Blood Money
by Holly
Chapter Four
Jess walked over to the jailhouse deep in thought. Without knocking, he entered the small office to find Mort just about to pour himself a coffee.
"Hi Jess. Want one?"
"No thanks, Sheriff."
"I hope you're here to take me up on my offer," Mort said as he sat down behind his desk.
"Offer?"
"Becoming a deputy."
"No. Do you know the name of Parson's killer?"
Mort sipped the hot coffee, carefully put the mug down, and looked up at Jess. "Freddie said his name was Alders. Why?" he asked.
Jess chewed his lip trying to decide what to say.
"What is it Jess? Spit it out. You know something?"
"Sheriff, Mi-someone thinks his name, maybe, isn't Alders."
"Isn't... then who is it?" Mort put his cup down and stared hard at the man in front of him.
"Greg Anders."
"Anders? Part of the Carlin gang? That Greg Anders?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
Mort opened his desk drawer and pulled out several posters. Searching through them, he finally put one on the desk and pushed the rest back into the drawer, slamming it closed. He slid the flyer around so it faced Jess. "Him?" He asked simply.
Jess looked down at the surly face depicted on the poster under the words 'Dead or Alive'.
"Well, I only got a quick glance as he rode by shootin' all over the place, but it sure looks like him." His blue eyes flickered to the reward. "$500?"
"Yep. Payable dead or alive."
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