CHAPTER TWELVE

The partners were once again relaxing on the hotel porch, smoking cigars and watching the slow pace of the town unfold before them. Heyes glanced to the left and nudged Curry, nodding his head once he had the Kid's attention. They exchanged glances and waited.

Tripp climbed the step to the porch and loomed over them, a dissatisfied expression on his face. "You're back."

"That's a fact," Heyes replied, removing his cigar from his mouth and holding it in his hand.

"Why?"

"Well, now, I'm not sure that's really any business of yours, sheriff," Curry replied, his blue eyes frosting over. "As it happens, we're still examining the investment options in the area."

Tripp assumed an artificial smile. "No offense meant. I was just surprised you came back."

"You might remember my fiancée. She's still here; she's been visiting some friends she made."

"Umm." He paused then resumed. "Mr. Jones, now that you're back I have some questions for you."

"Do you?"

"Erm, yes, well, I understand you were at Jenny's place several nights ago."

"Yeah?"

"And you visited a Miss Polly Simpson."

The blue eyes opened wide as the eyebrows above them rose. "I believe that's the idea of a place like Jenny's, that one would be visitin' the women."

"Of course, of course. But you did spend most of the night with Polly, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Sheriff," Heyes intervened. "What are you asking? What does it matter how long he spent with this Polly? I'm sure Thaddeus here paid generously for her time."

The Kid smirked and nodded.

"She's gone missing." Tripp paused and wiped his brow, then looked closely at the Kid. "That night. You're probably the last person to see her."

"She seemed fine last time I saw her. Of course, she was pretty tired." Curry smiled genially, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

"You know, sheriff, this town seems to make a habit of losing people," Heyes remarked. "Why a place could get a bad reputation what with folks up and disappearing all the time. How many have we heard about since we've been here, Thaddeus?"

The Kid knitted his brow. "Well let's see. I think with Polly gone now, it must be three. There's that other girl from Jenny's and Polly – of course, in that business women come and go, I wouldn't worry too much about that, sheriff. But didn't we hear something down at the barber or somewhere about a man – Buder, no Brunen was the name. Seems he went missing too. So I make it three in just a few months."

"No, I think you're wrong, Thaddeus – I think it's four. Didn't Brunen have his little boy with him? Yes, definitely four." He turned to Tripp. "I guess you need to be finding out what's happening around here, or your townsfolk might find themselves another sheriff soon."

Tripp reddened and glared at the two. They returned the glare with bland expressions.

Curry slowly blew out a smoke ring. "Was there something else you wanted, Sheriff?"

Tripp muttered and stomped off, brushing past Mel as she reached the hotel.

Mel looked after the departing sheriff and then joined the partners. "What was that all about?"

The Kid stood and offered her his chair, retrieving another one for himself. "He's trying to figure out what happened to Polly."

"Oh." She sat and looked around, then reached into her pocket, extracting a note. "Wade's back," she announced.

Heyes reached for the note but she placed it back in her pocket. "That's not for you, it's for me. Meet in my room after midnight?"

"Really, Mel? You sure you want us? I mean, we wouldn't want to intrude on you and 'Wade,' after all. You two seem to be getting very friendly." Heyes flashed his dimples at her as the Kid chuckled.

