Read Online Bullets Don't Die by J. A. Johnstone - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J. A. Johnstone
Ads: Link
than it seems like we should be, Jared.”
“I guess so. It’s just that when I look around, there’s so much that’s not right. Just not right . . .”
“Did you get Ahern locked up all right?” The man with the mustache stuck out his hand. “I’m Milt Bennett, by the way. Own the livery stable.”
“Kid Morgan,” The Kid introduced himself as he shook hands with Bennett. “Yeah, Ahern’s behind bars . . . for now.”
Bennett frowned. “Riley’s gonna let him loose once it’s good and dark, isn’t he? He’ll hope that’ll do some good, but it won’t.”
The Kid shook his head. “I wondered about that, too, but he claims he’s not planning to do any such thing. He’s riding out to the Broken Spoke to talk to Harlan Levesy instead.”
“Like that’ll do any good.” Constance pounded the table with her fist. “No, we’re finally going to have to stand up to that bunch and let them know they can’t waltz in here and do whatever they please. Once they see that, they’ll back down. The town’s just as important to Levesy as his business is to the town.”
The Kid hoped she was right about that, but he had his doubts.
“You didn’t tell me what you wanted to drink,” Constance went on.
“Beer’s fine,” The Kid said. With trouble possibly on the way, it would be a good idea to keep a clear head.
Constance signaled to one of the bartenders, then added, “I’ll have some food brought over, too. I imagine it’s been awhile since you and Jared ate.”
“It has been,” The Kid admitted. “Thanks.”
Then, with a touch of the same bleakness that gripped Riley Cumberland, he thought, And the condemned men ate a hearty last meal.
Chapter 10
The food Constance had brought to the table was unusual fare for a saloon—sausages and cabbage—but good, The Kid thought, and he was hungry enough to enjoy it. While he and Tate were eating, Constance and Milt Bennett continued talking about how things had gone sour around Copperhead Springs ever since Cy Levesy died and left the Broken Spoke to his son.
“I think Cy knew Harlan wasn’t much good, even though he didn’t want to admit it,” Bennett said. “He raised the boy by himself after his wife died when Harlan was mighty young. He wasn’t cut out for it, though. He knew he’d done something wrong, but couldn’t figure out how to fix it.”
“A few good beatings might’ve gone a long way,” Constance said caustically. “But I’m not sure even that would have helped Harlan.”
“How many smaller spreads has Levesy taken over?” The Kid asked.
“Let’s see.” Bennett frowned in thought and counted on his fingers. “I make it four.”
“That’s right,” Constance agreed with a nod. “They were all little greasy sack outfits that didn’t amount to much . . . but even so, Harlan didn’t have the right to run off their owners and gobble them up that way.”
“Nobody’s ever gone to the law about him? Sent for the county sheriff ?”
“The county sheriff got a nice big campaign donation from Harlan in last year’s election,” Constance explained. “He’s always going to find some excuse not to come over here and look into what’s going on.”
“How about wiring the governor, then?” The Kid suggested.
“The governor was good friends with Cy. He’s not going to believe Cy’s son is doing anything wrong. That would be disloyal to his old friend.”
The Kid nodded slowly. From the sound of it, the people of Copperhead Springs were in a bad fix, all right. They couldn’t look to outside help and weren’t able to stand up to the men from the Broken Spoke on their own.
“I should do something about this,” Tate declared with a determined frown. “I’m the marshal, and it’s my job to see to it the laws are enforced.”
“Oh, honey, you’re not the marshal anymore,” Constance told him. “I know you may not remember that, but it’s true. We appreciate the sentiment, but it’s not your job to
“I guess so. It’s just that when I look around, there’s so much that’s not right. Just not right . . .”
“Did you get Ahern locked up all right?” The man with the mustache stuck out his hand. “I’m Milt Bennett, by the way. Own the livery stable.”
“Kid Morgan,” The Kid introduced himself as he shook hands with Bennett. “Yeah, Ahern’s behind bars . . . for now.”
Bennett frowned. “Riley’s gonna let him loose once it’s good and dark, isn’t he? He’ll hope that’ll do some good, but it won’t.”
The Kid shook his head. “I wondered about that, too, but he claims he’s not planning to do any such thing. He’s riding out to the Broken Spoke to talk to Harlan Levesy instead.”
“Like that’ll do any good.” Constance pounded the table with her fist. “No, we’re finally going to have to stand up to that bunch and let them know they can’t waltz in here and do whatever they please. Once they see that, they’ll back down. The town’s just as important to Levesy as his business is to the town.”
The Kid hoped she was right about that, but he had his doubts.
“You didn’t tell me what you wanted to drink,” Constance went on.
“Beer’s fine,” The Kid said. With trouble possibly on the way, it would be a good idea to keep a clear head.
Constance signaled to one of the bartenders, then added, “I’ll have some food brought over, too. I imagine it’s been awhile since you and Jared ate.”
“It has been,” The Kid admitted. “Thanks.”
Then, with a touch of the same bleakness that gripped Riley Cumberland, he thought, And the condemned men ate a hearty last meal.
Chapter 10
The food Constance had brought to the table was unusual fare for a saloon—sausages and cabbage—but good, The Kid thought, and he was hungry enough to enjoy it. While he and Tate were eating, Constance and Milt Bennett continued talking about how things had gone sour around Copperhead Springs ever since Cy Levesy died and left the Broken Spoke to his son.
“I think Cy knew Harlan wasn’t much good, even though he didn’t want to admit it,” Bennett said. “He raised the boy by himself after his wife died when Harlan was mighty young. He wasn’t cut out for it, though. He knew he’d done something wrong, but couldn’t figure out how to fix it.”
“A few good beatings might’ve gone a long way,” Constance said caustically. “But I’m not sure even that would have helped Harlan.”
“How many smaller spreads has Levesy taken over?” The Kid asked.
“Let’s see.” Bennett frowned in thought and counted on his fingers. “I make it four.”
“That’s right,” Constance agreed with a nod. “They were all little greasy sack outfits that didn’t amount to much . . . but even so, Harlan didn’t have the right to run off their owners and gobble them up that way.”
“Nobody’s ever gone to the law about him? Sent for the county sheriff ?”
“The county sheriff got a nice big campaign donation from Harlan in last year’s election,” Constance explained. “He’s always going to find some excuse not to come over here and look into what’s going on.”
“How about wiring the governor, then?” The Kid suggested.
“The governor was good friends with Cy. He’s not going to believe Cy’s son is doing anything wrong. That would be disloyal to his old friend.”
The Kid nodded slowly. From the sound of it, the people of Copperhead Springs were in a bad fix, all right. They couldn’t look to outside help and weren’t able to stand up to the men from the Broken Spoke on their own.
“I should do something about this,” Tate declared with a determined frown. “I’m the marshal, and it’s my job to see to it the laws are enforced.”
“Oh, honey, you’re not the marshal anymore,” Constance told him. “I know you may not remember that, but it’s true. We appreciate the sentiment, but it’s not your job to
Similar Books
