CHAPTER FOUR
Curry caught up with his partner at the bar. After obtaining two beers they watched the room, their backs resting against the bar. Heyes chuckled. "That should do it."
"Yeah. But hadn't we better let Sawyer know he's your rival for Mel's affection?"
"Tonight, one of us will go out there tonight. Make sure no one sees you."
As the Kid opened his mouth, his partner quickly interjected, "For now, let's go get ourselves a steak dinner."
The Kid downed his beer and placed the empty on the bar. "Yeah, somehow that tea just wasn't very fillin'."
~~~oOo~~~
Heyes accepted the proffered beer with a quick smile and a silver coin for the saloon gal serving, then turned back to the cards in his hand. She lingered for a moment, then, realizing she'd lost his attention, moved on. He glanced at his fellow players. "I'll call and raise five."
"Fold."
The next player disgustedly threw his cards onto the table and pushed back, gathered his chips and headed over to the bar.
"I'll see you." The next player tossed his chips into the pot. The man next to him folded. The sole remaining other player anted up and looked expectantly at Heyes. Heyes laid down his cards. The others saw the five diamonds staring back at them and shook their heads.
The remaining player narrowed his eyes then blew out soundlessly and showed the three queens he was holding. "Lucky draw, Smith."
"I guess." Heyes smiled and reached to pull the chips towards his already significant pile.
"Room for one more, boys?"
Heyes' hand checked momentarily before he resumed gathering the pot. He looked up warily, examining the newcomer as the others greeted their old acquaintance.
The man was the epitome of a cowboy – tall and rugged, his legs slightly bowed from long hours on horseback. His gray hair and luxuriant mustache set off a face that was tanned and lined. The crow's feet around his eyes told of days spent squinting in the sun, the furrows between his eyes as well as from his nose to his mouth indicated that he had seen hard times. He smiled at his friends as he sat down and studied Heyes. Finally, he nodded. "Tex Hollister."
Heyes, his eyes wary but his face blank, responded, "Joshua Smith, plenty of room at the table."
One of the men joked, "Better watch out, Tex, Smith here is the devil at the table." He looked slyly at Heyes. "Of course, you know what they say, lucky in cards, unlucky in love." The other players joined in the laughter.
"Now, now fellas, I'm not worried," Heyes said easily. "No marshal is going to get the better of me. Now, whose turn is it to deal?"
"What's this?" Tex asked good-naturedly.
"You haven't heard? Would've thought the owner of the paper would be up on all the news in town."
"I've been busy on the ranch. Jed's helping out there."
The dark eyes flickered, but Heyes kept his head down and gave no sign he'd heard the name.
"Yeah, we don't see you in town during the week often, Tex. You've been missing the fun," the speaker laughed. "Seems that new marshal in town got poor Smith here arrested as Hannibal Heyes. Imagine that. Why anyone can see old Smith here is much too good-natured to be that outlaw." He snorted and gasped as he laughed. Finally sobering, "So not only does he say Smith is a wanted man, but while he's at it he steals his girl."
"I can get Melanie back when I want," Heyes said. "But I was surprised your local law actually believed the marshal." He smiled innocently around the table. "Really, do I look like I'm such a desperado as Hannibal Heyes?"
The rest of the table hooted and hollered at the suggestion, but Tex Hollister shook his head. "Are we going to play cards or gossip?" Recalling the business at hand, play resumed.
An hour later Tex raked in a pot. "It's getting late boys, I have to get going." He turned to Heyes. "Before I leave though, let me buy you a drink Smith to apologize for our sheriff."
Heyes examined him and shrugged. "Sure." He stood and followed Tex to a corner table.
Once they'd been served, Tex opened his mouth to speak, but Heyes interrupted him. "A little loud in here, isn't it? Wouldn't want to have a private chat here." His eyes warned Tex.
Tex nodded. "So, Smith, what brings you to Pantano Station?"
"Oh, a little business. I've been looking at some investments in the area."
"Here on your own? No, I guess your fiancée is with you."
Heyes smiled crookedly. "As the fellas mentioned tonight, she's not exactly my fiancée at the moment. But I did run into an old friend, Thaddeus Jones."
"Thaddeus Jones, hmm. He's not with you tonight?"
"No. He had some business elsewhere, but he'll be back shortly."
Tex thought for a moment, watching the other inhabitants of the saloon. "I might have some investment ideas. Why don't the two of you come out to my ranch some evening? I'm busy tomorrow night, but I'd be happy for some company the next night. My son'll be out of town, and my foreman said he had plans, so we won't be interrupted."
"I'll check with Thaddeus; I'm not sure what his plans are."
"I think you two would find it very beneficial. I suggest you come." Tex swallowed his drink and stood. "Good talking to you."
Heyes signaled for another drink and sat drinking it, thinking hard.
~~~oOo~~~
A beam of moonlight shone through the window, illuminating Sawyer's sleeping face. He moved restlessly, the sudden light pulling him from the depths of sleep.
A hand clamped over his mouth. His eyes flew open and he began to thrash, seeking to dislodge the insistent hand. He went still as he heard the unmistakable click of a six-shooter in his ear.
