by John Legg
Jonas grinned. “You ain’t in the way. It’s just that I’ll be gone for a spell. On the trail of some outlaws.”
“Tell me about it,” Jody said with a gleam in his eye. Seeing that glint of excitement, Cahill found another difference between the brothers. He would wager a month’s pay that Jody was a hell of a lot wilder than Jonas was.
“Later,” Jonas said. “Come on, let’s get you over to the house.”
“Merry’s well?” Jody asked.
“She is.” Jonas looked at Cahill. “Can you keep an eye on things, Jimmy?”
“Sure, Jonas. You and your brother go on. Anything major comes up, I’ll send someone for you.”
The Culpepper brothers walked swiftly to Jonas’s house, Jody carrying his cloth valise. Bear bounced along, round and round the two men, still trying to figure out what was going on here.
“Merry!” Jonas called as he opened the door. “Merry, come look who’s here.”
A little worried, Merry came out of the bedroom where she had been sewing. Her face brightened when she saw her brother-in-law. “Jody,” she said happily. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. “What brings you to Silverton?”
“Lookin’ for work,” Jody said blandly.
“Are you hungry?”
“Sure am. I ain’t had anything since a foul breakfast down in Durango.”
“Well, sit. Sit,” Merry said. “Jonas, take his bag and put it away. Don’t just stand there.”
“Yes’m,” Jonas said, not meekly at all, as he took the valise and set it against the wall, out of the way.
“Still henpecked, I see,” Jody said with a laugh.
“She can’t help it,’’ Jonas said with a straight face. “She’s just naturally bossy.”
“Oh, you stop it now, Jonas!” Merry said in mock anger. Then she and her husband laughed.
Merry served Jody. Jonas was satisfied with coffee, since he had eaten not long ago. After Jody was done, though, Merry figured that the two men wanted to talk, so she took up her sewing again and went into the bedroom.
“So, Jonas, tell me,” Jody said, “what’s all the big trouble?” Before Jonas could begin explaining, though, Jody asked, “You got any whiskey, Jonas? Merry’s coffee’s good and all, but I need somethin’ a little stronger to cut the dust.”
Jonas got the bottle he kept in one of the cabinets and poured a mugful for his brother and himself. Jody lifted his cup in a salute, and Jonas returned the gesture. “Glad to see you, little brother,” Jonas said.
“Same here.”
Each took a healthy swallow, and then Jonas told the tale of the train robbery and his hunt for Mack Ellsworth and his gang.
“And now you’re goin’ back out after them, Jonas?”
Jonas nodded.
“How many men you got in your posse?” Jody asked idly.
“Just me.”
“You’re going out there alone?” Jody asked incredulously. “Are you crazy?”
“Yes,” Merry said from the bedroom. She had not been able to resist.
“Be quiet in there, woman,” Jonas said quietly. “There ain’t too many men I can trust of late, Jody,” he said. “Jimmy Cahill’s one. There’s another man in town, named Buster Reinhardt. That’s about it.”
“You havin’ that much trouble in Silverton?”
“Not really. There’s a number of men I can trust with information and such, but not too many I can trust to stand back-to- back with me when the goin’ gets rough. I’ve got to leave Jimmy here to watch over things. Buster’d come if I asked him, but I’ve put him in danger enough times already. He...he was wounded a while back, and then another man I could trust—John Maguire—was killed while we were chasin’ Ellsworth.”
“Well, by God, I know where you can find another man you can trust,” Jody said. “When do we leave?”
“I can’t ask you to go ridin’ out there with me, Jody,” Jonas said with a half-smile.
“You ain’t askin’. I’m offerin’.”
“It’s liable to be plenty dangerous.”
“Life’s dangerous.”
Jonas thought about that a little. His brother had a wild streak in him, but Jonas could trust him implicitly. He didn’t know if Jody had ever killed a man, but he was as good with his fists as anyone he’d ever seen. Jody was a good shot, too, though again Jonas didn’t know if his brother had ever fired at a target that was shooting back. Still, it would be nice having someone he could rely on with him. Especially if he found the outlaws and arrested a bunch of them. The trip back to Silverton would be a whole lot easier with two of them.
