11-07-2011, 04:10 AM
"Mayor Clancy needed someone trustworthy to help you," Hazel said with a laugh. "You don't know the layout of the town or who anybody is. I said I'd be willing to help you out. Even if I have a personal connection, the same can be said of any permanent resident of Slitterfil." She shook her head solemnly, dropping her gaze and kicking at the floor with the tip of her boot. "The outlaws have affected everyone, you see, from the ranchers to the shopkeepers."
She stole a glance toward the tavern and the brothel, snorting comically. The more she spoke, the more her wit became apparent. "Of course, some businesses have been profiting from their presence. We always have newcomers or people who drift into town for a time. But we've had an excessive amount of men going to those places these past three months. There's no way to tell for sure which ones are the outlaws, but I figure if you do some snooping you can pick up something."
Miss Otekah began strolling along again, keeping her pace relatively leisurely so that Link Stilton did not fall behind. "In the meantime, are you hungry? Mayor Clancy told me to offer you lodging. The hotel would be expensive to stay in after a while." The Native American woman appeared to be making a bee line towards a tying post, at which a fine gray stallion stood swishing its tail to ward off flies.
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