Delay ejected the spent cartridge and inserted a live one before holstering his gun.
“Lou, take the men to the bar and get them a drink on me,” Jeb said.
“Sure.” Tanner kept himself from calling Jeb “boss.” He didn’t think it would sit right with Delay. The last thing he wanted to do was get Vic Delay mad at him. He knew better than anyone how unpredictable Delay was.
Once the six men were standing at the bar, effectively blocking the bartender’s view, Jeb put his arm around Delay and said, “Vic, I don’t think we need to leave the bartender or the telegraph operator behind when we leave either.”
“I can take care of that right now.”
“Do the bartender tonight and the telegraph operator tomorrow before we leave. For tonight we can put both bodies behind the bar and then close this place up when we go to the hotel.”
“Okay,” Delay said, “but maybe they’ll be gone by mornin’.”
“Not these people,” Jeb said. “They got no place else to go.”
“We should probably disable the key as well as the operator.”
“No problem,” Delay said. “And while we’re checking out in the mornin’ I could also do the desk clerk.”
“Ah, why not?” Jeb said. “Then we at least get our rooms for free, right?”
Both men left and walked toward the bar, Delay drawing his gun again.
47
Jeb Collier came out of the hotel and found Ben waiting there with his horse. Behind him he heard a shot. He thought that must be Vic Delay taking care of the hotel bill.
The night before, when they had returned to the hotel, he’d heard Delay ask the clerk, “Say, how many people live in this town anyway?”
“Not very many anymore,” the clerk said. “Probably a dozen or so of us left, is all.”
Well, Jeb had thought, minus the sheriff and the bartender.
On the way up the stairs to their rooms, Jeb said, “You want to kill the whole town, Vic?”
“I’m thinkin’ about it.”
“Forget it,” Jeb said. “Take care of the telegraph in the morning and the desk clerk, then we’ll be on our way.”
“You’re callin’ the shots,” Delay had said.
Now it was morning and there was only the telegraph key and operator to take care of. Once the key was disabled, it didn’t matter how many people they left behind.
Delay came out of the hotel, pulling on his black leather gloves.
“Paid the bill,” he said.
“Okay, let’s do the rest of it and get on the trail,” Jeb said. He took the reins of his horse from his brother.
“Where’s my horse?” Delay asked.
Nervously, Ben said, “Tanner’s got it over to the saloon, Mr. Delay. That’s where the rest of the boys are.”
“Ben, I’m goin’ to the telegraph office with Vic,” Jeb said, mounting up. “Go get the rest of the boys ready to travel—and they better not be drunk.”
“Sure, Jeb.”
As Ben rode off toward the saloon, Delay said, “He’s an idiot.”
“But he’s my brother,” Jeb said. “Don’t forget that, Vic.”
The two matched stares, Jeb getting the upper hand because he was mounted and looking down at Delay.
“Like I said,” Delay repeated, “you’re callin’ the shots,” and then he added to himself—for now.
48
The next morning Shaye had breakfast with Thomas and James. He took them to the café Sheriff Cotton had taken him to for the good cup of coffee. Turned out they had the best food in town as well.
“Just don’t tell my wife I come here,” Cotton had said to Shaye. “This is the only place in town that makes better food than she does.”
Shaye swore himself to secrecy and now did the same with his sons.
“I wouldn’t want to get the sheriff in trouble,” James said around a forkful of steak and eggs, “but he sure is right about the food. I don’t know if it’s better than his wife’s, but it’s the best I’ve had in a while.”
“It’s better than your cookin’, I can tell you that much,” Thomas said.
“Oh yeah? Well, when we get back to the ranch, you can do all the cookin’ from now on.”
They fell silent for a moment and then James added, “Uh, that is, if we go back to the ranch.”
“I already told you both” Shaye said, “that we’ll be going back to the ranch, even if it’s just to sell it.”
They ate in silence again for a few moments and then James asked, “How do you feel wearin’ a badge again, Pa?”
“Well, it’s been a while,” Shaye said. “I have to admit I really didn’t like having to talk with the mayor yesterday and I’m not looking forward to talking to the town council half an hour from now. This is the political part of the job I have always hated.”
“But…” James said.
“But it does feel good to have a star on my chest again, even if it is a deputy’s star,” Shaye said. “Been a while since I wore a shirt with the pin hole in it. What about you boys?”
“I like it,” Thomas said without hesitation.
“I thought you would, Thomas,” Shaye said.
“You didn’t think I would, Pa?” James asked.
“I don’t know, James,” Shaye said. “You never seemed to take to the job the way Thomas did.”
“You mean because he’s better with a gun?”
“Not just that,” Shaye said. “Your ma and I just always thought you’d get an education. You have the potential to be better than this—maybe a lawyer.”
“A lawyer?” James asked. “Me? Really?”
“You never thought about it?” Shaye asked.
“Not really.”
“You’re smart enough for it, James,” Shaye said.
“I agree with Pa,” Thomas said. “I can see us both workin’ for the law, James: me outside the courtroom and you inside. You are the smart one. You just haven’t had a chance to use your smarts because you had to pick up a gun.”
James stared at his big brother and asked, “You really feel that way?”
“Sure, why not? You took to book learnin’ more than Matthew and me ever did. I don’t mind admittin’ that.”
“You could still do it, James,” Shaye said. “Think about it.”
“I will, Pa,” James promised.
“What are you gonna tell the town council, Pa?” Thomas asked, changing the subject to something more immediate.
“Nothing,” Shaye said. “It’s up to the sheriff, not me, to make them understand what’s happening—or what might happen.”
“Fellers like that,” Thomas said, “they usually understand what’s happenin’ better than what might happen, don’t they? I mean, I don’t have that much experience, but that’s what I’ve seen in the places we’ve worked in.”
“You’re right, Thomas,” Shaye said. “They just don’t have that much imagination.”
It was very early and there were only a few more diners in the place, so when Riley Cotton appeared at the door, he attracted everyone’s attention.
“Thought I might find you boys here,” he said, taking a seat.
The waitress came hurrying over and asked, “Breakfast, Sheriff?”
“Uh, sure, Connie, why not? Steak and eggs.”
“Comin’ up.”
“Something on your mind, Riley?” Shaye asked.
“Yeah,” Cotton said. “I stopped by the telegraph office and asked the clerk to send a telegram to Highbinder.”
“And? No answer yet?”
“No answer at all.”
“Could be there’s just nobody at the other end,” Thomas suggested.
“I thought of that,” the lawman said, “but the clerk says that his signal is not getting through.”