"Buy another gun? Can you really shoot with both hands?" Jamie asked, doubtful.
Sadie gave him a sideways look, as if his question were obvious. "What's hard about it? It's as simple as eatin'."
'Simple?' Jamie thought.
'Are you the female Django of the West?'
He couldn't help the mental joke and let out a small snort.
Sadie laughed, amused by his face. "What? You don't know how? I can teach you, if you want."
"Who said I don't? I just don't feel like buyin' a gun right now." Jamie said, avoiding Sadie's mocking stare.
He wasn't sure he could actually dual-wield—skills like that felt different until you had a gun in your hand—but pride kept him from looking helpless.
"Fine, fine. I'll take your word for it." Sadie said chuckling at Jamie's reaction.
Arthur returned from his talk with Susan Grimshaw and found Jamie and Sadie mid-chat.
He grabbed the half-empty whiskey bottle off the bed, took a sip, and grinned.
"Well? Did Ms. Grimshaw give you what you wanted?"
Sadie's mouth twitched into a small smile at Arthur's words. Jamie relaxed and said bright-eyed, "We were talkin' about guns. Arthur, you can dual-wield, right?"
Arthur set the bottle down and gave a low chuckle. "Course. It's a handy trick. Don't go expectin' a show."
"Mrs. Adler said it's easy as eatin'," Jamie teased, mimicking Sadie's voice.
"Hey, don't mock me," Sadie shot back with mock menace.
Jamie clapped a hand over his mouth, half embarrassed, half laughing.
Arthur shook his head. "Knowin' how to fight and bein' good at it are two different things. Lucky for us, I'm both." He straightened, then looked to Sadie. "Right now, we've got a plan. Which way are you goin'? With me or with Jamie?"
Sadie considered the two for a long moment, then finally exhaled. "I'll go with Jamie. And you better give me what's due from this mornin'. I need a horse, and I'm buyin' one in town."
Arthur hesitated. "Leopold's takin' the gold bars to the bank in Strawberry tomorrow to trade 'em for notes. You can wait—"
"No," Sadie interrupted. "There's money at the O'Driscoll place too. Can't you spot me some for now?"
Arthur shook his head. "Leopold's using the cash to set up loans and keep business runnin'. You can grab the money from him before he leaves. But fine—lemme see if the accountant's amenable. With your temper, if he don't like it, you might just shoot him." He gave a rueful grin and walked off toward the man the gang jokingly called their accountant.
Jamie watched Arthur go, then murmured to himself, "Mr. Strauss keeps to himself. I never see him out doin' much besides readin' by the wagon. Loanin' at interest? That's small-time business—but someone's gotta collect the debts. I just hope we don't end up bein' the ones on the wrong end of it."
Jamie saw Arthur approaching, and before Arthur could say anything, Leopold Strauss pulled a wad of bills from his jacket and handed it over.
Jamie leaned toward Sadie and said, "Look, Mr. Strauss gave Arthur the money. Seems like you'll be getting your horse this afternoon."
Sadie's eyes softened for a moment, though her voice carried a bitter edge. "It's a pity the bastards who raided my farm took off with all my stock. I had a favorite horse there… hardworking, loyal. Felt like losing a family member."
Arthur came back and held out the cash he'd just taken from Strauss, passing it straight to Sadie. "Strauss says since you cost him a bit of business, he'll cover it from this haul. That's a hundred dollars—your share from today's work. Now, let's get moving. We got plenty to do this afternoon."
He started toward the hitching posts where the horses were tied. Jamie and Sadie trailed after him, but Jamie glanced at her nervously and muttered, "Uh… so, who's sittin' in front and who's behind?"
"Of course you're in front," Sadie replied without hesitation.
"W-why's that?" Jamie asked, confused.
She gave him a sharp look, her tone laced with dry sarcasm. "Because you're the man, and I'm the woman. Any fella who puts a lady in front of him on a horse is usually just lookin' for an excuse to press up against her. I don't need to explain more than that."
Jamie scratched his head, baffled. "Never heard of such a thing."
"Well, now you have. So quit asking and get on." Sadie untied the reins of Jamie's iron-gray standardbred, giving him a look that told him to mount first.
Once Jamie was settled in the saddle, Sadie swung up behind him in one smooth motion.
Arthur turned his horse and said, "I'll head over to the station, ask about that train Marybeth mentioned—see when it's due in Scarlett Meadows. You two go buy your horses first, then meet me there. Hosea passed a job on to me this morning—was supposed to be his, but I talked him into letting our new guy here handle it. Beats him sittin' around camp anyway. Might even bring back some game."
Jamie nudged his horse forward to ride alongside Arthur. "What kind of job we talkin' about?"
Arthur smirked. "Hosea's got a partner out at Emerald Ranch—name's Seamus. Works as a fence. Told Hosea he needs to see if we can pull off the kind of work he's lookin' for before makin' it a regular thing."
"So we're goin' there to find out what Seamus wants from us?" Jamie asked, rubbing at the stubble on his chin.
Arthur snapped his fingers and nodded. "Exactly."
Jamie sighed. "Well, here's hopin' it ain't too rough for a greenhorn."
"Don't worry," Sadie said from behind him, her voice steady. "With Arthur around, he could handle it even without us."
Arthur chuckled, shaking his head. "Now, ma'am, that's too kind. I ain't half as good as you make me out to be. I may know my way around, but I can't do everything alone. I'll be needin' both of you."
At this time, Jamie heard faint shouts from behind him.
The three of them turned almost at the same time and saw a group of riders in the distance, shouting and tugging at their reins as they drove their horses hard toward town.
"What are they doing? Why are they riding so fast?" Jamie asked under his breath.
Sadie narrowed her eyes, her expression turning serious. "Judging by their getup, I'd say they're O'Driscolls."
