Late one morning several days later, Angel Eyes lingered over breakfast at the cafe. He'd slept late after yet another evening with the energetic Emma and was feeling relaxed and satisfied.

He had a leisurely smoke, along with another cup of coffee before leaving the cafe for the saloon. There was a bit of wagon traffic and a stagecoach on the muddy main street, so he paused on the sidewalk, still puffing on his pipe, to let it pass. He was in no hurry.

As he started across to the saloon, he heard a voice call out behind him. "Hey, Sentenza!"

There were few people who knew his real name and even fewer whom he allowed to use it. Angel Eyes turned to see Jesse Bannister grinning up at him.

With his lips quirked up into a smile, he responded, "Bannister!" Gesturing to the saloon with his thumb, he continued, "Come on! I'll buy you a drink."

The two friends good-naturedly slapped one another on the back as they headed to the drinking establishment.

Unbeknownst to them, Emma Baker had been standing out in front of the mercantile sweeping the wooden sidewalk, and witnessed the entire exchange. She wondered who the other man was, who made Angel Eyes more animated than she'd ever seen him, and who knew and used his last name without incident. They were obviously friends, but beyond that, she could not guess.

As the men disappeared inside the saloon, Emma dreamily leaned against the broom, trying his name on for size. "Emma Sentenza," she whispered to herself. "Mrs Emma Sentenza."

Angel Eyes led Jesse over to a table just behind his usual spot at the bar, then told the bartender to bring a full bottle of whiskey and two glasses.

Before he could tell Jesse about what he'd done to save his life, the other man launched into a tale of his own.

"I've been banned from San Lucas because of some whiny little rich boy who claimed I cheated him," Jesse fumed as he slugged down his first shot. "It's not my fault he didn't have the skill to beat me. He shouldn't have sat down for a high stakes game in the first place." Giving out a short bark of laughter, he added, "He said he was going to 'fix me good'. Can you believe that?"

Angel Eyes gave a short description of the man he'd killed. "Does that sound like him?"

"Exactly like him," Jesse affirmed. "Why? Did he turn up here? Where did he go?"

"I took care of the problem," the hired gun told him. "He came here wanting me to kill you. I was going to do it until he told me your name. So I killed him instead and took all his money."

"Once again I owe you my life," the other man said. "I'm grateful."

"I'm sure you'll get me out of a jam some time in the future," Angel Eyes said, smiling briefly. "If I hadn't killed him, he'd have just gone to someone else who would have taken the job."

Not wanting to talk any more about this in public, he asked his friend, "What brought you to Cactus Flats?"

"I'm looking for a new place to set up some high stakes games," Jesse replied. "I've not played here before."

"I've seen quite a few low and medium stakes games since I've been here," Angel Eyes told him. "You might be able to persuade some into playing for higher stakes." After a pause, he added, "And the lawmen here seem kind of lazy. One is old and near retirement and the other is a wet behind the ears kid."

"So, what have you been up to lately?" Jesse asked, changing the subject. "I haven't seen you in quite awhile."

Jesse Bannister was one of the few people Angel Eyes tolerated small talk from, so he responded without rancor.

"I recently finished a well-paying job and I decided to take some time off here." he told his friend. "I found a woman from the 'respectable' side of town who wants me to screw her. She offered herself to me first, if you can believe it. I think she has a thing for dangerous men or something. We've been together several times and it's been great. Much better than a worn-out doxie I have to pay for."

"Does she know you kill people for money?" Jesse asked, getting straight to the point. "You need to be careful with so-called 'respectable' people. They can be unpredictable." Taking a sip of his whiskey, he continued, "At least women from our side of the tracks know the rules and what would happen if they crossed you."

"I haven't told her, no," Angel Eyes told him. "It's just a casual relationship and she doesn't need to know. She comes to my hotel room and we have wild sex. Then she goes home. That's the extent of it."

"All right," Jesse replied, letting it go. "Enjoy her, but don't let down your guard. Make sure to look out for yourself first."

"Don't I always?"

That evening, Emma sat down to supper with her family, with her still thinking of what she'd witnessed earlier that day. She hoped she would learn more about the man she'd seen with Angel Eyes.

Her grandfather, Ezra Baker, had come to eat with them, as he'd done every few weeks since they'd moved to Cactus Flats. He was a cantankerous old man, but had a soft spot for his five grandchildren.

Tom had yet to appear, so her mother had waited to serve the meal, hoping her eldest son would return soon.

"Just serve the food, Lavinia," Grandpa Baker snapped irritably. "Having to eat cold food won't hurt him, and it might teach him to be on time for the next meal."

The back door opened at that moment and Tom rushed in, all excited.

"You'll never guess what me and my friends found at the old mine!" Tom exclaimed. Not waiting for anyone to respond, he continued, "A dead man! And he'd been shot!"

"Who was it?" his father asked. "Was it anyone we know?"

"Who would do such a thing?" Lavinia Baker asked.

"I'd never seen him before, and neither had any of my friends," the boy reported. "He had a bullet hole in his forehead and his chest and stomach was all bloody!" Taking a deep breath, he continued, "It smelled like he'd been there for a few days, too!"

"Thomas Eugene Baker!" his mother declared. "That is not a fit conversation for the dinner table!"

"Did someone tell the sheriff?" his father asked.

"John went to get him," Tom said.

"It sounds like the work of a hired gun to me," Ezra Baker idly speculated. "There are a few known to be operating in this area."

Emma glanced at her grandfather, the wheels turning. A few days ago, she'd seen Angel Eyes coming from the direction of the mine and she'd noticed the spot of fresh blood on his cuff. Could he possibly be the hired killer?

She kept her thoughts to herself, knowing the sheriff would have no reason to question her. But she would pay attention to see how things turned out.