Now Playing: Dangerous Calling
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Dangerous Calling 1
Episode Thirteen concluded with:
As they continued to
walk along the increasingly rough path, Amanda tried to be charitable in her
thoughts toward Fargo. The man was a recent convert. He couldn’t be expected to
immediately turn from his old ways. She needed to demonstrate patience and
kindness.
A flicker of yellow could be seen in the distance. Amanda walked faster as she
realized that they were approaching the church. She spoke out loud, primarily to
herself, “I wonder what kind of surprise is waiting for me.”
“You’re gonna find out real soon.” Fargo’s voice was firm, almost
business-like. He had killed several men. Tonight, for the first time, he would
kill a woman.
Episode Fourteen
***
Frank Dunning moved quickly but
carefully down the boardwalk. The mayor knew where every hole and loose board
was located, but he could still stumble when his mind wandered. Frank wouldn’t
let that happen tonight.
As he approached the Happy Times Saloon,
it appeared that the establishment had been well named. Outside the saloon, a
group of three young cowboys from a nearby ranch were laughing and yelling in a
raucous manner.
“Jeb, I always thought you was a
lady’s man. Why that pretty thing would rather stay with a ugly old man ‘stead
of lettin’ you buy her a drink!”
Jeb took a sip from the bottle in
his hand, then glared at his two laughing companions. “Why don’t you jaspers
just--”
Dunning overheard the conversation
and stopped in front of the three men. “Did the lady say where she was going?”
Jeb was anxious to save face with
his buddies. “Well, gents we is certainly honored tonight. This here is the
mayor of Antioch.” He started to take another drink.
Frank grabbed the bottle from Jeb’s
hand. “I’ll ask you nice- like once more, did the lady say where she was
going?”
Jeb stared into Dunning’s intense
eyes. He was silent for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders and replied in an
almost apologetic manner. “I think she said somethin’ ‘bout meetin’ a man at
the church.”
“Thank you.” Frank handed the bottle
back and quickly made his way toward the church.
As they watched the mayor recede
into the darkness, both of Jeb’s companions were tempted to hooraw him for
backing down to a man on crutches. But neither man said a thing. They knew that
they also would have backed down to Frank Dunning.
***
Fargo opened the church door, “Here
we is.”
Amanda had been anxious to get to
the church. Now, she felt frightened as she gazed inside. “It’s very dark. Only
one lamp seems to be lit.”
Fargo tried to wave her inside, “No
need for much light,… come on!”
Amanda stood several feet in front
of the clapboard building, its wood now turned gray. “I can see why they need
to build a new church. This place looks like it is about to collapse.”
Fargo’s voice became angry. “You
comin’ in or ain’t you?!”
The young woman stood silent for a
moment, then spoke in a near angry voice. “I am not coming in! Tell my fiancée that
I will be here tomorrow for Sunday worship. He can see me then!”
She turned and began to angrily
stalk off. She didn’t get far. A tight cloth suddenly gagged her mouth. Her
head felt trapped in an iron vise, and she was dragged into the church.
The woman could see nothing in
the darkness, but Amanda could hear Fargo’s screeching laughter. “Your plan
worked, Coogan. Just needed a little fixin’ up at the end.”
“Call me Jim Goodman! Remember, I’m
Jim Goodman!”
“Yep, yep!”
A leering face suddenly appeared in
Amanda’s view. The cloth tied firmly around the woman’s head muffled her
screams.
Saliva oozed from the side of
Coogan’s mouth. “You were right, Fargo. She’s a right pretty woman. What say we
have us a little fun before we kill her?”
Tomorrow: Episode Fifteen of Dangerous
Calling
