Unshaken

I Know You

The sun started to set as they walked into the large building. It smelt of cigar smoke and tarnished wood. Karen saw a man eyeing her, and she unbuttoned a button of her shirt to be more revealing. "You're too much." Liam said getting a whiskey for each of them. Karen took her shot and looked back at the man. "If they ask, you're my little brother. I'm about to rob this son of a bitch blind." She said, ready and almost excited. Liam laughed as she approached the man, her guns toted and all. The drunk didn't care. Her new clothes emphasized her curves, which the man seemed to greatly appreciate. Liam knew her panther-like eyes had him in a clutch he couldn't escape. She led him up to a room with a waitress following with even more alcohol.

As Karen disappeared around the wall, Liam turned to his left, alerted by a man leaning on the counter. He had a distinct mustache and a top hat. He was dressed a full on suit. Liam found it strange. "Hello, Liam Parker." The man said. He almost jumped at the mention of his own name. "Do I know you?" Liam asked defensively, starting to suspect maybe he was a Pinkerton or government agent. "I hope so. I seem to know you." The man said. "I'm pretty good at remembering faces." Liam told him. The man had looked awfully familiar. "Are you? Do you remember Heidi McCourt's face?" The man asked. Liam had no idea what he was talking about. "Who?" He asked. "She was a girl Dutch Van Der Linde shot in the head on that raid on the ferry a couple of months back, the same one a couple of your companions were shot on. You saw her headlining the newspapers. Pretty girl, til her eye was hanging out by a thread of tendon and her brain was plastered over a wall." The strange man said. "Not really." Liam said, not sure what to make of the man's story about Dutch. "Then why would you remember me, friend? You know far more important people than me." The man said.

"What's your game, mister?" Liam asked. "I don't have a game, Liam. Listen, sometimes I just wish I'd known more about life. Wish I'd had better guidance. A friend of mine, is drunk as a skunk near the other saloon in this town. I think he's gonna be unfaithful to his dear wife. Why don't you head over there and see if you can advise him how best to proceed?" The man asked him. "What do you think I am?" Liam asked, confused. "I know what you are, Liam. Just if you've got the time, friend." He said patting Liam's shoulder and disappearing in a crowd of people.

Liam stared for a moment at the crowd. The man had disappeared, almost into thin air. He blew it off and went back to the counter, waiting for Karen. After another half hour, she came out. He had started to grow worried because of what had happened to her in Valentine. He decided not to inform her about the man. She came down, adjusting her shirt with a smirk on her face. "All went well, I assume?" He asked. "Sure did. Got at least a few hundred off the bastard, accessories and all." She bragged. She split a half with Liam. "You go ahead and put that share in the box. Let the boys know you're pulling in now." He told her. She put the money up and they walked out of the saloon. It was dark now. "You wanna head back with me?" She asked. "Not yet, I gotta deal with something. You can come if you wanna." He said. "Yeah, I will. Place gives me the creeps. Don't wanna go nowhere by myself round here at night." She replied. "Alright then." He said as he clicked his tongue and set off across town.

He came up to a man leaning over a hooker. He was lightly touching her and drunkenly mumbling sweet talk. She was seductively giggling. "Excuse me, mister." Liam said, approaching him. The man looked up in annoyance. "Uh, what the hell do you want, boy?" He grunted. "Look, don't ask how, but I know what you're fixing to do." Liam said. "What the hell are you talking about?" The man asked, confused and slightly embarrassed. "I'm just here to say I don't think you should go through with it. Your wife, she loves you." Liam told him. The man looked down at his feet for a moment. "Shit, kid. I don't know who or what you are, but I guess I'm grateful. I guess your right, I was raised better than this." He said in defeat. The prostitute threw her hands up in annoyance and stormed off. "Don't mention it. Go see your wife." Liam told him as they parted ways.

He climbed on his horse again. "What was that all about?" Karen asked. "I don't know. Just a funny feeling I got." Liam said as he rode off back to Shady Belle, Karen following.