Michael Anthony Smith

The Last Chance Saloon Michael Anthony Smith

Kitty Carpenter and Matt Dillard renovate an abandoned barn on his farm and turn it into an Old West revival saloon, complete with bar, restaurant and "gambling room" on the first floor, and hotel rooms, bathhouse and massage parlor upstairs. On the street out front, saloon members compete in rubber bullet gunfight tournaments! The saloon becomes more controversial when sex workers rent hotel rooms. However, Kitty, a former elite escort and lawyer, exploits legal loopholes to stymie law enforcement. She augments these efforts with favors, bribery and blackmail. Privately, Kitty and her female wait staff divert millions into an investment fund. In the beginning, Matt, a local war hero, is Kitty's lover and unwitting business partner. However, his second floor experiences change their relationship. Other colorful saloon characters include Festus, the janitor; Doc, who treats injured drunks and gunfighters; Jamie, a computer/Internet expert; Reilly, head bartender; Pika, the masseuse; and, Cadence, wedding reception coordinator. The saloon is popular among its 300 members, but protests by the anti-gun lobby, and those opposed to gambling and prostitution reach an explosion point. Will the saloon survive, or does Kitty have an innovative, profitable exit plan?