The Last Buckaroo by J. R. Wright

Author:J. R. Wright [Wright, J. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 22018392
Publisher: J.R. Wright / DKW BOOKS
Published: 2014-04-25T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

Again it was slim pickings at the tavern; only stragglers popped in and out throughout the day. But when evening rolled around the usual crowd came through the open door in droves. Thank goodness the beer wagon had come that afternoon, or she’d be drawing from the last keg. Katie asked the driver to leave two extra, in addition to the eight he usually brought. If business continued as it had been the past few days, she’d need them before he returned the following week. Then of course the murder trial would bring extra people to town. That had always been a big attraction in Blazedale … that and hangings. But there wouldn’t be one of those this time, she was certain.

About an hour into evening a tall stout man of about forty came through the door and marched right up to Katie at the bar. “Hello, good looking,” he said, a boyish grin on his face.

“Hello, Bart.” Katie returned the smile. However, she really didn’t mean it. Bart Miller had been trying to get into her bloomers for the past five years. And even though he was a married man, she expected him to still be at it five years from now. He simply refused to take her repeated rejections as final.

“I bought me a car, Katie. Now I’ll be able to make it over here more often.”

“Well, now that just made my day, Bart.” She looked around the room, appearing unconcerned. “What’ll you have?”

“I bet you missed me, Katie. What’s it been, two months since I was here last?”

“I can’t say as I recall. I guess I was so busy missing you I lost track of time. Has it really been that long? It seems like yesterday.”

“Okay, Katie …” Bart drew back, seeing he was getting nowhere. “I’ll just have a beer … Do you have something in a bottle?”

“Berg’s Lager, but it’s twenty cents.”

“What’s an extra dime?”

Katie went to the ice room door, reached in and came back with it. She found an opener in a drawer and popped the cap. “Enjoy!” She slid the long necked bottle to him.

Bart took a few gulps, then belched loudly. “Damn, that’s good beer.”

Bart always had to be different. The last time, it was some expensive Scotch whisky. He got terribly sick and had to rush out to the street to heave.

“Katie, I’m thinking about buying a house here … you know, like something for a getaway.”

“You mean from your wife?” Katie returned smartly and went down the bar to wait on another customer.

“You know what I mean!”

Katie cast her eyes to him and in the process caught sight of Deputy Striker making his way through the crowded room. He had a bandage over the gash on his head now but that was mostly covered by his hat, down low. The shiner, though, was plenty visible, darker than ever now, looking a bit like raw calf’s liver.

Katie went back to Bart, keeping her eyes on Striker all the while.

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