Tyra's Gambler

by Velda Brotherton

  Tears flowed down Lily’s cheeks. “You just wait till James Lee gets home. He’ll take care of this. He’ll have you thinking straight in no time at all.”

  “James Lee nor no other man has anything to do with my thinking and never will.”

  Lily exploded. “You’re just a wild little English tart. I can’t imagine what my brother ever saw in you. You are a whore, Tyra Duncan, pure and simple.”

  Without hesitation Tyra hauled off and hit Lily solidly in the chest with the flat of both hands, knocking the woman backward and onto her butt, legs poking out to block the boardwalk. Her feathered hat askew, gloved hands fisted, she screamed at Tyra, “You wait till James Lee gets home! You just wait! I’ll sue you, that’s what I’ll do.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly, Lily.” She laughed, repeated the words. “A silly Lily. Silly Lily.”

  “Stop that, you heathen!” Lily remained where she’d fallen, and a crowd gathered to take in the show, some men laughing and making crude remarks.

  “Will you give James Lee a message for me, seeing as how you want to run our lives? Tell him marrying into his family is the last thing I’ll ever want to do. Maybe you can find some other gal willing to stand in for the wedding you’ve planned.”

  With that, Tyra turned and headed back toward the sheriff’s office, where she could keep tabs on Zach’s actions. She sensed some adventure awaiting her if she stuck with him.

  Before she went through the door, Lily screamed, “That’s her, Sheriff. She shoved me, knocked me down, was getting ready to kick me when she saw you coming. Arrest her. I demand you arrest her, right this minute!”

  Tyra froze, tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. A hand snatched her arm and she jerked loose, doubled her fist, and swung up from the waist as she whirled. Her knuckles connected with a sharp jawbone before she saw the star on the man’s chest. He staggered a few steps backward and off the boardwalk into the dirt, onto his skinny behind.

  Sucking at her knuckles, she stared in disbelief. Holy shit, had she done that? Hit a lawman? He was sort of lying there, feet kicking up dust while he struggled to get his arms under him and get up. Like a turtle on its back. She could run. He’d never catch her. One arm raised and his hand aimed a six-shooter.

  “You stay right where you are, Missy, or I’ll put a bullet in you.”

  “For slugging a man, you’d shoot a woman?”

  “You blamed right I would.”

  “Yeah, well, soon as you get your old self up out of the dirt and take aim, I suppose you could.”

  A crowd had gathered, and two men grabbed the sheriff’s arms and heaved him to his feet. Someone in the crowd giggled. She suspected one of two young girls hanging back out of the lawman’s sight.

  “You saw that. You all saw that.” Lily pointed a finger at her. “First she knocks me down, and then she socks your sheriff. She ought to be in jail, is where she ought to be. She’s nothing but a heathen foreigner.”

  For Tyra there were two choices. She either smacked Lily again or ran like hell while everyone was looking at Lily and the sheriff, who dusted his butt off with the hand that wasn’t holding a gun. She picked Lily and launched herself off the boardwalk, hit her hard in the midsection, and they both went down, rolling around in the street. Lily’s fancy hat slid over her face, a wad of hair caught by the pins that held it on.

  Tyra sat on her, held her shoulders down. “You are not very nice, and you fight like a girl.”

  Someone kept saying her name, but she ignored that. No one knew her here but maybe Zach, but she wasn’t done with Lily yet. “You tell that brother of yours—”

  “Why don’t you tell him yourself?”

  James Lee? She stopped what she was doing, scrambled to her feet, and turned around. “James Lee. How did you get here? I mean when did you get here?”

  Hands grabbed her from behind. “You are under arrest, Missy. Don’t try anything, or I’ll conk you a good one. You got that? And don’t be lookin’ to your brother for help, neither.”

  Tyra swallowed hard and nodded. The damned sheriff.

  “I’ll swear, Tyra. Can’t you behave for at least one day?”

  “James Lee, I can explain.” Though she didn’t want to take that tack, she needed him to keep her out of jail. This sheriff was serious.

  “I’m sure you can explain.” James Lee bent down to help his battered sister to her feet. “I’m not so sure I want to hear it, though. A night or two in jail ought to cool your heels a bit.”

