The Gospel According to Colt

by W. R. Benton

  “No rush, and it may take you a year or more to learn the job. It's a future for you, son, and one I never had. You'll learn the job and be paid as you do it. However, as a manager in training you'll have to work hard to learn the job. But, you're right, it is a lot of money, but you'll earn every penny you're paid. Now, what do you want to eat?”

  As they both ate beefsteaks, Duke explained that Lew had hardly left the room since he'd checked in and Oscar was keeping an eye on the man.

  Dutch nodded and said, “He's likely resting. The ride from Omaha to here is one right out of hell, with Injuns all over the place.”

  “Did you see any Injuns?” the boy asked as he plopped a big bite of steak into his mouth.

  “I saw more than I wanted to see and actually had to kill one.” Dutch bragged and then added, “I need to get you some guns as soon as I can, along with some decent clothes for you to work here. Now this stuff won't be free, but a loan, which I'll take a little money out of your pay every week. I suspect with the money you'll make here you'll be able to move to a better place too.”

  “I ain't never shot a gun before. But, I think I'll stay at my place and save some money.”

  “Well, since I now have three horses in the livery, we'll get you some guns and clothes after we eat, and then ride away from town to shoot a bit. As for saving money, that's a good idea too.”

  “Wow, when can we do this?”

  Smiling, Dutch said, “How about just as soon as we finish eating?”

  “Great.”

  While the meal was great, Dutch felt the price was too much, so he pulled Peabody aside and said, “Get some new menus printed and lower our prices at least 30% if we can and still make a sizable profit.”

  “I'm afraid I don't know how much of a profit you want to make, sir?”

  “Well, how much does a meal of beefsteak, taters, vegetable, and salad like I just ate cost me as the owner?”

  “I'd guess and say around eighty cents, sir.”

  “And customers are charged five dollars for the same meal, so my profit is around four dollars and twenty cents, correct?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Now, while I'm gone with Duke this afternoon, I want you to look over our menu and see what we can do about lowering our prices and yet make enough to stay in business. I also want the dress code thrown out the window. Coat and tie will no longer be required, but anyone who is dressed clean and neat will be shown a table.”

  “But, what of your wealthy customers, sir?”

  “Use the meeting room you have in the evenings to cater to the rich and I want only the best dressed allowed in there. Their prices, however, will be, say 20% higher than our normal fees, for atmosphere if nothing else.”

  “Will that be all?”

  “Once you make the menu price changes, see they are printed up in time for our customers to read before this evening's meal. I want you to make needed changes around here that will bring in paying customers, who may or may not be rich. We will now cater to both the working class and rich. By the way, figure out how to get a story in the town paper about our changes. Any questions?”

  “None, sir. I think your decisions are sound, and we'll soon be swamped with business.”

  “Good; if you need me, contact me at my hotel room. Right now, my buddy Duke and I are going shopping for some work clothes and guns for him.”

  “Guns?” Peabody asked.

  “Guns. You do carry a gun, don't you?”

  “For here? Oh, no sir. No one is armed in here, because our clientele are only the best.”

  “Right.” Dutch said and then rolling his eyes he continued, “I'll pick you up a pistol when I get the boy's guns and I will bring a sawed off shotgun for behind the bar. Once business picks up, I want you, Duke, and at least one other person armed in here at all times. Now, if you don't know how to shoot, I can teach you. No one will ever take our hard earned money for themselves. Additionally, when funds are taken to the bank, two people will go and both will be armed, understood?”

  “Uh, yes sir. I served in the war, sir, so I know how to shoot.” The new manager looked rather overwhelmed at the thought of guns.

  “Good. Come with me, Duke, we have some shopping to do.”

  Guns , thought Peabody, what kind of place is he turning the Blue Goose into? Well, since he owns the place, I guess he can damned well do as he pleases.

