Taking a few seconds, Doc made sure his aim was good before he fired. The bullet hit just to the side of the man’s head, making him jerk back in surprise. That movement put him all the way in the open, and he fell a moment later when two bullets hit him in rapid succession.
Silence filled the air, and Doc knew the other man was running. He’d have to swing down the next street... he’ll go for their horses! Doc thought as he ran between the buildings. When he reached the end of the alley, he knew he was right.
The man running down the street caught sight of Doc at the same time Doc saw him. Both raised their guns and fired. Doc cocked and fired a second time while the man fumbled his gun and fell. Breathing hard, it dawned on Doc that the man had stared at his gun in disbelief.
The sound of feet running toward him made Doc holster his gun. Turning, he found Grange and Wenn with guns pointed at him. “Self-defense,” he said tightly.
“Easy, Sheriff. He helped us during the first part of it,” Wenn said, holstering his pistol. The green glowing lines on the pistol vanished the moment it was out of his hand.
“Two shootings in a week and you’re in on both of them?” Grange growled, his pistol glowing red where the engravings were etched into it. “You’re a damned plague.” Holstering his pistol, Grange turned away from Doc and stomped back toward the courthouse.
Wenn watched Grange go with a curious look before he went up to Doc. “Got the last one, did you?”
“Yes. I think his gun was empty, but he did try to shoot me with it.”
“Not counting your shots is a good way to get killed,” Wenn said as he went past Doc to the body. Rolling it over, he grunted, “It really was his gang. There was a low bounty on these men. I’ll bring it along once this is taken care of.” Standing up, Wenn gave Doc a grin. “Even if Grange doesn’t appreciate it, I do. Would have been a lot worse if you hadn’t killed two and distracted that third. I take it the one popping out near the end was you, too?”
“I missed him, but yeah.”
Wenn bent over and cut the coin pouch off the bandit before tossing it to Doc. “Take that as a bonus, from me.”
Doc caught the pouch and pocketed it. “Glad I could help.”
“How did you know?” Wenn asked.
Doc shrugged, “Six men with guns in hand standing around outside the courthouse? I thought something was going on, and Dillon mentioned you’d come to testify. Two and two makes four, or in this case, a band of bandits.”
Wenn laughed, “See you later, Doc.”
“Yeah,” Doc said. He had started to go when Wenn’s hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder.
“You’re shot?”
Doc glanced down at his clothes and grimaced. “I used a tonic from Henrick. I’m fine, it was a graze.”
Wenn frowned and let him go. “Damned lucky it only grazed you and they weren’t using engraved weapons. I’ll add the healing item to the tab for aid rendered. You should clean up, though. You look like you should be dead.”
“That’s my second order of business,” Doc said. “First I want to reload this gun again, just in case.”
Wenn nodded and patted him on the back, “Good man.”
Doc started to reload when Wenn walked away. Hands shaking, Doc breathed raggedly as he replaced the spent cartridges. He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat and made his way back to the Lily.
Chapter Seventeen
Doc noticed that people were looking out their windows as he went past. The streets were empty during the gunfight... odd that, unless they’ve seen enough trouble to stay out of it. Considering the implications of that thought helped him ignore the fact he had just killed three men.
The few voices talking in the Lily cut off when the people caught sight of Doc. He looked back at Lia, Dillon, and Fiala with a blank gaze.
“Doc, are you okay?” Fiala asked, rushing to him.
“Shot and healed,” Doc said bluntly. “Bath.”
“And a drink, it seems,” Lia added, pulling her bottle from the top shelf.
“You were involved with all the commotion?” Dillon asked.
Fiala was careful of his hip, but helped guide him to the bar. “Was it enough? Should we get Doctor Whittaker for you?”
“He’s walking fine,” Lia said as she put the shot in front of Doc. “I’m assuming he had something from Henrick.”
Doc picked up the glass on reflex, downed it, and set it aside. Exhaling as his mind calmed down, he leaned into the bar and shuddered. “Six men ambushed Grange and Wenn. I ambushed the ambushers… all of them are dead, and Grange and Wenn are okay.”
“You walked into that?” Dillon asked, his tone implying that Doc was the biggest idiot alive.
“If I hadn’t, Wenn and or Grange might not have survived. I couldn’t just sit here. Grange might be an ass, but he’s a duly elected ass, and Wenn is a good man, at least from my interactions with him. All evil needs to thrive is for good men to sit idly by,” Doc said.
“That is true,” Lia said. “I’ll have a seamstress look at your clothes to see if they can be saved. Fiala, take him to the bath and make sure he’s okay.”
“Can’t cost her her livelihood,” Doc said.
“It’s on the house for saving another customer and doing the right thing,” Lia said, firmly snapping her fan open. “Unless you wish to argue with a lady?”
