That did it. Seamus grabbed hold of the front of the mayor’s shirt and nearly yanked him off his feet. “I should pistol-whip you.”
“Really, now,” Chester said, prying at the other’s fingers. “Is this manhandling necessary?”
A choice selection of cusswords was on the tip of Seamus’s tongue when a large bulk loomed behind the mayor and a hand bigger than his shot out and seized his wrist.
“Release my husband this instant,” Adolphina Luce demanded.
Taken aback by the strength in her grip, as well as her gender, Seamus let go and she let go of him. “Mrs. Luce. Are you aware of what your husband has done?”
“More than aware since it was my idea,” Adolphina said. She resorted to her most disarming smile. “Is there a problem?”
“You can’t invite killers into your town.”
“Who says we can’t?” Adolphina retorted. “There is no law against it that we know of.”
“There is a law against murder,” Seamus said, “and soliciting for murder.”
“But we are not soliciting anything,” Adolphina remarked. “We merely extended an invitation.”
“A quibble, at best, and a distinction a judge is not likely to agree with,” Seamus said. He and the sheriff had talked it out before he left Dodge, and he had a mental list of criticisms, legal and otherwise.
“Are you here to arrest us?” Adolphina asked.
“If I could, I would,” Seamus said. Once again he shook the newspaper. “I am here to put a stop to this madness. You will place a notice in tomorrow’s Times stating that your previous notice was in error.”
“We will do no such thing.”
Seamus never hit women but he dearly yearned to make an exception. “Damn it, woman. Listen to reason. The county is prepared to take whatever steps are necessary to stop you.”
“By the county you mean the sheriff,” Adolphina divined. “But since you had already admitted you do not have grounds to arrest us, what is left? Take us to court?”
“If the county has to, it will.”
“Legal proceedings cost a lot of money,” Adolphina said. “They also take a lot of time. There are appeals and more appeals. It could be years before the legal aspects are resolved.”
“Don’t do this,” Seamus said.
“The case might go all the way to the Supreme Court.”
“Don’t do this, Mrs. Luce.”
Adolphina placed her hand on Chester’s shoulder and smiled. “I am afraid you have ridden here for nothing, Undersheriff Glickman. Go back and tell Sheriff Hinkle and whoever else is opposed to our idea that we stand firm in our commitment.”
Seamus ground his teeth in exasperation. He looked at her husband and then at Win Curry. “Don’t either of you have anything to say? Why is she doing all the talking when she is not an elected official?”
“My wife speaks on my behalf,” Chester said, “and on behalf of the good people of Coffin Varnish.”
“Good people!” Seamus snorted. “Idiots is more like it. Jackasses who will find themselves six feet under if they are not careful.”
“Watch your language in the presence of a lady,” Adolphina said.
In disgust, Seamus threw the newspaper in the dust. “Fine. It is on your heads. I will talk to the sheriff and he will send word to the governor. After that, it is out of our hands.” Wheeling, he strode toward his mount.
Winifred hurried after him. “Don’t go away mad. Would you care for a drink before you leave?”
“I would like a club to beat some sense into those simpletons.” Seamus did not stop. He unwrapped the reins, hooked his foot in the stirrup, and swung up.
“It was not my doing,” Win stressed.
Seamus lifted the reins and scowled. “You live here. Whether you agreed or not, you will suffer the consequences. What do they hope to get out of it, anyhow?”
“More bodies to display at a dollar a view.”
“Money? They are doing this for the money?” Seamus shook his head. “They invite killers to come to town, invite killers to kill one another, and then your friends will put the dead killers on display for a measly dollar?”
“Not so measly,” Win said. “But maybe nothing will come of it. Maybe no curly wolves will show.”
“You better hope they don’t. When you have a wolf by the tail, it can turn on you.” With that bit of wisdom, Seamus clucked to his buttermilk and reined to the south. The Luces were staring at him. He smiled at them, a cold, bitter smile, and focusing on the woman, raised a hand in farewell. “I won’t shed a tear at your funerals.”
“I get the impression he does not like us,” Chester commented as the lawman reached the end of the street and spurred the buttermilk into a trot.
“Him and his expensive clothes and his ivory-handled pistol,” Adolphina said. “He is a fine one to criticize us for trying to make a little money.” She squinted at the bright sun. “I can use a nap. I will be upstairs if you need me.”
“Yes, dear.” Chester closed the door and crossed the street. “That was interesting, wouldn’t you say?”
Win was in his rocking chair under the overhang, slowly rocking. “I wish I could sell out and leave.”
“What? Where would you go?”
“Somewhere. Anywhere. Hell, I don’t know. But I don’t want to be here when the pistoleros and badmen start drifting in. It won’t be healthy.”
Chester settled into the chair he customarily claimed. “That is panic talking. You are letting Glickman spook you.”
“Listen to yourself,” Winifred said. “How can I have known you so long yet know you so little?”
Just then Sally Worth came out of the saloon. She wore a new dress cut low at the bosom to accent her charms. Stretching, she arched her back, then scratched herself. “I swear. I sleep in much too late. Half the day is gone and I am just waking up.”
“That is some dress,” Chester said, praising her.
Sally’s eyes twinkled. She turned in a circle while running a hand down her body. “You really like it? I bought it with my earnings from the three days we had those bodies on display.”
“Glickman was just here,” Win let her know. “He asked our illustrious mayor to change his mind about our invite to the lobos of this world.”
Sally put a hand to her throat. “You didn’t give in, I hope?” she asked Luce.
“I did not,” Chester said proudly.
“Not with his wife supplying the backbone he needed,” Win said.
Grinning, Sally bent toward Chester and winked. “You see, Your Lordship? Your missus is good for something, after all.”
Chester turned red. “I have never made any statements to the contrary, and I will brand as a liar anyone who says I did.”
Sally Worth laughed, and after a bit, so did Chester.
“At long last I understand,” Win said.
Both Chester and Sally looked at him and Chester asked suspiciously, “Understand what, might I ask?”
“When I was a sprout my ma used to read to us. She liked books about those old-time Greeks and Romans.”
“Yes. So,” Chester goaded when Winifred did not continue.
“One time she read about how Rome was set on fire, and while the city burned, their mayor or whatever he was played a fiddle and admired the flames.” Winifred sniffed. “I never savvied how anyone could do that until just this minute.”
“I thought we were friends. I take that as a slur on my office,” Chester said indignantly.
“Take it however you like,” Winifred responded. “Because there you two were, laughing, knowing full well we have unleashed the whirlwind.”
“You worry a thing to death,” Sally said.
“And you don’t worry enough.” Winifred resumed rocking. “But have it your way. All that is left now is for us to sit back and wait for the killing to commence.”