Earning two thousand dollars a day was an astronomical amount in the West.
But Davey's expenses were just as enormous.
Donal didn't need a salary—he operated on a profit-sharing basis.
The twenty-plus men who had originally worked under him were now on Davey's payroll. They hadn't received formal wages before, since Donal covered their living expenses, but that had obviously changed.
With the additional recruits, Davey now had fifty-six men under him, earning between thirty and fifty dollars a month.
Abbas, for example, earned eighty.
The ranch hands numbered twelve, each making about twenty to twenty-five dollars monthly.
The workers constructing the apartment building were counted separately, since they were only temporary hires.
There were three maids. Elisa earned thirty-five a month; the other two earned thirty each.
The farm also had a large dining hall where all of Davey's people could eat for free. Houses on the property that used to be rented out were converted into temporary barracks for his crew—including Donal's former home.
Davey's household employed two proper chefs, each making fifty dollars a month, and their cooking was definitely competent.
The cafeteria cooks were ranch hands working part-time—not exactly gourmet, but they filled stomachs.
All food ingredients were also purchased through Davey.
Then came the day-to-day expenses, miscellaneous costs, the thousand paid to each of the two police stations, another thousand for Benedict, and two hundred for the mayor of Strawberry Town.
Including ammunition for the shooting range, Davey's basic monthly expenses came out to around eight thousand dollars.
Hmm...
It didn't actually seem like that much. He could make that back in just four days. The remaining twenty-six days were pure profit—completely tax-free.
Alright, moonshine really was a gold mine, especially with near-monopoly control.
"Davey, is there anything I can help with? And Little Jackie—he might need schooling," Abigail said as breakfast was wrapping up.
Davey nodded. "There is, actually. Abigail, I bought a storefront in Valentine to open a café. The designer, pastry chef, and barista are on their way, but it'll take a bit of time."
"Once they arrive, you can help manage it. Don't worry—someone will teach you everything."
"And about Little Jackie, you reminded me—I'm going to bring in some teachers and open a primary school in Valentine. A lot of children here don't get proper education. This might solve that."
"After Christmas this year, Little Jackie should be able to start attending."
Abigail was thrilled. She never imagined Davey would open an entire school just so Little Jackie could study.
Even John's eyes showed gratitude—Davey's plan solved all their problems at once.
"Alright, gentlemen, time to get to work."
"I've got an important guest to meet today."
Work was a loose term. Whether it was Mac, Uncle, or John, they all lived fairly relaxed, comfortable days.
Today was the day Davey was scheduled to meet the lawyer Catherine had found.
The train from Saint Denis arrived only once a day, so the timing was simple.
Wanting to show sincerity and hospitality, Davey chose to greet her in person.
...
Valentine Train Station.
Davey arrived with two of his Cowboy men.
After a short wait, the distant whistle of the train echoed through the valley.
Inside one of the cars, a pair of bright, curious eyes watched the scenery passing outside.
This was Stella Rouse—the lawyer Catherine had introduced.
Her law firm in Saint Denis wasn't doing well. Besides being young, most companies in Saint Denis already had their own legal counsel.
"Even though she came from a prestigious university and had graduated at the top of her class, the fact that she was so new to the profession made major clients reluctant to trust her."
Those who were willing to meet her mostly did so because of her looks—and often with motives that weren't remotely professional.
Her mentor had warned her that running a law firm wasn't easy. Even with her talent, he recommended starting out at an established firm to build experience.
But Stella, proud and ambitious, believed she was destined to succeed—and that she would prove herself to her family.
Reality had beaten that confidence down quickly.
She had been close to giving up when a junior from school, whom she'd met at a campus event, suddenly brought good news:
Someone wanted to establish a Security Company.
Stella instantly recognized this as a major client.
In the United States, security companies didn't just get licensed casually, and the fees involved were substantial.
If… if she became the exclusive legal adviser for this company, she wouldn't have to worry about business ever again.
Even a single client like that could sustain her entire firm—along with a handsome income.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser