Megan’s smile faded and her expression became serious. “Father is going to have to realize sooner or later that I’ve become a woman. It might as well happen now and with you, Custis.”
“Don’t say that,” Longarm advised. “At least wait until I’m on the train to Denver before you tell him what went on between us here in Bodie.”
“All right,” Megan promised, taking his arm. “Now let’s go meet Ivan Kane.”
Longarm headed out the door, and they walked arm and arm down the hallway and the stairs and across the lobby.
“Good morning, Mr. Jefferson, Mrs. Jefferson!” the desk clerk called in cheery greeting.
“Good morning,” Longarm responded on his way out. Marshal Ivan Kane’s office was on Main Street, right next to Stillwell’s Emporium. As they were walking by the emporium, Megan saw a new and intricately carved saddle in the window which she paused to admire. “Nice workmanship, isn’t it?”
“Sure,” Longarm said distractedly. “Come on, let’s get this meeting over with.”
But Megan was leaning up against the window. “There’s a saddle shop in there and I can see the man at work.”
“Forget about saddles.”
But Megan was already heading into the emporium. “You go thaw out Marshal Kane and I’ll be along in a few minutes,” she called.
Longarm was disgusted, but then he decided that it might be best if he met Ivan Kane in private. After the initial greeting, things could get tense in a big hurry.
Kane’s office was small, but as tidy as Longarm remembered. There was one cell in the back of the office, and it was built like a safe with thick strap-iron bars. Kane had an impressive arsenal in his rifle rack, twenty Winchester repeaters and a host of shotguns along with at least half-a-dozen Colt six-shooters. Longarm remembered that Ivan Kane was still one of the finest pistol shots alive, even boasting he could out-shoot Wild Bill Hickok.
“Hello, Ivan,” Longarm said, opening the door and smiling.
Kane was a tall, powerfully built man. His hair and mustache were silver. He was a fastidious man who had always set himself apart from most frontiersmen by the fact that his clothes were cleaned and pressed, his hair neatly cut, and his boots polished. At first impression, Ivan Kane looked like the town mayor or some other politician. At least he did until you saw the steeliness in his gray eyes. Kane had always been a fooler. He could charm a snake, but then chop off its head quicker than the blink of its eye. When he was in a genial mood, Ivan Kane was witty and good company, but when his mood turned dark, people quickly learned to give him a wide berth.
Kane looked up from the newspaper he was reading and stared at Longarm for a moment before he exclaimed, “Well, damned if it isn’t Deputy U.S. Marshal Custis Long!”
“That it is,” Longarm said, stepping into the man’s office and extending his hand, “and it’s good to see you again, Ivan. You’re looking as fit as ever.”
Kane was proud of his physique as well as his rugged good looks. He stood up, as tall as Longarm and almost as straight. “Why, I never expected to see you back so soon, Custis. Pull up a chair and catch me up on things. How is our little Billy Vail?”
“Fat-assed and happy pushing papers.”
Kane chuckled. “Yeah, I imagine that he is. Billy probably cuts a pretty fat hog at the federal office in Denver.”
“That he does. He has a clerk who pretty much spoon-feeds him and keeps the office running smoothly. Billy always tells me that he’d like to go back out in the field, but he never will.”
“He’d be a fool to,” Kane replied, his smile melting. “It’s not as easy as it used to be. Things have a way of changing, and not always for the better.”
“I know,” Longarm said, taking a seat. “Being one of Billy’s senior officers, I’ve been approached about spending more time in administration and even getting a promotion, but I’m not quite ready for that.”
“Unless,” Kane said, smoothing his mustache with the back of his thumb as was his habit, “you got a good-lookin’ gal waitin’ for you back in Denver.” They both laughed, but Longarm sensed that Kane was forcing his good humor. Kane cleared his throat and examined his fingernails before he said, “How have you been, Custis?”
“I’m doing just fine.”
Kane pinned him with his steel-gray eyes. “So what brings you clear down to Bodie?”
“You never were one to waste time beating around the bush, were you, Ivan.”
“Nope. We’ve always gotten along on good terms, but I know you’re not here on a social call.”
Longarm had been dreading this moment, and wasn’t exactly sure how to begin. He decided to be as direct as Kane and said, “I have a telegram from Denver saying that there’s some trouble here in Bodie.”
Kane’s lips drew back from his teeth. “There’s nothing that I can’t handle, Custis.”
Longarm stood up and walked over to face the window. He stared out in the street for a moment and then said, “I need to be sure of that, Ivan. Those are my orders.”
“Goddammit!” Kane shouted, fist smashing down on the top of his desk. “What the hell authority do you—a federal officer—have in my town!”
Longarm turned on his boot heel. “Probably none, he admitted. “But while I may be a federal officer, I’m first and foremost a lawman. Just like you, and old Wild Bill Riley, and all the other men who wear a badge and are risking their lives every day to protect the people.”
Kane came to his feet, finger stabbing at Longarm. “Don’t give me any of your moralistic and high-sounding lectures. You’ve got no authority!”
“We’ve always worked well together,” Longarm said quietly. “We’ve had a mutual respect that goes back a lot of years. I’m asking you, man to man, to let me stay until I can satisfy Billy Vail that everything is all right here.”
Kane came around his desk, face contorted with rage. “And what if I just kick your ass out of my town and say to hell with friendship! I’ve told you that everything is fine here in Bodie and that isn’t satisfying you. That tells me that you think I’m a liar.”
“No,” Longarm said, his own voice starting to rise with anger. “It’s saying that there may be problems that we can help you with and that-“
“I don’t want your goddamn help!” Kane went back to his desk and glared at Longarm. “I want you out of here, Custis. I don’t want to fight with you, but I want you out of my town!”
“I’ll go,” Longarm said, “but if I do, Billy will just send others. So who do you want to deal with, Ivan? Three or four other federal officers, or someone that you can trust and who respects you?”
Kane’s cheeks blew out and he swore as he marched back to his cell and kicked it with his boot. “I hate it when someone tells me how to do my job. Why, I was a law officer before you were even born!”
“And a good one,” Longarm said. “As good as they come.”
“And I still am!” Kane shouted, spinning around to glare across his office. “So why can’t you and your big-nosed boss just butt the hell out of my business!”
Longarm removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “Pride cometh before a fall, Ivan. There’s none of us in this profession that hasn’t made some major mistakes. Not one. And sometimes, we need a little help in getting ourselves out of fixes. I’m here to offer that help. It’s up to you to be big enough and smart enough to accept that help.”
“Shit!” Kane swore. “I been taking care of my own affairs way too damn long to have someone waltz in here and want me to change things around. And I don’t know who the hell has been talking ‘bout me behind my back, but I mean to find out and see that they never do it again.”
“That would be a big mistake,” Longarm said. “People have a right to complain when they think that their officials are doing something wrong.”
“What exactly is the complaint?” Kane hissed.