Bannerman the Enforcer 45

by Kirk Hamilton

  “Damn it, she just happened to be there. I grabbed her. Had to make things look good. Now I’ve got to pretend I don’t give a damn what happens to her.”

  Cato nodded. “But you do.”

  The look on Yancey’s face was all the answer Cato needed. He said, “Look, maybe I can get her out of here.”

  “No! It’d blow the whole deal if she was rescued. You just get back to Dukes.”

  “This must be important, Yance.”

  “Dukes seems to think so. You know what kind of reps the Satterlees have. They haven’t come down here just to admire the scenery.”

  Yancey spun at a sound near the door and threw himself across the cabin and into the corner, where he hastily arranged himself in a sitting position. Cato moved to the side so only one eye was looking through the window.

  The door opened and Cotton Satterlee stepped in. He held Tina Gunn by the arm. Her eyes looked dull. Her clothes were in disarray and she clutched her torn blouse. There were tear tracks down her cheeks and a spot of blood at a corner of her swollen mouth. Cotton roughly pushed her away. She staggered to a corner of the room and dropped down to stare dully at nothing.

  Cato’s fingers whitened on the sill as he flicked his fury-filled gaze to Cotton Satterlee. The big outlaw had dark scratches on his face and a split lip.

  Cato stiffened with shock as Yancey spoke:

  “How’d you like her, Cotton?”

  Satterlee shrugged. “I’ve had better. But I’ll soon break her in to my way of doin’ things. I always break ’em.”

  Yancey shrugged as though not interested. He hadn’t even looked at the girl.

  Cato swore softly and ducked below the window, hugging the cabin wall, the Manstopper in his hand. He wondered if Yancey had lied to him, if he was now a member of the Satterlee gang. No. If that were so, Yancey would have told Cotton about him lurking outside the window. Unless Yancey had decided to save his life for old times’ sake.

  Cato shook his head. Damned if he knew for certain what was going on. But Yancey had given him one good piece of advice—to get out of there as quick as he could without being seen.

  Zack Markham hid his killer tendencies behind a bland mask. He had the look of a preacher and in fact had on several occasions used a clerical collar either to dodge the law or set the minds of victims at ease before robbing them.

  He was of medium height and a little thicker around the middle than he would have liked, but he wore clothes well and could look as pious as a monk when the situation warranted it.

  When in Austin, he had put on his preacher’s collar and made the rounds of the saloons, professing to be looking for sinners to convert to “the ways of the Lord.” He asked all he saw if there were any sinners in town who had fallen to the wiles of Satan and finally he had all the information he required on Yancey Bannerman.

  It was mid-morning when he rode into the hideaway canyon of the Satterlee gang in the Texas Breaks.

  Morgan stood at his cabin door impatiently waiting for Markham to dismount, hitch his gun belt to a more comfortable position, and then enter. Inside the cabin, Rick and Cotton were waiting. Cotton poured a large measure of whiskey for Markham. The man picked up the brimming glass, saluted, and downed it at a gulp. Outside, other outlaws who had seen Markham arrive gathered around, waiting to learn what news he had brought.

  Tina, dark circles under her eyes, her skin pale and drawn tightly over her cheekbones, looked up at Markham from where she sat in a corner on the dirt floor. Yancey turned to look at her.

  “Let’s hope old Zack’s trip wasn’t all for nothin’,” he said with a crooked grin.

  Now she stared at the earthen floor between her bare feet.

  “Bannerman really cut loose all right,” Zack Markham said to the Satterlees. “Far as I could learn he went loco without any warnin’ at all. He beat the hell out of four cowpokes—four, mind you!—and nearly killed one of ’em. Later he shot a house gambler, killed a Ranger named Wallis and wounded another one called Bull Hawkins. On top of all that he generally raised hell. After he killed the Ranger they threw him in a cell with Rick. It was just as Rick said—the cell had the only spare bunk. Then Bannerman killed another Ranger bustin’ out of there. After that he grabbed the girl. She’s a do-gooder just like she claims—I checked to make sure. She’s been helpin’ out Doc Boles for some time, mostly in his clinic in Austin, which he runs for the poor folk. Senator Gunn, her old man, is raisin’ Cain about her bein’ taken and he’s demandin’ that all sorts of things be done, includin’ that the army be brought in to look for her.” Markham paused and looked at each of the three attentive outlaws. “He’s offered five thousand bucks for the girl’s return—unsullied, if you get my meanin’.”

