Vengeance Creek

by Robert J. Randisi

  On top of that, his wound had started bleeding and he’d had to rewrap it. The doctor had warned him about infection, but he saw—and smelled—no evidence of any when he washed it and rebandaged it.

  Shaye didn’t like being unsure. He prided himself on remaining in control. But ever since the deaths of Mary and Matthew, he felt less and less in control.

  As he saw it, he had two choices. He could either go back, or he could go forward, pushing himself at a faster pace. The trail was leading northeast, so what if he simply continued in that direction and didn’t worry about reading sign? He was bound to come to a town where someone—either the hunted or the hunters—had stopped. He could even telegraph Vengeance Creek himself and see if his sons had sent him any messages.

  He finished his meal and had another cup of coffee before turning in. He’d break camp at first light and get back on the trail. He’d push hard and hope that his wound would not slow him down or worsen. Finding his sons alive and well was worth any risk.

  55

  James decided on a cold breakfast, had Colon saddle all three horses quickly. They rode hard for most of the morning, but at one point, as the sun approached its zenith, James looked behind him and knew he saw something.

  “Wait!” he said.

  He reined in his horse and turned. The other two went on ahead a few yards, then came back.

  “What is it?” Cory asked.

  “This time I did see something.”

  Cory and Colon looked off into the distance but saw nothing.

  “James,” Cory said, “you’re just seein’—”

  “No,” James said, “this time I’m right.”

  The terrain behind them was uneven, could have been hiding a rider from them. All three men continued to stare, and then James cried out, “There! See?”

  “Berto?” Cory asked.

  “I see it,” Colon said. “A rider.”

  “It’s Thomas!”

  They continued to watch, and finally the rider came into full view. He was on a different horse, but it was Thomas.

  “Yes,” Cory said, slapping James on the back, “it’s Thomas.”

  The three of them were dismounted by the time Thomas caught up to them. He swung down from his mount, approached his brother and stopped just short of hugging him.

  “James.”

  “Thomas. It’s about time you caught up.”

  “Actually,” Cory said, “I think you made pretty good time.”

  “Fresh mount,” Thomas said. “Back in Blue Mesa.”

  “Jesus,” James said, “did you have to deal with that Scotsman? McShane?”

  “Yeah,” Thomas said, “but the sheriff helped me a bit.”

  “What happened with the Double W rancher?” Colon asked.

  “Yeah,” James said, “I forgot about that.”

  “Let’s mount up and keep movin’,” Thomas said. “I’ll tell you about that, and about what I found out in Blue Mesa.”

  “From Davis?” James asked.

  “Yes.”

  “He wasn’t talkin’ when we left,” Colon said.

  “I knew Thomas would get somethin’ out of him,” James said. “I knew it.”

  “Come on, little brother,” Thomas said. “Let’s keep movin’.”

  James, Colon, and Cory listened intently while Thomas told them of his conversations with Wendy Williams and Sean Davis.

  “Well, too bad about the rancher,” Cory said, “but did you believe Davis?”

  “I did.”

  “Why?”

  Thomas hesitated, then said, “Let’s just say he wasn’t in a position to lie to me.”

  “So if Cardwell and Jacks are going where Davis thinks they are, what should we do?” James asked.

  “I don’t know this area,” Thomas said. He looked at Cory and Colon. “What about you two? Is there some way we could get there ahead of them?”

  Cory and Colon exchanged a look, and then Colon shrugged and said, “I do not know.”

  “Ralph?”

  “There might be,” Cory said, “but if we do that and Davis is wrong, we’ll lose them.”

  “I know that.”

  “So whose call is it gonna be?” Cory asked. “It’s got to be one of you two.”

  “Let’s give it some thought,” Thomas said. “We can talk about it again when we make camp.”

  “Sounds good to me,” James said.

  Thomas looked at Cory and Colon.

  “Fine by me.”

  “Muy bien,” Colon said. “I also agree.”

  “Okay then,” Thomas said, “why don’t you fellas tell me what you’ve been up to, then….”

  They brought Thomas up to date on what had happened since they split up. Among the things they mentioned was Sheriff Gibney thinking he had recognized “Ralph Cory.”

  “Yeah, he mentioned that to me too,” Thomas said.

  “Doesn’t matter, really,” Cory said. “I mean, it’s not like I’m wanted or anything like that.”

  “Maybe not,” James said, “but you don’t really want people to know who you are either.”

  “No,” Cory said, “but hey…there are other names, other places.”

  “No reason you can’t go back to Vengeance Creek when this is all over,” Thomas said.

  “Maybe not,” Cory said. “What about you fellas?”

  “What about us?” James asked.

  “You goin’ back?”

  “Sure,” James said, “why not?”

  Cory looked at Thomas, who looked away.

  “Just a thought,” Cory said. “I thought maybe you were havin’ second thoughts.”

  “About what?”

  “The law.”

  James laughed. “What else would we do?” He looked at Thomas for support, but found none there. “Thomas?”

  “There are other things, James.”

  “What?” James said. “You’re thinkin’ about…givin’ up the law?”

  “Right now,” Thomas said, “I’m thinkin’ about gettin’ this job done. Anything else can wait until we get back.”

