Shanghai Series

Chapter 1

Roy slouched in his seat. He wasn't looking forward to the long train ride but he was eager to see San Francisco. He had a message to deliver for his best friend Chon to Chon's fiancee; Princess Pepe. More than a year had passed since they had met. He hoped Pepe remembered him.

A female voice interrupted Roy's thoughts. "Is this seat taken?"

Roy found himself looking into the face of an angel. Her skin was pale and delicate. Golden blonde hair fell across her shoulders. Her blue eyes pierced him. He sat upright.

"No. Please". He waited for her to sit. Her dress was made from expensive fabric and European lace. It told him she came from a priveledged background.

"Thank you", she told him. "My name is Peaches".

Roy smiled. "Peaches? Really?"

She liked his smile. Open and honest. "That's not my christian name, of course, but it's the name everyone uses".

Roy offered his hand to her. "Roy O'Bannon. It's a pleasure".

"Well, Mr. O'Bannon, it's a pleasure to meet you". Roy held onto her hand a little longer than he should have. Her hands were soft and warm. "It is so awkward meeting people on a train".

Roy blushed. He quickly let go of her hand. "I'm sorry".

"Oh, it's all right Mr. O'Bannon. We've got a long trip to get to know each other better". Her eyes twinkled as she spoke.

"Call me Roy. Please".

"Ok, Roy".

He loved the way she said his name. And he love the way this trip was turning out even more. Roy and Peaches talked for hours. He told tall tales of his recent exploits with Chon. Peaches talked about her family in Pennsylvania and the trip out West. They seemed to be getting along well; enjoying each others company, laughing and joking.

After a while the conversation began to lag. The long trip was beginning to take it's toll and the two lapsed into silence. With Peaches looking out the window, Roy was lulled to sleep by the steady vibration of the train. In his dreams Roy saw Peaches in a big fluffy bed wearing nothing but a smile.

Roy jumped at the train whistle's wail. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep. His last real memory was of Peaches sitting beside him. Looking around now she was nowhere to be seen.

The conductor made his way down the aisle. "San Francisco Station", he called.

Roy waited for the man to reach him. "Excuse me, sir. There was a lady sitting beside me. Do you know where she went?"

The man shook his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't see her". He moved through the door into the next compartment.

Roy was confused. They were getting along so well. Why would she leave without saying anything? The pasengers were beginning to deboard. Roy joined them as they made their way to the platform He watched as the cars emptied, hoping to see Peaches come out of one of them. But as the final passenger stepped down, Roy realized she was gone. Oh well, he thought. He had things to do.

The first thing was to find a place to stay for the night. After that he would go to see the princess. Digging into his pockets, Roy searched for the address Chon had given him.

"Dammit!" he shouted. He patted his pockets; first his coat, then his pants. "What the hell..." he wondered aloud. Not only was the address gone, so was his money. Every cent of it. It didn't take long to figure out what had happened. "That little bitch!" he yelled.

People looked at Roy like he was a mad man. He was frantically searching himself and cursing. Several citizens steered clear of him.

What they didn't realize is that Roy had been robbed by the sweet little angel on the train. Now he was alone in a strange town and broke. The only thought that ran through Roy's mind was a promise he made to himself; "When I find that bitch, I'm gonna kill her". Roy decided to find Princess Pepe. Even though things weren't starting off too good for him, he could at least do as Chon asked and deliver his message to Pepe. Maybe she could do something to help him out. After that, he would find Peaches and get his money back.

Unfortunately, Roy didn't know his way around town. He stopped a young man to ask for directions. He was close to Pepe's when he spotted a man and woman talking in the street. The man wore an expensive suit and was impeccable groomed. The woman held a tiny fan to her face. One hand waved dramatically as she spoke. The man clearly enjoyed her company. Roy was about to move on when the fan dropped and he got a clear view of the woman's face.

Roy moved closer. "Hey!" he called out.

The woman was surprised to see Roy. She had to think fast. As Roy came closer, she threw herself into the gentleman's arms. "There he is. That's him. That's the one".

"Him?" the man asked, pointing at Roy.

 "Yes. That pig attacked me".

Roy halted. The strange gentleman was coming staight at him with fists raised. "You son of a bitch" he cried. People on the street heard the commotion and began to gather. Startled and unsure of what was going on, Roy tried to back away, but bodies blocked his exit. "Stop him. Don't let him get away!" the man cried.

