by C. J. Petit
“I knew. I saw that he had the pistol on Rachel. I knew if I shot him, his reflex would cause that Colt to go off. I couldn’t risk that. So, I aimed where I thought he’d be when he turned. As soon as I said what I did and saw him turn, I fired.”
Rachel walked up to him. “You were willing to take a bullet for me?”
“Just a risk, Rachel. I figured he wasn’t going to get that pistol all the way around. He did, but I was lucky. That dirt was so bad, he was lucky the damned gun didn’t explode in his hand. Of course, that would have been bad for everybody if it had. But the bullet was so messed up comin’ out of the barrel, it wasn’t even close. I wonder where it hit.”
Rachel and Eli kept looking at Gus in a mixture of awe and appreciation for what he had done. Gus found where the bullet had gone. It had hit four inches to the right of where Gus had stood.
“I’m going to go and bring Lou into town to the sheriff and tell him what happened. If I’m not back in two hours, then I’d imagine he’s arrested me.”
“Why would he do that, Gus?” asked Rachel.
“Because he works for us,” answered Eli.
“Yep.”
Gus turned to get Lou off the porch. He put the revolver in his waistband and then threw Lou over his shoulder and walked around the house to his horse. He tossed the body over the saddle and led the horse to the barn. He found some pigging strings and tied it down. He saddled Belle and put a trail rope around Lou’s horse. Gus wondered what had become of Lou’s strawberry roan. The last thing he did was go through Lou’s pockets. He found thirty-eight dollars. He stuffed it in his pocket.
He started the horses off at a brisk walk.
He rode in deep thought, realizing how close he had been to death. He had been able to see the bore of Lou’s Colt as it fired. He knew he should have died. Finally, after a little while, he stopped in front of the sheriff’s office. The sun was low on the horizon.
Gus stepped up onto the boardwalk and opened the door.
Sheriff Zeke Emory was behind the desk scratching on some paper.
“Sheriff, I have a dead body outside.”
Zeke looked up.
“You killed somebody?”
“Yes, sir. He snuck into the Aronson home and pulled a gun. Was looking for some gold that ain’t there. He had the Aronsons under a cocked pistol when I come up on him. I called out to him, and he turned. We both fired. He missed. I didn’t.”
“Who is he?”
“Louis Feldman.”
“Where is he?”
“Outside. I don’t know where he got the horse, though.”
The sheriff stood and walked outside, looking at the body. He wasn’t sure that it was Louis Feldman. He had never seen the man.
He stepped down and yanked up the head like he knew who it was.
“I don’t know who he is. I’m gonna have to hold you till someone identifies him.”
“Hell, I identified him. But don’t it matter that he was holdin’ a gun on unarmed folks ready to fire?”
“That’s just your story.”
“Sheriff, you’re startin’ to rile me somethin’ fierce,” bristled Gus.
“You threatening an officer of the law?”
“You don’t qualify, Zeke. An officer of the law enforces the law for all folks. You ain’t doin’ that.”
“Take off that Colt, mister.”
Gus knew better than to push it. He unbuckled his gun belt and handed it to the sheriff.
“Tell me, mister. What’s it like working for them Jews? What are you doing there besides working? Are you diddling the wife to see if it feels different?”
That was too far for Gus. He closed his right fist and let the sheriff have a massive haymaker. The sheriff never knew what hit him. He collapsed to the floor. Gus just walked back and put himself in the cell.
____
Out at the Star A, the four members of the posse had just finished talking to the Aronsons.
The sheriff said, “We’re going to head into town, then, and talk to Gus Matthews.”
They left the house and were on the road in three minutes.
The sheriff was coming around. He was wobbly. His jaw was killing him, and he had to spit out two teeth.
“What the hell happened?” he demanded.
Gus replied from the cell, “You put me in the cell, then you walked over there and caught your boot on something and fell headfirst into the desk. You took two kinda-swirly steps and fell down.”
The sheriff wasn’t sure. He sat down, confused and hurting. Gus was smirking.
Five minutes later, the door opened.
Gus noticed the badge.
“Zeke, what kind of idiot are you?” the new lawman asked.
“What do you mean comin’ in here and callin’ me that?”
“Any man who did what you did is an idiot. That man hung over the saddle shot up our savings and loan yesterday, murdered a man at another savings and loan, and shot another man after he raped a young girl just outside of your town. And you arrest the man that shot him? The bastard draped over that horse was shot between the eyes, not in the back. There’s even a seven-hundred-fifty-dollar reward on him, dead or alive. Hell, if he had been shot in the back, it still would have been okay. Now, you’d better release that man. And another thing, I’m going to make it known real loud what you did. You’d better not count on winning the next election.”
