Wesley nodded, "Well, there he is, take him…"
He'd learned a long time ago, that it was easier giving a bandit what they wanted, than putting up a fight. He'd get by if they weren't too trigger-happy.
The first Mexican grabbed the hobble and loosened it, then stared at Wesley, "You are not going to put up a fight?"
"And get my fool head blown off for a horse?" Wesley asked, his brow going up. "I ain't that attached to him."
"You are a wise man…and for this I will let you live." The Mexican smiled. "I do not like to kill Senor." He walked over to Wesley and picked up his pistol. He emptied it and after checking his pocket checked his saddlebags. He threw the ammunition away. Then he tipped his hat, and smiled, "Adios…"
Wesley mumbled to himself and slammed his fist down to the ground as they rode off laughing. Good thing John T. wasn't with him, he'd have heehawed him all night.
Outfoxed by a bunch of Mexicans, there was nothing he could do. He'd walk to the nearest town and buy another horse. He pulled his hat over his eyes and closed them, no use worrying until daylight.
Next morning he caught more fish and then packed up what he could and tied it to his back and began walking to the next town.
Three hours later he came upon a small spread and stopped off. Towns weren't that close by and he knew if he found a ranch somewhere in between he'd be better off.
"Mornin'." He smiled at the man on the big bay who looked to be gathering up strays.
"Mornin', where'd you come from?" The man asked watching him with a hand close to his gun.
"Waco was my last stop. Headed for Blue Goose. Got held up by some Mexicans. Need to buy a horse, think you could spare me one?" Wesley asked looking the man in the eye. He knew that holdin' a man's firm attention would buy more than a horse.
The man stared at him a long time. "Ain't got a horse, but I got a mule…"
"That'll do." Wesley nodded.
"$5.00 cash…" the man frowned down at him.
Wesley fished the money out of his boot, and then put his boot back on. "I'd appreciate it."
The man helped him up on the back of his horse and took him to the small coral about a half mile down the pasture.
"That suit you?" The man pointed to the mule inside.
"That'll do." Wesley smiled and spit.
"Which way those Banditos headed?"
"Didn't ask 'em. Cain't afford to be too friendly when they got three guns pinned on you." Wesley went straight to the mule and climbed on.
The mule's head came up and he seemed to eye Wesley but when he put the spur to him, he moved.
He tipped his hat and was on his way.
The lonesome feeling Wesley got every time he came through this particular part of Texas hit him again. He never understood why anyone would want to live up this way. The trees were sparse, the land flatter, and the wind was pure enemy.
He made it to Susannah's by late night. He could smell the stew she'd cooked for a mile off and he knew she'd have a side pan of cornbread too.
Susannah saw him coming and ran out to greet him, followed immediately by two children.
"Uncle Wesley…" They cried.
"Boys." Wesley smiled and then his eyes landed on Susannah. She was a vision, and he couldn't take his eyes away. He wasn't good enough to wash her shoes, but he sure liked lookin' at her. Around forty, she had beautiful blonde hair and a wisp of white right near her face. When she smiled the sunshine came into Wesley heart.
"Wesley, it's so good to see ya." She cried and grabbed him around the neck when he got off his mule.
He lifted her up and smiled. "You haven't changed a bit…"
"Oh…you old sweet talker, you. Come on in, I got stew and cornbread." She cried taking his arm and pulling him toward the homestead.
Wesley took in the fresh clean smell of her, and the warmth going from his hand to hers.
Bern, the oldest boy hooked up beside Wesley, like a young man, he couldn't be more than ten. The other boy ran ahead to call his father out.
Sally came running up to him and cried out with glee. "Uncle Wesley, you've come back. I'm so glad to see ya…" She cried and he promptly picked her up in his arms and planted a kiss on her head.
"I'm more than happy to be here, so how's my little girl?" He smiled at her.
"I been sad, I accidentally pulled my dolls head off. Mama said she'd fix it though…" Sally said and hugged him around the neck.
Her husband came out on crutches to meet him. "Well I'll be, if it ain't Wesley. How you doin'?"
"A little worse for wear but I'm fine." Wesley smiled. Men were always glad of company out in the country, trying to keep abreast of all the news from other towns further away.
