Beauties, Bounties and Bullets

by neoraichu

"It's not fancy," said Bill as he led Annie to the Deadwood Inn, "but it's servicable."

A small crowd continued to follow them from the train station.

"Now now, folks," said Bill as he looked back, "We've both been on that train for way too long. I'm sure that tomorrow, all your questions will be answered."

They sighed as they stopped at the door.

"Let me pay for the rooms," he mused as he approached the desk, "After all, I can take these things as 'business expenses'."

"Some people might say you're better suited to business," mused Annie as she followed.

"A man of many hats," he bragged.

"Tell me. Is that Calamity Jane spoken for?"

"Miss Jane?" he mused, "Last time I saw her, she was as available as ever."

"She's... so exotic... so pretty."

"What would your husband think?" chuckled Bill.

"You'd almost think you didn't know what the word 'widow' means, Mister Hickok."

"Too soon?" he asked as he looked back.

Annie looked down at her feet.

"Well at least he got to see you perform in England," he continued, "I think that made him very happy. I think you always made him very happy."

"You're kind," she replied slowly, "too kind."

He turned to the young man behind the counter and announced, "Two of your finest rooms, good sir."

"Yessir," he replied, "Of course, they're on the house..."

"Nonsense, my good man," replied Bill as he pulled a wad of bills from his jacket, "An upstanding man such as myself pays their own way."

"Thank you, sir," he replied as he slid the keys across the desk.

He handed her one of the room keys.

"Before we rest," she said as she laid a hand across his, "Could we share a drink down at the bar first?"

"Of course, my dear."

...

In the hotel bar...

...

"What do you mean, Janey?" asked Joe, "Who hasn't heard of Annie Oakley?"

"Me, I guess," replied Jane, "I mean, she's pretty and all... but is she really that good with every type of firearm?"

"Well I ain't never seen a gun you couldn't shoot straight."

"Other than one of those Gatling Guns," she chuckled.

"Not like you've had the chance to practice," he reminded her.

"So you think she's pretty?" asked Zita from behind the two of them.

"Yeah?" Jane mused as she looked back, "What's your point?"

"Oh ho," she giggled, "Maybe you have feeling for someone you just met?"

"Now see here Missy," scolded Joe, "That ain't a polite thing to say."

"Or maybe you're a little jealous that she's already got closer to Wild Bill than you have?"

"Ya darn well know he don't think bout Janey like that!"

"But you have," she said with a leer, "I've seen you blush when you look at him. It's impossible to hide with the porcelain white skin of yours... I can tell you've missed him badly over the last year."

"I'm not pretty," sighed Jane as she looked away, "Just... scary."

"And this is the Deadwood Inn Bar," announced Wild Bill as he escorted Annie in, "Hardly the best bar in Deadwood, but it does have the least number of shootings per year."

"I do hope that they have at least one good bottle of Tennessee Whiskey in here," she said as she followed him in.

"If they didn't," he replied, "I'd have to shoot someone."

"Not that he's actually had to," mused Joe.

"Miss Jane," he mused as he looked past Joe, "Could you join Annie and me at the bar for a moment?"

"Sure," she replied as she stood.

The three of them went over to the bar and sat on stools.

"Two fingers of the finest Tennessee Whiskey you have for me and Annie," announced Bill, "and the usual for Miss Jane."

Annie blinked as a new glass of milk was set down in front of Jane.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"No," replied the showgal, "Not used to seeing that other than mixed drinks any more."

"Milk?" asked Joe, "Mixed drinks?"

"Various dairy products can be used in drinks," said Bill with a smirk.

"Got a bounty job?" asked Jane.

"A possible job, yes," he replied, "but not a bounty. I want to talk to you privately about it after the dinner tomorrow, my dear."

She scratched her head before she replied, "Sure Bill. Must be something big."

"It is," he replied, "I don't make it a business to waste your time, after all."