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Hearing that Sheriff Malloy nodded his head. "You got it," he said firmly, extending his hand again. " You'll see me and my boys there most days. And if any more O'Driscolls or anyone else gets any ideas, they'll have to answer to us." Caleb laughed and shook his hand, sealing the unspoken agreement between them.
After that, Caleb took his hands off and said to Sheriff Malloy, his voice carrying a calm but serious tone, "Sheriff, there's one last matter I'd like to discuss with you, something important."
Sheriff Malloy, who had just closed the drawer and locked away the funds Caleb had given, turned his full attention to him. His expression was open, curious, and with a hint of that affable grin still tugging at his lips.
"One last matter, huh? Well, after what you've done for me and my boys today, cash in our pocket and free lunch of burgers and fries every damn day, I reckon you've earned more than just a few minutes of my time." He leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers across his belly. "Anything I can do to help, you just say the word."
Caleb smiled faintly, appreciating the Sheriff's willingness to cooperate. He took a slow breath before speaking, choosing his words carefully. "I want to take over the land where my stall sits. Permanently. Not just rent it, own it outright."
For a moment, silence hung in the office like smoke after a gunfight. Sheriff Malloy's brows shot up, surprise plain as day on his rugged face. His body straightened, as he blinked once. "You serious about this, Caleb?"
Caleb nodded firmly, his expression calm but resolute. "Dead serious. I've got plans, Sheriff. Big ones. That stall of mine ain't gonna stay a little stall forever. I'm thinkin' of expandin', turnin' it into a real establishment. A proper building, something folks can walk into, sit down, eat, maybe even play a little music. Hell, I've got ideas. But…"
He paused, leaning forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. "If I pour all my time and money into buildin' something like that, I don't want the rug pulled out from under me someday because the land ain't mine. Last thing I need is someone else buyin' it, and me tearin' everything down after sinking a fortune into it. That's a fool's loss, Sheriff. And I ain't no fool."
Sheriff Malloy's face softened with understanding. He let out a low whistle and nodded slowly, scratching his chin with his thumb. "Can't say I blame you there. That'd be a damned nightmare. Even a man without a lick of business sense could see that plain as day. And you—" Sheriff Malloy chuckled, "You got a sharp head for business, Caleb. I respect that."
Caleb gave a small grin. "Appreciate it."
"Thing is," Sheriff Malloy continued, sitting up straighter, "that land ain't under my control. Rentin'? That I handle. But buyin'? That's under the Valentine administration. Different matter altogether. Still…" He glanced toward the door, then back at Caleb.
"Lucky for you, I can make things easy. I'll get the land clerk here, Mr. Graght. He's the one who handles deeds and such. We'll do it right here, right now, if you've got the money. How's that sound?"
Caleb's grin widened slightly, his eyes glinting with quiet satisfaction. "Sheriff, if you could do that, I'd be mighty grateful."
SheriffMalloy slapped the desk lightly, grinning. "Then it's settled. You and Jasper, have a seat. Make yourselves comfortable." He turned his head and barked toward the door, "Deputy! Get in here!"
The door creaked open a moment later, and a young deputy with a neatly trimmed mustache stepped inside, hat in hand. "Yes, Sheriff?"
"Go fetch Mr. Graght, the land clerk. Tell him I got business that needs his attention pronto. And tell him it's worth his while."
"Yes, sir." The deputy tipped his hat and disappeared out the door without another word.
Caleb leaned back slightly, exchanging a look with Jasper, who raised his brows in quiet surprise but said nothing. The air in the Sheriff's office seemed to settle into a more relaxed rhythm as the three men, Caleb, Jasper, and Sheriff Malloy, talked idly while they waited.
Sheriff Malloy shared a couple of stories about rowdy saloon fights and how half his deputies nearly got tossed into the trough last Saturday. Caleb chuckled at the right moments, though his mind was already running figures and plans.
Five minutes passed, then the sound of boots on wood echoed from the hallway. The door swung open, and in stepped the deputy, followed by a middle aged man in a dark brown suit and spectacles perched on his nose.
He carried a black leather suitcase in his right hand and looked mildly annoyed, as if being pulled from his warm office for "urgent business" had soured his mood.
Malloy stood, arms wide in a welcoming gesture. "Mr. Graght! Glad you could make it."
The man adjusted his glasses and gave Malloy a thin smile. "Sheriff. You said it was important. I had appointments back at the office, you know."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Malloy said with a laugh, brushing the protest aside like an autumn leaf. "Normally, sure, you'd handle this in your fancy office. But this ain't normal business, friend. The man who wants to buy some land ain't just anybody."
Mr. Graght arched a brow and glanced toward Caleb and Jasper, who were both standing now. His eyes landed on Jasper first, after all, Jasper was the man folks usually saw running the stall out front. "You?" he asked.
Jasper shook his head with a small laugh, gesturing toward Caleb. "No, sir. Not me. He's the real owner. I just keep the front runnin'. Caleb here's the brains behind it all."
"Ah," Mr. Graght said, adjusting his glasses again and stepping forward to shake Caleb's hand. "Well then, a pleasure to meet you, Mr…?"
"Caleb," Caleb said simply, gripping the man's hand firmly. "Pleasure's mine."
Mr. Graght nodded, setting his suitcase down on Malloy's desk. "Now then. Sheriff said you want to buy the land you're currently renting?"
"Exactly," Caleb replied without hesitation. "The one beside the stable and blacksmith. That's where my food stall sits now. I want it under my name. Permanent."
