A Deadly and Quick Vengeance?
By jaxjack1980
Author's note: The following fictional story is derived from the author's imagination and creative efforts only. Any resemblance to any actual people, living or dead (Except for one notable exception, see closing notes for more), places, situations/events, or businesses from the past or present are entirely coincidental and do not reflect upon them in any real manner. Any direct reference to real-life examples are for creative purposes only and should not reflect anything more than that. Any individuals depicted engaged in sexual activities are 18 years of age/over but there is no real sexual acts depicted here. Mature adult themes explored (see tags).
Narrative note: Per my usual m.o., this is not a "stroke story" and deals with the complexities of a relationship put to the test. Please see my closing notes if you're interested in how I came about writing this (hopefully) interesting tale of vengeance.
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Approaching High Noon
The Oriental
Tombstone, Arizona
Friday the 13th, July, 1883
"Here ya go pretty lady. Congrats on yer winnings. Didn't think I'd live ta see the day where a woman, much less one as young as yerself, win a 'Quick Draw' contest here in Tombstone of all places. Though the circumstances of '
yer victory
' seem a tad strange if I don't mind me saying so...," the grizzled old bartender stated as he laid the heavy leather pouches full of gold and silver coins on the well-worn bar countertop.
"Thank you kindly good sir. And I appreciate the compliment despite the backhanded nature of your praise. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere I urgently need to be," the beautiful young blonde haired woman replied as she reached over to claim what was rightfully hers.
"Hold on there
my precious darling
, I think I might have a right to say what happens to that fine collection of loot before you can claim your 30 pieces of ill-gotten silver."
"...Theo? I-I'm surprised to see you here. I was just about to come get you at the..."
"Don't try to play me for a fool again Mona my dear. You played me for one once already when you conspired with that bastard Sheriff Holiday last night to leave me to rot in that sweltering jailhouse," the tall, dark haired, dark-skinned newcomer addressed as Theo interrupted as he entered the nearly deserted salon and came within a few feet of the two other occupants.
"Working with the man I most despise just so you wouldn't have to face me with the ten thousand dollar 'Quick Draw' grand prize on the line," he added with a shake of his head.
"Fortunately for me, the Sheriff's long-suffering deputy shared your surprising lack of loyalty and agreed to let me go in exchange for a cut of my winnings. Guess he figures he wins either way. If I lose, I'm dead, no big loss to him or his boss; if I win, he hopefully gets enough of a bribe to start a new life far enough out of the long arm of the Sheriff's wrathful justice."
"Theo, please! Give me a chance to explain. You've got it all wrong! I didn't conspire with Sheriff Holiday to keep you in jail just so I could claim the prize money for myself. In fact, I was coming over to hand over a healthy portion to the Sheriff so he'd... " Mona started to plead desperately as she attempted to make her way over to her husband, her arms held out in supplication.
Before she could take more than a couple of paces, Theo quickly drew his pistol and aimed it at her approaching form, the gun's barrel aimed squarely between her lovely green eyes.
"I already warned you about making further hopeless efforts to 'con me'
Mrs. James!
And I don't need you to go into the unsavory particulars of
your arrangement with the honorable Edward Valium Holiday
," hissed Theo, his coal colored eyes burning in fury as he stared hard at the woman who up until a few days ago had been the woman of his dreams; whose matrimonial loyalty he had never had cause to even question once in all their previous seven months of wedded bliss.
"In fact, the only thing I need from you now, dear wifey, is for you to move your pert, but disingenuous ass outside so that we can settle once and for all who's gonna pay the blood ransom for the right to walk away with that life-changing fortune and who's gonna start paying their lifelong debt six feet under."
"Please Theo, stop this madness as there's no need to shed any more blood! We can both share the prize money and walk out of here to start a new life together! That's all I ever truly wanted and if you give me a chance to explain, I know I'll be able to convince you that you've come to the wrong conclusions about my previous behavior," Mona tried one last time but she quickly saw from Theo's stiffening body language that her words had fallen on deaf, uncaring ears."
Without answering her right away, Theo smoothly re-holstered his pistol and turned to make his way back outside.
"That's thrice now you've ignored my sage advice to quiet that serpent tongue of yours, Desdemona. So now, I'll just go ahead and give you some serious words with deadly intent that you shouldn't dismiss so casually," he coldly stated over his shoulder as he paused by the salon doors.
"In loving memory of the cherished wife you once were, I will give you exactly seven minutes to enjoy a last drink or two and to put your affairs in order. After that, I expect you to show me an equal measure of courtesy in return by having the decency to come out and face me without any more lies spewing from that duplicitous mouth of yours. Also, don't dishonor my generosity by trying to slink out the back in the meantime either. As your tolerant, patient husband,I think you at least owe me that."
With those last daming words, Theo's form disappeared from view as he exited the salon's double doors.
"Miss, er, Mrs. James, do ya want me ta try n' run n' fetch the sheriff before he gets a chance ta make good on his word?"
With a resigned sigh, the lovely, sorrowful face of Desdemona Annie James quietly declined the bartender's kind-hearted but futile offer, keenly suspecting that the portly old barkeep wouldn't be able to make it even a quarter of the way toward his desired destination in such a short period of time.
"Let's use our limited time more wisely, George. How about you pour me a couple of glasses of your best wine for us to toast and savor before I go out and meet whatever fate the gods deem fit to deliver to me," she proposed gently as she reached into the pouchful of winnings and flipped the astonished barkeep a single gold Liberty head coin.
After he did as she requested, she raised her glass towards him.
"
In vino veritas
," Desdemona called out as she sadly saluted her drinking partner and downed the celebrated contents in one go. She paused afterwards, her eyes closed tightly in order to best focus on the way the dark, flavorful liquid danced along her taste buds delightfully and left a pleasant aftertaste as it coated her tongue.
With her eyes still shut, she motioned for a refill and in front of poor George's disbelieving eyes, dispatched the second glass just as rapidly as the first.
Returning her now empty glass daintily to the mis-shapen bar surface, Mona took a moment to enjoy her inebriated state before opening her eyes and after teetering slightly, made her way toward where her
loving husband
waited for her outside.
"M-M-Mrs. James? I know Imma just a simple bartender, but shouldn't you take some of the time you have left to give yerself a chance to recover yer senses before you go out to face that husband of yers?"
"I appreciate your concern George, but I think I at least owe it to my husband to not keep him waiting any longer to satisfy his bloodlust for vengeance," Mona replied as she gave him a small wave goodbye just as she pushed open the salon's double doors and went out to face her destiny with as much grace and dignity she could muster.
