After sending the message off for the marshal to come and pick up three locked-up outlaws, Brand decided that his sorrows needed some drowning.
Heading over to Topper’s, the bartender was more than happy to serve the old lawman. In the blink of an eye, Topper had already grabbed a glass and a bottle of brown liquor off the highest shelf of his selection.
Kentucky Bourbon; Brand’s favourite brand.
“Boy, I can’t thank you enough for saving my establishment, sheriff!” Topper chimed delightfully while he topped off the old lawman’s whiskey. “Why, I don’t know if those fellas would’a drunk or shot my place dry if it weren’t for you!”
“No thanks needed, Topper,” The sheriff took the glass, lifting it for a small toast. “Just doin’ my job…”
Brand then brought the liquor to his lips, the sweet burn of the aged alcohol running down his throat. He brought the glass back down, savouring his liquor while he released a content sigh.
Topper then noticed the dour expression on the lawman’s face. “What’s the matter, Brand? You’re lookin’ a little glum.”
“Just got a little on my mind is all…” Brand vaguely answered, not wanting to get into what had been playing on him since that morning.
Two slender arms suddenly slipped between Brand’s own, with two sweet, seductive voices making themselves known. “Howdy, Brand~!”
A tied smile made its way to the old sheriff’s face, already knowing who it was that got the drop on him.
Two lovely-looking ladies stood on either side of the old lawman, holding him by his forearms and hugging themselves closely to his form. They both had matching black feathers atop their heads of golden blonde hair, with the same blue eyes and ruby red lipstick. However, those were the only similar attributes the two women had.
The woman on his left greeted Brand with a sweet, sultry tone. She wore a red and black corset dress, a beauty mark on her left cheek,
The woman on his right sang seductively she was wearing a blue and black dress, the same kind as her partner, with a beauty mark on her right cheek.
“Molly, May.” Brand greeted the two saloon girls holding onto him to his right and left, earning a harmonious giggle from the both of them.
“We’re so grateful to you for saving our saloon.” May chimed sweetly as she hugged herself closer to the old-timer.
Molly brought her lips to the lawman’s ear, whispering to him with a sultry tone. “Why don’t we head on upstairs so we can…thank you…properly.”
“Don’t you gals think I’m a little too old for you?” Brand inquired with a raised eyebrow.
May then gave a warm chuckle before answering. “We just like our men like we do our liquor…aged, and refined.”
Brand chuckled at the girls’ antics, when the saloon’s swinging doors swung open, revealing Bilk as he walked in. The deputy looked around the tavern, a relieved smile appearing on his face when his eyes landed on the old sheriff. “There you are, Brand! I’ve been lookin’ all over for ya!”
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Brand turned around to see his deputy approaching him. Bilk approached the old lawman when he crossed paths with the two saloon girls, the pair turning to face him while letting go of Brand.
“Evenin’, Ms Molly, Ms May.” Bilk tipped his hat, looking at the two from left to right. “Hope you’re havin’ a fine night.”
“I’m Molly, that’s May.” The red and black-dressed blonde hiked a thumb between her and her partner, correcting the bewildered deputy.
“And, yeah. We were havin’ a fine night.” May claimed before sashaying past Bilk’s right, with Molly following upon the deputy’s left.
Bilk snapped his head back and forth between the two, watching them go with a look of utter confusion. He then turned his attention back to Brand, giving the old lawman a bashful smile.
“What’re you doing here, Bilk?” Brand inquired sourly.
“Well, when you didn’t come back from the telegram office, so I started gettin’ worried.” The deputy explained. “Been lookin’ all over town for you.”
“Well, I’m right here,” Brand stated in a surly tone, spreading his arms out in a presentable manner. “Ain’t you supposed to be watchin’ them boys we got locked up?”
“Ah, they ain’t goin’ anywhere!” Bilk waved off the sheriff’s worry with confidence. “Besides, I got the keys to the cell right here.” The deputy fished the cell key out of his pant pocket, holding it up for the old lawman to see.
Brand couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re always one step ahead, ain’cha?”
“You gotta be when you’re a lawman,” Bilk claimed while putting the key back in his pocket. “You should know, you’re the one who taught me that.”
A ghost of a smile crossed the old sheriff’s face. “That I did…”
Silence fell between the young and old lawmen for a moment, until Bilk decided to break it by clearing his throat. “Well, best be gettin’ back. Have a round on me Brand, you earned it.”
The deputy turned and began making his way out towards the swinging doors. Brand turned his attention to the floor, a pondering gaze in his eye until he closed them, and took a deep, resolute breath. “Hold on there, Bilk.”
The deputy stopped in his tracks, looking back to the sheriff with confusion thick on his face.
Brand stood from his spot at the bar before making his way over to the young lawman.
“Everyone! Could I get your attention for a moment?” Brand’s called out over the bustling chatter in the saloon, the noise dying down the second the sheriff’s voice rose. Every eye of every patron present turned to the old lawman, who approached a bewildered Bilk.
“You all know I ain’t one for grand gestures, so I’ll keep this brief.” Brand continued, Turing to face his deputy. “Bilk…for the past seven years, you’ve helped keep Virgil City standing. You’ve learned quickly, and picked up the slack that…that I’ve been leaving behind…” The old lawman confessed. “Heck, if it weren’t for you, I would be standin’ here, making a fool of myself.”
Bilk and the rest of the crowd couldn’t help but chuckle a little at Brand’s crack at himself, though no one could quite guess exactly where the old lawman was going with this.
“And, so…As of today…” Brand reached for the badge on Bilk’s chest, plucked it off and pocketed it. “You’re no longer my deputy.”
Bilk’s face fell at the old lawman’s words. A chorus of gasps came from the folks watching the event from afar.
“And hereby name you…” Brand then took off his badge, before pinning it to the young lawman’s chest again. “The new sheriff of Virgil City.”
The former deputy’s eyes shot wide open. He clasped the gold star badge and lifted it closer to see, the title of ‘SHERIFF’ gleaming in the saloon’s dim lantern light.
“Congratulations, son.” Brand held his hand out for the new sheriff to take. “You earned it.”
“B-Brand, I…” Bilk struggled to find the right words but elected to take the former sheriff’s hand and shake it heartily. “Thank you, I…I don’t know what else to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything…” Brand shook his head with a small smile. “But, there is one more thing I have to say…”
Bilk raised his brow, wondering what else the former lawman had to say.
Brand looked back to the bar, seeing Topper standing stunned after his sudden speech. “Topper!”
The bartender jumped out of his stupor, waiting on baited breath for whatever the former lawman had to say…
“Drinks are on me tonight.”
A deafening chorus of hooping and hollering came from everyone in the saloon, raising their glasses with cheer at the prospect of free liquor.
Brand patted Bilk on the shoulder, his grey stash turned slightly upward by the small smile he had on. He guided the new sheriff back over to the bar as Topper poured out two glasses of liquor for the two of them.
“Much obliged, Brand.” Bilk thanked the former sheriff, suddenly coming out of his bewilderment. “But, I’ll just have the one. Don’t wanna be seein’ double while on duty.”
Brand looked taken aback for a moment before his moustache lifted from the proud smile on his face. He took his glass while Bilk took his own, raising it for a toast.
“Here’s to you…sheriff.” Brand declared to his former apprentice.
Bilk smiled as the two clinked their glasses together before unanimously downing them.