“Gentlemen,” Decker said, surrendering his cards, “it’s been interesting.”
He rose and faced the sheriff.
“I like the way you handled that.”
“I don’t like being called a cheater.”
“Most men would consider that grounds for killing.”
“I never kill over a card game,” Decker said. “It makes it hard to get players next time.”
Calder laughed. “I like that, too.”
“I’m glad you approve. Where do we go to talk?”
“There’s an office in the back,” the sheriff said, pointing.
“The owner lets you use it?”
Sheriff Calder grinned and said, “I am the owner.”
Chapter Seven
Decker followed the sheriff to the back office, smiling at the fact that the town sheriff also owned the saloon. In most places, that was considered a conflict of interest, of sorts.
“Does the town council know about this?” Decker asked as they entered the office.
“Of course,” Calder said. “I’m the head of the town council.”
“I see.”
Decker regarded the man for a few seconds. Sheriff Calder did not seem to be a particularly formidable man, physically. What was it, Decker wondered, that had apparently enabled the man to obtain the run of the town?
Could it be because he was the Baron’s contact? Perhaps it was the Baron that the townspeople were afraid of. That seemed very likely to Decker. He knew of a man who once was able to terrify a town because his brother was a known gunman. When the brother was killed by someone faster, the town turned on the man and cast him out.
What would happen to Sheriff Calder, Decker wondered, once he brought the Baron in for the bounty?
It would be interesting to come back and find out.
“Have a seat,” the sheriff said.
For now, however, Decker had to deal with Calder. He did as the other man instructed.
“Can I offer you a drink?”
“No, thanks.”
“I understand you were in here earlier looking for me,” Calder said, sitting behind his desk.
“I was looking for a man named Calder,” Decker said. “At the time, I didn’t know you were the sheriff.”
“What about when you came to my office?” “I didn’t know your name, and then when you told me, I didn’t know if you were the same Calder.”
“I’m the only Calder in town,” the lawman said. “If you didn’t know who I was, why were you in here looking for me?”
Decker decided not to beat around the bush.
“I understand that if I want to hire the Baron I have to go through you.”
The man did not answer right away, and when he did he didn’t admit anything. Apparently he wasn’t as willing to do away with beating around the bush as Decker was.
“The Baron? Should I know who that is?”
“I hope you do, or I made a trip for nothing.”
“You just might have.”
Decker leaned forward and said, “Let’s not play games, Calder.”
“Sheriff Calder,” the lawman corrected him.
“You’re proud of that star, aren’t you?”
In answer, the sheriff looked at his badge and then wiped it with his sleeve.
“How long do you think you’d keep it without the Baron to back you up?”
“I don’t need anybody to back me up.”
“Then you do know the Baron.”
“What do you want with him?”
“I want to hire him to do what he does best.”
“What’s that?”
“Kill.”
Calder studied Decker intently for a few moments.
“You don’t look like you need any help doing that.”
“I can’t do this one,” Decker said. “I need someone who’s not…involved.”
“Who do you want killed?”
“I’ll tell that to the Baron.”
“Can you afford him?”
“I don’t know,” Decker said. “What’s he cost?”
Calder named a figure.
“I can cover that.”
“I’d have to check you out, Decker.”
“What’s to check out? I told you who I am and what I do.”
“How do I know you’re not looking to cash in on the Baron?”
“Has he got a price on his head?” Decker asked innocently.
When Calder didn’t answer, Decker said, “Even if he does, he can’t very well solve my problem for me if I take him in for a bounty, can he?”
“You couldn’t take him,” the sheriff said.
“You may be right, but right now I’m more concerned with hiring him.”
Again, Calder took some time before speaking.
“I’ll have to get back to you.”
“About what?”
“I’ll have to find out if he’s available.”
“How long will that take?”
The man shrugged.
“A day, maybe two. Stick around town, play some poker. You’ll hear from me.”
That sounded to Decker like a dismissal, so he stood up.
“I’ll need to see him within the next couple of weeks, Calder. I can’t wait any longer than that.”
“Like I said, give me a couple of days.”
Decker nodded and went back into the saloon.
Chapter Eight
On his way back to his room Decker heard the floorboards creak outside his room. Instantly awake, he heard the noise again.
Silently he rolled off the bed, drawing his gun from the holster on the bedpost. Then he waited.
The floorboards creaked long enough to tell him that there was more than one person in the hall. He cocked the hammer on his gun and waited.
Suddenly, the door burst open, as if kicked, and there was a man in the doorway shooting at the bed. Decker could hear the bullets as they struck the mattress. Without even thinking he started firing himself.
The figure in the doorway staggered and then fell, and Decker saw another silhouette behind him. That man fired one quick shot into the room and then turned and ran down the hall.
Decker sprang to his feet, ran around the bed, jumped over the body and burst into the hall. He could hear someone banging his way down the steps and ran after him, gun in hand. Luckily, he was cold when he went to bed and wore not only his long underwear, but his pants, as well. Unfortunately, he was barefoot and stubbed his toe just before he started down the steps. Ignoring the pain, he ran down the steps and into the lobby, where the startled desk clerk was staring at him.
“Which way did he go?” Decker demanded.
“What? What?”
He ran to the desk, grabbed the clerk’s shirt, and pulled him halfway across the desk.
“Which way did he go, damn it?”
“Out the front door,” the clerk said. Decker released him, and as he was going out the door he heard the man shouting, “What’s happening, what’s happening?”
Decker ran out into the street and looked both ways but didn’t see anyone. He stood stock-still and simply listened. Since it was so late at night the saloons were closed and there was not any music or shouting. For this reason, he heard the sound of someone running to his right. He didn’t so much hear the man running as he heard him breathing hard as he ran.
Decker moved to his right, not running but moving quickly. He was walking on the boardwalk, and since he was barefoot there was no possibility of his footsteps being heard. He was not running because he did not want to breathe heavily. Bare-chested, he was aware of a slight bite in the air.
Ahead of him he could hear the man’s boots scraping and sliding alternately on dirt and the boardwalk. Decker quickened his pace, wanting to keep the man at least within earshot.
Finally Decker reached a point where he couldn’t hear the man anymore. It was possible that he had stepped into a storefront along the way, but all of the doors seemed to be locked. Decker continued moving along, alert for any movement behind him, but when he came to an alley he felt certain that this was where the man went.