Free Cotton's Law (9781101553848) by Phil Dunlap Page B

married. That’s why.” He went into the kitchen to put some coffee on to heat. He stuck several small pieces of wood in the belly of the cast iron stove, tossed in some paper and lit it.
    “Then what are all these womanly touches lyin’ around everywhere?” she said.
    “I’m, uh, sharing the place with, uh, a workin’ girl.”
    “You’re
livin
’ with a whore?”
    “I guess you could put it that way; Cotton does.”
    Delilah broke out laughing. As if suddenly ashamed, Jack looked at the floor.
    “What’s so funny?” he asked, pouring water and coffee grounds into the pot.
    “Hope this won’t come as a big disappointment, Jack, but, after a fashion, you slept with another one last night.”
    “You? But I thought you, er, that is, didn’t you say we couldn’t get hitched because I drank too much? You didn’t say nothin’ about goin’ into the business of sellin’ your charms.”
    “At that time, I
was
true to you, Jack. When you left, I found I was flat broke and needin’ to come up with money or get tossed out of my house. This nice man came along and offered me a deal. He said if I’d come work for him, and only him, he’d treat me nice and I’d have money left over at the end of the month. He’s made no demands for sharing a bedroom. But, I guess you could still say I’m a whore, too. In a way, aren’t we all?”
    “He the only one you, uh, do business with?” Jack squinched up his eyes in a dark frown.
    “Uh-­huh. That’s why I’m in town. I’m supposed to be sizing up the population hereabouts, so I can give him an idea about who is important and who isn’t when he gets to town. I kinda act as his eyes and ears when he’s setting up a deal.”
    “So, where is this ‘
nice
’ man?”
    “Oh, he’ll be arrivin’ soon. Guess he’s got business elsewhere. We can stay together and keep doin’ what we did last night until he does. If you’d like, that is.”
    Jack found himself in a quandary, at an awkward crossroads. He didn’t know when Melody would return, but he knew damned well if she caught him in bed with Delilah, he was as good as dead. Her offer was tempting, however, and if they went ahead and got a room at the hotel, well, Melodymight never be the wiser. He let a broad grin wipe away the frown.
    “We’d have to get that hotel room, but the other part sounds fetchin’.”
    “Since my benefactor will be footing the bill, we’ll have to keep a watch out for his arrival. Then, I’m sad to say you’ll have to go back to your previous lady friend.”
    “Fair enough. Just who is this ‘gentleman’ I’m to keep an eye out for?”
    “You’ve probably never heard of him. His name is Bart Havens.”
    Comanche Dan pulled a chair over to the whiskey-­soaked table and sat. He leaned the rifle against the arm of his captain’s chair, took out the makings, and rolled himself a smoke.
    “So, how’d my name come up in conversation with you three?”
    “Sleeve has a proposition for you. It’s a good’un,” Buck blurted out.
    “Uh-­huh,” Dan said, blowing a smoke ring.
    “You ever heard of Bart Havens?” Sleeve said.
    “Heard he was a snivelin’ rattler. That the one?”
    “Probably, but a wealthy rattler. That’s what’s goin’ to make the difference,” Sleeve said.
    “Okay, so what’s the deal?”
    “Havens is fixin’ to take over a new town, and he needs some men good with shootin’ irons to lend a hand. He’ll pay a thousand dollars to each man, up front, and another two thousand to the one who actually plugs a certain man.”
    “Who is the target?”
    “Cotton Burke.”
    Comanche Dan scowled at the mention of Cotton Burke. He didn’t look pleased.
    “What if it takes all of us? Any extra in it?”
    “I never thought about that possibility. I’ll have to askHavens. But I’m certain he’ll want to make
some
accommodation. He hates Burke.”
    “What did Burke ever do to him?”
    “Got Bart chased out of Benbow Creek. Cost him a fortune.