Halsey by Neil Hunter

Author:Neil Hunter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: action hero, george g gilman, piccadilly publishing, neil hunter, craig johnson, wild west fiction, best western ebook, outlaws and lawmen, louis masterson
Publisher: Piccadilly

Chapter Nine

LINCOLN SHANKS RAN the only gunsmith store in town. He was a slim, open-faced man in his early fifties. Fair haired, clean shaven and with a pleasant manner. What he didn’t know about guns wasn’t worth worrying about.

When Halsey stepped inside he laid down the Henry rifle he was working on and gazed at the handgun Halsey was holding.

‘There a problem with that, Bryn?’ he said.

‘No, it shoots well enough. Only the feller using it was a poor shot.’

‘That to do with the ruckus I heard a while back?’

Halsey nodded.

‘Feller tried to shoot me. He missed. I didn’t.’

‘Mmmm,’ Shanks said. ‘Somebody with a grudge against the law? Or you in particular?’

‘Still trying to figure that out. Feller by the name of Sheb Ketch. Can’t recall ever speaking to him. Didn’t have much to do in town. Heard he did work for Bull Semple on his spread. No thought as to why he wanted to take a shot at me. But I’m working on that. Been a strange day all round. Now I figured you might recognize the gun. Long chance but you’re the only ’smith in town.’

Halsey laid the Colt on the counter and watched Shanks study it before he picked it up and examined it closely, turning it this way and that. He finally stared close at the base of the butt-strap between the wood grips.

‘I sold this a year ago,’ he said.

‘You can tell by just looking at it?’

‘No magic there.’

Shanks reached under the counter and produced a thick ledger. He rifled through the pages, stopped, ran a finger down the page.

‘There we are,’ he said. ‘Sold it to ... to Chet Gaines.’

Chet Gaines.

Now that did give Halsey something to think about.

‘That’s my mark on the butt,’ Shanks said. ‘Got the idea a few years back. Means I can prove a gun was sold by me.’

He turned the revolver over and showed Halsey the minute indentations there, explain he placed them there by using a set of small number punches.

‘Never had anyone ever spot them,’ he said. ‘But it covers me if a customer ever has a complaint about a gun I sold.’

Halsey picked up the Colt and put it back behind his belt.

‘How’d Gaines’ gun come to be in someone else’s hands?’ Shanks said.

Halsey smiled. ‘Now that’s something I need to find out.’

As he turned to leave Shanks said, ‘How’s Miss Munro doing? I heard she was with you when that feller took his shot.’

‘Just on my way to find out. Thanks for your help, Linc.’

Halsey walked along the street until he reached The Blue Bonnet again. He decided it was time he ate. The café served the best food in town. Owned and run by Hannah Goode. Widow who had taken over on the death of her husband. The food was habit-forming. Always cooked by the woman herself and served up in above average portions. Hannah prided herself on her culinary skills and her reputation in Creedence had grown with passing time.

Halsey paused at the door to take a quick look around.

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