Longarm pretended he didn’t understand. “That woman?” he said, in a puzzled voice. “I don’t get it. What woman you talking about?”
Caster gave him a sour look. “That damn Mexican woman he took up with when she moved here about a year ago. Bought that big house up on that hill. Claimed she was Spanish, Castillian Spanish. Sheeett She was a high-dressing Mexican whore was what she was. And Raoul was a man you could depend on. But once he got wrapped up in her gown tail all he did was worry about her fooling around on him. Most jealous sonofabitch I ever saw. Wasn’t good for a damn thing after that.”
Longarm let him finish and then said slowly, “Mister Caster, what has this got to do with our deal? I mean, I know the woman you speak of and I could see where she would be a temptation, but what has all this got to do with me?”
Caster snorted. “Hell, ain’t you heard? Ever’body else in town knows. Where the hell you been hiding? Raoul San Diego took off for Mexico better’n two days ago with that woman up on the buckboard seat with him. And I would reckon yore twenty-five hundred dollars was in his pocket.”
“My twenty-five hundred!” Longarm blurted. “Not very damn likely. That was your money. You told me to give it to him and I did. If he stole the money, he stole it from you. What makes you think he’s gone?”
“Hell, he drove right across the bridge. A half a dozen people saw them. And as for it being my money, well, we don’t agree about that. It never came into my hands. So the money is lost. I don’t see where we can do no business. Not the kind you want to do with James Mull.”
Longarm sat back down and glared at Caster. “Mister Caster,” he said again, “you can’t do this to me. I can’t afford this kind of loss. I’m not as well financed as I used to be. I’ve got to be able to drive those cattle to Galveston.”
Caster shrugged and looked bored. “That ain’t my lookout. Now that Raoul has took half the money, that only leaves twenty-five hundred. The last half of that five grand. I guarantee you that Mull ain’t going to do it for twelve-fifty, which would be half of the money left. And I ain’t going to give him the balance of what you’d pay and leave myself out in the cold. I don’t do nothing for free. So I reckon you better get yoreself some drovers and be ready to drive yore cattle back to Mexico. They sure as hell can’t stay on this side of the river.”
Longarm sat a moment, frowning. Then, in a hesitant tone, he said, “Look, Mister Caster, I got to salvage what I can out of this. I ain’t going to waste no breath arguing the right or wrong of your position. I can’t make you do anything. But what if I was to come up with another twenty-five hundred? What about that? Would that do the trick?”
Caster looked interested for a moment and then he pulled a face. “I might. But you ain’t got that kind of money here and I can’t wait for you to go and wire for some more. This thing has got to get done in the next couple of days. This whole mess has called too much attention to me. Too many people knew that Raoul worked for me.”
Longarm leaned forward, playing the eager businessman. “I could have it quick. I could get it off that fellow that brought my cattle up. He just got some advance money to finance him to go down to Mexico and round up another herd. He’d let me have it.”
Caster thought about it. “You right sure about that? You sure you ain’t playing for time, hoping Raoul will show back up with yore money? If you’re doing that, you’re a bigger fool than I thought. Raoul ain’t coming back. Even his own brother says that.”
“I can get another twenty-five hundred dollars. I can have it for you tomorrow.”
“You understand that still would leave you owing another twenty-five hundred when you get yore trail papers.”
Longarm nodded. “Yes, sir. I do. I know that means I will have laid out seven thousand five hundred dollars, but I got to salvage what I can. Of course that means for certain I got to have the papers signed and sealed by Mister Mull. My only chance is to drive to Galveston.”
Caster spit and looked off in the distance. Then, with a hint of hesitation in his voice, he said, “I reckon that will still work. Mister Mull don’t know about Raoul yet. And I’d just as soon he didn’t know. I was going to tell him you’d backed out on the deal. But if you’re willing to make up the extra money …”
“I am, I am.”
Caster shrugged. “Well, maybe we can still do business.”
“Who you want me to pay this sum to? Raymond? Jasper White?”
Caster looked pained. “Go on back to yore hotel now. I got to think on this. When I’ve figured it out, I’ll let you know.”
“Can you lay your hands on that money right now?” Caster said.
Longarm sank into the chair in front of Caster’s desk. “Just have to go to the bank. Ten minutes. You want me to bring it here?”
“No. And don’t bother making yoreself comfortable in that seat. You ain’t going to be here that long. Go to the bank and then go straight back to yore hotel. Lift up the mattress on yore bed and put it just in under the edge. Have it in some kind of sack.”
“How about one of them little canvas sacks the bank has?”
Caster gave an irritated motion with his head. “The hell with what kind of sack it is. Just a sack. Put the money there and then close the door to yore room. But don’t lock it. Then go stand in the lobby. Better yet, go in the bar and have a drink. Wait ten minutes before you go back to your room.”
Longarm stood up. “You going to pick it up?”
“Sonofabitch!” Caster burst out. “Won’t you never learn? Just do what you’re told. And you better get you some drovers. I’m turning your cattle loose mid-morning, tomorrow. So be sure you have that other twenty-five hundred ready.”
“You’re turning them loose for me to drive north?”
“That’s what I said, ain’t it?”
“What about Mister Mull?”
“You just never mind about Mister Mull.”
“But I’m paying for-“
“I know what you’re paying for and you’ll get it. Now get the hell out of here and see to yore end. Remember, don’t waste no time.”
Longarm stopped off at the bank and picked up the remaining twenty-five hundred dollars on deposit there. He did it in case Caster had someone following him. He had them put it in a small canvas sack that had the name of the bank printed on it. He figured the other twenty-five hundred stashed inside his mattress was safe enough. He felt almost certain that Caster intended to pick up the money himself, but he still didn’t know about Mull and he was not about to trust Jasper White to make an identification for him.
Then, just as he was stepping up on the porch of the Hamilton Hotel, an idea struck him.
The daytime desk clerk was a smart young man and eagerly accommodating. Longarm risked the few moments it took him to speak with the clerk. “Look here,” he said, “there’s a man might be coming in today or tomorrow. Old friend of mine. I’d like to surprise him. Name is James Mull. He didn’t say, but I got an idea he might be staying at this hotel. Wonder if you’d tip me a wink if he checks in, without letting him know. He played a little joke on me last time and I’d like to get him back.” He slid a five-dollar gold piece across the desk.
“Why, yessir, Mister Long,” the clerk said. “I can shore handle that.” He put the five dollars in his pocket with a deft move. “As a matter of fact Mister Mull stays with us quite often. But I won’t let him know you asked after him.”
Longarm gave the clerk a wink and moved off toward his room. He couldn’t imagine such a simple solution hadn’t occurred to him before. The Hamilton was easily the best hotel in Laredo and certainly the most respectable. It was also near the customs office. Unless Mull was going to wait at the depot between trains or hang out in a saloon, he was going to need a hotel room. It would have to be the Hamilton.