Chapter 81: Crossing the Line
With Micah now identified as the traitor, Arthur knew the gang couldn't stay at Horseshoe Overlook much longer. They needed to find a new location—fast.
Arthur leaned toward setting up near Rhodes, especially after Malloy mentioned having connections with the sheriff there. But before making any decisions, Arthur wanted to see the place for himself.
Even after being cast out, Arthur couldn't stop worrying about Dutch and the others.
Back in Valentine, Arthur's first stop was the gunsmith. Instead of the usual revolver, this time He chose a new semi-automatic Mauser pistol. It was time for a change.
The gunsmith greeted Arthur warmly and even threw in a box of ammunition as a bonus.
"By the way, Mr. Callahan, do you play cards? If you've got the time, we could hit up the new casino for a game," Ralph offered enthusiastically.
Arthur politely declined, but Ralph wasn't deterred.
"It's just small stakes. The casino's got some new games too. I mean, what else is there for folks like us besides drinking and gambling? Women?"
Ralph scoffed at his own suggestion.
"Forget women. They're not worth the trouble. Valentine used to have some pretty faces, but now? The laundresses and bathhouse girls aren't much to look at."
Arthur chuckled, but Ralph took it as a sign he wasn't being taken seriously.
"Don't laugh. If you don't want to catch something, stay away from them. And proper women? Even worse. They'll take your money, play with your heart, and then crush your dignity once they've drained you dry…"
Arthur sensed there was a story behind Ralph's bitterness, but he didn't want to get drawn into a long conversation. He quickly excused himself and left the shop.
Outside, Arthur hadn't gone far when Strauss rushed up to him, looking frantic.
"Arthur, we've got a problem."
Arthur glanced at the passersby and pulled Strauss into a quiet alley.
"What's going on?"
"Someone lost big at the saloon, then ran off after attacking Frank and stealing all the cash from the game."
Arthur's expression darkened.
"Why didn't you just say we were robbed? What happened? When did this go down? Let's head back to the hotel."
The two hurried to the hotel, where Blake and Malloy were waiting upstairs.
Arthur noticed a stranger among the group.
"This is Morris, the owner of the town's auction house. He's the one who brought the robber," Vera explained, seeing Arthur's questioning look.
It turned out Morris had been mugged on his way to the game the previous night. The robber, hearing Morris was headed to a high-stakes game, forced him to bring him along.
Normally, the game didn't accept uninvited guests, especially strangers. But with Morris vouching for him and the man flashing gold bars to exchange for chips, Frank saw him as a big spender and made an exception.
At first, everything seemed fine. Morris, too scared to speak up, kept quiet and played his hand. Worried about the robber's possible accomplices, Morris kept losing, while the man won big.
When the time seemed right, Frank started his usual operation.
The man lost everything, including his initial stake.
"Then he attacked Frank and robbed the place?" Arthur asked.
Vera shook her head and continued.
The man borrowed a large sum from Strauss, with Morris guarantee. Morris agreed, and Strauss lent the money.
The man kept losing until even Strauss refused to lend him more. That's when he pulled a gun and turned to robbery.
Arthur was both furious and amused. He turned to Morris.
"Morris, were you born stupid? If you didn't run the biggest auction house in Valentine, I'd think you were in on this!"
Ignoring Morris' attempts to explain, Arthur asked Vera about Frank's condition.
"He's fine. He dodged the worst of it. The bullet went straight through. He's at Nelly's clinic now," Vera said.
Hearing Frank was okay, Arthur felt a small relief. But then he realized something didn't add up.
The game didn't keep cash on hand—only chips. All guests were vetted and signed loan contracts to exchange for chips.
Arthur turned to Strauss. "Where did the cash come from?"
Strauss looked ashamed.
"The robber… he insisted on cash, not chips. Said they didn't feel real…"
"And you agreed?" Arthur interrupted, furious.
Strauss nodded.
Malloy, trying to diffuse the tension, intervened.
"Let's not dwell on that. I've brought some wanted posters of known troublemakers in Valentine and New Hanover. Let's see if anyone recognizes the guy."
Arthur swallowed his anger and let them look through the posters.
It wasn't that Arthur hadn't anticipated such risks—he'd set up a system to minimize them. But it all fell apart due to poor execution.
No wonder he was furious.
"This one! It's him!" Morris waved a poster excitedly.
Arthur took it and looked.
Well, well.
*****
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