by James, Terry
‘To the hotel.’
‘What for?’
Jake sucked in a steadying breath. ‘I’m tired. I’m hungry. And now I’m facing trouble I thought I buried three years ago.’
‘You can’t leave yet. We need to talk, make a plan.’
Jake turned and glared at him. ‘You really don’t want to be talking to me right now. Not if you want to believe all those good things you made up about me.’
The sheriff’s chair landed with a thud, but the sheriff made no move to get up. He stared at Jake, shaking his head as if he’d lost a dollar and found a dime.
‘Jake, maybe I made a mistake, but there’s been a lot of blood spilt in this town and there’ll be a lot more before this business is finished. These folks need you. That boy and his sister need you. Just sleep on it, will you? If you ain’t changed your mind by mornin’, I’ll buy you a ticket on the next train and I’ll never mention this again.’ He paused. ‘What do you say?’
Jake wanted to say the sheriff was a damn fool, but he didn’t like to insult a friend. He forced a stiff nod then strode into the street, taking a deep breath of cool afternoon air before he started walking. He’d barely taken ten paces before he heard himself being hailed.
‘Howdy, Marshal.’
Unexpectedly, the childish voice calmed his temper and his smile was genuine when he looked down at Jimmy McKendrick. The boy’s face shone with excitement as he trailed Jake towards the hotel.
‘I heard what happened. When are you goin’ to arrest Swain?’ he asked, his voice rising to a hysterical pitch.
Jimmy’s certainty soured Jake’s mood, but he tried not to let it show. After all, the boy’s assumption wasn’t surprising. ‘Not today, Jimmy. He didn’t do anything.’
‘Didn’t do anything?’ Jimmy gripped Jake’s wrist, his feet leaving the ground as he used all his weight to tug him to a stop. ‘He killed Mrs West. You were there. You have to arrest him. You have to—’
‘I’m sorry, Jimmy, I didn’t see him shoot anybody. The lady shot him.’
‘But …’ He seemed on the verge of tears, his fists pounding Jake’s thigh as lack of comprehension stalled his argument.
Gripping the boy’s shoulder, Jake held him at arm’s length. When Jimmy finally quieted, Jake softened his tone and tried reasoning with him. ‘Surely you understand I can’t arrest somebody for getting shot.’ He didn’t add that he’d like to. Swain might not have pulled the trigger, but he was paying the man who had, and in Jake’s book that amounted to the same thing. ‘Jimmy, I’m sorry.’
‘Sorry don’t bring my pa back. Sorry don’t bring Mrs West back,’ Jimmy shot back quick as a .45. Although his anger had subsided, the boy’s sullen expression hid none of his resentment and he sounded surprisingly wise for his tender years. ‘My ma always told me a man don’t need to say sorry as long as he’s doing the best he can.’
Damn! The boy aimed high and his words were right on target. Nothing the sheriff had said had touched Jake’s conscience, but seeing the disappointment etched on Jimmy’s face was like a bullet slicing between Jake’s ribs. It had the power to humble him, but stubbornly, he refused to let it sway his decision.
Jake chose the easy way out and changed the subject. ‘Did you get yourself something good to eat the way I told you?’
Jimmy frowned. ‘I had all on to prove to Miss Peggy at the café that I didn’t steal the money. When I told her it was you that gave it me, she said she was going to get you to lock me in jail if I was lying.’
It wasn’t a real answer, but Jake couldn’t help chuckling at the speed Jimmy’s priorities had shifted and he didn’t give him a chance to backtrack. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll straighten her out. Where are you off to now?’
Hanging his head, Jimmy shrugged, the perfect picture of dejection. ‘Don’t know. Thought maybe I could tag along with you for a while. I could really help, be a lookout or somethin’.’
Unease tickled the back of Jake’s neck. He liked Jimmy, but whether or not he decided to stay in Langley, there was no place in his life for a ten-year-old boy. The problem was how he could explain that in the face of unshakeable childish optimism.
Footsteps approaching and a familiar voice offered a temporary reprieve.
‘Don’t let him fool you, Marshal. He’s not as hard done by as he looks.’
