Chapter Fourteen
Adam had business in town…business that he hoped would make Shiloh's life a bit less unsettled. He stopped the buggy just past the stage office where he knew Shiloh wouldn't notice it when she welcomed Monsieur Rousset to Virginia City at noon. Based on Adam's last meeting with Tommy Baker, he assumed Tommy would be in one of Virginia City's forty-two saloons, most likely in one of those on C Street. He started at the Sazerac, then the Silver Dollar, Silver Sadie's and the Silver Queen, and ended his search at the Bucket of Blood. Tommy was sitting by himself at a table in the middle of the saloon.
"Tom."
Tommy didn't look up. He had seen Adam come in. "What d'you want, Cartwright?"
"I want to talk."
"Go talk to someone else."
"Tom, I'm not in a good mood." Adam bent down so that only Tommy could hear him. "You can either walk out of here with me like a man, or I can arrange to have you taken out in pieces."
Tommy looked up at Adam's face; eyes showing quiet rage, flared nostrils and mouth drawn into a tight line. Standing and dropping a coin on the table, he walked out in front of Adam, stopping just outside the saloon.
Adam turned around and crossed his arms. "Let's talk about a barn."
"And what barn would that be?" asked Tommy, tilting his head to one side, looking bored.
"Are we going to do this the hard way?" Tapping his foot nervously, Tommy turned to bolt, but Adam was prepared, reaching out and grabbing Tommy's shirt, throwing him against the wall of the saloon. Adam stepped into him, raising Tommy to his toes. "Tom, you have about two seconds to tell me who put you up to burning down Shiloh Whitney's barn."
"Yeah, what are you gonna do in broad daylight, Cartwright?"
"Look around you, Tom. There's not many people around who would care, but I'll give you a hint." Adam let him drop to the boardwalk, and then punched him in the mouth, making Tommy cower.
"Ow, you can't do that!"
Adam cut his eyes upward. He had barely touched him. "Until you tell me who, you'll get one for every minute that passes." Adam waited the appropriate amount of time and drew back his arm.
"Alright! Stop!" yelled Tommy, holding his hands up in front of his face. "Sam King. Sam King said he'd pay me to do it."
"And where can I find Sam King?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since the day I set the fire. And he still owes me."
"Let's go."
"Wait, where we goin'?"
"To talk to the sheriff."
"What about my money?"
"You can take it up with Sam when he's occupying the cell next to you." Adam delivered Tommy to Sheriff Coffee. When Tommy clammed up in front of Roy, Adam took one step toward him, and Tommy couldn't get it out fast enough.
His work done there, Adam watched the stage office from a distance, waiting for the stage to arrive. He watched as Monsieur Rousset disembarked, greeting Shiloh with a kiss on each cheek, then shaking hands with Tom Maguire. While Monsieur Rousset and Shiloh headed toward the International House, Maguire walked hurriedly back toward his opera house. Before he could leave, Adam stepped through the door.
"Adam, I had to come back for the program draft Shiloh prepared this morning. What brings you back here? I thought you were headed back to the Ponderosa."
"I had some business to take care of. I'm on my way out now, but I wanted to catch you alone for a minute, if you have one."
"Yes, but only one. I'm having lunch with Monsieur Rousset and Shiloh."
"This shouldn't take very long. Do I understand that Shiloh asked you to find a piano?"
"Yes, she did. She said hers was destroyed, and she wanted to replace it. But you heard her. She told me it would have to wait."
"Where was it coming from?"
"We ordered new pianos for the opera hall in San Francisco, and they shipped two more hoping to sell them to one of the other houses. There's one left that hasn't been spoken for. It originally came from New York…a fellow by the name of Steinweg...from Germany…is making pianos in America now."