“I guess not, but I think you’re very attractive, and if you wanted to…you know, sleep with me tonight, I’d let you.”
He was sipping his coffee and started to choke on it.
“Jesus Christ, girl, don’t do that to a man when he’s drinking something.”
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” he said, brushing wet coffee off his shirt front. “What the hell did you want to go and say a thing like that for anyway?”
“I was just telling you it’s all right—”
“You’re only fourteen years old, too young to sleep with anyone, let alone me.”
“You mean you don’t want to?”
“No, I don’t want to,” he said, still annoyed and not realizing that the words might hurt her.
“You don’t think I’m a woman, do you? Well, I’ll show you—”
As she started to unbutton her shirt, he reached over to grab her hands.
“Now sit still and be quiet for a few minutes and we’ll talk about this.”
She pulled her hands away and set them in her lap.
“Now, you know you’re a pretty gal, and I know it, but as for you being a woman, that’s not quite true, is it?”
She didn’t answer.
“You’re real close to being a woman, though. You’ve already filled out enough and you’ll fill out even more in the next couple of years, but don’t be throwing yourself at any man until you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
She still didn’t answer, but he could feel her attitude changing from anger to embarrassment.
“I’m a lot older than you, Felicia. When the time does come, you’ll want to give yourself to someone closer to your own age.”
“You’re not that old.”
“I’m twice your age, and believe me that’s a big difference.”
“All right.”
“All right, what?”
“All right…I’ll wait until I get a little older before I make that offer again.”
Decker thought that over a few seconds and then said, “Well, all right.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“What?” Decker asked warily.
“Why do you carry the hangman’s noose?”
“That was one thing that dime novel of yours didn’t mention, was it?”
“No, but that wasn’t you anyway.”
“Now you believe that?”
She gave him a half smile and said, “Now that I know you better, I can see for myself.”
“Well, that’s good.”
“So?”
“So what?”
“So why do you carry the noose?”
“You sure ask a lot of questions.”
“It’s the only way I can get any answers. Besides, a good newspaper reporter has to know how to ask questions.”
“That’s what you want to be? A reporter?”
“More than anything. When Ma and Pa died of the fever, Grandpa took me in, and I been around the newspaper business ever since. You’re changing the subject.”
“You’re right,” Decker said, reaching for the coffeepot, “I am.”
“Well, if you don’t want to answer, just say so.”
He studied her over his new cup of coffee for a few moments and then asked, “You don’t intend to write this down anywhere, do you?”
She hesitated, and then said, “Not until you tell me I can. I swear it.”
“All right. It’s very simple, really.…”
Chapter XVI
“It happened in Kansas when I was about twenty-one. A woman was killed and I was blamed.”
“Why?”
“Well, I worked for her, doing odd jobs, and she showed an interest in me. She was older than me by about ten years, and married, and I didn’t want to have anything to do with her.”
“Was she pretty?”
“She was beautiful, but that was besides the point. Her husband had hired me to work, and that’s what I wanted to do. Anyway, she got mad at me and told her husband I tried to…touch her, so he fired me.”
That was an oversimplification. Decker and the man had a big fight, during which Decker knocked the man down in front of his wife. Doubly embarrassed, the man fired Decker and never paid him the money he owed him. That was fine with Decker, though. He just wanted to get away from the two of them.
“I was leaving town on foot when the posse rode up and arrested me for killing her.”
Actually, they arrested him for raping her and then killing her.
“But why you?”
“The husband told them I did it.”
“Was there any proof?”
“The case got all the way to court. A judge, eager Tomake a name for himself with a sensational case, convicted me on flimsy evidence.”
The sheriff of the town, a man named Mike Farrell, had believed Decker to be innocent, but Decker was convicted and sentenced to hang.
Even now Decker could feel the noose around his neck.
“I got as far as the gallows, with the hangman putting the noose over my neck, before Mike Farrell brought the real killer in and made him confess.”
“Who was it?”
“Her husband.”
“What happened?”
“Apparently I wasn’t the first one that she had thrown herself at, and that, combined with the fact that I knocked him down in front of her, made him mad enough to attack his own wife. I don’t know if he meant to kill her, but he did, after raping her.”
“And what happened to you?”
“The hangman took the noose off my neck and untied my hands and walked away.”
“No apology?”
“Nobody apologized. When I walked down off the gallows, nobody was even there anymore. They’d gone home disappointed that they weren’t going to see a hanging.”
“And the sheriff?”
“He resigned and left town, and I rode with him for a short time. He tried to get me to take up being a lawman, but I had other ideas.”
“Bounty hunting?”
“For a reason. I want to be able to get to the ones who are going to be hanged and satisfy myself that they’re guilty before I hand them over. I don’t want what happened Tome to happen to any other innocent men.”
“And the noose?”
