After the last flame died, Chip, Diamond, and I left the burning scent of the alley behind and treaded back onto Promised Road. We observed the scattered figures of townspeople in the starless night. The only illumination came from candles of those veering toward the fallen Inn.

  We moved amidst voices from crowds. “That gal Diamond got a-shooting arm on her,” one said.

  “I can’t believe Sheriff Chip let them occultists do this to us,” another replied.

  In passing, an old woman in a bonnet handed me a lamp and smiled. The glow flickered on her wrinkled lipped, one tooth grin. She said, “That will be two shillings.”

  On our way to the Inn, owls hooted from trees at the tail end of the road. The fall breeze brought a leaf that came a-floating between Diamond and me. When I stopped her so that she could see the strange omen in my light, I recognized the burden that shone all over her face. Diamond made an impossible choice on that balcony when she saved the sheriff and not Dylan.

  As the leaf drifted down, a word came to mind.

  Consequences.

  A cry and flurry of leaves blew across.

  Consequences. It took me back ten years to my hometown, Washington DC.

  ***

  I thought the storm was going to bring the woodchipped walls of that rickety slave cabin down. Bet and I were shaking it up just as much from within.

  “Oh, Apollo, we shouldn’t be doin’ dis, a free man and slave girl. Da mistress gonna be so mad if she finds out.”

  “Are you going to tell her?” I whispered; hands pressed against the straw on the pallet beneath us. The itch from hay against her behind and my hips counted for nothing compared to the ecstasy fluttering in our minds and hearts.

  She wasn’t getting away, her big bug eyes captured in my glassy gaze, her neck in my mouth. I said, “I don’t think I can stop, even if I should. How about you?”

  She moaned. “No. Yo so...”

  Between the heavy breaths that we shared, I answered, “So what?”

  She kissed me. “Wily.”

  “Wily?” I chuckled. “Wily?”

  When I finished and rolled over with a big smile on my face, she pinched my cheek and said, “Everything in dis cabin: da wooden table, da chairs. Dey been passed to me because da mistress don’t want dem no more. But she wants yo. Yo really mine out of free will? Wily?”

  A bang on the doors and smack against the walls intruded. She hopped up. “Miss, we aint doin’ nothin’ in here.”

  I laughed. “It’s the wind, Bet.”

  ***

  The wind got a hold of Diamond’s fancy blonde curls. I didn’t mean any harm, but I caught myself squinting at the sight of her adjusting her hair. A wig? Why’d a beautiful gal like her need that?

  I mined my manners, figuring it wouldn’t be polite to keep staring at such a distinguished person, so I did it at Chip, instead. He scowled and nodded, directing my attention forward.

  Mayor Heck stood in the dim lights around the crumbled Inn. We had to get in close to hear that hoarse, smoker’s speech. In fact, when we got close enough to view more than his top hat and long coat, we got a glimpse of his smoking pipe and a whiff of its pungent, sweet tobacco.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  That tobacco was the only sweet thing about him. He had no way of talking to bring up morale; all we had was his face for that. Dandy offering in itself: stubbly beard, fiery red complexion, and grimace.

  “We’re not chasing a vendetta,” he said. “We’re going to go get them before they come back and get us. You know why they call this Promise Road? I was sheriff when your first mayor proclaimed it to be. He said it’s our promise as long as we protect it. We’re going to try. Hopefully, this town doesn’t get wiped out when we do.” He cleared his throat and picked at his nose.

  I nudged Chip. “Uplifting as ever, isn’t he?”

  Heck went on. “I’m sure you all have questions, but I’m as shocked and appalled as you are and am still gathering answers. My condolences to the families of those who lie here. All of you who have lost loved ones, tonight, are welcomed to ride along with the herdsmen after they arrive to transport the deceased to the desert cemetery. For the rest of you, be on your way and get back to as normal as possible. You’re lucky if your house and place of business still stand.”

