A/N: I do not own Bonanza or any of the characters, dialogue, etc from canon episodes.
Sorry this update is so late, work got in the way again, plus this episode didn't cooperate as well as the last one. I could make a case for putting Annie in jail with Candy or plotting Booker's downfall. I went with what I did since the other way would have involved a lot more long conversations again and not much else. Hope you like it and please review.
Tonight: Trouble Town.
Added line breaks 2-19-21
"Boys, I'm sorry, but this can't wait." Ben gathered his bags and stuffed his hat on his head. "They don't call emergency stock holder's meetings on a whim. I've got to get to San Francisco and find out what's going on with that mine."
"Don't you worry about a thing, Pa." Joe grinned. "We'll handle the drive just fine." Ben paused on his way out the door.
"I'm sure you will, Joseph. That's why I'm leaving your sister in charge." Joe blinked and his mouth fell open. Ben rushed out the door to the waiting wagon, Candy on the seat. He threw his bags into the wagon and climbed up.
"Pa, I can –"
"Get yourself thrown in jail at least once between here and the rail head?"
"That wasn't my fault."
"Which time?" Annie leaned against the front door, arms crossed. "I seem to recall several, dating back at least seven years."
"Oh, come on, Pa. Some of the buyers won't take her seriously –"
"Joseph. This discussion is over and your sister is still in charge. Let's go, Candy."
"Of course, Mr. Cartwright." The lanky ranch hand grinned, blue eyes dancing, as he slapped the lines over the horse's backs. Hands on hips, Joe watched the wagon roll away.
"Can you believe this, Hoss?" Their older brother sauntered out the door, pie in hand. He shrugged and swallowed a mouthful.
"Pa does have a point, little brother. Annie is the only one of us we've never had to bail out of a jail cell."
"Luck," Joe scoffed.
"Or maybe I'm smart enough to stay out of trouble in the first place." Hoss chuckled and finished his pie.
"I think she's got you, Joe. Come on, Soon as old Candy gets back, we'll ride out."
Annie led them down the road into the town of River Bend amid gunshots and loose horses. She closed her eyes. Every drive the cowhands got a little crazier.
One stood up on the railing near the saloon, whooping himself hoarse. "She's a real town, Mr. Cartwright!" He wobbled and almost fell off the railing. Hoss shook his head and nodded at Joe.
"Take care of the ones in the saloon, we'll get these."
Slowly, they began to round the hands up, not without incident. Hoss hauled a couple down the street and one fired, blowing the lamp hanging over the saloon doors to smithereens. Joe ducked at the sound of the shot, glass dropping onto his hat. He looked up with a grimace. The man he was carting fired back, blowing a hole in the nearby water trough.
Annie sat on Reno's back, chin in hand, her arm braced on the saddle horn, watching everything with a slow shake of her head. It wasn't that difficult a job, how come they always had problems in at least one town along the line?
"Alright, boys, let's find our horses and get back to camp." She tried to imitate their pa's warning tone. Hoss and Joe pushed the men – some not too gently – towards their waiting horses. Annie looked around.
"Where's Candy?"
"He's inside talking to a girl, he'll be along in a minute." She froze. They better not rush him; this was the first girl he'd willingly talked to in the month since they'd buried Laura Pollard.
"Mister." A man with a star on his vest approached Joe, a smug smile plastered on his weathered face. Her spine stiffened. How dare he assume Joe ran the drive? "We run an open town here, but we don't like trail hands coming in and trying to take it apart."
"They're going back to our camp now."
"Oh, they're your men?"
"Yes."
"Then you're the one who pays the bill."
"Bill?" Joe's face hardened.
"There's no charge for scaring the citizens, they're getting used to it by now. But that lamp and the water trough your man shot up will have to be paid for." Annie drove Reno forward, pushing her way in between Joe and the sheriff, knocking the man back a few steps. "Watch it, girl." He brushed at his vest.
"You want a bill settled, you talk to me." That smug smile froze in place and his eyes narrowed as he looked her up and down.
"Kinda young to be a ramrod, aren't you, darling?"
"That's Ms. Cartwright to you." She looked him up and down. "Kinda old to be a sheriff, aren't you?"
"You know what slander is, girl?"
"That wasn't even close. Now, that lamp should be about twenty-five cents, and as far as that trough is concerned, a wooden plug and a hammer –"
"You'll pay thirty dollars or somebody goes to jail. Maybe even you. Then with bail, board, costs, and all that, it'll pile up quick." Eyes narrowed, Annie dug out the bills and handed them over. The sheriff gave her a nasty smile.
