Chapter Forty-three
“There was only one gunman at Fort Concho, and that was Brack Cooley,” Red Ryan said. “And if it was him that took Latimer, then the Englishman is in a heap of trouble.”
Buttons Muldoon said, “But Cooley is a bounty hunter. What interest would he have in Latimer? He isn’t wanted by the law.”
“I think I might have the answer to that question, or at least part of an answer,” Hannah Huckabee said. Buttons and Red were in her room to hear what the badly shaken Mr. Chang had to say about the kidnapping. “Red, do you remember I told you I’d seen three men at Fort Concho who looked like British army officers? I think they’re tied in with Cooley.”
“Why?” Red said.
“They may plan to pay Cooley to kill him.”
“I guess it’s possible. Killing for hire is one of Cooley’s specialties,” Red said. “Mr. Chang said the British navy captain talked Latimer out of insisting on a court-martial. Maybe that didn’t set well with those army officers, if that’s what they are.”
“Or maybe that’s exactly what they wanted,” Hannah said. “The officers would rather kill him themselves.”
“They must be rannies who carry a grudge,” Buttons said. “Hell, it all happened years ago.”
“John’s regiment was the Fifty-first Lancers. The lancers had won many battle honors in the Napoleonic wars and the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and then John Latimer committed an act of cowardice that brought disgrace to the regiment and the army. For many of the junior officers, that betrayal was like a knife to the back, and they bayed for John’s blood.” Hannah shook her head. “And, God help me, I was among them.”
“So some of those junior officers are now here in New Orleans, and they plan to kill him,” Buttons said. “Is that what we reckon is happening?”
“Or have Brack Cooley kill him,” Red said.
“And if that’s the case, John is probably already as good as dead,” Hannah said.
“Well, now it’s a matter for the law,” Buttons said. “We’ll let the New Orleans police handle it. Maybe organize a search.”
“How interested will they be in the disappearance of one man, and a foreigner at that?” Hannah said. “Mr. Muldoon, I don’t think the police will do much searching.”
Buttons said, “Miss Hannah, John Latimer is no longer a passenger of the Abe Patterson and Son Stage and Express Company, so it’s not our concern. Gil Hooper says two people have already signed up for a trip to Austin, so Red and myself will be leaving, starting out the day after tomorrow.”
“Buttons is right, Hannah,” Red said. “We’re still working for the Patterson stage.”
“Then can we conduct our own search?” Hannah said. “You’re not leaving New Orleans just yet.”
“Search? That’s impossible, like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Buttons said. “New Orleans is a big town.”
“I guess it’s worth a try,” Red said. “I don’t think we’ll find him, but we should make the effort. We owe Latimer that much.”
“New Orleans not so big,” Mr. Chang said. “I have idea.”
“Then spill your plan, Chinaman,” Buttons said. “The white folk are all out of ideas.”
“Not just yet. Bad to get hopes up only to have them fall. Sometimes plan just a list of things that do not happen.” Mr. Chang rose from his chair, a small, frail figure with a bump on his head. “I leave now, see what I can do to save Mr. Latimer, if the honorable gentleman still alive.”
After Mr. Chang left, Buttons said, “You can never figure what a Chinee is thinking. But one thing I hope he isn’t thinking of is getting a gun and going up against Brack Cooley.”
“I reckon that’s not what he has in mind,” Red said.
“Mr. Chang will do what he can,” Hannah said. “I don’t know what that could possibly be, but right now we need all the help we can get.”
“I guess we can make a start by going back to where Latimer was taken,” Red said. “Mr. Chang said it was a paved alley close to the business district.”
“And follow tracks, Red? This ain’t the Texas plains,” Buttons said.
“We can ask around,” Red said. “Maybe somebody saw what happened.”
“Well, good luck with that,” Buttons said. “Me, I’m gonna sit on the porch and drink beer until it’s time for dinner. I ain’t one for gallivanting all over New Orleans looking for a man who could be anywhere by this time, including out of town.”
“I know, but let’s give it a try,” Hannah said. “I must find John. Suddenly it seems that I have so much to tell him.”