Read Online City of Widows by Loren D. Estleman - Free Book Online

overalls and everything in the pockets. People will read about the Apache Princess in Boston.”
    â€œI have a line on a bar.” Junior was petulant.
    â€œWhat will we use to acquire all this elegance, besides a six-shooter?” I asked.
    â€œWe can borrow the money and offer the saloon as collateral.”
    Junior bared his teeth. “Borrow from who, Geronimo? The nearest bank with that kind of capital is in Santa Fe and it won’t gamble on anything this close to the border. It’s the first place I went when I decided to become a saloonkeeper.”
    â€œThere has to be someone in the vicinity with means and the itch to increase them. A rancher.”
    He shook his head. “That’d be John Whiteside, but everything he has is tied up in cattle. I doubt he would invest in an enterprise in town anyway.”
    â€œFrank Baronet.”
    Four eyes met mine. Junior’s treadle-shaped jaw fell open. “That diamondback son of a bitch? Your pardon,” he said to Colleen.
    But she wasn’t listening. “Who is he? Does he have money?”
    I told her who he was. “Sheriffing is a porkbarrel job out here. He gets to claim a percentage of the taxes he collects, and the registration fees and whatnot he imposes by his own order probably go into his personal war chest. On top of that he has the gaming concession at the Orient in Socorro City and who knows how large a piece of how many others. It’s his county, he answers to no one but the governor, and he doesn’t answer to this governor. Then his brother is a desperado, a dead one officially but alive probably, and successful. Brothers share. Yes, I would say he has money.”
    â€œYou don’t make him sound like a friend. Would he be interested in investing?”
    â€œI’ve only known him a short time. With some people that’s all you need. My impression is if this place has as much potential as you say, he’ll find a way to cut himself in even if we don’t invite him. Especially if we don’t. This way at least we’d have some of his money to play with.”
    â€œAnd his hand in our pocket till Gabriel blows.” Junior stood and tugged on his hat. “You know my position. The notion of cutting Frank Baronet in as a fourth partner don’t sweeten the tea.”
    â€œThat’s one vote. Murdock?”
    â€œI’ve sided worse. At least we can trust Baronet to deal us dirt if he sees the chance. It’s the not being sure that makes most arrangements go south.”
    â€œCall that a vote yes. Carried. We’ll discuss the details tonight. I’m dealing.”
    I was looking down at her now. “Friday is the first good night of the week. I might have known you’d claim it.”
    â€œThe Princess has more than one table, and I have my own board and cue box. Deal or don’t.” She lifted a book off the arm of the sofa and opened it. The title on the pebbled cover read The Gentleman’s Guide to Percentages in Games of Chance.
    Outside, Junior asked, “Are you really fixing to climb into bed with Baronet after what he done to you in Socorro City?”
    â€œThat was personal. This is business. The protection of his office is worth something. Anyway he’ll nickel and dime us to death if we don’t.”
    â€œI’m opposed to it.” Suddenly he grinned; his disposition had more varieties than the weather in Montana. “I thought for a minute there you and Colleen was going for your irons.”
    â€œI wish you’d told me she was the partner.”
    â€œSwear to God, you spend a winter with a man in a line shack you think you know him. I never suspected.”
    â€œSuspected what?”
    â€œThat you could fall in love so hard.”

7
    A S IT HAPPENED , Colleen Bower and I didn’t have the chance to discuss renovations that night. Early on the gamblers were stacked six deep at her table to play and watch, and