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

Floyd forward into the sunlight. Even standing on the box, I was shorter than him. People gathered around in a semi-circle and those that hadn’t yet seen Floyd up close pushed to the front. The Mayor took up a position on one side of the crowd and Casey stood at the other.

“Most of you have seen Floyd and me in town,” I said. “And I want you to know that he’s the best robot I ever owned. I am most reluctant to part with him. But circumstances dictate that I must.

“Last night I was robbed by a cowardly and cold-hearted bandit. My money was stolen and my vehicle was driven away too. I was left with only a handful of change in my pocket. And so I am forced to sell my faithful friend here.”

I scanned the faces that were looking up at me. I had the sympathy of some but the rest weren’t too concerned about the troubles of an outsider. On this occasion, it didn’t matter too much. There were only two potential bidders that I had to impress.

“He’s a big fellow, as you can see,” I said. “Good for keeping you safe and secure, but also useful to have around for heavy lifting. Show him how and I’m sure he could pull a plough.

“You all know my friend Danny Maguire.” People looked at the blond man on my right and nodded. It’s always good to get them to say ‘yes’ to something small early on. “He’s checked Floyd over and can tell you he’s in good working order.”

“That’s right,” Danny said. “Floyd is a fine robot. I wish I had the money to buy him myself.”

I could see a few of the men nod at this sentiment.

“What am I bid for this splendid robot?” I asked.

There was a buzz from the crowd and people looked around to see who would start the bidding.

“Five hundred dollars!” This wasn’t from the Mayor or from Casey. A woman’s voice at the back of the crowd. Madam Fifi. The buzzing of the crowd grew louder. They parted and Madam Fifi made her way to the front to stand midway between Casey and the Mayor. “We’re bidding Alliance dollars, I assume?” she asked.

I nodded. It was a lower opening bid than I’d hoped for, but on the plus side, I had a third potential buyer to propel the bidding upwards.

“Seven hundred!” This from the Mayor.

“Eight.” Madam Fifi.

“Nine hundred,” said the Mayor.

“One-thousand-five-hundred dollars,” Casey said.

This stirred the crowd even more.

“Any advance on fifteen-hundred dollars?” I asked. I sincerely hoped the Colonel wouldn’t win with such a low bid.

“Seventeen hundred,” Madam Fifi said.

“Eighteen,” said the Mayor.

“Two thousand.” Casey’s voice was flat as if he was bored by the whole process. He knew how the auction would end – with him making the winning bid.

Two thousand dollars was a thousand short of what I had been offered yesterday. And today, my need for cash was even greater. My only consolation was that if I had taken the Colonel’s three thousand yesterday, Harmony would have disappeared with that too.

“Two thousand two hundred,” Madam Fifi said.

“Two thousand five hundred,” the Mayor said. I suspected this might be the maximum the town council had approved. In normal circumstances it would have been a good price. But my circumstances were far from normal. I needed more.

“Two thousand five hundred dollars,” I said. “Any advance?”

Heads in the crowd turned from the Mayor to Madam Fifi and then to Casey. I looked at Madam Fifi, but she gave a slight shake of her head. She was out. I was relieved. My plan, as always, was to steal Floyd back from whoever bought him. I didn’t want to have to take him from Madam Fifi. Nor did I want to steal him from the Mayor and the people of Cicada City. But his bid still stood.

Casey was looking up at me with that smile on his thin lips. Was he just toying with me? Or did he know what I was up to? If he forced me to accept the Mayor’s bid, I would be taking two and a half thousand dollars from the ordinary people of this town.

I saw Casey draw breath. He was about to make a bid. Hopefully, it would be three thousand dollars and would put an end to this charade. I decided to try and give him a nudge.

“Ladies and gentleman,” I said. “I can’t possibly sell such a fine specimen as this for only two and a half thousand dollars...”

“No, you can’t!” A voice from the back of the crowd. Everyone turned and a gap opened up to reveal the speaker. I could see Sheriff Galton standing there. And he wasn’t alone.

Chapter Fourteen

“You cannot sell that robot, because it doesn’t belong to you. It’s mine!” The man standing beside the sheriff was the mayor of Vulture’s End. He was waving the pink ownership papers that I had signed over to him.

“Some of you people know me,” he said. “I am Beauregard S. Bacon, Mayor of Vulture’s End. And I am the legal owner of that robot.”

Mayor Bacon and the sheriff walked towards me.

“This thief,” Mayor Bacon said, jabbing a finger towards me, “sold me that robot and then stole it from me.”

“That’s not true,” I protested. “This is not the same robot.”

“You’ve just put a new head on it so you can sell it again!” Mayor Bacon’s face was bright red. “He thought he was conning some small-town hick, but I outsmarted him. Yes, I did. I had a man follow him here and report back to me. What do you think of that, mister master-criminal?”

The hobo in the new boots, I realised. That’s why I had recognised the man – I must have glimpsed him in Vulture’s End.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to come with me, Mr. Quigley,” the sheriff said.

“His names not Quigley,” Mayor Bacon bellowed. “That’s not the name he signed on these papers.” He shook them angrily.

“I promise you, Mayor Bacon, I