10
“Looks like Maudie’s still open, Slocum. Want to grab a bite?” Holbrook said as they rode into town.
“Sure,” Slocum said. “Why not?”
They took their horses to the stable first and saw that they were well put up for the night, and then they walked the distance down the street to Maudie’s. There were only a couple of people left in the place, and Maudie was already cleaning up to finish the day.
“Are we too late, Maudie?” Holbrook asked.
“That depends on what you want,” she said.
“What have you got that won’t be no trouble?”
“Coffee’s still good,” Maudie said. “I’ve got some cold roast beef I can wrap in a piece of bread, and I got some apple pie.”
“That sounds good to me,” said Slocum. “All of it.”
“Yeah, me too,” Holbrook said. They sat down while Maudie brought out the food and coffee and put it on the table. She went back to work, and they went to work on the food. In another couple of minutes the other two people finished up, paid and left. Maudie brought more coffee over to Slocum and Holbrook.
“This is it,” she said, “unless you want me to make some more.”
“No,” said Holbrook. “That’ll be enough. It’s a bit late for coffee anyhow. I think I could use a drink right about now. I think we’ll let you alone and go on over to the Hogback just as soon as we finish up here.”
“I got some whiskey right here,” Maudie said. “I could break it out for a couple of good friends after hours.”
“Well, now,” said Holbrook. “That’s right neighborly.”
He looked at Slocum, and Slocum said, “That sounds real nice to me.”
Maudie went to her front door and locked it. Then she went to the back room and returned a moment later with a bottle and three glasses. She put them on the table and pulled out a chair.
“All right if I join you?” she asked.
“I wouldn’t have it no other way,” said Slocum.
“Sure,” said Holbrook. “Please do.”
Maudie sat down and poured out three drinks. “I can use one of these right about now myself,” she said. “It’s been one of those days. You know?”
“Rough one, huh?” said Slocum.
“I can’t complain. When I’m busy, I’m making money. There’s nothing worse on the bank account than a slow and easy day.”
“Hell, Maudie,” said Holbrook, “you ought to be getting rich then, busy as you are.”
“I wouldn’t exactly say getting rich,” she said, “but I guess I’m doing all right. I pay my bills on time.”
“That’s a lot,” Holbrook said.
“You stock good whiskey,” said Slocum.
“Only the best,” she said.
They made some more small talk, and Maudie started to pour another round. Yawning, Holbrook held out his hand to stop her. “I think I’d best turn in,” he said. “I thank you though.” He took out some money and put it on the table. “Will that cover it all?”
“Sure will.”
Holbrook stood up. “You coming, Slocum?” he asked.
“I think I’ll have one more,” Slocum said. He looked at Maudie. “That is, if you are.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Let’s have another.”
She got up to let Holbrook out the front door and locked it again behind him after he left. Slocum refilled the glasses while she was up. Maudie turned to go back to the table, but on her way, she turned the oil lamps down low. She sat down and picked up her glass. “Thanks,” she said.
Slocum lifted his glass. “Here’s to you, lady,” he said.
She smiled, lifted her glass and touched it to his. They both drank.
“You know, cowboy,” she said, “I kinda like you.”
“You’re a pretty nice lady yourself,” he said.
She leaned toward him, and he met her halfway. Their lips came together. It was a gentle kiss at first. But it lingered and it grew more passionate. At last they broke apart. Maudie heaved a sigh.
“It’s been a long time, cowboy,” she said. “And I’m only good for a one-night stand.”
“That’s all right with me,” said Slocum.
“Come with me,” she said, and she stood up and started walking toward the back room. Slocum followed her. The back room was unlit except for some of the dim light coming in from the main room, where the light was already turned down low. Slocum saw a bed against the far wall. Maudie walked over there, stopped and turned to face him. She stepped out of her shoes and started to slip her full skirt down to the floor. Slocum pulled his own shirt off over his head. In another moment, they were both naked. Maudie crawled into the bed and looked up at Slocum. He went in beside her, and their arms went around one another as their lips met for another kiss. In another moment, Slocum was on top of her, his cock driven in as far as it could go, humping like crazy.
