Shooting For Justice by G. Tilman (top 100 novels txt) 📗

“No, Ma’am. Not at all. I more hate what we have done to the Indians. The raiding party did what they did. I often have to kill outlaws, but I don’t hate them.”

“An interesting, but logical approach. One I have taken myself,” Kane said.

“I have taken up far more of your time than I intended. Thank you for your hospitality and delicious lunch,” Pope said, rising.

“You are most welcome anytime, Mr. Pope. Next time bring your wife. I would love to meet a lady detective,” Rita said.

“I’ll show you out,” Kane said.

They walked out to where the livery horse still stood.

“This is a good horse. I miss my own, Caesar.”

“What type horse is he, Pope?”

“Just a massive walking horse. He is not handsome with his Roman nose. But he can face into a blizzard and trot until I cannot ride anymore.”

“I feel the same about my black, Hadrian. He is a stallion,” Kane said.

“Mr. Kane, you had a point which the arrival of lunch interrupted. What was it?”

“This country has been through too much disruption since 1861 to survive another coup twenty-two years later, or another presidential assassination, only a year after the most recent one. I will poke around with some sources and see what I can find out for you. I am confident nothing will be related to the organization I used to run. I’d know if it was.

“Shelby Jr. is a good banker. He is not a great leader, so I am often consulted about the impact of requests for large donations on our mission. Nothing even hinting of what you and I have discussed has come up,” Kane said.

“One of my areas of inquiry is the impact of the Chinese legislation Arthur has pushed. It reduces free or cheap labor for the railroads. The railroad bosses are a powerful and rich group. If you have contacts there, it may be an interesting inquiry to make.”

Kane gave a wry smile and said, “I’ll see what I can do. How do I get in touch with you?”

Pope handed him a card.

He also noticed Kane had always faced him. Kane donned a jacket when walking out the door, despite the warm day. As he turned, Pope saw the faint print of a gun butt under the back flap. And something else. Pope went with his first guess. The handle of a Bowie not unlike the one he also wore.

When Pope had met Wyatt Earp, it had been like two lions circling and appraising one another. Two deadly beasts wondering who would win in a fight. Pope decided he would. Earp was without fear. Pope knew he could outdraw and outshoot the sometime lawman. Beyond the shadow of a doubt. He also knew Earp would walk into death without a qualm.

He did not know what kind of gun Kane wore. But he knew to the depths of his heart, if he and Kane drew on each other, Kane would prevail.

Pope had a finely tuned gunfighter instinct. Kane would kill him before he could get a shot off. He had never had such a thought before. It was profoundly unsettling to Pope.

He returned the horse and found an eastbound to Richmond and connected for the several hour trip to Washington.

Pope arrived around dinner time and found Sarah at the hotel. Her research at the Congressional Library had yielded a few names of railroad executives complaining about how Arthur’s Chinese worker legislation would slow the expansion of rail service countrywide. What Sarah interpreted to mean was it would hamper profits.

Pope told her about his meeting with Shelby in Dallas and with Kane near Charlottesville.

“See what you can find on Rita Kane. She is an actress and must be famous. The only actress I can name off the top of my head is Lillie Langtry,” Pope asked.

He related the conversations and what a handsome and interesting couple the Kane’s were.

“John, there is a part of this story you are not telling me. What is it?”

He hesitated a full minute before replying.

“I have never met anyone who I knew was better than me. Someone who could kill me in a fair draw down. I did today. Kane made no effort to show his capabilities, but I felt them. He has killed. And, killed fast people. I feel it. He could kill me without a doubt.”

“Hmm…I don’t believe it’s true. I don’t know what to say, darling John. If you feel it so strongly, it must be so. I never thought there could be anyone faster than you.”

“Kane is. I know it. The good thing is I think he’s on our side. He kept the privacy of the Knights group he used to run. But he spoke candidly, man-to-man with me. Almost like old friends would speak. I don’t believe he pulled any wool over my eyes. I think I have a good horse manure detector.”

“I would love to meet this couple. It sounds like they are like us in a few years. Just richer.”

“I believe Rita is your age. Kane looks to be about forty or so.”

“Well, if nothing else, we are working our way through the suspect list. While the Golden Circle people may not be directly involved, we still could have powerful expansionists or railroad interests behind the threat,” Sarah said.

“I’d still put my money on Conkling at this point, Sarah,” Pope said.

“Could he be tied in with either of the ones I just named?”

“I doubt expansionists or railroads. He seems to be a New York political, if not criminal, boss. Have you found anything tying him to activities outside of New York? Maybe as a national politician?” Pope asked.

“Nary a thing. He seems to have come to Washington to support things benefiting his constituents. Probably himself in so doing,” she said.

“Have you picked up any sense of a new secessionary movement by the Southern Democrats?”

“Not really. They are growing in number and influence, but only appear to have the interests of their