  “James Lee, don’t you dare.” Lily grabbed his arm.

  “Oh, don’t you worry none. I won’t.”

  He hurried her along at his side, and Tyra lost sight of them when the sheriff yanked her Colt from its holster, dragged her onto the boardwalk, and marched her into his office. In the back through an open door Zach stood at the bars of one of the cells, talking to a man inside. A slight dark man with black hair, who couldn’t possibly be his brother. The sheriff opened the opposite cell and shoved her inside. It clanged shut, and Zach glanced over his shoulder at her. His eyes widened.

  “What the hell?”

  “I’m under arrest.” She tried to sound tough, but her voice came out squeaky.

  “So I see.” He gave the man on the other side of the bars a look, then shot one back at her. “What the hell?”

  “You said that already. I hit James Lee’s sister, then when the sheriff snuck up behind me and grabbed me, I socked him and shoved him out into the road.”

  Zach cleared his throat. “Well, at least you didn’t shoot anyone. Did you?”

  “No, see I was going to let it go at that, but Lily called me a heathen and a whore, so I lit into her again.” She took a breath.

  “There’s more?” Zach’s lip twitched a little, as if he were hiding a grin.

  “Uh-huh. Then we were rolling around, and James Lee rode up from God knows where, and the sheriff finally got up, and he grabbed me and arrested me. James Lee said I should cool my heels in here a while. And here I am. Who is that?” She pointed toward the man in the other cell.

  “This is my brother, Josh. Josh, this is Tyra.” Zach sighed, shrugged, stared at her a moment, then turned his back.

  “That’s Josh? Boy, you two sure don’t look alike.”

  He ignored her and continued talking to Josh. She inspected the cell, which stank of something akin to an outhouse. A wooden bed sat against one wall, a bucket was in the corner. Didn’t take much to imagine what that was for. By stretching out both arms she could almost reach from one wall to the other. Nothing else interested her, so she slumped down on the bed and listened to the two men talk.

  “Have you seen Ma yet?” Josh asked.

  “No, I came straight here.”

  “How did she know where to contact you? It’s been years since you’ve been home.”

  “I been writing her lately. When was the last time you were home?”

  “A year or so, but I sent a wire to Taos when I was arrested here. They carried it to her.”

  Zach nodded, and the two men touched foreheads through the bars, remaining silent for a long while.

  Josh finally spoke again. “Where you been all this time? Since you rode off and left me behind.”

  “I just been wandering around. Doing a bit of gambling. What’ve you been up to, to get you locked up in here? You still riding with the Dalton James gang?”

  “No, I swear. They broke up a ways back. Old Art got out after we robbed those banks. I hear he moved to Texas. So did Jake. It was told John was killed in a house fire, couple years after the war was over, but knowing Jake he’s probably out there raising hell to this day. I jest rode around not doing much of anything.”

  “Why didn’t you go home, then?”

  He shrugged. “Didn’t want to have to do any explaining to Ma. You never went home neither. Why is that?”

  “I carried that damned war with me. Didn’t want to take it to your Ma. Pa was dead. I wasn’t sure your Ma would want me to come b
ack after all that time, the shape I was in. I got work here and there. Done my best to stay out of trouble.”

  “I been in some trouble, in jail a couple of times, but I didn’t do this, Zach. I didn’t.”

  “I know, Josh. I know. We’ll get you out. Somehow we’ll get you out.”

  Chapter Seven

  Zach peered through the bars at Josh, who continued to study him as if only half-believing his brother was really there. A brief look around. There had to be a way to break his brother out of this pathetic excuse for a jail. Strips of sunlight slanted through the window in the west end, leaving shadowy pockets. He jiggled the door to the cell. The lock appeared sturdy. Not much of a problem, ’cause a key hung above the crosspiece between the office and these four cells. Josh was the only prisoner besides Tyra, who presented quite another problem. Right now he had to worry about Josh. It was him they would string up come sunup day after tomorrow. She might get mad as a swatted-at hornet, but she wouldn’t come to any harm other than to her dignity.