  Chapter 20

  AFTER a week in K. C. and still no sign of Dutch, Lew was getting frustrated. He'd heard of the killing of two men in a saloon, which sounded like his man, but it was as if he'd suddenly disappeared. He'd even hired some local thugs to search for the man, but so far, no luck.

  “Susan, it's time we decided if we're going to get married or live in sin forever.” Lew said.

  “Ummm, I do enjoy the sin part.” she said and broke out laughing.

  “I'm being serious here. I don't think the Lord likes us being together and doing what we are without being married. I'll never fully enjoy this or you, until we're blessed by the Lord.”

  “Okay, okay, we can get hitched, but first I have to see a lawyer and have him read John W's will. It may stipulate I have to remain unmarried for a certain amount of time, but I have no idea. I have a copy of it in Boston and I have a copy with my things here. I've never read it, so I have no idea what it says. John W. just said he was worth some money.”

  “Well, why don't we get dressed while I get the hotel to furnish a woman to watch Billy and we'll see an attorney. Just bring the will with you. Since you reported the massacre with the law here and at Omaha, there shouldn't be any legal problems proving he's dead.”

  “But what if there is?”

  “Hell, I found him dead, and I can state beyond any doubt he was as dead as he'll ever get.” Now, get dressed and let's get this over with.”

  Susan laughed and then asked, “Why the hurry all of a sudden?”

  “I love you, Susan, very much, and I want to call you my wife before some handsome devil comes by and sweeps you off your feet.”

  She laughed and replied, “You're crazy. Now, go and find someone to care for our son.”

  Norman Henry Cotton, Esq., Attorney at Law, opened the envelope and mumbled to himself as he read the will. His reading glasses were perched low on his long thin nose. After some long minutes, he said, “My dear, you are worth a considerable amount of money, and that does not include properties listed in this document.”

  “Does it say anything about my remarrying? Any time restrictions or anything at all.”

  “No, ma'am, not a thing. However, a trust has been established for your son, in the amount of, oh, let me find it here, $250,000.00, which will not be released to him until the age of twenty-one.”

  “My God, that is a lot of money!” Susan said, her eye blinking fast.

  “But, I want you to sit as I read the rest to you, and uh, Mr. Stoner.”

  Susan sat in a plush overstuffed leather chair and then said, “Please continue, Mr. Cotton.”

  Cotton cleared his throat and read, “I leave to my wife, Susan, so on and so on, 75% of my wealth in properties, 90% of all available business funds, and 100% of my personal funds. She may feel free to retain my businesses, but if so, a man must be hired to represent her and the firm. Currently, my business funds are in the amount of 1.2 million dollars and my personal funds are close to the same, or perhaps a bit more. Of my properties, I have no idea of their value, but I suspect in the one million dollar range. A good firm can get an appraisal following my death.”

  “My God, Susan, your worth more than three million dollars!” Lew said in shock.

  Cotton stared straight at the document, unblinking.

  “Uh, what now?” she asked.

  “Well,” Cotton said and then pushed his glasses up on his long nose, “I need to telegraph the lawyer who prepared this will and pass on the information pertaining to your late husband's passing. He will have to act, at least for the time being, as your co
ntact in Boston for all legal and business affairs.”

  “Mr. Cotton, I want you to represent me here, but what is your retainer fee for something like this?”

  “My God, I have no idea. Usually a lawyer gets a percentage of monies, but I have no clue.”

  “How about 1% to start with, which will be a little over $30,000.00, sir? If that is acceptable, I'll write you out a draft or have the funds wired to your account immediately, whichever you'd like. Now, within the hour of me leaving, I want a telegraph sent to Boston and let's get this moving.”

  “Yes ma'am, that amount is very agreeable to me, but let me confirm all of this in Boston before we do anything at all.”

  “Will the attorney in Boston expect to get paid for representing me with the businesses I own?”

  “Oh, yes, of course, but I have no idea how much. I'll have to ask his fees and then you and I can discuss it.”

