by Dan Arnold
“Thanks, Bob. I guess you figured they might try to get me at the house.”
“The possibility crossed my mind.”
“They would’ve caught me flat footed. My guns are at the courthouse; that’s where I’m headed. Charlie is staying at the house with Lora.”
Bob drew his gun and handed it to me, butt first. I took it and tucked it into my waistband.
“Thanks, I don’t guess this will leave you unarmed. I expect you have another gun.”
He nodded. “I have more than one, actually.”
It dawned on me the place Bob had been standing in the shadows was the exact spot where I’d seen the cigarette smoker several days earlier.
“Bob, have you been watching the house on other nights?”
“Heavens no, old man! Why on earth would I do such a thing? As much as I enjoy seeing Lora, that sort of behavior would have to be considered most unchivalrous.”
I stepped into the shadows and struck a match. There were several cigarette butts on the ground. Clearly someone had been standing here smoking, on more than one occasion. The weeds and grass were pretty well trampled down. It didn’t prove anything but it made me uncomfortable.
“How long have you been in town, Bob?”
“I’ve been enjoying the lesser aspects of the city for nearly a week. Why do you ask?”
“What brought you to town? You didn’t check in with me. I’m guessing there’s a pretty good reason.”
“Indeed. It seems you know me better than most people do.”
“I expect there was a profit motive; you were staying undercover. Who were you tracking?”
He chuckled.
“I came back to Bear Creek hot on the trail of young Homer Thorndyke.”
21.
If Bob had been in Bear Creek nearly a week after following Homer Thorndyke here, then it meant Homer had been here at least as long.
“I guess you’d better tell me the whole story.”
“I will be happy to do so; where would you like me to begin?”
“I know you captured Howard Thorndyke in Chaparral County at Mrs. Poole’s Boarding House and took him to Denver. After you collected the reward, how did you get on Homer’s trail?”
“That is as good a place to begin as any, although it is actually just a singular point in a continual progression . . .”
“Bob,” I growled.
“Right, sorry. My point is that I had picked up the trail in Thorndyke one day after they came into town to visit the bank. I learned the Thorndyke boys were fairly regular customers at Mrs. Poole’s. Homer, in particular. It seems he is kind of sweet on one of the girls there.”
“Yeah, I think I’ve met her.” I knew immediately I shouldn’t have mentioned it.
“Really, does Lora know?” he grinned.
“Bob, I stopped by there in my official capacity.”
“Oh, I’m sure you did.”
“Get back to your story.”
In the moonlight, he managed to look both wounded and annoyed.
“As I was saying, Homer never missed an opportunity to visit with the young lady in question. I staked out the location and waited for him to show up. Imagine my surprise and concern when Howard showed up first.”
“I know this part, Bob. Tell me what happened after you left Denver.”
“Isn’t it obvious? I went back to Mrs. Poole’s, figuring to wait for Homer, only Homer was just leaving when I arrived. He was traveling in the company of two other men, and I didn’t find an opportunity to attempt his apprehension. Three against one was a little more than I cared to attempt. One plays the odds, after all.”
“So, to sum up, I guess you followed Homer and those other two men back here to Bear Creek. Is that it?”
“It is, yes. When I drifted into town behind them, I was initially unable to determine their exact location. For days I searched. I tried all of the hotels, but they were not in any of them. I spent quite some time looking for them, even that last night, but was unable to find them. Imagine my surprise when they pulled off the bank robbery the very next morning. I was in a fine bed without a care in the world and totally unprepared in the event.”
“I’ll bet you hadn’t thought any of the Thorndykes would show up in Bear Creek, much less all of them.”
“Actually, John, if you will recall, I told you if you didn’t go after them, they would be coming for you.”
“It appears you were correct. This last robbery put me back on their trail and forced their hand.”
“By the time I learned the details of the robbery, the posse was already heading out to meet you. At that point I had no idea the Thorndyke’s were the culprits. I thought I was still on the trail of Homer, alone, and I thought he was still here in town. I had my suspicions of course, as one will, given the fact Homer and two other men had come into town and managed to disappear.”
“It might’ve been helpful, Bob, if you’d bothered to inform me.”
“Well, as I say, I spent quite some time looking for them, and . . .”
“And there was the profit motive.”
“Indeed, I did have my eye on that reward money.”
“I expect you still do.”
“Well, I was terribly disappointed this morning when you paraded Henry and Harvey right through town. Their apprehension would have provided me with more than a year’s wages as a deputy. Now, the circumstances have changed again and opportunity knocks, as they say.”
I shook my head.
“It appears we have a conflict of interest.”
“Not in the least, I want to see them stopped as badly as you do. By the way, the reward now offered has been changed to dead or alive.”
I thought about all the implications of that.
“And, once the word of the jail break gets out, I expect the reward money will be increased yet again, possibly even doubled.” He said, smiling.
I scowled at him.
“Oh, don’t concern yourself with me, John. I have no intension of broadcasting the news of the escape. It will come out just as surely as the sun comes up in the morning.”