Mel flushed. "That's none of your business. We all need to talk, and my room's the best place to meet quickly without the whole town knowing."

~~~oOo~~~

Tripp stormed into the office of the jail and slammed the door. Daniels and Gallagher looked up from their card game. "What's got you so bothered?" Daniels drawled.

"It's those two. They're back. We can't seem to get rid of them. I know they're up to something, I just can't seem to find out what."

Daniels pulled an envelope out of his pocket. "That reminds me, you got some mail – from San Francisco."

Tripp snatched it and tore it open.

"You gonna tell us what it says?"

He looked up smiling. "Seems the mayor of San Francisco is named Bartlett; he's not married and has no known children."

Gallagher laughed. "So she ain't the mayor's daughter, huh? Maybe I should have a go at her. I bet I could get her to tell us what's going on."

Tripp frowned quickly. "No, fool, we need to know more about them first."

Daniels pulled out his gun and began to polish it. "She seems pretty friendly with that marshal that's hanging around town, trying to find out about Brunen. I wonder if they're all working together."

"Could be, but then why would Sawyer have said the dark one was Hannibal Heyes when they first came?"

"Maybe he is Hannibal Heyes," Gallagher said.

"And I tell you the other is Kid Curry," Daniels concurred.

"That doesn't make any sense. If they're Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry, they wouldn't be working with a U.S. marshal. Neither's been near the bank as far as I know, and we don't have a train through here, so they can't be planning to rob the place. So, if they're not working with the marshal, why are they hanging around?"

"Maybe they thought we'd bring him into the gang if we thought he was Hannibal Heyes."

Tripp paced back and forth. "What we need is a plan. We need to settle this."

Daniels checked the bullets in his gun before restoring it to his holster. "Leave Jones, or Curry, or whatever-his-name-is to me."

~~~oOo~~~

"Mel, did you find out anything new at the Kreeger ranch?"

The four were once again gathered in Mel's room. The two former outlaws had claimed the chairs, while this time both Mel and Sawyer were seated on the bed.

"No, just confirmed what Ramona told me, and that they don't like Daniels or Gallagher." She paused. "They don't seem to like Hollister and Montoya either. Ramona's husband says they're all troublemakers and everyone should just mind their own business."

She narrowed her eyes. "Where have you two been the last few days? Why did you want me out on the ranch?"

"We had to go out of town, take care of some business, and didn't think it safe for you to be here alone," Heyes replied. He turned to Sawyer. "So, why did you want to meet?"

"The judges have ruled on the election issue. Tripp is being removed from office, but that information isn't being released until the additional troops get here to enforce it."

Heyes and Curry looked at each other then at Sawyer. "Who's the new sheriff?"

"I am. At least until they can hold a new election." Sawyer grinned at the expressions on the partners' faces before sobering. "But I got some other news this afternoon. Seems Daniels and Gallagher are gathering their men for a big raid, down near Brunen's spread, tomorrow night. Montoya will be there as well."

"Why?"

"I don't know, but I don't think we can wait for the troops to get here. We'll have to go after them ourselves."

The Kid's eyebrows rose. "The three of us? Not a good idea."

"Four of us."

The men turned to Mel in unison, "No!"

She reddened and prepared to speak when Sawyer laid his hand on her arm. "I'm sure you would be a great help, but all of us, being the men we are, would be worrying about you and not focusing on the gang. We can't afford to be so distracted."

Her eyes narrowed and she glared at each man in turn before subsiding. "Very well, Wade. I'll wait here." He smiled at her and she slowly smiled back.

"Okay, I rode out that way after I got the news." Sawyer stood and walked over to the small table, pushing the lamp to the side. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a folded sheet of paper, unfolding it and smoothing it on the table. "I sketched the land there."

The partners walked over to examine the map.

"While there I spoke to Brunen's son, to warn them. I might be able to convince him to lend us one or two of their guards, but most will be protecting the homestead."

