by Tell Cotten
***
Jeremiah Wisdom stood as Ike and Butch entered the study.
“I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” Ike said as he walked forward. “I had other business to take care of.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Jeremiah replied, and they shook hands.
Jeremiah was in his mid-thirties. An educated man, he was cunning and careful. He was tall and thin, and his face was dark from the sun. He also spoke Apache fluently and wore a Colt on his hip.
Ike sat behind his desk while Butch went to his corner. Jeremiah sat back down, and it was silent as Ike studied him.
“You don’t look like a gambler,” Ike finally said. “You look more like a cowpuncher.”
“I don’t consider myself to be a gambler, so I’ll take that as a compliment,” Jeremiah said.
“Oh?” Ike looked disappointed. “We heard you were an exceptional poker player. That’s why we sent for you.”
“Just because I’m not a gambler doesn’t mean I’m not a clever poker player,” Jeremiah corrected.
“So you can play?”
“I can.”
“And you’re good?”
“I don’t lose,” Jeremiah declared matter-of-factly.
Ike smiled and nodded.
“You rode with Wade Davis,” Ike recalled.
“That’s right.”
“Why did you leave him?”
Jeremiah paused as he collected his thoughts.
“I learned a long time ago to never hate your enemies,” he explained. “It affects your judgment. I tried to tell Wade that, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“And it got him killed,” Ike said.
“It sure did.”
Ike liked that. He glanced at Butch and looked back at Jeremiah.
“Are you any good with that?” He gestured at Jeremiah’s Colt.
“Yes.”
“How good, exactly?”
Jeremiah pinched his face in thought.
“Well, I have the respect of Yancy Landon.”
Ike looked intrigued.
“How do you know that?”
“He told me once, a long time ago.”
“I wasn’t aware that you knew the Landons.”
“I get around.”
“How about Lee Mattingly?”
“We’ve met.”
“Anything personal between you two?”
“No.”
Ike nodded and leaned forward in his chair.
“You’re probably wondering why I sent for you.”
“I figured you’d get around to it, sooner or later.”
“I have a plan,” Ike announced, and then he carefully explained all the details.
Afterwards, it was silent as Jeremiah thought on it, and Ike waited patiently.
“It’s a good plan,” Jeremiah finally said.
“So you’ll agree to do it?”
“You forgot to mention the pay.”
“Name your price,” Ike shrugged.
Jeremiah did, and Ike agreed. Afterwards, Jeremiah nodded and stood.
“It’s settled then. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to rest up a bit.”
“Of course,” Ike nodded. “Butch, show Jeremiah to the guest room, and then tell Brock I need to see him. After that, you’d better ride back to town and tell Amos it’s time.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Butch said, and he and Jeremiah left the study.
Chapter seventeen
Our second day of business was much better than the first.
None of Ike’s hands showed up. The restaurant and gaming tables stayed busy, and I even won at poker.
Brian and I were up early the next morning. We dressed, splashed some water in our faces, and went downstairs and sat at our usual table.
April was already in the kitchen. She served us breakfast and coffee, and I smiled at her.
“Thank you, April.”
“You’re welcome, Lee,” she flashed a smile back.
April stood there a moment. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but she changed her mind and returned to the kitchen.
Brian looked thoughtful. He shot me a quizzical look, but didn’t say anything.
It was silent while we ate. A few minutes passed, and April reappeared with a broom. She started sweeping the floor, and I watched her with a curious look.
Brian looked up from his breakfast and spotted me watching her.
“What are you looking at?”
“I was just thinking,” I said wistfully.
“About what?”
“Jessica.”
Brian scowled at me.
“So you’re staring at Mrs. Gibson, but thinking about Jessica?”
“I wasn’t staring,” I objected.
“That’s what it looked like to me.”
“It suddenly occurred to me that I can’t remember what Jessica looks like,” I said as I ignored Brian’s comment.
“Are you feeling all right?” Brian looked at me oddly.
“For some reason I can’t picture her face,” I said as I continued to ignore his comments. “Does that ever happen to you?”
“Half the time, I can’t even remember what I look like.”
I chuckled, and we finished our breakfast.
We were almost through when June came down the stairs. Her hair was a mess, and she was still in her nightgown. She looked groggy as she walked to our table and sat beside me.
“Morning, June,” I smiled at her.
“Hi, Mister Lee,” June said as she rubbed her eyes.
“You’re up early this morning,” I commented. “Are you hungry?”
June nodded sleepily.
“April,” I called out. “We have another guest for breakfast.”
April stopped sweeping, and she frowned when she spotted her daughter.
“June, I told you not to bother Mister Lee,” she scolded.
“She’s not bothering anybody,” I spoke up.
A grateful look crossed April’s face.
“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you very much.”
I smiled and nodded. Meanwhile, an anxious look suddenly crossed June’s face.
“I gotta go,” she announced. “I gotta go now.”