Arms grabbed Roy. "Wait a minute". He tried to break free. "I didn't do anything".

Roy was helpless as the angry gentleman slugged him in the jaw. If it weren't for the men holding him, Roy would have hit the ground. "That's for what you did to that poor girl".

Peaches stood by quietly. Inside she was enjoying every minute of the show she had instigated. The weak female role had gotten her out of a lot of trouble. It was too bad a cute guy like Roy had to get hurt, she thought.

By now the sheriff had made his way through the crowd. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

Peaches gentleman friend was the first to speak. "This mongrel attacked that woman". He pointed to Peaches.

"Is that true ma'am?" the sheriff asked.

Peaches continued her play. "Yes sir", with a voice all soft and sugary. "I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't got away".

Roy's mouth hung open. He couldn't believe what she was saying. "I swear, I never laid a finger on that woman. You should arrest her. She stole my money on the train this morning".

Peaches put a hand to her mouth and gasped. "Oh my! How dare you talk about me like that, you pig!"

Her companion was about to slug Roy again when the sheriff stopped him. "That's enough". To Roy he said, "I'm taking you to jail, mister. You can tell your story to the circuit court judge on Friday".

"What?!" It wasn't fair. "I swear. I didn't do anything".

"Yeah, yeah. That's what they all say". The sheriff took hold of Roy and led him away to jail.

Peaches watched as the two men disappeared down the street. People began to drift away. Her gentleman friend remained. She pressed against him. "I don't know how I'm ever going to thank you".

He could smell her perfume enticing him. His eyes fixed on her bodice. "Well, you could start by having dinner with me". He was nearly drooling at the sight of her. Peaches knew she had this one tied up.

"Of course I will. It's the least I could do".

Chapter 2

Roy clung to the bars, his face pressed between blanched knuckles. He was desperate for the sheriff to hear his side of the story. The man clearly misunderstood the situation.

 "Sheriff, please. If you'd just let me explain", he pleaded.

 The sheriff had become an expert at ignoring his prisoners. He shifted in his chair while repositioning the Stetson over his eyes. Exasperated, Roy stomped his feet. He couldn't believe this was happening. He ran his fingers through his hair and flung himself onto the thin cotton mattress. After a rest, he told himself, he would try again. Eventually the lawman would have to hear him out.

Roy was asleep when Peaches entered the sheriff's office. The lawman, caught off-guard, jumped up and swallowed hard.

 "Ma'am. Good afternoon". He offered his hand to the beautiful woman.

Peaches slipped a slender, manecured hand into his. "Good afternoon, sheriff". She expertly battered her eyelashes.

 "How can I help you?"

Peaches put a hand to her heart. "Sheriff, I must confess; I've made a terrible mistake".

"What kind of mistake?" he asked.

Peaches looked nervously at Roy. "That man in there", she said nodding towards Roy, "is not the one who attacked me".

The sheriff was thoroughly confused. "But you told me it was him".

"Yes. Yes I did", she admitted. "But everything happened so fast. In no time at all I realized my mistake". In all honesty she felt guilty for the trouble she had caused poor Roy. "I'm truly sorry for the trouble I've caused, but you must let this poor innocent gentleman go".

The sheriff didn't know what to say. His instincts told him something wasn't right. Peaches sensed his hesitation. She stepped closer, placing her hands against his chest.

"Sheriff, I simply couldn't live with myself if that poor man suffered because of me". Her eyes were dewy. He could smell fresh rosewater on her skin. It reminded him of home and his dear, sweet mother.

"All right, ma'am. If you say it wasn't him, I'll have to let him go".

He blushed as she kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you. I feel so much better". She blew him a kiss as she slipped through the door. Only a hint of her perfume remained. For a moment the sheriff stood silent. A hurricane named Peaches had struck.

Picking up his keys, the sheriff moved to Roy's cell. He put the key in the door and turned it. "Ok mister. Time to get up". Roy opened his eyes. The sheriff stood waiting. "Come on. What are you waiting for?"

The door stood open. "What?"

The sheriff let out a sigh. "You're free. Go. Go!"

 Roy got up and eased his way cautiously across the floor. "I don't get it".

"Seems the little lady made a mistake. She came in and cleared it all up".

"What?" He wouldn't have called her a lady. "She was here?"

"A few minutes ago", he confirmed. "So, you goin' or what?"

