“Neal, you see anybody else loitering about out front?” Masterson asked.
Brown went to one of the front windows and looked out.
“Nobody suspicious,” he said. “Folks are still starin’ over here, but that’s only natural.”
“Butler, why don’t you tell M.J. what happened here?” Masterson suggested.
“Why?” Butler asked.
“Let her write about it,” Masterson said. “Let folks know what can happen if they get out of line in the Lady Gay.”
“Two nights this week,” M.J. said. “That’s lettin’ them know, all right.”
Butler saw Masterson’s point, though. Whoever those men were, whether they were there for him because of something that had happened in Dodge, or because of a price that was still on his head from back East, they ought to send out a message that said, “You got to come with more than that.”
“Well,” he said, “I came over here looking for an early poker game…”
CHAPTER 33
Marshal Fred Singer returned with several men and the bodies were carried out and over to the undertaker. Masterson, Neal Brown, and Butler did not offer to help. By the time they arrived Butler had told the whole story to M.J. So when Singer left she left with him, to interview him about how his time on the job was going, so far.
“Well,” Butler heard him say as he and M.J. left, “if it wasn’t for that new gambler, Butler, it’d be a damn sight easier…”
After they’d gone Butler looked around and noticed that Al Updegraff had not returned.
“Your bartender,” he said to Masterson.
“What about him?”
“He knew something.”
“What makes you say that?”
“First he was trying to get rid of me,” Butler said, “and then suddenly he offered me a cup of coffee. Also, he took cover behind the bar pretty damn quick.”
“Well, that doesn’t surprise me,” Masterson said. “I’ve been tryin’ to fire him ever since Peacock hired him.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“He’s Peacock’s brother-in-law.”
“That’s right, I heard that already,” Butler said. “You fellas are trying to buy each other out.”
“Say,” Masterson asked, “you wouldn’t be lookin’ to buy half interest in a saloon, would you?”
“Your half?”
Masterson shook his head.
“Peacock’s.”
“I’m afraid I wouldn’t have the money to buy half interest in a place like this. Besides, you don’t know what kind of partner I’d be.”
“You already kept me alive once,” Masterson said. “That already makes you a better partner than A. J. Peacock.”
“What about Neal, here?”
“Me?” Brown asked. “I don’t have a dime to my name.”
“Neal would make a great partner,” Masterson said, “but other than the fact that he doesn’t have any money, he also doesn’t want to own a saloon.”
Brown made a face. “Too stable.”
“So right now,” Masterson went on, “I’m stuck with Peacock.”
“And him with you,” Butler said, “unless you get killed.”
“And you kept that from happening,” Masterson said. “I think I see…”
“You think they were sent to get me out of the way,” Butler said, “making you easier to get to?”
“Well, you are staying in town for a while,” Masterson said. “With you and Neal watching my back I’ll be harder to kill.”
“Great,” Butler said. As if it wasn’t bad enough he was already a target, now he’d have two bull’s-eyes on his back.
“You’re gonna need somebody to watch your back,” Brown pointed out.
“I think I may have the man.”
“Who?” Brown asked.
“I can ask Ben Thompson.”
Neal Brown and Jim Masterson fell quiet.
“Unless he’s not welcome in the Lady Gay?” Butler asked.
“Bat has a lot of respect for Ben,” Brown said. “He just doesn’t like him very much.”
“And you?”
Jim shrugged.
“I guess I don’t know him that well.”
“So…I’ll talk to him?” He didn’t bother to mention that Thompson had sort of already assigned himself that role, anyway—like when they walked back to the Dodge House together the night before.
“Sure, why not?” Masterson asked. “If they’re gonna start sending men at us at this rate—twice in three nights—we’ll probably need all the help we can get.”
Butler hesitated a moment, then asked, “What about your brother? What about Bat?”
“What about him?”
“I mean…is asking for his help an option?”
“No,” Jim Masterson said, “it’s not. Bat’s in Tombstone with the Earps. He’s got his own life, and I’ve got mine.”
“Okay, then,” Butler said. “Just so I know. Now I guess all we need to find out is who’s sending these men?”
“Peacock,” Neal Brown said. “That’s why Al Updegraff has lit a shuck.”
“Could be,” Masterson said.
“What about this whole Dodge City Gang versus Reformers thing?” Butler asked. “I read about that in the newspaper.”
“There’s no damn Dodge City Gang,” Masterson said, “but I wouldn’t put it past the new mayor to want to get rid of us, one way or another.”
“But he fired you,” Butler said.
“And we’re still here,” Brown pointed out.
“And we’re stayin’,” Masterson said, “for now.”
“I’ll talk to Ben, then,” Butler said, “and let you know what happens. Meanwhile—”
“We’ll keep our guns loaded and ready,” Brown assured him.
CHAPTER 34
A. J. Webster’s first four days in office had been good, but not completely satisfying. He’d heard what had happened in the Alhambra the first night the gambler, Butler, had been in town, and now there’d been shoot-outs at the Lady Gay, again involving Butler. Both times Jim Masterson had come out alive.