I joined up with Molly soon enough and we went walking in downtown Denver. I was amazed at the commotion on Market Street. Teamsters were lined up loading and unloading merchandise. Things were bustling. As we turned back to the hotel there came a voice.
“Don’t take another step!” came the order. “Now lay down that shotgun.”
I whispered asking Molly, “How far away is he?”
“I won’t repeat it again. And as for you, you know your kind is not allowed up here.”
That did it! I pushed Molly and swung to my right extending the shotgun. It cracked him on the elbow and he yelped, dropping his gun.
I rushed to him and placed the Greener up under his chin. “Before you say another word, apologize to my wife!”
I saw his eyes flicker in surprise, “Sorry ma’am.”
“Now do you want to explain yourself?” I asked.
I pulled the shotgun away, and he began to rub his arm. “Officer Brewster, Denver police force. There is an ordinance about carrying guns in town.”
“You’ll live longer if you confront people instead of sneaking up behind them. Folk don’t cotton to that, no matter who you are. By the way, I’m Deputy U.S. Marshal Miles Forrest and I’ll carry my guns with me,” I paused and then asked. “Happen to know a big guy by the name of Murker?”
“Can’t say that I do,” came a reply rather quickly.
Just to test his truthfulness, I tippy-tapped his elbow with the Greener. That brought a quick groan form him. “He didn’t say anything about your wife.”
“Now, why don’t you tell me just exactly what he said.”
“He said to arrest you and get you out of the way for a while.”
“Better go back and report that it didn’t work.”
We left him rubbing his arm, and hopefully having learned a good lesson. He apologized again before our taking our leave of his presence. He was embarrassed, but not sure if it was from his mistake with Molly or having the Greener laid up against his arm or being caught as one of Murker’s flunkies.
There was a restaurant a block away from the hotel. It was on a side street so I figured it might be some cheaper than the one next to the hotel. “Let’s grab a cup of coffee.”
Sitting down and after ordering, I asked, “What do you think of Denver?”
She took a sip. “Sure is getting big,” and taking another sip. “I don’t care much for some of the folk here though.”
I asked for another cup and the waitress replied, “Are you thinking of ordering anything to eat? If not, there’s a limit to the coffee.”
“Tell you what, here’s two-bits and keep the change.” I looked at Molly. “Let’s go.”
We walked on back to the hotel. “I’m ready to go home. What’s say that we leave tomorrow. I no longer work for Wells Fargo, so there’s no need to stay around here. I do want to see Dave one more time. I’ll go get the tickets and then see him.”
After getting tickets I went to see Cook. I wanted to run the doings by him and see what he thought. He might know something that I didn’t. He was in his office and we talked some about the events of the day. Murker was a new man in town and Dave didn’t know anything about him, but said he would do some checking.
“Thought any more about my offer?”
“Molly and I are headin’ back to Durango. I don’t work for Wells Fargo no more, and there’s just too many people here for my likin’.”
He smiled and reached out to shake my hand. We walked out the office and stood at the front door. “You’re a good man, Miles. I’ll let you know anything I find out.”
Opening the door I started out and my heel caught the threshold and I stumbled forward just as a bullet smashed into the brick wall showering both Dave and I.