“The noose is a reminder of what almost happened Tome, and why I took up bounty hunting. I lose sight of my reasons once in a while, and the noose brings it back Tome.”
“Does that mean you won’t bring Brian Foxx in unless you’re convinced of his guilt?”
“That’s what it should mean, but I’ve been finding myself already convinced. I mean, the eyewitness descriptions are pretty damaging.”
“Which ones?”
Decker stared at her and then sipped his coffee. It had grown cold while he told his story. He dumped it into the fire and poured another cup.
“You’re right, Felicia. Maybe I need more than the noose to remind me of my reasons.”
“Does that mean we can be partners?”
He stifled a grin and said seriously, “Let’s not get carried away.”
Later, after they had retired, Felicia said, “Decker?”
“What?”
“Are you asleep?”
“No.”
“What about the gun?”
“What gun?”
“The one you wear.”
“I told you, I’m not very good with a handgun.”
“Did you try to learn?”
“Mike Farrell was pretty good with a gun, and he tried to teach me, but it was hopeless, so he brought—”
“Wait a minute,” she said, sitting up. “Mike Farrell. I know that name.”
“Yeah, Mike went on Tomake a pretty good name for himself as a federal marshal.”
“He’s had dime novels written about him.’Iron Mike’ Farrell they call him.”
“I guess. Anyway, he took me to a gunsmith friend of his and asked the man to design something f
or me that wouldn’t require that I aim. That’s when he came up with this rig.”
“You and Iron Mike Farrell,” Felicia said, with more than a little awe in her voice. “Decker, do you know Wild Bill Hickok.”
“Felicia.”
“Yeah?”
“Go to sleep.”
Chapter XVII
The next afternoon they came within sight of a ranch house. There was a barn that was in a state of disrepair, and a corral with a few horses in it, but beyond that it didn’t look like much of a spread.
“Are we going to stop?” Felicia asked.
“To water the horses and ask some questions.”
Felicia moved as if to go forward, and Decker put his hand on her arm to stay her.
“We don’t know who’s down there, Felicia, and so far my questions have not been well received.”
“You want me to watch you closely, right?”
“Right.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll go first.”
Decker urged John Henry on and Felicia fell in behind them.
As they approached the ranch house, the front door opened and a man stepped out. He was followed by a woman, and then a girl.
The man appeared to be in his midforties, solidly built, his black hair flecked with gray and cut short. He had a solid jaw and a thin slit of a mouth. The woman was about thirty-five, handsome and well-shaped, with dark hair pinned up in a bun. The girl was no more than seventeen or so, slender and blonde, her hair worn long and loose. She was very lovely.
“Can I help you?” the man asked.
At that point Decker veered John Henry to his right, and the people on the porch became aware of Felicia.
“John…” the woman said, putting her hand on the man’s arm. Decker assumed that they were husband and wife, and that the girl was their daughter.
“My name is Decker,” he said, “and this is Felicia.”
“Is she your daughter?” the woman asked.
“No, ma’am, we’re just traveling together.”
“For what purpose?” the man asked.
“I’m looking for someone,” Decker said. “A red-haired man who may have passed this way within the past two weeks.”
“And the girl?”
Decker looked at Felicia, who remained silent.
“She’s a newspaper reporter, looking for a story.”
“Is that right?” the man said. He looked at Felicia and said, “You seem so young.”
“I’m fourteen, and Mr. Decker is making fun of me. My grandfather has a newspaper, and I want to be a reporter. I followed Mr. Decker from Wyoming because I think he’ll make a good story.”
“Followed him?”
“She trailed me and eventually caught up with me. She’s very determined.”
“So it would seem,” the man said. The woman leaned over and said something into his ear, and the man nodded. “My wife would like to ask that you step down and have lunch with us. We would be most pleased if you would accept.”
Felicia looked at Decker, who nodded.
“We’re grateful, ma’am,” he said to the woman.
“Would you like to put your horses in the barn?”
“Thank you.”
“Why doesn’t the young lady come inside with us,” the woman suggested, “while you and my husband take care of the horses.”
“All right,” Decker said, and Felicia stepped down.
“This way,” the man said, taking the reins of Felicia’s horse and leading the way to the barn.
Inside the barn, as they unsaddled the horses, the man said, “My name is John Hudson.”
“I’m grateful to your wife for the offer. I’ve been trying to get Felicia to return home. Your daughter is not much older than she is. Maybe she can help me persuade—”
“Sara is not my daughter,” John Hudson said. “She is my wife.”
“I’m sorry,” Decker said, “I thought the other woman—”
“Esther is also my wife.”
Decker pulled the saddle from John Henry’s back and shifted it to a post, where he balanced it.
“We are Mormons,” Hudson said.
Hudson turned to face Decker.
“You do not disapprove?”
“It’s not my place to disapprove, Mr. Hudson.”
“Please, call me John. Let us go and have lunch.”
