7
The outlaw gang made it safely back to their shack in the hills outside of Hangdog. They rejoiced in the shack while Huggy counted their money and divided it up three ways. Huggy stuffed his share in his pockets. Barber held his out in front of his eyes staring at it. Stopes allowed his to drop to the table and scatter. Then he gathered it all up and let it scatter again.
“Boys,” said Huggy, “let’s go into town and have ourselves a steak dinner and then a few drinks.”
“Is that smart?” said Stopes. “After what we just done?”
“That sheriff’s liable to be after us,” said Barber.
“Hell, he already knows where to find us, don’t he?”
“Yeah,” said Barber. “I was thinking about that too. Maybe we’d ought to move.”
“Where’d we move to? Huh? Where?”
“Well, I—”
“I’m telling you, the sheriff ain’t got a damn thing on us. Stopes told him we was up here prospecting, and that’s all he knows. The only witness to what we done is dead. So what have we got to worry about? Nothing. Not a damn thing. I don’t care if you boys come with me or not. I’m going to town.”
“A steak would taste good,” said Barber. He glanced at Stopes. “What do you say?”
Stopes thought a moment. He rubbed his wounded arm. “Let’s go,” he said.
Slocum, Speer, Ritchie, and Everett made it back to Ritchie’s ranch, where they delivered the cattle. Then Slocum and Speer rode to Mix’s place with the horses. Charley Hill met them there. He rode up quickly. “You got them,” he called out. “Where’d you find them?”
“We found them across the border,” said Slocum. He looked at Speer. “Me and Ritchie and Everett found them. Speer waited for us on this side. Your horses and Ritchie’s cattle. I don’t believe Ritchie’s behind all this trouble you been having. Whoever stole these horses also stole his cattle. They sold them at the same place.”
“You didn’t catch the rustlers then?” said Hill.
“Nope.”
“They got away,” said Speer.
“What about the man who bought the critters? Would he tell who sold them?”
“Wouldn’t say a word,” said Speer. Then realizing that he had just given himself away, he added quickly, “That’s what Slocum said.”
“Any chance of making him talk?” Hill asked.
“Not anymore,” said Slocum. “Him and his three pards are deader’n hell.”
“You killed them?”
“They didn’t want to give up the cattle and horses they’d just bought. I didn’t see that we had much choice.”
“I’ll be damned,” said Hill. “So it ain’t Ritchie.”
“I’d place a bet on it,” said Slocum. “How’s Davey doing?”
“He’s coming along. Stood up and got hitched yesterday.”
“He did?” said Slocum. “Well, I’ll be damned. You reckon we can bust in on him and see how he’s doing?”
“I don’t see no reason against it. I can take care of these horses now if you want to ride on over to the house.”
“Thanks,” said Slocum. “We’ll do that.”
Helen opened the door after Slocum knocked. “Oh,” she said, surprised. “Hello, Slocum, Sheriff. Won’t you come in?”
Slocum and Speer removed their hats and stepped inside.
“I guess it’s Mrs. Mix now,” said Slocum.
She smiled. “That’s right,” she said. “I suppose you came to see Dave? I believe he’s awake and sitting up. Follow me.”
She crossed the room and stood in the bedroom doorway. “Dave, you have visitors,” she said. Then she stepped out of the way to allow the two men to enter.
“Slocum,” said Mix, a broad grin spreading across his face. “Thaddeus. Come on in. What the hell have you two been up to?”
“We’ve got some news for you, Davey,” Slocum said.
“Is it good news?”
“Well, I think it is.”
“Let me have it then.”
“I kind of wanted to ask you how you’re feeling first,” Slocum said.
“Aw, I’m doing all right. I’ll be up and out of this bed in another day or two. What’s the news?”
“We heard there was a wedding here,” said Speer.
“Oh, yeah,” said Mix. “Me and Helen got ourselves hitched up.”
“That was kind of sudden, wasn’t it?” said Slocum.
“Naw. We’d been planning it all along. We just decided to go on ahead and do it. That’s all. Now what’s the news?”
Slocum wrinkled his brow at Mix’s response, but he didn’t say anything about it. Instead, he said, “You had some horses stole. Did anyone tell you about it?”
