Chapter 166: Cowboys and a gunslinger's gift

"What the hell was that all about?" I asked Earl.

"The one I hit, thought my suit was faggy looking," he said. "I tried to ignore it, but the guy just wouldn't let it go. He was also blocking my camera angel of you at the bar."

"And for that, I have to buy a new cane." I said.

"I guess, I should buy you a cane," he suggested.

"Why would you do that, I'm the one who chose to use it." I replied. "Let's just go home. I don't think I can stand any more fun tonight."

"Hangin' out with you is like being a teenager back home again. Beer bars and brawls," he said.

"I don't get into bar fights," I said.

"I can guarantee that you won't get into any more in that place, for sure," he said.

"Oh, the bartender said I could come back, I'm not so sure about you though," I replied.

"Yeah, but I meant, I don't think anyone in there will fuck with you again." he said.

"If you think back, it wasn't me they were fucking with," I replied.

When I got home, it was a long bath to soak the stink and tension from my body, then off to bed. I had to admit that the bar fight did make me feel alive. It also drained some of the James Smiley stress and anger from me. I might be able to keep going without planning how to kill the bastard, I thought.

I also masturbated again, but I did it under the covers. I doubt that there was any chance that the camera monitor, who ever it might be, would miss it. I didn't really care. I needed that to completely relax, before I drifted off to sleep.

For the next few days I repeated the interview questions a half dozen times. It was harder to fit the interviews into the new victims' schedules, than the it had been for the first few. I was also bored silly, since I didn't go out again for a week. I really did not want to go back to the Cop Out, and I wasn't sure how welcome I would be in the Cowboy's Bar and Grill. I also was pretty sure that I didn't want to try one of the Yuppie motel lounges over in Tryon again. Such being the case, I drank alone at home. It was better for my leg anyway, I rested it a bit longer than I had before.

On the third day after the bar fight I received a package via Fed Ex. When I got it inside, I worked it open to find a three piece screw together cane with a fancy horse head handle. It looked to be at least a hundred years old, maybe more.

It came with a card.

'I was in a little shop in a small town in German, when I saw this a couple of years ago. When I heard about your leg, I called the shop and they still had it. I called my boss and got the money to buy it. It wasn't cheap, so Swamp Thing owns it. It is on loan to you, as long as you need it.'

The note was signed simply, Irish.

After reading the note, I went back to the cane. Each piece was wood and over an inch in diameter and a foot long. The top piece with the hammered brass horse's head also had a brass button under the horse's head. When I pushed the button and pulled on the horse head, a blade slipped easily from the cane. The blade was about 3/4 wide and probably nine inches long. It looked to be good quality steel without any rust but an ancient patina. I ran my thumb over the blade and it was sharp on both sides. The tip had also been sharpened. Most likely it came from the 1800s or earlier. Blades were more common back then.

No wonder Swamp Thing had bought it. It would be a great display piece, when I no longer needed it. In the meantime it would make great TV. I was also happy, since it had been a thoughtful gift from Martin. It meant that he indeed was keeping track of me.

After a full week, I had managed to interview everyone on the list. Of the fourteen names we finally come up with Ten who wanted to testify against Smiley. The other four either had suppressed the memory or didn't feel they could handle the publicity that might follow.

"Jen," I said into the phone. "I have collected all the interviews. I'm going to drop them by your office. You need to listen to the recordings. After you have done that and given it some thought, we need to arrange a meeting. Me, you, and the TV representative," I demanded.

"Bring them by, and I'll listen to them tonight and get with you in the morning," she said.

"I'll bring them by in an hour. I want to stop at the Dog House for a hot dog first. I skipped lunch today." It was three pm at the time of the call.

You want to have dinner with me and Bob," she asked.

"No thanks, I am going to get a dog, then I am going to go home and watch TV until the meeting. I need the rest."

That's pretty much how it went. I had two hot dogs at the dog house. It was the one where I had met Gunny. After that, I drove the cruiser to Jen's office. There I left the memory cards, with the copies of my interviews with her receptionist.

After Jen's office I went home. I watched TV on my computer until 8PM. At eight I could just stand it no longer. I drove the Cruiser to Cowboys. I have to admit, I was pretty nervous walking into the place after my last visit.

"Well I'll be damned it's Zena our very own warrior princess," the bartender said quietly.