Devlin's Curse by Lady Brenda Read Free Book Online Page A

nothin’ but a vulture that un, rolled into town a year ago this July, been buying up evr’ claim he can git his hands on, an sometimes he don’t pay fer um.”
    Devlin poured him another shot. “And why do you say that?”
    Boots downed his shot before answering. “He’s got him some hardcases, you don’t sell him yer claim, and well I’m just saying, folks have a way a turning up daid.”
    Devlin poured him another shot. “And what do you know of his business with Anderson and the Gilded Bird mine?”
    Boots downed his shot then shook his grizzly head. “That there ain’t a story fer tender ears. Big Jim went down into that mine with two others, only he come out and well, all they found of them other two was jus’ pieces.”
    “Yet Big Jim survived?”
    Boots nodded. A shadow passed over his rheumy blue eyes.
     
    When the sourdough Boots had done spilling his town gossip and was slumped against the wall snoring, Devlin rose and went out to the boardwalk. From the corner of his eye he saw her, Bianca Snow; her disguise of a sophisticated dress and red hennaed hair did not fool him for a minute. Her lush body that haunted his waking dreams was still the same one that he saw whisking around the corner at Union and C. He also noticed the dandy in a brown bowler hat that followed her at a not so discreet distance. Curious he crossed the street and intercepted him.
    When a dark figure blocked Mr. Leonard White’s view, his lustful musings over a tempting bustle were blown clear away.  He skidded to a halt. “Hey there mister…” He sputtered and then looked up. He saw the lean figure of the gambler dressed all in black. He took in how the man casually placed his hand on his hip near a deadly looking gun.
    Oh shit, he thought.
    His voice came out as a squeak. “Stand aside.”
    The gambler smiled. “Where are you going in such an all fired hurry?” he drawled. 
    Leonard stood up straight and adjusted the lapels of his plaid suit. “It’s – It’s none of your business, mister. Now let me pass.”
    The gambler looked though him with cold eyes. Leonard felt a chill as if the stranger could see into his soul and witness all of his nasty misdeeds. Could actually see him as he scoured the steaming, smoke filled battlefield to cut off the fingers dead soldiers for their wedding rings and pull out the teeth from their mouths for their gold fillings.
    The gambler sneered. “I am making it my business when I see a low sidewinder like you sniffing around after a lady.”
    Leonard felt heat in his gut at those words, and his hand itched for the hideout gun in his vest. “Who th’ hell r’ you?”
    “Devlin Winter, and go ahead, yank that hideout.”
    Jesus fuck! thought Leonard.
    It looked as if fate had put him face to face with the object of Jim Diamond’s reward.  His taste for the gold nearly made him go for his gun but his sneaky weasel sense of self- preservation stopped him.
    Devlin saw his hesitation.  He was mildly disappointed because for a spilt second he had looked into this vermin’s soul and seen its rot. He would’ve liked to blast him straight to Hell.  At the same time he had also sensed a connection and knew that this low character was a part of the events that were about to unfold.
    “You don’t know who yer talkin to, who I’m working for,” Leonard said.
    Devlin shrugged. “Just turn your yellow tail around the other way and give my regards to Big Jim Diamond.”
    Fuming, Leonard stalked away.
    As Devlin watched him go, a gust of wind blew down the street. A paper handbill fluttered through the air and came to rest down at his feet.  He picked it up and read:
    “Now open for business The Emerald Salon, 22 B Street, Gentleman’s pleasure, Monte, Faro, Poker, fine liquors, music and dancing, featuring Miss Esmeralda Jones, The Queen of Montebank.”
    He smiled and tucked the paper into his vest. This was an interesting development.  It looked like he would be paying a visit to