Blue-eyed Devil

Once, Appaloosa law was Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. Now it's Amos Callico, a vindictive, power-hungry tin star with bigger aims-and he could use Cole and Hitch on his side. This time the paid guns aren't for hire, which makes Callico a very vengeful man. But threatening Cole and Hitch ignites something just as dangerous.

The extraordinary new Western from the New York Times- bestselling author, featuring itinerant lawmen Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch.

Law enforcement in Appaloosa had once been Virgil Cole and me. Now there was a chief of police and twelve policemen. Our third day back in town, the chief invited us to the office for a talk.

The new chief is Amos Callico: a tall, fat man in a derby hat, wearing a star on his vest and a big pearl-handled Colt inside his coat. An ambitious man with his eye on the governorship-and perhaps the presidency-he wants Cole and Hitch on his side. But they can't be bought, which upsets him mightily.

When Callico begins shaking down local merchants for protection money, those who don't want to play along seek the help of Cole and Hitch. But the guns for hire are thorns in the side of the power-hungry chief. When they are forced to fire on the trigger-happy son of a politically connected landowner, Callico sees his dream begin to crumble. There will be a showdown-but who'll be left standing?

1) United States

For Joan: blue eyed and devilish, in exactly the right proportion

Of course we see our love birds, Laurel Ostermueller and Pony Flores. 

Allie makes her usual appearance.

Chinaman, a cook who works at Cafe Paris.

Tilda the waitress.

We also run into Cato and Rose, the two lawmen from Resolution. 

We also meet Willis McDonough, bartender at the Boston House.

Chapter 9

Allie is reading a book called "Ladies' Book of Etiquette, Fashion, and Manual of Politeness" - it was published in 1860.

Chapter 15

"Pinkerton Detective Agency" - They were often mentioned in the Spenser series as well. Established in 1850, Pinkerton became famous when he claimed to have foiled a plot to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who later hired Pinkerton agents for his personal security during the Civil War. Source: wikipedia

Chapter 17

"Pompous son of a bitch" - I'm not sure, but John McCain uses a similar quote to offend Paul M. Weyrich: "I like to think I know a pompous, self-serving son of a bitch when I see one."

Chapter 22

"Still reading this Emerson fella" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Chapter 25

"This is us; this is who we are; this is what we do." - ???

Chapter 37

"they can lure him out and cut him to ribbons like they did to Custer up in Montana." - General Custer was killed by Lakota's at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Chapter 1

"It's an eight-gauge," I said. "Good for grouse."

"Or fucking hippotamuses," the chief said.

"Them too," I said.

Chapter 7

"Everett," Virgil said, "I think Chief Callico is trying to intimate us...."

Virgil paused and frowned and shook his head.

"No," he said. "That ain't right. What am I trying to say, Everett?"

"Intimidate?" I said.

"That's it," Virgil said. "I think the chief is trying to intimidate us."

Chapter 15

"You may have a point there, Virgil. Maybe there's some way we can work this our more amicably."

Virgil looked at me.

"'Amicably'?", he said.

"Friendly," I said.

Not sure how amicable you and me can be, Amos," Virgil said.

Chapter 19

"President of the United States," Allie said.

"Amos Callico," I said.

Wouldn't that be exiting if he was, and we knew him?"

"Why would anybody want to be President?," I said.

"Oh, Everett," Allie said. "Don't be so silly."

Chapter 32

"Besides," Virgil said. "Better prepare for what your enemy can do, not what you think he's gonna do."

"True," I said.

"Who was it said that? German fella?"

"Carl von Clausewitz," I said. Book called ON WAR."

"That's a good one," Virgil said. "Best book you ever give me."

Chapter 50

"And Callico has kissed the ass of every one of them since," I said.

"The hero of the recovery," Virgil said.

Chapter 52

Chinaman makes the second-worst coffee in Appaloosa," Virgil said.

"Allie being the worst," I said.

"Yes."

Chapter 58

Beside me, Virgil  said, "'Pussillanimity'?"

"Cowardice," I said.