  From outside came a hammering, and he glanced through the opening at the platform under construction. Where they would kill his brother. Fingers wrapped around Josh’s grip on the iron bars, Zach held on tight. A fiery burning deep in his gut threatened to erupt. He couldn’t let this happen. Had to stop it somehow.

  Josh tensed each time the hammer struck another blow. “You have to get me out of here, Zach.” Dark eyes glistened with unshed tears.

  “I will, brother. I will.” The voice that hacked from his throat was unfamiliar.

  Josh squinted at him. “I didn’t do it.” He swallowed hard. “I didn’t kill that bastard, though he deserved it. I swear I didn’t.”

  Zach rubbed his thumb in circles over Josh’s arm. “Do you have any idea who did? Maybe one of the old gang?” If he could drag in the real culprit, that would be the best solution.

  “No. No. I been plumb gone from them for a spell. I didn’t even know him. Never saw him before. I was in the Dusty Trail having a beer when he jostled my arm and spilled it all over the fella standing next to me. The guy grabbed me by the shirt front and gave me hell for pouring the beer on him.” He shook his head. “You know me and my temper. Made me mad, and I hit him. Then the bastard who jostled me hit me, so I hit him. They had to pull the three of us apart.”

  “So what makes them think you killed anyone?”

  Josh shrugged. “Danged if I know. I was asleep, over to the livery where I been shoveling manure, when Sheriff Landerly come and dragged me out. Said I was under arrest for murder. I don’t even know which one of them bastards I’m supposed to have killed. Never even knew their names.”

  “I’ll talk to Landerly. When was your trial?”

  “There wasn’t one. Seems the judge won’t be back this way for a month or two, and they ain’t about to feed me while they wait. They’ve got two people who swear they saw me kill this guy. Seems he was some kind of important fella in town. City councilman or something. I don’t think the sheriff is much for the law. Says it’s an eye for an eye.”

  “Oh, is that right? I’d say he’s no lawman, if he’s going to hang you without a trial. You sit tight, Josh. I ain’t gonna let them hang you. One way or the other.”

  Anger choked Zach. The law might be tough in Texas, but it shouldn’t go hanging someone without a trial. He moved away from the cell.

  “Zach?” Josh leaned his face against the bars. “Thanks for coming. It is so good to see you. I can’t believe it took something like this for us to get back together.”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry about that.”

  “You do believe me, don’t you? Where you going?”

  “Don’t you worry none. I’m not leaving here without you. Want to check a few things. I’ll be back.”

  “You be careful. These old boys are tougher than longhorn meat and twice as mean.”

  “I will.”

  He hurried into the office. The sound of Tyra’s voice chased him, saying his name. The only person behind the desk was a young deputy. “I need to talk to the sheriff. Where can I find him?” Zach kept his tone polite, though inside he was shouting.

  “Sheriff ain’t here.”

  Zach looked around the empty room. “I can see that, deputy.”

  “He might be home.”

  “Where might that be?”

  “Whatcha want with him, anyways?”

  “Just want to speak with him.”

  “He’ll be here in the morning early. That’s when the hanging is gonna take place. Ever’one in town’s gonna be here.”

  “I was told it was scheduled for the next day.” Zach’s temper boiled over. He kicked the deputy’s feet off the desk, yanked the chair out from under him, and knelt on his chest. It hurt the leg like hell, but he didn’t care.

  “I asked, polite like, where I can find the sheriff. Now, you answer me back, polite like, where he is, or so help me I’ll put my knee into your lung.”

  The deputy coughed and clawed at him, to no avail. “Get off and I’ll tell you anything you want. Anything.”

  “Get the key and get me out of here, Zach.” That from Tyra when he the least needed prodding.

  Doing his best to ignore her, he rocked back onto one foot, the bullet wound in his calf on fire. “Well?”

  “He lives yonder about a mile. Got a place on the left. Log cabin.” One hand gestured to the west.

  Tyra shouted. “Let me out of here, Zachariah. I can help. You know I can.”

  The door slammed behind Zach, cutting off her words. The deputy yelled something about him and Josh being just alike.

  He limped along the boardwalk. Paused and gazed up and down the street. Where the hell was that livery, anyway? He didn’t have time for this. He whirled, stomped back into the jail, and stuck the key in the lock of Tyra’s cell.

