Read HELL HATH NO FURY (A Jess Williams western novel) for Free Online Page B

“I see you’ve been busy as always,” said Sheriff Davies.
                  “You know me, Sheriff, I don’t waste any time. This here corpse is the body of Darin Lovett and I’d like to put in a claim for the bounty on his head,” said Jess.
                  “Alright, but I have to warn you that there is a man here in town that’s been asking about you. He usually hangs around at the saloon across the street. I checked on him and he ain’t got any bounty on his head so I figure he’s looking to up his reputation with a gun,” replied Sheriff Davies. I suppose that’s where you’re heading next, huh?”
                  “You’re getting to know me all too well,” replied Jess.
                  “Yeah, and I don’t rightly know whether I like that or not, I guess time will tell,” replied Sheriff Davies, taking the reins of Lovett’s horse. Annie was walking across the street toward Jess. He met her in the middle of the street.
                  “Annie, I have to go into that saloon there and I want you to promise me that you won’t come in there until my business is over with,” said Jess.
                  “Why not?”
                  “Because there may be a man in there that’s been asking about me and that means either he still thinks the blood bounty is on my head or he is just looking to outdraw me to further his reputation. Either way, I don’t need the extra distraction of worrying about you or having you yelling in my ear while I’m in the middle of another gun fight.”
                  “I’m not a distraction,” insisted Annie.
                  “Listen, I don’t care what you believe, but you are going to let me go into that saloon and you’re going to stay outside until it’s over. If you don’t, our deal is over with and I mean it,” said Jess, in a tone of voice that Annie was not used to, but she knew that he meant what he said and she knew that she needed his help.
                  “Okay, I’ll agree to stay outside, but after, you have to agree to let me look inside to see if either of the two men I’m looking for is in there,” insisted Annie.
                  “Agreed,” replied Jess, somewhat surprised that Annie didn’t keep arguing with him. He looked at her as if he was waiting for some kind of smart response from her and she could see that he was stalling.
                  “Well, go on and get in there,” said Annie.
                  “What, no more argument? No more smart comments?”
                  “Don’t start with me. I agreed to listen to you so get your ass in there. Just don’t forget that you promised to let me check inside when you’re done,” insisted Annie.
                  Jess looked at her in a funny way and then turned around and walked over to the saloon. Before he got there, he looked back to see if she was following, but she was still standing in the middle of the street and she shot him a glare. Jess simply shook his head and walked into the saloon and found Walter Hayes behind the bar. Walter smiled at him and grabbed a glass and wiped it off and poured Jess some good whiskey.
                  “Nice to see you back, Mr. Williams. I saw you over at the sheriff’s office so I suppose he told you about the man who has been asking for you,” said Hayes.
                  “Yes he did, is he in here now?” asked Jess, looking around the room and spotted a man at the same time that Walter pointed him out. The man was dressed very nicely in all black and he was sitting at a table in the corner and drinking what looked like some very expensive whiskey. Jess walked over to his table and as he did, the man slowly lifted his head and looked at Jess.
                  “I heard you’ve been looking for me,” said