"Ya'll come back to River Bend anytime."
"Your prices are a little high."
"Then you better be sure you take all your men with you. Any I find sleeping or drunk are going to jail." He gave them a crooked smile and sauntered away, his deputy trailing him.
"Joe, is Candy the only one left?"
"Far as I know."
"Go make sure. We're getting out of here." Annie chewed on her lower lip as Joe disappeared into the saloon. If he said the wrong thing … she hesitated only a second longer and jumped down, leaving Reno ground tied. She pushed through the swinging doors and found Joe and Candy, neither one looking very pleased. A girl decked out in a red dress with matching feathers in her hair sat beside Candy, looking even more uncomfortable.
"If you want to be helpful, Joe, you can ask your sister for my pay." What? Annie missed half a step, then hurried the rest of the way to the table.
"Candy, why? Are you still mad at me?" Joe had his hands on his hips.
"I'm staying, Joe. Lila needs my help." Annie studied the girl, then Candy. He looked away from Joe long enough to throw her a silent plea and took Lila's hand. Another girl, caught in a trail town. Was he doing it because he thought he'd failed Laura? Annie drew in a breath and laid her hand on her brother's arm.
"Give us a minute." He whirled around.
"What do you mean?"
"Just what I said."
"But I thought –"
"See to the hands." She pulled out a chair and sat down. Joe growled and stalked out of the saloon.
"Candy, just go, I don't want to cause you any trouble." Lila fidgeted, wringing her lace handkerchief.
"You're not." Annie tapped her nails on the table.
"Candy, we've got a sheriff who would like us to move out now, so if you could explain …?"
"I met an old friend, Lila Holden, she needs some help."
"No," the girl gasped. "He's mistaken, Ms. Cartwright. I don't need any help from anyone." Her mouth said one thing, but those eyes said the exact opposite. Annie flicked a glance at Candy. His face said he knew it, too.
"Lila, could you give us a minute, please?" The girl looked between them, pushed back her chair, and hurried away to the bar. "Candy –"
"I know it won't bring Laura back," he interrupted, staring down at his hands. "Lila's an old friend and I'd want to help her anyway, but after …"
"You want to give Lila the chance Laura didn't get."
"Yes." He looked up. "I'll be back as soon as she's away from whatever trouble she's in. It may only be a few days." The doors thumped and Joe strode back in, yanking on his gloves.
"We're ready when you are, sis." He turned to Candy. "You didn't tell us you had friends in town." Candy stiffened.
"I didn't know it until I rode in."
"You are still mad at me, aren't you?"
"That doesn't change whether I stay or go."
"I knew it. You –"
"You remember what Hop Sing threatened to do if we invaded his kitchen again?" Annie turned a piercing glare on her twin. "I'll ransack the chuck wagon and tell him you did it."
"You wouldn't."
"Wanna bet on that?" Joe swallowed. "Are you sure, Candy?"
"Yes." She pulled out the wallet again and counted out his pay.
"I gave you a little extra." She tucked the wallet back under her vest and stood. "Watch yourself, that sheriff looks like trouble."
"And we're not?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye as he pocketed his money. Joe glowered.
"Pa's not going to be happy when he hears about this."
"Candy will rejoin us when he's finished in River Bend." Annie pulled on her gloves. "Let's go before we run into that man again and I decide to save the world some trouble and shoot him." Joe shook his head.
"And Pa thinks you've got the cool head."
"If I didn't, I'd be in jail," she commented. "Let's get moving before he decides to charge interest. Take care, Candy." She glanced over at Lila Holden and her chest tightened at the way the girl was looking at Candy. Annie turned and left the saloon.
Hoss frowned and thumbed his hat back off his head. "Where's Candy?"
"He's staying," Joe groused. "He's still mad at us, he's got to be."
"Now, Joe, maybe old Candy just needs some time away, you ever think about that?" Joe raked a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, maybe." He looked back at the saloon. "There's just times I never know what he's thinking." Hos snorted.
"Now, you know how we feel dealing with you."
"Come on, you two, we haven't got all day." Annie looked up at the sun. "We've lost enough time as it is. We'll stay at camp tonight and start out in the morning." She swung into Reno's saddle and kicked the grulla into a lope, taking delight in the fact she passed close enough to the sheriff to fling dust over his pants as she led the cowboys out of River Bend.
"Where's Lupe and his friend – the little one with the shaggy dark hair?" And why couldn't she recall his name? Annie scanned the drovers again, but still didn't find either of them. This was ridiculous. Next drive, there wouldn't be any stops in trail towns.
