Free The Axeman of Storyville by Heath Lowrance Page B

contacts in New York today, Matranga. You had an alias in those days. They called you Charlie Manta, didn't they?"
    Matranga choked, "I ... are you saying what I—"
    "Meet your son."
    Confusion ran rampant through Matranga's ranks. Miles sat back and smoked his pipe and waited them out.
    Matranga squatted, gently lifted Jimmy's head and looked at his face. The gangster's expression was unreadable. Jimmy's eyelids fluttered.
    "Goddamnit," Matranga said. "Goddamnit, anyway."
    He stood up straight, barked, "Antonio. You and the boys get him to the hospital. Now. Take the auto."
    "But, Mr. Matranga—"
    "Do it."
    "He killed Fredrico. And Petey."
    "He's my son! Move!"
    The thugs grumbled, but did as they were told. They hefted Jimmy up, and between the three of them were just able to carry him out.
    Matranga sat heavily on the edge of the bed. He wouldn't look at Miles. He took a cigar out of his vest, eyed it blandly for a moment. Then he put it back. "You knew he was my son, but you shot him anyway."
    "Yes."
    "If he dies, I'll—"
    "What? Exact revenge against me? I wasn't about to let him kill me or Cat."
    "Goddamnit."
    "For what it's worth," Miles said. "I hope he makes it."
    Matranga sighed. "Yeah," he said. "Me too." He stood up, straightened his collar, and looked at Miles. "I'm a man of my word. I'll stay out of Storyville."
    Miles nodded. "I'd expect nothing less from you ...
Mr.
Matranga."

-Fourteen-
     
     
    There was nothing in the papers about Jimmy Manta or his relationship to Charlie Matranga. The murdered prostitutes were never mentioned, and life in Storyville lumbered along in all its depraved glory.
    It was three weeks before Matranga came to see Miles at the club, shortly after closing time. They sat in the lounge, enjoying a drink, smoking, and Matranga told him about Jimmy.
    "The boy's alive. But he's not long for this world. The syphilis, it's just eating away at his brain. I ... I had him committed to the Alabama State Hospital for the Insane, in Tuscaloosa. They say he won't make it through the year. I was going to tell him, you know ... that I'm his father. But I don't think he'd understand. He's too far gone."
    Miles saw Matranga out, locked the door behind him. He leaned against it for a moment, pondering. Most of the lights were out in the VioMiles, and the stage, the bar, the extravagant furnishings were bathed in shadows.
    He sighed. His thoughts turned to Celissa who died at Charity Hospital soon after the night Jimmy was shot. They told Miles there was a parade by the ward window at the time she died. A band outside played jazz music, but it's doubtful she even heard it.
    Upstairs, Violet was still awake, reading in the sitting room. She smiled at him.
    He said, "Violet. New Orleans is for the birds and I'm no club owner. There. I said it."
    She cocked her head at him, still smiling. "As I recall," she said. "Wyoming is awful nice this time of year."
    "Yeah. And Cash Laramie is still around there."
    Violet laughed. "Oh, you boys. What are you going to do? Strap on your six-shooters and play lawman again?"
    He laughed. "Nope. I'm a tired old man, remember? I need some rest. But Wyoming ... Wyoming sounds damn good to me."
     
     
     
     
    †

About the Author
     
Heath Lowrance is the author of the Gideon Miles adventure, "Miles to Little Ridge," as well as the novels
City of Heretics
,
The Bastard Hand
, and the weird Western collection (also from BEAT to a PULP)
Hawthorne: Tales Of A Weirder West
. He currently lives in Lansing, Michigan.

Other titles from BTAP
     
Miles to Little Ridge
     
by Heath Lowrance (available for Kindle)
     
     
Edward A.Grainger's Gideon Miles hits the trail in this fast-clip western novella written by Heath Lowrance. The U.S. Marshal finds himself in the sleepy town of Little Ridge, Montana, on the search for a wanted man. But just as Miles enters town, he's spotted by a hard case who recognizes Miles as the lawman that killed his friend. Now Miles must face the