“Now once again, Butch. Just who were these men you hired to take care of our fine sheriff?” Alex Faraday asked as he pulled the curtain back on the front window.
“Two friends of mine from down Tombstone way,” Canady replied. Alex was slumped down in the leather chair in front of the stone fireplace. He pulled out an ivory handled pocket knife from his jean pocket.
“And you say they are dependable and very good shots?” Faraday said as he looked nervously out the front window.
“That’s what I said, Alex. Give ’em a good look and they’ll take you out,” Butch said, as he fidgeted with his knife.
“Well that’s good, that’s good,” Alex Brit replied. “We don’t need any failures at this point.”
“Don’t worry, if they don’t get him, I will,” Canady said confidently.
“Let’s hope you don’t have to do that. I would rather have him killed by strangers.” Alex dropped the curtain and walked over in front of the fireplace. As he gazed at the dancing flame, he contemplated the situation. He needed to eliminate Jon without any connection to him. He wanted to build his power base in the area as a respectable businessman. Any connection to the popular sheriff’s murder could make it difficult to gain the support of the folks. He also knew that an angry Jon Stoudenmire was a daunting foe indeed and if all else failed he may have to turn Canady loose on him.
“I hear somethin’,” Canady said.
“Oh yes, someone’s coming,” Alex hurried over and glanced out the window. “It’s Web,” he announced. “Maybe he has some news. Let’s go greet him, Butch.”
Butch looked over at Alex as he pushed the blade shut with the palm of his hand and put the knife back in his pocket. He slowly stood up and followed the Englishman as Alex hurried through the corridor and out the front door.
Web quickly dismounted, tied up and hurried toward Alex.
“Tell me my dear man, what do we know?” the fast approaching Alex asked.
The newly freed Web was almost out of breath. “Well they didn’t get him.” Web leaned against the door slowly getting his breath.
“They didn’t what?” Alex screamed.
“Some of the miners at the...uh...saloon said they’re ridin’ toward town today and heard several shots out by the canyon. A little while later Sheriff Stoudenmire rode into town from that direction.”
“He what?”
“I guess Jake Nussbaum rode out with his wagon a little later and returned with a dead body. Nobody knew the man.” Dreading the response, Web’s eyes went to the floor.
“What kind of idiots do I have working for me?” Alex screamed. He wheeled around to confront the slowly approaching Canady. His bony finger shot toward the gunman. “I’m paying you one hell of a lot of money to kill people and this is what I get!” Faraday screamed, finger shaking.
The fearless Canady’s eyes narrowed. “I know I got a job to do Alex, but this Stoudenmire’s a horse of a different color. It’s like he’s got nine lives or somethin’.”
“That special election is on Saturday. Web here will win the election and I will then appoint Clive as sheriff. I want Stoudenmire dead in 48 hours; I don’t care how you do it. It has to be done!” The haughty Brit stormed by Canady.
Faraday stopped by the door to his study, he turned back toward Canady. “48 hours! Do you hear me?” he shouted.
“I hear you Faraday,” Butch replied as he spit on the parlor floor.