He jerked his head toward the card game. “Who’s that in the corner?”
“Those two fellows? New in town, I guess. Never seen ’em. The big one looks like he might work in the coal mines.” Lucky wiped down the bar and threw him a glance. “Don’t you recognize the other one?”
Jake peered over his shoulder, trying to figure out where he’d seen the slender fellow. “Sorry—can’t say as I do.”
“That’s Will McIver.”
“Will McIver?” Jake jerked around to stare at Sam’s kid. He swung his gaze back to Lucky. “He’s just a kid, barely sixteen.”
Lucky shrugged. “No law against letting him in here, I reckon. And besides, I didn’t know how old he was. He looks grown to me.”
Jake straightened and headed over to the table. He placed a booted foot in the empty chair beside Will and leaned his forearm on his knee. A glance at the winnings revealed Will wasn’t faring too well. “Evening, gentlemen.”
The big man scowled and didn’t reply.
The other man nodded a cautious greeting. “Evening, Deputy.”
Will never acknowledged him in the slightest. Jake nudged his shoulder. “Will?”
The youth looked up, eyes bloodshot, face red. He grinned, found Jake; then his eyes focused somewhere over Jake’s shoulder.
Jake turned to Lucky. “He’s drunk.”
“I told you, Jake, he looks a lot older than he is. And his money’s as good as anybody’s. What else was I supposed to do?”
Jake placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Will, time for you to cash out. I’m taking you home.”
“Can’t.”
Jake sighed and thumbed his hat back. “Why not?”
Will waved a handful of cards in his face. “I got a winnin’ hand here. I can’t lose.”
“Leave the kid alone.”
Jake eyed the big man seated across from Will. “Sorry, mister. I can’t do that. Will here isn’t old enough to drink, let alone gamble. I’m taking him home. You got any objections?”
“Well, I reckon I do. We’ve got a friendly game of cards going here, and contrary to what he thinks, I’ve got the winning hand. I don’t take lightly to not getting to play it.”
Jake straightened and hauled Will out of his chair. “If that’s how you feel, make sure you pick someone older than this to swindle next time.”
He heard the slide of metal against leather when the stranger drew. He pushed Will out of the way and rolled left. The roar of the man’s pistol filled the room. The old-timers hit the floor and covered their heads with their hands. Jake came up with his gun in his hand, keeping the bar between him and Lucky. He hit the floor again when a shotgun blasted inches above his head, buckshot peppering the wall in the corner.
“Hands up,” Lucky roared. “I don’t take kindly to people shooting up my saloon. The next shot won’t be over your head, mister.”
With Jake and Lucky drawing a bead on him, the stranger dropped his pistol and lifted his hands.
“Good thing I know to keep my head down, Lucky, or you would’ve blown it off!” Jake glared at the saloon keeper through the metal-gray swirl of spent gun powder and cigarette smoke.
Two spots of color blazed on Lucky’s cheeks. Nothing riled him up more than folks shooting up his saloon, even though he always did more damage with his shotgun than the rowdy crowd ever did with their six-shooters. Jake sighed. He’d stay mad for a month over this, and Jake would end up with a jail full of unfortunate souls who’d faced Lucky’s wrath. At least Lucky never shot anybody.
Yet. Jake could be thankful for that.
“I told them when they came in here that I wouldn’t put up with no trouble.” Lucky waved the shotgun in the general direction of the corner, and everybody ducked again. “Look at that wall.”
“He’s loco.” The gambler’s eyes widened, and his hands shot up another notch.
Lucky stalked around the end of the bar and rested his shotgun on the card table, the barrel pointed at the gambler’s midsection. Lucky’s cold, black eyes eased from the gambler to the pile of money and back again. “You gonna pay for all this damage?”
The gambler’s gaze shifted to Jake.
Jake shrugged. “It’s up to you, pardner.”
“Looks like I don’t have any choice in the matter.”
Lucky scooped up the cash and stuffed it down his shirt. “Remember that the next time you decide to pull a gun in the Golden Nugget. I don’t put up with such foolishness. Get him out of here,