Jake looked up to see Matt striding towards them. ‘It’s good to see you again.’
‘I guessed you could do with rescuing.’ Matt faked a swipe to Jimmy’s ear, an action that earned him a grin that oozed admiration and cleverly shifted the boy’s attention away from Jake. ‘Mrs Mallen at the bakery told me to send you right over there if I saw you, Jimmy. She was baking apple pies when I left. They smelt real good.’
Jimmy dodged Matt’s second attempt to ruffle his hair. ‘But me and the marshal was just going to—’
‘Oh, that can wait. Sounds as though you should run on over there,’ Jake said, winking at Matt.
‘But what about Swain?’
‘Don’t worry, Jimmy. Bad men always get what’s coming to them.’ Jake gave him a gentle shove. ‘Now, go.’
Jimmy stood his ground, but his interest in Jake had waned, and gripping Matt’s sleeve, he asked, ‘Can I come out to the Circle Double L yet and work for you?’
‘I told you, as soon as me and Mr Swain sort out our differences. Until then, you stay here and keep out of trouble. All right, Jimmy?’
Jimmy nodded, but his slumped shoulders showed he was far from happy with the arrangement when he walked away. Jake watched him go, waiting until he was out of earshot before he turned to Matt.
‘He seems like a good kid.’
‘He is. I’d take him with me now if I thought he’d be safe.’
Jake resisted the urge to ask for clarification. He already had too much information to be impartial. ‘How’s your sister.’
‘I don’t know. I left her at Doc Bailey’s. They’re old friends. If anyone can talk some sense into her, he can.’ Matt extended his hand. ‘I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I’m Matthew West. Most folks just call me Matt.’
Jake liked a man who wasn’t afraid to make the first move, and he could tell a lot from a handshake. He held it just long enough to take the measure of the young man who so far had impressed him with his level-headedness. Again, he liked what he found. The kid had a positive grip with just the right amount of confidence.
‘I have been introduced thanks to the sheriff. Jake or Rudd will do just fine, whichever suits you.’
Their stares locked and Jake realized he wasn’t the only one making a judgement.
‘Well, it’s been a long day, Marshal, I better get going.’
‘Give your sister my regards. Maybe you could tell her I need to talk with her when she’s feeling up to it.’
Matt frowned. ‘You’re not going to arrest her, are you?’
Jake almost laughed until he realized the kid was serious. ‘No. It’s personal.’
It was easy to read an honest man, and Matt was an honest man, Jake decided, as he watched his reaction. First, there was relief. Next, there was a slight frown and a narrowing of the eyes. Finally, there was the deliberate look of indifference.
‘We’re going back to the ranch. I can’t speak for Ros but I don’t imagine she’ll be coming back to town anytime soon. She never did like Langley after what happened.’ The last remark was more of a mumbled aside, a slip of the tongue. His attempt to cover it was loud and clumsy. ‘You’re welcome to ride out to the L. It wouldn’t hurt for you to see what all the fighting’s about.’
An awkward silence separated them as a dozen questions filled Jake’s head. There was no doubt in his mind that he would accept the invitation. It wouldn’t have made any difference whether he had one or not, but what he really wanted to know was more about Ros’s brother. The bond between the pair was clearly strong, if awkward. So why hadn’t Jake ever heard about him? And what about the rest of the family?
‘Maybe I’ll do that,’ he said, coolly.
‘You should. My wife enjoys company.’ Matt touched the brim of his Derby and continued into the hotel.
Jake watched him leave, noting his easy gait and the quiet confidence that contradicted his youthfulness. And a wife? That was a surprise. The more he saw of him, the more he liked Ros’s brother, and the easier it became to take sides. As he continued to the hotel, Jake couldn’t help wondering what kind of handshake Emmett Swain would have after all this time.
CHAPTER 10
After a satisfactory meal in the hotel dining room, a cigar at the bar, and a whiskey he didn’t touch, Jake said good night early. Back in his room, he sat on the narrow bed and removed his boots before lying down. Sleeping in his clothes was a habit, something he did when he wasn’t sure what his next move would be. Tonight, that realization bothered him more than usual.