Zeke got up, still a bit dizzy. He stumbled over to the cell and had problems getting the key in the hole.
“You drunk, too?” asked the county sheriff.
“No. I fell and hit my jaw on the desk. At least that what he says.”
Gus looked at the county sheriff with innocent eyes and the sheriff smirked.
The key was finally inserted, and Gus left the cell and picked up his gun belt.
The county sheriff shook his hand.
“I’m County Sheriff Rich Gannon. You did a good job there, Gus. The Aronsons told us. I’ll have that reward for you up in Hendrick in a couple days. Did you want to come and pick it up?”
“I’ll be there in two days. Will that be okay?”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’re kind of worn out after that trip. We’ll get something to eat at the café and head back. We’ll take the body with us. It’s sitting on a horse that belongs to a very irate citizen. He’ll appreciate getting it back. It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Gus.” He tipped his hat and then left to join the posse and take Lou’s body, and more important, the stolen horse, back to Hendrick.
Gus started out the door and turned to the deflated sheriff, “Have a pleasant evening, Sheriff.”
He was grinning as he mounted Belle. He turned her west, rather than east, then started off at a quick trot. Ten minutes later, he stepped down at the farmhouse. There were lights on.
He walked up to the door and knocked. Ethyl opened the door, which surprised Gus.
“Hello, Ethyl, you probably don’t remember me.”
“I remember you. You’re Gus. You came and saved me and Mama. Come in.”
Emma came walking down the hallway and saw them.
“Gus, welcome back. Need more chickens so soon?”
“No, Emma. Two things. One, I just dropped off Lou Feldman’s body with the sheriff with a bullet hole between his eyes. Second, I went through his pockets and found this.”
He handed her the thirty-eight dollars.
“But he only stole twelve dollars.”
“He took everything you had, so it’s only fair that you get everything he had.”
She hugged Gus.
“Thank you for everything.”
“You take care, Emma. I’ve got to hurry back. Rachel is making chicken.”
She laughed as Gus smiled at her before turning around and heading out the door.
Gus climbed aboard Belle and headed back to the ranch.
He reached the house forty minutes later. He unsaddled and brushed the horses down and went inside.
Rachel greeted him with a hug.
“I delayed dinner just a bit. The chicken looks good.”
“Sure smells good. I’m gonna wash up.
He left to go to the washroom.
Gus and Eli sat for their first chicken dinner.
As they were eating, Rachel asked, “Gus, what happened at the sheriff’s?”
Gus looked at her and said, “The idiot arrested me for killing Lou. Said he needed someone to make sure he was who he said he was.”
“He arrested you? For doing what you had to do, and even after you told him what happened?”
“Yep. Then he made some comment that kinda rubbed me wrong, so I walloped him.”
“You hit him?”
“Uh-huh. Right on his fat mouth.”
“Wasn’t he mad?”
“He was out for a while and lost some teeth, too. When he woke up, I was in the cell and he got the idea that he just fell and conked his jaw on the desk.”
“He arrested you because you worked for us, didn’t he?” asked Eli.
“Yes, sir. That was my impression after he said some things.”
“The things that made you mad enough to knock him out were about us, too,” said Rachel.
“Yes, ma’am. They were pretty bad. He was lucky he already had my revolver.”
“Well, thank you, Gus.”
“The good part was when the county sheriff showed up and chewed his ass. He told him to let me out of the jail on the double and said that he’d take Lou back. Turns out, they had put a reward out for him. I’ll be gettin’ seven hundred fifty dollars for putting that bastard where he belonged.”
“Then some good did come out of it after all.”
“It was a hell of a cost to pay, though.”
“It was,” agreed Rachel.
They finally focused their attention on their first dinner made with Star A chicken.
Chapter 7
The next morning, around nine, Joe Miles was getting ready to put his plan into action. First, he had to talk to Libby.
He summoned her to his office. Libby was wondering why he wanted to talk to her. He avoided her when it was at all possible. The only time he had talked to her in the past few months was that botched attempt to get Gus away from the ranch. The ranch was already abuzz about how Gus had shot Louis Feldman between the eyes as he had tried to threaten the Aronson family. It was a big event, and news like that travels faster than the telegraph.
She wished she could see Gus again and wondered if the call to Joe’s office had something to do with that. It did, but not as she suspected.
“Libby, come in, please.” Joe smiled at her. Libby knew something was up.
“How are you today, Libby?”
