For Mounty

The Gambling Game: The Western, Part 1

Prologue

Reuben Burke looked up from his account book on the counter as the store bell rang, announcing a customer. He smiled as a petite young woman dressed casually in a mid-length denim skirt, white shirt, brown corduroy jacket, and boots, her flat-brimmed gaucho hat hanging down in the back partially covering long unruly brown hair, entered.

"Morning, Mr. Burke."

"Morning, Miz Frances. Looking pretty as always. What can I get you today?"

Smiling, she pulled out her list, handing it to him. "Just a few things."

"Hmmn, swear that you were planning some kind of party, judging from this list."

"You have to keep it secret, Reuben."

"Dave's birthday is in six weeks, isn't it?"

"He'll be fifty."

"Mercy, old as dirt now will he be?"

Fran broke out in a silvery peal of laughter. "You can't say anything about the party, Mr. Burke."

"Oh, don't worry, honey, I won't. I can keep a secret. My missus, on the other hand."

"I can keep a secret just as well as you, Reuben Burke." Polly Burke spoke up as she came out of the back room. She took the list from her husband and began reading, "beans, lard, bacon, flour, cake flour, baking soda, a large wheel of cheddar, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, brown sugar, cinnamon, coffee, nutmeg, vanilla beans, chocolate, rice flour" she paused. "Two hogshead beer, two hogsheads root beer, four cases of bourbon… Rumor has it you've invited the whole town to this shindig. How are you keeping all this hidden from him?" She continued reading "…lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, olive oil, vinegar, oranges, lemons, and the extra butter and milk, all those eggs you're going to need?"

"The neighbors. They're storing it until the day before."

"Where are you planning to bake this, and who's doing the barbeque?"

"Baking it at the café. Artie said he'd take care of the barbecue.

Polly nodded. "So, when your pa walks in, he's just going to think he's there for dinner."

"And all of you will be there."

"Be there for what, Frannie?"

Fran turned to face her father, not hearing him come in, her face reddening. "The social next week, pa."

"That's right, Dave. Polly and me, we were talking about the social at the church next week. We're pretty excited about this one. It's a fundraiser for the school, remember?

Dave Belding nodded soberly. "Saw your horse outside. Wondered why you weren't at the school yet."

"I didn't have to light a fire this morning, so I had some extra time. Thought I'd catch up on things here with the Burke's. You'll hear the school bell in a moment Pa; then your world will be all right." Fran smiled as she gave her father a hug.

"You have a good day now."

"Always. You coming home tonight?"

"Artie's going to keep watch on the jail tonight."

"Then I'll see you at supper. Goodbye, Mr. Burke, Mrs. Burke".

The three watched as Dave Belding's daughter left the store, mounted her horse, and rode slowly down the street to the school. A few minutes later, the bell could be heard announcing the start of class.

"She thinks I don't know."

"Know what, Dave?" Reuben asked, handing him a mug of coffee.

"This social. I know it's my birthday party. Mabel Gardner couldn't wait to tell me she'd be there, complete with a new dress for dancing."

Polly slapped his arm good-naturedly. "Don't you spoil the surprise now?"

"I know Pol, Maggie's been gone five years now, and Fran's taken over the house, works the ranch with Patrice, and teaches school on top of it. I know this party's important to her." He sipped his coffee. "God knows she's made it easier for me to keep going. I'm not going spoil it for her."

"Good, she hasn't had a lot of things to be happy about, and she just gave me a shopping list as long as her arm."

The sheriff finished his coffee and put the mug on the counter. "Thanks for the coffee, and I promise to keep mum. Now it's time to stretch the legs and make sure that those drovers that came in last night are settled down."

Four Weeks Later

Dave Belding woke to the smell of fresh coffee. Opening his eyes, he stretched, realizing he'd slept in his clothes again, realizing, too, he'd slept at the jail again. He and his deputies had been out until well after midnight trying to chase down the rustlers who'd been terrorizing the local ranchers. It had been different yesterday. Tom Barnes rode in to tell him there'd been shots fired at his place, and not only had the rustlers gotten ten head of his, but he also had three dead calves. Belding worried about his small ranch a few miles out of town. His daughter Fran was out there, and his foreman, Patrice Gless. Together they ran the place. Fran was twenty-two, a capable woman in her own right. Instead of following her dreams of moving to San Francisco to be an artist after the death of his wife, she'd stayed, making sure that the Belding Ranch continued. He felt guilty about that. Fran never spoke about that; instead, their conversations revolved around the farm's daily life, her job as a teacher in town, and his job as sheriff of Corte Madura, California. Getting up, Dave stumbled to the front room and poured a cup of coffee. Drinking it, he smelled the aroma of a man too long in the saddle. He needed a bath, a shave, and some clean clothes.

"Dave? Dave Belding, you open the door right now. I know you're in there."

He cracked the door open to see Betty Anderson holding two plates. Betty worked at the Red Door down the street. Betty was new to Corte Madura. They met one night a few weeks ago after Dave had broken up a bar fight. He met her every now and again for drinks or a meal. She was an attractive, slim woman with bright green eyes and red hair tumbling down in wild curls. She was fun to be with, but she wasn't Maggie. No one could ever be Maggie Belding.

"Medium rare steak and scrambled eggs for you," she smiled, putting down a plate. "with fried potatoes and toast." She put down the second plate., and I see the coffee's ready. Afterward, Louie's got hot water and clean clothes for you at his shop." She sniffed delicately. "You need it. Badly."

Dave smiled as Betty went to the coffee pot, poured two cups, and returned, fluffing out her skirt as she sat down. "What brings you to the office so early?"

"I saw that you rode into town just about closing time. Figured you weren't going back to the ranch. Rough night?"

"You taking pity on me?"

"No, I really wanted to talk to you about a problem we're having at the saloon."

Dave forked a bite of egg and potato into his mouth, nodding at her to continue.

Eddie Rogers is in town."

Dave drank some coffee. "Eddie Rogers, the gambler"

"Yes. I think he wants to try to get control of the Red Door."

"How do you know that?" He pushed his plate aside. Eating could wait. Eddie Rogers being in town was more important.