noted him enter, but she continued to assist her other customer.
Entering and taking a few steps, Lockhart began to roam the aisles of her shop. Most of her wares looked mundane enough. Food and other provisions mostly. Bullets seemed ever more unlikely. Mad lotus even more so. Still, he had to check. Maybe she’d surprise him. After a few minutes, the other customer paid, collected their things and left, leaving Lockhart as the only patron in her store. Brigette wiped her hands on the white apron covering her dress and walked out from behind the bar to find him still perusing the shelves.
“Can I help you with something, mister?” she asked.
“Could use a b-b-bag stocked w-w-w-with traveling food,” he told her.
Brigette placed her hands on her hips. “You the vespari that Mayor Knox hired?”
Lockhart nodded.
“Is it done then? Mr. Brown’s killer dead?”
“Y-y-yes, ma’am.”
“Good riddance,” she said. Brigette turned around and returned to her counter. “So food, huh? How much you looking to spend?”
He held up five fingers.
“Five rounds, huh? Alright, then.” Leaning down, she picked up a satchel and started placing a few sundries inside. “I’ll see you’re stocked for traveling then. Give you a discount too. Anything special you’re looking for?”
“Any b-b-bullets?”
She shrugged and winced at the same time, continuing to drop boxes and cans into the satchel. “Got some. I s’pose, but it’s rare we get any new bullets this far out. What caliber you need?”
“F-f-forty f-f-five,” he replied.
Brigette nodded and stopped packing. ”I’ll check the back room.”
While the woman was gone, Lockhart sifted through what she’d packed him. The supplies were enough to last him a few weeks if he stretched them out. Given his need to travel, they would do. Brigette soon returned, and she held something in her right hand.
“I have a grand total of one,” she told him.
“I’ll t-t-take it,” Lockhart replied.
Brigette placed the cartridge on the counter and asked, “You need anything else?”
“Mad lotus,” he said, eyes unblinking.
The woman stared at him for a moment, studying him. “Isn’t that stuff illegal?”
“O-o-only along the coast,” he replied.
Brigette continued to stare a bit longer before replying. “Well. I guess you’re not exactly a law man, but it’s gonna cost you, vespari or not.”
She pulled a keyring from her pocket and leaned down below the counter. Lockhart heard her slide the key into a lock and pop it open. A door swung open, and after a moment, Brigette returned with an open humidor with different types of mad lotus stored inside.
“Do you want to chew it or smoke?” she asked.
“Ch-ch-chew,” he replied.
She sifted through a few types with her finger. “And how powerful should it be?”
“I need the v-v-v-visions.”
“Mm, very well,” Brigette said, picking up one of the branches of mad lotus. “How much are you willing to spend?”
Lockhart held up two fingers.
“Alright,” she replied with a nod. “Seven total then. I’ll throw in the bullet for free. Not going to do me much good anyway.”
Retrieving a pair of clippers from the humidor, Brigette cut the mad lotus down to a size appropriate for his payment and then placed it in a small brown paper bag. She then slipped it and the bullet in with the rest of his things.
Brigette looked up at him with a pleasant smile. “Will that be all?”
He nodded, retrieved the silver rounds, and handed them to her.
“You have a good day then,” she told him.
Lockhart nodded again and picked up the satchel, slinging it over his shoulder. The vespari then turned and left the shop. He had one more stop to make before he left Abilene. He pulled the canteen from his duster pocket, unscrewed the lid, and took a heavy swig as he headed for the well. Once he’d refilled the canteen at the well, he was ready to leave.
Despite not knowing which direction to go, he
Entering and taking a few steps, Lockhart began to roam the aisles of her shop. Most of her wares looked mundane enough. Food and other provisions mostly. Bullets seemed ever more unlikely. Mad lotus even more so. Still, he had to check. Maybe she’d surprise him. After a few minutes, the other customer paid, collected their things and left, leaving Lockhart as the only patron in her store. Brigette wiped her hands on the white apron covering her dress and walked out from behind the bar to find him still perusing the shelves.
“Can I help you with something, mister?” she asked.
“Could use a b-b-bag stocked w-w-w-with traveling food,” he told her.
Brigette placed her hands on her hips. “You the vespari that Mayor Knox hired?”
Lockhart nodded.
“Is it done then? Mr. Brown’s killer dead?”
“Y-y-yes, ma’am.”
“Good riddance,” she said. Brigette turned around and returned to her counter. “So food, huh? How much you looking to spend?”
He held up five fingers.
“Five rounds, huh? Alright, then.” Leaning down, she picked up a satchel and started placing a few sundries inside. “I’ll see you’re stocked for traveling then. Give you a discount too. Anything special you’re looking for?”
“Any b-b-bullets?”
She shrugged and winced at the same time, continuing to drop boxes and cans into the satchel. “Got some. I s’pose, but it’s rare we get any new bullets this far out. What caliber you need?”
“F-f-forty f-f-five,” he replied.
Brigette nodded and stopped packing. ”I’ll check the back room.”
While the woman was gone, Lockhart sifted through what she’d packed him. The supplies were enough to last him a few weeks if he stretched them out. Given his need to travel, they would do. Brigette soon returned, and she held something in her right hand.
“I have a grand total of one,” she told him.
“I’ll t-t-take it,” Lockhart replied.
Brigette placed the cartridge on the counter and asked, “You need anything else?”
“Mad lotus,” he said, eyes unblinking.
The woman stared at him for a moment, studying him. “Isn’t that stuff illegal?”
“O-o-only along the coast,” he replied.
Brigette continued to stare a bit longer before replying. “Well. I guess you’re not exactly a law man, but it’s gonna cost you, vespari or not.”
She pulled a keyring from her pocket and leaned down below the counter. Lockhart heard her slide the key into a lock and pop it open. A door swung open, and after a moment, Brigette returned with an open humidor with different types of mad lotus stored inside.
“Do you want to chew it or smoke?” she asked.
“Ch-ch-chew,” he replied.
She sifted through a few types with her finger. “And how powerful should it be?”
“I need the v-v-v-visions.”
“Mm, very well,” Brigette said, picking up one of the branches of mad lotus. “How much are you willing to spend?”
Lockhart held up two fingers.
“Alright,” she replied with a nod. “Seven total then. I’ll throw in the bullet for free. Not going to do me much good anyway.”
Retrieving a pair of clippers from the humidor, Brigette cut the mad lotus down to a size appropriate for his payment and then placed it in a small brown paper bag. She then slipped it and the bullet in with the rest of his things.
Brigette looked up at him with a pleasant smile. “Will that be all?”
He nodded, retrieved the silver rounds, and handed them to her.
“You have a good day then,” she told him.
Lockhart nodded again and picked up the satchel, slinging it over his shoulder. The vespari then turned and left the shop. He had one more stop to make before he left Abilene. He pulled the canteen from his duster pocket, unscrewed the lid, and took a heavy swig as he headed for the well. Once he’d refilled the canteen at the well, he was ready to leave.
Despite not knowing which direction to go, he
Similar Books
