Cashing In (Luck's Voice Book 2) Read online

  “Sophia,” Doc said.

  Silence fell between them as they walked quickly away from the middle of town. It was only two streets over when she turned him toward a good-sized home. She went straight inside, and Doc followed once he’d closed the door.

  “Father?” Sophia called out.

  “Child? What’re you doing home? You’re supposed to be at work,” a weak voice called back to her from further inside.

  “Mother sent me, and with a healer.”

  “Whittaker? Finally?” The weak voice was filled with hope.

  Doc followed her into a bedroom where a male owl bestial was laying on a bed. “No, sir. I’m Doc Holyday, a faith healer.”

  Adrian stared at him with suspicious eyes. “Faith healer? Apoc says those are nothing but charlatans.”

  “Well, the church is a little biased,” Doc said. “Your wife sent me. I’m here to help, if you’re willing.”

  “Father... please?” Sophia’s voice was filled with anguish.

  Seeing his daughter on the verge of tears, Adrian’s lip curled up, but he nodded. “Go ahead and try.”

  Doc stepped to stand beside the feather bed. “Lady Luck, I ask you to help this man who has need of your attention,” Doc said solemnly, his hands glowing green as he spoke.

  Both Sophia and Adrian looked surprised when Doc showed obvious signs of power. When Doc touched Adrian, he got a list of everything wrong with the man. Ulcers... interesting. I wonder why. Something wrong in his blood? Hm… an infection? No, it’s more like a poison, but what’s causing it?

  Doc’s forehead creased as he used his gift cleansing to clean the poison from Adrian’s system. As he worked, Doc found the biggest concentration was around the man’s ulcers. Pushing on, he healed the man’s stomach last. Breathing hard as he finished, Doc swayed in place when the glow faded. He knew his energy was depleted, and that he’d used some of his vitality.

  “Done.”

  “Oh!” Sophia caught him as he almost fell. “Doc?”

  “Sorry... took more than I thought it would,” Doc apologized as he let her guide him to a stool. “I’ll be fine in a moment.”

  “I didn’t feel anything but warmth,” Adrian said with a snort, but his voice sounded stronger than before.

  “There was poison in your system,” Doc told him. “You had ulcers, which is why it was getting into your blood.”

  “‘Ulcers’?” Adrian repeated the word with suspicion. “What’s that?”

  “A small hole in your stomach lining,” Doc replied. “It can be bad by itself, but something you’ve been eating made it worse.”

  Adrian snorted. “Holes in my stomach? I’ve no holes.” He touched his gut over the blanket.

  Doc sighed as he got to his feet slowly. “Believe what you wish, sir. I came because your wife and daughter asked.” Swaying slightly, Doc made his way for the door. “Have a good day.”

  “Good riddance,” Adrian snorted.

  Sophia glanced between them before she hurried after Doc. “Sir, please wait.”

  Doc stopped at the front door. “Miss?”

  “I’m sorry for him. What did you mean something was poisoning him? He eats the same things we do, and we haven’t had any trouble.”

  Doc blinked at her, waiting for his brief double vision to pass. “The holes in his stomach let something into his bloodstream when it shouldn’t have been there. If you don’t have an ulcer, it wouldn’t affect you.”

  “How did he get these… ulcers?”

  “A few ways it could’ve happened— heavy drinking, smoking, or stress makes it more likely. If he’s had trouble for years, then you’d have to go back to before the first signs appeared.”

  “He used to smoke and drink all the time,” Sophia said, “but that was nearly a decade ago.”

  “It could have started then,” Doc replied. “I have a tournament to get to, Miss Sophia. If you’ll excuse me?”

  “Sophia, get back here and leave that charlatan alone!” Adrian shouted.

  Sophia blinked and looked back at the bedroom. “He can shout again...?”

  “Glad to help. Thank Lady Luck— it’s her power that healed him. I’m merely the conduit.” With that said, Doc left the young woman staring at the bedroom doorway.

  Chapter Two

  Doc paused outside the milliner’s shop. I can’t heal him, not now, but I can do the other part. Taking a deep breath, Doc entered the shop. The bell jingled, letting the shopkeeper know someone was there.

  “Hello?” Doc called out after a moment of silence.

  “Hats! Wait!” the excited voice came from the back of the shop.

  Doc’s lips turned up in a smile at the happiness in the gnome’s voice. “Gladly, sir. I don’t mean to rush you.”

  A few moments passed and Doc took the time to look over the different hats on display in the front of the shop. One of them had Doc smiling— it was a bowler, but the decorative band spoke volumes to him. Picking the hat up, he checked the inside lining.

  “Hat for you?” the voice of the proprietor asked from a few feet away.

  “Perhaps a hat for me,” Doc replied. “Is it in my size?”

  The gnome smiled. “Seven and three-eighths is that hat.”

  “Same as my head, so a hat for me,” Doc said, “if the price is agreeable.”

