It was a long day, that Isabela finished like she finished every day since Rosette died; the Sheriff's attempts to pull her out of depression partially succeed when he assigned her as temporary sheriff, in that she stopped drinking herself into stupor, and was back to a 'normal' as far as consumption goes.
Tonight's change was a pair of red gloves... more to cover up the hand wound she'd given herself when fighting the tank, rather then an indication of her mental state.
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The Sheriff walked into the
The Sheriff walked into the bar. Most of the surviving guards had moved out of the saloon by now. Hell one was sleeping his inebriation off in a jail cell. Dramatic drunken reenactments of gunfights are always a bad idea, especially with loaded guns.. He looked over the mostly peaceable crowd and spotted Isabella, drinking again. He needed to talk to her, before something bad happened.
He walked over to her table. "I'd like to thank you for spotting that ambush, and the "other aid" you provided. May I join you?"
Isabela nodded. "Of course
Isabela nodded. "Of course Sheriff."
She didn't know how to act, as the Sheriff thanked her... so she simply looked over at him with a feint smile, "Always happy to help Sheriff."
She slid the half empty bottle of scotch that she had Duncan open a couple nights ago over to the Sherrif. "Care for a drink?"
"It'd be impolite to say no,"
"It'd be impolite to say no," as Duncan threw him a shotglass, He poured a generous "double shot" as he checked the label. "Isabella you can certainly afford better than this?"
She polished off the last of
She polished off the last of her glass, as she raised her eyebrow at the Sheriff. "Not everyone can afford to be as careless with their money as Jimmy is. I hear the loos of a sister can cause a sudden bout of what's referred to as 'retail therapy'.. I don't wish to be caught ill prepared. "
"Not much to buy in this
"Not much to buy in this town. I'm having a few things shipped in from Denver myself. But I would like to talk to you about something important. I think you're getting careless."
Isabela sighed, she the
Isabela sighed, she the Sheriff correct ... she'd adopted a bit of a reckless streak.
"Let me tell you a quick story Sheriff... there was once a young girl named Victoria, with a rather strange family. No doubt at one point she was normal ... but 16 years of abuse, and a couple months of being forced to lay with her bothers and step father... she did the smartest thing of her life. Found a way out."
Pausing to pour herself another drink and take a sip Isabela continued. "Eventually she found her sister living in a nice small town; and things changed ... Victoria told her sister everything, and as she did something magical happened. After she was finished, things didn't seem so bad anymore... it was almost as if sharing those horrible things somehow made it like they didn't happen."
"Of course, all good things do eventually come to an end ... and the sister's parted ways... and just like that the questions started piling up in Victoria's mind... and well ... things that were better off being forgotten started creeping back."
She took another drink. "Well, that's about all I recall of the story ... I doubt it has a happy ending though."
"It certainly won't end
"It certainly won't end happily for Victoria if she keeps being so reckless." He had a bottle of good tequila sent over to their table. "She may end up coming to grief for being so careless."
Isabela polished off the last
Isabela polished off the last of the scotch in her glass, as the bottle of tequila made it's way over. "Funny thing about people who are careless as Victoria. They either care about nothing, or nothing cares about them... But I do see you're point."
The Widow Lynne walked down
The Widow Lynne walked down the steps that lead to the upstairs of the saloon. She looked around at the crowd that had gathered tonight; there was two miners drinking at the bar, a pair of mexicans laughing hysterically, a trail worn woman packing two pistols sitting in a corner alone, some of the usuals including Ms Isabela and the sheriff.
Lynne made her way across the room towards the sheriff. JC Fancypants and Ms Isabela could smell the sickly sweet strawberry perfume of the Widow Lynne as she approached them.
"You know, not kneeing you in the groin is a constant struggle." - Mike Nelson MST3K
"Good evening Ma'am, would
"Good evening Ma'am, would you care to join us." Isabela motioned to one of the empty seats at the table.
"I believe the Sheriff here was about to pour me a drink, I'm sure he wouldn't mind pouring one for you as well."
Widow Lynne looked at the
Widow Lynne looked at the bottle of tequila next to the sheriff. She reached for it and poured Miss Isabella and the Sheriff a "snoot full".
"No thank you Miss Isabella. But I did want to ask either of you something. What is with all the hoopla at the hotel? Ole Maxie is really rolling out the red carpet for somebody."
"You know, not kneeing you in the groin is a constant struggle." - Mike Nelson MST3K
Isabela smiled and nodded,
Isabela smiled and nodded, "We're certainly not privy to any info ... but the current theory of some of my well informed house-mates is someone important from back east. Likely a government official ... perhaps a Senator, maybe even a President. However, that's all conjecture... I suspect the only one that REALLY knows is 'Ole Maxie' as you like to call him."
A strange smirk flashed
A strange smirk flashed across the Widow Lynne's face. It was a smirk composed of humor and of disgust all at the same time, like she smelled something funny and revolting. "It must be someone Maxie is trying to buy off. Last time there was this much pomp in town was when Maxie celebrated his birthday."
"You know, not kneeing you in the groin is a constant struggle." - Mike Nelson MST3K
"I believe that was before my
"I believe that was before my time as it were." The Sheriff sipped his tequila. "In any case we should know for sure soon."
"Well sheriff either way you
"Well sheriff either way you better keep your eyes open. I hear talk a few outlaw types are takin' an interest in all this hoopla." The Widow Lynne turned to walk away.
"You know, not kneeing you in the groin is a constant struggle." - Mike Nelson MST3K
"Whomever this celebrity is,
"Whomever this celebrity is, I'll make sure they're well guarded. Still I wish the Boss had seen it to make me aware of this sooner, or at all."