"They were with us when we left River Bend."
"I bet they went back." Joe swung down off Cochise and led the pinto over to the makeshift corral. "They were at the roulette wheel when I pulled them out of the saloon."
"Well, that's just great." Annie jumped down and stalked over to the corral. "Everyone else can get some rest, we move out at dawn. We'll wait for them to drag themselves in here and they better have a good explanation."
"You're not going back to get 'em?"
"No." She untacked Reno without another word, then made her way to Hop Sing's chuck wagon and collected a plate of supper. After that, it was a matter of waiting.
She watched Lupe's skinny little friend pick his way through the sleeping cowboys spread around the fire. He curled up on his bedroll and she strolled over, standing over him until he rolled to face her, blinking up at her in the darkness.
"Kinda got delayed, Ms. Cartwright."
"Six hundred head of cattle to move and you get delayed." He nodded so hard his hair shook.
"Yes, ma'am. We was coming right back, but Lupe kinda got pinned down." He paused. "Well, not exactly pinned down. I mean knocked down." Her eyebrows rose. Joe and Hoss wandered over. "It was purely terrible, Ms. Cartwright. It was a crooked wheel." Was it just her, or was he still slightly drunk? "And Candy … you know him. Candy, and me, and Lupe snatching at the money they stole with that crooked wheel. Now, the sheriff …" He laughed. "Pounding Candy. And Candy –" More laughter. Yeah, he was still drunk. "Hammering him. Knocking him around that saloon, just hammering and hammering."
"What happened to Candy?" Hoss and Joe traded looks.
"The deputy knocked him over the head with his gun butt. With his gun butt! How do you like that? After all that pretty fighting." He stared up at them with a goofy smile. Annie shook her head and made a face.
This one had to go, no question about it. He was a few cattle short of a herd.
"I guess we're not moving out at dawn, not with that sheriff." She rubbed her forehead. "We'll ride in tomorrow morning and see what's going on."
"I understand there was some trouble last night." Annie looked down her nose at the sheriff. He eyed her, then her brothers.
"Yes. That's quite a herd of beef you're moving. Horn tells me about six hundred head."
"How's that your business, mister?"
"It's Claude Booker." He smirked. "We like to know where we stand, you know. We like to know a man, or woman in your case, can pay." He sat behind his desk, still smirking. Annie leaned forward.
"What's the bail?"
"One hundred dollars. The damage to town property is another two hundred." Annie snorted. "Go take a look at the saloon your men wrecked and do that again, girl." He sat back in his chair. "I shouldn't even be talking to –"
"Whether you like it or not, I'm who you deal with. Pa put me in charge of the drive and he doesn't need or want your approval." She dug out the wallet and counted out three hundred dollars. "Get 'em out, right now." Booker tossed the keys to his deputy and began to count the money.
"This only pays for the one called Lupe. There's no bail set on the other one." Her hand froze with the wallet halfway to her pocket. Joe took one step forward; she halted him with a sharp look. They had to let her handle this or Booker would run over top of them all.
"You mean Candy?" Joe and Hoss traded looks.
"Quite a name he has." Booker pocketed the money. "Won't be so sweet time we get through with him." The deputy returned with Lupe and she spun on the shorter man with an icy fury.
"Get back to the herd." She held out his gun belt.
"Ms. Cartwright –"
"Back. To. The. Herd." He swallowed hard and dove out the door. She wheeled back around. "Since when do you keep a man in jail without bail for tearing up a saloon?"
"Whenever I feel like it." Her eyes narrowed and Joe took a step backwards. Annie figured she must have that look again, the one Candy had said she gave that sheriff in Olympus. "The law says I don't have to let anybody out on bail unless I figure they'll be here for the trial. That one doesn't look too dependable to me. He's the type that'd skip town and then I'd have to go after him. He's better off where he is till the trial judge gets here."
"When will that be?" she spit through her teeth.
"Two or three days."
"What are the charges?"
"Charges?" Booker stood with a smirking laugh. "I got a whole list of them, little girl." Her fingers itched to drive a fist into his face. Of course, that was what he wanted her to do. "Destruction of property, assault with intent to kill, interfering with an officer in the performance of his duty, resisting arrest and that's just the beginning. Every one of these charges could cost him five hundred dollars and six months in jail. Your boy is gonna be a lot older and a lot poorer before he's out there busting up another saloon."
"Can we see him?" Joe interrupted.
"Help yourself," Booker sneered. They headed back into the cells and found Candy laying on his bunk, playing with a piece of string. He looked up when they stopped in front of the cell.
