“Whenever a person does somethin’ wrong, why he don’t generally go aroun’ tellin’ ever’one about it. That’s why Travis lied like he done.”
“So, what you are sayin’ is, you wouldn’t be against doin’ somethin’ wrong, if it made you some money.”
“How much money?” Frank asked.
“A lot of money,” Dinkins answered.
“Where are you going to find a lot of money?” Travis asked.
“Well now, where do people keep a lot of money?” Dinkins replied.
Frank and Travis looked at each other, then smiled.
“A bank,” Frank said. “You talkin’ about robbin’ a bank, ain’t you?”
“That’s where the money is,” Dinkins responded. “Are you boys interested?”
“Damn right we’re interested. When do we do it?”
“Soon.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was four hours by buckboard from Sugarloaf to Gothic. When Sally and Cal left before dawn, there was quite a chill in the air. Their breathing, and the breathing of the horses, emitted little clouds of vapor, but the buffalo robes and sheepskin coats kept them comfortable. It had been Sally’s decision to go by buckboard instead of surrey. She was sure once they started setting up the restaurant they would need some means of hauling freight around.
During their drive over from Big Rock it had warmed up considerably so they shed their coats and put them in the back, alongside Sally’s suitcase and Cal’s duffel. They kept the conversation light as they traveled and the time passed quickly.
The little town of Gothic had grown up in the north part of Gunnison County. It was surrounded by mountains and supported by a productive silver mine, but inexplicably bypassed by the railroad. To Sally and Cal, approaching from the south, the collection of sun-bleached and weatherworn wooden buildings were so much a part of the land that it looked almost as if the town was the result of some natural phenomenon, rather than the work of man.
Crossing the outer edge of the town they encountered a sign, erected by the Gothic City Council.
GOTHIC
POPULATION 507
Sally gave Cal a twenty dollar bill.
“What’s this for, Miss Sally?”
“You’ll need a place to stay while you are here. This is for your hotel and food.”
“I don’t think it’ll cost that much.”
“Well, then you’ll have a little extra money left over for a beer, or perhaps a game of cards,” Sally suggested. “That is, if you don’t gamble too recklessly.”
“Gee, thanks!” Cal said. “Don’t worry none about the gamblin’ part, I don’t never get carried away too much.”
Sally had never been to Tamara’s house, but she had the address so she guided Cal to a very small structure that sat on the outskirts of town. Tamara had been watching for them, and came out front, smiling broadly as they drove up. Sally hopped down and the two women embraced, then Sally reached for her suitcase.
“I’ll get that for you, Miss Sally,” Cal offered.
“Don’t be silly. I’m not helpless. Go get yourself a hotel room, then find a place to park the buckboard and stable the horses.”
“Oh, the hotel has its own stable and wagon yard,” Tamara said. “You won’t have any trouble.”
“Thanks.” Cal snapped the reins as he urged the horses on.
“I knew you would be here about lunchtime, so I prepared lunch for us,” Tamara said as they went into her house, redolent with the most enticing aromas.
“Oh, we should have held Cal here,” Sally said.
“I’m sorry, we should have, shouldn’t we? But I have to confess I never even thought about that. I’m afraid I made just enough for the two of us.”
Although the house consisted of only one room, and was very small, the table had been covered with a white cloth, and was set with sparkling china, silver, and crystal. “Oh,” Sally said. “If you set a table like this in your restaurant, you’ll be drawing people from fifty miles in each direction! It is beautiful!”
“Thank you, but the presentation is only half of it. We’ll have to see how it tastes.”
“Let’s do that right now,” Sally suggested as she pulled the chair out to sit down.
Half an hour later, Sally dabbed at her lips with the napkin. She’d eaten crispy fried asparagus, French onion soup with a toasted baguette, and a bacon and tomato sandwich with peppercorn mayonnaise. “Oh, my. Oh, my, oh, my, oh, my. Once you get your restaurant going over here, you will have to open another one in Big Rock.”
“But wouldn’t that upset Mr. Longmont?” Tamara asked. “I know he prides himself on his restaurant.”
“And rightly so,” Sally agreed. “Because it is a fine restaurant. But Louis is a gentleman, and a connoisseur.
