Emily by Juliet James

Author:Juliet James
Language: eng
Format: epub

22

Once Slim Jim and the ladies had left to go to the steakhouse, Harrison had his “wife” cook up a meal, and took it down to the cellar for Knox. The man had worn a good beating at the hands of Slim Jim, eventually being subdued by a knockout blow to the skull with a chair. He had taken some stopping, and Harrison was not looking forward to having to deal with him once Slim Jim had left town.

The best thing to do, he figured, would be to take Knox’s side as much as possible. And a thick steak and a bottle of whiskey seemed the best place to begin.

He could not untie Knox, of course. Slim Jim had been clear about that. In fact, Slim Jim had said not to go near him until he himself was well out of town, and Knox had heard Slim Jim say it, having come to by that time.

So Harrison unlocked the cellar door and took in the peace offering, setting down the fine-smelling steak and the bottle just out of reach, and telling Knox to behave if he wanted it. Knox nodded his head, and Harrison untied the gag from the man’s mouth.

‘You Goddam filthy buzzard Harrison, I thought you was my friend. You’s in cahoots with him, and fixin’ to do away with me, ain’t ya?’

‘Now calm down Knox, o’ course I’m not. You and me’s been friends a long time, since even before you got that scar on your cheek, remember, and I always been on your side ain’t I? But you was goin’ crazy and raisin’ such a ruckus, I thought you musta gone and got drunk and was goin’ to kill the man. Now, no one’s gonna do away with no one. I’m your friend, dammit.’

‘Then untie my hands and give me that steak and that bottle.’

‘Now you know I can’t do that Knox. You know we gotta stay on Jim’s good side for now, he’s got most of our money. Now you’re still angry and you have a good right to be, and if I untie you, you’ll surely beat me with the bottle and go lookin’ for him, and we’ll all end up in the jailhouse. They might even get wise and match up our three descriptions to one o’ them jobs we got away with.’

‘Well what you doin’ down here then Harrison? Just come to taunt a man with the food and drink or what?’

Harrison commenced then to cut up the steak and feed it to Knox on a fork, in between giving him some good guzzles of the whiskey, and talking to him about things the whole time.

By the time the steak was all gone, Knox had consumed better than three parts of the bottle and was feeling somewhat more relaxed about everything. He even agreed with Harrison that, for now, they must go along with Slim Jim’s plans. But Harrison made it clear to Knox that he too was unhappy with the state of things, and that the next woman to come to town must certainly be for Knox.

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