Sheriff Marley Walker hoisted another beer to his good luck. He'd downed quite a few and wasn't feeling any pain. The saloon was beginning to fill up around him. The stage was late so some of the more masculine passengers had sought a cool place to wait for it. This would have to be his last beer. It was part of his dull job to greet the stage. Well, he wouldn't have to do it much longer. Marley couldn't believe how abruptly his life had improved and who would've believed Poke Morgan would be the instrument of change? He and Poke went way back to their early days when Marley had been on the more profitable side of the law. He'd been there when Poke's partner had been killed, what a shame that was, and he'd ridden with Poke for a while after. They did okay together until Poke lost his ambition and gained a drinking problem. Not long after, Marley had met his wife. Annie had been a pretty little thing in those days, all fresh-faced and round-cheeked. Now it wasn't only her cheeks that were round and the last thing fresh about her was her mouth. She spent most of her time these days making his life a living hell. Once, he'd been anxious to please her and had quit the outlawing life to settle down and start a family. Well, their kids were grown and gone now, tired of their bickering parents. They'd lit out as far from Green River as they could get. Now he lived in the sheriff's office most nights and the saloon most days and it suited both him and Annie just fine.
He'd been dozing at his desk when Clem Watkins had ridden in from the Roost saying Poke had sent him into town to put the finger on two outlaws who'd shown up a few days earlier. They had an agreement Poke paid nicely for. When needed, Marley would provide services to Poke. Sometimes it was as simple as looking the other way when his men came to town but other services were more complicated. A lawman was usually one of the first to know of any monetary opportunities to be had in his territory. This information was worth some extra income and Marley worked hard for Poke so when his man came in asking questions, Marley listened carefully. At first, when he heard the descriptions, he hadn't thought much about it one way or another. Young fellows, dark or light hair, in their late 20's drifting about the west weren't nothing uncommon and there wasn't much detail there. He sent Clem over to the bar to wet his whistle while he started looking through some wanted posters. Then he remembered the telegram the operator had shown him last week about the poor little pregnant lady looking for her husband and his low-life partner. There'd been promise of a reward there.
Marley had sent back a telegram to Gunnison, saying he'd seen the stray husband and he'd gotten word of a sizable reward, if it all panned out, to be wired back. But afterwards, he'd begun thinking on it. The reward was a bit too sizable for the circumstances. It was an awful lot of trouble to go through to drag back a man who didn't want to stay around in the first place. Why would any woman, especially one left in the family way, put so much money out on a skunk who'd leave her again first chance he got? Marley wired the Gunnison sheriff and asked if he'd seen two strangers matching the description of Poke's outlaws. The reply he received stunned him. Seems there was a rumor going around Heyes and Curry had been through Gunnison recently and, sure enough, they matched the descriptions pretty well. The other sheriff cautioned him to be careful. Oh, he'd be careful all right; he'd be damnedcareful with twenty grand at stake.
OOOOOOOOOO
Jake Hawkins waited impatiently for the stage to arrive in Green River, Utah. It was already late and he was getting impatient. His sister, Lindy, had insisted on meeting him here and he was irritated at having to wait for her. He knew she didn't trust him, but he didn't trust her either but after numerous telegrams to every one-horse town on this side of the Rockies, Lindy had finally hit pay dirt. She'd received a telegram from Green River describing her "husband". Lindy had sent Jake a telegram in Dolores, Colorado, about the big news but he'd already left town hot on the trail of the two outlaws. He would've missed it all together if the two hadn't tied him to a tree and taken his horse. The long walk back to Dolores had pissed him off, though, and they would pay for his humiliation when he caught up to them. When he left Dolores a second time, he'd travelled to Green River as quickly as possible. He'd expected them to head to a major city not a backwater town like this one. Heyes was injured and Hawkins knew it was serious. He had figured Curry would be anxious to get to a doctor. Maybe Heyes was already dead. If so, he'd force Curry lead him to the body.
OOOOOOOOOO
The stage rolled into town almost three hours late. He was at the door before the horses came to a halt and yanked it open, looking up to see only his sister, Lindy, gathering her reticule and preparing to step down. She reached out for his hand, but he didn't offer it.
"Hurry up, will you? I've been waiting for the damn stage for hours!" said Hawkins impatiently.
"What a fine greeting, dear brother; I'm delighted to see you, too," purred Lindy stepping down without
his assistance. She was dressed for travelling and actually gave the appearance of a decent woman. Jake was surprised. She usually favored bright colors and low cut gowns. Maybe she was practicing for when she had some money to back up those uppity fake manners of hers.