I left him there, watching the house, and walked on into town. I couldn’t hear any music playing over at the church grounds, so I figured the reception party was finally over. There was still some traffic on the square, and the lights were on at the Palace. I could hear some music over that way.
I nodded at a uniformed policeman standing on a corner near the square.
At the courthouse, I found the door bolted and had to knock to get it opened. “Nothing like closing the barn door after the cow gets out,” I thought.
Ed opened the door and on seeing me, he mumbled, “Oh gee, John, I’m sure sorry. If you want my badge . . . .”
I held up my hand. “Stop right there. Is this your fault?”
“Well, no; at least I don’t think so.”
“I don’t think so either. Was this door locked when you went to bed?”
“See, that’s the thing. I thought sure it was locked and barred, but Felix says the guy walked right in on him with his gun drawn and whacked him, without even saying a word. He never heard him coming.”
I nodded. “Did you go upstairs and look to see if the doors are all locked up there?”
“No, I didn’t even think of that. I’ve been too busy since the breakout.”
“Go check it out. I want to talk to Felix.”
“He’s back there at the cells. We’ve still got two prisoners locked up.”
The first thing I did was go into the dorm and strap on my gun belt, then I shrugged into my shoulder holster. Now, including the one that Bob had loaned me, I had three guns, and I didn’t feel the least bit awkward. I walked down to the cell block, and found Felix sitting in the chair behind the desk with his back to a wall, facing toward the hallway. There was dried blood on the left side of his shirt and a soiled bandage around his head. He looked pretty miserable. There were a couple of the other deputies standing around.
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“How are you feeling, Felix?”
He touched the side of his head gingerly.
“I’ll live. I took a pretty good crack on the head though, makes me feel sick.”
“Tell me what happened.”
He closed his eyes for a moment.
“I was sitting right here, reading the newspaper. I heard or felt something moving, and I looked up just in time to see this guy swinging a pistol at my head. I never heard the door open or anybody coming down the hall. I didn’t even have time to duck. He laid that pistol barrel up the side of my head. The next thing I knew, I woke up feeling like I was drowning. He’d cuffed my hands behind my back and stuffed a gag in my mouth. I guess he dragged me into a cell and locked the door, because that’s where the Chief Deputy found me. I’m still pretty groggy.”
I nodded. I could hear someone hurrying down the hall toward us. In a moment, Ed rounded the corner.
“I found most of the doors upstairs all locked, but the County Clerk’s office door was standing wide open and a window of the Clerk’s office was broken. It looks like that was the way he got into the building. He broke the window and crawled in. With the doors all closed and locked, nobody would have heard the window break, if he was careful. He unlocked the door of the clerk’s office from the inside. He didn’t make any sound coming down those marble stairs, and I guess he just slipped down the hall real quiet like and snuck up on you, Felix. I’m sure sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Ed. We need to make some changes to the security around here. We’ll need to put bars or something on all those windows upstairs. We’ll need different locks on all the office doors as well. We can’t have people breaking into any part of the courthouse,” I said.
“I never even thought about it.” Ed said
“This is on me, Ed. I’m the Sheriff. Well boys, it’s well past midnight by now. Felix you need some rest. I’m going home. Ed, you’ve got the jail duty, right?”
“Yes sir.”
“Okay then. Charlie will be coming back here in a little while. Don’t let him sneak up on you.” I immediately regretted saying it. I saw the crushed look on Felix’s face.
“Felix, this was not your fault. None of y’all is responsible for this. The responsibility rests with me. You need to see the doctor. One of you men go with him.”
I walked back to the dorm, gathered my satchel and saddle bags, and headed for home.
22.
The Sunday edition of the Bear Creek Banner had a more positive announcement by way of a headline:
BANK ROBBERS CAPTURED
SHOWDOWN AT THE STATION
The story went on to say:
“Police Chief Tom Smith and other law enforcement officers apprehended two of the fugitives involved in the daring daylight robbery of the first National Bank of Bear Creek, which occurred last week. The two men have been identified as Henry Thorndyke and Harvey Thorndyke, lately of Chaparral County. The two men surrendered to officers at the railroad station early yesterday afternoon.
Police Chief Smith is to be commended on the arrest, which proves that law enforcement does not need to involve violence.
A spokesman for the police department informs us the two men are being held in the Alta Vista County jail, awaiting arraignment on charges stemming from the robbery and other suspected crimes.”
I found the wedding photo with Tom, Becky, Lora, and I, all standing together, on page three. The story said:
“County Sheriff John Sage and Mrs. Lora O’Malley were married in a service at the Bear Creek Community Church at four o’clock on Saturday afternoon.”
“All the news that’s fit to print,” I mumbled.
I was relieved the story of the breakout had not yet hit the presses. I couldn’t wait to see what that headline would be.
***
Even though we hadn’t gotten much sleep on our wedding night, Lora and I were in the habit of going to church on Sunday. People were expecting us to be there. When we arrived at the church, we found Jacob and Sarah with Tom and Becky. I was startled to see Jacob and Sarah were dressed in Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes. It dawned on me they’d been similarly dressed at the wedding.
