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

man off his horse as he was getting ready to shoot me. However, even Scout’s actions were not as gloriously performed as yours several days ago.”

“Humph!” was the full response he got.

They walked around the downtown area. Upon passing a gun store, Pope insisted they walk in.

“I have been concerned about wearing my large Western Colts under a suit. I suspect few government types here wear guns in town. I don’t worry about my shoulder holster printing in town in Wyoming when wearing a badge. We are supposed to be secret agents here and it would be a bit of a giveaway. I am thinking of picking up a S&W First Model Double-Action in .44 Russian like your larger gun and a deep cover inside the waist holster. One which would not print under a suit, but would still provide a fast draw,” he said.

He told the manager what he was looking for and the man produced a blue steel model with black rubber grips. Pope asked about stag replacements and he said he would have to order them, which Pope did. He bought the revolver and a leather holster designed to be worn well behind the right front suspender attachment. Pope was aware of several people who had gotten their guns tangled in their braces during their draw and died because of it.

He bought two boxes of cartridges and they continued their reconnoiter around DC.

Freshened up a bit and Pope armed with his new revolver, they went down to dinner fifteen minutes early. While Sarah checked the small dining room they reserved, Pope sauntered around the larger dining room and looked for anything or anyone seemingly out of place or particularly interested. He observed only well-dressed men and some women engaged in quiet conversations or eating. Nothing aroused his attention.

Pope made a conscious effort to look pleasant and smile a lot. Sarah constantly reminded him he looked like a detective. He knew she was right. In this investigation, a policeman was the last thing he wanted to be taken as. What persona he would adopt may come out tonight. He hoped so. It was important to study and prepare for a cover identity. As a San Francisco detective, he would skip shaving, mess up his hair and put on ragged clothes to portray a bum. He would go home for dinner, get cleaned up and make or buy dinner after as himself. This persona, whatever it might be, would last day and night for the duration of the case. He was anxious to get into it and knew Sarah also was ready.

Pope returned to the small dining room just before the appointed time. Sarah did not find peepholes or explosive traps. She pointed out the server entry door and said it went, as one might surmise, directly to the kitchen.

Water, silver and menus were already on the table, which was set for four.

They heard a tap on the door and two men entered. The first was Brewster. The second, who had to be Lincoln, was a medium height man about forty years old. He was dressed elegantly as befitted one who had become a millionaire as a prominent lawyer. Brewster greeted them with a smile. Lincoln had a pleasant but unsmiling look.

After introductions were over, they sat. Pope pulled out her chair for Sarah.

“Thank you both for coming across the country to meet, and hopefully help us. We will have to talk between trips by the waiter. The Willard is “spy central”, according to Robert’s Army agents,” Brewster began.

“I am sure you have some preliminary questions before we get into the meat of the matter,” Lincoln said.

“We do, Mr. Secretary,” Pope began.

“Before you ask anything, please refer to us as Ben and Robert in private and in social events. In our offices, you can be more formal. If it is alright with you, we will call you John and Sarah,” Brewster said. Both detectives nodded.

“Lastly, everything we discuss is for the ears of the four of us and not to be repeated to anyone at Wells Fargo or anywhere else. Do you agree to this unchangeable requirement?”

Both said, “I do.”

“How did you select us? You have military intelligence, treasury agents, and Pinkerton’s. We are glad to serve, but just curious,” Sarah said.

“I have taken the Western US, indeed almost all, of the country’s newspapers since the death of my father. I am friends with Lafayette Baker who ran the National Credit Bureau. He is convinced my father’s murder was political and if not engineered by people in the government, was at least supported and helped by them. Neither of us are a fan of the short Scotsman from Chicago.”

“I worked for him and don’t blame you. He is on his last legs and it is unclear what the future capabilities of the company will be here on out,” Sarah said.

“In those newspapers, I read of first Pope’s, then both, of your investigative and firearms prowess. You are not insiders here. I doubt your fame has spread to the Washington area. I figured you would be able to go undercover and dig with less scrutiny than Pinkertons, treasury agents or similar. Ben agreed with me,” Lincoln said.

“Ben and Robert, does the president know of whatever threat we will mitigate?” Pope asked.

“No, he does not,” Brewster said.

“It occurs to us he may be the best person to reveal known potential threats to us.”

“I believe you are correct. But we made a pact to keep him on the path of the legislative goals he has and not bother him with other mysterious threats,” Lincoln said.

“How did you become aware of the threat?” Pope asked.

“I was on a train, heading to New England,” Lincoln said. “I heard an argument in the next parlor of the car. I listened at the wall. I heard, “We have to get rid of Arthur, either kill him or somehow disgrace him sufficiently to cause his impeachment. We do not have time to mess about deciding which to