The driver tossed down her bag and it landed in a puff of dust at Jake's feet. He grabbed it and his sister's elbow hauling both towards the hotel. "I haven't seen any sign of them yet. I've been all over this town and they ain't here," he said peevishly.
"Well, maybe they've already moved on." Lindy wrenched her arm from her brother's hard grasp and stepped onto the boardwalk to enter the hotel. The lobby was hot and cluttered. The oversized Victorian furniture looked to be shoehorned into the small, stuffy room and the front desk looked abandoned. "They couldn't be moving too fast if Joshua is hurt," she said. The thought of him brought a ghost of a smile to the corner of her soft lips. What a shame he was worth so much.
"No. They haven't been here and no one's seen them. I found out it was the sheriff who'd sent that message to Gunnison. I'm trying to figure out how to find out what he knows without letting on to him who I'm looking for," said Jake.
Lindy gave a happy little laugh. "Jake, you've got to be the kidding me. What do you think I'm here for?"
For the first time since her arrival, Jake smiled, and rang the bell for the desk clerk.
OOOOOOOOOO
That night, Lindy made a special effort to dress seductively and, on the arm of her brother, went in search of the sheriff. The desk clerk had told them the sheriff was in the habit of dining at the café three doors down. The two siblings made a handsome couple and when they swept into the small restaurant the patrons took notice including Marley who was sitting at his regular table having his regular steak. He'd never seen a woman so luscious, yet elegant. He could tell she was no innocent girl. This was a woman of the world. Too bad, she'd already found her man or he'd show her what was what.
Lindy and Jake sat down at a table next to his and once they'd received their menus, began to squabble with each other.
"My dear brother, you really are a bore. You would think you would be grateful to squire your loving sister on a stroll about town! Poker really isn't a gentleman's game, you know."
"It's game enough for me. You'll be fine in the room. You can needlepoint or something," said Jake shortly. His sister really was much better at this play-acting stuff. She'd spent most of their childhood pretending she wasn't the daughter of a poor dirt farmer.
"I am so disappointed in you." She pouted prettily and glanced toward the sheriff with lowered lashes. He wasn't a bad-looking man in a sort of bloated, coarse way. He had his hair, though it was gray, and all his teeth were still in his head. He was tall and clean and it was enough for her.
Overhearing her plight and, realizing the man with her was her brother, Marley patted his mouth with his napkin. Standing up, he crossed to their table. "Sir, ma'am, I'm Sheriff Walker and I'd like to welcome you both to our little town," he said with a small bow.
Looking up, Lindy fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Enchanted, Sheriff." Surreptitiously, she kicked her brother under the table.
Reminded of his role, Jake jumped up and held out his hand. "Er. Fine town you have here, Sheriff."
"Ma'am, I couldn't help overhearing you'd like to see our burg. It would be my honor if you'd allow me to escort you about this evening."
"Why, Sheriff, that would be just lovely," simpered Lindy. "Won't you please join us for dinner, so we might get better acquainted?"
"Ma'am," said Marley grabbing his plate off the other table and hastily pulling out a chair.
OOOOOOOOOO
It turned out Lindy and Jake didn't learn much that night. Marley was no fool and knew better than to shoot his mouth off. They did learn, however, the sheriff expected to be out of town for the next week or so. This was enough.
Jake went down to the livery early the next morning and bought two horses and all the gear they'd need. She kept an eye on the sheriff's office from the window of her room. The sheriff had made it plain to her he no longer slept at home. Lucky wife, thought Lindy.
About nine in the morning, the door to the sheriff's office opened and a disheveled Marley appear. He scratched himself once or twice and wiped a hand across his eyes before stepping off the sidewalk and crossing to the saloon. He reappeared about twenty minutes later with four men in tow including Clem; all were looking a bit worse for the wear. Jake and Lindy hastily gathered their things and made for the livery. They would trail the posse, but not too close. It wouldn't be hard to pick up their trail.
OOOOOOOOOO
Normally, Kid Curry had no problem reading his partner, but things hadn't been normal for a while. Once Heyes was on his feet, he'd had seen very little of him. Heyes was avoiding him and, when he had to be in his company, he was quiet. Eerily quiet. Curry went out of his way to try to draw him out, but Heyes kept his thoughts locked up tight. It was like he'd woken up somebody else. The Kid kept thinking each day it would be better, but it wasn't. There was a wall around Heyes keeping him out. It was like he'd been judged those first couple of days and found wanting. He'd tried to make excuses for his behavior, but he was hurt and he was starting to get annoyed. This morning, he came around the corner of the cabin after using the outhouse and saw Heyes sitting on the porch scribbling on a piece of paper.