“Fine.”
“I’m sure you heard the news about the shooting last evening at the Star A.”
“Yes, everyone has.”
“Well, as it turns out, that Gus character, the one I asked you to talk to? He was the one that did it. Now, I don’t know why, but he must have been somewhat smitten by you when he visited the other day. He ran into Hank this morning over in our northeast corner and was asking about you. Now, I know he isn’t going to work for us, but I think the fact that he’s rather fond of you might help to calm the stormy seas between our outfits. He told Hank that he’d be back late this afternoon to work their northwest corner again and that he’d be alone. That suggests to me that he wants to meet you again. If you’d rather not go, I understand. But if you do, it may be a good thing for both ranches.”
So, Joe wanted her to go to the northeast corner this afternoon. She knew that the story about Hank was a setup, but what was he planning on doing?
“All right, Joe. I may go over there to meet Gus. He’s quite a man, you know. When I first met him, I knew right away that he was all man but was still thoughtful and kind.”
“Sounds like you’re smitten, too, Libby. Well, you decide. He’ll be waiting, I’m sure.”
She smiled and stood. “Thank you, Joe.”
“My pleasure, Libby.”
She turned and left quickly.
Joe knew she’d go. That stupid woman would believe anything he said. Plus, it seemed she was infatuated with that cowboy. What a joke! The man must be ten years older than Libby and was crude and not good-looking at all. But there was no accounting for taste.
Libby hustled upstairs to her room and put on her riding outfit. She trotted downstairs and avoided any contact with Joe. She wondered where her charge, Mary, was.
She left the house and walked to the barn. She saddled her black mare and set off in search of Hank Anderson. She found him in the northwest pasture, moving some cattle to the southwest pasture.
She trotted up to Hank.
“Good morning, Hank. Could I talk to you for a moment?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Hank always had a soft spot for Miss Libby, as did all the hands, and not just because she was a fine-looking lady.
“Were you over in the northeast pasture this morning?”
“No, ma’am. Just this one.”
“I didn’t think so. Hank, what is going on with the Star A?”
“I don’t rightly know, Miss Libby.”
“Anything else odd going on?”
“Just one thing, ma’am. Word is that the cookie’s been making some torches. Don’t know why, though.”
“That’s all right. You’re a good hand, Hank.”
Hank grinned. “Why, thank you, Miss Libby.”
She smiled at him and wheeled her horse back toward the house. She passed the house and kept riding down the access road. She turned south and headed for the Star A.
On the Star A, Gus was finalizing the chicken coop. He had just about finished when he heard hooves in the distance. He stepped out from behind the barn with his Colt on but the hammer loop in place. He saw it was a woman rider.
He walked to the rider, and Gus recognized Libby Miles.
“Good morning, Libby. Why the visit?”
“Gus, I need to talk to you and get back fast.”
“Go ahead.”
“Gus, Joe is making up stories again. He told me that Hank had seen you up by the northeast pasture, and you told him that you wanted to see me late this afternoon in the northeast corner. Now, I asked Hank if he had even been there, and he hadn’t. But then when I asked him about anything else going on, he told me that the cook is preparing torches.”
Gus instantly saw what Libby understood was going to happen.
“Thank you, Libby. You go back and stay in your room. Don’t let Joe do anything to hurt you.”
“No, I can’t do that. I don’t think he’ll hurt me. But I am going to head over to the northeast corner late this afternoon just to see what he’s planning.”
“Don’t do that, Libby. You can’t trust him.”
“I’ll be all right. You take care.”
“You, too, Libby.”
“Different circumstances, Gus.”
“Different circumstances, Libby.”
She wheeled her horse around and set off.
Rachel and Eli had heard the horse and watched Libby talking to Gus. After she had gone, Gus turned to the house and saw them on the porch. He stepped over to the front of the house.
“Did you hear any of that?”
“Just parts.”
“She said that the cook is makin’ torches. Sounds like he’s goin’ to try to burn you out.”
“Do you think he’ll really do that?”
“I do. She also said that Joe wants her to go to the northeast corner of their property late this afternoon. He told her that I wanted to meet her there. We need to get ready.”
“Are you going to go up to the northwest corner this afternoon?”
“I think I’d better. Despite what Libby said, I think she’s in a bad place. I don’t think Joe would care a hoot what happens to her.”
“She is very pretty, Gus.”
“Yes, she is. She’s a good pe
rson, Eli. Just like a lot of folks, she’s stuck in a bad spot. I gotta help her just like I gotta help you. Good folks need all the help they can get.”