Free Lee (The Landon Saga Book 6) by Tell Cotten Page B

“It was more like bare knuckled fist fighting.”
    “What’s the difference?”
    “Rules,” I grumbled.
     
    ***
     
    After breakfast I dressed in some fresh clothes, splashed some water in my face, buckled my gun-belt on, and went downstairs. I was extremely sore, and my movements were slow.
    The lobby was full of customers eating breakfast. I spotted Jeremiah sitting at the corner table, and he had a full plate in front of him.
    Amos was at the other end of the bar, tending to a customer. He looked unconcerned as he went about his business.
    “It was you,” I muttered as I watched him.
    I turned and went into the office, and neither Amos nor Jeremiah saw me.
    I needed a cigar. I grabbed one from my desk, trimmed it carefully, lit it, and took a deep puff.
    I sighed in contentment as I sat behind my desk and enjoyed my smoke. Afterwards, I stood painfully and studied the safe.
    The safe looked untouched. In fact, there weren’t even any scratch marks on it.
    I was still at the safe when Brian walked in. He watched me a moment and cleared his throat.
    “Feel any better?”
    “No,” I replied, and asked, “Find anything?”
    “No. Ground was too hard.”
    “I figured as much.”
    “Amos showed up,” Brian announced. “He’s tending bar.”
    “I saw him.”
    “Has he confessed yet?”
    “Surprisingly, no.”
    Brian nodded, and then he watched curiously as I opened the safe and studied the hinges.
    “Looking for something?”
    “A clue would be nice.”
    “Found one yet?”
    “No,” I grumbled, and asked, “How do you figure they got into the safe? There aren’t even any scratch marks.”
    “Either they knew the combination or they picked it,” Brian declared.
    “Who knows the combination?”
    “Just you and me.”
    I frowned. I started to reply, but before I could Jeremiah walked in looking jovial.
    “Good morning!” He said.
     

Chapter twenty-five
     
     
    Jeremiah’s cheerful look disappeared when he saw my face.
    “What happened to you?” He looked startled.
    “I bumped into a table.”
    “That looks painful.”
    “It is.”
    “You should be more careful,” he chided.
    “Thanks for the advice,” I said stiffly.
    “So, what else happened?”
    I didn’t answer. I looked at Brian, and he stepped forward and cleared his throat.
    “We were robbed last night,” he announced.
    Jeremiah looked genuinely concerned.
    “What? Who did it?”
    “We’re not sure,” Brian replied.
    “What did they take?”
    “They broke into the safe,” Brian explained. “They took all our money, including yours.”
    A thoughtful look crossed Jeremiah’s face. It was silent for several seconds, and he sat in the chair across the desk from me.
    “I take it you caught them in the act?” He looked at me.
    “I did,” I nodded.
    “Do you know who did it? Did you get a good look?”
    “No. It was dark.”
    “So they got away.”
    “For now.”
    Jeremiah pinched his face in displeasure. I looked at Brian, and he cleared his throat again.
    “We owe you twenty thousand dollars,” Brian said.
    “You most certainly do.”
    “And you’ll get it, but it’s going to take time,” Brian said, and then he outlined our plan.
    Jeremiah listened, and afterwards a heavy silence filled the room as he thought on that.
    “What am I supposed to do while I’m waiting?” He finally asked sarcastically. “Sit in my room and twiddle my thumbs?”
    Neither one of us replied.
    “I want my money,” Jeremiah declared. “I want it now.”
    “I’m sorry,” I spoke, and my voice was husky. “But we don’t have it.”
    “What about the hotel?”
    “What about it?” I narrowed my eyes.
    “You own it, don’t you?”
    “That would be correct, yes.”
    “It’s simple then. I figure the hotel’s worth about what you owe me. Sign it over, and we’ll be even.”
    “No,” I said firmly. “We won’t do that.” 
    “Any court of law would side with me,” Jeremiah pointed out.
    “You can’t have the