"That's better," the Kid whispered, removing his hand. "Just keep quiet while I make sure your watcher's really gone, and everythin' will be fine. I guess they don't have enough folks to watch you all the time."
"Curry, wake me up like that again and you're a dead man."
The Kid chuckled. "You know you're bein' watched, don't you?" He slipped out of the room, and Sawyer heard the quiet sound of the door being shut.
When he reentered the cabin as quietly as he had left, the Kid heard the snick as the hammer of a six-shooter was pulled back. "Just me." He stood still waiting for Sawyer to respond, and breathed silently as he heard the reset and the gun placed down on the table.
It was Sawyer's turn to chuckle. "Thought you should feel the joy of a gun pointed at your head, for a change."
"I've felt it often enough. Luckily, I have a partner who's pretty handy with a gun himself. Don't ever tell Heyes I said that." The Kid walked over to the stove and stuck a spill in the embers then lit a lamp, which he quickly shuttered. "They're gone, we can talk."
~~~oOo~~~
Sawyer examined the pieces that Curry had spread on the table between them. He picked up the shoe and grimaced. "God. Who would kill a little boy like that?"
"My experience, there's lots of monsters out there pretendin' to be men."
Sawyer glanced up quickly and saw that the Kid was not focused on him. He turned his attention back to the table. "These were good finds. I was planning to go talk to the widow tomorrow. What will you be doing?"
"Well, I should tell you, you and Heyes are fightin' over Mel."
"What?"
"You're sparkin' Mel. She's ended her engagement with Joshua and is takin' up with you." He chuckled at the astonished expression on Sawyer's face. "Why don't you take her with you tomorrow? That'll keep her out of our way."
"Can't say I ever thought of you two as matchmakers."
"There's lots about us you don't know."
"I'm beginning to suspect that. Why exactly did you decide I should court Miss Duster?"
"She can take messages between us. That way we don't have to be seen with you." The Kid grinned. "It ruins our reputation to be seen with lawmen." The grin faded, and he stood and began to prowl around the room.
Sawyer watched him. "Is there something else?"
"No. I should be goin'." But Curry continued to wander, picking up a cup and putting it down, straightening a calendar on the wall, picking the cup back up. Finally, his back to Sawyer, he said, "Tell me about this rancher, Hollister. What do you know about him?"
"Why?"
"Just wonderin' whether we need to worry about him, too."
"I'm not sure."
The Kid turned around and faced him, his expression giving no clue to his thoughts.
"He's been around these parts maybe ten, twelve years," Sawyer said. "I don't know where he came from – Texas I guess since folks call him Tex. He's an independent rancher and doesn't like the Stock Growers Association, or their rules. In fact, I hear he's a pretty outspoken critic. He owns the local paper, which runs frequent editorials on things like 'undue influence' and 'trusts.' Basically, he doesn't like the big money interests, and they don't like him – but he does have some powerful supporters."
"Anythin' else? What about his family?"
"His wife and daughter died a couple of years ago in one of the epidemics. It's just him and his son now. Dutchy Schmidt, the one who got shot in the back by Brunen's men, he managed the paper. Now the staff is, with Hollister's son's help. That's about all I know. I can't tell how much of his reputation as a troublemaker is real, and how much is because some powerful interests don't like him. I'd be careful around him if I were you. He has a solid reputation of taking care of his own, and of being a crack shot."
The Kid grunted. Sawyer looked at him curiously. Curry put down the cup he'd been turning over in his hands. "Time to go. Come get Mel in the mornin', will you?" and he slipped out the door.
~~~oOo~~~
Heyes knocked lightly and entered the room he was sharing with the Kid. The Kid looked up from the gun he was cleaning then returned to polishing the barrel with a cloth while staring abstractedly at the wall.
Heyes shot him a glance then settled into the chair opposite the Kid. "So, you talk with Sawyer?"
"Yeah."
"And?"
"And what, Heyes? What do you want me to say? He agreed with us about the things we found, and he'll take Mel tomorrow. So I did what you wanted. A good errand boy," the Kid snapped. He drew a deep breath.
"Heyes…"
"Kid…"
The two started simultaneously and stopped. Finally, Heyes spoke, "Go ahead, Kid. Finish what you were going to say then I'll tell you about my night."
The Kid shot him a quick glance then looked away. "I think that rancher is Tex."
"Yeah, he is." The Kid stared at his partner. Heyes shrugged. "I was playing poker in the saloon, seeing what I could learn. Anyway, Tex joined the game." He thought back. "I think he came to town on purpose to see if it really had been Hannibal Heyes in the jail."
"We can leave tonight. Forget our deal with the Governor."
"No. I don't think it's necessary." Heyes looked at the Kid. "He didn't give me away, or show any sign of recognition, but he knew who I was all right. He strongly suggested we come out to his ranch the night after tomorrow."
"Just the two of us?"
"Yeah, said he'd be all by himself."
The Kid didn't respond. He quietly reassembled his gun, grunted, and went to bed. "Night."
Heyes looked at him, shook his head, and went to bed himself.
