Blood-Lines

Chapter VI -- Of Death and Other Such Details

Clementine Blue did not have far to go before she found dead bodies that lay still and quiet as if in patient wait for their turn with the undertakers.

The Pinkerton man - Jacob Davies - sat slumped just inside the door.

His open blue eyes were now dim beneath the scattered wave of blond hair that accented his otherwise handsome features.

A single bullet appeared to have taken him through the throat while his blood had sprayed thick against the wall just behind him; stark testimony of what she could only hope had been a quick death while the fancy silver pistol that she'd noticed on several occasions as it had rested just out of sight while secured in his shoulder holster, now lay clutched tightly in one hand as it lay by his side.

She turned away only to discover the dark features of the rough neck slumped against the wall of the teller windows just across from her.

Blood from his open mouth covered his chin as if in drool, while the bloody patch across his shirt told of what had killed him.

Dark eyes remained open wide as if caught in shock as he stared at the floor; perhaps as if he'd caught sight of the unexpected spiritual path that lay ahead; one hand remained wrapped around the stock of the shotgun as it lay against his leg while a large black pistol lay clenched in the other.

Apparently, this fool had tried to fire the shotgun one handed while he'd blasted away with his pistol at the same time. "Stupidity ... thy name is man ..." she muttered under her breath while the bank remained eerily quiet around her.

She wondered if the dead men had been the ones that Jacob had come in search of.

Although friendly, he'd proven reticent when she'd asked about the nature of his business in casual passing.

He'd mused that although a Pinkerton never slept while in search of their quarry, they were allowed a soft bed to rest their bones in now and then.

Perception of her mystical third eye seemed to confirm that there was nothing out of the ordinary about any of the dead men that had been involved.

Unfortunately, that only left the two who'd escaped the gunfight once it was over.

With sullen regret, she turned and carefully walked back out into the open street.

Poe turned as she approached.

"Jacob Davies had a room for the week ..." she began as she looked over at the crowd that watched them, "... while the others are unknown to me."

"Dammit." He responded, his aggravation clear as he'd probably held out hope that the men might have visited the Long Branch at some point during their travels.

"Sorry Sheriff."

Poe simply shook his head and winced when he realized that he'd clearly misspoken, yet again. "Not your fault by any means; at this point any clue as to their identity, one way or the other would certainly have been helpful, but not entirely expected given what they were up to when they died."

His hand remained rested upon his gun belt as he massaged the back of his neck with the other.

"Perhaps I'll have a note sent to Pinkerton and company about the men that he was looking for which may help shed some light on who they may have been, at least as far as their organization is concerned."

As she scanned the crowd, Clementine realized the dark haired Indian was not among them. "Has Deer gone after the others?"

"She started tracking one of them before Cat found the dead whore."

He turned to gesture toward the alleyway between the two buildings. "If you don't mind, take a look and see if there might be anything that we may have missed."

When they were out of earshot as she followed Cat to the opening of the alley, Clementine kept her voice low just in case. "I don't get a sense that this was anything but mortal doings, would you agree?"

Cat's friendly brown eyes met hers as they stood at the entrance. "Even mortals can do evil things without help, or so it would appear."

Indeed, even the dead woman that sat alone in the shadows managed to reveal little out of the ordinary.

Once she'd finished, Clementine stepped out of the alley to update Cat before she turned toward the Long Branch.

"I'd better go make sure things are set for the lunch crowd. From the way everyone has been out watching us, they'll be ready to eat and gossip in no time."

"Nothing roils up hunger like death and heat." Cat mused in agreement.

As Clementine made her way toward the Long Branch, she considered that her abilities with glamour might find yet more answers, once alcohol set in properly with those that might be nearby tonight.

What had often proven fun to play with amongst the unsuspecting locals would now prove useful in many other far more intriguing ways.