  James looked as if wanted to say more, but in the end he simply fell silent.

  Rigoberto Colon had observed the conversation between the other three but had stayed out of it. He had his own demons to deal with, which none of these men would understand. Dan Shaye had given him a reason to crawl out of the bottle. Now he had to decide whether he would crawl back in when this was all over. He had to admit that giving up the whiskey had not been as hard as he’d thought it would. Perhaps there had never really been a need for it at all.

  They all rode in silence, alone with their own thoughts, until night began to fall and they made camp.

  56

  They went back to standing watches as they had since leaving Vengeance Creek, which meant Thomas went last. Toward daybreak he heard something snap behind him, turned to find James approaching.

  “Hey,” Thomas said, “it’s early to be up. You’ve got about another hour.”

  “Couldn’t sleep anymore,” James said. “I’ll make a fresh pot of coffee.”

  Thomas watched his brother prepare the coffee and still couldn’t understand why it tasted different from his.

  The night before, the four of them had discussed what they should do the next day. Cory was for continuing to track Cardwell and Jacks. After all, that was why he had been brought in. Colon was content to go along with whatever decision the others made. It was James who suggested that they should split up, two finding a shortcut and two continuing to track the bank robbers.

  “That way we’re covered no matter what happens.”

  “And once we get there,” Cory had asked, “I mean, the two who go ahead, how long do we wait before we decide Davis was wrong and the other two aren’t comin’?”

  “All I’m sayin’,” James answered, “is that we take the chance. Look, they’re bound to have other guns waitin’ for them. If we get there first—”

  “And if they d
on’t get there at all?” Cory interrupted. “The two of us who are still trackin’ will be left high and dry.”

  “Okay,” Thomas said. “Why don’t we sleep on it and make our decision in the mornin’?”

  “And who makes the decision then?” Cory asked, as he had that afternoon.

  “James and I do,” Thomas said. “We’re wearing the badges.”

  “And why are Colon and I even talkin’?”

  “We take your input into account, Ralph,” Thomas had said.

  “Right.”

  Cory looked at Colon. “You don’t have much to say, Berto.”

  “What is there to say, amigo?” Colon replied with a shrug. “Thomas is right, they are wearing the badges. I am happy to sleep and wake to their decision.”

  “Fine,” Cory said, “that’s what we’ll do, then.”

  Colon had looked at Thomas and James and said, “I just hope you make the right decision, Jefes.”

  Now, James handed Thomas a fresh cup of coffee, then poured one for himself and sat next to his brother.

  “I think we should do what you said, James,” Thomas said.

  “What?”

  “Split up. Two go ahead, and two keep trackin’.”

  “What made you decide that?”

  Thomas shrugged. “It’s as good an idea as any. If it works, we can cut them off before they join up with more men. If we have to face ten or twelve guns, we’re gonna be way too outnumbered.”

  “And if they’re not headed where Davis thinks?”

  “Then we made a mistake,” Thomas said, “and we’ll have to live with it.”

  “We’ll have to go home, tell Pa we failed,” James said.

  “Are you worried about Pa, or the mayor?”

  “I’m not worried about the mayor,” James said, “but I don’t want Nancy’s killer to get away.”

  “Neither do I, James.”

  “If we just stay on their trail, we should run them down eventually.”

  “Tryin’ to get ahead of them was your idea.”

  “I know,” James said, “but I’m havin’ second thoughts.”

  “Then I have an idea.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’ll go ahead, and you stay on their trail.”

  “How are you gonna find a shortcut?”

  “I’ll take Cory with me. He’s got the experience.”

  “And how are we supposed to continue to track them without him?” James asked.

  “Berto can do it,” Thomas said. “I think this is the best way to go, James. Cory and I go on ahead, you and Berto keep trackin’.”

  James stared at his brother for a few moments, then held his coffee cup out. “Agreed.”

  Thomas clinked his cup with his brother’s and said, “Agreed.”

  “Now,” James said, “let’s talk about this business of you givin’ up your badge.”

  “No.”

  “What? Thomas—”

  “No, James,” Thomas said. “That’s somethin’ to talk about when we get back, with Pa. Not now.”

  “Aw, Thomas—”

  Thomas tossed the remains of his coffee into the fire and said, “I’m gonna wake the others.”

  He got up and walked away from the fire.

  Over coffee and bacon Thomas told Cory and Colon what he and James had decided.

  “We don’t get a say?” Cory asked.

  “It’s like you yourself have said before, Ralph,” Thomas said. “James and I are wearin’ the badges.”

  “I just meant,” Cory said, “Berto and I don’t get any say about who goes with you and who goes with James.”

  “No,” Thomas said. “You know the area, Ralph. You’re the one who can take me to the shortcut.”

  “It may be a shortcut, but it won’t be easy,” Cory warned.

  “What is?” Thomas asked.

  After breakfast they each saddled their own mounts. They split what supplies they had, but James and Colon kept the coffee, and the only coffeepot.

  Thomas and James faced each other.

  “Splittin’ up again,” James said.

  “It’s gettin’ to be a habit,” Thomas replied. “With any luck, though, we’ll see each other soon.”