Doc chuckled, “Boxed in by my own standards. I accept your gracious offer. Fiala, if you don’t mind?”
“Not at all,” Fiala said.
Doc let her lead him toward the bathing rooms, “What about clean clothes?”
“If it’s okay, I’ll fetch some once you’re soaking.”
“That’s fine. Drag me out some more of my money, too, please. I need to gamble tonight and rebuild my bankroll.”
“I never expected to see you with a gun on your hip,” Fiala mentioned as they went down the hall.
“I’m going to take a trip out of town for a few days. Need the protection there. Lucky for me I did or else today might have gone very differently.”
“You’re leaving?” Fiala asked with a hint of sadness in her voice.
“A few days out and back,” Doc clarified. “I still have more to do in town before I leave for an extended period.”
“Oh. Good,” Fiala said, her tone shifting back to happy. “In we go.” She opened the door to one of the baths for him.
Doc followed her in and had barely started to get his jacket off when Fiala was there to help him. “I can manage at least this much.”
“I was told to make sure you’re okay. It wouldn’t do if you injured yourself more while I was helping you.”
“I concede,” Doc said and let her undress him.
Whatever is in that bottle completely clears my mind, Doc thought as he was being stripped. I need to get some of that or I just come to terms that I’ll have to kill people sometimes.
“There,” Fiala said after getting him naked. She gently touched where the injury had been, her fingers tracing the new scar tissue. “It was here?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay.”
The doubt in her words made Doc wonder if something was wrong. “Everything okay?”
“Oh, uh... yes. Let me get the water started for you.” Fiala quickly went off to do so.
Doc wondered if his healing magic worked radically different from Henrick’s concoctions. He was still thinking about it when Fiala stepped away from the tub. “Thank you, Fiala,” he said. He climbed in while the water was rising still.
“Unscented again?” Fiala asked from out of his line of sight.
“Please.”
When she came back into view, Fiala was naked when she sat on the stool beside the tub. “I’ll be scrubbing you, so I need you to stand, please.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be a challenge,” Doc snorted as he turned off the water and got to his feet.
Fiala smiled at seeing him standing proud when he got to his feet.
“You know, Doc, I never did get to return the favor the other night...” Looking up at him through her lashes, she started to lean forward.
Doc put a palm on her forehead to stop her. “After the bath, please. I don’t trust my legs to support me the entire time. Besides, we can’t in this room, if I remember the rules.”
Fiala nodded, taking his hand from her head and kissing his palm. “Okay, as long as you’ll let me after the bath. This is all on the house, so don’t hold back, okay?”
“Okay, but remember: you asked for it.”
“I did,” Fiala smiled as she began to lather her hands.
She took her time cleaning him, making sure she got him from head to toe, which required him putting his feet on the edge of the tub one at a time. Once he was lathered, she asked Doc to sit so she could rinse him. When she was finished getting him cleaned, Fiala smiled and started to stand up, only to have Doc grab her hand and pull her into the tub.
“Doc? We can’t, not in this room,” Fiala said.
“And we aren’t,” Doc said, shifting her so she rested in front of him. He put his arms around her chest right under her breasts. “I just want to relax for a bit.”
Fiala relaxed, leaning into him, “Okay. I still need to get your clothes.”
“I’m aware,” Doc whispered, his breath tickling her ear.
~*~*~
The water had started to lose its warmth by the time he let her go. “Okay, go on. I’ll be waiting.”
Fiala got up and stretched before leaving the tub. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”
Doc smiled as he drained out some of the water. “No rush. I’ll warm the tub back up while I wait.”
Fiala had a smile on her face while she got dressed as she noticed Doc admiring the view. “Am I really that engrossing?”
“Oh, yes. You are quite beautiful, and beauty always captivates me.”
Fiala’s cheeks pinked as she finished dressing. “I’ll be back shortly.”
Doc leaned back in the tub and waited for the water to heat again. The door opening made him sit up, then quickly slide further into the tub. “Room is busy!”
Cassia stopped just in the doorway. She blinked before her cheeks went red. “Oh! The plaque slipped off, sorry.” She shut the door immediately, and Doc could hear the scrambled sound of someone hanging the in-use sign back up.
“Doc’s in that one,” Cassia’s voice came faintly through the door.
“Doc? I got your reward here. Mind if I toss it in?” Wenn’s voice boomed through the door.
“Yeah, sure,” Doc replied, covering himself before the door could open again.
“Sorry about that,” Wenn laughed as he chucked a small pouch onto the floor. “I’ll thank you later.”
“Not into that,” Doc responded without thinking.
“Neither am I,” Wenn laughed harder as he shut the door. “I meant I’ll buy you a drink.”
“Oh. That’d be fine.”