"How's the other fella?" She and Joe exchanged glances. Joe sighed.
"That's where we got a little problem."
"Yeah, I heard."
"We're trying to get you out of here, but it's gonna take a little longer than we figured." Hoss leaned against the cell door.
"Who wants out? All the comforts of home. Course, I'm going to miss old Lupe."
"Candy, you need a lawyer." He grinned.
"You made it about ten seconds longer than I'd figured, sweetheart." He hopped of the bunk and ambled over. "That's kind of you, but I don't need a lawyer." His voice lowered. "I can get out of here all by myself." Her hand shot out and grabbed his arm.
"Don't be stupid," she whispered back. "With that sheriff out there?" Candy looked down at her hand, then back up to her face.
"You don't owe me any favors, sweetheart. And I'm not asking any."
"I'm not giving any."
"That's the way I want it." Their eyes locked and Annie let go of his arm.
"Alright. If that's the way you want it." She turned and stalked out, throwing a couple bills at Booker as she passed his desk. "If he wants to send a letter." Booker counted it and shook his head.
"You take care of your hands. We'll try to do the same." He looked up from the money. "Unless he takes it into his head to break jail. We got a way of handling that, too. With a long pine box and a short reading of the Scriptures."
"If anything happens to him, there'll be someone else in this room in need of one of those pine boxes."
"Are you threatening me, girl?"
"Should I be?" She turned on her heel before he could reply and stormed out the door, her brothers right on her heels. They hurried down the street to the livery stable. "Lupe should have gotten his horse by now, we're making sure he did and then we're getting out of here." They stepped inside the livery.
"Ms. Cartwright, did you hear what he wants?" Lupe rushed over. "Two dollars just for holding my animal overnight."
"You got any objections, take it up with Sheriff Booker. The regulations are posted in his office." Annie rolled her eyes and dug out two silver dollars. "Prisoners are responsible for all costs involved with holding their property during their time in jail."
"Here." She stuffed the coins into the livery owner's hand. He needed a shave and a bath, she wasn't sure which one should be first.
"Thank you." He pointed back into the livery. "Get your own horse, I'm going to get myself a beer." Lupe started after him.
"Lupe." He froze and she nodded at his animal. "Get your horse." He swallowed again.
"Thanks. ma'am." She shook her head and turned away. They were never coming within twenty miles of River Bend again.
"Ms. Cartwright?" Lila Holden's voice brought Annie up short. She whipped around to find the blond hiding in the shadows at the back of the livery. "You bailed him out, but not Candy? Why?"
"Booker wouldn't let us." Her face fell.
"Then you just tell him to stay right where he is. No matter what happens, he can't try and leave." Eyebrows raised, Annie took a step forward. "No." Lila backed away, hand up. "Don't come any closer." Annie glanced back at her brothers. What was going on around here?
"What exactly do you mean?"
"Just what I said."
"Ma'am." Hoss scratched his head. "Candy's over there locked up behind bars, he ain't likely to go no place."
"Just do what I tell you, you hear? Other men have been locked up safe in that jail and have gotten killed. I know." Her voice lowered. "I know." She turned and fled out the back door. The three of them traded glances and ran after her.
"Lila!" But the alley was empty. Annie stormed back inside the stable and parked her hands on her hips. "Lupe, go back to camp. Joe, make sure he goes this time."
"I'll catch up, I left my horse down at the saloon." Joe clapped Lupe on the back as he led his mount outside. "See you, sis." He left, too. "Hoss, we've got to find that girl, she knows a lot more than she's saying."
"Think we ought to split up?"
"Yeah. You work out from the alley and I'll work back. She's got to be somewhere." Annie pushed open the front door and scanned the street. Who could the girl be so afraid of? Her gaze landed on the sheriff's office and her spine stiffened. If she and Joe were betting, there wouldn't be a loser this time.
She started down the street, checking every store window and alley. A flash of dark skirts brought her head around. "Lila!" The blond froze in her tracks and whirled around, running straight into Hoss.
"Oh! Please let me go." Annie rushed over.
"First tell us about the men who were killed in that jail."
"But I've told you all I know."
"No," Hoss said slowly. "You haven't told us who they were."
"Or how they were killed."
"But I have nothing more to say." Her gaze darted past Annie's shoulder and her eyes widened. "I've nothing to say to you, nothing whatsoever!" She pulled away from Hoss and flounced across the street. Right to Sheriff Booker. She grabbed his arm. "Claude, keep them away from me, please, Claude."