"So, they finally noticed something?" Jamie muttered.
Arthur shook his head. "They're not after us. Don't go rushing into anything. Right now, we're just passin' through." His eyes shifted to Sadie.
Sadie scoffed, her voice sharp. "What do you take me for? Some fool woman who only knows how to shoot at every shadow? I know when to pull the trigger and when to keep it holstered."
Arthur kept his tone even, but firm. "I'm only reminding you. No need stirrin' up trouble we don't need. Jamie, I'm handin' this job to you now—keep an eye on our 'Goddess of Vengeance.' Valentine ain't gonna be too peaceful these days."
"Alright, I got it," Jamie replied quickly.
Arthur had read the situation right. The riders weren't looking for them. Once the three moved their horses aside, the gang thundered past, heading straight for Valentine.
Before long, they reached the fork outside of town. Arthur pulled on his reins. "We'll split here. I'll take the side road to the station. You two head on straight to the stables. We'll meet up at the station later."
Jamie thumped his chest with a grin. "Don't worry. We'll be there before you know it."
After parting ways, Jamie led his horse into Valentine with Sadie riding behind him. They reached the stables without trouble.
Recognizing Jamie from the day before, the stable owner frowned in confusion. "What's the matter? Not happy with the horse? We don't do returns, you know."
Jamie waved both hands quickly. "No, no, sir. You've got it all wrong. I'm not here to take anything back." He gestured toward Sadie. "Brought you some new business."
Seeing another customer, the stable owner's frown melted into a wide grin. He hurried out to greet them. "Well now, that's good to hear. Since you brought her in, I'll cut you both a deal. Same kind as yesterday's? Got two fine horses come in fresh this mornin'."
The pair dismounted, and Jamie said, "The smell inside's a bit strong for me. I'll wait out here, let you take a look around for yourself."
Sadie gave him a nod and headed inside while Jamie drifted into town. He'd been here two days now but hadn't really taken the time to explore Valentine, small as it was.
Beside the stables, a house was going up.
The frame was already finished, and with the workers hammering away, Jamie figured it'd be standing proper in another month.
Not far off, a man stood on a crate, hollering for attention. "Please, folks, lend an ear! Prove that we ain't savages out here, that we can care for one another!" His voice cracked with effort. "Giving brings true salvation, the eternal gift of life! Donate what you can! This country needs people willin' to help each other!" He coughed, but kept on.
Jamie squinted.
Wasn't that the same fella who had stepped in the other day, when Arthur was about to rough up that big man?
Looked like he was beggin' donations now.
Jamie patted the few crumpled bills in his pocket and muttered, "Guess I'll give him a little. Might be worth somethin' for the sake of my reputation. Maybe good character counts for somethin' hidden, too."
He chuckled to himself. "And earlier this mornin', I saw that one-legged vet in uniform beggin' by Arthur's wagon spot. If he's still there later, I'll drop him a coin or two as well."
Thinking of this, Jamie walked closer.
Seeing Jamie's interest, the man straightened up and spoke with more passion. "Sir, please, spare a thought for the beggars and orphans out here. Even the smallest donation can help them eat and keep warm."
He broke off in a small cough. "If just a handful of wealthy folks gave a little, we could give these poor souls shelter, maybe even schooling, and a chance to crawl out of misery."
Jamie picked up a poster on the man's desk and skimmed it. The words matched what the man had just said. He set it back down and asked, "If I donate, how much are we talkin'?"
The man's eyes lit up. "Any amount is welcome, sir. Even a single cent could keep someone from starving." He coughed again, clearing his throat.
Jamie thought it over, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the five dollars he had taken from the circus owner earlier.
He handed it over. "I'll give five."
The man looked as though he had never seen such generosity.
He clutched the money tight, then grabbed Jamie's hand with both of his. "Sir, you're truly kindhearted. On behalf of those with no roof over their heads, I thank you. This'll keep many in town fed for a week."
Jamie just smiled faintly, easing his hand back without saying much more.
He figured Sadie would've already picked her horse by now, so he made his way back to the stable.
Outside, Sadie was stroking the neck of a sleek bay mustang.
When Jamie walked up, she patted the horse's flank and said proudly, "Not bad, huh? Came in just this morning. Stable master told me the Del Lobo Gang out near Armadillo all ride these. Said he tracked this one down off the plains past the Heartlands."
Jamie gave the horse an approving nod. "Looks solid. What'd he charge you?"
Sadie smirked. "He tried askin' eighty dollars, claimed it was already a bargain. Ha! Like I don't know horseflesh. I leaned on him a bit, and he let it go for sixty. Even tossed in a saddle and saddlebags for free."
"Twenty dollars cheaper, and a saddle with bags?" Jamie's eyes went wide. He thought to himself, 'My God, Mrs. Adler, you're a natural at bargaining. Next time I need something bought, I'm lettin' you handle it—as long as you don't scare the poor bastard half to death.'
"What's the big deal? Sixty's the real worth." Sadie replied with a shrug.
Jamie raised a brow. "So you know your horses that well? Then what's mine worth?"
Sadie tilted her head, studying the iron-gray Standardbred tethered beside them. "That one? Maybe forty at best."
Jamie let out a relieved sigh. "Hmph. Could've been worse."
But then Sadie grinned slyly. "Forty with the tack and all."
Her words hit Jamie like a sucker punch.
He stared at her with a sour look, thinking, 'Why in hell am I letting her be the judge? That's just asking for misery.'
Seeing his face, Sadie broke into a laugh. "Don't look so glum. You didn't overpay, did ya? Come on, tell me what you gave for it. Make me smile."
Jamie forced a crooked grin and shook his head. "Nope. Nothin' steep. You hit it right on the nose.""