CHAPTER 14.

Artemus arrived at the Wilkes ranch with enough day left to go through the motions of an investigation. Andrew Wilkes was pleased that the Governor had made good on his word to send in a federal agent. He continued speaking while Artemus studied a photo of Rayne and her late husband.

"She did not wander off and get herself lost Mr. Gordon. My men and I searched every inch of those canyons."

Artemus studied the man's concerned face. "She could have climbed up somewhere and fallen. Did you search on foot as well?"

"I'm telling you Mr. Gordon, she was taken! Come with me to the stables," Andrew led the way. They entered the tack room at the far end of the horse stalls.

Andrew pointed to a saddle in the corner. "There," he said. "That's Rayne's saddle. Manny, my stable boy takes care the tack. He treats Rayne like she's a queen. Her saddle is always oiled and spotless. Manny doesn't allow anyone else to touch it. When we found her horse, we also found this…" he pointed to the scratching on the leather pommel.

Artemus looked at the hastily scratched words. "3 MEN CAPT ZAH". He put his hand to his chin considering the message. "Any idea what captzah means?" He asked Andrew.

"I have no idea, " Andrew answered. "I'm telling you…someone took her. And "3 men" seems pretty obvious to me!"

"You didn't find any tracks?"

"Nothing definite we could follow."

"Alright then," Artemus spoke. "I'll be riding into town to ask around, see if anyone's noticed three strangers together or anything unusual."

Andrew looked at him imploringly. "Please help find her Mr. Gordon. She's family. She's as sweet a gal as you'd ever want to meet. I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt her."

Artie looked down again at the photo. She was a beauty. That in and of itself was often bad luck for a woman alone. Especially in territory like this. "I'll do my best," Artemus assured Wilkes as he mounted up and headed toward town.

The town of Rims Edge was like a lot of other towns that suddenly popped up, flourished with mining or some other industry then dissipated and ultimately would disappear. Right now it was a flourishing place. Not too large, but busy and bustling enough for people to come and go daily. Artemus checked in at the hotel. Joseph the manager and ever the welcoming committee of one, chatted freely.

"I'm visiting Andrew Wilkes," Artemus informed him. "I understand his sister-in-law, Rayne Wilkes, stays at your establishment from time to time."

"Why yes, she does! A fine lady! A fine lady indeed! Always a pleasure to have her here!" Joseph sung her praises.

"And uh…she stayed here several nights ago?" Artemus inquired.

"Why yes she did. Isn't it an awful shame? Her disappearing that way. I hope the Sheriff finds her. Andrew was pretty upset about it," Joseph said.

"When she stayed here, did you notice her speaking to anyone? Anyone you knew or…didn't know?"

"No, just the regular folks working here in the hotel. However, now that I recollect. There was kind of an odd feller asking about her. He thought she was some actress he'd seen in Santa Fe."

"And you corrected him of course?"

"Of course!"

"And you did that by telling him who she really was?"

"Yes."

"What she was doing here?"

"…Yes."

"Where she was going and might possibly be found?"

"Well…uh…yes…"

"Can you describe the man?"

"I got a big mouth, don't I?"

"You also catch on fast." Artemus replied, smiling. "Can you describe him? Was anyone with him?"

It turned out that Joseph was as keen on watching people as he was talking to them. He gave Artemus a detailed description of the tall dark haired man. Not that here was anything unusual about Hench's appearance. He easily fit in wherever he went. He was fairly non-descript. It was what Joseph added that perked Artemus' interest.

"Well then, after he walked out, it couldn't have been more then a minute, this short grizzled mean looking character got up and followed him. He had a small scar on his face, just outside his left eye. And he was wearing boots with silver conchos down the sides."

"Thank you Joseph, you've been very helpful!" Artemus smiled at him. An excellent combination of details like that should make the tall man's companion easy enough to spot.

"Hey mister, you a lawman or something?" Joseph asked Artemus.

Artemus tipped his hat as he headed toward the door. "Yes," he answered wryly. "I'm something."

He made his way to the livery to put up his horse for the night. Once there he began to inquire about anyone matching the descriptions Joseph had given him. He pulled out a few bills. Money always helped people's memories. The old man in charge eyed the bills covetously.

"Sure," he said. "I seen two men like that. One of 'em needed his horse shod. That was most of a week ago. I remember cause the big one was real quiet, didn't hardly speak. The short one did all the talking. He was kind of a sight…and them boots, well I don't reckon many folks around here would wear gussied up boots like that."

"Any idea where these two came from?" Artemus asked.

"They didn't say anything ta me, but I could hear em talking when they walked out. Sumpthin about getting back to the fort late and havin to come back in the morning. Oh… and I think I heard the name Captain Solen or sumpthin close."

"Captain Solen?"

"That's what it sounded like." He eyed the bills in Artie's hand expectantly.

"Mister, they ain't no fort around here. I figured they must be speakin of the old mining camp fort on the other side of the Devil's Teeth."

"The Devil's Teeth?" Artemus looked at him quizzically.

"It's a pass through that stretch of mountain terrain east of town. On the other side 'bout ten miles out is an old abandoned mine camp. A long time ago, folks around these parts got it in their heads that they wanted to build a fort there so they started building walls. Never finished it, just parts and pieces. You can't miss it, if'n ya ride out there straight."

"Thanks, I might just do that in the morning." Artemus handed the bills to the old man and headed back to the hotel.

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Artemus sat back against the headboard of the bed. He quickly downed another shot of whiskey. Captzah…Capt…Zah.. Sol…Captain. Captain Zahl…Solen…Zahlen. That's what she tried to scratch out. Captain Zahlen. Where had he heard that name before? Not bad, the woman had kept her herself calm enough to leave a huge clue. His mind sorted back and forth. He knew the whiskey wasn't helpful but it dulled the pain of living with himself. And he wouldn't even consider trying to sleep without it, not with the hellish nightmares. Captain Zahlen…Captain Zahlen…the dossiers! That's where he'd seen the name. One of the accountants with the Treasury Department, a young man named Billard had served under a Captain Zahlen in the war. And this Captain Zahlen had been relieved of command…for…he tried hard to remember. Some type of conspiracy… to steal confederate…gold. To steal a Confederate gold shipment! Why hadn't that popped out at him when he read the dossier? Because Billard was an exemplary employee. There was nothing to indicate that he'd had any contact with Zahlen since the war. Billard had only been a young recruit at the time. He'd barely been under Zahlen's command long enough to know the man. Or had he? Tomorrow he'd telegraph Jeremy and have him take another look at Billard's files. He downed the last of the whiskey and went to sleep.

Artemis ran silently up the door. He put his ear to it and listened…no sound. "Jim?" He whispered loudly. "Jim, are you in there?"

"Artie? Is that you?

"Yeah pal, you alright?"

"Yes. I thought maybe you weren't going to make it."

"What? And miss all the fun? I'll have you out in a minute."

Artemus quickly packed the putty explosives in and around the lock. Suddenly the door became a coffin lid. Artemus grasped the edges and pulled up. Jim was lying inside, holding a silver pistol across his blood soaked chest. He opened his green eyes. "Thanks Artie."

The explosives went off with a blinding light and a deafening roar.

Artie sat up, wide awake now, heart pounding. The hotel room lit up with lightning as thunder cracked outside. The storm raged like fire and damnation. And with it came the rain. He got up and stood at the dark hotel window, watching it wash everything clean. If only it were that easy.

Hopefully the rain would stop by morning and he would ride out through the Devil's Teeth. He wasn't going to bother notifying the Sheriff. He no longer felt a need for backup …or self preservation for that matter.

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