  Morgan and Rick turned to look at Cotton who glanced at Markham and shrugged.

  “A mite late for that,” Morgan said. “Cotton ‘sullied’ her.”

  Zack Markham arched an eyebrow. “No matter, I guess. We could get more out of Senator Gunn by demandin’ ransom. How about that, Morg?”

  Morgan nodded. “A lot more. Twenty, maybe twenty-five thousand. We’ll get it, too, before this deal’s over.” He sat back in his chair, toying with his glass of whiskey. “And what did you find out about ‘Slocum’?”

  “That’s what name appears on all the records,” Markham said. “Rick was arrested as Slocum and that’s the name in the court record. All the guards I spoke to know him as Slocum and so does the bunch that killed the Giles family. You see, the Rangers allowed me as a man of the cloth to go into the cells to try to save those poor souls and I had a long talk with ’em. They also confirmed Bannerman’s killin’ of the Ranger guard, and they said their own trial was put forward and they’re scheduled to hang at high noon today. I guess the governor had to do somethin’ to calm down the Rangers after two of ’em got killed by Dukes’ own top Enforcer.”

  Morgan looked to be deep in thought as Cotton and Rick stared expectantly at him. Markham helped himself to another whiskey and downed it in one gulp.

  “Well,” Morgan said finally, placing the palms of his hands on the edge of the table. “It looks like Bannerman truly did go hog-wild because his old head wound started actin’ up.”

  “Seems that way,” Rick said with a sigh of relief.

  But Cotton appeared to have doubts. “I dunno. I don’t reckon we should take any chances. So maybe Bannerman did go loco. If we keep him here, we’re gonna have a madman in camp. How the hell do we know what he’s gonna do next? He could blow up at the wrong time and ruin everything for us, Morg.”

  “Cotton has a good point,” Zack Markham opined.

  Morgan nodded slowly. “I know. But the truth is, I’d sure like to have a man as deadly as Bannerman with me on this deal. I reckon that for once I’m willin’ to take a chance. Anyhow, I know of one big test we can put him through. If he passes it, we’d be loco not to use him.”

  Rick frowned. “What test are you talkin’ about, Morg?” Morgan smiled faintly. “Well, if he’s really cut himself away from Dukes, he’ll be willin’ to tell us all about the Enforcers and how they operate, won’t he? Their secret codes and so on?” He stood up. “Let’s find out just how genuine Mr. Yancey Bannerman really is.”

  Nine – Closing In

  Kate Dukes didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she stared incredulously into her father’s face. She started to speak but couldn’t find the words. Finally she cleared her throat and, her voice catching a little, asked, “Why on earth didn’t you tell me sooner, Father? My God! The agony I’ve gone through these past two weeks!”

  Dukes reached out and took her hand, a gentle smile on his face. “Don’t think I haven’t wanted to tell you, Kate, but it just wasn’t possible.”

  “But why not? Yancey’s worked undercover before and I’ve always known about it. What was so different this time?”

  “The Satterlees, Kate, that’s what’s different. They’re the most dangerous men alive in the United States today.
They started out as hired gunfighters, were paid for a couple of political assassinations and did the job so efficiently that their services were sought all over this country and beyond. They’ve travelled to Mexico and down to South America, where they caused all kinds of trouble. When we got word that they were moving into the Texas Breaks, we wondered what they were up to. Then we had that spate of train hold-ups and derailments and general sabotage.”

  Kate nodded slowly, beginning to understand now. “I see. There is a lot of political trouble at the moment over the railroads: over-high compensation for the right-of-way across already settled land, high fares and charges for freight, and all sorts of graft.”

  “That’s right. Too many politicians have made fortunes overnight, simply by knowing where a railroad plans to lay track and then buying up every inch of land along the route and selling it at exorbitant prices to the railroad. It’s gotten out of hand and a lot of political heads are about to roll all over the country and even in Washington. The Satterlees, we suspect, have been hired by a powerful group to destroy the property of those who will not participate in a conspiracy so big that it includes the planned assassination of the President himself.”

