I had caught him packing. He had a threadbare carpet bag stuffed half full of odds and ends, along with a few shirts that needed laundering and a pair of striped suspenders.
“Sir, I’m closed for the day. You’ll have to come back another–-” He saw me and his face paled.
“You have to answer for Shiner Larsen, tooth-puller.”
He had sense enough not to try and talk his way out of it. He was a smallish man with a long chin and pale, freckled hands.
He drew himself up to his full measure, what there was of it. “And why not? Why shouldn’t I have that crazy old Swede killed? Being a dentist is a hard enough trade. People don’t like dentists much and his slander wasn’t helping me eat. Besides, I was willing to marry that Navajo daughter of his but he wouldn’t have it. Said I was no good, that she didn’t need the likes of me because one day he would call a man out of the dust of time to protect her. He wouldn’t even broach the subject with her. He was crazy, so I made arrangements to have him pushed out of the way. Told the men to teach her a lesson, too, since I couldn’t have her to myself. The way I see it, I did this town a righteous favor in the name of God. If you know anything about the history of Haxan you know that much.”
“Law says you have to pay, Hartleby. You’ll get a trial. Then you’ll be hanged.”
“I was losing money and respect!”
“You had enough money to hire three cold-blooded killers. Think about that. And I’m not sure you had much respect to begin with, seeing how you wanted Magra treated. No, I think you’re a man who let his hate get away with him. It happens.”
His mouth worked a bit before he spit indignation. “I don’t like your tone, Marshall, or your insinuations about my character.”
“I don’t much care. Come on, I’m taking you in.”
His hand stole for the carpet bag.
“Don’t try it, Hartleby.”
“I won’t hang, Marshall.” He was facing the street. If he fired he might hit someone outside. I had to get him first.
“Don’t pull on me, Hartleby. You’ll never live to see your own hanging if you do.”
He wasn’t hearing me. He was listening to the hate that bellowed in his heart. His hand flashed and our guns roared at the same instant in the cramped room. He slumped against the wall and left a smear of red.
I kicked the smoking Walker from his hand and went outside. Polgar and Doc Toland were there to meet me, blinking in the sun.
“Haxan’s going to need a new dentist,” I told them.
Copyright © 2009 Kenneth Mark Hoover
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Kenneth Mark Hoover has sold over thirty short stories and articles. His fiction has appeared in magazines such as Fantastic Stories, Strange Horizons, Challenging Destiny, and Drops of Crimson. His first novel, Fevreblau, was published by Five Star Press in 2005 and sold out its first print run. His story Mr. Hoover currently lives in Dallas, TX but you can reach him, and read more about Haxan and the characters who live there, at http://kennethmarkhoover.com.
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COVER ART
“Endless Skies,” by Rick Sardinha
Rick Sardinha is a professional illustrator/fine artist living and working on the outskirts of Providence, Rhode Island. His passion is to create in traditional oil media, however, he is just as comfortable in front of a computer and often uses multiple disciplines in the image creation process. More of his work can be seen at http://www.battleduck.com.
Beneath Ceaseless Skies
ISSN: 1946-1046
Published by Firkin Press,
a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Literary Organization
Copyright © 2012 Firkin Press
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