Rascal chuckled, "Yeah, I see you take to ridin' mules these days? Thought the Rangers provided better than that…"
"Ain't with the Rangers any more and got held up by bunch of Mexicans, the other side of Waco." Wesley muttered. "Picked this here mule up for you, you owe me $5."
"A mule…you say. Held up? What do ya mean, ya ain't with the Rangers no more…Sounds like you better come inside and tell me all about it."
Wesley nodded, and as Susannah got the meal ready, Rascal pulled him over by the fire. The kids gathered round too.
"Now what's this about quittin' the Rangers?"
"Jest what I said. They done retired me." Wesley gave him a lopsided grin as he grabbed the man's shoulder and nodded.
Then eyeing the crutches Wesley scratched his chin. "What happened to you, you ornery cuss?"
"Aw…bought a new filly and she throwed me." Rascal chuckled. "Guess that will learn me."
"Shoulda hollered at me." Wesley winked at Susannah who was putting the stew and cornbread on the table. The smile on her face was all the welcome he needed.
"Ya'll ain't eatin'?" Wesley asked as he didn't hesitate to get to the table after washing up and playin' with the kids for a few minutes. He glanced around the cabin, noting the small touches of Susannah. There were blue curtains hung and wildflowers on the table. It was so homey here, Wesley longed for something he could call home. It'd been a long time since he had anything half as nice.
"Done ate, Wes. You go ahead." Susannah smiled as she dished him a handsome portion of stew and buttered his cornbread for him.
"Shore does look good. I been thinkin' about your cookin' fer some miles now." Wesley grinned.
Bren and Joel asked all kinds of questions about him being a Ranger and Wesley was tickled to tell them all about catching Sam Bass. He watched as their eyes got bigger and bigger.
"That's a shame that he died…I mean so young," Susannah added.
"He was the best outlaw Texas ever had…" Bren nodded and put his hand on his mother's shoulder.
Wesley snickered a little to himself knowing how Bren always felt bad for people that was part of what made him partial to the boy. He had such feelings.
"Yeah, an on his birthday too…he was only twenty seven." Then as he glanced at the two wide-eyed boys he patted them on the head and added. "Goes to show you, crime don't pay. You boys remember that and you'll grow up just fine."
The boys sat content while Sally, the littlest of Susannah's breed listened with wide-eyed wonder. She was too young to know of outlaws, but the excited voices of her brothers told her this was some event. Bren, the oldest was fascinated by the tale and wanted every detail.
After Susannah bedded the children down, Wesley and Rascal talked in low voices by the fire.
"Okay so you done got retired, but you are up to something. What brings you up here?" Rascal asked as he scratched his chin and eyed Wesley.
"Aw…told you I'd be back when they retired me…" Wesley began. "Figured I'd come visit my friends and then get on with my business."
"Good." Susannah blew a tendril of hair from her wide brown eyes and smiled. "Maybe you'll settle down and make a home…"
"Ain't likely. Least ways not right away. Nope, I'm after a man…"
&nbs
p; Rascal looked a little surprised. "Who…"
"Victor Frank…ever heard of him?"
"Nope….what he'd do?" Rascal asked curious like.
Wesley looked around to make sure Susannah wasn't within earshot. "He kills women…that's what."
Rascal eyed him seriously now. He moved so he could eye Wesley better and so Susannah couldn't hear.
"Kills women…for what? Are you close to catchin' him?" Rascal wanted to know as he glanced at his wife, as though glancing at her would protect her.
"Not yet, I'm not. But I aim to be. I've waited fer years. Sorta hoped the Rangers would get after him, but the Mexicans and Indians seem to keep them busy." Wesley retorted. "That and cattle rustlers."
"Do you know where he's at?" Rascal asked. "This fella your lookin' fer?"
"Nope, but I aim to find him…and kill him." Wesley nodded."Rascal, he's more like a wild dog that's got to be put away…And I cain't say I look forward to it, but it's gotta be done."
"I wouldn't mind bein' in on that one. Anyone doin' in the women out here needs their brains examined." Rascal retorted. "Ain't enough to go around now. Why would anyone want to hurt 'em?"
