yourself?”
“No. A saw and hammer never did fit right in my hand,” I replied. “I mainly supervised.”
Ike smiled and gestured at a chair.
“May I sit?”
“Go ahead.”
Ike eased into a chair across the table from me.
“We need to talk,” he said.
“About what?”
“You killed two of my men last night.”
“I did,” I confirmed.
“Why? They were just looking for a good time, is all.”
“They were looking in the wrong place,” I said, and Ike frowned at me.
“I can’t afford for my men to be shot to doll rags every time they come to town,” he objected.
“I can see how you’d feel that way,” I nodded.
“So we need to reach an agreement of some sort.”
“I’ve always been agreeable.”
“Do you have any suggestions?”
I thought for a moment.
“All I ask is that your men behave themselves and don’t harass my customers.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then I’ll shoot them,” I declared, and nodded at Brian. “Or, he will.”
“That’s your idea of an agreement?” Ike scowled.
“Sure.”
“That doesn’t sound very legal to me.”
“Nobody’s perfect,” I shrugged.
Ike sat silently for a moment, looking at me thoughtfully.
There was a noise at the door, and Ross walked in. He studied the men at the bar, and then he spotted Brian. He glanced at us, moved to the other corner of the room, and sat down.
“This lifestyle doesn’t fit you,” Ike spoke back up. “You’re not a businessman. You belong outdoors.”
“What I am,” I replied slowly, “is none of your business.”
Ike grunted and leaned forward in his chair.
“I want to buy this hotel,” he announced boldly.
I shook my head.
“This hotel isn’t for sale.”
“Name your price,” Ike said as he ignored my comment.
I shook my head again.
“I’ll pay you twice what it’s worth,” Ike tried again. “And, after I buy the place you and Brian can work for me. I’ll pay you top wages.”
“No thanks.”
Ike didn’t seem bothered or upset. Instead, he just nodded as he stood.
“All right then, I’m not one to beg. You’ll be sorry you didn’t accept my offer.”
“Perhaps.”
“I’ll talk with my men. They won’t cause you anymore trouble.”
“I appreciate that.”
Ike nodded. He looked at Brian once more, and then he turned and walked proudly out of the hotel. His men followed after him.
Chapter fifteen
Ross and Brian walked over to my table.
“What was that all about?” Ross asked.
“I’m not exactly sure,” I replied.
“Besides buying the hotel, what else did he want?”
“He asked me to stop killing people.”
“What’d you say to that?”
“I told him I’d only shoot those that deserve it.”
“And he went along with that?” Ross smiled faintly.
“We’ll find out.”
Ross’s smile disappeared, and he suddenly looked worried.
“I wish Rondo would get back,” he said wistfully, and asked, “Do you need me for anything else?”
“No,” I replied. “Thanks for dropping by.”
“Anytime,” Ross replied, and then he left.
***
We opened up for breakfast about an hour later. The lobby became crowded, and all of the tables were full.
I sat at our corner table. I trimmed and lit a cigar, and I leaned back and watched the activity.
There was a hum of chatter in the room, and our waiters hustled about. April was busy cleaning dirty tables, and Amos was behind the bar.
I spotted June coming down the stairs, still dressed in her nightgown. She looked around the room, and she headed straight for my table as soon as she spotted me.
“Good morning, Mister Lee,” she said, and she pulled up a chair and sat close beside me.
I was taken back by her boldness, but I recovered quickly.
“June,” I said. “Did you sleep well?”
“Somebody kept snoring in the room next to us.”
“That was probably Brian,” I smiled.
She nodded, and it fell silent. A few minutes passed, and April spotted her. She frowned and
“No. A saw and hammer never did fit right in my hand,” I replied. “I mainly supervised.”
Ike smiled and gestured at a chair.
“May I sit?”
“Go ahead.”
Ike eased into a chair across the table from me.
“We need to talk,” he said.
“About what?”
“You killed two of my men last night.”
“I did,” I confirmed.
“Why? They were just looking for a good time, is all.”
“They were looking in the wrong place,” I said, and Ike frowned at me.
“I can’t afford for my men to be shot to doll rags every time they come to town,” he objected.
“I can see how you’d feel that way,” I nodded.
“So we need to reach an agreement of some sort.”
“I’ve always been agreeable.”
“Do you have any suggestions?”
I thought for a moment.
“All I ask is that your men behave themselves and don’t harass my customers.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then I’ll shoot them,” I declared, and nodded at Brian. “Or, he will.”
“That’s your idea of an agreement?” Ike scowled.
“Sure.”
“That doesn’t sound very legal to me.”
“Nobody’s perfect,” I shrugged.
Ike sat silently for a moment, looking at me thoughtfully.
There was a noise at the door, and Ross walked in. He studied the men at the bar, and then he spotted Brian. He glanced at us, moved to the other corner of the room, and sat down.
“This lifestyle doesn’t fit you,” Ike spoke back up. “You’re not a businessman. You belong outdoors.”
“What I am,” I replied slowly, “is none of your business.”
Ike grunted and leaned forward in his chair.
“I want to buy this hotel,” he announced boldly.
I shook my head.
“This hotel isn’t for sale.”
“Name your price,” Ike said as he ignored my comment.
I shook my head again.
“I’ll pay you twice what it’s worth,” Ike tried again. “And, after I buy the place you and Brian can work for me. I’ll pay you top wages.”
“No thanks.”
Ike didn’t seem bothered or upset. Instead, he just nodded as he stood.
“All right then, I’m not one to beg. You’ll be sorry you didn’t accept my offer.”
“Perhaps.”
“I’ll talk with my men. They won’t cause you anymore trouble.”
“I appreciate that.”
Ike nodded. He looked at Brian once more, and then he turned and walked proudly out of the hotel. His men followed after him.
Chapter fifteen
Ross and Brian walked over to my table.
“What was that all about?” Ross asked.
“I’m not exactly sure,” I replied.
“Besides buying the hotel, what else did he want?”
“He asked me to stop killing people.”
“What’d you say to that?”
“I told him I’d only shoot those that deserve it.”
“And he went along with that?” Ross smiled faintly.
“We’ll find out.”
Ross’s smile disappeared, and he suddenly looked worried.
“I wish Rondo would get back,” he said wistfully, and asked, “Do you need me for anything else?”
“No,” I replied. “Thanks for dropping by.”
“Anytime,” Ross replied, and then he left.
***
We opened up for breakfast about an hour later. The lobby became crowded, and all of the tables were full.
I sat at our corner table. I trimmed and lit a cigar, and I leaned back and watched the activity.
There was a hum of chatter in the room, and our waiters hustled about. April was busy cleaning dirty tables, and Amos was behind the bar.
I spotted June coming down the stairs, still dressed in her nightgown. She looked around the room, and she headed straight for my table as soon as she spotted me.
“Good morning, Mister Lee,” she said, and she pulled up a chair and sat close beside me.
I was taken back by her boldness, but I recovered quickly.
“June,” I said. “Did you sleep well?”
“Somebody kept snoring in the room next to us.”
“That was probably Brian,” I smiled.
She nodded, and it fell silent. A few minutes passed, and April spotted her. She frowned and
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