Kinch Riley by Matt Braun

Author:Matt Braun
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group
Published: 2011-05-24T00:00:00+00:00

TEN

The five men were seated around a table in the Lone Star. They were alone, for sunrise was scarcely an hour past, and none of the saloon help had yet arrived. Spivey and Judge Muse, flanked by Tonk Hazeltine, occupied one side of the table. Seated across from them were McCluskie and Bill Bailey.

Not unlike dogs warily eying one another, the Texan and McCluskie had their chairs hitched around sideways to the table. They had exchanged curt nods when the meeting began, and afterward seated themselves so they could keep each other in sight. This guarded maneuvering was hardly lost on the others, yet none of them displayed any real surprise. The story of Bailey’s humiliation at the hands of the kid was by now common knowledge. It had created a sensation on both sides of the tracks, and except for the upcoming bond issue, the townspeople had talked of little else for the last week.

Word had spread that Bailey meant to even the score, and hardly anyone doubted he would try. Unless McCluskie got to him first, which seemed highly likely. Still, betting was about evenly split, and speculation was widespread as to the outcome if it ever came to a showdown.

When the men first sat down, Spivey had attempted to ease the tension with some idle chitchat. But it quickly became apparent that his efforts were largely wasted. While Muse joined in, the others simply stared back at him like a flock of molting owls. Hazeltine and Bailey shared a bitter dislike for the Irishman, who in turn, looked through them as if they didn’t exist. Spivey finally gave it up as hopeless and at last got down to business.

“Gents, I called this meetin’ so we could get everything squared away neat and proper. Once the votin’ commences I don’t figure we’re gonna have much chance to get our heads together. Whatever’s got to be ironed out, we’d best get to it now. Later we likely won’t have time.”

There was a moment of silence while everybody digested that. After a while Hazeltine cleared his throat. “I don’t follow you. What’s left to be done?”

“Well, Tonk, when we agreed to deputize these boys”—Spivey waved his hand in the general direc-. tion of McCluskie and Bailey—“we sort of thought you’d make good use of ‘em. I kept waitin’ but as of last night you hadn’t said yea or nay. Seemed to me we oughta talk about it.”

“What’s to talk about?” The lawman gave him an indignant frown. “I’m the law here and I’ll see that everything comes off the way it’s s’posed to.”

Spivey and Muse exchanged glances. Then the judge made a steeple of his fingers and peered through them at Hazeltine. “Deputy, we’re not casting aspersions on you personally. Nothing of the sort. We’re merely asking what your plans are.”

“Hell, we don’t need no plans. You talk like we was electin’ a new President or somethin’. It’s nothin’ but a measly goddamn bond vote.”

Spivey swelled up like a bloated toad.

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