"I thank you Miss Caroline for your sage advice," Adam said warmly, "and I will remember it. If there is a way I can possibility help you out in the future just let me know."
"Just come around once and awhile and clap loudly when I perform, I'd like that. Oh and buy me a drink too," Caroline answered.
Once he had taken another sip of his whiskey he leaned forward, "Now what can tell me about the law in this town? It might be worthwhile knowing who I will be dealing with...just in case."
"The law? Oh sure, I guess I can know somethin' 'bout them. We don't have any town sheriff. Not sure why, I don't get politics.But we got us a town marshal, Speed Guyer...not sure why he's called Speed...anyhow I got arrested by him one time and he was real nice n' polite to me about it. The townfolk like him. Then we got us this young deputy, Charlie. I have no idea what his last name is, everybody calls him Charlie. Like I said, he's young and learnin'."
Adam grinned, "We were all young and learnin' at one stage or another. The key is not to give up or give in."
He took a casual glance around the saloon. Things were starting to pick up as the night wore on and the crowd was becoming a bit more rowdier but from what he had seen of the Stardust's staff so far, he knew that any trouble would be stopped as soon as it was started. Besides, it sounded like the local law was a bit on the quiet side and maybe he would need a few more days to find out what was going on around here before he made his presence known.
Turning his attention back to Caroline, he smiled, "Maybe it's a good thing the law is keeping a low profile here. I've been in towns where the marshall or sheriff is a prime target for anyone who is out to make a reputation for themselves. It doesn't do the town any good if Johnny Law is constantly watching his back."
After taking a moment to finish off what was left of his whiskey, Adam continued, "Other than your boss, is there anybody else I should be on the lookout for or is that it? Somehow, from what I've seen and heard so far, I get the impression that either Kalispell is a sleepy hollow or it's a powder keg just waiting to go off. I guess what I'm asking is what do you personally think of the town and its inhabitants."
Adam grinned, "We were all young and learnin' at one stage or another. The key is not to give up or give in."
"Got that right, hon. I started singin' n' dancing at the tender age of 14 ya know, I've made it this far so I think I got the hang of it," Caroline grinned.
As for the law, "Nah, they don't watch over yer back around here. Some of 'em ain't even around all that much to do it." She left it like that.
After taking a moment to finish off what was left of his whiskey, Adam continued, "Other than your boss, is there anybody else I should be on the lookout for or is that it? Somehow, from what I've seen and heard so far, I get the impression that either Kalispell is a sleepy hollow or it's a powder keg just waiting to go off. I guess what I'm asking is what do you personally think of the town and its inhabitants."
"The town and it's inhabitants? That's a hard question to answer. I don't even know a lot of the ...proper folk. They don't have nothing to do with me and my kind," she shrugged.
"But alright then, I'll say it's a powder keg and the fuse is lit, it's just a real long fuse. But not cuz of the townsfolk. The Evergreen ranch and the owner, Elias Steelgrave. Him and his bunch are dangerous. He keeps more hands than he needs to herd cows. Many of 'em are nothing more than gun hands. Wouldn't be surprised if some don't have warrants out on 'em. He also is in a sort of range war with the Lost Lake Ranch. Not an all out shoot em up affair....so far. But some men have been killed on both sides. And Steelgrave is real ambitious. Watch out for him and his, he's a snake."
Adam nodded as he listened to Caroline. The lady was telling him some of the things he had already heard but she was making some good points. A man like Elias Steelgrave would use whatever means he could to get what he wanted and the law was one of them. Eventually, he would have deal with the man so he wanted to be prepared and Caroline's advice to avoid him would be heeded.
"Once again, thank you Miss Caroline for your words of wisdom. I think working in a saloon makes you more likely to know what is really going on in a town as most respectable folks can be very ignorant, whether they mean to or not, about most things that are going on."
It was a good idea to keep Caroline in his good books and vice versa. An ally like Caroline in the town's only saloon may prove to be worthwhile in the future.
He smiled, "If there is anything I can do for you, within reason, I would be happy to do so in return for the information you have given me."
"Once again, thank you Miss Caroline for your words of wisdom. I think working in a saloon makes you more likely to know what is really going on in a town as most respectable folks can be very ignorant, whether they mean to or not, about most things that are going on."
