Read Traitor, Book 1 of The Turner Chronicles Page 14

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  Slightly grunting when she pulled out a wobbly chair, Flo sat down at his table and looked intently into his eyes.

  "Bun told me you looked troubled so I thought I had best tell you that you needn't worry about that Mover. Word's been spread, and people are looking for him to come back. If he's in town you won't be alone. At least five of us will be nearby. You have neighbors, Mister Turner, and I hope we are good ones."

  Aaron chuckled humorlessly. "I'd forgotten all about him. It never occurred to me that Mister Beech should be one of my worries. Tell me Mistress Halfax, do you know where the Baynes are living?"

  Forehead furrowed in thought, she tapped a finger against her chin and then lowered her hand to the table. "Didn't somebody on the southwest side take them in? I think that's what I heard."

  Aaron shook his head no. "They've been living in their parents' burned out home, surviving on whatever Cathy and Missy could scrounge."

  "Oh, the Lady!" Flo exclaimed. "And here I thought they were let to run wild. This isn't right. This isn't right at all. Something is going to have to be done." She wrung her hands.

  "You have an inn, and they need a better place to sleep."

  Flo shook her head no. "The Lady knows I'd like to do that, but there's no way I can manage it. I'm barely keeping this place open as it is. If I lose a room to let I'll go under for sure. Besides, if I know those Bayne girls, they'll get their backs up if they think they are being given charity. Now mind you, I'm more than willing to give them a little help. I'm sure I can free up a half gold every few days, but they need more than that."

  "I agree," Aaron said. "I've been thinking on this. What if I buy a partial interest in your inn? I'll invest some money into renovations, hire musicians to play in the evenings, and bring in some drinks other than ale, something that women would be more likely to enjoy. If we change the lights, make them dimmer to provide privacy and light small candles on the occupied tables, more business should come to you in the evenings. Dinner fare could be changed, made fancier for only a little more cost to the customer. In exchange, you hire Missy. Give her a small wage and a room. She'll share the room with Cathy, of course. Charge them a minimal fee for the extra person. Just be sure to work Missy. She's one sharp girl, and her pride is rather daunting."

  "Has Bun talked to you?" Flo's face was a study of surprise and confusion.

  "No. As far as I know, she seldom speaks to anybody."

  "Well, Bun and me, we've been talking lately about selling out and moving east in a few years. Last Chance is nice but it misses a lot of the things a big city has to offer. If you want to buy the inn you can do what you want with it. Bun and I will run it for you for three years or until you say different. Missy should be old enough to handle things by the time we leave."

  Aaron nodded thoughtfully. He had enough silver stockpiled, brought over from Jefferson, to make the purchase easy no matter what the price. The General might not like the way he spent the silver since the money was earmarked for bribes and soldiers, but hey--what the General did not know…

  He nodded again. The money was there, and right was right.