"Yeah, he was…" Jim frowned.
"What's the matter?" Smitty grimaced.
"I don't know yet. But if I had my guess, he don't seem all together there…if you know what I mean."
"Maybe we should ask around about him." Smitty said.
"Yeah, in a not so obvious way." Jim instructed.
The dumplings were to die for, they tasted so good. Jim and Smitty ate two bowls and drank another cup of coffee.
"My God, she's the best cook I ever run across." Jim admitted.
"Mighty tasty, it sure was." Smitty agreed. "They seem like real nice folks here."
"Yeah…I guess they do…" Jim frowned not knowing exactly what he was frowning about.
"Somethin' botherin' you?"
"Nothing I can put a finger to. But something don't seem quite right here."
"What do you mean?"
"Not a one paid for their meal, except us. Not a one. Does she operate on credit?" Jim muttered.
"You are right. They just been gettin' up and walkin' out. Haven't they?"
"Looks like it."
"That is funny."
"Maybe we better talk to some folks before they go home, let's get out of here and see if we can stop someone outside."
"Okay…"
They paid the night's rest and the meal and walked out. Sadie nodded to them.
As they walked out they found a couple of old men standing around outside.
"Say…" Jim called their attention. "I don't mean to be nosey, but I noticed no one else paid for their supper in there. How come?"
One of the old men laughed. "Sadie don't charge no one that lives here. She runs sort of a charity business. She told us a long time ago the state pays her so much a year to see to everyone. So she does. We don't pay a dime."
"A charity, but why?"
The old man scratched his chin and shook his head. "Nobody works here in Cross Timbers except the livery man and the general store owner. They pay for their meals, but the rest of us don't. We don't got a choice on the food we can eat, it’s a different special ever couple of days. But it's free, can't argue with that, now can you?"
"Where does she get her supplies from, I mean, the meat for her café."
"She don't, her brother does. He's a hunter. He manages to get the meat and brings it to her. He butchers it, and cuts it up for her and all Sadie has to do is cook it. We are all mighty grateful to Sadie. If the town had any money we'd erect a monument to her. She's a saint if there ever was one." The old timer said.
"That's mighty nice of her, mighty nice in deed." Jim commented.
The old men agreed. "She's the best person in this old town. Weren't for her we'd have all starved long ago."
"You don't say. Well I'll remember that. Say, what is her last name?"
The two old men stared at each other then looked at him strangely. "We don't rightly know. We just call her Sadie."
"Where does Elmer butcher the meat?" Jim asked, but the minute he asked the two old men frowned and mounted to leave. It was obvious he had over asked the questions and they weren't answering any more.
He nodded to them, "Thanks again."
They tipped their hats and rode off.
Jim glanced at Smitty, "Let's check out our cabin."
Smitty followed him and they led their horses to the hitching post in front of the old cabin.
Aside from smelling a little musty, the cabin was neat as a pin and clean. It was a welcome site for two weary travelers.
But as they lay on the bed that night Jim stared up at the ceiling.
"So what do you think?" Smitty asked after a long silence.
"I don't rightly know. But I do know one thing. I'll be back."
"You think he's the one?"
Jim was quiet a moment and took a deep breath. "I didn't say that. They might be as saintly as all these people seem to think. But our friend Elmer is a might slow on the draw. I'd like to see where he dresses his meat. Maybe in the morning we can do some snoopin'."
"Boss, if he is a little touched, couldn't we be in a little trouble?"
"Maybe…"
Chapter Seventeen
Meanwhile
Back in Melville, Johnny and Robert were having a time with the townspeople. It was about four-thirty when the mob gathered outside. They kept wanting inside, but the boys knew better than to let anyone in.
That first night was one they would remember for a long time. It seemed half the town showed up on the office porch wanting to talk to the Sheriff. The mayor, the bank president, the bartender. Everyone of real importance to the town was there. Men dressed in business suits and cowboys that worked on the ranches. Their faces were lined with frowns and questions. They were friends and Johnny knew he had to make a decision whether he was going to do the job he was given or now.
"Sheriff, we want to see the prisoners." The mayor called out loudly.
"'Fraid we cain't let you in," Johnny called out the window. His gun readied by his side.
"Why not?" The mayor insisted. "Where's the sheriff?"
"The Sheriff ain't here and we got orders not to let no one in."
"Where is he?"
"He's workin'."
"Working? Working where?"
"Don't know, just know it's business."
"When is the trial then?"
"Don't know, he didn't tell us." Robert answered.
"Now see here. We demand to come in and make sure the two of them are behind bars." The mayor insisted. "We just want to see for ourselves, that he arrested them. He could have took them in, and marched them out the back at the same time. Did he move them?"
"Sorry, we're to let no one in." Johnny hollered. "That's our orders, that's our job. Now you men go on home where you belong, we don't want any trouble, Mayor."
"All we want to do is see for ourselves." The mayor said.
"Nope. You can see when they get back."
"Both of them are gone?"
"That's right."
"Then what is the harm in letting us in to see for ourselves?" Clem the bartender asked.
There was as silence and then Johnny hollered back. "You got guns on, every one of you. And we got orders not to let you in. It's that simple."
