"That was some hell of a long talk you had with Ramos," Webster said. "What was it all about?"
"Couldn't you hear?" Longarm asked.
Hill said, "I was down at the far end on one side. All I could get was a word now and then, when you two were shouting."
"About the same with me," Webster nodded. "I figured you must've had some pretty strong things to say, to get him to pull his men back. They gone for good?"
"Oh, I imagine they'll be around awhile, yet."
"Well, tell us the whole story," Hill said impatiently. "I'm as curious as Nate to find out how you made him withdraw."
"I lied a little bit. Told him a platoon of your troopers was on the way here, to take on him and his bunch. He didn't like that idea very much." Then as as afterthought Longarm added, "Oh, and I agreed him and me'd shoot it out, man to man, just before sunup tomorrow."
"You did what?" Hill exploded.
"Now, we're right close together here, John. You couldn't've missed hearing me."
"You sure you can take him?" Webster asked soberly. "Some of the rurales are pretty good with a sixgun."
"Now, Nate, a man never does really know about a thing like that, does he?" Longarm asked. "But I'll take whatever chance there is."
"I'm not sure I approve of this," Hill frowned. "I'd rather get my troopers here, even if it means a night march. Let them handle things the army way."
"And maybe set off a war?" Longarm asked. "That's what we been trying not to do, John, remember? But I'd take it as a favor if you will back up my bluff, find somebody to ride to the fort with an order for 'em to come on. Then we'd know for sure there wouldn't be any trouble tomorrow."
"You're right. A show of force can stop most trouble before it gets under way," Hill replied. "I'll get that fellow Ralston to pick me out a messenger."
"We'd best set up a guard here at the ford tonight," Nate Webster suggested. "I don't trust rurales. Night raids are their style, you know."
"You do whatever you figure's best, Nate. Right now I'm mainly interested in a square meal and a good night's sleep in a real bed."
When Longarm got back to the sheriff's office, Tucker was nowhere to be seen. Longarm supposed he was back in the ell with Wahonta and decided not to disturb him. He went into the jail to tell the women it was now safe for them to go out. Lita was gone, but Flo was stretched out on the bunk, dozing.
"I thought I'd hear shooting if there was trouble," she said, "and I needed a nap. Lita left right after you did; she said something about having to help her mother serve supper. I tried to keep her, but she just wouldn't stay."
"No harm done, Flo. You must be about as starved as I am. Tell you what. Let's go out to where her mama cooks, and get supper."
"Before I eat, I want to clean up," Flo replied. "I'll enjoy supper a lot more if I get rid of a dozen layers of Mexican dirt first."
"That's easy. Lots of rooms vacant over at the saloon, and the porter'll get you a tub of hot water to bathe in. Rooms there ain't fancy like the hotel you got in New York, but the beds are better'n sleeping on the ground like we did last night."
Flo grinned at him. "I enjoyed it. Not so much the sleeping, but the lullabyes were wonderful."
"We'll have some more of them, for sure," he promised her. "I figure we better get to bed early. I got a busy day tomorrow."
Flo smiled again. "If that's an invitation for me to tuck you in, you already know I'm planning to do just that. I'll enjoy going to bed early, too, under the circumstances."
She didn't ask him why his day was going to be busy, and Longarm didn't elaborate.
While Flo bathed in the room next to his, Longarm asked for a pitcher of boiling water and a bottle of fine on to be sent up to his room while he waited for the tub. It was a common enough request in any frontier saloon that rented rooms. While he waited for Flo to finish her bath, Longarm stripped his Colt, poured boiling water through barrel and cylinder, swabbed the metal dry, and applied the lightest possible film of on to the hammer and trigger mechanism. When he reloaded, he chose each cartridge with meticulous care, inspecting it carefully before sliding it into a chamber. He sipped from his bottle of Maryland rye while he worked, and wished again for a cheroot.
He made quick work of bathing. Apologetically, the mozo who served the rooms told Longarm that he'd taken the liberty of taking the dirty shirt and longjohns that Longarm had left in the room "to la lavandera, senor, si no obedece" and was surprised at the size of the tip he received for the unsolicited service. When Flo tapped at the door, Longarm was ready. He'd shaved in the tub, donned fresh underwear, and though he hadn't been able to do anything about the rips his coat had gotten during the past few days, he'd shaken the dust out of it. Flo had brushed off her coat and jacket. As she remarked, "We'd be taken for bums on Fifth Avenue, but we don't look out of place in Los Perros."
Longarm escorted her to the stall where Lita's mother was cooking. Lita served them, her dark eyes flashing with suppressed anger every time she looked at Flo. The food was as tasty as Longarm remembered but the atmosphere was distinctly cool. Lita didn't talk with them beyond the most necessary remarks, and none of Longarm's mild jokes brought laughter to her lips. They hurried through the meal and started back to the hotel.
As they crossed the plaza, Flo said, "I guess I'm not the most popular person in the world with your little friend. Isn't she a bit young for you, Custis?"
"I was a little bit leery of her at first, but when push comes to shove, Lita don't act as young as she looks. Not that she's the woman you are." He looked at Flo curiously. "You ain't a bit jealous, are you?"
"No. I suppose it's not in my nature to be. Maybe because I've learned not to fall in love, I can see jealousy as a waste of energy. Don't worry about your little Mexican girl, Custis. I won't mind her one bit, as long as you give me all I want of you while we're together."
"You know I'm going to do that, honey. Fact is, I'm ready to start just as soon as we get by ourselves again."
"I can't wait, but I will. It'd attract too big a crowd if we let ourselves go right here in the middle of town."
As soon as Longarm locked the door of his room, Flo reached for him. "Now show me you meant what you said."
"We both got too many clothes on for me to prove it real good."
"You help me, I'll help you."
Longarm delayed following her suggestion only long enough to hang his gunbelt in its regular place at the head of the bed on the left-hand side.
They made a frolic of the undressing game, but it became something else when Longarm stood naked. It was the first time Flo had seen him undressed in a lighted room, and the scars he'd earned in scores of brushes with those on the wrong side of the law drew a gasp of dismay from her.
"My God! How can a man take so much punishment and still be healthy?"
"Oh, some of 'em slowed me down awhile. Didn't put me down for good though."
"I can see that." Her hand crept to his groin. "At least, I can see you're not down. Just the opposite." She stroked him gently. "And no scars where they might really have damaged you."
"And you haven't got a scar on you, have you?" Longarm ran his hands down Flo's lush body. He lingered over her breasts awhile, then stroked his hard palms down her waist to the satin skin of her hips and pulled her tightly to him, his erection between them, hard against her belly.
She wrapped her arms around him and began pulling him toward the bed. Just before they reached it she swung around so that Longarm toppled backward, with Flo on top of him. She raised her hips high to get him inside her and fell forward heavily, gasping with unconcealed delight as she felt him going deeper and deeper until their bodies were locked together and there was no more depth that he could seek. Squeezing tightly with the muscles in her buttocks, she began rotating her hips very slowly.