“Come on, Cassia,” Wenn said, his voice fading, “we’ll use—”
Shaking his head, Doc turned the water off and got out, unplugging the tub. “Rather have a towel around me in case someone else shows up.”
Doc had just finished drying off and taken a seat when the door opened again, making his heart speed up. “It’s you. Thank goodness.”
“Huh?” Fiala asked, puzzled. “Did something happen?”
Doc gave her a quick recap of what had happened after she left and Fiala snickered. “She got a full view, huh?”
“Yeah. Thankfully, Wenn didn’t,” Doc said.
“I wonder if she’ll try to get some of your attention now?” Fiala smirked.
“Her time is being occupied by Wenn.”
“He’s leaving tomorrow or the day after,” Fiala said. “I heard them talking as he passed in the hall. He has her as his personal companion for the entire night. A send-off gift to himself, he said.”
“Don’t blame him,” Doc said. “Life on the road with death as a constant threat? Spending time with an agreeable woman is the best he can hope for.”
“I asked Madam Lia and she said that I’m yours for the night, as well,” Fiala said as she laid out his clothes.
Doc whistled softly, “That’s a hell of a reward.”
“She said you’d be less likely to get shot and would be here tomorrow if she did,” Fiala added.
Doc laughed, “Smart woman. I think I like her.”
“We all do,” Fiala said. “You have something going on with her tomorrow?”
“I’m teaching the dealers a new type of poker,” Doc told her when he heard her slightly jealous tone. “We need some players... maybe you can help us out? You should ask her. I plan on asking Wenn, since he’s a good player.”
“If you’re okay with that,” Fiala said.
“Having your company for longer? Yeah, I count it as a plus.” Doc said, raising a foot so she could put his socks on. “You know I can dress myself.”
“You could, or you can let the woman who is doting on you have her way.”
“I won’t argue. Since I get you all night, we should put a pause on your plans to repay me until later tonight. If you scramble my brains right now, I don’t think I’d be able to play poker.”
Fiala pouted at him, “A little bit of fun first?”
Doc smirked, “If we start, I don’t think it’s going to be only a little bit.”
Fiala giggled, “That’s true. But you did promise.”
“Fair enough. Get me dressed enough that we can make it upstairs, then.”
Eyes twinkling, Fiala had him dressed quickly. She was hanging on his arm as the two of them made their way down the hallway. Posy stepped aside for them, looking down as they passed.
“The clothes are ready for you, Posy,” Fiala told her.
“Yes’m. I’m getting them and cleaning them before taking them over to McCreedy,” Posy replied.
“Thank you,” Doc added.
“Of course, sir.”
The main room of the saloon was busy, busier than Doc expected it to be before evening. The snippets he caught as they climbed the stairs focused on the shoot-out at the courthouse. Almost everyone was confused at who had helped the sheriff and marshal out of the jam they had been in.
“They’ll be surprised later,” Fiala whispered as they left the room. “No one there thinks you’re a fighter.”
“I’d rather they keep thinking that way. Fighters have a way of being challenged a lot,” Doc said. “Rather be known as a lover.”
“Oh? I can make sure that’s known, if you’d like,” Fiala smiled. “Even if it does mean I’d have to vie for your attention.”
Doc chuckled, thinking she was joking, but she just looked at him. “Wait. You’re serious?”
“If I tell the others what happened the first night and what I’m sure is going to happen again tonight, yes. Cassia, Jasmine, and the others will all want to see if I’m lying, and Cassia’s already gotten a good view of what you’re hiding under your clothes.”
“Yeah, don’t do that,” Doc said. “Don’t think I want all the guys in the place pissed at me because you all are trying to get picked.”
Fiala snickered, “Well, since you asked.”
Opening the door to his room, Doc stepped aside, “After you.”
~*~*~
Doc wore the wide smile of the thoroughly sated as he made his way downstairs. Fiala was upstairs, taking a quick rinse in the basin, as Doc had woken her before he left. I wonder if it’s just her? Two for two on making her orgasm so hard, she passes out… Only one way to find out, honestly.
The main room of the saloon was full of people. Cassia sat beside Wenn at the nickel poker table. Jasmine and two other girls were working the room, delivering drinks and flirting as they went. Westin was behind the bar serving people, and Lia was talking to a well-dressed man at the end of the bar.
Crossing the room, Doc was aware of a number of people watching him with interest. Wenn
gave him a grin when he reached the poker table. “Do you mind if I take the last spot, gentlemen?”
“Wondering if you’d be back,” Raymond, one of the men he had played before, said. “Figured you’d be at the Gold Strike.”
“I prefer honest tables,” Doc said as he took the seat, “and players.”
Raymond and the other locals exchanged glances.
Suited for Luck Page 13
