“Leona.”
James reached out and slid one side of her blouse down her shoulder as she smiled. “Where are you from Leona?”
“We’re from back east.”
James slid the other side down as he unbuttoned the front. “Where back east.”
“Tennessee.”
Garnett alternated between watching out the window to watching James in the mirror. She was more James’ preference than his but tonight was young enough that good sex would eventually show up. He watched as two men came from down the alley across from the saloon. They both were carrying rifles as well as revolvers. In fact, the shorter man was wearing a double holster. Garnett turned his eyes to the mirror as James unbuttoned her skirt causing it to drop.
“I can do this without taking off my clothes.”
“I am not paying you to make decisions nor do I want you with clothes on.” James stepped back and looked at her. He wasn’t sure how she made a living with her body because she was very thin without a lot of curves. “Who did you mean by we?”
“My husband.”
“Leona, what does your husband do?”
She turned and faced him. “He works the mines. We came out to make our fortune.”
“How old are you?”
“I’ll be sixteen soon.”
“And you thought this would be a good job?”
“Jonny, my husband…he lost heavy at the tables and Smitty told him he could either pay his tab or I could work the floors until it was paid off.”
“How much?”
“He owes over fifty dollars.”
“And how much do you make?”
“Not much because I’m not curvy like the other girls.”
James nodded as Garnett smiled. James ran his fingers in her hair as he turned her face up to him. He could only imagine that they ran away for a better life and ended up here in this room. James took in his breath as he backed her against the bed running his hand between her legs as she closed her eyes and sighed.
One of the men disappeared as he walked toward the saloon. He came back out a few minutes later then pointed up to the window as Garnett stepped back and James teased her until she was begging. Garnett pulled his gun and stood against the wall as James brought her to what appeared to be a very fine tuned climax and possible her first from her reaction. James stood up as she laid on the bed with her chest rising and falling breathlessly. James reached for his holster, took money out of his pocket and told her to stay in the room. He slid out into the hallway and checked the back door slipping out quietly. There were three men in the alley including the Sheriff.
James and Garnett headed downstairs as Smitty watched them. They talked to the bartender who pointed to Smitty. James walked over to the table.
“I want to pay off Jonny’s debt to the house.”
“Why?”
“Because I need someone to work on the ranch and the price is a bargain.”
“And if I don’t want to sell it.”
James measured him and wondered if his bravado was based on anything other than his stupidity. “I believe any debt to the house is always up for sale unless of course you have a reason to want to keep his marker.”
“Not really but the interest on the debt has climbed to more than the original debt.” Smitty stood and asked him to step into his office. James followed him and when Smitty tried to close the door Garnett put his foot against it and the two stared at each other until Smitty walked around his desk. He took out a book and turned to the page. “Well, he currently owes eight hundred dollars.”
“Write me a receipt and make it very particular.”
“It doesn’t seem such a good deal for you.”
James leaned across the desk. “I don’t ask why you charge such high interest so please don’t presume to understand my intention.”
“Well if you just want Leona than why not just pay for her.”
Garnett lit his cigar. “Selling women is illegal so I would caution you to consider your words carefully.”
“She owes me for not being able to meet the requirements of her employment. You pay off her debt and you can leave with her.”
James watched him as the sweat started to form on his brow. “You know it would just be easier to put a slug between your beady eyes but I have no issues with you…yet.”
Smitty sat back and thought about how far he could go. “I’m a businessman and the rates are quite reasonable.”
“How much?”
“Two thousand for both of them.”
James pulled out his gun as Garnett crossed his arms watching his goons weigh whether or not to step in. Within a split second, James fired a shot that went through the window behind Smitty followed by a thud. “Think real hard Smitty.”
James put a thousand dollars on the desk as Smitty wrote out a receipt for both Leona and Jonny. He put a twenty dollar piece on the desk. “This is to cover the doctor to try to save your friend or to bury him but never, ever have someone pull a gun on me again.”
James walked out as Garnett stood in the doorway. Smitty started to open the drawer when Garnett drew on him. “I don’t think you want to leave your fine enterprise to some up and coming underling do you?”
Smitty sat back as James talked to Leona before he led her to the door as Garnett joined him. The Sheriff came in and looked at James.
“Sheriff.”
Smitty came out of his office and stood next to the Sheriff.
“I’ll warn you again. You do not want them stopping and looking at you.”
“I don’t like being bullied.”
“You’re a fool.” The sheriff walked across the street and into his office. He checked the prisoners to see if they had sobered up enough to send home. The sheriff put his feet on his desk and closed his eyes.
Garnett took Leona to Dominic’s where he told Dominic’s housekeeper that she would be working down at the hunting lodge with her husband. Then he sent a rider to find Jonny at the mine and bring him back before Smitty went looking for him.
Mirisa had all the supplies put into the wagon as Sara climbed up in the seat. Lizzie and Cassie climbed in the wagon with their bag of candy and settled against the back of the seat.