Roy wasn't about to press his luck. He rushed past the sheriff and nearly fell running out the front door. Outside he took a deep gulp of fresh air. It felt good to brush the stale jail air from his lungs. He was enjoying his first few minutes of freedom when he spotted Peaches across the street. She came out of the general store and made her way down the street. Roy ran after her. He was nearly run over by an oncoming stagecoach trying to cross the street. Luckily he survived. She didn't see him until it was too late. Grabbing her shoulder, he spun her around.

"Hey. Where's my money?"

Take your hands off me!" She sounded more annoyed than angry. She barely noticed the rage behind Roy's blue eyes.

He brought a finger up to her face. "You owe me!"

 She scoffed. "Owe you? I just got you out of jail. We're even".

"You put me there", he reminded her.

"I am sorry about that". He was a handsome man. She batted her eyelids, working her winsome ways on him. "That's all water under the bridge now. Can't we just start over?"

Roy had to admit she was bold. "We can start over when you give me back every penny you stole from me". Her usual charms weren't working, but she had a reliable back-up plan. "Oh my! Here he comes!" Roy turned, fearing he would see that same man who had decked him earlier. Before he could turn back around, Peaches took off running. He caught a glimpse of her weaving and dodging her way through the crowd. He could have kicked himself for falling for such an old ploy.

"Hey! Come back here!"

Roy tore off after her. She was small and fast. Going against the flow of traffic slowed him down. He was sure he would catch her though until he slammed into a woman coming out of the haverdashers. A stack of boxes went flying through the air.

The lady stood staring at Roy, mouth agape. "Well!" she exclaimed.

Roy instinctively lowered his head. He was looking at her parcels strewn around. "Lady, I'm so sorry". He began to run around, gathering the boxes one at a time. He kept repeating "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry".

The woman had collected herself. She inspected the boxes as he brought them. Luckily nothing had been damaged. It was a great relief to both of them. Still, she scolded Roy for his carelessness.

"You need to be more careful. You could hurt someone running around that way. You're not a child".

He picked the last of the boxes up and added it to her stack. "I will be careful. Thank you". As she walked away, Roy got back to what had led him there in the first place: Peaches. Looking around he saw no sign of her. During the melee she had given him the slip. There was nothing he could do now but go on to Princess Pepe's. Eventually he would catch up to Peaches again, and this time he wouldn't let her get away.

Pepe's house sat on the corner of a small, groomed lot. A whitewashed fence matched the house exterior. Small flowering shrubs sat underneath a front window. From the ousides it appeared to ba a normal American home.

Roy checked the address Chon had given him once more before knocking on the front door. He rocked and bobbed on his feet, waiting for an answer. Finally the door opened a tiny crack. A young Asian boy peered through the seam. He looked at Roy with curiosity.

"Hi", Roy said.

The boy bowed his head slightly but did not speak.

"Ummm, I've come to see Princess Pepe. I'm an old friend".

The little boy looked Roy up and down It didn't seem possible. The princess didnt' have any cowboy friends that he knew of.

Roy could see the kid didn't believe him. He flashed his biggest smile. "Honest".

After a moment the boy opened the door and motioned Roy in. Immediately Roy felt he had stepped into China. Every table and wall displayed a little piece of the Far East. The house was a shrine to Pepe's homeland.

"This place is beautiful".

The boy ignored Roy and moved into an ornate sitting room. Roy followed, taking in his surroundings with awe.

"So, where is Pepe, I mean, the Princess?" He was in a hurry to get this over and done with.

"She is not here", the boy told him. "She went away on important business". Pepe devoted all her time to making things better for the immigrants who came to America for work and a better life.

Roy looked at the boy. He was small and thin. He wore traditional Chinese garb. Roy would have guessed him to be 9 or 10 years old. He couldn't hide his disappointment.

"Really? That's too bad. I was supposed to give her something in person".

The boy's interest was peaked. "What is it?"

Roy put his hand in his coat pocket, looking for the paper. "Awww, it's nothing. Just a message from her fiancee".

"Chon?" the boys eyes grew wide.

Roy was surprised. "You know Chon?"

"I know of him. Pepe has told me many stories. He is a powerful lawman who captures criminals and puts them behind bars".

Roy laughed. "That's right. And I'm his best friend".

"You're Roy O'Bannon?" he cried. He was nearly jumping from the excitement.

"That's right. Roy O'Bannon". He stuck his hand out. The little boy grasped his hand and squeezed tight. "What's your name?" Roy asked his little fan.