  They started a hymn, but he yelled at them and waved them away in a fit. “This is a murder scene. What the hell are you singing about?” Morphine pills must have had him moody; man moved from euphoric to irritable without a warning shot. As we went along with the crowd, he strained out a holler like a ghost may. “Chip.” When we turned, he came a-stomping. “Chip, how the hell did you let this happen?”

  The sheriff spit out tobacco and said, “Now you listen here, we did all we could.”

  “Well, she did a fine job on the balcony.” Heck stroked Diamond’s arm. “But you didn’t answer me. You’re Mr. Detective. Didn’t study them out? Didn’t see them coming? The hell kind of negligence do you have going on?”

  For once, Chip didn’t fight. He looked to be masticating but unable to fully absorb his restraint for what he would say to Heck, for the physical harm he would cause him.

  The mayor’s expression turned sorrowful. “We could all lose our seats in the coming elections. I’ve never seen a kerfuffle of this magnitude, not even when the Comanche invaded. These monsters are surreal. I could hear their barks and see what looked like a firestorm all the way from my mansion out in the country. You know Sandy’s crushed over there?” He steered our direction toward the smashed Inn. “Tell you what. Everyone gets shuteye, and we’ll convene in the morning. As for me, I’m going to go get a room at the Pharmacy. The Inn’s no longer in service.” While chewing, he ogled with cold, blue eyes. They would have jumped out his enflamed face and strangled Chip if they could. He got on to another topic as fast as his mood swung. “Diamond, I will walk you.”

  Her face appeared lifeless. “Thoink I’m gonna spend the night at the Sheriff’s Office, and I aint leaving until we have a plan to get Dylan back. Give mama and deddy my regards.”

  “Suit yourself.” He pointed at Chip. “Tomorrow at eleven o’ clock, round everyone up for me. I’ll get there at noon.” Damn night owl that he was, he wouldn’t get out of bed for the biggest tragedy in Grand Jose’s history. He stumbled off as quick as his drug induced elation kicked back in.

  I remembered I needed to head back with Chip and Diamond to tend to Deputy Dunbar and flagged down a taxi wagon for us. A young, long coated driver, with his face hidden under the brim of his hat, motioned for me to get in. I put skids in his hands but noticed the sheriff had hesitated to climb up.

  Chip blocked Diamond by turning towards her. He looked like a happy baboon, smiling with tobacco-stained teeth.

  “Yes?” she said.

  “Don’t be coy.” He was still looking like an idiot.

  “Sheriff, you have a point to make? Or are you just gonna stare at me like I’m your dang favorite sandwich until Calamity gets back from Mexico?”

  “You know this better than anyone. That first shot you took with the sniper rifle had to be a strategic one. You chose to save me.”

  “For one, chewing tobacco is a nasty habit. I had no idea you did that. For two—"

  Chip interrupted. “Settle down and sleep on it. In the morning, we’ll get breakfast, just me and you.”

  “I wasn’t finished. And you’re really starting to upset me. Now, that shot was the only one I had. If I could of saved Dylan…Don’t make me say it.”

  He threw his hands up. “Diamond, no need to get so defensive.”

  “You heard me now. I didn’t have a good shot at the monster that had Dylan.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “Oh, you don’t? Aint it dandy that Chip Blaze don’t believe me. You know what, I don’t remember asking your opinion. Matter of fact, why don’t you take your own way back to the office; I’ll take mine. One of us can join Doc Apollo. The other can start walking, right now.”

  Inside the coach, I closed my heavy eyes.

  The driver turned in my direction. “You been through the mill, haven’t you? Say, I don’t want to bother you but tell me one thang. When all that fighting went down, was you on the battleground with the sheriff or up there on the balcony with that pharmacy gal?”

  If you previously chose to go to the ground with Chip, turn to Chapter Nine. A Meal with Chip.

  If you previously selected to go to the roof with Diamond, turn to Chapter Ten. A Ride with Diamond.