Point and Conor walked into the town hall together. The three girls—who really should be working—trailed behind them, looking out of place in the stuffy room. Addy, the polar opposite of the twins, had promised to keep quiet, but you couldn't stop the sun from shining any more than you could keep Adeline Donnelly quiet for very long. In fact, there were many men who loved her company for that reason alone.
Addy tapped Point on the shoulder as they entered. "What did you do before you came to the bar? Did you kill someone?"
Point turned his head to look back at her, a mix of disappointment and resignation in his eyes. She should be able to read the kind of man he was by now, but even with all she knew, she still didn't get it. In her profession, with everything she knew about him—yes, she should've been able to read him better.
Addy paused mid-step as she realized that asking the question was as pointless as if he'd asked her if she was wanted for murder. It hung in the air for a moment before she let it slip away, just like everything else.
The town hall was a modest yet formal chamber, the air heavy with the scent of old wood and dust. High wooden beams arched above, giving the room a vaulted, almost solemn feel.
High arching windows let in slivers of weak afternoon light that dusted the floor in gold. The sleek marble walls were adorned with faded portraits of past mayors and town figures, their eyes seeming to follow anyone who dared to sit in their shadow.
A long, worn oak table ran across the front of the room, its surface scarred by years of use. Behind it were three heavy chairs—sturdy and imposing. The mayor sat at the head, his brother on one side, and Rex, the sheriff, on the other.
The mayor was the picture of perfection in his perfectly tailored suit, every detail crisp and immaculate. His hair was neatly combed, not a strand out of place, and his posture straight, exuding an air of confidence and control.
His shoes gleamed as if freshly polished, and his waistcoat was so sharply pressed it could cut glass. When he looked at Point, there was no trace of imperfection—only the calculated calm of a man who understood how to present himself, no matter what was brewing beneath the surface.
Point could see it instantly: this was about to be a railroad job.
Point and Conor both knew the mayor was dirty as a pig on pork night. Seeing who was seated and knowing the mayor had asked him specifically to come here—this wasn't a meeting, this was a kangaroo court. Point could feel the tension settle in his chest, and he hoped against hope that he wouldn't be forced to kill anyone tonight. Since he'd come to town, his body count had been surprisingly low, and he liked it that way.
"Do we have any old business?" Cyrus Fletcher's voice echoed in the room, his grin never fading, still stretched too wide like a man who thought he was in control. His brother Jeb, seated beside him, hadn't stopped smiling since they walked in—likely a sign of his pride for whatever little "status" he thought he'd earned simply by being related to someone important. The sheriff, however, looked as nervous as the girls, his hands shaking just slightly as he adjusted his hat.
"JEB!" Cyrus's voice snapped with sudden anger, like a whip cracking through the air.
Jeb nearly fell out of his seat, jerked back to the present with a wild flurry of paper shuffling. Cyrus glared at his brother. "Do we have old business or not?"
Jeb looked like a puppy caught in a thunderstorm, his face blank and confused as he scrambled for the right papers. Cyrus, now beyond annoyed, didn't wait for his brother to answer. "No. We finished old business last time," he snapped, his teeth gritted. He glared at Jeb again. "Next time, have it ready when we're in session, you idiot!"
Jeb looked down at his lap, his shame palpable, his face a dull shade of red.
Cyrus shifted back in his chair, a cold smile returning to his face. "New business!" he announced, his voice almost mocking in its false grandeur. "It has come to my attention that we have a public nuisance. A stranger has come to town, and it seems he's made the Natives upset. Right after this... stranger arrived, the tribe to the north stormed through town." The energy in the room was like a "peaceful protest" rushing to Point, burning his real-estate to the ground. He paused, letting the words hang in the air like a threat.
"The last thing we need is more trouble with the Natives," Cyrus said, his voice sharp. "The tribe to the north's been causing enough issues. It's enough to make everyone uneasy. It's been going on for weeks. And I hear that if the tribe doesn't figure things out soon, there might be... consequences."
He gave a quick glance around the room, making sure no one was paying too much attention. "We don't need this kind of problem in a place like this. And now, with him in town"—he nodded toward Point—"The Indians appear to becoming more hostel, our town will not let this stand."
So, I motion that if this public nuisance isn't removed by tomorrow, I'll deal with him by any means I see fit." He looked around the room, his gaze lingering on Jeb. "Do I have a second?"
Jeb was fiddling with something in his shirt when his brother's voice snapped through the room. "DO I HAVE A SECOND?"
Jeb jolted and quickly stammered, "I second!"