  She bounced out, grabbed at the key. “Let him out, too. Come on.”

  The deputy struggled to heft himself off the floor. “Sheriff’ll put you both in jail when I tell him this.”

  Zach ignored him to answer Tyra. “No, they’ll shoot him before we get ten feet. No horses, no way to run. I want to do this right. They ain’t gonna shoot you. Get your butt out there and show me what you did with my horse. I’m gonna pay the sheriff a visit. Try to do this the legal way. That don’t work, I got other ideas. But running off down the street on foot ain’t one of ’em.”

  “I’ll go get our horses. Take me with you. You can use another hand.”

  “They’re hanging my brother in the morning, and I have to stop it. Now, will you quit bothering me? You’re slowing me down.”

  “Not having a horse is slowing you down.” She stopped, turned to stare at him, hands on hips.

  He would not get rid of her, that was clear. “All right. Move, now, before I lose my temper and throw rocks at you.”

  Without a word, she took off down the street, crossing diagonally to disappear into the livery. He followed, holding on to a porch post to step down off the boardwalk into the muddy street. By the time he made his slow way across the busy main road, dodging wagons and riders, she came out the door on Morgan, leading the saddled chestnut.

  She stopped at the boardwalk so he could get on easier, which he did. “I suppose it wouldn’t do me any good to tell you you’re not going with me.”

  “Probably not. Might help your case to thank me, though.”

  “For God’s sake. Just stay out of my way and keep your mouth shut. And for once don’t give me that look.”

  With a frown she clamped her lips shut and waited for him to ride off. He sighed, headed out of town following the deputy’s directions to the sheriff’s place.

  It was a good old Texas summer day. Sweat stuck his shirt to his back and ran from under his hat. Before he’d gone far, the sun toppled over the horizon and disappeared. The air cooled some.

  He found the cabin easily, rode right up, and slid off his horse, dropping the reins on the ground. “You wait for me, Cabron.” He pointed at Ty
ra. “And you wait too.”

  Without looking back to see if she obeyed, he patted the horse and headed for the porch. The chestnut took a few steps and cropped a mouthful of green grass. Zach didn’t pay any attention to what Tyra did. Impossible to control her anyway, so why try?

  He took the steps one at a time and rapped on the screen door. Inside the house nothing stirred. It had that empty feeling.

  “Sheriff, I need to talk to you.” He banged on the door again.

  A tall, gaunt man came around the house fastening his britches. “Hold your danged horses. Cain’t a man take a dump without being interrupted?” He spotted Tyra. “How the hell’d you get out?” Back at Zach. “What the hell do you want?”

  “You the sheriff of Cuero? Landerly?”

  “Reckon I am. Who might you be?”

  “Name’s Zach Benson. You got my brother Josh in your jail in town. Says you’re gonna hang him in the morning.”

  “You wanting to be put in there with him?”

  “I’ve heard the kind of law you have around here. What would you charge me with, or do you just toss anyone you please into that rinky-dink jailhouse?”

  “Creating a disturbance would do for now.”

  “Josh didn’t kill anyone. If you can’t give him a trial, take him somewhere he can get one. Or at the very least, give me time to find the real killer.”

  “Cain’t waste my time. Got two upstanding citizens swear it were Josh beat Chad Nottingham, then stuck a knife in him. All I need.”

  “Are there any lawyers in town?”

  “Had one. He lit out last fall. Said he could do better in Dallas.”

  “No doubt he was right. So Josh didn’t have a lawyer.”

  “Said so, didn’t I?”

  “Sheriff, postpone the hanging for a few days and give me a chance to talk to folks, prove his innocence. Or anyway, fetch him a lawyer.”

  Landerly regarded Zach for a brief moment, as if he might consider what he asked, then he laughed. A hearty, loud laugh with his head thrown back, his thumbs hung in his waistband. “I ain’t got the time for such tomfoolery. That boy shoulda held his temper. I heard about it when one of my deputies come in telling about the fight in the saloon. Way I hear it, he was pure wild. Took on two men and beat ’em up pretty good. Don’t that sound like a killer to you?”