  “Good, so get a wiggle on. Do you need anything from me, or us actually, since Mr. Stoner here actually viewed the mutilated body of John W.”

  “Write me out what you saw, how you determined John W. was dead and I'll notarize it for the court system. However, you are pretty sure he was dead though?”

  “Sir, he was scalped, both eyes poked out, cut open from penis to rib cage, and his throat cut. Is that enough to confirm death?”

  Giving a visible shiver, Cotton said, “Yes sir, that's plenty. If you'll follow me, I'll have my secretary take your statement. Then, I'll mail a copy to the lawyer in Boston, but I will notify him of the man's death today by wire. So, all we can do right now is wait for confirmation, but if you need money or any assistance while in K. C., just let me know.” He stood and handed his business card to both of them.

  After they left the office, Susan said, “Okay, once we have word back from the lawyer in Boston, we can get married.”

  “Oh and why do we need to wait on him?”

  Thinking for a minute, Susan said, “I guess we don't need to wait on him.”

  Laughing, Lew said, “Good, I have a man of God waiting for us right now. Once I kill Dutch, we'll go on a honeymoon.”

  “Lead the way and let's make you and I a happy couple.”

  Early the next morning, due to the time difference in Boston and Kansas City, the attorney, Cotton, was knocking on Susan's hotel room door.

  Opening the door, she asked, “Yes?”

  “I have good news. The legal aspect of your late husband's death has been taken care of, with no problems, although I did have to grease a couple of palms. Now, with him legally declared dead, we can have limited access to any funds you may need. Of course, the courts will still have to approve it all, but his personal funds are available to you right now, and currently you have over 1.7 million dollars in a number of banks on the east coast.”

  “My Lord! I never knew John W. was worth so much. While we lived well, we never had a big house, servants, or anything special to suggest he was so wealthy.”

  Cotton said, “The information from his lawyer in Boston was your husband was very tight with his money, except he always gave to charities and to his church.”

  “Church? In the years we were married, I never once attended church service with him. What church did he donate to?”

  “The First Baptist Church in Boston, ma'am, and in the amount of ten thousand dollars every year.”

  “This will stop immediately, but I will soon have a church for you to contribute to, and it won't be long either.”

  “Do you need anything, ma'am?”

  “No, not at the moment. If I have any needs, I'll contact you, Mr. Cotton.”

  “Then good day, ma'am.”

  “Good day.”

  “What was all of that about? I caught part of it.”

  “The personal funds have been released to me, but I discovered he was giving the church we were married in ten thousand dollars a year.”

  “Did you attend it?”

  “No, John W. never attended church, and he never really expressed a thought about God one way or the other.”

  “That's rather strange. Most men have an opinion about religion and to give that much a year, well, he must have had a reason.”

  “Well, I know he and his first wife were married there and her funeral was held there. Since he also married me there, perhaps the place meant something special to him.”

  “You may never know the reason. Did he have any brothers and sisters?”

  “Not that he claimed, because he always said he was an only child. When his father died he left him a large sum of money and John W. used it to make more money.”

  “Well, enough about money. Let's go back to bed and see if my new wife can bring a smile to my face.”

  Four days later while Lew was out shopping for better horses, there was knock on the door. Glancing at the clock on the wall, Susan saw it was a quarter after eight in the morning.

  “Billy, it must be a member of the hotel staff bringing you something to eat” she said as she moved to the door and opened it wide.

  Three filthy men rushed in, threw a burlap bag over her head and dragged her from the room. A maid, hearing the screams, ran toward the men, but was shot in the chest and left for dead.

  “Please, let me go. I have a baby! Please don't leave my baby alone!”

  “Ain't no way lady, because your worth a thousand dollars to us alive.”

  “I'll pay you five!”

  “Right.” one man said and then laughed.

  “What about the bitch Mike shot?”

  “What about her?”

  “She saw us, so shouldn't we make sure she's dead?”