  The two brothers shook hands and mounted up. James joined Colon, and they continued to follow the trail being left by Cardwell and Jacks.

  “Okay,” Thomas said to Cory, “which way?”

  57

  “Why are we stopping in Trinidad?” Jacks asked.

  “We’re pickin’ someone up.”

  “I thought all the men were gonna be waitin’ for us when we get there?”

  “Not this one,” Cardwell said. “This one’s a special case.”

  “What’s so special?”

  Cardwell looked over at Jacks. “It’s Durant.”

  Jacks immediately reined his horse in. Cardwell went on a few feet before he stopped his horse and turned it.

  “Simon—”

  “I won’t work with Bart Durant,” Jacks said.

  “Jacks—”

  “And you know he won’t work with me,” the other man went on. “How did you get him to agree—Oh, wait a minute. He doesn’t know about me, does he?”

  “No.”

  “He’s not gonna go for this, Ben,” Jacks said, “any more than I will. You know that.”

  “I think you both will,” Cardwell said, “or you’re both off of this job.”

  “Off the job?” Jacks repeated. “I don’t even know what the job is.”

  “And neither does Durant,” Cardwell said. “But when I tell you, you’ll both agree to it.”

  “Not if it means workin’ together, we won’t.”

  “You wanna bet?”

  Jacks hesitated, then asked, “How much?”

  “Your end of the Vengeance Creek take against mine.”

  Jacks hesitated before saying, “You’re that sure?”

  “I’m that sure.”

  Jacks leaned back in his saddle, the leather creaking beneath him. If Cardwell was so sure, he didn’t think he wanted to risk his end of the take to go against him.

  “Okay…”

  “It’s a bet?”

  “No bet,” Jacks said, “but I’ll listen. But I’ll be shocked if you get Durant to listen.”

  “I won’t be,” Cardwell said.

  “Why not?”

  Cardwell turned his horse and said, “Because you listened, and I thought you were gonna be the hard one.”

  “Berto?”

  “Sir?”

  “You never seem to have any definite opinions about what we’re doin’. Why is that?”

  “Señor Shaye asked me to go along and help you and your brother,” Colon explained. “That is what I am doing.”

  “Did you think this was a good idea?” James asked. “Splitting up like this?”

  “It was your idea, no?”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “And you are having the second thoughts about it?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  Colon thought a moment, then shrugged. “It is as good an idea as any.”

  “That’s what Thomas said.”

  “It will be like most ideas, I think.”

  “And how’s that?”

  “If it works, it will be a good idea,” the Mexican said. “If it does not, it will be a bad one.”

  58

  “Over the mountains?” Thomas asked. “That’s your big shortcut?”

  “It’s the most direct route,” Cory said. “If the horses are up to it, it’ll get us there first.”

  “And if they’re not?”

  “One of us might end up stranded without a mount.”

  They were standing with their reins in their hands, staring up at the mountains.

  “Are you sure about this?”

  “Hey,” Cory said, “you’re the one who asked for the shortcut.” He gestured to the mountain. “That’s it.”

  “Maybe you should have told
me this before we split from the others.”

  “And you would have changed your mind?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Well, you can change it now, Thomas,” Cory said. “I’m sure we can catch up to James and Berto.”

  Thomas thought a moment, then said, “No.”

  “So we’ll go on?”

  “Yeah, why not?” Thomas asked. “You’ve made this ride before, haven’t you?”

  “Well…”

  Thomas looked at him. “You have, haven’t you?”

  “Well, I have….”

  “You want to explain that?”

  “A few years ago I made the ride with, uh, two other men, but…uh, they didn’t make it.”

  “What’s so hard?” Thomas asked. “It’s a mountain.”

  “It’s not a clear path,” Cory said. “And it’s cold at the top…snowy.”

  “Are you tryin’ to talk me out of this, Ralph?”

  “No, Thomas,” Cory said, “I’m just tellin’ you it’s not going to be easy.”

  “Okay,” Thomas said. “I understand that. I’ve got it. Not gonna be easy. Right.”

  “Let’s get mounted up, then,” Cory said. “We have to get to a certain point and camp, so that when we do make it to the top, it’s early in the day, not late.”

  “And how many days will it take?”

  “That depends on conditions,” Cory said. “We got an early start this morning, but by the time we get to the base of the mountain, it will be late. We’ll have to camp there, camp again halfway up—”

  “Okay, never mind,” Thomas said. “Let’s just get started.”

  It took them two days to get to the base of the mountain and camp.

  “Why don’t we start up? We’ve got plenty of daylight ahead of us,” Thomas said.

  “It’s too late in the day,” Cory told him. “We’ll camp here and start up at first light.”

  Thomas looked up. From his vantage point, the mountain didn’t look that steep.

  “Don’t let it fool you, Thomas,” Cory said. “It’s gonna look a lot steeper when you’re lookin’ down.”

  Thomas had noticed a week ago that Cory’s speech pattern was changing. He no longer sounded like “Ralph Cory,” the owner of a store in Vengeance Creek. His speech had become more western, and he sounded more like himself and James now.

  “What?” Cory asked as they unsaddled their horses.