"But I'm the mayor, I've got more authority than the Sheriff."
"Not in the jail you don't. Sheriff done warned us you'd say that. Now step back and away. We got rifles trained on you from both sides. You fellas go on home and wait until the Sheriff gets back…"
Robert looked at Johnny. "You think they will listen?"
"I don't know, but maybe a couple of shots might scare them off for a while."
"Then let's do 'er." Robert nodded.
They aimed for the dirt just about their feet. The dust flew and everyone stepped back.
"We're going, but we'll be back."
"Ain't no use…" Johnny hollered.
"I can get a court order demanding you open those doors." The mayor threatened.
"Go ahead. We don't take our orders from no judge nor you. Our orders are from the Sheriff. Our job is clear. No one comes in here until they get back."
"Now fellas, we are your friends."
"Yes sir, that's a fact, but this is our job. And we aim to do it."
"You gonna get yourself killed over those two in there?" The mayor threatened.
"Maybe, but we'll have done our jobs."
"We'll be back and next time we'll be ready to break that door down."
"You can't break the door, mayor it's made of pure iron. The Sheriff had it installed a long time ago. You'd have to blow this place up to get in. And you still wouldn't get to see them."
"The Sheriff can't be paying you enough to risk your lives." The mayor protested.
"Nope, that's true. It's a matter of principle."
"You can't win, there are only two of you in there guarding them." The mayor chuckled.
"Maybe, but we can get the first four or five through the door. That's a fact. That is if you ca
n get through that door." Johnny laughed.
"Son you are making a big mistake. We are the leading citizens of this town, we demand to see the prisoners. We have our rights."
"And you can when the Sheriff gets back." Johnny repeated. "And you aren't armed. Ain't gonna be no lynchin' I Melville."
"You’re a stubborn cuss Johnny…" Clem uttered.
"Yep. I am." Johnny agreed. "You should know…"
"The Sheriff must have figured on that," The mayor mumbled. Johnny heard him and laughed.
"He did."
"Next time we come we'll have torches and clubs with us, and guns. Next time you will let us in."
"I doubt it Mayor. A fire will only burn the porch off and maybe take the roof, and a gun can stop a club any time. So come on, if that's what you want. Or you can use your heads and wait…"
"Man I don't like this Johnny." Robert was shaking his head.
"Don't let them bluff you. You heard the Sheriff, he said they'd say anything to get in. Our job is simple, keep everyone out. That's all. They'll go home in a bit. You wait and see."
"What if they don't?" Robert asked.
"Then we'll sit tight and do nothing."
"But that's the mayor…"
"So?" He peaked out the window and laughed. The mayor's face was red and he was sweating up a storm and blotting his face with a handkerchief.
Some of the men had drawn their guns, but none of them would shoot unless the mayor himself instructed them.
"You should go cool off somewhere Mayor." Johnny laughed.
"When you come out of there, it won't be funny."
"You little wimp, don't you threaten me or I'll put some buckshot in you now." Johnny hollered.
"You'll be sorry for this, Johnny."
"Are you threatening a peace officer?"
The Mayor blubbered. Finally after standing around for a long while, the mayor turned and went toward the saloon.
The rest followed him.
Johnny turned to Robert. "You can quit your shaking now, they are gone. They'll either get mighty liquored up or they will go home and go to bed. Drunks can't do anything, and they are tired out."
"You sure are sure about things." Robert shook his head. "I'm glad I let you do all the talking."
"Why do you think the Sheriff made me a deputy? Wasn't because I'm anybody. It was because he knows me. He knows how pig headed I am about things. And if I take a job with him, I aim to finish it, right. He knows that too. That's why he asked Smitty to go get me. When the chips are down, I'm on the Sheriff's side. Always have been. He's a good man, and he's doin' right. They wanted these fellas arrested, he arrested them. But he ain't about to turn around and see the town hang 'em without a trial. It's not his nature."
"Sounds like the two of you know a lot about each other," Robert began to relax.
"That's right. I've worked for him before. Him and Smitty know what they are doin'. This is a really bad case they are workin' on, Robert. Whoever they are lookin' for is crazy. Now the doc, nor Fred in there are crazy. He knows that too. I know that. And the doc worked on my Mrs. until she got well. He did a dandy job, and I'll not be forgetting it either. No one is taking these prisoners from us Robert. No one." Johnny vowed.
"I didn't know you were such an upright fella Johnny."
"Don't tell no one. They wouldn't believe you."
Robert smiled. "You got a point about these murders. I wouldn't want to have to try to solve it."
"No, but if anyone can, it's Jim Bonner. He's got just enough of his daddy in him to do the job."
"He's sure kept the peace in this town." Robert admitted.
"Make sure your rifle is loaded and clean. It's gonna be a long night." Johnny informed him.
Chapter Eighteen
Jim's Suspicions
The next morning at Cross Timbers Jim and Smitty began nosing their way around the place. From their cabin they could see the lean-to and Jim wanted to get a look at it.
Elmer came out of the café and waved to Smitty who covered for Jim as he snuck toward the back. The lean-to was just a ways back from the house and he headed straight for it, in hopes that Sadie wouldn't see him.