  “Mike, go put a bullet in the maid's head and do it now!”

  While Susan saw nothing, she did hear a shot, followed by a hysterical scream, which brought another shot. Then silence.

  “She's dead now, by God; half her head is gone.”

  “Hurry and get her in the carriage before the coppers get here. I swear you two would be lost without me.” the leader said as he tied Susan's hands behind her back.

  Susan was suddenly picked up, placed on someone's shoulder, and carried out of the side door to a waiting carriage. She was dumped inside like a load of coal, the door slammed shut, and the three men instantly disappeared. What worried Susan the most was Little Billy was heard screaming when she was taken, and he was now all alone.

  Someone heard the shots and surely they'll have someone watch Billy until John returns. Oh, John, I hope you don't lose your second family too. Why have I been taken? Is it for my money? There can't be many people in town that know I have money. Or, does this have to do with John looking for Dutch? She had many thoughts as the carriage rolled down the cobblestone streets.

  Finally, the bag was pulled from her face and she sat on the floor of the carriage looking at Dutch.

  “Well now, pretty lady, you don't look happy to be with me for some reason.”

  “John will kill you for taking me. But, you want him to come for you, don't you? You're a poor excuse for a man, Dutch.”

  “Oh, you are so right, I do want him to come for me. Yes, my dear, except when he comes to visit, I'll kill him. In the meantime, if you anger me, I may turn mean and use you. You are a very attractive woman.”

  “You'd not rape a woman.”

  “I already have, dear, and many, many times, which is why your man is looking for me now. See, me and the boys raped his wife and three daughters last year. Only his sons took to shooting at us, so we killed all of them. By the time we left, nothing was left alive, and to make sure they stayed dead, I had their throats cut.” he said, and then gave her left breast a hard squeeze.

  “Stop it right now. You have no right to touch me like a common whore!”

  “All women are whores! I may just take your John prisoner and let him live, but only as long as you keep me happy in bed.”

  “You'll have to kill me to get me in bed with you.”

  “Oh, killing you would be a horrible w
aste of a stunning woman. No, I'll not kill you, but I will do as I wish with you. Now, that doesn't mean I won't have one of my men kill you.”

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Why on a short ride, my dear, to your new country home for a few days, maybe. But, how long you live there all depends on how John reacts to me taking you. See, he's already lost one family to me, so can you imagine his fear and anger when he learns I have you?” Dutch gave an insane laugh.

  “You bastard!”

  “No, I'm really not a bastard, because I know who my daddy is and I carry his last name. Now, I'll admit to being a sonofabitch, because my momma was a soiled dove for many years, working the saloons of Saint Louis. If you're going to call me names, use the proper ones.”

  “John will kill you for taking me.”

  “My dear, your John wanted to kill me for what we did to his first wife, but he's been unable to do a damned thing. What makes you think you'll be any different? I may just use you hard or give you to my boys to play with until they tire of you, and then send John your head. I think he'd go insane if I did that. Can you imagine what he'll feel like when he learns he can't protect this family either? Oh, he'll go crazy.”

  “You're a dead man, only you don't know it yet! My John will kill you with his bare hands.” Susan shot back, full of anger.

  “That may happen, only I don't think so. Now shut up and I don't want to hear another word out of you.” Dutch said and then took a big swig from his bottle of rye.

  Soon they pulled off a main roadway and moved down a country lane. By the position of the sun, Susan knew they were heading west now, but they had been moving north.

  She was scared, but not overly so. Only she knew her deep fear would come later, once she was alone and in the dark. Yes, she would be frightened later.

  Back at the hotel Lew entered the lobby and the manager said, “May I speak with you, sir, in my office?”

  “Sure. We're paid up until the end of this week, I think.”

  “That's true, but this is something totally different. My name is Noah Rossenberg and I'm the manager here, sir. Please take a seat.” The manager sat in a chair behind his desk and motioned with his right hand for Lew to be seated.