Chapter 82: The Nightmare of Grizzlies
When Malloy took the bounty poster from Arthur's hands and finished reading it, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Good grief!"
Arthur, on the other hand, found the situation amusing. After all, they were both outlaws by trade, and now he had been robbed by one of his own kind. With a chuckle, he said.
"This 'Nightmare of Grizzlies' sounds pretty impressive, huh?"
Malloy, however, wasn't as optimistic as Arthur. His expression turned serious as he replied.
"This guy is infamous—Flaco Hernández. He's wanted in eight states and runs with a gang of outlaws. They say he's a cold-blooded killer. Maybe it's best to just let this one go. There's no need to stir up trouble with him."
Although Malloy advised against it, a part of him wondered if the man's fearsome reputation was exaggerated. Before today, he wouldn't have doubted the tales of Flaco's ruthlessness, but now he found himself questioning, "Is he really that dangerous?"
Arthur, hearing Malloy's words, grew more serious.
"So, do you know where this gang is holed up?"
Malloy knew this much—after all, the gang had previously raided Valentine.
"They're in the mountains west of a place called Colter. I don't know if you're familiar with it, but it used to be a mining town."
When Malloy mentioned Colter, Arthur immediately recognized the location. He knew the area well.
"If we know where they're hiding, then this should be straightforward. Vera, go to the saloon and fetch Charlie for me."
As Vera left to call for Charlie, Strauss quickly stepped forward and said to Arthur: "Arthur, even though we've lost a significant amount of money, we still have the loan contracts guaranteed by Morris. There's no need for you to take such a risk."
Strauss had overheard Malloy's warning and felt that Arthur had no reason to put himself in danger.
When Strauss heard Arthur instruct Vera to fetch Charlie, he immediately guessed what Arthur was planning. Although Strauss hadn't interacted much with Charlie, he had observed him in action a few times. He knew the kind of tasks Charlie handled and how he carried them out—ruthlessly and without regard for his own life.
To Strauss, Charlie was a dangerous man. Quiet and unassuming, yet brutally efficient when it came to violence. If one were to call Charlie a desperado, Strauss would argue that he was different from the likes of Dutch and his gang. But if pressed to explain how, Strauss couldn't quite put it into words. It was more of an instinctive feeling that told him to keep his distance from Charlie.
"Ah, you're right. I almost forgot. Mr. Morris, I won't hold you accountable for the massive losses you've caused us. But how do you plan to settle the loan contracts you guaranteed? We both know the borrowers won't be repaying them," Arthur asked Morris politely.
Morris, realizing his predicament, cursed his luck—and his wife. If it hadn't been for their argument, he wouldn't have come to gamble, and if he hadn't come to gamble, he wouldn't have been robbed…
Seeing Morris standing there in a daze, Arthur decided to snap him out of it with a sharp slap across the face.
'Smack!'
As Morris reeled from the blow, Arthur didn't hesitate to deliver another.
"Stop! Don't start crying on me. You're a grown man—no need for theatrics. I'm not robbing you. Let's figure this out. We can do it formally or work something out between us. I'm flexible," Arthur said magnanimously.
After all, there was a world of difference between legal and illegal "robbery."
Morris swallowed the tears and excuses he had been preparing. He noticed Arthur's hand twitching, ready to deliver another slap.
Reluctantly, Morris spoke up.
"Sir…?"
"Call me Arthur. Go on."
"Arthur, sir. How about this? I still have some savings. I'll use the money to hire some bounty hunters to capture Hernández. You can get your money from him…"
Before Morris could finish, Arthur rolled his eyes and slapped him again. This time, it wasn't out of anger—just a way to knock some sense into the man.
Malloy, watching the scene unfold, felt it was time for him to leave. He turned to Arthur.
"I'll head out now. There's not much more I can do to help with this case."
As Malloy made his way to the door, Morris lunged forward and clung to his leg, pleading.
"Sheriff! Sheriff! You can't leave! We've known each other for years. You have to help me!"
Malloy didn't kick him away. Instead, he crouched down and said to Morris.
"Morris, look at the mess you've gotten yourself into. How do you expect me to help you?"
Morris, desperate, cried out: "I was forced into this! I'm a victim too!"
"Hmph! We're the victims here!" Strauss interjected angrily.
Strauss couldn't help but think that if it hadn't been for Morris, none of this would have happened. And now the man had the audacity to play the victim.
Before Arthur could continue, Vera returned with Charlie in tow, followed by Kieran. Charlie entered the room without looking around, his focus solely on Arthur.
"Boss, what do you need me to do?"
"Gear up and get ready. We're heading out to take care of some business."
Charlie nodded, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the drool leaking from the torn corner of his mouth beneath his mask, and simply replied, "Got it," before turning to leave.
Morris watched Charlie with a look of disgust, which Arthur noticed. Without hesitation, Arthur kicked Morris and yanked him away from Malloy's leg.
Arthur knew that Charlie's quiet demeanor was largely due to his injury. A large portion of his lower lip was missing, making it difficult for him to speak without drooling.
Malloy seized the opportunity to make his exit, leaving only Strauss, Kieran, Vera, Arthur, and the pitiful Morris in the room.
Arthur turned to Kieran.
"Why are you here? Who's watching the casino?"
Kieran scratched his head.
"I heard from Vera that you were back, so I came to ask about hiring more guards."
That was a reasonable request.
"Alright. Ask Charlie for some contacts from his old comrades. Hire a few of them if they're suitable. Don't go recruiting any random thugs off the streets," Arthur instructed.
Kieran nodded and left the room after receiving his orders.
"Now that we've settled other matters, Mr. Morris, let's get back to our little discussion."
*****
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