A Fearful Symmetry

A Fearful Symmetry
In “Queer Weird West Tales”, Julie Bozza (forthcoming 2022)
weird-west (short story)
Excerpt
“So,” I said. “I’ve shown you my surprise. Now tell me yours.”
Carlotta glanced around as if afraid someone might be lurking in the corners of our tiny room, then took a piece of paper from her sleeve. She held it out.
“PROPOSAL ACCEPTED STOP. 1000 PLUS 100 EACH ADDL IMAGE STOP. GRINNELL STOP,” I read aloud. “Who, or what, is a grinnell?”
“Charles Bird Grinnell,” Carlotta said, “is a rich gentleman back East.”
That told me little. Most of our patrons were rich gentlemen from back East.
“The founder of a Society,” Carlotta continued. “For the study and preservation of birds.”
I mused that he had the right name for the job anyway.
“A thousand dollars, Kit. He is prepared to pay us a thousand dollars for a single photograph of a thunderbird.”