“Sara, where is Maggie?”
“She went down to the post office to mail some things for James.”
“Where is James?”
“He’s over at the bank with Garnett.”
“It’s like trying to count chickens during feeding time.” Mirisa told the girls to stay in the wagon and she walked toward the post office when she saw Maggie walking down the walkway with a bundle of mail. Just as she was about to turn the saloon door opened and a man stepped out into her path. Maggie started to step around him when he moved blocking her path.
“Well, aren’t you just the prettiest little thing? How come I haven’t met you before?”
Maggie tried to go the other direction when he blocked her. Mirisa watched as this overly dressed cad attempted to engage her daughter in conversation.
He reached out and lifted a strand of her hair as she backed away. “You know I could offer you enough money to make your life wonderful.”
Maggie set her feet as James and Garnett stepped out of the bank taking in the scenario and the look on Mirisa’s face. Neither of them moved as Mirisa drew her gun and walked up behind the man.
“Maggie go to the wagon.”
The man turned and looked at the woman with the gun. “Does she belong to you?”
Mirisa narrowed her eyes menacingly and stuck the gun in his gut. “If you ever, ever approach my daughter again for any fucking reason, it will be the last thing you do. And if you ever insult her by insinuating that you want her to be a whore under your tutelage, you won’t have time to think about whether or not it will be the last thing you do.”
“I don’t believe…”
“You don’t have to believe anything because I heard what you said to her.” Mirisa pushed the gun so far in his
gut that it backed him up a few steps. Two men walked from across the street with their hands on their guns as Garnett drew his as the one man pulled his gun and Garnett shot it out of his hand. The other man turned as James beaded on him and Garnett walked toward the saloon. Smitty watched him approach but Mirisa didn’t move and he knew better than to breathe.
“What’s the problem?”
“This lady is a little upset over something she thought I said and frankly she is a little crazy.”
Garnett turned to Mirisa. “What did he say?”
“He offered Maggie a job.”
Garnett holstered his gun and took out a cigar lighting it. “As a floor girl? Don’t you think she’s a little young?”
Smitty looked at Garnett and James. “I merely wished her a good day. And I do have an opening.” He smirked as Mirisa tried to control the urge to shoot him.
“That’s not how it looked from across the street since she was obviously walking toward her mother when you intentionally blocked her path.”
“What difference does it make to you?”
The Sheriff checked on the wounded man sending him to the doctors before he addressed Smitty. “Is there a problem?”
Mirisa glared at him. “This disgusting man propositioned one of my daughters. I don’t know what kind of town you are running but to allow this man to stalk innocent young women is beyond offensive.” Mirisa backed Smitty against the wall as the Sheriff cleared his throat.
“Mrs. Meeks would you like to put your gun away? I believe your daughter is safely in the wagon.”
“And what happens next time this piece of cow dung…”
“Excuse me but I am a respectable businessman…”
Mirisa laughed as she stuck the barrel of her gun against his crotch. “You are a snake and there’s only one thing that you do when you find a snake. Mark my word; if you ever even look at my children again I will put you in the ground. And if my memory serves me right, a parent has the absolute right to protect her children from child molesters.”
Garnett suppressed a smile suggesting that she holster her gun. She looked at him releasing the hammer before putting it in her holster. “Come near her again and we’ll find out just how big your balls really are.”
Mirisa walked over to the wagon and climbed up on the seat as James holstered his gun and fell in with Garnett as they walked to the wagon and mounted their horses falling in behind Mirisa as she turned the wagon heading east.
“Who is she?”
“I told you there were four of them but I forgot to tell you about her.”
“Nice looking but I would be afraid she would shoot a customer.”
“Well, it won’t be the first man she’s shot and killed.”
“Interesting.”
“Smitty, stay in your part of the world and don’t rattle cages.”
“You worry too much Sheriff, way too much.” Smitty walked back into the saloon and asked for the bourbon before he sat down and started playing solitaire. He could use a little challenge.
Mirisa climbed out of the wagon as Meeks was coming up from the barn. He picked her up and kissed her. “How was your trip into town?”
“It was wonderful.” She kissed him again and herded the girls into the house.
James tied up his horse with that quirky smile that always said something wonderfully bad had happened. “What?”
Garnett went under the hitching post. “She almost shot a man’s most prized possessions into another town.” Meeks didn’t know whether to laugh or to ask why. James told him the story from their viewpoint which he said was a few minutes into the whole story.
“I have never seen a woman that mad and that cold in my life. You might want to start sleeping with your gun under your pillow.”
Garnett laughed so hard that Meeks hit him as he went by. James started unloading the boxes as Jonathan and Maggie came down the stairs to help him. Mirisa was lighting all the lanterns as the smell of coffee filled the house.
Meeks sat down at the bar. “I understand you met Smitty.”
“It’s more like he met me. I didn’t count on any of them being old enough to attract such horrible men.” Mirisa stood up and looked at him. “How do I protect them when it took four of you to protect one of me?”