“No,” said Mix, sitting up straighter, an angry look spreading over his face. “Why the hell—”
“Hold on,” Slocum said. “We thought it best not to worry you with it. Not till we got them back.”
“Did you?”
“We just brought them in.”
“Who done it? Ritchie?”
“Whoever done it stole some of Ritchie’s cattle at about the same time,” Slocum said. “We found them all together down across the border. They’d all been sold to the same buyer. He wouldn’t talk, and he wouldn’t give up the animals either. Not till we killed him and his pards.”
“So you still don’t know who’s responsible?”
“No,” Slocum said. “But it’s pretty damn sure that it ain’t Ritchie.”
“Goddamn,” said Mix. “I really thought it was him. I sure did.”
“I told you all along you was jumping the gun,” said Speer.
“Yeah,” said Mix. “I guess you did. I guess I might just owe Ritchie an apology.”
“You want us to send him out to see you?” Speer asked.
“Yeah,” said Mix. “Not just now, though. Give me a couple of days. Tell him I ain’t quite up to it just now. Okay?”
“Okay,” Speer said.
“Not Ritchie,” said Mix. “I wonder who the hell it is.”
“We’ve got a pretty good idea,” said the sheriff. “We just ain’t got proof. At least not yet. We’re watching them, though.”
“Well?” said Mix. “Who is it?”
“Three scruffy-looking bastards staying at one of them abandoned shacks up on the hill with the old abandoned mines. Claim they’re prospecting.”
“That don’t make sense,” said Mix.
“That’s what I told them. They said they know something I don’t know. They could just be three fools chasing after a rainbow. But I’m suspicious.”
“Keep me informed, will you?” said Mix.
“You bet.”
Huggy and his partners rode into Hangdog and tied their horses in front of Brenda’s Place. There was a small crowd already eating. They found one of the few tables left and sat down. Most of Brenda’s customers looked at them with curiosity. Not that many strangers came through Hangdog, and these three were especially curious. Ragged and dirty, they had the look of wolfers, or just tramps. They did not look like the kind of people to come into a respectable restaurant and order a meal. Brenda came over to their table. “What can I do for you?” she asked.
“We come in to eat,” Stopes said.
“Well, that’s what I’m here for,” Brenda said.
“Steaks,” said Huggy. “Three big juicy steaks.”
“Taters and bread and gravy and beans,” said Barber.
“You want three steaks with potatoes, gravy, and beans on the side? Is that right?”
“And bread,” said Barber.
“Bread comes with it,” said Brenda. “Something to drink?”
“You got whiskey?”
“No. I’m sorry. I’m not allowed to sell whiskey in here. You’ll have to go over to one of the saloons for that.”
“Bring us some coffee,” said Huggy. “That’ll do.”
Outside, Slocum and Speer were riding into town. “You hungry, Speer?” Slocum asked.
“We ain’t et all day,” said Speer. “Course I’m hungry.”
“Brenda’s?”
“Sure.”
They dismounted and tied their horses in front of Brenda’s Place. “Looks busy,” said Speer.
“Maybe she’ll get rich,” said Slocum.
“By God,” said Speer, “I hope she does.”
They stepped inside and immediately, they both spotted the phony prospectors. Speer started to make a move, but Slocum stopped him. “Let’s just eat,” he said. They sat down and ordered their meal. Soon, they were drinking coffee. Both of them were watching the three men. They watched when Brenda delivered their steaks and refilled their cups, and they watched when the three men dug into their food like they had never eaten out in public before. Grease ran down Huggy’s chin, and he wiped it off with his grimy sleeve. In another minute, Slocum’s and Speer’s meals were served to them. They ate, but they kept watching the three men. Huggy noticed Speer’s badge.
“Don’t twist your necks, boys,” he said in a low voice, “but the sheriff’s over yonder looking at us.”
“I told you—”
“Shut up, Stopes,” said Huggy. “There ain’t a damn thing he can do.”
“Don’t let it spoil your eats,” said Barber. “He ain’t even spoke to us. He’s just in here eating, same as us.”
“He’s sure looking, though,” said Stopes.