  Kate gasped.

  “We have only rumors at present,” the governor said, “but there is no sitting back and waiting to see what will happen with something as big as this. We have to move and move fast. I must admit we were stymied until that saloon girl was murdered and a young feller calling himself Slocum was arrested. It was only by a fluke that he was recognized, despite his bleached hair, as young Rick Satterlee. Our first thought was to interrogate him about the whereabouts of his brothers and their reasons for being in Texas. Then Yancey, pointing out the impossibility of locating an outlaw hideout in the Texas Breaks, came up with the scheme of ‘going bad’ and then escaping with young Satterlee while pretending he didn’t want Satterlee along. What we had to do was give Rick Satterlee a solid reason for wanting to stay with Yance.”

  “The girl?” Kate said.

  “Yes. We thought that if Yancey had a hostage it would help keep the posses and Rangers at bay and at the same time make Rick Satterlee want to stick close, figuring a hostage like Tina would make escape a lot easier. It was a gamble, but we figured that if Yancey refused flatly to take Satterlee along and acted as if he was determined to escape alone, then Satterlee would offer to take Yancey to a safe hideout.”

  “His camp in the Texas Breaks.”

  “Yes. As I said, it was a gamble, but apparently it’s worked.”

  Kate frowned. “Apparently?”

  Dukes hesitated. “Well, we think Yancey made it all right. We know he went into the Breaks in Satterlee’s company, anyway. And with the girl, too. But we haven’t heard from him since, although there has been an outlaw called Zack Markham in town, asking a lot of questions about the Rangers Yancey was supposed to have killed.”

  Kate nodded slowly. “I can understand how that was done—blank cartridges were used. But what about when Yancey shot that gambler and beat up the four men?”

  Her father pursed his lips and tapped his fingers against the desk edge. “We-ell, it was unfortunate for the cowpokes, but they’ll be amply compensated later on. It had to look good. As for the gambler, that was something left entirely to Yancey. He believed the man was actually cheating and so he provoked a gunfight, wounding him when he could just as easily have killed him.” Dukes saw the cold look on Kate’s face and took her hands in his. “Kate, I told you this was big: the planned assassination of the President himself!”

  “But you aren’t certain about that!”

  “We can’t afford to wait for absolute proof. We must act on our information.”

  “Even at the cost of Yancey’s life?”

  “Yes.”

  “And the girl? Who is she?”

  Dukes’ face went tight. “That I can’t tell you right now, except to say that she’s very courageous and exactly who we needed at the time.”

  Kate was startled. “Don’t be ridiculous, Father! You’ve told me everything else, why not give me her true identity?”

  He fidgeted uncomfortably. “I can’t, Kate. Just let it go at that, will you? All I can add is that she will do anything—anything—to get back at the Satterlees.”

  “And Johnny Cato? He’s been as much in the dark as I’ve been. You even sent him on a shoot-to-kill mission to get Yancey.”

  Dukes smiled without humor. “No risk there. John Cato would never gun down Yancey, under any circumstances, even though I ordered him to.”

  “Then why did you send Johnny out?”

  “To make it look authentic. I had to cover every possible contingency. There’s a security leak here in the mansion and I took advantage of it. I let it be known that Cato had been assigned to kill Bannerman. When this leaked out, as I’m sure it has, it made Yancey’s break-out look all the more genuine. And it would help him get accepted into the gang.”

  Kate’s eyes flashed. “But what if he isn’t accepted? Suppose they don’t want him in the gang, no matter what?”

  Her father met her gaze steadily. “That’s one of the risks Yancey knew he had to take. But I don’t think you need worry, Kate. The fact that they sent a man into Austin to make enquiries about Yancey means that they’re considering him as a member. If they had killed him immediately, there would have been no need for a check.”

  Kate thought this over and agreed, finally, that her father was probably right. But there was still a nagging doubt in her mind. “And how do you think the Satterlees will attempt to assassinate the President?” she asked.