“Sounds good.”
They watered and fed the horses and then Decker followed Hudson to the house, trying not to judge or disapprove. The way these people wanted to live their lives was up to them.
At least the man had good taste in wives.
Decker followed Hudson into his house, where he was assailed by delicious odors. Apparently one or both of his wives could cook as well.
Felicia hurried to Decker’s side and hissed, “They’re Mormons.”
Decker shushed her.
They all sat down to lunch. Felicia sat next to Sara. The women did most of the talking until John Hudson finally spoke, at which time his wives dutifully fell silent.
“This man you are after, is it Brian Foxx?”
“It is.”
“Are you a lawman?”
“No, I’m a bounty hunter.”
“I see. You are after the man for the price on his head.”
“That’s part of it,” Felicia said.
Hudson looked at Felicia as if she had committed some great transgression.
“Please,” Sara said to her, “we must remain silent while themen talk.”
“Like hell—”
“Felicia!” Decker said.
She flashed him a defiant look, but stayed quiet.
“What does she mean?”
“Nothing. I’m after Foxx to bring him in for crimes he’s committed. That’s all you need to know.”
“I see,” Hudson said. Decker felt that he had probably insulted the man and would get no help at all now.
“Of course, you are correct,” Hudson said. “It is then left Tome to decide whether I want to help you or not. I disapprove of your profession, but I realize that Brian Foxx must be brought to justice.”
“Well, I haven’t met many people from Utah who agree with that.”
“That is because he has not practiced his profession in this region, but the time will come when he will. He must be stopped before then.”
“He did pass this way, then?” Decker continued.
“Yes.”
“Did you give him a horse?”
“In exchange for his. We also gave him some food. He did not offer to pay, but we would not have taken it even if he had.”
The man’s tone clearly stated that Foxx should have offered and given them the opportunity to refuse.
“Did you see which way he went when he left?”
“He was traveling south when he came here, and continued in that direction.”
“What’s in that direction?”
Hudson shrugged. “Wide open spaces, mountains—”
“Where would Foxx hide out, John?”
“Are you asking me to think like a thief?”
“I’m asking you to try. I’m assuming you know this area.”
“Very well. I chose to build my home here because it was isolated.”
“Then pick a place.”
Hudson thought a moment.
“There’s a rock formation not far from here. I seem to remember a couple of towns at its base, one on the east side, one on the west. They’d be perfect…hideouts.”
“And they’re south of here?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll head that way, then,” Decker said, standing up.
“Are you leaving now?” Esther asked.
“I want to cover more ground before it gets dark. We’ve really appreciated your hospitality.”
“We’ve enjoyed the company,” Sara said. She obviously meant Felicia. She was three years older than the other girl, but they seemed to have gotten on well, and Felicia was the clos
est person in the room to Sara’s age.
As Felicia stood up, Sara put her hand on her arm.
“Why don’t you stay with us?”
Esther looked at Decker and said, “The child would be welcome.”
“I’m not a child!”
Esther smiled and said to Decker, “She would be welcome anyway.”
Esther and Sara looked at their husband for his approval, and he nodded.
“That leaves it up to you,” Esther said to Decker.
“Not me,” he said. “It’s up to Felicia.”
“And I’m not staying,” she said, moving to Decker’s side. “I mean, I appreciate the offer, but I have to go with Decker.”
“As you wish,” John Hudson said.
“Let me pack you some food,” Esther said, and Sara helped her fill a sack.
Hudson went to the barn with Decker and helped him saddle the horses. When they returned to the porch, each of Hudson’s wives hugged Felicia and wished her well.
Decker and Felicia mounted up, waved, and rode south.
When they were out of sight of the ranch, Felicia said, “They were nice people.”
“Yes.”
“I can’t understand their ways, though. I asked Sara how she could marry a man so much…older than she is.”
“And?”
“She said she considered it an honor that he wanted her.” Shaking her head, Felicia said, “I don’t ever think I could be a Mormon. Imagine, not being able to talk while your husband is talking.”
“Yes,” Decker said, “having to be that obedient would be a strain, wouldn’t it?”
Chapter XVIII
“All right,” Brent Foxx finally said, “I’m tired of sitting here doing nothing. We’ve been here a week and nothing’s been accomplished.”
“Which means?’” Brian asked.
“Which means we can either split up, or I can go your way. Those seem to be my only two choices.”
“Brent—”
“Then again, you only have two choices. We could split up, or you could go my way.”
“Brent—”
“I know, I know, you’re the older brother, the big brain. You’ve made all the decisions up to now, and we’ve done all right.”
Brian decided to keep quiet and let his brother work it out. He poured himself another drink and waited.
“Well, I guess if I go with you we can at least keep this scam going. It’s worked too well up to now to let it just die. Of course, poor Sam here will be out of business if we leave.”
Double The Bounty Page 5