Caroline grinned, "I don't know how much wisdom I got. I do hear a lot of stuff from the men who come inta the saloon though. And when I'm sober - which ain't always - I do got a good memory."
He smiled, "If there is anything I can do for you, within reason, I would be happy to do so in return for the information you have given me."
She gave a shrug, "Well, like I said before. Stop in sometimes and buy me a drink when you buy one fer yerself. Also if I'm performin' up on that stage, gimme some enthusiastic applause. That makes me happy."
Address me as Hon. Hiram Priest, esq.
Hiram Priest gathered his cards and was about to deal another array of Solitaire when Frank Fortner pulled up a chair next to him and sat down. He'd entered the saloon from an interior back door. He'd been taking inventory.
"Well make yourself at home, Mr. Fortner," the wily old man codger greeted. "Been countin' liquor bottles?"
"Makes a whole lot more sense than cheating yourself at Solitaire," Fortner shot back.
The Stardust's owner surveyed the room. "Pretty fair business," he judged. Then his eyes fell on the dapper man jawing with Caroline. "I've never seen that Jasper before," he added. "Have you?"
Priest rolled his chaw around from one side to the other side, then answered.
"Can't say I've ever had the pleasure."
Fortner got down to business.
"The mining engineers will be paying us a visit today. And I'd like you to be around when they give us their spiel."
Priest agreed, though followed up by saying that he'd forgo his afternoon nap for the occasion.
She gave a shrug, "Well, like I said before. Stop in sometimes and buy me a drink when you buy one fer yerself. Also if I'm performin' up on that stage, gimme some enthusiastic applause. That makes me happy."
"You can count on it," Adam said warmly.
Caroline was a nice girl and had no other agenda than to entertain the folks in the saloon. She was also very agreeable but he knew that might change once she found out what his business in Kalispell really was. For now, he was enjoying himself and the company he was currently keeping.
A few minutes later, a well-dressed man appeared and made his way over to the table where the old codger was playing cards. He had an inkling that it could be the owner of the establishment but he didn't want to make that assumption, so he leaned over the table a little.
"The gentleman who just went over to that table...do you know who he is?"
The newcomer promised he would be around more which pleased Caroline, it was all part of her job to bring in customers for those return visits. And honestly she was pretty damn good at it!
A few minutes later, a well-dressed man appeared and made his way over to the table where the old codger was playing cards. He had an inkling that it could be the owner of the establishment but he didn't want to make that assumption, so he leaned over the table a little.
"The gentleman who just went over to that table...do you know who he is?"
Caroline's eyes flickered as if in anger and she slowly nodded, no smile this time, "Oh the old guy is Hiram Priest, a friend of the owner and the jasper who joined him is the owner of this here place, Mr. Fortner. My employer. And he ain't no gentleman, I can assure you."
"He pays me fair wages and I do my work but I try as much as possible to avoid his company."
ooc: Sorry, thanks for poking me Steve Larrimore!
"From the look of it, that's a wise choice," Adam said sincerely.
He made a mental note to find out more about Priest and Fortner but for now he was enjoying the company of Miss Caroline. A part of him knew this might be the only chance to talk with her and others honestly as they may not be so willing once they found out who he was. It seemed that those who straddled the fence, like Caroline weren't too keen on helping the law unless they really had to. They were also keen to avoid getting involved with what was happening on the other side.
Still, he liked Caroline and he felt that he should at least say something so that she wouldn't hold it against him for not being totally truthful with her. "I plan to be around for a while, so I hope you won't find a reason to avoid me and if you do I hope that you would give me the opportunity to explain things. It would be nice to know that I have a friend here once everything is said and done."
Caroline had pointed out both her boss and his creepy 'partner?' for the newcomer who took a second look at the men and seemed to agree.
Then he said something a bit strange, "I plan to be around for a while, so I hope you won't find a reason to avoid me and if you do I hope that you would give me the opportunity to explain things. It would be nice to know that I have a friend here once everything is said and done."
"I don't get it, why would I avoid ya? If anything you might hurt your reputation with the good folk of town bein' seen with the likes of me," she remarked.
"And sure, I'd always give you a chance ta explain things? Can ya do it now?" she was trying to figure this fellow out.