"What are you bothering the girl about?"
"She was talking to Candy in the saloon, and something she said made him pull out of the drive. I want to know what it was." An idea sprang to life and she ran with it, taking a page from Joe's book. "Frankly, I think she tried to take advantage of my foreman." Annie sniffed and looked down her nose. "No saloon girl's good enough for him." Lila's eyes flashed, but the sheriff didn't see it.
"Run along, Lila." Booker slowly advanced.
"As you can see, little girl, Lila is mine. She's got no use for your cowboy."
"Do you?"
"Just how much trouble are you looking for?" She was about to ask him how much he thought he could dish out when Hoss nudged her shoulder.
"That's Cochise." The livery owner led Joe's pinto towards the stable. They shared a knowing look and pushed past the sheriff.
"Hey!" The livery man stopped in his tracks. "What are you doing with my brother's horse?"
"Storing it. Two dollars a day, feed and straw. Regulations."
"I asked you a question." Annie's hand shot out and grabbed his sleeve.
"Sheriff!" She rolled her eyes and dropped her hand before the sheriff could say a word. He strolled over.
"What are you holding that horse for, Clemmy?"
"Horn told me to. He just put the owner in jail for breaking up the mirror at the Sapphire Saloon." He led Cochise into the livery stable while Annie and Hoss traded long-suffering looks.
Their brother.
"Four hundred dollars!?" Booker smirked and crossed his arms.
"Four hundred dollars just for the damages. Your brother ran up quite a bill. Bar mirror that came all the way from San Francisco. Two tables, three chairs, seven bottles of –"
"You can call it damages, but I call it robbery."
"Your privilege. As long as you pay."
"And if I refuse?"
"I'll impound half your herd." A muscle in her jaw ticked. Twenty miles? They weren't passing within a hundred miles of River Bend again. She counted out the money and threw it on Booker's desk. "Now about the bail –"
"Never mind the bail." Booker's head shot up. "I'm talking to my brother before we discuss that."
"Show her the prisoner." She trailed Horn into the other room. Joe stood at the bars, waiting, with an apologetic smile on his face.
"Hey, sis. Guess you're a little surprised to find me in here." Annie crossed her arms.
"I'm not surprised at anything you do anymore." Hoss kept his mouth shut, letting them play off each other.
"You're mad at me, aren't you?"
"No. You want to spend your time in jail instead of moving that herd, fine."
"Look, Annie –"
"I'm not bailing you out! Pa may turn a blind eye to your shenanigans, but I won't. If he doesn't like it, he can come get you after we get home." The deputy exploded with laughter. Annie threw him a dark look, but all he did was laugh harder. She looked back and gave Joe a tiny wink, then stormed out, grabbing Hoss by the arm as she passed by. "Let's go before we lose all our drovers to this blasted town."
"She told you, didn't she, boy?" The deputy's laughter trailed them all the way to the street. Annie pulled Reno away from the hitch rail.
"You think he believes it?"
"I guess we'll find out." She stared down the street. "It's Booker, it has to be. She's afraid of him. And Candy wanted to help her. What do you want to bet those other two men were doing the same thing?"
"He did say she was his."
"I didn't hear her agree, did you?"
"Nope. So what do we do?" Annie thought about it for a minute. If Booker considered them a threat to his keeping Lila under his thumb, how far would he go to stop them? He'd already killed two men, so what was a few more? It would have to be planned very carefully, and even then he may not fall for it.
"I think I'm going to enjoy this," she whispered.
"You say something, sis?"
"Go on back and get the herd moving."
"And leave you by yourself with him around?"
"Exactly." Her brother shook his head.
"I know you can come up with some good plans, but I sure hope you ain't underestimating this fella."
"He's the one underestimating, Hoss. And he'll have cause to regret that."
"Just you be careful, you happen to be my favorite sister." Annie laughed.
"I'm your only sister."
"That, too." He squeezed her shoulder and swung into Chub's saddle. "Be careful."
"I will." She clucked to Reno as her brother rode out of sight. "Let's see how much trouble we can stir up in this town."
"You say you've talked to other people already?" Annie nodded from her perch on the barber's chair. The barber finished sweeping the floor from his last customer and laid the broom against the wall. "Who?"
"Corker Samuels and Bud Purdy."
"Good men. Corker's been mayor of River Bend going on ten years and there ain't a better feed store anywhere better than Bud Purdy's." Silas McDaniel in Virginia City would argue that point, but she wasn't Silas. The barber looked at her sideways. "What'd they say about Booker?"
