation stopped until the food had been distributed. While I started digging in, Sharp explained. “Do you remember when you and McAllen caught up with me in Jeremiah’s store?”

“In the Rocky Mountains. Colorado. My agent did most of the barterin’. Now I got a few more details to nail down, an’ I’ll leave to inspect it.”

“Train?”

“No. I’m goin’ by way of Durango. Other minin’ business.” Sharp mused for a moment. “Why don’t ya come with me? Appreciate the good company, and it don’t look to me like ya got anything holdin’ ya here.”

“Yes, he sent me a telegram a few days ago. Seems he’s done with wild mining towns. He secured a position at a consumption clinic in Glenwood Springs. If he hasn’t left already, we can pick him up on our way to Colorado.”

“No more from doc, but Bradshaw told me he has convinced Richard to run for the state senate. If he wins, he’s going to move to Carson City and open a print shop. Bradshaw has fixed it so he’ll get plenty of business from the mint as long as he doesn’t open a competing newspaper. I suppose Jeremiah’s rooted in Pickhandle.”

Sharp nodded. “Glad to hear they all survived this mess.”

“I’ll be leaving with my team tomorrow,” McAllen said. When I heard you’d gone to Virginia City, I knew it was over … one way or the other.”

“Only one way. If he had killed me, you’d still be in it up to your neck. I wrote a will with Jansen. Sharp was the executor, and my entire fortune—quite substantial, I might add—was to be used to destroy Washburn.”

“Vengeful bastard, aren’t ya?” McAllen laughed for the first time in my memory.

I reminded myself to write a new will. I had other unfinished legal work as well. I stood to make a decent profit selling the bank and withheld the hotel from the deal. I needed clear title, but I believed I would have no further trouble with the sheriff.

As soon as that little administrative task was complete, I would deed twenty-five percent of the Grand Hotel to each of my whist partners. Since Jeremiah was staying, he could run the establishment for the lot of us. I still thought the hotel was misnamed. From now on it would be called Hotel Whist, and there would be a permanent whist table set up in the lobby.

I pulled a thick envelope out of my pocket and shoved it toward McAllen. “Here’s the rest of your pay, including bonuses for you and your men.”

McAllen took the envelope and put it in his pocket without counting. “Thanks.”

“Thank you, Captain. You were thoroughly professional, and I appreciate it. I’ll send a telegram to your office this afternoon.” When he made no response, I asked, “Did Sam have family?”

Chapter 54

The following day, I rode out of Carson City before first light. Sharp intended to leave later in the morning, and I wanted to be ahead of him by several hours. Chestnut made the trip with ease, but I had seldom been more anxious.

As I reined up in front of the main house at Bolton ranch, operations seemed to be back to normal, and everything had the appearance of a working ranch. After I hitched Chestnut, Joe sauntered over from the corral area to bid me welcome.

When we walked in, Jenny was a mess: blood all over from the waist down, with a streak across her face where she had swiped at herself. She beamed. Despite her dishevelment, I had never seen a more beautiful or happy woman.

She came toward me and said, “Nothing makes a day better than a new life.” She gave me an appraising look and added, “How’re you fairing?”