They finished their meal in silence, and Huggy said, “Let’s get out of here.” They stood up and walked toward the door, pausing at the counter to pay. Then they went outside. Slocum and Speer looked at each other.
“You had enough?” Slocum asked.
“I’m plumb full,” said Speer.
They stood up, leaving half their meals on their plates, tossed some money on the counter, and walked outside just in time to see the three men duck into Ritchie’s hotel.
“They’re going for a drink,” said Speer.
“I doubt if they’re looking for rooms,” said Slocum.
They followed the three men. Inside the hotel, they turned into the saloon. The three men were sitting at a table near the bar. Slocum got two glasses from the barkeep. He looked at Speer and said, “Let’s have a talk with them.”
“All right,” said Speer.
They walked to the table where the three were sitting, pulled out chairs, and sat down.
“You don’t mind, do you?” said Speer.
“Why, hell, no,” said Huggy. He figured the sheriff was Speer.
Slocum grabbed their bottle and poured himself and Speer a drink. “You did say you’d buy us a drink, didn’t you?” he asked.
“Now, wait a minute—”
Stopes had started to say something, but Huggy kicked him under the table. “Sure,” Huggy said. “It’s on us.”
Slocum turned up his glass and emptied it. He reached for the bottle again. “This ain’t bad whiskey,” he said. “It ain’t the best, but it ain’t bad.”
“Well, uh, what you fellows been up to?” Huggy asked.
“Chasing stolen cows and horses,” Slocum said.
“Oh?”
“We got them all right,” said Speer. “Took them back to their owners.”
“Did you, uh, get the men what stole them?” said Huggy.
“No,” said Speer, “but we got them men that bought them.”
“Oh, yeah? Where at?”
“Across the border,” Slocum said. “We had to kill them.”
“All three of them,” said Speer.
“Dead as rocks,” said Slocum.
“Killed them dead, huh?” said Stopes. He was sweating. Barber was fidgeting with his glass. Huggy drank his glass empty and poured himself a refill.
“So,” he said, “you got no idea who done the actual thieving?”
“I never said we had no idea,” Speer said. “I have a pretty good idea.”
“You boys seem to have plenty of spending money,” said Slocum. “You dig up some gold, did you?”
“Yeah,” blurted Stopes.
“No,” said Barber.
“Well, which is it?” said Speer.
“It ain’t neither one,” said Huggy. “I mean, it ain’t none of your damn business. We just got some money is all, and we don’t have to tell you where we got it. Is there any law what says we got to tell you where we got our money? Well, is there?”
“No law,” said Speer. “I just thought you might want to be cooperating with the sheriff’s office. That’s all. I thought maybe you were good citizens.”
“We are,” said Stopes. He looked at Barber. “Ain’t we?”
“Yeah. We are.”
Slocum, Speer, Stopes, and Barber all looked at Huggy. He hesitated a moment. Then he smiled, showing his discolored teeth.
“Yeah, well,” he said, “since you put it that way, I’ll tell you where we got it. We got it from a good friend. He give us a stake whenever we tell him we’s going prospecting. When we strike it rich, we got to pay him a share. That’s all.”
“Where is this good friend of yours?” said Slocum.
“Back home.”
“Where’s home?”
“We come from up in Colorady.”
“What part?”
“A farm. Up north.”
“It must be great to have a friend like that,” said Slocum. “Me? I have to work for every penny I get.” Huggy snickered. “What’s funny?” Slocum asked.
“What kind of work do you do?” asked Huggy. “Kill people, or something?”
Slocum leaned forward and looked Huggy in the eyes for a long and tense moment. “I do,” he said. “Sometimes.”
“Mister,” said Huggy, “you’re making me nervous. I wish you and the sheriff would leave us be. Now, you’ve done had two drinks out of my bottle, and the sheriff has had one. I think that’s enough. Men has a right to drink in private. Who are you?”
“He’s Slocum,” said Speer.
“Buy your own whiskey,” said Barber.
“You’re talking mighty tough all of a sudden,” Slocum said.
“I ain’t going to gunfight with you,” said Huggy, “but I reckon I can whip your ass.”
“Let’s go outside and find out,” said Slocum.