Blood-Lines

Part 6

Leviticus LaRouchette stepped through the double doors of Goldman Palms tavern and found all eyes were quickly upon him as he made his way through the disaster.

Overturned tables, chips and cards lay amongst the feet of the crowd as it parted for him to pass.

The wounded dealer sat in a chair tended to by local whores while the roughed up drunkard sat very much alone and dejected at the bar while he drank shots as he waited.

"Finally, a tin man shows up. What took you so long boy ... lost your badge in the latrine again?" he finished with a long, drawn out belch before he downed another shot and slammed the glass on the bar to indicate that he was ready for another while the barman remained still as he watched LaRouchette watch him and new better than to move.

"Or was it that ugly excuse for such a lawless piss-toe-leena that I see hitched there along such slender lady like curves of yours."

LaRouchette calmly approached the man and grabbed his wrist with one hand, gently lifted the bottle with the other and dropped it to shatter behind the bar as even his patience for such drunken dribble had finally expired.

Fire flared behind the man's eyes as he stood, his wrist still held by LaRouchette.

"You ready to die, law man? I only need one good hand for the likes of a hair lipped sod like yourself."

"As do I ..." LaRouchette seethed, while he effortlessly spun the man fast around and hard against the bar to place irons upon each of his wrists before he turned to the whores who watched with sudden interest.

"Will your dealer survive his wounds?"

"Yes, I ... think ... so." The young red-head managed while the other whore smiled as her hand seductively played with a strand of wayward blond hair while she took new measure of LaRouchette.

"Damned if I cannot hang you for murder after all." he sighed dejectedly as he yanked the man from the bar and roughly shoved him toward the door where one of the cells of the sheriff's office would be ready and waiting.

"However, when our sheriff does manage to return, that will be another matter entirely."

He mused with a smile as they made their way down the street.

"Lady-like curves indeed ... we shall see about that when this badge no longer hangs from my vest and protects you from me as it does ... for the time being."

It was far from an accident when the man detoured through several horse troughs along the way as LaRouchette made sure he would be clean and sober when he locked him up proper.

As they neared the jails, an idea suddenly occurred to LaRouchette that made perfect sense for proper and just punishment as only someone of his extended lifetime could appreciate.

Something that was certain to make the tediousness of his job far more enjoyable and entertaining at the same time, along with having taught this man proper manners and respect of the law.

All he would need for it would be proper tools, lumber and a bowl or two of rotten fruit.