Holbrook was up early. He had slept in the jail again. He got himself ready for the day and walked over to Maudie’s, only to find the door locked. He pulled the watch out of his pocket and checked the time. Maudie was running late. He started to turn and walk away, but just then Maudie appeared and unlocked the door. She opened it to let Holbrook in.
“Good morning, Cy,” she said. “Sorry I’m late.”
“That’s all right,” Holbrook said. “I just got here.”
Holbrook made his way to a table as Maudie hustled back behind the counter. “I’ll get the coffee going,” she said. “Have it ready in a minute.”
“Okay, Maudie.”
Just then, Slocum came walking out of the back room adjusting the bandanna around his neck. He looked up, surprised to see Holbrook there. Holbrook was astonished. Slocum paused to compose himself. Then he walked on over to the table and sat down with the sheriff.
“I, uh, I was just—”
“Yeah,” said Holbrook. “I see.”
“Now, Cy—”
“I ain’t said a word. Have I?”
“See that you don’t.”
In another few minutes, Maudie brought them coffee. They ordered their breakfasts, and she went to work on that. The two men were awkwardly silent. Maudie noticed from behind the counter. “Ain’t no sense in you boys being embarrassed,” she said. “I’m not.”
Slocum lifted his cup for a slurp of coffee.
“What do you reckon we ought a be doing today?” said Holbrook.
“You got to check on land purchases,” Slocum said.
“Oh, yeah,” said Holbrook. “That’s right. I was going to do that yesterday, but we come back in too late for it.”
“What are you checking on?” said Maudie from behind the counter.
“Any recent land purchases,” said Holbrook.
“Hell,” she said, “I bought the old Brooks place a couple a months ago. Is that what you mean?”
“Well, yeah,” said the sheriff. “How’d you come to do that?”
“A gal’s got to look out for the future,” she said. “I’ll probably hang on to it for a while and then sell it for a profit.”
“That makes sense,” said Slocum.
“How come you’re checking on it?” she asked.
Slocum and Holbrook exchanged glances. “Nothing important,” Slocum said. Just then a couple more customers came in. The conversation ended. Maudie brought their breakfasts and went to see about the new customers. Slocum and Holbrook finished their meals, Holbrook paid, and they left. Out on the sidewalk, they stood side by side for a moment.
“Well, there’s part of the answer,” Holbrook said.
“Maudie bought a place,” said Slocum. “What kind of place is it?”
“The Brooks place?” said Holbrook. “Brooks was one of the small ranchers. He gave it up a few months ago and pulled out. I sure didn’t know that Maudie bought the place.”
“Well, see if anyone else has been buying up land,” Slocum said. “Who knows? We might be just farting in the wind.”
“Yeah. Why don’t you wait for me over in the office. This shouldn’t take long.”
“Sure thing,” said Slocum. He walked on over to the sheriff’s office and went in. He stoked up the stove and built a pot of coffee. Then he sat down and lit a cigar to wait for the coffee to boil. In a few minutes, Holbrook came in.
“Find out anything?” said Slocum.
“Burly Baker has bought a couple of small places in the last few months,” said Holbrook. “Maudie bought the Brooks place, like she said. That’s it.”
“Baker, huh? That damn lawyer?”
“That’s right.”
“You say he’s bought a couple of places?”
“Yeah.”
“Folded small spreads?”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe we had ought to kinda keep an eye on Mr. Baker,” said Slocum.
“Kinda watch where he goes, who he meets up with? Like that?”
“Um hum. It could be interesting.” He got up and poured some coffee in a cup and looked at it. He tasted it. “That’s done,” he said. “You want a cup?”
“Sure,” said Holbrook. Slocum poured him some and handed him the cup.
“If you ain’t got something else for me to do today,” Slocum said, “I think I’ll ride out to that Zig Zag and Circle X range where all the trouble has been going on and just kinda hang around, hide and watch, you know.”
“That’d be all right, Slocum,” said Holbrook. “Not a bad idea. I’ll stick around here and try to watch ole Baker some.”