With his hat tipped across his eyes, he wedged his elbow behind his head and tried to relax. It only took a minute for the spent mattress to convince him he was on a road to nowhere. Even worse, although sleep weighed heavy on his body, his mind refused to let go of recent events. He’d already replayed each of them at least a dozen times throughout the night, weighing every detail. Still he hadn’t reached a conclusion and it annoyed the hell out of him.
Why was he making it so hard on himself when he already knew the answer? When he saw Ros pop out of the crowd, he’d known this was where he belonged. The only thing wrong with this particular scenario was an old enemy with a band of mercenaries, a ten-year-old boy looking for revenge, and the lady in question trying her damnedest to get killed. Not to mention Matt, who deserved help just because he didn’t ask for any.
Hell, a man could go insane! But right now, he didn’t have time with someone banging on his door hard enough to loosen the panels.
‘Mr Rudd. Marshal, let me in.’
Jimmy?
Jake pushed his hat away from his face and slid his gun into its holster.
‘Please. Hurry. Marshal, let me in.’
Out of habit, Jake kicked his feet into his boots before unlocking the door. He barely had time to open it before Jimmy flew into his arms.
‘They’re coming for you, Marshal,’ he blurted out. ‘They’re coming to kill you.’
‘Easy, Jimmy. Who? Who’s coming?’
Jimmy gulped, trying to speak as he struggled to catch his breath. ‘I heard them. They’re coming for you and the lady.’
‘Who, Jimmy? Slow down and tell—’
Glass shattered, a volley of bullets thudding into the wall opposite the window as Jake dived for cover. He shielded Jimmy with his body, waiting a few seconds after the shots stopped before crawling to the sill and peeking out. Nothing but darkness greeted him. He was starting to hate this room.
‘Jimmy, I want you to go home. Don’t come near me again. It’s not safe.’
As he turned, his toe slipped in a pool of blood, bringing him to his knees on the floor where Jimmy lay face down, unconscious, at least Jake hoped he was as he checked his wrist for a pulse. With his own heartbeat racing, it was difficult to find the boy’s, and when he did, it was weak. He turned him over, close to panic at the sight of a gash that started near his right eye, streaked across his temple and then nicked the top of his ear.
‘Jimmy can you hear me.’
He sensed movement behind him in the hallway. ‘Are you all right, Marshal?’ It was a woman he’d seen in the restaurant.
Jake folded Jimmy’s twisted arm across his chest then cradled his head in the crook of his elbow as he lifted his limp body. ‘Where’s the doc’s office?’
The woman’s mouth moved but no sound came out as she clutched her collar to her throat. Impatiently, Jake pushed past her and bolted down the stairs two at a time. As he reached the last step, a door off the lower hallway opened and a man emerged tucking in his shirt-tails as he careened into the light.
‘Matt? I thought you left hours ago.’
‘Doc wanted Ros to rest up a while, so we decided to stay.’ Matt turned slightly, wrapping his arm around the woman who waddled out beside him. ‘This is my wife, Ava. Ava, this is Marshal Rudd.’
She was at least a head shorter than Matt, sunshine pretty, and almost as round as she was tall. Beneath a mass of blonde hair that cascaded to her waist, her pregnancy preceded her as she shuffled to meet Jake. He glimpsed large blue eyes before she fixed her attention on Jimmy.
‘What happened?’
‘He came to warn me, got caught up in the crossfire.’ He looked over Ava’s head as a new thought occurred to him. ‘Matt, where’s your sister?’
Ros woke with a start, unnerved by the sound of distant gunshots. Overhead, floorboards creaked as Tom left his bed, and getting stiffly out of her chair in the surgery, Ros stumbled through the darkness to meet him.
Before she reached the hallway, heavy footfalls thundered down the stairs and in a couple of long strides, a red-haired man she didn’t recognize closed in on her. She reached for her gun too late as he punched out, knocking her backwards and sending the weapon skittering through the darkness. Scurrying backwards, she tried to avoid his hand, but he was too quick and dragged her up and off the floor in a frenzy of kicking and cursing.
Adjusting his grip to her throat, he shook her hard. ‘Settle down, lady. I didn’t come to kill you but don’t think I ain’t up for the idea.’