Jonas nodded. “I’ll swear you in at the office later. That way you’ll get paid for this. We’re leavin’ first thing in the mornin’. You got a horse and saddle?”
“Nope.”
“Guns?”
“An old pistol in my bag. That’s all, though. I don’t usually carry one.” He did not sound apologetic.
Jonas nodded. “We’ll get you outfitted this afternoon, too. You sure you want to do this?”
“Yessir.” Jody Culpepper had always looked up to his older brother, even when he had surpassed Jonas in height by the two inches or so, and he’d always wanted Jonas to think the best of him. Jonas had helped him considerably when they were younger, and Jody saw this as a chance to repay his brother some.
Jonas nodded again. “All right, you rascal, let’s go.” He polished off his whiskey and rose. “We’ll be back after a little, Merry,” he called. When his wife stepped out of the bedroom, he added, “I’m going to take Jody over and get him a horse and other such things as he’ll need on our trip.”
Merry nodded. “You be careful,” she said. It was the only sign of her worry.
The two men and the dog walked to the Exchange livery. “My brother Jody,” Jonas said. “Jody, Art Cassidy. Jody needs a good horse, plus saddle.”
Cassidy nodded. “Go on out back to the corral. Pick out whatever beast you want. That light bay mare’s still there. She seems a good one. I’ll russ up what I got in the way of saddles while you’re out back.”
It did not take long for Jody and Jonas to decide that the light bay mare was indeed the best of the lot. She was big for a mare, and looked stout and strong, with good teeth and no obvious physical flaws. The two went back into the stable and told Cassidy they would take the horse.
Cassidy nodded. “I ain’t got but three saddles for sale,” he said apologetically. “Over there on the wall of the first stall. Take your pick.”
“How much is this gonna cost me?” Jody asked.
“I got to get ninety-five for the horse. Give me a hundred ten and you can have your pick of those three saddles, plus whatever other tack you need.”
Jody looked skeptical, but Jonas grinned. “Make it one twenty-five—and bill the county.”
“Damn, Jonas, I was afraid you were gonna say that,” Cassidy said with a rueful grin. “I’m still waitin’ for the county to pay me for that mule you took last time.”
“I’ll talk to Pennrose before I leave,” he said seriously. “There’s no reason a man should have to wait weeks to get the money due him.”
“I’d be obliged, Jonas. You know I don’t like to complain, but...”
“No need to apologize, Art. A man sells something or does something for which he expects to get paid, he should get his money, not have to go beggin’ for it. Come on, Jody, let’s go look over those saddles.”
One of the saddles was a little less worn than the other two, though all three had seen considerable hard use. Jody pointed it out to Cassidy, but then said he wanted the saddle scabbard from one of the others. Cassidy nodded and made the change.
“We’ll need the bay and my buckskin saddled first thing in the mornin’. We’ll be back later with supplies. You can load the mule, too, if you’re of a mind.”
Cassidy nodded.
The two Culpeppers walked up to the Anvil Mining Company headquarters, Culpepper explaining along the
way that Wilson Pennrose was head of the company and head of the County Board, making him the power both in Silverton and in San Juan County. They walked straight into the boardroom.
“These constant interruptions are getting to be a real annoyance, Jonas,” Pennrose said haughtily.
Jonas shrugged. “My heart weeps for you, Pennrose,” he said.
“Who’s he?” Pennrose asked, pointing to Jody.
“My brother Jody.”
“What can I do for you this time, Sheriff?” Pennrose finally asked, after staring for some moments at Jody, who stared calmly back at him.
“Art Cassidy says he ain’t been paid for the mule and such I used last time I went out after Ellsworth.”
“So?”
“So, the county’s supposed to pay him. A man can’t work for nothin’.”
“He’ll get his money. He always does.”
“He’ll have it before dark or I’ll come callin’ on you before I ride out at dawn tomorrow,” Jonas said, a warning in his voice.
Pennrose glared for a few moments, then nodded. “It must’ve been overlooked the last time the County Board met,” he said blandly.
