This is the story of Busted Gulch from its beginning to current times. An opportunity for readers who were unable to follow all the comments and the time line. Here is your chance to know the whole story and follow the future events of this famous t...
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They were in the saloon. Lean, stannbear, Raven and of course, Crooked Smile, the bartender. 3Gun breathed a sigh of relief to see that Lean was okay. She looked tired and a little distraught and he pulled her down the bar a bit, away from the others and told her about CrazyGoose, why he was in Oh Aces and what had happened there. She was relieved that Cadmus Croc was finally out of their lives.
He also told her about Rain. How he had found her body on the way back and brought it to town for a burial. Arrangements were made with Unger to fix her a coffin and they would bury her in Boot Hill. What happened was discussed and it was decided that, aside from Raven, nobody knew the real story. 3Gun had determined that Rain fired her pistol, more than once, so it would go down as self defense if anyone asked.
Word had come that the Marshal was coming through shortly and taking charge of Diamond and her gang. stannbear was upset because he knew he would have to clean the jailhouse after they left and he was already annoyed that Lean and Raven tromped dirt all over the saloon floor. 3Gun said he had stopped at the doc's and CrazyGoose would be okay but she was unconscious. Doc said it would not be for long.
Everyone just sat around quietly, thinking their own thoughts. There were a few questions about Croc and his gang but 3Gun avoided the details. Instead he told them about the great bathtub in the Oh Aces Hotel and all the lilac water. He even confessed to having taken some.
Stories were finished and a tired silence filled the saloon. 3Gun got up without disturbing the others and went into the room behind the bar where Lean's hammock was. His rental period was over but nobody was around so he picked up his old guitar, climbed into the hammock and strummed a tune, singing to an imaginary love.
Noon passed and some had dozed in the saloon chairs, too tired to even go home to bed. By late afternoon they were awake again and stannbear suggested he and Lean take a walk. When they got outside he showed her the letters from Galina to Croc that Kae had found and pointed out several phrases that suggested there was stolen money unaccounted for. stannbear reasoned that they were in cahoots and, just like Croc and Steel, they had fallen out after a robbery and Galina had hidden the money somewhere in or around Busted Gulch.
Lean thought about it then said she wanted an ice cream. After persisting, he convinced her that his theory was possible and they decided to speak to Kae and get her to do some investigating with the cat lady. Still, Lean went on about ice cream and the next thing anyone knew, there was talk of building extensions on the saloon to house a malt shop. Not only that, they talked about getting the cat lady's puddings to sell there as well. All this under the guise of making money for the town.
3Gun had already solved that problem, for a while at least, with the show put on by Evelyn Treelane. There was even a possibility of a return engagement when he heard the train would be stopping in the Gulch again with Miss Treelane returning from her success in California. It was not a popular suggestion with CrazyGoose, who was all for promoting puddings and ice cream. 3Gun was almost apoplectic. He could not imagine the sacrilege of nailing an ice cream and pudding store onto the side of his beloved saloon . . . a Busted Gulch heritage building and landmark.
He thought of trying to talk CrazyGoose into printing an opposing editorial but it was apparent she was more concerned with the flavours that might be available! Lean had retreated into the back room of the bar and the hammock, mysteriously writing something by herself.
stannbear was all excited over picking up his new hat and Kae's blinds were down; who knew what was going on in there. 3Gun's mind turned to the report he had received from the wagon full of settlers that came up through Dry Wells, about two riders heading for the Gulch from Destiny. He wondered how long before they arrived, and would it be trouble or old friends.