  “Hats to you, hats for you. Sell them to a good home,” the gnome laughed as he moved off to the counter.

  Doc watched the odd shuffling jig-step of the hatter and hoped that another day wouldn’t be too long a wait.

  “Hat works. Hat is happy,” the milliner laughed. “Two dollars and a half takes hat home.”

  Doc pulled out the required coin, but he also placed a paper on the counter with it. “I’ll take the hat and gladly, but I have something for you, if you’re willing.”

  The hatter blinked, his head drawing back as he poked at the paper. “Not a hat.”

  “No. It’s the deed to the property,” Doc told him. “The bank was holding it, and Goodman was going to buy it.”

  At Goodman’s name, the milliner’s lips drew back into an angry snarl. “Goodman!? Good not! Swine! Heel! Cad! Good for not is he!”

  “Agreed,” Doc smiled. “I bought the debt, and I was hoping you wanted the deed.”

  The gnome glanced at Doc with squinty eyes. “Price? Not hats, surely?”

  “Discounts only, until the cost has been made up in the difference. For Luck’s Holdings.”

  The gnome drew himself up to his full three-foot height and gave Doc a long look. “Wear hat?”

  Doc took his old bowler off and put the new one on.

  With a slow nod, the milliner’s smile came back. “Hat agrees. Deal is made.”

  “My assistant will be by with the contract later,” Doc told the gnome. “She used to work for Goodman, but she’s free now.”

  “Free of him? Good, good.”

  “What’s your name?” Doc asked.

  “Me? Name?”

  “If you don’t mind. I’m Doc Holyday, owner of Luck’s Holdings.”

  “Ah, names. Yes. Sorry. Hats don’t ask names. Hats are simple.”

  “But honest,” Doc added sagely.

  “Always honest,” the gnome agreed with a wide smile. “Sigmund Hutmacher, my name be.”

  “A pleasure to meet you. I have a tournament to get to, but I had to see you first. You need to get that notarized as soon as you can, so Goodman can’t try to claim it’s not legal.”

  Sigmund nodded. “See Elta at the court. Go. Cards wait. Hat brings luck.”

  “I do believe you’re right,” Doc grinned. He paused and touched his older hat. “Can you…?”

  Sigmund looked at the hat on the counter and nodded somberly. “Good home, I will give it.”

  “Thank you. It’s been with me awhile, but I only have room for so many.”

  “Hello,” the gnome said softly as he picked up Doc’s old hat. “Would you like to make some friends?” With his
unusual gait, the hatter took the old bowler into the back.

  Doc glanced at the money and deed on the counter, hoping it’d be safe to leave them there. Shaking his head, he went to the door and switched the open sign to closed before leaving. Hopefully, that’ll work until he remembers. I’ll come back tomorrow and see about helping him with the mercury poisoning.

  ~*~*~

  The Lily was packed when Doc got back to it. Dillon and Joey were near the door wearing casual clothing, each with a gun on their hip. Near the bar, the deputies were watching the room, and Cassia was serving drinks.

  Doc made his way to the far edge of the bar and waited for Cassia to make it down to him. “Didn’t expect it to be this busy,” he said.

  “I doubt they’re all going to join,” Cassia replied. “Drink?”

  “Beer for now.”

  “Right.” Cassia pulled one and set it in front of him. “And thank you, Doc. Lia is the closest any of us have to a good mother figure, and we were worried about her.”

  “Well, I know someone who will have an amazing mother in their life,” Doc smiled, motioning to her belly.

  Cassia was grinning as she went back down the bar to serve others.

  “Doc, you going to be joining us?” Raymond asked, coming over to him.

  “Well, I did give Lia my money after winning the tournament weeks back,” Doc replied. “I know you’re in already, too.”

  “Yes, indeed. I’m a bit worried, though,” Raymond said. “Kiddum is here and looking to play.”

  Doc followed Raymond’s gaze to a serious-looking man with twin revolvers on his hips. His sandy hair, icy-blue eyes, and a thickly-waxed mustache would’ve made the man memorable on their own, but the jagged scar from the corner of his lip down his jaw did even more.

  “Fast draw, and Suez’s right hand,” Doc murmured.

  “He’s killed a dozen men. All legally, too,” Raymond said. “Get on his bad side and a duel will be called, if he can find a reason, and any insult to him is a reason.”

  “Good to know. Anyone else I should be aware of?”

  “Justin Smythe over there. Rumors say he can switch cards even with people watching. He works for Goodman, and no one’s ever been able to prove the rumor.”

  “Hope I don’t end at the same table as him, then.”

  “He’ll probably be around for the last table,” Raymond said.

  A shadow eclipsed the entrance for a moment, and Doc glanced over to see Grange standing there. Grange looked around the room before moving to the bar. He gave Doc a cold stare, but didn’t speak.

