Longarm had sworn Wheeler and Trout to secrecy about his change of plans, his decision to take the medicine wagon over the Ruby Mountains. They, along with Oakley himself, were the only ones in Gold Mountain who knew of his attempt to avoid an ambush, and Longarm wanted to keep it that way despite the fact that he felt certain he could trust Miss Bean.
“Well,” Longarm said, “I got a feeling that everything is going to be just fine tomorrow. I told Ray and Ernie that they shouldn’t worry so much, but I guess they will anyway.”
“They have reason to worry,” Molly said. “Ford Oakley does have some pretty ruthless friends. Friends who will stop at nothing to free him.”
Longarm reached across the table and placed his hand on Molly’s. “Just don’t worry. I’m not invincible, but I’ve been doing this sort of thing for years and I expect that I know what I’m up against.”
She tried but failed to show a smile. “I think you should know that Miss Flanigan and I have both purchased tickets to Elko. We’re accompanying you all the way to Denver.”
Longarm retracted his hand. “That would be a bad mistake, Miss Bean. A very bad mistake.”
Her eyes flashed. “You keep telling me that, but I keep telling you that I will not be bullied or dissuaded from doing what I please. Sophie and I won’t have a minute’s peace until we both see Ford Oakley swing by his neck until he is dead.”
Longarm scowled. He could see that Molly Bean was a very stubborn and determined woman. He knew the reasons behind their almost fanatical hatred of Ford Oakley, but that still didn’t change the fact that they would be far better off staying out of this dangerous business. And furthermore, they would be furious in the morning when the stage was ready to leave and they discovered that Longarm and Deputy Trout had about an eight-hour head start on them for Elko.
“Miss Bean,” Longarm said, “I only wish that I could persuade both you and Sophie to just go on with your lives and try to be happy again.”
Her expression softened. “We will, as soon as Ford is dead. There are just some things that have to be put to rest and Ford Oakley is one of those things.”
“I understand. But why don’t you take a later stage to Elko? Oakley will have to stand trial and that will take at least a week or two. I promise you that he won’t swing for at least a month.”
Molly considered that, but finally she shook her head. “I can’t quite explain this,” she said, “but we are very worried about his escaping.”
“And you think you could prevent it if I should fail?”
“Yes,“Molly said. “And I mean no offense, Marshal Long. I’m sure that you are extremely diligent and capable, but I really doubt that you’ve ever had a prisoner as dangerous and cunning as Ford Oakley.”
“If he’s that dangerous, that’s all the more reason for you and Miss Flanigan to remain here in Gold Mountain.”
“No,” she said, that’s all the more reason for us to come and back you up.”
“I disagree.”
Molly Bean shrugged and came to her feet. “Well,” she said, extending her hand, “tomorrow is going to be difficult, and so I’ll use this occasion to wish you the best. I think You can well guess that Sophie and I will arm ourselves, and we are both good shots.”
“Do as you wish,” Longarm said, seeing no point in arguing since he’d be long gone by the time the stage was ready to roll and his absence was discovered.
Molly gave him an odd look. “I didn’t expect you to be quite as … as understanding about us joining you. I’m glad that you are not upset with our decision.”
“No,” he said, “just resigned. See you tomorrow at the stage office, Miss Bean.”
“Molly,” she corrected him. “As long as we are all going to be traveling together to Denver, we might as well be on a first-name basis, don’t you agree?”
“Absolutely.”
Molly squeezed his hand and looked him right in the eye. “I know that Sophie spent the other night with you, Marshal Long. She … she said you were wonderful and a gentleman.”
Longarm blushed. “I guess you two share everything, huh?”
“Not everything,” Molly said. “But we are closer than sisters. Sophie means the world to me. She’s had a difficult life and was headed toward an early grave when I met and befriended her. She’s proven to be a wonderful friend and we’d do anything to help each other.”
“I’m sure you would,” Longarm said, not quite sure where this conversation was headed and starting to feel a bit uneasy.
“Sophie and I share all our secrets,” Molly said, smiling up at him. “We share clothes, recipes … everything.”
Longarm gulped. He might be reading this woman wrong, but he had a feeling she was telling him that she would like to share him with Sophie Flanigan.
“Wonderful,” Longarm said, thinking that he ought to finish his meal.
“It’s going to be a long, long trip back to Denver,” Molly said. “After we arrive and you’ve handed over our prisoner to the authorities, I don’t suppose that you would be able to take a few days off and show us the town? Neither of us have ever been to Denver and …”
“I’d enjoy that,” he snapped.
“Really!”
“Yes, really.”
Molly beamed, and then she turned and hurried outside. At the door, she waved and smiled. Longarm dug into the rest of his dinner, and then ordered half an apple pie, all the time thinking about Sophie and Molly.
Damn but they were going to be angry with him tomorrow when it was time to board that stagecoach for Elko and there was no marshal and no prisoner. But Longarm was willing to bet that Ray and Ernie would be grinning like happy fools.
It was nearly eleven o’clock that night when a dazed and badly shaken Deputy Trout and Longarm finally got everything, including the still-unconscious Ford Oakley, loaded into the medicine wagon and were ready to roll. “You drive and I’ll guard Oakley,” Longarm said.
“Maybe you should drive and let me guard the prisoner,” Trout said.
This suggestion surprised Longarm, who had supposed that Deputy Trout would want to avoid their prisoner as much as possible for the next few days, given how the man had almost broken his neck. “Why do you want to do that?”
“Because,” Trout said, “if someone passes by and sees me driving this wagon, they’re going to recognize me and have some questions. Next thing we know, all of Gold Mountain will realize our game and we’ll lose our head start. But if someone sees you, they probably won’t make a connection.”
“That makes sense,” Longarm agreed. “All right, I’ll drive. Just give me directions on where to go after we roll out of this town.”
Trout massaged his stiff neck. He was in considerable pain. “There’s a road that branches off from the main one heading east. You’ll see it about two miles out and it heads straight as a rifle shot north into the Ruby Mountains.”
“Good enough,” Longarm said, climbing up to take the lines to the four-horse team. “Get inside the wagon and let’s go!”
A moment later, the back door of the wagon slammed shut. Longarm snapped the lines against the rumps of the four horses and clucked his tongue. The medicine wagon, with bottles of elixir clanking and clinking, jolted forward down the alley. Longarm glanced up at a half-moon and drove past two dogs coupling in the moonlight.
“Enjoy her,” he said to the big male whose tongue was hanging out of the side of his mouth in a happy grin. “But treat her like a lady.”
The male’s tail wagged a little as Longarm and the medicine wagon passed quietly out of Gold Mountain.
Chapter 6
The road eastward out of Gold Mountain was wide and deeply rutted. Longarm could have followed it blindfolded. Two good horses would have been plenty to pull the rickety old medicine wagon, but four good ones made it very easy. Longarm was pleased with his team, and Marshal Wheeler had assured him that all four could double as saddle mounts, just in case they needed to abandon the wagon and make a run for Elko.