April started towards our table, but I stood and waved my hand at her.
“Go get her breakfast,” I said. “I’ll take her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Go on,” I said.
April flashed me a smile as she hurried to the kitchen. Meanwhile, I took June by the hand and headed towards the back door.
Brian never said a word. He just sat there and watched us with a thoughtful look.
Chapter eighteen
Lady luck finally remembered me.
For the second night in a row, I was actually winning at poker. There was more money than usual in the game, and the pots were big.
It didn’t take me long to accumulate a big pile of cash. The night was still young, and I was eager for more.
I won a few more hands, and then everybody decided to take a break. I didn’t want to stop playing, but I had no choice.
Some of the players went outside to visit the outhouse while others went for coffee.
April usually brought me coffee during breaks, so I remained seated and waited patiently. I organized my pile of cash, and then I trimmed and lit a cigar.
I took a puff, and as I exhaled a stranger walked into the room.
I narrowed my eyes as I studied him. He was tall, thin, and had a dark, tanned face. I had seen him before, but I couldn’t remember where.
He walked up to the table. He pulled out a wad of bills so thick it could have choked a cow, and then he smiled at me.
“Can I join?”
“Sit down,” I said as I eyed all that cash.
He nodded and sat across from me, and it was then that I recalled who he was.
“You’re Jeremiah Wisdom.”
“That’s right,” he nodded. “And you’d be L
ee Mattingly.”
“You used to run around with the Landons,” I recollected.
“And you used to run from the Landons.”
I smiled at that.
“Weren’t you with Wade Davis earlier this year?” I asked.
“I was, but he’s dead now. The Landons killed him.”
“I remember that,” I nodded, and added, “I hear you’re a good poker player.”
“Let’s find out, shall we?” Jeremiah smiled.
“Yes, let’s,” I smiled back.
Other players started drifting back. April appeared from the kitchen, carrying a coffee pot and a few cups.
Jeremiah spotted her, and his eyes lit up with interest. He smiled and stood as she arrived at our table.
“Good evening, ma’am,” he said.
April smiled politely and glanced at me.
“I brought you some coffee.”
“Thank you, April.”
She poured me a cup and glanced at Jeremiah.
“Would you like some?”
“I sure would,” Jeremiah said eagerly.
April poured another cup and turned to leave.
“Thank you, ma’am,” Jeremiah said.
April nodded. She glanced at me and smiled warmly, and then she walked back towards the kitchen.
Jeremiah remained standing as he watched her. Soon as she was gone, he smiled wistfully and sat. Meanwhile, I frowned disapprovingly.
“She seems like a nice lady,” he commented innocently.
“She is.”
“Do you know her well?”
“Some.”
Jeremiah looked thoughtful, but he didn’t say anything else.
By now everyone else had returned. They sat around the table, and the game started.
Chapter nineteen
A little voice inside me told me to be careful. But I was suddenly feeling irritable, and I ignored the warning.
I bet big and won the first hand, and I won again a few hands later. My confidence soared, and I felt unbeatable.
If I had been paying attention, I would have noticed that Jeremiah wasn’t winning. Instead, he let everyone else win while he learned our bad habits.
The game changed drastically about an hour later.
By now I had more than doubled my pile of cash, and I was playing dangerously. But then, as if someone slammed a door, all of a sudden I couldn’t win a hand to save my life. The pots started getting higher, and Jeremiah started winning.
I should have seen what was happening, but instead I became even more overconfident and arrogant.
Have you ever seen a fisherman set a hook? That’s what Jeremiah did to me. He put the bait out there, I nibbled, and he yanked hard and sunk the hook deep in my jaw.
I was getting desperate when the best hand of the night was finally dealt to me. I couldn’t believe my luck. I held three kings and two jacks, meaning a full house. My palms got sweaty in anticipation.
I should have been wary, because Jeremiah was dealing. But I was desperate to recover what I’d lost, so once again I ignored that little voice inside me.
It was my bet. I looked at my cards once more, and then I eyed the cash that I had remaining on the table.
“I have around two thousand here,” I said, and I pushed it all towards the middle of the table.
A surprised murmur went around the table.
“Too rich for me,” the man next to me said, and one by one everybody folded until the bet came to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah took in a big breath and let it out slowly. He looked at his cards once more and smiled.
“Why not,” he said.
It was silent as he counted his money. Then, he reached inside his vest pocket and pulled out another wad of cash.
Jeremiah looked at me.
“I’ll call your two thousand, and I raise you eight thousand.”
There was a surprised hum in the room, followed by a tense silence. I hadn’t noticed before, but Brian stood in the corner, and he was watching closely.
All eyes were on me. I looked at my cards once more and frowned thoughtfully.
“I’ll call,” I said, and my voice was hoarse.
“I don’t see any money on the table.”
“We can cover it,” I said. “The money’s in the safe in my office.”
