Little Sharpshooter

Little Sharpshooter Chap 20

Trevor was a mess as he headed down the boardwalk to the brothel. It didn’t help that he was already frustrated over how he had messed everything up with Randy for no reason. He probably mended it but now he was about to enter a brothel, which he had never been in before in his life. Maybe at one time he would have liked to entertain the idea. Now he just hoped no one would get the wrong idea. Not that it mattered. He didn’t know anyone in town. The thought of being judged by entering such an establishment concerned him anyway. Even if he was worried that it bothered Randy, it probably didn’t concern her because she was headed to the end of town where Bronson had already attracted a crowd that might have it out for her.

Randy fidgeted with her buckskin coat. Trevor couldn’t help smiling as he matched her pace down the street while he walked on the boardwalk. He never concerned himself with clothes before but the buckskin skirt, coat, and hat really suited her far more than how Bronson was trying to dress her. All frilly and girly like. Randy wasn’t frilly. What she wore was an actual statement of who she was. Bronson wanted her underestimated. But Randy was letting them know she wasn’t no ordinary girl.

When Trevor watched her like he was doing now, he was proud of her. So he didn’t understand why he was so irritated when she did her thing around him. He always let it make him feel inadequate, which he was. He just didn’t want it to look so obvious when what he really wanted to do was help her.

Trevor stuffed his hands in his trouser pockets when he walked in the doors of the brothel. There weren’t a bunch of half dressed ladies standing around. The brothel was full of men with badges socializing at tables. The women were nowhere to be seen. All except for one woman wearing a large hat with an oversized curling feather near the brim that milled around the tables. She conversed with the men, making sure they were comfortable.

Trevor suspected she was the madam. He didn’t expect to see so many lawmen in one place. Randy was probably in far more danger than Bronson wanted to let on. Trevor turned in time to see Randy approach the crowd that waited for her outside. They parted to let her in. One of the lawmen noticed Randy’s arrival and headed over to the swinging door by Trevor. The woman with the feather hat approached.

“You’re the boy Bronson was tellin’ me about.” The lady ran the back of her fingernail down his cheek. “Such a young one.” She looked him over and motioned for him to follow her.

Trevor didn’t follow at first, scared of what she thought he was there for. No telling what Bronson had said to her.

“I don’t bite.” She motioned for him to follow her as she climbed the stairs. The men whistled and encouraged Trevor to go. His cheeks burned as he followed her.

They were at the top of the stairs when Trevor could hear the first shots of the contest. His hands were still deep in his pockets and he could barely lift his head to make eye contact with the madam.

“Honey, you are adorable. But I’m just bringin’ ya up here for your own safety. Bronson wanted ya out of harm’s way. In fact most of my girls are gone for the afternoon or in the back room here until all the excitement is over.” She opened the door to a room. Another lawman sat on a chair near the window. The room was decorated in a scandalous color of red and heavy velvet draperies hung on each side of the window. The only white was the sheer curtain that buffered some of the intense sunlight.

Trevor was overcome with a feeling of seeing the forbidden. With the lawman in the room with him made it much worse. It was good thing the room was red. No one could probably tell how flushed he was.

The lawman held the sheer curtain slightly to the side. The window was open a crack so anything said outside could be heard. Bronson was going off like before and the men were placing bets.