  Dukes looked worried. “That’s what Yancey has to find out. The Satterlees are professional anarchists and trouble-makers. They’re experts at assassinating public figures. By the way, there’s a rumor that the President will be making a visit to Texas in the near future at the invitation of the new Texas Pacific Railroad—a dedication ceremony, I’m told. However, I’ve been unable to confirm the visit. I’m hoping Yancey will get some information on it from the Satterlees.”

  “It would be an ideal time for the Satterlees to act, of course,” Kate said. “But how is Yancey expected to get a message out to you if he learns there is a plan to assassinate the President?”

  “That’s up to him. If he can’t get a message out, he has to try to stop it—alone, if there’s no other way.” Dukes squeezed Kate’s cold hands. “It’s Yancey’s most dangerous mission, Kate, but he wanted it and I’m sure he’ll come through safely, just as he always has.”

  Kate nodded, but there was fear in her eyes.

  The Enforcer sat down at the table in the main cabin and nodded curtly to the men who sat there, the three Satterlees and Zack Markham. There was a stone jug of whiskey on the table and five glasses.

  Morgan Satterlee pushed a glass and the jug towards Yancey. The Enforcer hesitated momentarily, then poured himself a drink and tossed it down.

  “Have another,” Morgan said.

  Yancey filled the glass, sipped the whiskey and sat back in his chair. “What’s the big pow-wow for?” he asked.

  Suddenly he grimaced and rubbed hard at the left side of his forehead, just above his eye.

  The outlaws exchanged glances.

  “Somethin’ wrong?” Morgan asked.

  “Goddamn headaches!” Yancey exploded, then he tossed down the rest of the whiskey. He sighed. “Well? I’m sure you didn’t get me over here just to be social.”

  “No,” admitted Morgan. “We’ve done some checkin’ around. Seems you’re genuine enough, Bannerman.”

  Yancey arched an eyebrow and laughed. “Man, I don’t give a damn whether you think I’m genuine or not! I know my headaches are real. If you reckon I’m fakin’ and I’m on some sort of undercover deal, then go ahead and kill me. You’d be doin’ me a favor.”

  He rubbed again at his head, wincing, as the others tried to cover their shock at his words. Suddenly Morgan moved with blurring speed and there was a cocked gun in
his hand aimed at Yancey’s head. His eyes were cold.

  “So long, Bannerman!” Morgan said.

  Yancey’s calm gaze didn’t waver. He looked straight into the muzzle of the gun.

  Morgan Satterlee grinned, lowered the hammer and holstered the gun after giving it a fancy twirl. Rick and Cotton let out sighs but Zack Markham seemed unaffected one way or another.

  “You’re a cool one,” Morgan said.

  “I was so scared I froze,” Yancey said lazily.

  Morgan laughed. “Okay. Joke’s over. You want to come in with us, Bannerman?”

  Yancey looked surprised. “Join up with your bunch?”

  “We could use you.”

  Yancey looked dubious. “Never thought about it. All I wanted to do was get clear of this neck of the woods.”

  “You come in with us and well take care of you,” Morgan promised. “We won’t be here too much longer. When your chore’s done, we’ll get you safely away. We’ve got a hole up in Canada and several in Mexico, not to mention many others all over the States. You’d make a lot of money, Bannerman.”

  Yancey cocked his head as though thinking about it. “What’re you aiming to do, Morgan?”

  The Satterlees exchanged glances.

  “You don’t need to know that now,” Morgan said.

  “Whatever it is,” Yancey said, “it’s got to be worth my while.” The three brothers and Markham laughed together.

  “I reckon you can say it will be,” Morgan said. He leaned forward suddenly. “How much you reckon it’d be worth to kill the President—-plus a whole passel of his senators?”

  Yancey blinked. “Judas!” he breathed.

  “Each man gets ten thousand dollars as soon as it’s done; then, over the next five years, another ten grand each year. If he gets caught, he takes whatever is dished out and he keeps his mouth shut. If he gets only a prison sentence, the money’ll be waitin’ for him, all of it. And the money can be sent to you anywhere in the world, in case you get a notion to clear the shores of the good old U.S.A.”