Cyrus gave him a sharp, frustrated look before turning his attention back to Point. He seemed surprised that anyone would oppose him. Point stood slowly, shaking his head. "So, this is why ya wanted me here?" His voice was calm, but backlit with rage. "This is such an issue for you that ya had it addressed at a council meeting?"
Without waiting for an answer, Point turned and walked toward the door. The girls jumped to their feet, realizing he was leaving. Addy was the first to follow, her steps quickening as she nearly sprinted after him.
"Point!" she called, her voice rising with urgency.
Point stopped, turning around outside. He regarded her silently, his face unreadable.
"You ain't really leavin', are ya, Point?" she asked, her heart tight with worry.
Point gave her a small smile, his rough hand reaching up to touch her cheek. "I told ya earlier, darlin', I'm on the job now. You heard me, right?"
Addy's attention was so focused on how his rough, cold hand felt so nice on her hot, soft skin she almost missed the question altogether. Once it reached her brain her head began to bob up and down slowly. She snapped out of it and said, "That means you gotta stay! Where you gonna stay?"
Point's gaze softened, his expression still unreadable. "I'll be around, sugar. You just make sure I can get a bath when I need one. Can you do that for me?"
Addy pressed her lips together with a grin. Her eyes narrowed slightly, like she realized she was part of the conspiracy to take the mayor down. The weight of it all settled on her, but she didn't flinch.
"You ain't making this easy on me, Point."
Point's gaze lingered on her for a moment as his hand slid down her soft white jaw, pausing at her chin, reluctant to stop touching her.
When they saw the state Addy was in, they glanced at each other. No grimace. No pity. No surprise. Just a knowing look that passed between them and was gone in a blink. They had learned far too young not to put all your hope eggs into one cowboy hat. That hat would get kicked around sooner or later. Always did.
Point and the three girls crossed the street and walked into the TSAVORITE.
The place was clean and exact, the air crisp with fresh spirits and polished wood. Point sat at a table this time instead of the bar, choosing the spot by the door where the light fell clean and bright on him. He made no effort to hide himself. If anything, he seemed to welcome the attention, sitting plain in view like a quiet dare to anyone who might be looking. Clem dropped a shot of whiskey in front of him without asking, the glass set down neat and deliberate.
He looked at the girls. "You want anything?"
All three shook their heads.
Char leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "So what's yur plan now? Seems your in the same wagon that we been in for years."
Point nodded, slow and thoughtful. But there was no sag in his shoulders. No crack in his eyes. He looked one hundred percent unaffected by what had just happened, like the ground beneath him hadn't shifted at all.
Angie studied him a moment longer before asking, "So, are you still gunna stick aroun?"
She truly didn't know what he would say.
"I made a promise to all you girls," Point said evenly. "Conor too. I am going to find out what that shyster is up to. He clearly had your mother put away, and that ain't somethin I can sit on."
The words settled heavy on the table.
Moments later the front door creaked open again and Conor walked in. He spotted them immediately and came over, stopping short of the table.
Before he could speak, all three girls leaned in at once and asked together, like they were singing a single rehearsed line, "You still plan on stayen?"
Conor flinched back, startled, blinking at them. After a second he shook his head and said, "Take it im not the first one to ask that."
Addy flashed that shifty smile again, the one that showed more teeth than comfort. "He ain't goin nowhere."
It sounded less like reassurance and more like an order.
Conor turned back to Point. "You gunna stay with us, here?"
Point looked up at him. "Na. If he tries to use force, I can'ta put all yall in danger like at."
Addys heart lost about 20 pounds after he said that.
"Why don't ya have 4 of your biggest suppers made up for me and the girls here and maybe we can figer otta plan as we eat."
Point put his issue out of his head and got a big grin, trying to lighten the mood.
"Come on yall, I aint dead and I told yall I ain't leaven. Don't look so sad. Whats gunna happen when somethin does actually happen."
Then he turned toward Addy and asked, like it was a thought he'd just had, "Addy, does anyone play that old piana in the corner?"
"Cletus plays a little," she said.
Point didn't move. He didn't reach for her hand. He just stared.
"Cletus?" he asked, like he was checking if he'd heard right.
Addy dipped her head slightly. "Uh-huh. He sure do."
Point narrowed his eyes. "The same man that has only one leg and one arm?"
Addy nodded. "Cletus."
From the back of the bar, a chair scraped. A one-armed, one-legged man tumbled out of it and hit the floor.
Conor and the girls all tried to keep their faces straight, but the moment pulled the corners of their mouths upward anyway.
Cletus pushed himself upright from the shadow and asked, "What is it?"
