When the doctor stopped by Molly's the next morning, Bret was awake and alert, although still in pain from the bullet and all the probing Doc had done to get it out. Bart stayed in the room while Doc took a look at both the shoulder and the head, waiting to hear what he had to say. "Sorry for all the digging around I had to do yesterday," Bradley finally explained, "but that bullet was in as deep as it could be. And the longer it stayed there, the more damage it was liable to do."
"It's alright," Bret answered, "at least it's out."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean everything is fine. You need to stay relatively still for another day or two, to give those stitches time to hold that wound together. If you don't, we could end up with an infection that could kill you."
"Tell him that part about staying in bed and still for a couple more days again, Doc. Just to make sure he heard it," Bart urged the doctor.
"Do I really need to do that, Mr. Delacroix?"
Bret chuckled a bit, then winced. "No, doctor, I heard you loud and clear the first time. No matter what Jamie might have told you."
Bart grinned, hopeful that maybe this time his brother really would pay attention to the doctor. "When can you stop by again, Doc?"
"I'll come back day after tomorrow, Mr. Hancock. How's your hand this morning?"
Bart stuck out his left hand for Bradley's inspection. "See for yourself."
The doctor unwrapped the bandaging and inspected Bart's wound, put an ointment of some sort on it, then rewrapped the bandage. "Look's good for a gunshot. Try to keep it clean and dry. Can I talk to you before I leave?"
Bart was concerned but not unduly so. "Sure, Doc, I'll walk you out if you're finished."
"Good." Bradley picked up his bag and led the way back into the house, where Molly waited. "I'm worried about the probing I had to do to find the bullet. He's in real danger of an infection, and I can't emphasize it enough how important it is to make him stay in bed and stay quiet. I'm going to leave you some aspirin, Molly, and I want you to make sure he takes one morning and night. And don't let him skip any meals, he doesn't need anything that keeps him agitated or awake."
"Little danger of him skipping meals, Doc," Bart offered.
"Just wanted to be sure. Easy enough for the stomach to turn sour with everything else going on. Molly, send somebody for me if you see any change at all. Mr. Hancock, take care of that hand."
"Thanks, Doc, I will."
Once the doctor was gone Molly told Bart, "I've got breakfast ready for both of you. Help me carry it in there?"
"Sure. Coffee, too?"
The girl laughed. "Coffee too, Hancock. You have a one track mind."
After breakfast Bart saddled Noble and rode into Yuma to have another 'discussion' with Conrad Sanders. When he walked into the marshal's office he found Delgado Hernandez rather than Sanders. The deputy looked up from the paperwork he was finishing as soon as the door opened. "Yes, sir, what can I do for you?"
"You must be Deputy Hernandez. I'm Jamie Hancock, I work for Molly Hooper." Bart offered his hand to the deputy, who shook it and smiled.
"Heard a lot about you from the marshal."
"None of it good, I'm sure. Is he in town? I'd like to talk to him about the attack the other night."
"Have a seat, Mr. Hancock. Anybody the marshal bad-mouths is automatically a friend a mine."
"Oh? You work for the man but you're not friends?"
"No, sir, I work for the city of Yuma. When the mayor hired Marshal Sanders the Town Council insisted that I be retained as a deputy. We tolerate each other. I heard about what happened. Conrad hasn't been out to talk to you and Miss Hooper yet?"
Bart shook his head. "Nope. That's why I came in. Any idea where he is?"
"When he left he was headed for the mayor's office. That was two hours ago. I would imagine they're havin' another meetin'."
"The marshal and the mayor? Anybody else involved?"
"Jeremiah Bircken. Burns Wolcott. And Nance Tesson."
'So the mayor's in on it too?' Bart thought. 'No wonder it's gone as far as it has.' "So that's the consortium, huh?"
"That's it."
"Why do you work for him? If you don't like him, I mean."
"Because this town needs somebody that's not crooked. And I'm waitin' for the day they all get caught."
Bart had the urge to tell Delgado what he knew but needed to be sure of the deputies loyalties before exposing his determination to bring an end to the consortium. "And where's the mayor's office?"
"They're buildin' a new place they're callin' City Hall at the end of the street. For the time bein' its four doors down, on the other side of the street. There's a back entrance, so be careful if you're lookin' for somebody special. They can always sneak out the back way."
Bart laughed and shook hands again with Delgado. "I have a feelin' we're gonna see each other again, Deputy Hernandez."
"It was nice to meet ya, Mr. Hancock. Be careful around that bunch down at the mayor's office."
"I will, Deputy. I surely will."
Bart lit a cigar as he strolled down the street to the temporary mayor's office. Sanders horse was tethered out front, as was Jeremiah Bircken's. He couldn't identify any of the other mounts. He stood outside for a few minutes and smoked, deciding what approach to take with whoever was inside. When he was done with the cigar, he threw what was left into the street and went in. There was no one in the front office and he could hear raised voices coming from behind a closed door. He walked over to the door with the intention of entering the room but stopped and listened to the voices instead.
"That's your big plan, Nance? To try and kill 'em all again? Why is it gonna work this time?" That was the marshals' voice, calm and collected, as usual.
He presumed that the person who answered was the aforementioned Nance Tesson. "I'll be more careful, pick 'em off one at a time. By myself, with nobody else to depend on. And I won't miss this time."
A different voice was heard next. "You weren't supposed to miss last time."
Nance started to protest and a third voice cut in. This one was Jeremiah Bircken's. "I think we should discuss the marshal's plan."
"Really? You want to take that big a risk? What if it gets out of hand? It could cost us a lot of money." He didn't recognize that voice, either. That meant it was either Burns Wolcott or the mayor himself.
Bircken's voice again. "It's not any riskier than anything we've tried so far."
Just then an older woman came bustling down the hall. "Sir, you can't go in there, it's a private meeting. Can I help you with something?"
Bart backed away from the office door. He could hear the voices continuing to argue but he could no longer understand what they were saying. "Sorry, there was no one here when I came in. I'm looking for Marshal Sanders and I was told he was here. I'm Jamie Hancock, from the Hooper ranch."
"Have a seat, Mr. Hancock, and I'll see when the marshal will be free."
Bart did as told and the woman knocked on the closed door, then entered. She was gone for four or five minutes before returning. "Mr. Hancock, the marshal said he would meet you in thirty minutes back at his office. They're almost finished."
"Thank you, ma'am. I'll be there." He tipped his hat and left, walking back up the street. So, they weren't done yet, and they were planning something that could prove costly to the consortium. Bart could think of several things they might try, none of which would be particularly pleasant for the people he cared about.
He hurried back down to the marshal's office. Deputy Hernandez was sitting just where Bart had left him, and he smiled as Bart walked back in. "Did you find him, Mr. Hancock?"
Bart nodded. "Yes, I did. Him and all his friends. I think it's time you and I had a talk, Deputy. And drop the mister and just call me Hancock, please."