| |
When Cassidy and Wright returned to the law office after a frustrating time in which they had failed to even catch sight of Benjamin’s attacker, Patrick was already there, sweeping the office. He reported that he’d helped Doc Taylor get Benjamin to the surgery and the doctor had reckoned that once he came around he’d be fine.
Cassidy again praised him for his efficient actions and then set about making coffee for them all. Then, with full mugs in hand, he and Wright reviewed the recent events.
“Do you believe Pierre’s protestations of innocence?” Cassidy asked.
“He did attack you and try to flee,” Wright said. “Worse, trying to deflect blame by calling off his guns after they’d been killed wasn’t convincing. Either way, when people hire guns to protect their property they expect them to act if necessary.”
“They do, and in this case there didn’t seem to be any provocation. They got spooked and then turned their guns on us.” Cassidy sighed. “Unfortunately, that’s not enough to hold Pierre, but maybe Benjamin’s assault is.”
Wright frowned. “But Pierre was behind bars when that happened.”
“He was, but it’s strange that Benjamin got attacked just after I’d tasked him with guarding Pierre’s property.”
“If Pierre was concerned that a specific person would try to steal his wagon, it’s likely that he’ll turn out to be Benjamin’s attacker.”
Cassidy nodded. “Or it could be someone else who is working for Pierre that we don’t know about. Either way, we’ll hold him until he’s at least helped us to find this man.”
Cassidy then finished his coffee and he was putting his thoughts to how he would approach interviewing Pierre when he noticed someone lurking around outside the office. This man was pacing around, seemingly undecided as to whether to come inside.
Cassidy took the decision away from him and headed to the door. The man must have heard him coming as he walked away and then slipped around the corner of the building, pausing for a moment before he disappeared from view to show that he wasn’t sneaking away.
“What’s the problem?” Cassidy said when he joined the man in the alleyway.
“I saw you arrest Pierre Dulaine,” the man said.
“I did and anything you can tell me about him will be appreciated.”
“I’m Jim Dragon.” He tapped his chest and then lowered his voice for emphasis. “For a start I can assure you that Pierre is the most lowdown snake you’ll ever meet.”
Cassidy shrugged. “I’ll make that determination for myself.”
“As he’s behind bars I’m sure you have.” Jim gestured behind him, indicating Benjamin’s stable. “He and his two hired guns stole my wagon and holed up in your town as he feared I was close and would try to reclaim it.”
Cassidy nodded. “That explains some of the recent events, although not why you were so eager to reclaim a pile of rocks.”
“They aren’t rocks. Once, long ago—”
“I know. Strange, giant creatures stalked the land. Those creatures are long dead, but their bones remain and they’re valuable.” Cassidy smiled when Jim furrowed his brow. “That’s what Pierre told me. So how does your explanation differ to his?”
Cassidy’s skeptical tone made Jim sigh in exasperation and set his hands on his hips. Then he rocked his head from side to side as appeared to put some thought into his reply.
“It doesn’t, other than I can tell the difference between a worthless rock and a valuable bone and Pierre can’t, although Pierre is skilled at finding men like me and stealing whatever we’ve found. I always get the better of him, but that’s only made him even more determined to one day beat me. Thankfully, with your help that day hasn’t come just yet.”
“I’ll check out your story and his story and then hand over the wagon to whoever I deem to have told me the truth. That means the wagon stays in the stable for now.”
Cassidy raised an eyebrow, requesting confirmation.
“I never get in the way of the law.”
“Pierre said something similar, but that wasn’t my point.” Cassidy waited for a response, but Jim only shrugged. “After I arrested Pierre I tasked Benjamin Jennison with guarding the wagon and he was attacked. With Pierre behind bars and his hired guns dead, I now have to find the man who did it.”
“I’m not aware that anyone else was trying to steal my. . . .” Jim trailed off and winced as he appeared to pick up on Cassidy’s accusation. “I didn’t attack the stable owner.”
