Blaze! Bloody Wyoming by John Hegenberger

Author:John Hegenberger [Hegenberger, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rough Edges Press
Published: 2016-07-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

“I have three fours,” the gambler said. He was a lean, handsome dude with a string tie and lace shirt.

J.D. stared at his cards. He and the other player were seated at a table in the gambling house, where he used the last gold coin Toller had given him in order to buy into a game of poker. The two men were playing with a fresh deck of Hart’s Squared Linen Eagle Faro Cards; it said so on the box with the blue seal.

J.D. needed this pot to fund Kate’s rescue. “I have three sixes,” he said sternly, laying down his hand to reveal two pair; tens and sixes.

The gambler blinked, leaned back in his chair, and took a deep breath of ambient smoke. “Where’s your other six?”

J.D. drew his Colt, placing it on the green felt of the table, but not letting it out of his weathered hand.

The gambler nodded. “Damn! I hate when this happens. Cut the deck for double or nothing?”

J.D. looked the man in the eye. “You’ve been in this situation before?”

“Third time in as many months. Occupational hazard, but don’t let word of it get around. The pot’s yours, big man.”

J.D. holstered his .45 and raked in the winnings. “I’m obliged to you. This’ll help save a life I hold dear.”

The gambler lifted his shot-glass in a brief toast and watched J.D. ease out through the batwings. “Seemed like a nice fella. Wonder what his troubles are.”

* * *

Now that he had a good wad of cash money, J.D. lost no time making his way back across the street to Chicago Lil’s entertainment emporium.

As he shoved through the entrance, he saw the madame seated at a small table in back, drinking whiskey with the bandaged Hawkwood, who eyed him but made no threatening move. “Because,” she was saying, “I used to run an establishment back in Chi town on Wacker Drive. Brought most of my best girls out here during the gold strike. Got plenty of new ones since then, too.” She winked at Hawkwood.

J.D. approached, clearing his throat.

“Well, lookahere,” Lil declared. “A man with money, I’ll bet. I like that. What can I get for you, mister?”

Hawkwood watched J.D. keenly.

“I’ve come to buy back my wife,” J.D. replied, setting the cash in a loose stack on the table beside the half-empty whiskey bottle.

Lil’s eyes gleamed. “Well,” she tried to hide her interest, but couldn’t stop from licking her rouged lips. “Let’s see how much you got here.” Thumbing the bills, she counted in her head.

Hawkwood fingered the bandage near his right ear and eased back in his chair, keeping a steady eye on the gunslinger.

“Not nearly enough,” the madame announced. “You’re going to need twice this much, if it’s for the girl I’m thinking you want.”

J.D.’s face became stony.

“I think it just might be a good idea if you rode out of town now, mister,” Hawkwood added from where he sat. “We don’t need your kind here in Medicine Bow.”

“Like hell.” J.D. reached a hand to snatch back his cash, but Lil shirked, pulling the money to her ample breast.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.