A Fistful of Trouble (Outlaws of the Galaxy Book 2), Paul Tomlinson [bts books to read .txt] 📗

“Getting him fixed.”

“He broken?”

“No, I just don’t want him getting bitches pregnant.”

A snigger behind Deke, but it was quickly silenced when he turned around.

“Who you working for, Quincy Quigley?” Deke asked, turning back to me and putting his prematurely wrinkly face close to mine again.

“I’m a freelance,” I said.

“You working for Mayor Brennan?”

“Who’s Brennan?” I asked.

“He’s the Mayor,” a voice behind Deke said. The skinny dude with the squint.

Deke rolled his eyes.

“No kidding?” I said.

“Ignore him, he’s soft in the head,” Deke said.

“Mayor Brennan?” I asked, pretending to be confused.

“Don’t be an idiot.”

“Sorry. I can see you’ve already got a full set.”

“Don’t I know it. Where were we?” Deke asked.

“You were asking if I was working for the Mayor.”

“Are you?”

“We’ve established that I’m not.”

“That’s good,” Deke said. “You shouldn’t.”

“Why not? Doesn’t he offer health insurance?”

“It would be bad for your health to work for him,” Deke said, smiling and nodding.

“It would?”

“If the Colonel found out a weapon like your robot had fallen into the hands of the Mayor, he wouldn’t be best pleased. He thinks it’s much safer if military hardware is controlled by people with military experience.”

“People like Colonel Hodge himself?”

“Exactly right,” Deke said, smiling again. I fought the urge to tell him he had something on his tooth. “Don’t even think about offering that robot to anyone else in town.”

“Here’s the thing,” I said. “When I sell something, it goes to the highest bidder. If that happens to be the Colonel, then fine. But if it isn’t, then the matter is out of my hands.”

Deke stepped in close again and poked me in the chest with his finger. “I don’t think you realise who you’re dealing with here.”

“I am dealing with one of Colonel Hodge’s minions,” I said. “And I hope for his sake that you’re not the best he’s got.”

Deke stepped back. A tide of red rose from his collar and made his face pink. “You lousy scracker!”

“If I shot you, I don’t think the Colonel would be much bothered,” I said. “Probably wouldn’t even notice you were gone.”

Needling him was dangerous, but frankly I wanted this encounter to be over. I wanted a bath and then I wanted something to eat. Something that didn’t come out of a self-heating pouch.

“I’ll kill you!” Deke went for his gun. Only it wasn’t where he thought it was.

“Looking for this?” I pointed his pistol at him. He knew it was his because it had his name engraved on it.

Deke’s face went from pink to brick red. He didn’t like having his weapon in another man’s hand. He was also afraid I might use the opportunity to hurt him. And he was aware that the stooges were sniggering behind him. I looked down at the gun.

“I’ve seen bigger,” I said.

More sniggering behind Deke. I’d pushed this as far as I could. I tossed the gun back to Deke. I turned my back to him and started walking.

“Don’t you walk away from me!”

I kept going.

There was a dry clicking sound behind me. Deke was trying to shoot me. His gun wouldn’t fire. That would be because the bullets were in my hand. I turned back to look at him.

“A real gunman can tell from the weight if his gun is loaded,” I said. I tossed the bullets into the dust at Deke’s feet. His face was so dark now I expected to see steam. An explosion was imminent.

“Toss me your gun!” he said to the nearest of his stooges. Deke fumbled the catch but didn’t drop it. He turned and pointed the borrowed gun at me.

I stood, ready to draw the moment I saw his finger tighten on the trigger. I’d go for a shoulder shot.

“That’s enough, Deke.” A firm voice from the shadows. I recognised the man who stepped forward into the light. Sheriff Galton, the town’s chief law enforcement officer. I had hoped to avoid crossing paths with him. He was a tall, wiry man with a full head of almost white hair and an impressive moustache. His voice was a deep growl and I think he was someone who didn’t like to waste words. He seemed like a man who had reluctantly accepted a position of authority. If he had a sense of humour, he didn’t show it. I’m sure he had a much gentler side that he showed in private, but at that moment he was playing the no-nonsense lawman.

Deke turned. When he saw the sheriff he didn’t lower the gun. His top lip twisted into a sneer. Not a big respecter of the law, I guessed. But then two hulking figures stepped out of the shadows behind the sheriff and Deke’s gun and the crooked lip were both lowered. The sheriff’s backing singers wore round ‘deputy’ badges, but they looked more like hired muscle than deputised locals. Although Deke and his stooges outnumbered them, the sheriff and his men had better guns. Deke tossed the gun back to its owner and tried on a sappy grin.

“Me an’ the boys was just having some fun with our new friend,” he told the sheriff.

“Is that right?” The sheriff looked at me.

Deke was staring at me, daring me to contradict him. It was like that playground thing where you’re not supposed to rat on the bully if you know what’s good for you.

I shrugged. “I was having fun. But I’m not looking to make friends with these squit-sacks.”

The sneer reappeared before Deke turned his back and walked away. He wanted me to know that we weren’t done. They’d be waiting for me after class tomorrow.

I looked back at the sheriff. I shrugged. What can you do?

“It was a mistake to make a fool of him in front of his friends,” the sheriff said.

“I didn’t make him a fool.”

“We don’t need strangers coming in causing trouble, Mr. Quigley,” Sheriff Galton said, letting me know he knew who I was. It didn’t impress me. In a town this small, everyone would have learned my name within a few minutes