“I can understand that,” Jonas said, letting Pennrose know in no uncertain terms that he knew Pennrose was lying. “I also want Cassidy paid the one twenty-five for the horse, saddle, and tack for my new deputy here.” He indicated his brother.
“You’re going out after Ellsworth again tomorrow?” Pennrose asked stonily.
“Yep.”
“Well, I hope you get him this time, Sheriff,” Pennrose said sarcastically.
“You want to be such a smartass, Mister,” Jody said harshly, “why don’t you get off you fancified ass and go with us? Since nobody else in town’s got any balls, Jonas has to do most of this himself.”
Pennrose looked like he was about to burst. He said nothing.
“Just what I figured,” Jody said with a sneer. “Another loud-mouthed chicken shit. Come on, Jonas, let’s get out of here before I puke.”
Outside, Jody looked anxiously at his brother. He thought Jonas might be furious with him for his outspokenness. But Jonas could no longer hold back the guffaws that had been fighting for release. Jody joined him in laughing.
They went to Maguire’s general store then, where Jody picked out two good pistols—.45-caliber Colts—a holster, a bowie knife, and a Winchester. Then Jonas ordered what supplies he would need and made arrangements to have them taken to Cassidy.
Finally, just before going back to the house, Jonas took Jody to the office, where he told to Cahill what was going on, and swore in Jody as a special county deputy sheriff.
Chapter Twenty-Two
San Miguel looked the same as it did when Jonas Culpepper had come through the town almost two weeks earlier. Accompanied by his brother and Bear, he could make much better time than he had when he was alone and dragging along a handcuffed prisoner. They made the trip in three and a half days, riding virtually from sunup to sundown.
Though they hadn’t seen each other in more than four years, Jonas and Jody Culpepper did not feel a great need to gab constantly. They rode quietly more often than not, sometimes side by side, sometimes in single file. When they stopped, each man went about the duties of making camp without fuss or argument. It was the same in the morning, when they broke camp.
Jody had, come to view his brother with more respect than ever, watching how he moved, how he acted. Before they rode out of Silverton, Jonas had made sure that Wilson Pennrose had brought the liveryman, Art Cassidy, the money owed him.
“Sure did, Sheriff,” Cassidy said with a grin. He flashed a wad of paper money. “Mister Pennrose himself come by last night, just before I was ready to close up for the night. Paid me for your brother’s horse and all, too.”
It had impressed Jody considerably that his brother would remember to check on that, despite all the other things he had to do and to worry about. Jody was also impressed by Jonas’s competence and sureness on the trail. Jonas moved with effortless grace, or so it seemed to Jody, a surprise in a man as bulky as Jonas Culpepper.
Jody Culpepper was a man more inclined to chatter idly at times, but he kept his silence mostly because he was feeling a little inferior to his brother. That and the fact that Jonas was prone to traveling in silence.
It was shortly after noon when the two men and the huge dog walked into San Miguel.
“Dusty goddamn little place, ain’t it,” Jody commented as he slapped some reddish dust off his shirt.
“Yep.” Jonas stopped in front of the town marshal’s office and dismounted.
Marshal Stan Childress was sitting inside, an open bottle of whiskey on his desk, a full glass in his right hand. He looked a little drunk.
“You remember me, Marshal?” Jonas asked.
“Sure I do,” Childress said, his words slurred some. “The great goddamn sheriff of San Juan County. What’re you doin’ back here?”
“Still lookin’ for Ellsworth and his men. You see any of them around here of late?”
“Hell no, I ain’t seen ’em. Have you?”
Jonas stepped up and slapped the glass out of Childress’s hand. The glass clattered on the floor, leaving a trail of droplets in the dust covering the wood. “You’re a durn disgrace, maggot,” Jonas said.
“Go to hell, you son of a bitch,” Childress snapped.
Jonas shook his head. “Where’s Daisy?”
“How the hell should I know?”
In disgust, Jonas led the way out.
“Who’s Daisy?” Jody asked, when the Culpeppers were outside and mounting their horses.
