Free A Treasure Concealed by Tracie Peterson Page B

use. If she refuses to go . . . well, I can’t see that she’d do too much harm. After all, no one’s going to listen to a black woman speak out against a white man.”
    Kirk leaned his chair back on two legs against the wall. “You really don’t know much about those folks, Mr. Singleton. I’m telling you it won’t be that simple.”
    The stocky man narrowed his eyes and hit the table withhis fist. “And I’m telling you that some folks just need a little incentive. I’m sure you have a few rowdies who can help you accomplish the job. I want those claims, and I want them right away. I need time to salt the mines with gold and make the setup look promising to those men who are gullible enough to buy in. We have several things in our favor. First, that area experienced a resurgence of mining just last year. Second, folks who are looking to get rich quick never pay as much attention to the negative things folks say as to the positive. Then too we’re heading into winter, and most of the miners will be hard-pressed to make much progress until spring. By then, we’ll be long gone. I’ve made money all over the West this way.”
    Davies picked up his beer. “I’ve got someone in mind who might help. It’ll cost you, though. He doesn’t come cheap. Sure not as cheap as I do.”
    Of course, he hadn’t worried about the money. He wasn’t in this just for a job. He had other ventures to see to, and Singleton was just a means to an end.
    Singleton pushed a bag of coins toward Davies. “The money isn’t a problem. Take this and get some help. I want this resolved. Do you understand?”
    Davies looked at the stocky man in his ill-fitted suit. More than anything, he would have liked to punch the man in the face. Nobody talked to him in such a condescending tone and got away with it. “I understand, but you’d do well to treat me with some respect. I may be workin’ for you, but I could just as easily work against you.”
    The other man’s face darkened, and he got to his feet. “There’s no reason to take that attitude, Davies. I’ll double what I’m paying you—just get the job done.”
    Davies pushed off the wall and reached out for the bag ofmoney. He liked the feel of it. It was good and heavy, suggesting gold pieces. “Is this all real? You didn’t throw any of that counterfeit in here, did you?”
    The man looked at Davies as though surprised by the challenge. “I wouldn’t cheat you. You’re working to my benefit.”
    He could see the man was telling the truth. Singleton knew better than to double-cross him. “I’ll get the job done.”
    â€œGood. Then meet me back here in two weeks. I’m heading to Great Falls to meet up with investors who want to buy these claims. I’ll send you a wire if I can’t make it for some reason, but otherwise plan to see me here.”
    â€œI’ll do that,” Davies said. He watched Singleton leave the saloon, then settled his attention back on the warm beer.
    Utica wasn’t exactly his idea of a great place to hang around, but it had served his purposes while he was waiting to revisit the miners in Yogo City. One man in particular.
    Davies hadn’t known the man by sight, but he had held a grudge against him since learning of his responsibility for taking the life of Kirk’s younger brother Lenny. It had taken nearly six years to hunt down that man. Kirk’s patience had won out, however. He now knew exactly where to find Henry Carver, and how to make him pay.
    He smiled. Revenge was something he relished. There was nothing quite like it to get a man’s blood up. Not only that, but he was good at killing. He’d had a lot of practice.
    He looked at the bag of gold in his hand and tossed it up and down. For now, he had to put his own plans on hold. He needed to get the rest of