  “Grange doesn’t like you?” Raymond commented.

  “I still don’t know what I did to earn that ire.”

  Another person entering the building caused a small commotion, and Doc looked back to the door to find Mayor Goodman there. Goodman looked around for a moment before locking eyes with Doc. Nodding, Goodman headed in his direction. Doc leaned back against the bar and waited.

  “Mr. Holyday, if I might have a moment of your time?” Goodman asked in a friendly manner.

  “I’m waiting for the tournament to start, Mayor. Seats fill up fast. I can’t leave without the chance of missing it.”

  Goodman’s false smile dimmed. “I thought you’d won a previous one and paid your way into this one already.”

  Doc chuckled. “Well, hell, you got me there. I just hate missing a single hand.” Turning his head, he looked over to Cassia, who’d been casting looks at them. “Cassia, is the private dining room open for me to use?”

  “It should be, Doc.”

  “Thanks. Mayor,” Doc motioned the man toward the door, “this way.”

  All eyes in the room watched as the two of them entered the back hall. Conversation broke out as soon as the door was closed behind them. Posy was in the hallway and she watched the men with wide eyes.

  “Posy, will you bring the best wine the bar has, and two glasses please?” Doc asked her as they passed.

  “Yes, sir,” Posy replied, dipping a curtsy.

  The mayor snorted as she left, and Doc’s opinion of the man dropped further. Entering the dining room, Doc motioned the mayor to pick his seat. Goodman took the first one available, then waited for Doc to sit.

  “Mr. Holyday, what is the meaning of your business yesterday?” Goodman asked in a tight tone.

  Doc’s lips twitched upward, but he held up a hand. “A moment, Mayor. Posy will be back with drinks shortly, and business should wait until refreshments have been offered.”

  Goodman’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything.

  Posy was back with a bottle, corkscrew, and two glasses after another minute. She set them all in front of Doc before she curtsied, left the room, and closed the door behind her. Doc picked up the bottle and opened it, serving them both. He made sure to take a sip before sighing.

  “Now, Mayor, what can I do for you?”

  “I returned to my office today to find my secretary gone, several deeds that had been held as collateral having been purchased, and those deeds having been recorded with the clerk. All of this was done by you.”

  “I didn’t record the deeds,” Doc corrected Goodman.

  “Where did you get that kind of money?”

  “I thought you’d have done a little more homework,” Doc said. “I own a mine. It brought in some minerals that same day.”

  “None of the mines here in town, even my own, can bring in that kind of money,” Goodman said frostily.

  “Your mine doesn’t have mythrium or soul stones, does it?” Doc asked in a jovial manner.

  Goodman’s nostrils flared. “Preposterous! The dwarves have been looking in these hills for years and never had a single hint of either.”

  “What can I say? My mine has both, though there’s some debate about there being enough for a second windfall.”

  “And you threw away your first one on buying deeds and giving them away?”

  “Giving them away?” Doc asked. “Why would I do that?”

  “Because you don’t hold those deeds anymore.”

  “True. The contracts should be getting notarized about now, though,” Doc said. “Each of those transactions came with a contract to my business, Luck’s Holdings. Business is about forward planning, after all.”

  Goodman nodded slowly. “I see... I hadn’t heard about contracts. That makes more sense. You wish to become a man of business in town? That puts you on the same field as myself and Suez.”

  “I notice you don’t mention Brand.”

  Snorting, Goodman shook his head. “I purchased his dying mine from him last night. At the time, I’d only heard that you had purchased the debt of this place and owned the deed.”

  “No. Lia and I have entered into a partnership of the Lily. The paperwork to turn it from a brothel into a gambling house should be done by now, too.”

  Goodman’s lips thinned. “Trying to compete with my place?”

  “Not really,” Doc said. “It’s just that a gambling hall fits better for us, overall.”

  “I see. Very well. I’ll be interested to see what you do next, Mr. Holyday.”

  “Thank you, Mayor,” Doc said, sipping his wine. “Please at least sample the wine.”

  Goodman picked up the glass and swirled the red wine for a moment before sipping it. “Your partial ownership here... would you consider selling it in the future?”

  Doc grinned. “Well, it does come with some mighty fine perks that are hard to ignore.”

  “I’m not interested in those. I’m not as… free-spirited… as you are.”

  Doc heard the insult behind Goodman’s carefully chosen wording. “Well, variety is the spice of life. I can’t say I wouldn’t sell, but at the moment, I’m not interested.”

  “I see.” Goodman took another sip before setting the glass down and standing. “Good luck with your tournament today.”

  “Thank you, Mayor, but Luck is always with me.”

  Doc followed Goodman back to the fron
t, where people were already taking seats for the tournament. Cassia waved Doc over to the bar and handed him his rack of chips, pointing him to his table.

  “Thanks.”

  Heading toward the table he was supposed to be at, Doc caught sight of Grange following Goodman out the door.