Chapter 18 – The Unexpected Visitor

Charlie was trying to hurry Mae into the wagon and wasn't having a lot of luck, so Frank walked out back to help. Just about the time he did that, Deputy Cooper shifted positions and the sunlight glinted off his rifle. Frank saw the flash and pulled the Colt he had tucked into the back of his pants. Quicker than you could say "oops," the battle had begun.

Charlie pushed Mae to the ground and started shooting. So did Tom Springer, the aforementioned deputy, and Ginny Malone. Mae slithered under the wagon and tried to edge out the other side without getting shot. "Stay there, Mae!" Ginny yelled, and Frank was stunned to hear a familiar voice.

"Sammi Jo?" he called, but the answer he got wasn't what he expected.

"Guess again, Carson!" Ginny yelled, and in that instant the bartender knew he'd been betrayed.

"Why you . . . "

Charlie raised his head and caught a bullet in the throat. Mae wiggled a little further out into the unprotected dirt and Malone ran out from behind the building on the other side of the alley to pull her to safety; just as she got Mae on her feet a bullet ripped into her left shoulder and Malone dropped to the ground. Rolling under the wagon as Mae ran for cover, Ginny had a clear view of Frank. His face was twisted with rage and he raised his gun for another shot, but before he could pull the trigger the Pinkerton agent put a bullet in his chest.

Shock, surprise, and regret flashed across his face, and all three turned to pain as he fell. He kept his grip on the gun and managed to lock eyes with Ginny as he hit the ground. "Sammi Jo . . . I loved you. . ." he struggled to say while raising the Colt one more time. Ginny fired again, and he lay still.

The first one through the door was Beatrice, and she dropped to her knees as soon as she saw Frank lying in the dirt. "Frank, oh Frank," she began to cry as she reached out and touched his lifeless body.

"Hold it right there, Beatrice," Marshal Springer yelled as he came around the corner. "Malone, how bad you hurt?"

Ginny managed to drag herself out from under the wagon. "I'll live, unlike our friend here." She staggered to her feet and holstered her gun. "Where's Mae?"

"I'm here," called a voice from behind the building. Mae emerged unscathed, with the blanket still wrapped around her and the deputy marshal trailing behind her like a new puppy.

"Malone?" Bea blubbered through her tears. "Not Sammi Jo?"

"That's right, Bea. Captain Ginny Malone of the Pinkerton Detective Agency." Ginny took two steps towards Beatrice and staggered into the marshal, who caught her and prevented her collapse.

"Let's get you to the doctor before you bleed to death. Cooper, get this one in handcuffs and take her down to the jail. Mae, you come with us. I wanna make sure Doc gives you a clean bill of health."

"Yes, sir," Mae responded, as she helped hold Ginny upright. "Ginny Malone, huh?" she asked, a twinkle in her eye.

"And don't you forget it," Ginny responded.

XXXXXXXX

An hour later Doc Whiteside was finishing treatment of Malone's left shoulder. She was lucky; the bullet was a through and through and required only six stitches. Both Mae and Marshal Springer stayed with her until the bandaging was completed. Next Doc Whiteside did a thorough check on Mae and gave her a clean bill of health. When he was finished the three made their way down to the jail.

Beatrice was already behind bars, in the same cell Mae had occupied. There would be no reprieve for the slave trader, no being moved to a more comfortable environment. There was nothing in Bea's future but prison . . . or the rope.

"Who killed Grant Milton?" Springer asked Ginny.

"Frank more or less admitted it. It's a shame he can't hang for it."

"Poor Grant. What did he do to deserve that?" Mae was free but once again alone.

"Far as I can tell, nothing. Frank never did say why he did it."

"Maybe I can find out from Bea," Springer suggested as he walked over to her cell. "Beatrice, I know that Frank killed Grant Milton. What I don't know is why."

"Why do you care?" the woman behind bars asked.

"I care," Mae replied. "I loved him, Bea, just like you loved Frank." Bea seemed surprised that Mae was aware of her secret. "I wanna know why."

Beatrice gave it some thought before answering. "Because of you. Frank knew about the ring and the proposal. He knew we'd lose a lot of money if we couldn't send either you or Sammi to Frisco. And if Grant married you Frank would have to give up Sammi Jo. So he chose the easy way out."

Mae turned her back on Bea and walked over to where Ginny sat. The Pinkerton agent looked at the saloon girl and quietly said, "I'm sorry, Mae."

"Not anything to be done about it, Sammi . . . uh, Ginny. How much does Red know about all this?"

"He knows everything. I had to tell him to make it all work."

"Malone, you better get back to Lil's and get your things cleared outta there. We'll get you a room at the Kansas Star Hotel and then be down to help you pack. You heard what Doc Whiteside said about gettin' some rest." Springer turned to his deputy. "Cooper, go get a room at the hotel for Captain Malone. The best one they got. And charge it to this office."

"I'll go back to Lil's with you," Mae volunteered.

"Thanks. I could use some help."

A few minutes later they walked through the batwing doors of Diamond Lil's. 'Funny,' Ginny thought. 'It looks so different than it used to.' The first time she'd walked in Frank was behind the bar. Now it was Alfie.

"Miss Sammi . . . I mean . . . I don't know what to call you."

"Ginny. Ginny'll do just fine, Alfie."

"Miss Ginny . . . Red's in his office. He wants to see you, if you've got time."

Ginny nodded and went straight back to the office marked 'Manager – Private.' Mae followed her. Malone knocked on the door and heard, "Come In."

Red was sitting behind the desk, looking very much like he had the first time the agent saw him. And he stood up, just as he had that first day. "Ginny, Mae, sit down. Sorry to see you got hurt. Not bad, I hope."

"Nope, it'll be fine. I see Alfie's behind the bar. Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Yes, ma'am. Alfie's waited long enough to earn the job. And I know he won't try to shanghai any of my girls. Will's gonna take over at night and Harry's comin' on full time."

"No more breakfasts from Alfie?" Mae sounded distraught.

"I've got that taken care of. Alfie's gonna teach Harry to cook the girls breakfast; he'll be Alfie's second man on days. Mae, I need somebody to ride herd on the ladies. If you're gonna stay, I'd like you to do that."

"As long as I don't hafta take over everything Bea did."

"Meaning?"

"I ain't takin' no cowboys up to my room. I'm not . . . I'm a one man woman without a man, and I'm gonna stay that way . . . until the right man comes along."

"That's my cue to leave," Ginny proclaimed. "I've got packing to do."

"Uh-uh. I'll pack for you. It's the least I can do." Mae hurried out of the office, and the sound of her running up the stairs could be heard.

"Where are you goin' for now?" Red asked.

"The Kansas Star Hotel, according to the marshal."

"Then I'll walk you down there. Just in case that shoulder starts botherin' you."

"I can't think of a better escort."

Mitchell stood and helped Ginny out of her chair. They ambled slowly, deliberately, across the floor of Diamond Lil's and out the batwing doors, then down the boardwalk until they reached the hotel. Cooper had gotten Ginny quite a room, and Red made sure she had everything she needed and was settled in before he left.

Ginny's intent was to lie down and nap; she hadn't gotten much sleep last night and with the injured shoulder, she was just plain worn out. She had no idea how long she slept, but she woke to the sound of knocking on her door. She assumed it was Mae and got up to let her in, pulling the door open carefully with her right hand. But it wasn't Mae Templeton standing at her door. It was someone she didn't expect to see. Bret Maverick.

TBC