There was a small café down the street from Belle Amour, with good food, reasonable prices, and friendly waitresses. It was named Sammy's and we'd eaten there several times. It was too late for supper and too early for breakfast, so we ate what they had available, which turned out to be a strange combination of flapjacks and steak. When you're as hungry as we were it didn't matter.
About midway through our meal, Bret got an odd look on his face. I watched him for a few minutes and finally had to ask, "What?"
"Why do you do that?"
I think it was a question. "Do what?"
"Put yourself in harm's way for people you don't really know? Haven't we spent our lives professing to be cowards?"
"Aren't we?" I certainly thought so.
"No," Bret answered. "That's a myth we tell ourselves so we don't walk around terrified all the time."
"That's profound," I replied, as I ate another bite of flapjacks. "Who said it?"
"I did," my brother protested.
"You tell yourself anything you want to, Pappy. Me, I'm a coward."
He shook his head and took a swallow of coffee as somebody new walked in the front door. For a minute I wondered if it might be McGinty, but two more men followed him in and I assumed they were together. I didn't expect our killer to be making the rounds looking for us with his friends along for the ride. The three men sat together and I breathed a little easier. My holster was still empty and I wasn't gonna be completely comfortable until I had my Colt back.
When we were finished I paid the bill – more often than not I got stuck with the check – and we walked outside. It wasn't dawn yet, and we took our time getting back to the Belle, which is where we'd left the horse and buggy. And poor Noble, who'd been patiently waiting for me to return. The big gelding snorted at me and I turned to Bret. "I think I'd better . . . . . " and that was as far as I got before a shot rang out. Surprise registered in Bret's eyes for just a moment before he fell, and I did my best to catch him. "Damn it, McGinty, wrong Maverick" I muttered as we both went to the ground. I didn't see anything bleeding but Bret was definitely out.
I grabbed my brother's gun and fired off a round or two in the direction the shot had come from while I struggled to get a better hold on the dead weight in my arms. There was fumbling with the lock on the front door for a few seconds and then the door flew open and Herman appeared with a shotgun in his hands. "Help me with Bret, would ya Herman?"
"What happened, Mr. Bart?" he asked as he picked Bret up.
"I'm afraid your friend McGinty has bad aim," I told him. My biggest concern was my brother's welfare and not whether Herman understood what I meant or not.
Herman carried Bret like he was one of the ladies and took him inside as I fired off two more rounds. Just to be sure that McGinty got the point.
By the time I got inside Herman was gone, upstairs I assumed. As a matter of fact, he'd taken Bret straight to what had been Lillian's room and there were at least three of the ladies ministering to my brother. It's a shame he wasn't awake to revel in all the attention. Monique finally saw me standing in the doorway and came over.
"He'll be fine," she told me. "The bullet just creased his scalp. He's going to have one heck of a headache, though."
I let out a breath. "Keep him down, would you, Monique?"
"That won't be a problem," she grinned back. I had a feeling Bret was gonna have his hands full.
The big man wasn't in sight. "HERMAN!" I yelled, and he came lumbering around the corner.
"Boss?"
"I need you to stay here and guard the ladies. And whatever you do, don't let my brother out or McGinty in."
Herman was still confused, and I didn't blame him. I hadn't gotten to explain anything to him. "What's wrong with McGinty?" he asked me, rubbing his forehead.
"McGinty killed Oscar, Hollister and Lillian."
A thundercloud passed over Herman's face. "Are you sure?"
I nodded. "Positive. He works for Frank, and Frank works for Judge Vincent. He's behind everything."
"Pat McGinty killed Miss Lillian?" I'd never heard Herman that angry.
"You can't kill him, Herman. I need him alive to testify against the judge." I said the words out loud, but I wasn't sure Herman heard them.
"Where you goin', boss?"
"Back to Chez Natchez. I'm bringin' Domino and Lonnie back here. I want everybody in one place."
"You sure about that, boss?"
I nodded my assent. "This place is built better than a fort, Herman. I think they'll be safer here."
"Then I'm goin' with you."
"My brother – "
"He'll be fine, boss," Herman interrupted me. "Have you ever seen Bonnie with a Winchester?"
That question got a 'No" as its answer. "I can't take any chances with him, Herman," I told the big man, and he just grinned.
"He's as safe with Bonnie as he is with me," was Herman's reply, and I took him at his word.
"Then let's take the buggy and go get 'em."
XXXXXXXX
I was limping again by the time we got up the stairs at the hotel, but that's alright. At least the knee wasn't killing me. I knocked on the door and called out, "Domino, it's Bart." It took a couple minutes, but Dominique opened the door with my gun pointing at me. Disconcerting, to say the least.
"Where's Lonnie?" I asked as Herman followed me inside the suite.
"Right here," Lonnie answered as she came out of the bedroom.
"Oh, my," was all Herman could say when he caught sight of Lonnie in the pink dress.
"Herman!" Lonnie exclaimed, and ran into his arms. He picked her up like a doll and swung her around.
"Where's Bret?" Dominique asked, and I just grinned.
"Long story. We're headed back to Belle Amour, so gather up anything you want to take with you. I don't know how long it'll be before we get back here."
"But the judge said - " Lonnie started before I interrupted her.
"We have proof you're not involved in the smuggling," I told her. Well, that wasn't exactly true yet, but we would have proof before this day was over.
"Do you know who is?" she asked.
"Judge Vincent."
"Lillian's Judge Vincent?" she was surprised, startled, shocked, and a dozen other things.
"The same. And he thinks I'm his new partner."
"What?" Dominique stopped to stare at me.
"Come on, I'll explain it while we drive."
And that's exactly what I did, to all three of them. No one had much to say. Lonnie and Herman were not expecting everything I revealed, but I saw a tiny smile on Lonnie's lips when I made it clear Hollister McCann was not crooked, just a Police Chief trying to dismantle a criminal operation.
Herman got the ladies safely inside and came back out, as I'd requested. "Tie Noble to the back of the buggy, Herman," I instructed, "and then get in." He did as I asked and we went to the livery, to return both horses. I spent a couple minutes with Noble just so he wouldn't feel ignored, and we walked carefully back to Belle Amour, doing our best to stay in doorways and under roof overhangs whenever possible.
Inside the parlor house I breathed a sigh of relief, and went looking for Dominique. She was upstairs with my brother, who was awake, if unhappy.
"Not smart to leave without me," was the first thing he said as I stood with my arm around the lady I cared more for than I wanted to admit.
"You were indisposed when I left," I reminded him. "How's your head?'
"It's felt better," he admitted. "You alright?"
"So far. Now we just sit and wait."
"For McGinty?" Bret asked.
"Him or the Marshal," I answered.