“What were you doing at the time?”
“I was in the Golden Star saloon earlier, but then I left to plan what I should do next.” Jim sighed. “I was on my own for the whole time and I didn’t speak to anyone.”
“So your story is that you knew that Benjamin owned the stable, and that you knew he had been attacked and what you were doing at the time, although you were on your own.”
“I know when he was attacked because I heard a distant gunshot,” Jim snapped. He took a deep breath and lowered his tone as he controlled his irritation. “I assume that’s when it happened.”
Cassidy didn’t reply, giving Jim leeway to explain himself further and make his story sound even less plausible. Wisely, Jim didn’t speak again and with a sorry shake of the head he sloped away.
Cassidy also shook his head and then headed back into the law office where he reported their conversation to Wright. The deputy agreed with him that they couldn’t trust Jim’s tale and that as he was also the most likely culprit for assaulting Benjamin it actually bolstered Pierre’s case.
As some time had now passed since Benjamin had been knocked unconscious Cassidy headed to the surgery to see how he was faring. He found that he had now awoken and was sitting up in a chair. Doc Taylor gave Cassidy permission to speak with him, as long as he kept the interview short.
“Did you see your attacker?” he asked after exchanging pleasantries.
“I didn’t,” Benjamin said. He rubbed the back of his head and winced. “It’s all a bit hazy, but I might remember more later.”
“So what do you remember?”
Benjamin took a while to reply as he collected his thoughts.
“When you left I dealt with a customer, Abner Gallagher, after which it was quiet for a while, so I took a longer look at the cargo on Pierre’s wagon. I still found it hard to accept that it was worth two men’s lives to defend. Then I noticed something.”
Benjamin frowned and sat up straighter in his chair, the thought of voicing his revelation seeming to cause him concern.
“What was it?” Cassidy prompted.
Benjamin rubbed his brow and then again fingered the back of his head, although this time a pained look appeared in his eyes before he located his sore spot.
“This old, rusted branding-iron caught my eye lying between two rocks. I picked it up and took it outside to examine it better, and that’s when I heard a noise behind me. The next I knew I was lying on the ground and Patrick was fussing over me. Then I must have blacked out again as I was over here and my head was throbbing.”
Cassidy nodded. “It sounds as if your assailant was watching your every movement, waiting for a chance to sneak up behind you.”
“It does, but there’s one other thing.” Benjamin raised and then shook his almost closed hand, miming holding the brand high. “When I first came to briefly, I no longer had the brand in hand and I have a vague recollection of it being torn from my grasp. I reckon that’s what he hit me with.”
Benjamin mimed the action of dashing the brand downward, following it with a grimace of pain. Cassidy gave a supportive wince.
“You could be right, so you’re lucky that your injuries aren’t more severe.”
“I guess I am, and I also reckon he stole the brand.”
Cassidy rubbed his jaw as he thought back and he figured Benjamin was right as he couldn’t recall noticing a branding-iron lying outside the back of the stable.
“It’s likely that Patrick’s arrival stopped him from carrying out his original intent of stealing the wagon, but I can’t see why he’d then bother to steal a lump of rusting old iron.”
Benjamin shuffled in his chair and lowered his head, something about Cassidy’s conclusion seeming to distress him.
“I’m wondering. . .” Benjamin trailed off and sighed before he spoke again, this time with a stronger tone. “I reckon his intent might have been to take the iron.”
“Why in tarnation would he want to do that?”
Benjamin raised his head and met Cassidy’s incredulous gaze.
“I haven’t seen that brand for a long time, but I recognized it. It’s the Bar-Z brand.”
“I know that the old ranch house beside the railroad tracks used that brand.” Cassidy shrugged. “It still doesn’t explain why anyone would want it.”
“It doesn’t, but let’s hope there isn’t a reason.” Benjamin sighed and then gave a prolonged shiver. “That brand used to be known as the cursed brand.”