“She’s that girl I was tellin’ you about. The one who was grabbed up by the outlaws.”
“Why’re lookin’ for her?”
“See how’s she doin’,” Jonas said with a shrug. “I sort of feel responsible for her.”
“No other reason?” his brother asked pointedly.
“Like what?”
“Like maybe you’re gettin’ tired of Merry and’re lookin’ around for someone else.”
“You weren’t my brother, Jody,” Jonas said harshly, “I’d knock you crown over tail feathers for such a stupid statement.” Jody grinned a little. “Just makin’ sure,” he offered.
“Well, don’t do it again.” Jonas stopped at the Stanton Hotel. He, his brother, and the mastiff went inside.
“Sheriff Culpepper!” Sarah Stanton said with a wide smile. “It’s good to see you again.” She turned to face the room behind her and called, “Silas! Silas Stanton, you come on out here now and see who’s come callin’.”
Silas Stanton pushed through the old blanket that covered the doorway between the lobby of their small hotel and their kitchen behind it. He, too, smiled when he spotted Jonas. He shook hands with the sheriff. “And this must be your brother, yes?” he asked.
Jonas nodded. “Jody, Silas Stanton and his wife, Sarah. Folks, this is my brother Jody.”
“What brings you back to San Miguel, Sheriff?” Stanton asked when the greetings were done.
“Thought I’d check up on Daisy, see how she was gettin’ along. Also thought I might be able to pick up some information.”
“About Mack Ellsworth?”
Jonas nodded. “You seen or heard anything about him?”
“Not really,” Stanton said with a shake of the head. “Except.”
“Well, out with it, Silas.”
“Well, there’s some bounty men in town. They’ve been askin’ a heap of questions about Ellsworth.”
“What kind of questions?”
“Where he might be hidin’ out and such. That sort of thing.
It’s what you’d expect such men to ask, but there seems to be more to it.” He paused. “It’s almost as if they know somethin’ about him and were tryin’ to get the last bit of the puzzle.”
“Know what about him?”
“I ain’t sure, mind you, Sheriff,” Stanton said, “but there’s talk goin’ around that
Ellsworth and his men buried the loot from that train robbery.”
“You hear where?”
“Somewhere near the Utah Territory line is all I’ve heard.” Jonas nodded. “I’ve heard the same. Durn, that’s all I need, a bunch of bounty hunters stickin’ their noses into this business.”
“A few of ’em’re stayin’ here, Sheriff,” Stanton said apologetically.
Jonas nodded. “I’d expect that, since it’s the best place in town.” He grinned a little. “I’ll see about it later. You got a room left to accommodate me and Jody?”
“Sure do. Only one left, but it’s the best.” He smiled. “How long’re you two plannin’ to stay?”
Jonas shrugged. “Probably not more than a night or two. I want to get back on the trail. But this’ll give the horses a chance to rest up, and let me poke around to see what I can learn.” He paused. “Well, now that business is done with, how’s Daisy?” Stanton suddenly looked a little concerned. “In general, she’s just fine, but...”
“But what?” Jonas asked harshly. “Somebody givin’ her a rough time?”
“Sort of.”
“Who?”
Stanton was not sure he should answer, but then he decided he could trust Jonas Culpepper as much as anyone. “Marshal Childress.”
“What’s he done? Last time I was here, he was polite as he could be, askin’ if he could come courtin’ Daisy.” The thought of the half-drunk town marshal sitting in the office flashed through his mind.
“He did come ’round courtin’ her for a few days. Then one day he showed up drunk and smacked her around some.”
Jonas suddenly felt a coldness coating his insides. He figured that Childress had somehow found out where Daisy had come from and what she was there.
“It turns out,” Stanton continued, “that he didn’t much care for her at all. He just figured that since she was held captive by them outlaws for a while, she might know where they buried their loot.”
Jonas was relieved to hear that.
“She kept tellin’ him she didn’t know anything, but he didn’t believe her. So he was in a saloon drinkin’ when it got the better of him and he come over here and started knockin’ her around. He left after she managed to grab his pistol and threaten him with it.”