A few seconds passed as Jeremiah thought on that, and then he nodded.
“Fine by me,” he said, and asked, “How many cards?”
“I’ll play these.”
“Dealer takes two,” he said.
He discarded two cards and dealt himself two more. His movements were slow and deliberate, and all eyes were on him.
I watched him closely as he picked up his cards, but his face remained emotionless.
“Your bet,” he said.
“Check.”
“Check,” Jeremiah nodded.
I took in another big breath. I glanced at Brian, and his face was pale.
It was time. My hands trembled as I placed my cards on the table.
“Full house,” I announced, and an excited murmur went through the crowd.
Jeremiah showed no emotion. A few long seconds passed, and one by one he placed his cards down on the table.
“Four aces,” he said softly.
Loud cheers and applause sounded out, and Jeremiah grinned.
I felt like I’d just been kicked in the head by a mule. I couldn’t breath, and all I could do was stare numbly at the cards.
“Lord help us,” I heard Brian say.
Chapter twenty
Everyone congratulated Jeremiah and wanted to shake his hand. The celebration carried on and on while I just sat there with a pained expression.
The crowd finally thinned. Jeremiah glanced at me and smiled pleasantly.
“Can we talk? Somewhere private?”
I swallowed and licked my lips.
“In my office,” I managed.
I stood and walked toward the stairs. Jeremiah grabbed all the money on the table and followed after me.
Brian joined us in the office, and his face was dark. He walked over to the window and looked out into the black night.
I sat behind the desk, and I still displayed a stunned look on my face. Meanwhile, Jeremiah dropped all of the money onto the table, and then he sat in a chair across the desk, looking pleased.
“I reckon we should count it and see how much money is there,” Jeremiah suggested.
“I reckon we should,” I said flatly.
“I’ll do it,” Brian offered.
Nobody said anything as Brian walked over to the desk, and it was silent as he counted. After he was done, he neatly arranged all the bills into several tall stacks.
“Mr. Wisdom, we owe you ten thousand and fifty-two dollars,” Brian announced.
“Please, call me Jeremiah,” he said, and added, “I like round numbers. Let’s just make it an even ten thousand, shall we?”
“It’s your money,” Brian said.
“A man could get killed carrying that much cash around,” Jeremiah figured.
“It’s happened before,” Brian agreed.
“Not only do I have your ten thousand, but I also have ten thousand of my own. That’s twenty thousand.”
“You’re a rich man,” Brian sounded tired.
“That safe you mentioned. Could I leave all twenty thousand there and pick it up in the morning?”
“That would be fine.”
“Good,” Jeremiah smiled and stood. “I’d also like a room.”
“See Amos at the bar,” Brian instructed. “He’ll get you settled.”
“How much for the room?”
“No charge. You’re our guest.”
Jeremiah nodded and turned to go.
“Thank you. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Brian managed to mumble something as Jeremiah left.
We didn’t speak as Brian opened the safe and put Jeremiah’s money in. It was too painful to watch, so I grabbed a cig
ar, trimmed it and lit it, and then took a long, deep puff.
“Do we have ten thousand to cover it?” I finally broke the silence.
“We’re a little short,” Brian replied quietly.
“Tomorrow’s payday too, ain’t it.”
“It is.”
I sighed and leaned back in my chair.
“What’ll we do?”
“Only thing we can do is to go to the bank in the morning and get a loan. We don’t need much. Just enough to cover everything for a week or so.”
“Don’t forget about Mr. Tomlin’s steers,” I reminded. “We haven’t paid him yet.”
“I’ll borrow enough for that too.”
“What a mess,” I sighed.
“That about describes it.”
“I’m sorry, Brian.”
He shrugged.
“If I was you, I’d have done the same thing. When you put that full house down on the table I thought you’d won for sure.”
“It was a nice feeling, if only for a brief moment,” I recalled.
“Do you think he cheated?”
“I have my suspicions.”
“But suspicion ain’t proof,” Brian pointed out.
“I know,” I muttered. It was silent, and I added, “Well, things can’t get any worse.”
“You said that once already.”
“I did, didn’t I,” I admitted.
Brian nodded and moved towards the door. I stood, put out my cigar, and followed after him.
“Things will be better tomorrow,” I said as we walked into the lobby.
Brian grunted in response.
Chapter twenty-one
We turned in early.
It only took Brian a few minutes to start snoring, but I tossed and turned.
I kept replaying the hand over and over in my mind, and I finally came to the conclusion that Jeremiah had cheated. Problem was, I didn’t know how. I had watched him deal those last two cards off the top of the deck, clear as day.
I was still thinking about that when I heard a faint noise from downstairs. I sat up in bed and listened. A few seconds passed, and I heard something again.
I crawled out of bed and pulled my pants on. Next, I grabbed my Colt, eased the door open, and stepped out into the hallway.
I looked down into the lobby, but it was pitch black and I couldn’t see a thing.
