He spent some time kicking at the door and the walls, looking for a weak point and finding none. He also thought that someone might hear the noise and let him out, but that wasn’t the case, either.
The fire flickered and he looked around for more wood chips to burn. He cleaned the floor of the shed, and was quickly left with nothing but hard-packed dirt.
Wait a minute.
Dirt?
The entire floor of the shed was dirt. Whoever had built it had not bothered to build a wooden floor. Even if they had, he might have been able to pry up a floorboard and get at the dirt. The whole point being that dirt can be dug up.
Using his hands he tried to start a hole, but succeeded only in breaking two fingernails. He could have used a large piece of wood to dig with, but all of the wood he’d found on the floor was now in the fire—and none of it had been large enough to use as a shovel.
If only he had a shovel.
His hands went to his belt buckle as if of their own volition. It was fairly large, and it was metal. Quickly he removed his gunbelt, then took off his belt and looked at the belt buckle. The edges were fairly sharp, but would they last long enough to dig a hole in the hard-packed dirt of the floor so that he could slide under one of the walls?
He’d never know until he tried.
Chapter Thirty-eight
“I think I have an idea,” Raquel said.
“What?”
“The man Decker is looking for. What if it is the sheriff?”
“The sheriff a wanted man?”
“Not in our country, but in theirs.”
“And the man comes down here to hide out and becomes sheriff?”
“Can you think of a better irony?”
“If that is true then we must find out.”
“It is logical, my brother. The sheriff is the only other gringo that we have seen in town, and Decker is in no hurry to leave. That just might be the answer! So we must convince him that Decker is hunting him, and that we can help him get Decker.”
“How do we do that?”
“Leave that to me, brother,” Raquel said. “When it comes to men, I can be very convincing.”
“Yes, I noticed that from the wonderful job you did of keeping us out of jail.”
She gave her brother a withering look and turned away. Now all they had to do was hope the sheriff came back sometime in the near future.
Moran felt better with all three of them locked up. He wasn’t too worried about the other three men. They were sure to be hirelings, incapable of thinking for themselves. As long as they didn’t know where to find their bosses, they’d be no problem.
Moran thought about Decker and frowned. The coincidence of too many strangers hitting town at the same time bothered him. It was too much to accept. He decided that there was no time to leave town like the present.
Not right this minute, but certainly today, even if it was after dark.
First, he had to wrap up his business.
With the Palace closed and the girls out shopping, Gloria figured it was time to make her move. Crystal was in her office—the office she shared with Moran—and she was alone. Gloria took out her derringer and garter holster, slipped it on, and then let herself out of her room.
Crystal sat at her desk, sulking. There was no way she could cut Moran out. They just hadn’t been open long enough to make that kind of money. There had to be another way to convince Moran to leave without him wanting a piece of the business.
When the knock came at her door she thought it was one of the girls coming to her with a problem.
That was what she was there for, she had told them. Her door was always open to them.
She was going to have to get rid of the bitch.
When she opened the door she was surprised to see that it was Gloria.
“May I come in?”
“Is there something I can do for you?” Crystal asked.
“Yes, if I could have a moment of your time.”
“All right, come in.”
Crystal closed the door and turned to face Gloria, who had swiftly removed her derringer from its holster.
“What’s this?” Crystal demanded.
“You’re going back with me, Crystal.”
“Back where?”
“To Texas.”
“No!”
“Yes, you are. You have some unpaid debts there.”
“And you’re the bill collector?”
“That’s right,” Gloria said. “I’m the collector.”
The door opened then and Moran stepped in.
“Red, she’s got a gun.”
“I can see that.”
“Well, do something!”
He did. Smiling, he put his hands in the air.
Chapter Thirty-nine
Decker was pleasantly surprised to find that after he had broken through the hard surface, the dirt beneath was loose and easy to dislodge. The belt buckle worked perfectly as a shovel and though it was hard work he soon saw daylight shining through the hole. All he had to do was widen it a bit, and he’d be able to slide out beneath the wall.
Anxious to be out he finally discarded the belt buckle and used both hands to scoop out large portions of dirt. When he had it large enough he pushed his belt and gunbelt through, and then followed.
He had a moment of panic when he got stuck, but by wiggling he managed to dislodge enough dirt to loosen himself, and then he was out.
He squinted at the sunlight, and while his eyes adjusted to it he slipped his belt back on, and then his gunbelt.
Standing up he decided that first he needed a gun, and then he needed to find Moran.
It was time to stop playing around and get the business at hand finished.
He went back to his hotel, and the clerk stared at his dirty, sweaty clothes. He went up to his room and pulled his spare gun out of his saddlebags, a heavy Navy Colt that he had taken from a sailor on San Francisco’s Barbary Coast some years ago. He slid it into the front of his belt and left to find Moran.
He went first to the sheriff’s office, entered cautiously and quickly determined that Moran was not there.
