The Saloon War at Seven Rivers: Farr and Fat Jack, #2

By Kendall Hanson

Caught between a desire to help his boss and a desire to stay alive, Fat Jack Craft must ask for Farr Gunn's help when war breaks out between the two largest saloons in Seven Rivers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kendall Hanson
• Release date: Sep 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781929516308

Book preview

THE SALOON WAR AT SEVEN RIVERS

Kendall Hanson

Copyright © 2015 Kendall Hanson

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 1-929516-30-4

ISBN-13: 978-1-929516-30-8

All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without written permission from the author.

Kendall Hanson; Dixon-Price Publishing. Kingston, Washington.

Copyright © year Kendall Hanson

All rights reserved.

ISBN:

ISBN-13:

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Chapter 1

As soon as the men walked in, Jack realized they were experienced gunmen by the way they carried themselves. When they saw Jack and his 10-gauge, they quietly separated, one going to the bar, another sauntering to a nearby table, but far enough apart that Jack would only be able to train his weapon on one of them.

Good evening boys. House rules. Guns go to the bartender while you’re in here. He gives them back to you when you leave.

It’s a good rule, said the taller man who stood at the bar. But we’re not customers. We’re looking for a man named Harvey Roskam.

Jack eyed the second gunman who had moved around one of the support posts but had left his gun hand in sight while he leaned against it. What’s your business with Harvey? Jack asked. He had quietly brought his barrel to bear on the man at the bar.

That’s between us, the tall man said. Just fetch him if you would.

Got a name?

McCleary. Tom McCleary. That’s Zack Porter snuggling the post.

The McCleary name was vaguely familiar to Jack, but he had never heard the other man’s name. Harry, go see if Harvey wants to talk to these two gentlemen.

Porter was looking all around the bar, but his eyes had settled on Maggie, the new girl who was playing solitaire at the saloon girls’ table. Nice place, he said. Good view. Maggie looked up and Porter touched his hat. She smiled, but went back to her game.

Jack heard Harvey come out of the office. Put your gun down, Jack, I’ve been expecting these gentlemen.

Porter moved over to the bar where Roskam motioned for Harry to bring a bottle. He turned to Jack, these are new hands that will be helping me out. They will back you up when needed, and they are exempt from the gun rule, okay?

Helping me out?

When you need backup, I’ll send for them. They are going to be taking care of some chores for me. You needn’t worry about them.

The two men smiled at him, but the smiles didn’t extend to their eyes, and Jack had the feeling he would be worrying plenty about them.

Maggie finished her game and walked over to Jack as he sat in his rocking chair surveying the sparsely populated saloon. She bent down and whispered in his ear, If I don’t have any customers tonight, you could come stay in my room.

Might just do that, Jack smiled back at her. You’ve been busy lately.

They don’t mean nothing to me, Jack. You know that.

Jack sighed. Just business, hunh?

Maggie smiled coyly. She’s a plain woman, Jack thought, but kindly. Certainly not the worst woman he’d ever met. Not mean spirited like some of the women he had met in his short life. Of course, growing up in a bordello meant he had learned early that women came in all shapes, all sizes, and definitely all temperaments and dispositions.

I don’t like to lead men on,Maggie said, but you must be pleasant, all the same.

Of course you do. It’s expected.

Helps them to be more generous.

It does.

She bent down again to whisper, or to give him a good look down her bodice, he wasn’t sure which. I can be very generous with you and for free. Is it true what they say about you?

Jack scratched his head. What’s that?

Your nickname. Fat Jack. Is it true?

Jack nodded. Yes. Nature has given me a unique gift for pleasuring.

Maggie arched her eyebrows, and Jack thought she suddenly looked very attractive. I think every man thinks that.

Sure we do. But some of us actually come through. She giggled and Jack saw past her that Coraline, the woman whose room he had been sharing recently, was standing in the doorway leading to the lobby of the hotel that was attached to the saloon. She was frowning and began to march toward Jack and his new friend.

Maggie sensed something was amiss from Jack’s gaze, and when she turned around, Coraline was standing with her hands on her hips. This man’s not for you, Coraline said grimly.

We were just talking, Coraline. Nothing wrong with that is there? Maggie asked brightly. Wondering what Harvey’s doing with those men in his office.

Well played, Jack thought. Maggie was a little sharper than he had imagined. Maybe he could find a way to take her up on her offer. Coraline was becoming a little too possessive for his taste.