Graght nodded once, flipping open the latches of his suitcase with precise movements. "Very well. Let's get to it." He rummaged through a neat stack of documents, his fingers gliding over folders and papers until he pulled out a bundle of land deeds. Laying them on the desk, he muttered as he searched for the right one.
"Before we waste more time," Mr. Graght said over the papers, "you should know, land in Valentine don't come cheap. You sure you're prepared for that?"
Caleb's answer was steady, calm. "I'm sure."
"Hmm." Mr. Graght finally pulled out the correct deed and smoothed it over the desk with his palm. "Here we are. The parcel you're asking for, the strip between the livery and the blacksmith shop. Price is eighteen hundred dollars."
Jasper let out a low whistle beside Caleb, his eyes wide. "Damn."
Caleb, however, merely nodded, as if he'd expected it. "That's a substantial amount. Would it be possible to arrange a payment plan? Perhaps pay half now and the remainder, with agreed upon interest, at a later date?"
Mr. Graght considered this, tapping the deed against his palm. "That is... unusually flexible for the council, but given the circumstances and the Sheriff's... endorsement... I believe I can arrange it. A ten percent interest on the remaining nine hundred would be applicable."
Caleb nodded. "Fine. Half now, the rest with interest later."
Without missing a beat, he reached down and pulled his satchel onto the desk. The leather creaked as he unbuckled the flap, and from within, he drew out a thick stack of bills that he took out from his inventory.
Peeling them off with practiced hands, Caleb counted aloud, a hundred, five hundred, until he reached nine hundred dollars. He placed the money neatly on the desk in front of Mr. Graght.
The clerk's brows rose slightly at the sight. Not many men in Valentine could slap nine hundred dollars on a desk without blinking. "Very well," Mr. Graght murmured, collecting the bills and sliding them into his case. He took out a pen, dipped it in ink, and began filling in the necessary details on the deed form. "Name?"
"Caleb Thorne," Caleb replied clearly.
Mr. Graght wrote it down, then continued marking the document as Jasper watched with quiet awe. Sheriff Malloy took a sit back on his chair and leaned back on it with a grin, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
"You're making moves, Caleb," the Sheriff remarked. "Big moves. Folks round here don't usually think long-term like that. Most just blow their cash on whiskey and cards."
Caleb smirked faintly. "I've seen what happens to men who don't think ahead."
Sheriff Malloy chuckled. "Ain't that the truth."
A few more minutes passed as Mr. Graght completed the paperwork. Finally, he slid the deed across the desk toward Caleb. "Sign here."
Caleb took the pen, his hand steady as he signed his name in bold strokes. For a brief moment, he looked at that paper, at his name printed next to the words 'Owner of Parcel' and felt a surge of something deep in his gut. Pride. Ambition. And resolve.
He handed the pen back, and Mr. Graght stamped the document with a heavy thump. "There. It's official. You own the land, half paid. Balance due with interest in ninety days."
Caleb nodded and put the document into his satchel where he actually put it inside his inventory. "Understood. Oh, and Mr. Graght, please keep this a secret, and only us in this room know about it."
Mr. Graght nodded his head before then packed up his things, gave a curt nod to everyone, and left the office.
Sheriff Malloy stood and extended his hand once more, grinning wide. "Well, hell, Caleb. Looks like you ain't just a cook slingin' burgers no more. You're a damn businessman."
Caleb shook his hand firmly, his grin cool and confident. "One step at a time, Sheriff.
Sheriff Malloy chuckled at that, releasing his hand and dropping back into his chair. "Well, Caleb, whatever you're buildin', I got a feelin' folks'll be talkin' about it for a long while." He leaned forward, lowering his voice a notch. "And you ever need a favor, hell, you know where to find me."
Caleb tipped his hat slightly, his grin sharp. "I'll keep that in mind. Now, Sheriff, if you'll excuse us, Jasper and I have a building to plan."
With that, Caleb and Jasper stepped out into the cool afternoon air of Valentine. The wooden porch creaked under their boots as they descended the steps and hit the street, dust kicking up around their heels.
The hum of town life was steady as ever, horses stamping at hitching posts, wagons rumbling past, voices drifting from the saloon and general store, all of it under the watchful glow of the sinking sun.
As they walked, Jasper blew out a low whistle, shaking his head in disbelief. "Boss," he muttered, his tone almost reverent, "I didn't expect such an important deal could be done that fast."
Caleb chuckled at that, his hands resting easily on his belt as they strolled past the post office. "If you've got connections, influence, and money, Jasper…" He threw the younger man a sidelong glance, eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and sharp wisdom. "Everything gets done quick. Easy, even. That's how the world works. Always has. Always will. It favors men who have at least one of those things, and damn near worships the ones who got all three."
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 7/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 6/10
- Luck: 6/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 3)
- Rifle (Lvl 3)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 3)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 2)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 3)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 4)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 2)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 2)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lv 2)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 2)
- Teaching (Lvl 1)
- Germanic Language Proficiency (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 5x5x5)
- Acting (Lvl 2)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
Money: 1,582 dollars and 10 cents
Inventory: 6,207 dollars and 43 cents, 7 gold nuggets, 8 gold bars, 7 silver rings, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 large bags of jewelry, 4 gold rings, 2 silver rings, 4 silver pocket watches, 3 gold buckles, 1 gold pocket compass, 2 platinum pocket watches, 2 Colm's Schofields, and land deed (Parcel)
Bank: -