"Various things." She tapped her nails on the chair arm and peered up at him from under her lashes. "What do you think of him, Mr. Slatter?"
"Why ask me? I'm just a simple barber."
"And the barbershop is where most of the influential people in a community congregate. At least, that's what Pa has always said."
"He's right."
"He also says the town barber usually knows more about the community than even the mayor." She gave him another sideways glance. "He still right?"
"Well, I do know a little bit about what goes on in Rover Bend." Annie raised her head, looking him full in the face.
"You know everything that goes on." He chewed on his lip a moment, then nodded.
"I've shaved him since he got the star, that's, let's see, eight, nine years come April. He does his job, nobody's gonna argue about that. He's never been caught gambling or drinking to excess." Annie stood and ambled over to his counter, picking up a random bottle to sniff the contents. "That's bay rum hair tonic." She hummed agreement. "He likes the ladies, but that's not against the rules since he's not married." She set the bottle down and turned a brush over in her hands. "He's had to kill four men in the line of duty." Her hands froze. Now they had it.
"Four men?" He nodded. "Gunfighters?"
"Two of them were, the others –" The door opened and he whipped around. Horn strolled inside and the barber spun back around. "Now, ma'am, I couldn't do your hair any justice if I was to cut it. Best you wait until you get home and let someone used to ladies' hair do it. You'd be much happier, I assure you."
"Perhaps you're right." She fiddled with the end of her braid. "Thank you anyway, sir." She shook his hand and quickly left.
So, Booker had set a tail on her already. No matter. She'd be willing to bet the barber could keep him busy for a while. Mayor, feed store owner, barber. Where did the town attorney spend his free time?
"You want my opinion as an attorney?" The man in question turned over another card and studied his hand of solitaire. Annie glanced around the saloon, but no one was paying them any mind. Not anymore. They'd looked twice when she sat down at his table but it hadn't lasted.
"I'm willing to pay for it, Mr. Elmont," she said softly. He gave her a sharp look.
"That immediately sets you apart from the other citizens of River Bend." She held up one finger.
"But I'm not a citizen of River Bend."
"True." He turned over another card. "Just what do you want to know about Sheriff Booker?" She leaned closer.
"Everything."
"An order I can't begin to fill." Another card. "Before Booker, River Bend was a town torn to pieces every time a herd came up the trail. Riots, fistfights, shootings. Booker said he'd stop all that. Also that he'd work without salary."
"He keeps the fines."
"In lieu of wages."
"A license to steal."
"That's been said." He gave her a sharp look. "But it is legal." He stared back down at his cards. Annie reached over, plucked the three of hearts off the top of the deck, and laid it on the four of clubs. He nodded his thanks.
"Suppose there's no fighting?"
"That hasn't happened yet. Seems to be no end to uh, provocation." A saloon girl sashayed past the table and Annie glanced over at her, then back to the attorney. She lowered her voice.
"Female provocation?" The attorney gave her a long, hard stare, but said nothing. She tapped one finger on the green felt. "He puts the drovers in jail, throws a heavy fine at them, the trail bosses have to bail them out or they can't get their herds to the rail head." He still didn't say anything, just kept looking at her. "The man's a thief." And that was just for starters.
"He stays within the law."
"I understand he shot and killed two unarmed men in jail."
"Prisoners who were trying to escape. Sheriff Booker had to shoot."
"Really?"
"In self defense."
"No witnesses."
"As a matter of record, no." She leaned in closer and laid down another card for him.
"Why don't you get rid of him?" He froze and looked around carefully.
"There are a lot of us who'd like to do that. But, we keep telling ourselves that he does maintain law and order, the streets are safe for our women folk, at no cost to us." He sighed. "The truth is, Sheriff Claude Booker is a cold-blooded killer. We're afraid of him, Ms. Cartwright. And if you're wise, you will be, too." He dropped the rest of his cards on the table, stood, and walked away. Annie leaned back in her chair.
"Guess I'm not wise." She stood and made her way to the bar. The barber was leaning against the polished mahogany.
"Got a customer, Hank." The bartender hurried over.
"Yeah?"
"A beer." He frowned.
"You sure, miss?"
"You heard me. One beer." He shrugged.
"Alright." She took a ten dollar bill from her wallet and laid it on the bar.
"And some information." The smile on his face froze.
"What do want to know?"
"Where can I find Ms. Holden?" The bat wing doors thumped and she glanced in the mirror. Horn stepped into the saloon, freezing the bartender's face. Just as she'd thought.
"Never heard of her." Horn ambled over and lounged against the bar. Annie tapped her nails on the polished wood.
