Page 36 of The Savage Outlaw

“What the hell is that?” Deed asked.

“Some old moonshine,” Custer said. “We all could use a drink.”

“Keep that ancient shit away from me,” Linc said. “That stuff will kill someone.”

Custer twisted off the cap and with one sniff, he almost lost his balance.

“Nobody drink that,” Cyrus ordered. “Except Custer. His liver is trained for that shit. Now back on topic here. I got a call from Chief Dick. Here we thought things were going to calm down. Nope.”

“They can’t keep investigating for Fitz,” Linc said.

“No,” Darrow said. “They have everything ready to close up and move on. I’ve seen the paperwork. Everything we did worked perfectly. They’re assuming an animal attack.”

“They found a body,” Cyrus said. “One of the dancers out from Stevey GoGo’s place.Candy…?”

“Candy Velvet,” Priest said. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Of course you’d know her,” Monte said.

“Priest, I have to ask just to know,” Cyrus said. “I have no idea what you’re going through right now. But…”

“You think I killed her?” Priest asked.

Cyrus shrugged. “She was roughed up too. Badly. I don’t know how to say this, but, her tits were cut off.”

“Oh, fuck,” Linc said.

“Did they find the tits?” Priest asked.

“Why the fuck would you ask that?” Cyrus growled. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“I don’t know,” Priest said. “Poor girl. She was cute. She was fun. She had her tongue pierced and when she’d suck my cock, her piercing would hit mine and make noise.”

“How romantic,” Monte said.

“She was found tied up, gagged, tits cut right from her chest,” Cyrus said. “And a bullet to the back of her head. Chief Dick thinks whoever did this did everything to her before shooting her.”

“Tortured,” Darrow said. “Give me the location and I’ll see what I can find.”

“I just wanted to make sure someone here didn’t get a little too crazy,” Cyrus said. He slowly turned his head and looked right at Priest.

“I get it,” Priest said. “That kind of thing might seem like something I’d do.”

“Didn’t you have the idea of starting a business to collect breasts from women who die so you could preserve them and put them on display?” Linc asked.

“Did you really say that?” Slade asked.

“A long time ago,” Priest said. “It was an idea. You know, sometimes things happen. Life gets cut short. Why should a nice pair of tits be buried or cremated?”

“Priest, did you kill that woman and cut off her tits?” Cyrus asked.

The entire table started to laugh. It suddenly felt like old times once again. Asking Priest the most insane questions possible and not knowing what the answer would be.

Before Priest could answer, Custer took what was his second large gulp of the old moonshine. He started to cough and for some reason he jumped up and down on his seat a few times, sending his seat back, only he didn’t move with it. The old outlaw slammed down to the floor with a hard thud and a wheezing gasping sound.

“Fuck!” Slade yelled as he jumped up.

“The geezer is kicking it,” Monte said. “Right in the middle of prayer.”

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