However, Gilberto and Raquel were.
“Well, Raquel. Como esta?”
“Hijo de cabronl” she spat at him.
“Oh, I don’t know what that means, but it doesn’t sound good.”
“I am going to kill you, Decker.”
“Gilberto, that’s not something you say to an armed man from behind bars.” Decker took the Navy Colt from his belt, pointed it at Gilberto and cocked the hammer. The man tried to find somewhere to hide in the small cell without success.
“If I thought there was a chance of you carrying out your threat, I’d kill you right here.”
“You can’t!” Gilberto said, covering his head with his arms.
“Oh, leave him alone, Decker,” Raquel said. “What do you want?”
“Nothing, from you. I was looking for Moran.” When she looked puzzled, he said, “The sheriff.”
“Then he is the man you are hunting for.”
“Is that why you followed me?” Decker asked. “For the reward on the man I was following?”
“Why else?”
“And I thought you liked me, and missed me.”
“If you let me out of here I will not miss you,” she threatened.
“Now you’re starting to sound like your brother. Oh well,” he said, easing the hammer down on the Colt and tucking it into his belt, “I have business to attend to.”
“Decker!” she shouted as he started for the door.
“Yes?”
“Decker,” she said again, her tone lower, sexier, “you can let me out and leave Gilberto here. You were right. I do miss you. We never had a chance to…get to know each other.”
“You know, you’re a dangerous woman, Raquel,” he said, walking back towards the cell.
She was beautiful, all wild hair and eyes, proud breasts and long legs.
“I’m
almost tempted to let you out.”
“It can be wonderful, Decker,” she whispered. “It can be unbelievable.”
“I know,” Decker said sadly. “I know it could.”
He started away again and she called out again.
“Decker!”
“What?”
“You look like you’ve been rolling in…how do you say it?”
“Shit?”
“Si, that is it. Shit.”
“Don’t worry, with the money I get for Moran, I can buy a whole new wardrobe. Adios, baby.”
“Decker!”
The next place to look, he thought, was Crystal’s Palace.
Chapter Forty
When he got to the building he found the front door locked. Knocking on it would only alert Moran, if he was inside. Decker went around to the back, checking windows, and finally found the one he was looking for. He was surprised by what he saw through it.
Moran was there with his hands in the air, his gun still holstered. Decker could see his own gun, too, tucked into Moran’s belt. Crystal was there, and the blonde whore from the night before was holding a derringer on both of them.
What the hell was going on now?
He listened intently at the window.
“That’s a very tiny gun, Gloria,” Moran said.
“Don’t worry, it makes very deadly holes.”
“I’m sure it does. You ladies want to tell me what this is about? Surely you’re not fighting over me.”
“Ha!” Crystal said.
“I’m taking Crystal back to Texas, Red.”
“Why?”
“She stole some money from my father, made him the laughingstock of town. People are talking behind his back about how the old fool fell for a younger woman and got what he deserved.”
“I’m sorry” Crystal said. “I really liked your father, Gloria, but I needed the money.”
“Sure, everybody needs money. When I got back to town and heard what had happened, I got your description and started tracking you and finally found you here. I was lucky that you’re a redhead. There aren’t that many in Mexico, and you made an impression wherever you went.”
“But I left Texas over three months ago.”
“And I’ve been tracking you that long. We’re going back, Crystal.”
“You can’t take me away from here. I’m not wanted here in Mexico.”
“You are in Texas, and when I get you over the border I’ll turn you in.”
“Is there a reward?” Moran asked.
“No,” Gloria said. “She broke the law, but nobody bothered to put out a poster on her. After all, all she did was remove an old fool from his money. When I get her back, though, I’ll make sure she’s prosecuted.”
“Well, baby,” Moran said to Crystal, “I guess this is goodbye.”
“You bastard!” Crystal shouted at him. “You could stop her!”
“She might shoot me.”
“You want her to take me back so you can have this place to yourself.”
“Actually, I was planning on leaving today anyway, Crystal, but now a couple of things have come up that might change my mind.”
With Crystal gone he wouldn’t have to split the profits with anyone, and if he could convince the woman in the jail cell to work for him, his profits might even double. Of course, he might have to make certain concessions to the town council, and he knew he’d eventually get bored again, but for now things were once again taking an interesting turn.
“She’s all yours, Gloria—is that your name, by the way? Gloria?”
“My name is Anne Merritt.”
“Well, Anne Merritt, in one respect I’m sorry you’re leaving. I was planning on getting to know you a whole lot better.”
“You don’t understand, Red,” Gloria—or Anne Merritt—said.
“What don’t I understand, Anne?”
“You’re coming back with us.”
“I’m going back?” he asked, laughing. “Now, why would I want to go back?”
“Because there’s a poster out on you, and I aim to collect the twenty-five hundred dollar reward.”
“Twenty-five hundred—now how would you know about that?”
