Act I - Scene 1: The Bradford Hotel Saloon

[Wbweather]

Character focus: Josephus Cale (wbweather)
Establish

In this scene, Deputy Cale will meet with Billy McCree in the Bradford Hotel saloon after closing time. His intention is to present an opportunity to get rich staking a claim to a new gold mine south of town. In reality, Cale is trying to swindle Billy out of cash. He is not above using their 'history' to trick Billy into giving him money.

In the Bradford Hotel saloon, the night is winding down. The last of the clients have been taken upstairs by the saloon girls. The last of the drunks has been ushered out of the door. Only Billy McCree, the piano player, and 'Frenchy' Boudreaux, then bar tender remain to close up shop for the night. The two turn to look as the Saloon Doors swing open. Frenchy starts to call out that the bar is closed, when he sees that it is Deputy Sheriff Josephus Cale walking in. He places a bottle of bourbon on the counter, and returns to smearing a greasy rag on the bar.

"Thanks Frenchy", Cale says as he grabs the bottle. "Won't be long. Just wanted a word with Billy here." He walks behind the bar and grabs a couple of glasses and takes them and the bottle over to a table in the back of the saloon. He nods to Billy to come join him and pours some of the dark amber colored liquor in each glass. "Come over here and have a chat with me Billy. I have something I think might be of interest to you."

[Trogdor]

"Always willing to give you the time of day," Billy replies with a smile. He's had smiles for Cale ever since that time the two took a ride out into Indian country all alone. He pushes a mostly clean glass over to the deputy to be filled.

"What can I do for you?" he asks, perhaps a little too much emphasis on the word "do."

[Wbweather]

Josephus tries to ignore Billy's obvious advances. There was that time out in the Indian country a few years back. The kid had never really let it go. Billy had always held on to some hope that some sort of relationship would flourish and the two of them would make a life together or something. The poor fellow just couldn't see the realities of life. For Cale, he had been an easy target, something different than the saloon girls. Now Josephus Cale had sights set on bigger things and Billy just didn't understand that he couldn't be a part of that.

"Billy, I like you, always have. And you know people. Every sorry sot that walks into this saloon seems to end up spilling their guts to you. Well, there is an opportunity that has come up that could make us both rich. I wanted to offer you the chance to get in on the deal."

"You remember that crazy old coot of a prospector that died of consumption last year, Skroggins was his name. He had been prospecting down south a ways. Well, I have it on good information that he hit the mother-lode just before he kicked the bucket. Turns out, the deed to the land is up for sale and no one seems the wiser about the gold. Now I've been talking with the bank manager and I can buy that land and all the gold. I'm looking for an investment partner."

He smiles at Billy. Well, if the kid still has feelings for him, then why not use that to his advantage?
"So what do you say to striking it rich? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we've got here. All we need is $2000 in seed money."

[Trogdor]

"Yea, I remember that prospector," Billy replies. "Bud Skroggins was his name. Nice guy, if a bit odd. Always came in and drank three shots of whisky. No more; no less. Kept hoping he'd strike it rich, but never managed to get more than enough gold dust to buy his whisky and an occasional girl at the saloon." He shakes his head sadly. "You should have heard them complain about him. Smelly and crazy. Not a great combination."

"You really think he struck it rich before he died?" Billy takes a shot of the whisky in front of him. "Why didn't he tell anyone? That was all he lived for. Sure as shit he'd have lived the high life if he found the mother lode."

"And where am I supposed to get $2000?" He laughs. "I'm lucky if I have two dollars right now, much less two thousand. I'd have to rob the stage coach to get that kind of money."

[Wbweather]

"Well, I was thinking about that." Cale smiles, reassuringly he hopes. "That low down, good-for-nothing, two-bit, outlaw of a father of yours. He does have the money, and I think it's fair to say he owes you for a lifetime of pain and suffering." He pauses to let Billy contemplate.

"Let's just say it has come to my intention that a certain Mad Dog McCree recently paid for a safety deposit box at the Commercial Bank. I happen to know that in that safety deposit box is a promissory note for $2000. Conveniently, just the amount we need."

He was going to have to show Sallie Mae down at the bank a little extra gratitude. She had begun to show herself quite a useful friend to have.

[Wbweather]

OOC

You all can start voting on which die to give me. White, the scene goes in my favor, black things don't go the way I want. There are 10 white dice and 10 black dice. This is the pool we have to work with until the end of the game so bear that in mind.

[Trogdor]

"I"m not so sure about that," Billy replies, clearly intrigues about the possibility that his father has money, but less certain about trying to steal that money, and even les so about investing it in a gold mine. "I mean, it's a sure thing that my dad owes me for all those years. I just can't say that if I can get it from him that a 'can't lose' gold mine is the way to go. I've heard plenty of prospectors talk about claims that couldn't fail only to see 'em come into the saloon a few weeks later with nothin' but the clothes on their backs."

"Besides,if my dad caught wind that you were tryin' ta swindle him, he'd kill you soon as look at you. And I don't want you dyin' anytime soon.

"I want to help you, Joe," he adds, with genuine sympathy in his voice. "I just don't think this is the way ta do it."

[Wbweather]

Cale tries to brush off his disappointment with a wave of his hand and a well practiced poker face. "That's alright Billy. You can keep on playing your little melodies for the town drunks. I was just offering you an opportunity at something better."
He stands up and walks to the door, pausing before he walks out to add, "You know, I ain't so afraid of your daddy as you seem to be. Maybe it's time you stood up to him, rather than living your life afraid of some boogie man."

He makes his way out into the street. The town was dark at this hour. He could hear a coyote howling off somewhere in the distance and some muffled ruckus going on up in one of the girls rooms above. Other than that, all was silent but his thoughts. There were other ways to get to that money and he had some big plans on how he would spend it, once he had it.