15
VIRGIL AND I took to sitting out on the porch in front of the Boston House, the way we used to sit on the porch outside the jail, when we were the law in Appaloosa. Mostly we sat and watched the life on Main Street. It was handy to everybody we were supposed to be protecting. It was pleasant, especially since Appaloosa hadn’t been all that rambunctious since we signed on. And now and then, Tilda would come out of the saloon to pour us some coffee.
“Appears to be a parade,” Virgil said.
I looked down Main Street and saw Amos Callico coming up the street with six policemen carrying Winchesters. The policemen stopped in the street and formed a semicircle facing Virgil and me.
“No drum,” I said to Virgil.
“Too bad,” Virgil said.
Callico came up the steps and sat next to Virgil on the porch.
“You boys are costing me money,” he said softly.
“I believe we are,” Virgil said.
“I want it back,” Callico said.
“I would, too,” Virgil said. “I was you.”
“I want you boys gone by Sunday,” Callico said.
Virgil shook his head.
“You’re telling me no?” Callico said.
“I am,” Virgil said.
“You’re here after Sunday, we’ll kill you first time we see you.”
“That sound legal to you, Everett?” Virgil said.
“Don’t,” I said.
“I’m the law in this town,” Callico said. “If I do it, it’s legal.”
“Might cause you a little trouble down the line,” Virgil said. “Sheriff’s bound to look into it. Most likely it’ll be Stringer, and he don’t like you much, anyway.”
“Fuck Stringer,” Callico said.
“Everett,” Virgil said. “You think shooting a couple of famous lawmen would look good, if you was gonna run for sheriff, or gov’nor, or God, or something?”
“Might not,” I said.
Callico looked silently at both of us.
Then he said, “You may have a point there, Virgil. Maybe there’s some way we can work this out more amicably.”
Virgil looked at me.
“ ‘Amicably’?” he said.
“Friendly,” I said.
“Not sure how amicable you and me can be, Amos,” Virgil said.
Callico looked at the six policemen in the street. They were far enough away so that they couldn’t hear what was being quietly spoken. He took a deep breath.
“There’s a nice life to be lived here. Pleasant, respectable, and money to be made. There’s enough for both of us. But not if we’re on opposite sides. I’ve just started to develop this arrangement, and there’s a lot more of it to come. If you just get out of the way. I’ll give you a piece of it.”
“How big a piece?” Virgil said.
“We can negotiate that,” Callico said. “Be a percentage, I would think. So, as I grow you get more.”
“You’re planning on growing,” Virgil said.
“I plan on owning this town,” Callico said. “Every goddamned citizen will be giving me money regular.”
“Got it all planned out?” Virgil said.
“I’m feelin’ my way along. But it can be done.”
“’Less we get in your way.”
“You’re right,” Callico said. “Be harder for me if I have to kill you. But if it gets even harder when I don’t kill you . . .”
Callico spread his hands, and raised his eyebrows, and shrugged.
“Don’t need an answer right now, Virgil,” Callico said. “Both you boys think on it.”
“Be glad to,” Virgil said.
“Be needing an answer by Sunday,” Callico said.
“Surely,” Virgil said.
We all sat for a moment. Then Callico stood, nodded to us, and headed back down Main Street. His men followed. Virgil and I sat quiet for a time, and then Virgil spoke.
“You know,” Virgil said. “Last time we was here we was lawmen. Now we appear to be outlaws.”
“I guess,” I said.
“Don’t seem much different,” Virgil said.
“Maybe it ain’t,” I said.
“Oughta be,” Virgil said.
I shrugged.
“We gonna take his offer?” I said.
“No.”
“We leaving town?”
“No.”
“We gonna face it out with him?”
“Be my plan,” Virgil said.
I nodded.
“Why don’t we take his offer?”
“Don’t like the man,” Virgil said.
“Least you got a nice, strong reason,” I said.
“Don’t like him,” Virgil said.