Chapter 38

Terri brought Jimbo a big bowl of the stew then and I left him eating. I was back at my place behind the counter when six more men, obviously from the colonel's place came in. They spied Jimbo eating and went directly back to sit with him. When I yelled across the room asking what they'd have, they called for stew.

Terri headed that way with a tray holding three bowls, but when she got to the table one of the men took a handful of her asscheek. She dropped the tray with the hot stew into his lap and when he jumped up he took a swipe at her. I beat both Johnny and Jimmy to the draw and sunk one of my throwing knives into the back of his neck. Apparently it hit something important because he fell in a heap.

While the excitement had been happening one of the other new arrivals had caught Terri up and was holding her with a knife near her throat. Jimmy asked him to let her go with an arrow that entered near his ear and from the amount that sunk in, nearly to the fletching, I was sure an impressive length was sticking out the other side. It must have been because one of the others bent over to puke at the sight.

"The rest of you had better settle down and get your hands away from your weapons unless you want to die here in the inn," Jimbo said, just a little loudly, but with a calm voice.

"But they've killed John and Jed," one of the newcomers said.

"And how do you propose to help them by getting killed yourself? In case you haven't noticed, the three behind the counter are real fighting men, and obviously well trained. They killed John and Jed more easily than drowning puppies and even you have probably noticed they don't give a shit whether you are the colonel's men or not."

"But what will we do?" one of the others asked.

"First thing, I'd make sure I didn't cause the serving girl to spill the stew when she brings it, and I sure as hell wouldn't molest her if she does it accidentally."

"Better pick up the bowls the dead one caused her to spill too," I shouted, from my place behind the counter.

Johnny and Jimmy weren't acting like they were sleeping any longer. They were both holding their bows, drawn, ready to fire, and pointing toward the offenders.

"The mayor and the guard will hear about this," one of them said indignantly.

"You'd better hope you aren't the one to tell them," Jimbo said, "The mayor and Goober are outside with their throats cut and the rumor is they've already met the guard and the reserve. The jury is still out on where those worthies are waiting for their maker to come pick them up."

"Can't you fools see they aren't just pretending to be fighting men? They are the real thing and they aren't worried about you pulling your swords out to wave around as if you knew how to use them."

"Well, I'll just inform the colonel when we get back. He'll settle their hash," another one said.

"You're supposing they'll just let you walk out of this place as if nothing happened," Jimbo said.

"On no, Jimbo. We won't bother them if they want to leave. I would like to hear them explain to the colonel how the innkeeper killed their friends and ran them out without a fight though. I'm sure the colonel will understand about them taking his money as fighting men and not being able to get out of the inn without my permission," I said, and then laughed like hell, rubbing it in.

"Not to mention what the other men out there will say about them," Johnny said, and that caused Jimmy to laugh and his antics started Jimbo laughing.

"Well what can we do then?"

"You can bring your crossbows and the tack off the two horses Jed and John rode in here and give it to him and ask if you can have his blessing to ride with me and take a job at his ranch," Jimbo told them.

"But what's a ranch?"

"I'm sure I don't know either, but he said I could have a job there as a farm hand if I wanted it. If you'd sit down and act like you knew about manners he might do the same for you," Jimbo told them, and one of them did turn to me and ask.

"Sure you can go, and Jimbo knows how to put in the word when he gets there. I don't want your weapons, just any extra you are carrying and of course I want the ones that came with the men we've killed," I said, and the four of them got up and practically ran to their horses. I noticed one of them got on his mount and tried to ride away, but the other three killed him quickly and brought his body and weapons inside along with the tack off the horse he tried to leave on.

"Now then gents. Go back and sit down and wait for your meal. Try not to bother the serving girl this time or I'll let her deal with you. She can get downright testy when bothered," I said.

I talked to them a little while they ate and found out all the men I'd had run-ins with today were part of the outside guard who slept in the outbuilding. They thought inside men would be made to sleep outside now to make up for the reduction in forces. That made things a lot better for me.

They were surprised when I let them slide on paying for their meal and they left after they'd finished - leading the vacant horses off toward the north. I had been planning on waiting another two or three days before taking on the colonel, but I decided tonight would be the night now.

We didn't see any more of the colonel's men for the rest of the day, but we did do a brisk business with the suppertime crowd. As soon as the place emptied out we locked the door and Johnny, Jimmy, and I went to bed leaving Terri and Janey to tend to cleaning up. I wanted us to have a little sleep before we took on our nightly business.

I woke at midnight and Terri stirred when I did.

"What time is it?" she asked, and I told her it must be around midnight.

"Are you going down there scouting again?" she asked.

"Not really. I think we are going to tend to business."

"Be careful then. They still have you outnumbered," she said, and rolled back over to return to sleep.

I dressed and made sure my throwing knives and my drop-down were in place and ready for full use. I picked up my bow and quiver and left the room. Jimmy and Johnny were in the common room when I reached it and they said they were ready to leave.

As we were walking through the woods toward the colonel's place Johnny and Jimmy wanted to know the plan and I told them.