Page 51 of Charlotte's Reckoning
“Livingon the trailmost of my life, I only need a few hours. What are the other keys to?”
“Good question,”he saidwith a shrug. “One is to the gun case, but I don’t know about the others. Maybe your deputies can fill you in.”
Seth pocketed the keys with a jingle. They would need to be pared down or would interfere with his holster and slow down his draw. A fraction of a second could mean the difference between life and death, and the mayor would have to begin his personnel search over again.
It seemed a good time to give voice to his lingering doubts. “The council didn’t sound as convinced as you are that I’m the man for the job.”
“You received five votes. Six if you include mine, but the mayor’s vote usually only counts in a tie.”
This meant there was still one vote against. “Earl was the lone holdout, I take it.”
Jackson waved off the lone dissent with a dismissive scoff. “Earl Rhode’s middle name is cantankerous. If he ever stops griping, you better call Doc Morgan or my wife because he’s stopped breathing.”
“Your wife?”Seth asked, intrigued.
“Doc is a good man, but if you’re seriously ill or injured, it’s best to call Janelle. She’s college-trained and the best healer in the territory.”
He had heard of healers and medicine women but never one who had schooling to learn their craft. But he trusted the man at his word, biased though it might be. “I’ll remember that.”
“She’s a damn fine cook, too. Once you’re settled, we’ll have you over for supper. You should also try to attend the monthly barn dance to socialize with members of the community you won’t normally encounter while on duty.”
“You’re not trying to discourage me, are you, Mayor?”
“Call me Aaron. I don’t stand on ceremony. I also don’t want to sell you a pig in a poke.”He grimaced. “Don’t tell Janelle I said that. She says I’m becoming more like my pa every day.”
“Your father seemed confident in your abilities. Maybe that’s a compliment.”
The young man’s smile revealed his deep affection for his family. “As fond of as she is of Henry Jackson, it may very well be.”
The outside door suddenly burst open with a bang, and a shout pierced the air. “Marshal Jackson!”
A young man, his face flushed and covered in sweat, rushed into the room, breathing hard. “There’s a man at Doc Morgan’s creating a ruckus.”
No longer marshal, but Mayor Jackson asked, “Why is he at Doc’s?”
“He says he was shot outside the Red Eye,”he exclaimed between ragged gasps. “By one of the upstairs gals, only he didn’t use such a polite term. He’s demanding justice. Wants her locked up and tried for attempted murder when Judge Simpson comes through next week.”
Closing his eyes, Aaron sighed while pinching the bridge of his nose. “Any idea what really happened, Davey?”
“Word is, he got rough with one of Miss Charlotte’s ladies, so she shot him in the, uh…”Red-faced, he shifted, clearly searching for a word.
“Shot him where, Davey?”Aaron demanded.
“In the plums, Marshal. I mean, uh, Mayor.”
A surprised laugh slipped from Seth. “Seriously? She must be a deadeye.”
The kid looked at him in surprise, as if becoming aware for the first time since entering there was someone else in the room. Not much older than he was when he set out on his own, Davey had a silver star on his shirt with DEPUTY etched into it.
“There was a lot of blood,”he explained, “but when I left, Doc was assuring him he still had all of his parts. The bullet mostly grazed his inner thigh.”
“Sounds like he got lucky,”Seth murmured, while he and the other two men shifted uncomfortably at the thought of an injury in such a delicate location.
“If Charlotte shot him. I guaran-damn-tee he deserved it.”Aaron declared. “Congratulations, Walker. The job starts now.”
“This is what some would call a trial by fire,”Seth observed.
Jackson’s gaze met his. “Here in Laramie, we call it Friday night.”