What men?

Harvey seems to be hiring some additional lookouts, Jack said. Or maybe he has some other use for two gunmen.

You’re the lookout. You haven’t made him mad, have you? You know, with you and me?

Coraline, you know Harvey and I have an arrangement. He takes it out of my pay when I spend time with you. At a reduced rate, he added to himself.

You mean you pay for me? Coraline blushed. And here I thought we were … I mean, I never … oh, that’s just so sweet!

Doesn’t Harvey give you a cut?

Coraline frowned. That low down … never. I’ve never taken a penny to be with you. I swear.

Maggie had drifted away from them and had resumed her game at the table. She looked up at Jack from behind Coraline and smiled. He smiled back, though he was careful to aim it so that it encompassed Coraline as well.

That’s just the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard, Jack Craft, she said. I’m going to tell Harvey, though, that he either needs to share or to not charge you. Now she bent down to whisper in his ear, and if I ever catch you with that Maggie, I’ll make sure your new nickname is ‘No Jack Craft’ instead of ‘Fat Jack Craft.’ Understand?

Jack nodded. That went well, he thought. After all, he had been threatened before and survived. He’d simply wait until Coraline tired of him, which he knew he could manage sooner or later. With Maggie eying him lewdly from the corner of the saloon, he thought it might need to be sooner, especially before Coraline determined he was the kind of man to marry. The mere thought of such a permanent arrangement was enough to make him quiver.

Chapter 2

What happened when they left Harvey’s office, Mrs. Craft asked as she sat across from Jack in Haley’s cafe two days later.

Nothing, Jack replied. Haven’t seen them since.

Was one of them tall with a black bowler and the other was was shorter with a bad scar on his left cheek?

Jack stopped with a scoop of beans halfway between the plate and his mouth. They been bothering you?

Not me. Carter Drummond.

The Dry Gulch Saloon? Harvey’s been wanting to buy him out. Don’t know why. He’s not even near town. Four miles away at least.

Carter came by last night. He wanted to sell to me, but what would I do with a saloon? I guess he’ll sell to Roskam now. Or maybe Olsen.

Olsen is Harvey’s biggest competition, I guess. But he’s too tight-fisted to buy another place.

Mrs. Craft leaned on the table and put her chin in her hand. That wasn’t the only thing they were up to, she said quietly. They have been to Lucky Lily’s place two nights in a row. I heard one of the girls there has already left. Another one came by first thing this morning and asked if I had any room. As if I would take one of the girls that work there.

Jack pointed his spoon at her. You can’t always pick the girls who work for you, you know.

I can and I will. As soon as you get in a dove who won’t stay clean or take care of the guests with at least an appearance of interest, you can bet business will slide off for everyone.

So you don’t want to soil your doves?

Very amusing, Jack. You grew up with it so you should understand. I had to have standards or I wouldn’t have been able to raise you like I did. We would have been making ends meet hand to mouth. At least we’ve never starved or lacked for a roof over our heads.

Ma, I’m not complaining. Couldn’t ask for a better mother than you. I’m just saying you are a little choosy, that’s all. Sometimes, maybe too choosy.

Lily’s girls appeal to a certain clientele, especially the miners and the poor cowboys who come through here. They pay considerably less for their amusements at Lily’s than I would charge them to be guests in our house. It could mean trouble for Farr.

Ah, ‘nickel night at the whorehouse.’ Is Lily the one who started that?

Mrs. Craft frowned at him. There’s no such thing as you should know. Just some wag being derogatory. I thought you understood the practical nature of the situation.

I do, Ma, and I understand you’re concerned. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Yes, I’m sure that’s what Georgia said about General Sherman. On the other hand, I have no interest in being run out of business by Harvey Roskam, she reached out and put her hand on his keeping him from raising another spoon of beans. At some point Jack, you will have to choose.

There is no choice to be made, Ma. You know that.

She nodded at him. I know. I just wanted to be reassured. See what you can find out about those two men and what they are up to. I didn’t think Harvey was low enough to try to run people out of business.

Jack shrugged. He’s from New York.

Chapter 3

So, what do you think?, Farr said when Jack went to see him in the stable. Is she going back to the 7 Rivers?

Not if I can help it, she’s just trouble there, Jack said as he sat down on a bale of straw and watched Farr pitch manure onto a wheelbarrow. What do you care anyway? You got a hankering for her?

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