Don't Poke the Bear!

Chapter 25

THE WHORES SLEEP two to a room, and each night a different one can either sleep alone or have an overnight guest. That takes care of three of the bedrooms. Shrug has the first guest room, Rose the second. Gentry and I sleep in the last bedroom, at the end of the hall. There's a hallway door to our room, then the bedroom door. I built the outer door so I could hear anyone tryin' to get to us from inside the buildin'. But like the other rooms, our back door leads to the balcony. Our early warnin' system from the back is the steps themselves. They creak somethin' awful, and I don't fix 'em on purpose. You won't get past the third one without wakin' everyone in the house.

We have three rules after closin' time. First, I have to know whoever's stayin' in the overnight whore's bed. Second, no one comes in after closin' time. Third, no one goes outside after closin' time. The outhouse is only twenty steps from the back of the buildin', but bad men often lurk in the shadows near the outhouses women and girls are known to use. Gentry knows a dozen town women who've been violated on their way to or from their privies in the middle of the night. Some of 'em know who done it to 'em, but most won't complain, for fear their husbands, sons, or brothers could get killed tryin' to defend their honor. Now that I'm sheriff, I s'pect I'll hear these complaints privately. I'd love to learn who these men are, and kill 'em.

It's embarrassin' even to our whores, to have to do their business in the middle of the room, in a pot or bucket, when someone else is sittin' or sleepin' a few feet away. But over time you get used to it. The worst part is when one gets an upset stomach, 'cause everyone else in the house is gonna know it. If someone's in a really bad way, I'll get my rifle and stand guard while they go to the outhouse. But that's a last resort, because the likelihood of bein' ambushed while standin' up there on the balcony is high.

Up there, in the relative dark, I'm a sittin' duck.

So tonight, knowin' Bose Rennick and probably Sam Hartman are headin' our way, I'm extra careful to tell everyone my back is up, and not to do anythin' that might make me start shootin'.

Somewhere in the middle of the night, I hear a noise outside on the balcony, despite all I've said. I look out the window and see Rose sittin' on the steps. I open my back door and call her over with a quiet whisper.

"Sorry, Emmett," she whispers. "I can't be in there any longer."

"Did you see your vision?"

"I saw enough."

"You need your sleep, and I do, too. You can bunk with Gentry. I'll take your bed tonight."

"You don't feel the evil in there?"

"Rose, I've spent weeks in jail cells that have been slept in by the evilest men who ever drawed a breath. I guarantee you, no twenty-two-year-old school teacher ever lived that can rob me of a good night's sleep. Plus, I've slept in that room several times, when Gentry's been mad at me."

She chuckles, softly. "Gentry would be angry if she heard you tell that."

"Well, good thing she's asleep then," I whisper.

"You sure you don't mind?" Rose says.

"Of course not. Sleep tight. And be sure to lock the back door when I leave."

She does, and I enter the room she fears, feel my way around in the dark for the bed, climb in, and sleep like a baby.