Monday, November 26, 2012

Now Playing: Dangerous Calling 
New to These Parts? To Start the Story From the Beginning,Click 
Dangerous Calling 1

Episode Fourteen of Dangerous Calling

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