Slocum rode out to the spot on the knoll where the shooter had hidden to ambush Joe Bob. It was the only place he knew of where he could hide and still have a good view of the range. He tied his Appaloosa to the bushes at the far side of the trees and made his way through to the other side, just as the shooter had done. He had a good view of the valley. He could see a small herd of Zig Zag cattle grazing off in the distance. At least, he assumed they were Zig Zag cattle. They were on the Zig Zag side. In another few minutes two Zig Zag riders rode by—checking on the cattle, he guessed—or maybe just keeping their eye out for any possible trouble. It was what he and Holbrook had told them to do. He kept watching. Two Circle X riders came in from the other side. They made straight for the Zig Zag hands. Slocum straightened himself up, ready for trouble.
He watched as the four riders came together. They stopped and sat on their horses talking for a spell. Then the Circle X boys turned and rode back toward their own range. Nothing happened. Maybe they were just being friendly. Cooperating in their watch. That would be good. He lit a cigar and smoked it, and nothing more happened except that a bull mounted a cow and humped her real good. After a spell, Slocum went back and got on his horse. He rode over to X. Jones’s ranch house and chatted with Jones for a bit. Nothing had happened. Slocum left and rode over to the main house on the Zig Zag. Yates came out on the porch.
“Come on in, Slocum,” he said.
“No, thanks, Mr. Yates. I’m just making some rounds here. Everything quiet out here?”
“So far,” Yates said.
Slocum rode back to town. He tied the Appaloosa to the rail in front of the sheriff’s office and went inside. No one was there. He walked out and on over to the Holbrook. Holbrook was standing at the bar. He saw Slocum coming in and called for another glass. Picking up the bottle by its neck, he turned to face Slocum.
“Come on and sit down,” he said, leading the way to a table. Slocum followed, and they sat down. Holbrook poured Slocum a drink and shoved it across the table to him. “What did you find?” he asked.
Slocum shook his head. “Everything’s quiet so far,” he said.
“Same here. Oh, I seen a couple of Baker’s customers go into his office, local businessmen. Nothing suspicious though. Slocum, we got to come up with something and that real soon.”
“I don’t know what we can do except to catch them at something,” Slocum said. “We can do all the figuring in the world, but when you get right down to it, it’s just guesswork. That’s all.”
“Well, something’s got to give.”
Slocum looked around the big room. There were quite a few men in the place. “You know everyone in here?” he asked.
Holbrook looked around. “There’s a few I don’t know,” he said.
“You think it might be time to start checking on them all? You know, asking them who they are and what’s their business, like that?”
“That’s pretty heavy-handed, Slocum,” Holbrook said, “but, hell, I don’t know. It might come to that.”
“Well, you don’t have to go up to them and say what the hell are you doing in my damn town. You could quiz them up in a little bit softer way than that.”
Just then Charlie Roberts burst through the batwing doors. He stopped and looked around frantically. Then he spotted Holbrook and Slocum and hurried over to their table.
“Charlie,” said Holbrook, “what’s wrong with you?”
“I been fighting a fire,” said Roberts. “That’s what.”
His clothes were blackened, as were his face and hands.
“Where at?” said Holbrook.
“Bill Jackson’s place,” Roberts said. “It’s burned to the ground. His barn and his house. It’s all lost.”
“That’s damn bad luck,” Holbrook said.
“It wasn’t bad luck,” said Roberts. “It was set.”
“You sure of that?”
“Damn right. We could see where it was set. It was deliberate all right.”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“No. Thank God for that, but Bill’s damn near ruined. A bunch of us told him we’ll help him rebuild. I guess he’s thinking about it, but he’s also thinking about clearing out. Giving up.”
Slocum thought that their antagonist was getting clever. He had them watching the two big ranches, and then he struck at one of the smaller ones. “Did anyone see anyone messing around out there who shouldn’ta been there?” he asked.
“Bill saw someone riding away,” said Roberts, “but the fire was going by that time. He didn’t get a good look. He didn’t have time. Had to fight the fire.”
“God damn it,” said Holbrook. “God damn it to hell.”
