It was sudden. For a moment I thought it was just a customer coming in early, but as soon as he entered he began firing in my direction and walking toward me. I didn’t look to see how many for I immediately flipped over the table. Because of previous encounters in the restaurant I had this table reinforced with heavy oak.
I counted what I thought was five shots from the person approaching me. From the side I heard a shot from a small caliber gun and a groan. It was time, I shot up from my position and fired point-blank into the chest of the man who had been shooting. His pistol was empty and he was only about three paces from me. The blast from both barrels of the Greener took him full in the chest and knocked him back.
Then there was another shot and a man fell in the doorway. It sounded like a rifle. That would make three; were there more? Another rifle shot and then I heard horses galloping away. Looking around I saw Molly emerge from the kitchen with her pistol in her hand. The man on the floor was groaning. I didn’t even bother to look at the man I shot for he took both barrels. I didn’t want to look for he might be lying there in pieces.
The sound came from the sidewalk and he burst through the door. I pulled my pistol and only the good Lord kept me from firing. It was Lucas, carrying a rifle.
“Senor Marshal, Miss Molly,” and then he saw what almost happened. My .45 was looking him straight in the eyes. I thought he was going to faint, but he composed himself, smiled, and said. “Don’t shoot; it’s me, Lucas.”
“Lucas! Do you know how close?” I stopped. He was scared and so was I.
“I helped you. I shot the man on the sidewalk, and shot at two others as they rode off, but don’t think I hit them.”
“Help me with the table.” He came over and helped me flip the table over. There were four shots in the table; where that fifth shot was I didn’t know. “Sit down,” I ordered him.
Molly was down trying to stop the bleeding on the man she had shot. By now the marshal had shown up, plus Doc Jones.
“Get that man out of here!” I motioned to the marshal toward the one I shot with the Greener. “Don’t drag him, pick him up! I don’t want a trail of blood all the way out the door.”
The doc was working on the man laying there. All I could hear was groaning, and was also thinking of Lucas shooting a man at his young age. I motioned Molly over to him. He was now starting to shake.
Doc rose and came over to us. Molly asked, “Is he dead?”
“No, I think he’ll make it if infection don’t set in. He’s just passed out.” He stopped and looked at us shaking his head. “Molly, perhaps you need to change the name of this eatery from ‘Molly’s Place,’ to the ‘Shooting Gallery.’ My mercy, I’ve never seen the like.” He paused again. “Everyone here all right? How ’bout you son?”
Lucas nodded and said, “I saved the Senor and Senora.” He looked at me. “Senor Marshal, I wasn’t scared when it was happening, but I am now. Why is that?”
I reached out my hand to shake his. There are not words adequate at a time like this. “Thanks, pardner,” I said. He smiled and shook my hand.
Reaching for the coffeepot, I discovered where the fifth bullet hit. Right in the middle of pot. All I could do was sigh.