"He ain't no gunslinger, Rascal. You ain't seen the likes of this man, I'm tellin' ya. He's a cold blooded killer." Wesley explained. "I ain't sure what drives him. But he's got somethin' up his crawl."
"How'd you come to find out about him?" Rascal asked curious.
"I've knowed about him fer years. He's the one that shot my leg up." Wesley declared.
"A prisoner? You mean he's been out there that long?" Rascal frowned. "In Kansas? Not that one you told about a while back…"
"Yeah, one that got loose again, not long ago. And there were reports he killed another woman not long ago, down in Riodosa." Wesley exclaimed.
"Then what you doin' up here?" Rascal continued to batter him with questions.
"Got word his Uncle might be up in these parts, and he's claimed to kill the man if he gets the chance…" Wesley said, his eyes straying to Susannah a time or two. "You be on the watch…you take care of her Rascal, she's one of a kind. I ain't sure I could handle findin' her…."
Rascal nodded with an appreciative smile, he handed the spittoon to Wesley. Wesley spit and nodded. "She is one of a kind, ain't she? Don't you worry any, I'll keep my eye out. What exactly am I lookin' fer. Tell me everything you know about him."
"Victor Frank isn't as old as you might think, but he's butt ugly, that much I know. His face has been all cut up and he's hard to look at. Mighty hard. Don't imagine you'd ferget him if you saw him." Wesley eyed Rascal now.
Rascal studied on what Wesley told him, "He's been through some real troubles, then?"
"More than I can tell…"
After a long silent moment, he looked at Susannah again, "You keep a tight reign on her, ya hear? I don't want to come back here and find…."
"You won't…now stop that, your plumb spookin' me." Rascal nodded his smile fading as they talked. "No sir, you won't."
"Good. Tell the kids not to be talkin' to no strangers that pass. He don't just pick his people to kill. However, he likes kids. Kids are about the only thing he does like, as far as I can tell."
"That don't fit, now does it…"
Wesley nodded, "It does…, but…it's a long story. I won't go into the gory details, but it does fit, Rascal, just watch out. Keep your gun loaded and don't be bein' a Good Samaritan. This fella is dangerous. More than you know…"
"You talk like you're spooked of him yourself?" Rascal frowned. "I ain't never seen you spooked of nobody. Why you been in more scrapes than me now and to see ya spooked scares me a little."
"He ain't been caught in all these years. Does that tell you somethin'? He's been on wanted posters for a long time and so far I ain't seen anyone go after him deliberate like. He ain't no regular outlaw, Rascal, the man's touched in the head. He cain't help what he does, that makes him more dangerous than most. He's like a rabid animal. He's just got to be killed is all, ain't no other way to handle him."
Rascal's expression sobered. "He's…crazy?"
"That's what I'm tellin' you. He shore ain't right…"
Rascal nodded and looked again at Susannah, "I'll keep a watch, and thanks for stoppin' by and lettin' me know. How come the Rangers don't go after him?"
"They've had their hands full. What with Bass and Hardin loose, the politicians wanted them taken care of. A crazy man…naw…what would they do with him if they got him. You know they'd try to take him live and well…there just ain't no place for people like that. I guess they might try to hang him, but he's more than a handful. Got some of those institutions up north, but nothin' around here to put him in. And no one would want to ride as far north as they would have to, to put him away."
"Sam Bass…kinda hard to believe about that kid, ain't it. I mean he shore gave them a run for their money. And you say they killed him?" Rascal asked.
"Yep, he got shot, and died the next day." Wesley shook his head sadly. "Not that he didn't give them a run for their money though. If he hadn't made the Rangers look so bad, he might still be alive. But he put 'em to shame."
"Did he tell 'em anything?"
"Not one word, Rascal. He was one tight lipped fella…" Wesley almost chuckled. "Shore did upset Jones that he didn't get more out of him. And he tried, let me tell ya."
Rascal shook his head. "He was a fox when it came to gettin' away."
"And then some…."
"Now you after this fella…" Rascal asked, peering at him. "It don't seem right that the law won't go after him. Maybe you ought to rethink it, too."