“Have you seen the newspaper?” Tom asked.
“Let it go, Tom,” I replied. “I thought the wedding photograph was excellent.”
“So did I,” Lora added.
We were all in agreement on that point.
“My, don’t y’all look good this morning. Sarah, that dress looks beautiful on you,” I said, kneeling down in front of her and Jacob.
“Becky, however did you manage this?” Lora asked, running her fingers over the ribbon in Sarah’s hair.
“Why there was nothing to it. It just so happens I’d already worked up Jacobs’s clothes to sell at the general store. There aren’t many readymade outfits for little boys in stock right now. Sometimes people don’t want to wait for things to come from the catalogue company. I only needed to sew up the hem on the pants. Sarah’s dress and whole outfit were hand me downs from Nora Adams. Tom bought Jacob’s shoes at the general store yesterday. We’ll have them both outfitted in no time.”
“How do you like those shoes, Jacob,” I asked.
“Not much!” he said, making a face. We all laughed.
People went out of their way to come and greet us. “Howdy to you, Mr. and Mrs. Sage,” Bill Courtney said as he approached with his wife, Annabelle, and their daughter, Lacey.
“I didn’t expect to see y’all here today. I know y’all stayed for the reception last night.” I said.
“We stayed at the Front Range Hotel last night,” Bill said. “Say, John, can I speak to you alone for a moment?”
I nodded.
“If you ladies will excuse us . . . .”
We walked away, over toward where the wagons and buggies were parked.
“John, I’ll get straight to the point. How well do you know Bob Logan?”
“Pretty well, I guess. I’ve known him for several years. You know the Governor recommended him to you, and he saved my life last year. Why do you ask?”
“He worries me. Sure, I know the Governor recommended him, but he recommended him as a private detective. What he really is, is a hired gun fighter.”
“What’s the problem, Bill?”
He took a deep breath and considered for a moment.
“Well, it’s Lacey. You know she and my foreman, Glen Corbett, are kind of sweet on each other?”
I nodded. Everybody knew that.
“Glen is a good man.”
“Yes, John, he is a very good man. He’s the kind of man who builds for the future, a man you can depend on, and that’s the problem.”
“I’m sorry, Bill, I don’t understand.”
“I’d like to see Glen and Lacey married and carrying on with the ranch. You know, after I’m gone.”
“Sure. Makes sense to me. What’s the problem?”
“Something’s come between them.
“Well, that’s sort of their business. I wouldn’t want to mix in.”
“But, Bob Logan is mixing in . . . .”
Now I understood why Bill was coming to me. Bob has an eye for the ladies, and Lacey is a beauty. Some time back, Bob had indicated to me he intended to try to get close to her. I discouraged him, pointing out that Glen and she were well on the way to being a married couple.
““Indeed, I observed that. However, there is no ring on her finger, and ‘There’s many a slip between cup and lip.’” I expect she is available, and she is not indifferent to my charm.” He had grinned.
“Few women are, Bob, but it’s not a good idea for you to interlope.”
“Au contraire, mon ami. She is beautiful, single, available, and quite rich. I think it is a very good idea. He added, “Fortune favors the bold.”
At the time, I didn’t like it, but it was none of my business.
Maybe it was my business now.
“Tell me what happened, Bill,” I said.
I winced. Bob tends to get what he wants.
“Glen spoke to her about it, and they had a spat.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Bill, but Lacey had a hand in all of it, and it isn’t any of my business.”
“It gets worse. When we got back to the hotel, they had a really bad falling out. Lacey said she thought she preferred Bob’s company to that of Glen. Glen is ready to challenge Bob Logan to a fight.”
“That would be a very bad idea, Bill. You’re right, Bob is a killer. Glen wouldn’t have a chance.”
“I know, and that’s why I sent Glen back to the ranch. Is there anything you can do to discourage Mr. Logan from courting Lacey?”
I thought about it for a moment.
“I’ll speak to him, Bill, but is there anything you can do to dissuade Lacey?”
He frowned, looked away and then back at me, sighing.
“I hope so, but Lacey is both stubborn and headstrong. She’s being fickle and unfaithful to Glen. She says Bob Logan is ‘dashing.’ Lacey tends to do as she pleases and get what she wants.”
“If she gets Bob, she’ll regret it for the rest of her life. In fact, we all will,” I said. “And if Glen challenges Bob, he won’t live five minutes. I think we should both speak to Glen about this.”
Bill nodded.
“Thanks, John. I know it isn’t your responsibility.”
“It is if I can help prevent a killing.”
***
Brother Spradlin’s sermon that morning was on the value of not holding grudges or being easily offended.
“Remember, Jesus had all the power of the universe at His disposal, but he never raised His hand against those that slandered His name, spat in His face, beat Him bloody, and eventually crucified him on a cross. He humbled Himself in obedience to the will of the Father. Can you imagine how hard it must’ve been to be so ridiculed by your own creation, by the very people you came to save? Brothers and sisters, we are not superior to anyone, and we have no right to take offense at slights or petty offenses. Let them go. Forgive those who sin against you, . . .”