"Ting", the boy replied.

"Ting. It's nice to meet you, Ting". the boy held Roy's hand so long it began to go numb. He pulled away, turning his attention back to the house. "Do you know when Pepe will be back?"

Ting shook his head. "She will not return for another 10 days".

Roy couldn't wait that long. He had only planned on being in San Francisco a week. That was before Peaches left him broke. Now he didn't even know how he was going to get back home.

"Well", he told the boy, "I guess I'll just have to leave the message with you, little guy".

Ting studied the paper he was given as Roy patted him on the head. "I guess I'd better get going".

He walked to the door. Ting's eyes followed, sad and longing. He wished the cowboy would stay and tell him more stories. He too wanted to chase the bad guys someday. But the door closed and he was alone. Ting took the note to Pepe's room and laid it beside her bed. Sadly he returned to the sitting room and stared out the window. Children played in the street. Ting wished to join them, but he wasn't welcomed. None of the children would play with a Chinese boy.

Ting thought about the stories Pepe told of Chon and Roy. He was about to begin a new daydream of his own when he noticed a figure sitting on the front steps. He ran to the door.

"Roy!"

Startled, Roy turned. The little boy eyed him with wonder. "What are you doing?"

"I, uh, I was just waiting".

Ting came to sit next to him. "Waiting for what?"

Roy hated a curious child. "I'm waiting for...", his voice trailed off. He tried to come up with a good excuse but it was no use. "Ok. I don't have anywhere to go". He stared at the steps in front of him.

"What do you mean?" Ting asked.

"I mean I have nowhere to go, nowhere to stay". Ting watched him. He knew it must have been hard for the cowboy to admit. "And no money", Roy added. "I'm broke".

The boy didn't need any details. It didn't matter to him what had happened. He put a hand on Roy's shoulder. "The princess would want you to stay here".

"What?"

"You must stay here. You are Pepe's friend and she takes care of all of her friends".

Roy thought about it. "Are you sure?" He didn't want to get the boy in trouble, but it would solve a huge problem for him.

Ting was positive. "Yes. I'm sure". He tugged on Roy's arm. "Come on. We will eat".

"Eat?" Roy and his empty stomach liked the sound of that. "Really? Can you cook?"

The boy bragged. "Ting cook good".

"Good", Roy told him, "cause Roy cook bad". Roy shut the door behind him, happy to have made a new friend.

Chapter 3

 Ting fixed a meal of vegetables and rice. Roy kept him entertained with stories about train robbers and outlaws. The boy hung on his every word, clearly mesmerized by the tales of the man behind them. Until now, Roy O'Bannon was just a character. Now he was a living, breathing legend; at least in Ting's eyes.

Having Ting around was a great ego boost for Roy. He didn't recall anyone ever being so enthralled by him. He enjoyed telling stories and the boy had fixed a great meal to help them go down.

After dinner Ting showed him around the rest of the house. Roy was given a small, comfortable room at the back of the house. There was a large bed with white cotton bedding and a good sized dresser with delicate carvings on it. Elegant Chinese calligraphy in simple frames graced the walls.

"You will be comfortable here", Ting told him.

It was far better than anything Roy had ever managed on his own. "Yeah. It's fine".

The boy watched him stretch out on the bed, boots and all. The softness enveloped him. Silently Ting backed away through the door. Roy's voice stopped him.

"Ting?"

"Yes, Roy".

"Thanks for helping me out, buddy".

Ting smiled. The sentiment had not gone unnoticed. Bowing, he backed away, leaving Roy to rest alone.

Roy lay on the bed a while, staring at the ceiling. He was comfortable but far from tired; bored was more like it. Creeping to the door he stuck his head out and listened. All was quiet. Ting would surely be asleep by now.

He tiptoed to the foyer and then the sitting room. There were lots of interesting things to look at; little figurines, ivory carvings and more. His curiosity was peaked. He moved from object to object, touching them and picking them up. He had never seen such beautiful objects, except for a certain trip to London. But that was the exception.

Satisfied he had explored the room thoroughly, he moved into the adjoining dining room. A large wooden table with intricately carved chairs sat proudly in the center. A bowl of fruit made a centerpiece. Roy plucked a pear and took a bite. Juice sprayed. Roy licked his lips to catch the juice before it could run down his mouth. Suddenly he spotted a trinket box. Inside were several coins. His eyes lit up.

