Dan Shaye looked up from his desk as his office door opened.
He was not surprised to see Cole Doucette enter.
“What brings you around here, Mr. Doucette?” he asked.
“I understand you have a couple of my boys in here, Sheriff.”
“That’s right.”
“You mind tellin’ me what you’re chargin’ them with?”
“Disturbin’ the peace.”
Doucette nodded. “That sounds about right.” He turned to leave.
“You don’t want to try to bail them out?” Shaye asked.
“No, no,” Doucette said. “Maybe some time in your pokey will teach them a little respect for the law.” He smiled. “I know that’s what it did for me.”
Doucette walked out.
Shaye shook his head. The man was good. Saying all the right things, but Shaye knew a bad penny when he saw it, and Cole Doucette was as bad as they came. Whatever his plan was, he obviously didn’t need the two men in his cells to pull it off.
But Shaye had empty cells, and there were still plenty of Doucette men out there, looking for trouble.
Instead of going back to the Yellow Rose after leaving the sheriff’s office, Cole Doucette walked over to the Renegade Saloon. Inside he saw three of his men, two playing poker, one standing at the bar.
He walked up to the one at the bar, took up position next to him and ordered a beer.
“Oh, hey, boss.”
“You hear about Chet and Roscoe gettin’ locked up, Vin?” Doucette asked.
“Sure did,” Vin said. “We gettin’ ’em out?”
“No, we’re not gettin’ ’em out,” Doucette said. “They’re too stupid to be out.”
“Aw, boss—”
“And I don’t need the rest of you gettin’ stupid, either,” Doucette said, cutting him off. “So I want you to go over there and get Ledbetter and Santini out of that game and out of this saloon. Go find someplace to drink that ain’t so busy. You got it?”
“I got it, boss.”
“You know where Hawko and Tayback are?”
“No, sir, I sure don’t.”
“What about Nils?”
“Ain’t seem him.”
“Well, find Nils and tell him what I told you.”
“Sure, boss,” Vin said. “And the others—”
“I got Hawko and Tayback,” Doucette said. “Just do what I told you to do.”
“Sure, boss. And, uh, when are we makin’ a move?”
“You’ll all know when to move,” Doucette said. “Just wait for my signal.”
“And what signal is that, boss?” Vin asked.
“Just go!”
“I’m goin’, boss.”
Vin walked over to the poker game, leaned in and spoke into each man’s ear. They didn’t look happy, but they waved at the dealer that they were out, and the three of them left the Renegade.
Doucette drank half his beer and was about to leave when he saw Tate Kingdom at another poker table.
“Hey,” he called to the bartender.
“Yeah?”
“Have a girl take Tate Kingdom a beer; tell ’im it’s from me.” He tossed the money on the bar.
“Yessir.”
Doucette picked up his beer and walked to an empty table. As he watched, the bartender gave one of the girls a beer and sent her over to the poker table. She put the beer next to Kingdom, who looked up at her. At that point, she pointed over to where Doucette was sitting.
After she walked away, Kingdom waved at the dealer, took his beer and got up, leaving his chips behind. Obviously, he’d be going back to the table. Then he walked over to Doucette’s table.
“Have a seat,” Doucette said. “Let’s talk.”