“Well that does seem to be a problem since at that ratio we would need sixteen men that could be trusted.”
Mirisa put her hand on his face and reached up kissing him again. “Let me know if you find one that could be trusted.”
“I think you are so beautiful when you are mad and I think tonight I shall so enjoy the spoils of that emotion.”
“You are an opportunist.”
“I am a man in love with a woman who does everything except smoke a cigar.”
“Do you want to talk to your daughter or shall I?”
“About what?”
“Alexander, she needs to know about the evil out there.”
“Darling, I will have James talk to her.”
James put the box down on the counter as Jonathan and Maggie came through the door. “Talk to who?”
“Maggie. Mirisa wants her to understand that now that she has become a very attractive young woman that men will want to take advantage of her.”
Maggie turned bright red as Jonathan started unpacking the boxes looking for the fresh pastry. “Jonathan they are already on the counter.” Jonathan smiled and turned to find the white box.
Garnett helped Jonathan as they sat at the bar. “Maggie?” She turned and looked at Garnett. “If a man even has a thought of touching you, your father will kill him and it won’t matter whether he’s evil or not.”
“Well, now that that is settled who is making dinner?”
Mirisa smiled because in the time it took her to get over the anger, they had already made a decision, a plan or just knew the solution. She loved them with all her heart.
James helped Cassie to get out of the wagon. The streets were busy with citizens shopping or going about their business. They went into the hardware store to pick up nails and new rope. Cassie stood at the rack of new seeds pulling out packs of vegetables to include in the garden.
“Daddy, can we buy new gloves for the gardening?”
“Of course. Pick out what you want and give them to Mr. Tootie.”
“And mommy said we need new pickling mix and a lot of those new jars.” Cassie was still going through the seeds and the little pamphlets on gardening tips. She picked out three pamphlets and put them on the counter with her seed packets.
“Good morning Cassie.”
“Good morning Mr. Tottie.”
“Are you increasing your garden this year?”
“I am. If I can grow enough, I can trade it for better feed for my chickens as well as buy some babies.”
“Do you plan on becoming a farmer?”
“No, I want to go into medicine.”
“A nurse?”
“Probably a doctor or maybe I just might become an animal doctor. Yes, I think I will become an animal doctor.”
James had everything loaded into the buckboard and went to settle up the bill finding his daughter in the corner trying on new straw hats. He stood back and watched her before she settled on one. She turned to her father who told Mr. Tootie to add it before he settled the bill.
“Mr. Alcorn, I am having trouble keeping up with the requests for baby chicks that are hardy to this region. How are yours doing?”
“Cassie, do you have chicks for sale?”
“I have…” She stopped and counted silently. “Thirty one chicks under four weeks old and maybe eight under six weeks old.”
“Cassie are they eating or laying hens?”
“Both. Most are fryers.”
“Can I buy them from you?”
“Of course. One of the older chicks is a rooster if anyone needs a good breeding male. The younger ones haven’t revealed whether or not they are hens or roosters so you take a chance unless you wait a few weeks.
We ate our rooster last week because he was getting long of tooth but I have a new one that I got from a rancher who is quite interested in the hens. He will give us plumper chickens.”
“I’ll send someone out to pick them up. Would you like cash or a store credit?”
“A credit please.”
Mr. Tootie smiled as she took her father’s hand and they left the store heading to the bakery to pick up some new sourdough starter and they went into the post office to mail out letters and get the mail for Crossroads. They had requested a small post office but so far the Postmaster had not granted the request so the Association signed an agreement that someone would bring the mail from town every Monday and it would be sorted at the General Store for the ranchers.
James put the mail and newspaper on Meeks desk and fixed a cup of coffee. He opened the paper as Meeks came in and went through the mail.
“Anything of interest in the paper?” James read the editorial.
Is it Time to Clean up Denver?
Following requests by Rancher’s Association for help in ridding the town of the criminal element which is not only running scams in the saloons and brothels but attempting to lure very young girls into unacceptable professions, the Mayor has received a letter from Washington regarding the concerns of the government and in particular the congressmen who take great pleasure in coming to our great city to hunt big game or fish in the pristine mountain rivers. The US Marshall has been assigned to this part of the country and will have the power to remove any elected official if it can be proven they are part of the gang or being paid to look the other way. They shall have the power to review all banking records as well as the records of any business they believe may be using their influence to profit from the petty crimes. They will remain in Denver until all illegal activity has been cleaned up.
They will also close down any house that does not pass a health inspection and arrest any proprietor who has used a gambling debt to secure the debtors young daughters in what can only be described as sexual slavery. The interest charged by these unscrupulous non-citizens who crawl around in the dark keeps these women held in bondage until they no longer bring profits to the establishment.
The local churches has formed an organization to lend their voices to the need to clean up the town and will work together to help the Marshall.
The Visitor_The Final Ride 1875_1928 Page 18