"Lila Holden, She works here."
"Wrong saloon. Probably wrong town." He pushed the money back across the bar. "Be smart. Ride out. Do your asking someplace else." He turned away. "Hi, Tom, the usual?"
They might slow her down, but they wouldn't stop her. Sheriff Booker had never run up against the likes of the Cartwrights before. Mess with one, you got them all. She left the bar and made her way down the street.
"Lila Holden, Empire Hotel, room 17." She turned around. The barber lounged in a doorway, arms crossed. He looked around and came closer. "I'll take that ten you offered the bartender." She handed it over with a silent look. He shrugged. "Barbering business ain't been too good lately. I also do undertaking. Wouldn't surprise me if I was to have some to do anytime now." Her blood ran cold as he hurried away.
Not if she had any say about it. She scanned the street, her gaze locking on a three story building rising above its neighbors. If that wasn't the Empire Hotel, it was as good as place as any to find out where it was.
"You just had a drink with him?" Annie raised her eyebrows. How dumb did this girl think she was? "And he quit his job to help you."
"I didn't need any help." She whipped around so fast her curls flew. "I told him that."
"Lila." Annie strolled across the room and leaned over the back of the girl's chair. "You came to us and begged us to make sure Candy didn't try to break jail. Why?"
"Did I say that?" Annie snorted.
"Oh, cut that that stupid little girl act. We both know you did. You were afraid Candy would be killed trying to escape just like the other two." The blond turned her head, tears glimmering on her lashes.
"Yes."
"Were they trying to help you get away from River Bend, from Sheriff Booker?"
"Yes."
Oh, Candy. He'd walked right into it. He was never able to ignore a woman in trouble, especially now.
"Is there any legal tie between you and Booker?"
"Oh, no. A year ago when I came here, broke and hungry, he was good to me, that's all. But now, he thinks that he owns me. Twice I got on the stage and he came in and dragged me back." And there was more to it than that.
"You work with him, entice people in so he can throw them in jail and fine them."
"Because I have to!"
"Really?"
"Well, I thought it was a joke at first."
"Oh, very funny joke."
"As soon as I found out what he was up to, I tried to stop."
"Did you?"
"He wouldn't let me!"
"He wouldn't let you." Lila stood and flounced to the door, held it open.
"I think you'd better go." Annie went over, closed it, and leaned back against it.
"If you really want out, I'll help you do it."
"Oh, I want to, more than anything in the whole, wide world. But you can't help me. Booker will find out about it and find an excuse to put you in jail and –"
"Kill me when I try to escape." Annie shook her head. "I'm not that stupid, Lila. He's met his match this time." She pulled out her wallet again. How was she going to explain this drive's expenses to Pa? "Here's three hundred. That should get you far enough he'll never find you."
"But –"
"He can't get away with murder a third time." Annie pressed the bills into her hand. "Candy considers you a friend. Any friend of his, is a friend of ours. Sorry for that remark by the way, but I wanted to see if I was right about Booker. Pack your things. I'll be here tomorrow and walk you to the stage."
"But he'll never –"
"Let me stop him?" Annie laughed softly. "I'm counting on that." She gave Lila a tight smile and left the room. She took her time going downstairs, listening for the thump of boots overhead that signaled her tail had made his move.
It was time to make hers. She made her way to the barbershop and slipped inside. He looked up. "Empire Hotel, room 21. Bring everyone who wants Booker gone. Come immediately." When she got back to the hotel, she went back to Lila's room and made the girl come with her. It was only a matter of minutes after they walked into Annie's room before a series of quiet knocks announced the arrival of her allies. She let them in with a quick glance at the clock. Just after four.
"Gentlemen, I hope to take care of a thorn in your side by the name of Claude Booker."
"Just how do you plan to do that, miss? And what's Ms. Holden got to do with this?"
"I told her I would walk her to the stage tomorrow morning. She told me Booker would stop me, would make up some excuse to throw me in jail so he could kill me while I was trying to escape."
"He wouldn't go that far."
"That's what we're here to find out. His deputy confronted Lila less than ten minutes ago. He'll make his move tonight, I don't know what he'll come up with, but he'll do it."
"And what do you want us to do?"
"We're going to sit here all night if we have to until he shows what he really is." Annie sat down on the sofa and spread her hands. "Make yourselves comfortable."
Time crawled by. After Lila told her story, the men resorted to debating politics and playing hands of poker. They stopped the poker games after she won a few hands too many for their egos.
