Chapter 36: Deputy Valentine’s Secret
Donal felt that he and Davey were the same kind of man.
A new era was coming, and the brutal lifestyle of the gangs would soon be crushed. Only those who chose to change had a chance to survive.
“Are you not afraid of Colm’s revenge for working with me?”
By now, their cooperation was more or less decided.
Though Davey had the support of the police, he lacked manpower—he didn’t even have a few reliable hands to run errands.
Tasks like converting the cellar into a moonshine distillery still required him, Mac, and John to handle personally.
Donal’s arrival could perfectly solve that problem, especially with the upcoming moonshine distribution, which would demand a lot of workers.
“Colm probably has no time to think about revenge. His Six Point Cabin suffered a devastating blow—many of his core men were wiped out there.”
“Say what you will about Colm’s reputation, but when it comes to fighting power, he’s no match for the Van der Linde Gang.”
“They say just a handful of men took out everyone at Six Point Cabin.”
Donal gave a bitter smile. He’d been hesitant before, but after hearing about what happened at Six Point Cabin, he’d gone straight to Deputy Sheriff Graf, eager to pledge himself to Davey.
The Van der Linde Gang’s strength was beyond belief. He’d even learned that the Callander brothers hadn’t taken part in that job—they’d already left Valentine by then.
Donal knew more than the Valentine Police Department did. He knew the Callander brothers were the Van der Linde Gang’s main fighting force.
In the past, Colm had suffered heavy losses because of those two.
Now, even without them, the Van der Linde Gang had wiped out Six Point Cabin with ease. That thought alone terrified Donal.
Compared to the O’Driscolls, the Van der Linde Gang were the true outlaws of the West.
In the days of the Old West, a single sharpshooter could form the backbone of a gang—and the Van der Linde Gang had several of them.
“You’ve made the right choice, Mr. Donal.”
“But I’m not much interested in the medicine business. You can keep running it for now. I’ll speak to Doctor Ben Calloway, but remember to show him respect and give him his proper share.”
“As for that hundred dollars, keep it. You know I’m not short on cash.”
“Once my moonshine business starts rolling, you’ll see just how pitiful the profits from smuggling medicine really are.”
Davey spoke calmly.
Donal immediately understood what he meant.
This wasn’t a partnership—Davey wanted him to work under him.
Of course, Donal had no reason to refuse. Even if they called it cooperation, it was still submission in essence.
“Yes... Boss, Donal will follow your orders.”
Donal was quick to adapt. Since he’d already chosen to take Davey’s side, he knew to adjust his attitude accordingly.
Not only did Davey have the police on his side, but he was also a renowned sharpshooter.
“No need to call me Boss. Just call me Mr. Callander.”
“Alright, Donal. Tell me about your situation in Valentine.”
Hearing Davey’s words, Donal bowed slightly. “Yes, Mr. Callander.”
The two continued their talk, and Davey soon had a clear picture of Donal’s circumstances.
Donal commanded seventeen men, supposedly members of the O’Driscoll Gang, but in truth, they were just small-time thugs—not even one real gunman among them.
The few men Mac had killed in the clinic’s secret room had been most of Donal’s fighting force.
The reason Donal had managed to collaborate with the Deputy Sheriff was that he knew Graf’s secret.
Deputy Sheriff Graf had once been a criminal himself, later turning to Sheriff Malloy to clear his record.
Such cases weren’t rare in the West. Many deputies under the sheriffs had similar pasts.
When Eastern civilization reached the West, the severe shortage of lawmen created opportunities. Many former criminals—and even bounty hunters—joined federal service.
That was why Dutch had always spoken with disdain at camp for those who served the United States.
Though Deputy Sheriff Graf had been “cleansed,” he’d once offended a powerful man. If Donal revealed his past to that person, not even his badge would save him.
After understanding Donal’s situation, Donal invited Davey to his base—a two-story house north of Valentine.
Five of Donal’s closest men lived there.
When they saw Davey arrive, their reactions were a mix of fear and excitement.
They feared his strength but were thrilled that they wouldn’t have to leave Valentine.
If Davey had refused Donal’s allegiance, Donal would’ve lost his business and been forced to leave town.
His men would naturally have had to leave with him.
The fact that Davey had killed some of their comrades didn’t matter much. Among gang members, loyalty rarely ran deep.
Now that Donal had bowed his head, they had no reason to resist.
Besides, following a sharpshooter was something to be proud of.
They all knew about the Valentine Police Department’s banquet—and envied those who’d been there.
Author's Note
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