"I gotta try to get him, Rascal. Besides, I can handle myself…"
"Yeah, maybe you can, but you are slowin' down. It was bound to happen; age gets to all of us, Wesley. It sure did to me."
"I ain't too old…"
Rascal shook his head, "No…you're just too hard headed."
"Look, the law won't go after him. Been years now, and he gets away with it. No one chases him. I got a partner, a Ranger, who has been after him for a grudge killin'. He's still a kid, and I don't want to see him try to do it alone."
"He's a Ranger?"
"Yep, one of the best, I trained him myself."
"Then he's bound to be good."
"Yeah, but it takes more than guns to catch a man like this. We got to bait him, get him out in the open, and then kill him like a dog."
"Man, and you used to say I was ruthless." Rascal chuckled.
"He killed John T.'s ma, right there in front of the kid."
"That's bad….that's really bad."
"John T. is a good kid, a good Ranger. And I don't want to see this Frank killin' him. I gotta take care of this…"
"I guess you do, that's fact."
"Yep…but don't let on to her. Just keep your eyes and ears open." Wesley nodded.
Rascal nodded back, "I'll do 'er."
Susannah joined them by the fire after cleaning up the dishes. "It's so good to see you again, Wesley. It's been too long, since the last visit."
"You are right, it has…, And I don't intend to stay off as long as before, now that I'm retired." Wesley smiled at her.
"Good. That's nice to know. We've missed you. Well, I guess you can bunk with the boys if you don't mind." She offered.
"I don't mind at all. That stew was so good. My belly hasn't been this full in a long time." Wesley grinned at her. "It's sure better than trail food."
"I'm glad they retired you Wesley, it's time you were settling down; find you a new woman make a home…" Susannah was saying.
"You never give up, do you?" Wesley shook his head with a smile and a wink.
"Jenny wouldn't have wanted you to go it alone in your older age," Susannah smiled wistfully.
"Naw…I guess she wouldn't…Been a long time since I thought about her." Wesley's eyes took on a far away look, but he turned a smile back on Susannah. "I got a few things to take care of, and then I might just take your advice,
" he smiled.
Rascal put his arm around Susannah. "It's a good life, Wesley."
Wesley smiled, "Well, I'm tuckered mind if I turn in, I'm gonna head out first light."
"Head out, but you just got here," Susannah protested.
"Got things to finish up, now don't fret. Just have me some of those mouth-watering biscuits and gravy and I'll ride out a happy man." Wesley turned to her, planted a sweet kiss on her forehead, shook Rascal's hand, and headed for the boys room.
"I'll have them ready," Susannah nearly cried.
Rascal wrapped her in his arms. "Don't fret honey, he's a loner. Not much we can do about that."
"Yeah, but he's getting' on up in age. He needs…"she broke off and looked at her husband. "You're right…let's go to bed, I've got to get up and fix him some biscuits in the morning."
Next morning Wesley was up before dawn. He'd taken a long walk and come back hungry. He knew telling Susannah goodbye was going to be hard, Wesley couldn't put his finger on why it was so hard this time, but it was. He had a lump in his throat so bad he could hardly talk. Nevertheless, he kissed her on the forehead again, shook hands with Rascal and patted all the kids on the head, then waved them a goodbye. Goodbyes seemed to get harder the older he got. Maybe he would settle down when he took care of Frank.
***
Always chasing the bad guy, would it ever end. With a fresh horse he was good to go, that is until he lit down for the evening and a rattlesnake had a better idea. He reacted too slowly and the snake got him on the ankle.
Cursing himself for being so dumb he sat down and got out his knife. He chucked a hole in his ankle and wrapped it as good as he could, then he took him one heap of a draw on some left over whiskey in his saddlebag and passed out.
When he woke up he was in an adobe hut, and two Mexican children were staring at him. When his eyes flew open they both yelled for their mother.
The woman came in and smiled. She called her husband and he came in to have a look at him.
Thankfully he spoke English.
"How long I been out?" Wesley asked.
"Three days senor."
"I'd best be getting' back on the trail," Wesley said and started to get up, but his head felt light and dizzy and he fell back against the bed with a thud.
Better Off Without Her (Book One of the Western Serial Killer series) Page 5