His fingers dug into her windpipe and she gave up the fight, knowing she couldn’t win.
‘Not so tough now are you, little lady?’ he whispered against her ear. ‘It must have felt really good standing up to Radley, all the while knowing the marshal was there to back you up. I heard you and him were quite a handful. You remember Shorty and Barclay and Sulley, don’t you?’
He dropped her and she stumbled, rubbing her neck. ‘What do you want?’
‘I want to kill you, the way you killed Shorty with a bullet in the gut, but I’m not going to just yet.’ He grabbed a handful of her shirt and yanked her towards the door. ‘Mr Swain’s got some business he wants to discuss with you first, but when he’s finished, you’re all mine.’
Panic fortified her with the strength to lash out. He hadn’t been expecting it and she broke away, careering along the hallway before he caught her and flung her against the wall.
‘You won’t get away with this.’
‘Who’s going to stop me? The marshal?’ He laughed, back-handing her around the head. ‘You heard the gunshots, didn’t you?’
‘The door’s been forced,’ Matt said, pushing the broken lock into place. ‘Ros!’
‘Matt, wait!’
Jake followed with the boy cradled in his arms and Ava jostling for a position at his elbow. Luckily, it was Tom who stumbled down the stairs to meet them. He leaned against the stair-rail mopping his brow as he peered at Jimmy. The boy’s complexion contrasted sharply with the blood plastered in his hair and the developing bruise accentuating a lump on his forehead the size of an egg. He didn’t move or make a sound to show he was alive.
‘Bring him in and lay him on the table,’ the doc said, shoving past Ava who was already lighting a lamp. ‘Let me get a look at him.’
Jake placed Jimmy in the treatment room. Tom staggered as he leaned over, patting his brow one last time before throwing down the towel and making a close inspection of Jimmy’s visible wounds.
‘Where’s Ros?’ Matt asked.
‘Clay Carson took her.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yep. He woke me up and made sure I knew it was him before he knocked me out.’
Matt started for the door, but Jake intercepted him. ‘Where are you going?’
‘The Crystal Slipper. Carson works for Swain so you can bet that’s where he’s taken her.’
Rudd shuffled a couple of inches, but his fingers remained locked on Matt’s forearm. ‘Just wait a minute.’ His gaze spun to the doc and Ava. ‘Is Jimmy gonna be all right, Doc?’
‘It’s difficult
to say. Any wound to the head is serious,’ the doc said, methodically cleaning the blood away. ‘There’s no blood in his ears so I have to assume there are no fractures. I need to take a good look at him, but we can hope.’
‘Good, but before you do anything else, you need to barricade the door.’
The doc looked up, obviously confused.
‘Whatever happens, I don’t want you to let anyone in, and if anybody comes asking about the boy, don’t tell them a thing.’ He headed out.
‘Matt,’ Ava said quietly, as she methodically rolled up her sleeves.
The kid was already moving towards the hallway, but he stopped on a dime. She met his worried look with a steady, confident one of her own.
‘Be careful.’
Matt let out his breath. ‘Tom, do you still have that old shotgun?’
‘It’s by the front door.’
Matt collected it on the way out. ‘Marshal, wait up!’
Jake half turned as he strode purposefully towards the saloon. ‘You know this is a bad idea, don’t you, kid?’
Matt fell in beside him. ‘What choice do we have?’
Jake stopped beneath a lantern, no doubt hung out to guide a wayward husband home. Facing Matt in the flickering yellow haze, he looked him in the eye.
‘Tell me, Matt, do you think marching into the Crystal Slipper is the right way to do this?’
‘Hell if I know.’
Jake was impressed with the kid’s honesty. It was the kind of answer he’d expected.
‘So why are we?’
A sigh plumed white in the air. ‘My sister’s in there for one and I’m not about to sit around while Swain and his band of mercenaries do God-only-knows what to her.’ Matt clasped the shotgun in both hands, raising it between him and Jake. ‘This has been the law here for a while now. I think you knew that well before Jimmy got shot. I’m not saying it’s right, but that’s how it is.’