The Case of Billy's Missing Gun (Sherlock and Me Mystery) by SJ Slagle

Author:SJ Slagle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: murder, humor, female sleuth, cozy mystery, series, reno, billy the kid, do the right thing, strong female lead, western action
Publisher: SJ Slagle

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CHAPTER 12

Jacque Dawson was as memorable a western character as any famous outlaw. Tall with a full mane of silky white hair, Jacque’s hawk-like nose was the prominent feature on his otherwise bland face. Never one to suffer fools, he fancied himself a good judge of character. He began his career as appraiser and curator at a young age attending estate auctions with his parents who operated a small antique shop in Rockford, Illinois. He majored in museum studies at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and later Arizona State University. He paid his dues working many small museums in Arizona and New Mexico all the while purchasing and selling western artifacts as the opportunity arose. By the time he was hired as curator at the Museum of Art in Reno, Nevada, Jacque Dawson was a well-known expert in Western Americana artifacts, particularly Native American crafts and Old West guns, weapons and knives.

His large nose came in handy for other things besides breathing. Jacque was able to sniff out a phony Army rifle, revolver or any kind of Colt at thirty paces. Sometimes twenty. His intense scrutiny took in the customer, his appearance, mannerisms and level of honesty with a good look beginning with the eyes and including a full sweep of the body and handshake. But he wondered if he’d been taken in by Pete Coppersmith. He had heard of George Coppersmith, Pete’s grandfather and had nearly witnessed the shootout that took his life. Jacque, a young man then, had been out on the town that night and wandered over to a crowd gathered by Blondy’s Bar. He was surprised and saddened to watch George’s demise face down in the dirt on a main street in Reno in front of stragglers, tourists and drunks.

When Pete Coppersmith had appeared at the museum a few weeks back, Jacque welcomed him because of Pete’s long tenure in the city. Jacque knew with his father’s criminal background and his grandfather’s colorful past, Pete had probably worked hard to improve the family’s reputation. Pete introduced himself as a dealer in western antiquities. The 1860 Army rifle and Civil War revolver he presented to Jacque for authentication were spot-on perfect with no controversy. Pete’s paperwork was genuine and Jacque found private buyers for Pete within a week. Everyone was happy.

Then Pete had called with more interesting news: he had come across an Army single action Colt revolver that could possibly have belonged to the famous Western outlaw, Billy the Kid. Jacque’s curiosity was piqued in part by that declaration but more about where the gun had been found. When Pete mentioned an estate sale in California, Jacque’s focus intensified. A gun this infamous would be worth a King’s ransom. The claim was shaky but he still had to see it.

So he was to meet a man named Davey Foster at the Cal Neva Casino on a specified night. Walking through the main floor, Dawson looked for a large man wearing a black cowboy hat decorated with a silver and turquoise band.

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