TW12 The Six-Gun Solution NEW by Simon Hawke Read Free Book Online Page B

usually get a real welcome there. And they never cause much trouble in town, either. At least they didn't until lately."
    "Oh? What changed things?"
    "Well, there's a lot of money in this town right now. It's growing bigger every day. And that's a lot of bullion going out on the two stage lines. That can be real tempting for some people who don't have too many scruples."
    Jenny downed her "smidgen" of wine in one quick gulp and held her glass out for more as she spoke. Scott refilled it.
    "So you're saying the town's attracting a bad element?"
    "Oh, there's no doubt about that! Sheriff Johnny Behan? You run into him yet?"
    "No, I can't say I have."
    "Well, you ask me, he's one of them. He's a real handsome man, though his hair's thin on top, and he goes around like he's God's gift to women. He's good friends with Ike Clanton and his bunch. And his deputy, Billy Breakenridge, he's not much better. Sadie calls him Billy Blab, because he talks so much and is real full of himself."
    “Sadie?"
    “Oh, that's right. you wouldn't know her. Actually, her name is Josephine, but her middle name is Sarah so her close friends call her Sadie. She used to be Johnny Behan's girl, only now she's with Wyatt and there's been bad blood between the two men ever since. See, her daddy paid for her to build this house in town when she was engaged to Johnny, only now Johnny's on the outs with her and she's with Wyatt, but Johnny owns the lot the house is standing on and one night, he came to try and dispossess her. Only Morg was there and he knocked Johnny clear off the front porch."
    "Sounds like things keep jumping around here," Neilson said, with a smile. He refilled Jenny's glass as she held it out again for another smidgen. "I just might stick around a while."
    "What brings you to Tombstone, Scott? If you don't mind my asking, that is."
    “No, I don't mind. I came looking for some friends of mine. Only I found out they'd been killed. Maybe you knew them - Ben Summers, Josh Billings and Joe McEnery?"
    "Oh. My, yes!" she said. "They were friends of yours? It was an awful thing, what happened. They were real gentlemen, all three of them, always so nice and so polite. Never pawing at you like a lot of men do. Ben and Josh were always friendly, but Joe was kind of sweet on me. He used to sneak over sometimes to see me, when the others weren't around. See, they were all supposed to be saving up to buy a ranch together out in Oklahoma and he didn't want the other two to know that he was spending any of it on me.
    "I see," said Scott. What he hadn't wanted them to know was that he was going to a hooker. That son of thing was against regulations, though it was known to happen. Observers were only human, after all, and long-term postings had their hardships.
    "You don't approve of me,” she said.
    "No, I wouldn't say that. A girl has to make a living. I'd say that Joe McEnery had good taste.”
    She lowered her eyes demurely. "It's sweet of you to say that, Scott."
    "Did you see Joe often?"
    "Every now and then."
    "Did he ever say anything about anyone in town he might be worried about? Someone he had trouble with, perhaps, or someone new in town who looked suspicious to him?"
    "Well, he did ask some questions, once or twice," she replied. "He seemed curious about that Mr. Drake and a few others."
    "Mr. Drake?"
    "Oh, well, he had a room right here in this hotel, but he checked out and left town. Nathan Drake, his name was, a rich man from back East somewhere. He came out here looking to make some investments, like a lot of people do. He wasn't interested in silver, I don't' think, just property, only he didn't find anything here that suited him. Then there was that Mr. Stone, from San Francisco. Joe was curious about him, as well. He's a gambler and you can find him most nights in the Oriental or the Alhambra. He's new in town, only came in a few weeks ago. And Zeke Bailey. Joe asked about him, as well. Zeke's a gunsmith, works for Mr. Spangenberg at