Conor said, "These folks want some music."
Cletus lowered his head and stared at the piano like it was a bull he was about to fight. He slowly pressed over to the seat and started to play the melody from Chopin's Nocturne.
After a few bars, he was hit in the back of the head with a dirty wet rag that Clem had thrown in his direction.
Cletus spun to face the bar with a very angry and confused look.
"They wanna lighten the mood with some dance ya idjit!"
For the next few hours they all danced and drank and sang. The air filled with the warm buzz of liquor and laughter. Boots scuffed the floor. The piano kept its steady, haunting tune under the sound of their voices.
In the back of their minds, they were all thinking about what Point could do to leave town and still not leave town.
Point sat back down at the table they had all been sitting at and he said, "Im going to camp out at the girl's old house."
Addy looked at Point as if it were her he wanted to keep his distance from. "Your gunna stay at the girls old place? What about your room here?"
Point said, "This is part of a plan I have come up wit. Its not a full plan yet, it will be."
Point winked at Addy. The blood in Addy's face rushed to her cheeks.
Point got up and walked over to Addy and got down on one knee.
"Tomorrow, I want you to head over to the Sheriffs office and chat em up. Ya know, complain about something and I want you to let it slip about where I am stayen. At the moment I seem to be… ANXIOUS for the dust to get kicked up."
He stood to address everyone.
"Hey, I am aware that we only just met each other. I am a fairly quick read on people, I do OK at cards. I am about to go out on a limb hear. I don't want any money. The only thing I ask for is your loyalty. To me and to each other. If you all swear to that right now, I can swear on my one life right now that the mayor will not be the mayor when I leave this town, DEAD OR ALIVE I can promise you that."
The five of them looked at each other. The girls looked a little timid to say something first. The obvious one spoke up.
"You got me till death Point!"
Addy stuck her arm in the middle of the table, her face red as the 10 of hearts, as she slid her hand out.
Conor slowly dropped his hand on top of Addy's hand.
"That asshole has blocked or stopped every buisness move or expantion I have ever moved on. If it don't put money in his own pocket, he thinks we all stealen from um. I with you to."
Point nodded to Conor as a thank you.
The girls put a hand each in the middle of the table as well and Char said,
"We ain't never had the able or the means to get back what he stole from mama. If loyality is all we gotta pay ya to get it done then we with ya too Point."
Point pressed his lips together and said,
"I do have one other thing I need from you all before I get started. They already know, we are all friendly. Once Cyrus finds out that I am defiant, he is likely to come after one of you for leverage. I need yall to stop whoren until this is all over."
Everyone at the table pulled their hands back quick. The three girls got a huge smile on their face and started to stir in their seats.
Conor said,
"How the hell do I keep this place runnin if there aint no whores here?"
Point put his hand on Conor's shoulder and said,
"They can stay here as long as the keep a gun at the ready. Draw the folk in with the posibility of whorse, but tell em they all sick at the moment. Hell, tell em they got the clap all I care. If each of you want to survive this, there aint no way you can be havin stranges in and out of rooms all night. Make somethin up!"
Conor slowly dropped his hand on top of Addy's hand.
"That asshole has blocked or stopped every buisness move or expantion I have ever moved on. If it don't put money in his own pocket, he thinks we all stealen from um. I with you to."
Point nodded to Conor as a thank you.
The girls put a hand each in the middle of the table as well and Char said,
"We ain't never had the able or the means to get back what he stole from mama. If loyality is all we gotta pay ya to get it done then we with ya too Point."
Point pressed his lips together and said,
"I do have one other thing I need from you all before I get started. They already know, we are all friendly. Once Cyrus finds out that I am defiant, he is likely to come after one of you for leverage. I need yall to stop whoren until this is all over."
Everyone at the table pulled their hands back quick. The three girls got a huge smile on their face and started to stir in their seats.
Conor said,"How the hell do I keep this place runnin if there aint no whores here?"
Point put his hand on Conor's shoulder and said,
"They can stay here as long as the keep a gun at the ready. Draw the folk in with the posibility of whorse, but tell em they all sick at the moment. Hell, tell em they got the clap all I care. If each of you want to survive this, there aint no way you can be havin stranges in and out of rooms all night. Make somethin up!"
Angie grinded her bottom into her chair and said,
"I do believe I am feelen a little clappy!"
A huge smile lit up her face.
Conor pointed his fingers at Point and said,
"This plan a yours better work or I will make it my mission in life to find someone, ANYONE to hunt you down and give YOU the clap!"
Point smiled as the girls all broke out in laughter.