“It’s my business to know, Red,” Anne said. “I’m a bounty hunter.”
Moran stared at her, said, “Jesus!” and Crystal started to laugh.
Decker thought it was funny, too. He’d travelled all this way and put all this time into tracking Moran, and the man had been snatched out from under his nose by a woman!
His humor faded quickly, though, as Decker realized the dangerous position Anne Merritt had put herself in. She was in a small room with two people who didn’t want to go with her, and all she was armed with was a derringer.
There was a back door to the office, and Decker moved towards it, hoping that the blonde woman would ask Moran for his guns.
“All right, Moran, I’ll take your guns,” Anne Merritt said.
“My guns? So you can use them against me instead of that toy?”
“I assure you I’m quite profficient with this toy, Moran. Your guns, please.”
“Sure, honey, here.”
With that Moran took Decker’s gun from his belt and tossed it to the woman. Surprised, she made a move to catch it, and Moran took advantage of the moment. He took two quick steps and pushed Crystal into Anne Merritt. The derringer in Anne’s hand went off and Crystal cried out. She fell to the floor, clutching her stomach. Anne looked at Moran and saw that he had his gun pointed at her. She had not caught the other gun, and her derringer was pointing at the floor.
“Drop it,” Moran said.
She obeyed.
“She needs a doctor,” Anne said, squatting down by Crystal.
“A doctor can’t help her. She’s gutshot.”
Anne looked at the wound and saw that it was off to the right.
“She’s not,” she insisted. “A doctor can help her.”
“Get her one when I’m gone, then.”
Moran moved around behind the desk, opened a drawer and took out a sheaf of money. Seeing Anne watching him he smiled at her.
“We haven’t had time to put in a safe yet,” he said, tucking the money inside his shirt.
“Bastard!” Crystal said from the floor, her pain evident in her voice.
“It was nice while it lasted, ladies,” Moran said. He started for the office door, then stopped and turned back to them.
“Listen, Gloria—I mean, Anne. If I leave you here you’re not gonna try and track me down, are you?”
“You damn well better believe I am, Moran!”
Moran shook his head and said, “That’s too bad. You’re so pretty.”
He pointed his gun at her.
Chapter Forty-one
Outside Decker turned the knob of the back door slowly and found it locked. He moved back to the window and heard the shot. He saw Crystal fall and watched Moran move around behind the desk and take out some money.
He wasn’t going to leave the two women alive. He couldn’t, especially since the blonde had turned out to be a bounty hunter.
He hurried back to the door, Colt in hand, braced himself, and then kicked out at the door as hard as he could just above the doorknob.
As the door slammed open Moran turned and brought his gun to bear on it. Anne Merritt took the opportunity to leap from her crouch, banging into him and knocking him off balance.
Decker entered in a crouch and saw Moran staggering for his balance.
“Moran!” he shouted.
Moran braced himself against the wall with one hand and pointed his gun.
“Don’t!” Decker shouted, and fired.
His bullet struck Moran high on the right shoulder. Moran squeezed the trigger of his gun but his shot went wild as he was spun around to face the wall. He stuck there for a moment, then slid down the wall to the floor.
Anne Merritt hurried to him and pulled the gun free from his nerveless fingers.
“Are you all right?” Decker asked Anne.
“I’m fine, but they both need a doctor.”
Decker checked Crystal’s wound, then went over and looked at Moran’s. It was his opinion that they would both live.
“We’ll get them one.”
“Decker!” Moran said. His eyes were glazed, but he recognized Decker.
“That’s me.”
“You’re the…bounty hunter,” Moran said through clenched teeth.
“One of them, anyway,” Decker said, looking at Anne Merritt.
“Why…such a high price…for a few banks?” Moran asked.
“Because that bank manager you hit in Pemberton died, Moran. You’re wanted for murder.”
Moran closed his eyes.
Anne Merritt said to Decker, “Where’d you come from?”
“I just happened along.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“Me too.”
She looked him up and down and then said, “You could have dressed better, though.”
“Didn’t have time to change. Why don’t you go for the doctor while I wait with them,” he said. “Crystal’s in no condition to be moved.”
“All right. I’ll be right back.”
She moved to the back door and started out, but as she did there was a shot and a bullet dug into the door frame just above her head.
“What the—” Decker said.
From behind him he heard a low laugh, like a death rattle, and turned to look at Moran.
“My boys, Decker,” Moran said, gritting his teeth against the pain. “Now you’ve got to face my boys. You ain’t taking me nowhere!”
Chapter Forty-two
Anne Merritt fell into a crouch, Moran’s gun in her right hand. She peered outside and pulled her head back in when there was another shot.
“How many of them?” Decker asked.
“I can’t tell,” Anne said, “but he’s got three men.”
“Cover him,” Decker said. Anne turned and pointed her gun at Moran as Decker moved to the door. He chanced a look outside, and a bullet stuck the doorjamb, spraying his face with wood splinters.
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