Cleaning Up

"Cleaned up?" I repeated, my voice flat. "By the looks of it, this town needs more than a mop and bucket."

Sterling's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Indeed. Which is why we're keen to assist those who are capable of making a real difference." He offered me a small, tight smile that promised nothing but more questions.

"And what makes you think I'm the one capable of making a difference?" I asked, leaning back, my gaze fixed on the saloon doors where Graves had vanished.

"Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Draven," Sterling replied smoothly, his eyes holding mine. "You're known for digging where others won't. And the deeper you dig, the more we can help."

"And what type of help is that, precisely?"

"Information," Sterling stated, his gaze flicking to Maddie before returning to me. "And resources. Whatever you need to get to the bottom of this. We want to ensure the right people are brought to justice, Mr. Draven."

"And who decides who the 'right people' are?" I asked, my eyes narrowing on his too-perfect tie.

"That, Mr. Draven," Sterling replied, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "is where we come in."

I met his gaze, the glint in his pale blue eyes a stark contrast to the warmth his words tried to convey. "So, you're offering me anonymous backup? For what exactly? To help the Dark Rose clean her garden?" I scoffed, the words tasting like stale whiskey and betrayal. "Or are you another one of Vance's little puppets, pulling strings from the shadows?" Sterling's smile tightened, a fragile mask that threatened to crack. "We simply want to see justice done, Mr. Draven. And we believe you are the best man for the job."

Maddie watched Sterling with an unreadable expression. "Justice," she echoed, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "Such a fragile concept in Calico." I could feel her eyes on me, assessing, waiting. I took another sip of whiskey, the burn a welcome sensation against the knot of suspicion tightening in my gut. Sterling's offer was too clean, too convenient. Just like Maddie's sudden appearance. In this town, nothing was ever just what it seemed. Sterling's words hung in the air, a promise wrapped in a threat.

"Justice," I repeated, the word foreign in my mouth. "In Calico, justice usually wears a disguise. And I'm not in the habit of accepting gifts from strangers, especially when they smell this strongly of hidden agendas."

Sterling offered a small, tight smile. "A wise precaution, Mr. Draven. But sometimes, even a ghost needs a guiding light."

Sterling's pale eyes flickered toward Maddie, a subtle acknowledgment that spoke volumes. I felt a cold dread creep up my spine. This wasn't just a missing person's case; it was a tangled web, and I was already caught in its threads.

"Guiding light," I echoed, the words sharp. "Or a spotlight, Mr. Sterling?"

"We shall speak again, Mr. Draven. Ms. Hicks, always a pleasure," Sterling said before he vanished like a ghost into the shadows of deceit within this town.

I watched Sterling go, his departure as calculated as his arrival. The air in the saloon felt thicker now, charged with unspoken truths and veiled threats. Maddie took another slow sip of her whiskey, her eyes meeting mine across the bar.

"He's Sterling," Maddie said, her voice low and steady. "He represents the people who want this town… managed. And he thinks you're the man to do it."

"I didn't come here to run a damn town. I came here to get away from the big city and its wanton crime."

Maddie laughed, a low, husky sound. "Oh, Mr. Draven, you'll find Calico has its own unique brand of crime. And you, my dear ghost, are already deeply entangled."

"I just fucking got here. It hasn't even been a day yet."

Maddie's smile was a flash of white in the dim saloon light. "A day is a lifetime in Calico, Mr. Draven. Sterling's people want the Mongols gone, and they believe you're the one to do it."

"And you, what do you believe, Miss Hicks?"

Maddie's smile was a flash of white in the dim saloon light. "I believe you're a hammer, Mr. Draven, and this town desperately needs one, even if you don't know it yet." I took another swig of the whiskey, letting the harsh liquid burn away the unease. The Dark Rose and her shadowy benefactor. Vance and his missing geologist. The Mongols and their invasion. Calico was a bad joke, and I was the punchline.

I tossed the empty glass onto the bar, the clatter echoing in the sudden, heavy silence. Maddie watched me, her expression unreadable, the ghost of a smile still playing on her lips.

"So," I began, my voice rough as sandpaper, "where do we go from here, Dark Rose?"

She leaned forward, the movement fluid and deliberate, the faint scent of desert jasmine reaching me even across the worn oak bar. "You've met Vance. You've met Sterling. You've even had a brief encounter with the Mongols' welcoming committee." Her eyes, the colour of a storm-tossed sea, held a glint of amusement. "Now, Mr. Draven, it's time you learned about the real players in this game."

Just what was I going to learn, and who in the hell is this demon in a dress?