Elmer hadn't seen him and he could only hope that Sadie wasn't staring out the back door.
Jim hurried around the lean-to.
Once he was behind a cover, he relaxed and began to look around. The counter where Elmer worked was clean, just like Fred's. The meat that he already cut up was iced down in a small ice compartment that obviously was home-made. Most of the beef was hanging in the smokehouse that adjoined the lean-to. Jim wished he had enough time to check on it, maybe he could find a brand or something but from the looks of it, Elmer was as clean or cleaner than Fred. Everything was put up where it should be. Neat as a pin.
The knife he used was hung up on the wall and it was spotless clean and sharp.
Not a drop of blood about the place. The man was tidy.
That rang a bell.
Jim heard the back door open and he saw the outhouse not far away and headed for it before Sadie caught up to him. He only hoped Sadie didn't think he was snooping.
His opinion of Sadie didn't match up with the crime. He figured her an innocent in it all. The woman had rags for clothes but she was proud as a peacock of her café and what she was doing here.
As he went inside, Sadie turned to see him go in and stared after him for a minute. Then she continued on to feed her chickens. There were a lot of chickens and Jim knew she used these for eggs and for meat too.
Jim knew his snooping was over for the day and he'd have to return some other day to see if he could find anything else. Being neat was not a crime, and a good butcher would be very clean about his work, so he had to give Elmer the benefit of the doubt. However, Elmer seemed slow or something, as though he weren't quite right in the head and that tipped Jim off to the possibility that Elmer could have done it. And yet the man seemed to have a very peaceful nature.
But just like the mayor, he needed some proof for what he was thinking and he wasn't about to tell anyone until he was sure of his thoughts..
He joined Smitty inside the café a moment later and waited for Sadie to bring them some coffee.
"I seen you out back, did you find it okay?"
Jim nodded and froze for a minute. But Sadie was smiling and he smiled.
"Good. Want some coffee?"
"Please ma'am. We were told you are running a charity kind of thing here. Feeding the town, for nothing. That must cost you some."
"I get a little from the government. Elmer does the huntin' and trappin' for me, so I'm not out much there."
"No I guess not, but the beef…surely that costs."
"Cain't always get it. But Elmer does scrounge us up some every now and then." Sadie smiled.
"Elmer buys from the locals around here?"
Sadie suddenly frowned. "Well…come to think of it. I don't rightly know. I never asked him where he got it. He just does. That's his business and I don't venture there. I guess he catches a wild stray every now and again. Like I said we don't have beef as much as I'd like to."
After a second she went on.
"We've had beef some, even bison, from the Indians. Elmer does trading with them. But mostly we have wild turkey." Sadie smiled sadly.
"You sure cook a fine meal, ma'am." Smitty smiled at her.
Sadie blushed. "Well thank you. Praise from a stranger means a lot."
"I'll be tellin' others about your dumplin's ma'am." Smitty added.
"Thank you. I'd be right proud…"
When Sadie went back to the kitchen Jim glanced at Smitty. "We better be getting back."
Smitty nodded.
Jim put the money on the table and started walking outside.
Sadie saw them going and rushed out once more. "Ya'll come back any time." She said licking a strand of hair and pinning it back.
They nodded and left.
~*~
On the trail home, Jim wa
s very quiet. The only sounds came from an occasional bird, or a frog.
But when they stopped once to rest, Smitty had to ask.
"Well, what do you think?"
"I think I'd like to look around more there. I think our Elmer might be involved for two reasons."
Smitty lifted his head and stared at him. "What two reasons?"
"He's very neat to be as slow as he seems to be. And it might be that he's got something wrong with him. But I’m not sure what. In order to establish something like that I'd need to talk to the town folk, they'd know better than me."
"You think you could get them to talk about him?"
"Maybe…"
"Fred was clean and neat and you are almost positive he isn't guilty, how come you think this fella might be? He smiles a lot and seems real peaceable."
Jim nodded slowly. "I can't prove anything Smitty. Not one darn thing. And I have a disadvantage since I don't know either of them well. But something is not quite right there. You could see it in Smitty's eyes. Now Sadie is innocent, that much I figured out. She don't know much of anything but the running of her place. She obviously depends on Smitty to get her meat for her. Where he gets it is the question. And since she feeds the community for nothing, they probably aren't paying for what beef they have. He could just be involved in the thieving that's going on. I won't know until I find out more."
Smitty nodded. "That Sadie seems like a nice woman. To feed that many people every day, for nothing."
"She sure knows how to cook. Makes you almost wish you lived there to eat her cooking every day."
"Sure beats our one and only café in town"
"That's for sure."
"I need to do some more diggin Smitty, and I'm not sure how to go about it yet. I can't spend all my time in Cross Timbers though. I've got a town to watch and two prisoners that the town wants to hang without a trial."
"Yeah, but you know I'll help out all I can…"
"Thanks…and I may need you to run up here a few times for me, too."
"Just say when…"
Jim nodded. "Wonder how Johnny and Robert are doing?"
"I hope they ain't had no trouble."
Good Day for a Hanging (Book Two of the Western Serial Killers series) Page 13