Instinctively he looked around. Who would leave their money lying around like that, he wondered. Roy was torn. He wanted desperately to take it but knew it wasn't right. It was a fight between his good and bad self. The good Roy told him to leave the money, the bad Roy wanted the coins. Bad Roy won out. Taking his half-eaten pear, Roy left and headed for the place that called his name.

Roy didn't see Ting watching from behind the hall door. He watched as Roy slipped the coins in his waistcoat. The boy had hoped the cowboy was only being curious, but sadly he was wrong. His heart broke as he watched Roy slip out the front door.

Ting returned to his room. He tried not to be disappointed. After all, Roy was only a man and men made mistakes. But he thought that Roy was his friend. Finding out otherwise is what hurt most of all.

Ma Belle's saloon was in full swing when Roy walked in. Roy couldn't wait to get into a poker game. The coins he had taken from Pepe's would give him a much needed chance to get back some of what was taken from him. Then he could put back what he had borrowed unnoticed. His gut was telling him there would be big winnings for him tonight.

Roy bought a bottle of whiskey and waited while a table full of men finished a poker hand. He was itching to get it. When the game ended, a burly man called to Roy. "You want in?"

Roy and his bottle got up. "You bet". He settle in while a younger man, perhaps a farmer, dealt the cards. The first hand wasn't Roy's best. He ended up folding, but he wasn't in a hurry. His time would come.

The next hand was better. Roy barely beat out the man to his right with two pair. His first winnings piled in front of him. A curvy blonde eyed him while he waited for a new set of cards. Roy liked the way she filled her dress so he invited her over. She waited behind him, hoping he would win again.

Roy studied his cards and the guys around the table. He was pretty good at reading faces. It took a couple more cards. He felt sure he had what he needed to win. All hands revealed their cards. Roy's was a royal flush.

The blonde jumped up and down as the men pushed their money towards Roy. He gathered it into his pockets, pleased with the windfall. Just as he was about to leave, the burly man spoke.

"Hey".

Roy froze. He turned, trying not to show fear, but he was trembling inside.

"What'd ya say we make it double or nothing? Two cards, highest wins?"

Roy relaxed. For a minute he thought he was going to get beat up. He thought about the proposition. Luck did seem to be on his side tonight.

He sat back down. "Sure. Why not".

The rest of the saloon patrons gathered around. This was high excitement for all of them. The burly man handed the cards to the banker to shuffle. When he was done, the banker set the deck in the center of the table. Burly reached in first, taking a stack of the deck. He looked at his card before showing it. A queen. There were a few gasps and muffled excitement in the room.

Roy blew into his hands and rubbed them together. Reaching in slowly, he took a stack of cards off the deck. He looked at it before showing it around the room. The burly man couldn't believe it. He thought for sure he had it beat.

"Goddamn!" He pounded his fist on the table. The room broke out in a mix of cheers and astonishment. Roy held an ace. The defeated man pulled Roy's bounty out of his pocket and tossed it to him. Grinning, Roy took his winnings, his whiskey and his woman of choice upstairs for a celebration. It was turning out to be quite a night for Roy O'Bannon.

Upstairs Roy followed the blonde to a small, dim room. He sat his whiskey bottle on the nightstand and stretched out on the bed.

"I didn't catch your name", he told her.

"Riley". She was already unbuttoning her dress.

"Riley", he repeated slowly. "I like that".

She stepped out of her dress, revealing a lacy red ensemble. "What's your name, cowboy?"

"Roy". He stared at her body. Her breasts were firm and round, spilling out to the sheer, red fabric. She came to the bed and stradled him.

 "Well Roy, lay back and let me take care of everything".

She quickly worked the buttons of his shirt and pulled it off. His pants were off next. She stopped to admire his naked body. His muscles were firm and hard. She rubbed her hands up and down him. He was instantly hard.

Roy reached up to cup her breasts in his hands. He massaged her breasts, feeling the nipples harded against his fingertips. She let out a little moan of agreement. This man knew just what to do.

Riley rocked against Roy's hands as she struggled to remove the cumbersome garment restraining her breasts. She felt Roy throb underneath her. A sly smile formed on his lips. Lifting up, she wriggled out of her panties as Roy's fingers made their way to the softness between her legs. She was moist and ready for him already.

Guiding him in with her hand, Riley felt Roy inside of her. She began to rock back and forth, circling her hips slowly. Roy closed his eyes and sucked in his breath. A little sound escaped his lips. She wanted to kiss him, but it was against the rules.