"What're you workin' on?" he asked. Heyes was startled and fumbled badly in his haste to conceal the note.
"Dammit, are you trying to scare me to death?!" snapped Heyes, tucking the crumpled paper into his pocket while waving his other hand to distract the Kid who knew what he was doing and let him know it.
"What're you up to? And don't say nothin' I know that look."
"Can't a man get any privacy around here?" Heyes avoided the Kid's eyes and stood up looking out across the meadow.
"I said what're you up to?"
"It's none of your damned business!" Heyes stepped off the other end of the porch and angrily walked away. By dusk he'd moved out his belongings.
Curry was out practicing his fast draw far from the sight of the other outlaws and didn't return until nearly dark. He wouldn't say it, even to himself, but he was starting to avoid Heyes. It was just too hard to be around him and be treated that way. He walked into the cabin and immediately saw Heyes was gone. Stepping outside, he looked up and down the dirt path serving as a street and saw a glow from a cabin three doors down that not been lit before. Pissed, he strode to the other shack and threw the door open. Heyes was stretched out on his bedroll on the floor with a book in hand, reading by the light of a large candle. The book he'd been reading when he'd been thrown. He looked up insolently at his partner. "Nice of you to knock."
"That's it!" yelled the Kid. "I've had it. You're gonna tell me what the hell is goin' on or I ain't leavin'!"
"There's nothing going on. I just want to be alone," said Heyes bluntly, returning his attention to his book and dismissing him.
Crossing the few short steps to Heyes, Curry snatched the book out of his hands and threw it across the empty room. "I've had it, Heyes. I really have. You're gonna talk to me whether you want to or not!"
"Yeah? How're going to make me do that? You won't hit me, I'm still healing. You plan on yakking me to death?" said Heyes. "Why don't you yell a little louder? I don't think everyone's heard who we are yet."
Furious, the Kid turned and walked out slamming the door behind him.
OOOOOOOOOO
He'd noticed Heyes was beginning to spend a lot of time with the other outlaws. When he first woke up, he had avoided them but now it seemed to the Kid he would often find Heyes in deep conversations with one or another of Poke's gang. He knew he was up to something and he knew how to find out what it was.
Deke Chesney was a friendly sort but none too bright. He'd been one of the guards the day the Kid and Heyes rode in and had made an effort to be friendly and make them both feel welcomed. Curry cornered Deke down by the river that afternoon. He'd seen him go by with an armful of dirty clothes and had followed him.
"Thaddeus, how's it going?" said Deke, seeing him walking up the trail towards him. He bent over and began to sort through his laundry.
"Real good. Say, have you seen Smith lately?" The Kid stopped and casually leaned against the tree behind him.
"Yeah, I saw him a couple of hours ago talking to Wade." Deke started dunking his shirt in the cold water. He pulled it out and began soaping it up with the bar he'd brought with him.
"Is he bendin' you boys' ears with all those tall tales he likes to tell?" He watched the man dip his soapy shirt into the river.
Deke was distracted for a moment as the current pulled at the garment and scoured the soapy residue from it. "Tales? No sir. You're partner's a real smart man. He's got good ideas."
"Like what?"
"I probably shouldn't say if'n he hasn't told you." Uncertain, Deke paused his chore and looked at the Kid as if he wasn't sure where this was going.
"He tells me everything. I just ain't sure which idea you're talking about."
"Oh. The one about robbing the First National Bank of Moab next week. Says he knows how to blow a safe. Does he?"
"Sure. He's blown a few. So are you boys thinking about riding with Smith and me? What about Poke?"
"We're tired of robbing stages. It don't pay. Poke don't think big enough, not like Smith."
"Well, glad you're thinking of joining us. We'd be right pleased to ride with you," said the Kid, holding out his hand.
Deke shook it firmly and nodded before returning to his wash. Curry went in search of his cousin. He had a thing or two to tell him.
OOOOOOOOOO
So Heyes was planning a job. He should've read the signs, but it'd been a long time and, in those days, he was usually the first person to know. The Kid wondered just how much the injury had changed Heyes. Had he decided to go back to robbing? Why was he cutting the Kid out? Whatever the reason, it meant he still wasn't thinking right. There was no way he'd let Heyes ride out on a job without him. Not the way he was acting.