Broadway Bounty

Chapter Two

Decker found the room rate prohibitive, but he checked into the hotel anyway. At the rate that he was spending the money he got from the Tyrone brothers, it wouldn’t be long before he was broke.

When he saw the room, he found it almost worth the price. It was more lavish than any other room he’d ever had, save the one his friend Duke Ballard had given him when he went to San Francisco.

There were even a bathtub, which he made use of immediately. When he was drying himself, there was a knock on the door. He wrapped a towel around his waist and answered it.

It was Billy Rosewood.

“That was fast,” Decker said.

“I know where to get things in this town,” Billy assured him.

“Come on in.”

Rosewood entered, and Decker closed the door.

“Hey,” Rosewood said, taking a good look at Decker, “were you ever a boxer?”

“No.”

“You look like you could’ve been…although those don’t look like boxing scars.”

Glancing at the scars on his torso, Decker said, “They’re not. What have you got for me?”

“Ah—here.”

Rosewood took out a leather shoulder rig with a gun in the holster from inside his jacket. He removed the gun and showed it to Decker.

“It’s a Colt New Line,” Rosewood said. “Thirty-two caliber. That was the biggest caliber I could find in a gun this small.”

Decker took the gun and held it.

“It holds five shots,” Rosewood said. “I can get you a twenty-two-caliber gun that holds seven shots if you like.”

“No, this is fine,” Decker said. “If five shots doesn’t do it, I don’t think two extra will matter.”

Decker checked to see that the gun was fully loaded, then put it down on the dresser.

“Here,” Rosewood said, handing him the shoulder rig, “no extra charge.”

“I’m touched by your generosity, Billy,” Decker said, accepting it.

“I’m not so generous really. I figure if you’re gonna be here awhile, I might get some repeat business.”

“Well, I will need someone to show me around.”

“I’m your man. You know how to put that thing on?” he asked, indicating the shoulder holster.

“I’ll figure it out.”

“Anything I can do for you now?”

“Not today,” Decker said. “I’m going to walk around a bit, find a telegraph office and a decent restaurant.”

“Well, don’t eat in the hotel dining room. There’s a restaurant two blocks west that makes a pretty good steak dinner.”

“Thanks.”

“Three blocks to the east and then a block north, you’ll find a telegraph office.”

“Well,” Decker said, “that’s all I need for now.”

“If you had more money to spend and were staying in a better hotel, there’d be a telegraph line right in the hotel itself.”

“I’ll remember that next time I’m here. Can you meet me out front at nine in the morning?”

“Nine sharp,” Rosewood said. “I’ll be there.”

“See you then. I’ll buy you breakfast.”

“You got a deal.” Rosewood started for the door. “Oh, I almost forgot.”

He took Dover’s lucky knife from his belt.

“Got you a real nice edge on this,” he said, handing it to Decker. “Why’d you let it get so dull?”

“It belonged to a friend of mine. He carried it only for luck.”

“I presume he’s dead?”

“Yes.”

“Well, with an edge like that on it, you should have more luck with it than he did.”

“I hope so.”

“See you in the morning.”

“Right.”

Rosewood left, and Decker got dressed. He slipped on the shoulder holster and then slid the gun into it. It was uncomfortable, but he’d get used to it. His only worry was that he was not a good marksman with a pistol, and the gun was only a .32. With the small caliber, it would have been better if he could hit what he wanted when he wanted, but this would have to do.

He put on one of the suits he’d just bought and checked himself in the mirror. The gun was nestled beneath his arm and hardly showed at all. It would take a tailor’s expert eye to catch it.

Satisfied, he left the room to take a little get-acquainted-with-New-York walk.