Roy's hands found her hips. He guided them like an expert. Their bodies moved in a steady rhythm. She threw her head back, feeling the passion rising inside herself. The pace grew faster and faster, creeping closer to the final reward.

Suddenly Roy's hands were behind her, turning her over so that he was on top. She wrapped her legs around him as he thrust harder and faster, his breathing coming in gasps. She grabbed onto the rails of the headboard to steady herself against the force of his thrusts. Her body began to tremble as Roy exploded inside her, rich and warm. She responded with a loud cry of passion. Her mind reeled as her own passion was released.

When he was finished, Roy got up and rolled over, falling onto the bed. Riley waited a few minutes before getting up and going to the wash basin. Roy watched her wash herself and get dressed. After a while he washed himself before slipping back into his clothes. He reached in his coat and took out some money, laying it on the nightstand.

"Was everything all right?" Riley asked. It had been very good for her. One of the few times she had actually come.

Roy grabbed the half empty bottle of whiskey and walked up to her. He held her chin in his hand. "It was good", he told her with a wink. Riley stepped back before she could make a fool out of herself. It was stupid to get too involved with a customer.

Roy stepping into the hall. It was time to go back to Pepe's. He needed to put the money he borrowed back and get some sleep. He was halfway down the hall when he came by an open door. Inside Peaches was taking money from a gangly older man. She was dressed in a lacy, sheer undergarment and nothing else. Roy rushed in and grabbed the money from her hands.

"That's mine".

"Give me that back. I earned it". Peaches hit Roy with her fists. The gangly man was terrified. He didn't know what was going on and he sure didn't want to stick around and find out.

"No way. You owe me", Roy was shouting.

Riley heard the commotion and came to see what was happening. She was shocked. She called out something Roy couldn't understand. He was too busy fighting with Peaches.

"I mean it. Give it back or else". Peaches tried to wrestle the money out of his hands but Roy pulled away. She lost her balance and fell against the bed with a shrill scream. Roy pocketed the money and turned, coming face to face with Riley. He was about to explain about Peaches when a giant of a man came running with a made-up older woman close behind.

"What the hell is going on?" the giant demanded. He was twice as big as Roy and ready to explode.

Peaches pointed at Roy, eyes full of tears. "He stole my money", she cried.

Roy tried to speak but the giant had him by the collar, lifting him off the floor. Roy couldn't breath. His mouth hung open helplessly.

Riley ran to the older woman's side. "Ma Belle, I don't know what happened. He was with me, then all of a sudden, he was attacking Peaches".

Ma Belle shoved the giant aside, trying to get a better look at Roy.

"What the hell is going on mister? I don't let no one rough up my girls. And no one steals from me".

Roy moved his mouth. Nothing came out but little gasping sounds. Ma Belle hit the giant in the back of the head. "Drop him, will ya? Give him a chance to explain before you kill him".

Roy's feet hit the floor. He coughed and choked. He had a lot of explained to do. "That one stole my money on the train this morning". He pointed at Peaches as he spoke. "I was only trying to get it back".

Ma Belle eyed him suspiciously. "What are you talking about?"

"On the train to San Francisco; she sat next to me and waited till I went to sleep. Then she robbed me blind".

The woman turned to Peaches. "Is this true?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't do something like that".

Roys eyes widened. "She admitted it to me. On top of that, she accused me of attacking her and got me thrown in jail".

Peaches felt Ma Belle's gaze burn into her. "What is wrong with you girl? Haven't I been good to you? Don't I take good care of you?"

She couldn't face the woman. Her eyes filled with real tears this time. Ma Belle turned to Roy. "I'm sorry, mister. Believe me, I don't encourage my girls to behave like that. They're good girls". She glanced at Peaches. "Most of them anyway. Go on. Take the money. Consider it debt paid".

Roy found himself wondering what would happen to Peaches now. "What about her?" he asked the woman.

Ma Belle put an arm around his shoulders, ushering him to the stairs. "Don't worry about that. She'll get what she deserves".

Roy slowly descended the stairs. He looked back to see Riley watching him. She gave him a smile and a wave. In a way he felt bad for Peaches, though he couldn't understand why. She had been nothing but trouble. Overwhelmed by the events of the day, Roy sat down outside the saloon for a rest. After a rough start his troubles were finally over. He had his money back and wouldn't have to worry about Peaches anymore.