The Russian Billionaire’s Secret(158)

The barbaric hypocrite stands by the door, a look of disgust on his face as he surveys the mess of a woman he leaves behind. “Get over yourself, whore. You’ve done worse for money,” he says, turning to leave. “Thank you for your help today. I’ll make sure you are rewarded justly for your assistance, when I have ruined that crazy woman’s ability to interfere in the dealings of the men in this community.”

“Just get out of here, you *!” screams Sally. “Leave and don’t let me ever see your face again!”

“Oh? I thought you wanted a regular customer?”

“Not you! You are disgusting!” the woman screams through her busted lip. With an almighty blow, Tyson punched her in the face, the bones in her face shattering upon impact. She hits the floor with a dull thud, and Tyson turns to open the door.

“See you next week, whore. And you’d better be here,” he said, ruthlessly leaving the shattered remains of the prostitute, broken and bloody on the floor of the Hanged Man’s room.

Tyson leaves the saloon, and pays his tab with the barman before exiting. Sitting at a table playing poker is Ed Fuller, another one of the elders at the Atoka Church of God and a notorious gambler and drinker. He also used to work for Tyson as a cattleman for Junior Parker before he got fired for trying to pick drunken fights while on cattle drives.

“Well hey there, Tyson. What are you doing in the Hanged Man?” Ed asked.

“I wanted a drink, Ed.”

“Don’t we all…listen, what are we going to do about this matchmaker? It’s just that Daisy’s sister is getting antsy…she is worried that there won’t be any men left to marry when the matchmaker is finished.”

“Don’t worry about that. I know who the matchmaker is, and I will be putting a stop to this business very soon.”

“Okay, just make sure that—“

“I said that I will take care of it!” Tyson shouts, his eyes beginning to pop once more.

“Okay, okay…calm down.”

“I must go home. Do not tell anyone that I know who the matchmaker is. I must go home to Emily and Elizabeth. Good evening to you,” he says, clearly in a rush to leave the bar.

He exits the building, and turns left to walk toward his home, just outside the limits of the community of Atoka. When he arrives, he enters his home, and sees his wife, Emily, sitting at the table. The woman looks haggard, with dark bags under her eyes. “I know who the matchmaker is,” he says.

Emily does not say a word, but instead sits in complete silence. The poor woman simply wants him to leave her alone for one evening.

If she can escape a beating, then it will have been a success.

Chapter 9

Dealing With Tyson

A week later, a large locomotive puffs to a stop at the main platform of the Coleman Station of the Gulf, Colorado, & Santa Fe Railway, white steam billowing behind the series of train cars. When it finally comes to a full and complete stop, men begin to unload the various cargo holds of the freight, while other men remove the sacks of mail from the mail car. The fourth car doors open, and the only two passengers on the train exit and walk lazily over to the postmaster’s booth. The man knocks on the door, and Sandra Ammor opens the door.

“Junior! Ruth! How have y’all been?” she hollers out.

“We’ve been fine,” Junior answers. “Just fine. Are Dandy and Dwight here? They were supposed to be meeting us.”

“We’re here, Junior,” Dwight says from the corner, standing to shake his hand.

“Great! Where’s Dandy at?”

“I’m not sure. He probably couldn’t get away from the hoosegow in time.”

“What? Dandy’s in jail?”

“Yeah, but not on that side of the bars. He’s chief deputy for the Sheriff these days.”

“That’s great!” Junior says, “I know that he wanted that for a long time.”

“Yeah, he has,” Dandy says from the doorway, smiling.

“Dandy! Where the hell did you come from!” Junior hollers, grabbing the younger man’s hand and wringing it.

“I couldn’t come without the missus,” Dandy responds, grinning from ear to ear. “Junior, this is my wife, Sarah Anne, and our baby,” he says, rubbing his wife’s stomach tenderly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sarah Anne,” Junior says, “and this is my lovely bride, Ruth,”

“Hello everyone!” she says, beaming, taking Sarah Anne’s hand, and turning to Pauline. “And you are?”

“I’m sorry! Junior…Ruth, this is Pauline, my new wife,” Dwight says, quickly introducing her. Ruth and Pauline shake hands, the two youngest women there.

“Now, I hate to break up this cozy catch-up session, everyone,” Sandra cuts in, “but I have work to do. Shoo!”

When everyone is outside, Junior turns to Dwight and says “I see that your sister hasn’t changed a bit.”

“Not one jot,” Dwight responds, shaking his head.

“So, Dwight…I hate to ask, but before we go find Tyson, I simply have to know…what exactly happened to Big Dave…and Amanda?”

“Well,” Dwight says, rubbing his forehead. “Dave was murdered.”

“What?!”