A knock sounded on the door and she glanced at the clock. Just after six. He hadn't wasted much time. She stood and made her way through the silent men to open the door. Booker stood outside, flanked by the bartender and Clemmy. She'd never be able to say that aloud without laughing.
"Sheriff Booker. What can I do for you?"
"I want to see your gun." He had that smug smile on his face again. He'd taken the bait, he had to have taken the bait.
"Why?"
"When I'm ready. Just give me your gun, little girl." She handed it over and he sniffed the barrel. "Fresh cleaned. But it took me ten minutes to find you. You could have cleaned it twice." That smile broadened. "You're under arrest."
"On what charge?"
"First degree murder." Her spine stiffened and her fingers clenched tight on the door. Who had he killed to frame her? "You shot and killed Deputy Horn." Annie laughed before she could stop herself.
"And when was I supposed to have done that?"
"Don't try and be funny, little girl. You know when. I was crossing the street when I heard a shot. I saw you run out of my office. I went straight inside, nobody there but Horn, shot in the back."
"Wouldn't I have broken my brother and our foreman out after going to all that trouble? Are you sure it was me you saw?"
"I got two other witnesses."
"I seen you, Cartwright, plain as day," Clemmy smirked. "I'll swear to that."
"I wouldn't." She glanced at the bartender. "I suppose you saw me, too?" He cast a sideways glance at Booker and nodded.
"I seen you."
"Looks like I'm going to need a good lawyer, doesn't it?"
"You're gonna need more than that." If it was possible, that smirk widened again. "I got to Horn while he was still alive. With his last breath, he said you shot him." Annie looked from one to the other.
"A dying man's last statement and three eyewitnesses. I suppose it wouldn't do any good to say I'm not guilty?" Booker shook his head.
"Let's go."
"Can I at least get my coat?" He nodded and she stepped back, letting the door swing wide enough to let them inside the room. He froze when he saw Lila and the four men waiting inside.
"I'm sure you know the mayor of River Bend, Mr. Corker Samuels?" The mayor raised his gun. "And Councilman Purdy? Mr. Slatter. And Mr. Elmont." Her own smirk threatened to split her face. "And of course you know Ms. Holden."
He was caught, and he knew it. His throat worked; she kept one eye trained on his gun. "What are they doing here?"
"We've been talking about you, Sheriff. These gentlemen know all about you. But I had to explain to them why you'd kill those two men locked up in your jail. They were trying to help Ms. Holden escape from you. I told them I'd help her, and that you would come after me for something I didn't do."
"You're lying, she's just trying to get out of the murder of Horn! I got witnesses!"
"So do I." She cocked her head. "I didn't think even you would stoop to murder your own deputy. We've been here, together, for the last two hours. Waiting for you. I was actually expecting you sooner than this."
Booker stared at them all in stunned silence, the smug smile sliding off his face like melted butter. Annie stepped closer and plucked his gun from his hand.
"You." He glared at Lila. "If you hadn't kept trying to get away, I wouldn't have had to –" He swallowed. "You're gonna pay, too, same as me!"
"Ms. Holden has agreed to turn state's evidence." Elmont stood. "In appreciation, the court will undoubtedly treat her with leniency."
"How about me? I could use some of that leniency." Clemmy spoke up. That wasn't all he could use.
Annie fixed Booker with a thin smile. He glared between her and Lila before his head dropped. They never learned. "I told you," she said under her breath. Maybe one day somebody would finally listen, but she doubted it. "Gentlemen, I think it's time we traded out the occupants of the ex sheriff's jail, don't you?"
Joe kicked dirt on the fire. Candy led his horse over. "Ready?" Joe looked up.
"Oh, yeah. All packed and ready to go." He held out his hand. "Take it easy." Annie watched them with a look up at the sky. Why didn't the man just say what he wanted to say?
"You're welcome," she said, still looking up at the sky. "You don't have to thank me for the plan, that one is on the house, but next time, Joe, let's avoid you getting thrown in jail cells belonging to homicidal sheriffs."
"I had to keep Candy from busting out and getting himself killed. Hey, when did Pa decide he was our foreman?"
"I had to come up with something and that worked. Besides, why shouldn't he be?" She glanced over at Candy. "He's the best we've got."
"One small problem, sweetheart. I quit, remember?"
"And I just rehired you, so get on the horse and let's get this herd to the rail head before something else happens." They all laughed and swung into their saddles, riding out four abreast.
If Pa ever decided to put her in charge of a drive again, she was going to demand … well … what could she do to ensure they didn't run into trouble that didn't involve leaving her entire family behind or changing her name to something other than Cartwright?