Page 55 of Wyoming Promises
She had to wonder how he expected to manage both jobs when he’d left her high and dry for almost a week. She had the right. Thankfully, she hadn’t needed another casket in the meanwhile. Once he managed to work ahead and complete a stock, he knew he could handle it. He had to convince Lola to give him the chance. Not only to maintain the appearance that nothing had changed for him with Ike, but to keep an eye on her.
Toby met him before he rounded the corner into the main area of the saloon. “Just the fellow I come to look for,” he said, a sneer on his swarthy face. “Ike wants to see you.”
Bridger huffed. Lola would likely be waiting for him as it stood. But he couldn’t ignore Ike. He had to play along. “What’s he want?”
Toby laughed and pounded him on the back. “Well, well, looks like the blinders are off, huh? No more ‘yes, sir, Mr. Tyler, sir’ from you.”
Bridger threw Toby’s sweaty arm off his clean shirt. “I had the right to know from the start. But I’m still here, aren’t I?”
“Of course you are,” Toby said, stepping close enough to choke him with his foul breath. “I reckon Ike thinks you’re more useful now. He told me he has big plans for you, boy.”
“I’m no one’s ‘boy,’ but I do want in,” he lied, meeting Toby’s leveled gaze.
“Then you’ll hightail yourself into Ike’s office before you meet that pretty little undertaker’s daughter.” Toby stepped back, sweeping his arm toward the door in a grand gesture. “You keep your mind on what Ike tells you. Otherwise I’ll be babysitting you the rest of your born days.”
Bridger headed straight for Ike’s office. He didn’t bother looking to see if Lola waited. His mess with Ike took priority. He stepped in without a knock.
Ike’s head snapped from the papers he studied when Bridger creaked the door open, but he showed no other signs of surprise. “Have a seat,” he said, directing Bridger to the chair opposite his wide desk.
He sat, and Ike did the same, leaning back in his leather chair and steepling his fingers. “I’ve given your position a lot of consideration lately, Bridger. I debated how to pull you into my organization on a more permanent basis and decided this little trip made the perfect initiation. So tell me, how did you figure it out?”
Bridger rubbed the polished wood trim of the cushioned seat. The fear in Mr. and Mrs. Axlebee sprang to mind. With them as a scapegoat, who knew what added pressure they might face? “I’m not an idiot.”
Ike stroked his mustache, not bothering to hide a smirk. “Come, now, don’t be cross. Someone had to tip their hand.”
Bridger leaned forward. “Fine. I figured it out from Mr. Anthony, weeks ago.”
Ike’s smile dropped off his face and he lurched forward, shifting the papers into a single pile. “That old man never knew when to call it quits.”
Bridger filed Ike’s reaction away. “I assume you wanted to talk about something more than how long I’ve known about you.”
Ike paused, lost in thought. Then he shook himself to attention. “Certainly, but it is worth consideration. I wanted to tell you about your new opportunity working for my outfit. I think you’re ready for a regular route. You hit these businesses once a month.” Bridger took the paper Ike passed his way. “That whole ‘just doing my job’ act may work for you a good long while.”
Bridger studied the list. The Axlebees were on it, along with others he’d visited on this journey, plus several more. “This will have me gone a full week every month. Why so far?”
“You’re the new man. In time, you work your way closer. Besides, you won’t always have supplies to haul, so you’ll be faster on horseback,” Ike said.
Bridger folded the paper twice to fit it into his pocket along with the tie. “What’s in it for me?”
Ike tilted his head back with a hearty, high-pitched laugh. “I liked your style right from the start. I’ll take guts over brains any day, and if you’re telling the truth, I can assume you might have some of both.”
“So, what makes this better than what I’ve been doing?”
“Better pay, mainly. What would you say to ten percent of what you deliver, on top of your regular pay? That will increase by one percent a year for five years, plus additional routes.”
Bridger skimmed dirt off the sole of his boot and lowered his gaze to hide surprise as he calculated the total in his mind.
Ike smirked. “I told you I take care of my men.”
Bridger fought to school his features. “What if I want out?”