Heyes looked up and nodded. He rejoined Curry in examining the map, conversing quietly. Finally, he looked at Sawyer. "Our best chance …" he began.

~~~oOo~~~

Heyes watched from his position as three men rode into the shallow below him. He glared at the full moon and bright stars illuminating both the new arrivals and those waiting to capture them. He shrugged himself further into the shadows and raised his arm to signal the others.

An owl hooted, followed by three others. He nodded; everyone was set. He turned his attention back to the men below. One rider, he thought it was Gallagher, glanced around then pulled out his watch.

There was a brief flare of a match as the man checked the time. He slowly put the watch away then sent out a loud whistle. At the signal, he and the other two men, dove to the ground behind the rocks and bushes in the shallow and began shooting towards the surrounding rise.

A bullet whistled over Heyes' shoulder from behind, hitting the rock near his head. He rolled over, gun out.

There was a rush. To his left, Sawyer shouted, "It's a trap!" Gunfire rang out on all sides. Heyes sent a quick whistle to Curry. Reassured by the responding peal, he focused on the attackers coming at him.

Curry crouched down, shooting towards the center then looking quickly to the sides to find the ambushers. He rolled to the side and shot quickly into the bush to his left. A grunt and a moan responded.

"That's far enough, Curry. Hands up and drop the weapon."

He rolled to his right and felt a bullet crease his left arm.

"I said drop the weapon."

Sighing, he did as instructed and finished rolling over to find himself facing Daniels standing above him.

"Sorry, but the name's Jones. Didn't know you were talkin' to me."

"I don't care what your name is." Daniels kept his gun trained steadily on the Kid as he stepped up, kicked Curry's gun away, then backed away. "Stand up."

Curry slowly got to his feet.

Daniels smiled. "Well, well. So I'm the one who gets the pleasure of killing Kid Curry."

"I told you, my name is Jones, Thaddeus Jones." His eyes squinted as he focused on Daniels, poker face on.

"Nope, not the way you were shooting." Infuriated by Curry's calm demeanor, Daniels took aim. "Goodbye, Kid Curry."

As Daniel's finger tightened on the trigger, Curry dove to the left towards his gun. He ignored the burning pain in his hip and reached for his gun just as a second shot rang out. Gun in hand he prepared to return fire when Daniels crumpled to the ground.

Behind Daniels, heading quickly and carefully towards the Kid, rifle in hand, was Tex. "Good thing I've been keeping an eye on G.G. since we spoke."

They smiled briefly at each other before the gun battle raging around them claimed their attention. Curry shot over Tex's shoulder. "Yeah. Thanks."

A whistle sounded, the Kid shrilled two notes back.

"What?" Tex whispered.

"Lettin' Heyes know I'm alive." He looked past Tex, and sent off several quick shots, before reloading his weapon.

Tex lay on his stomach, rifle at the ready, sending shot after shot down into the attackers. The kid focused on the ones behind them. Gunfire rang out from all directions.

~~~oOo~~~

The remaining captives were sitting glumly as Sawyer moved through them, tying their hands behind their backs. Heyes stood before them, gun at the ready.

The Brunen family's guards were herding the horses into a quickly assembled remuda.

Curry, leaning heavily on Tex but holding his gun steady, made his way to the group. Heyes glanced quickly at him, a frown on his face. "You're bleeding."

"I noticed. I'll be fine."

Heyes nodded. "Daniels?"

"Dead, thanks to Tex here."

Sawyer finished tying the captives and turned his attention to the trio. "Hollister," he said, holding out his hand. "I'm Sawyer, the new sheriff here in town. Thanks for your help."

Tex's eyebrows rose. "New sheriff?" He glanced at the captives. "Where's Tripp?"

"Still in town. He doesn't know yet; he will before this night's done. The panel down in Douglas ruled his election invalid."

Tex nodded. He looked at the crowd and grimaced as he spotted Montoya, blood caking on his arm. "G.G., I should have let you go a long time ago."

Montoya muttered under his breath and spat but did not otherwise respond.

Tex counted the captives. "Looks like you got the whole gang, sheriff. Need help taking them to the jail?"

Sawyer looked over the sullen crowd. "Brunen's men will help me get them to town. Jones, you need to get those wounds treated." He sighed. "Wish we could have gotten Tripp, too. I'm sure he's involved."

"You should grab the lockbox in the safe at the jail before he can destroy it. You might not get him for this, but you'll find other reasons," Heyes said. He gave a feral smile. "Let's see how he likes being locked up."

Sawyer stared at him. "How did you …?" He rolled his eyes. "Never mind, I don't want to know."