“No,” Shaye said, “I don’t want to spook him. I just want to have a talk. I’ll be back.”
Shaye stepped into the street and headed down to the café.
From the roof Thomas could not see that Delay had stopped at the café, but he did see his father crossing the street and he wondered what was going on. He waved at the sheriff, who looked up at him and shrugged helplessly.
Vic Delay entered the café and drew all eyes to him. The middle-aged waitress showed him to a table where he could sit with one shoulder against the wall. It was the next best thing to sitting with his back against one. Of course, Jeb Collier instructed everyone to board their horses and find a place to stay as soon as they entered town, but Delay didn’t feel the instructions extended to him.
Nobody told Vic Delay what to do.
From his vantage point James thought that the lone man—who he assumed was Vic Delay, since he didn’t match the description of Jeb Collier—was going to ride past him, but abruptly the man reined his horse in and entered the café. He wanted to go over and look in the window at the gunman, but suddenly his father appeared and actually went inside.
What was he doing?
Shaye stepped through the door of the café and became the center of attention. Most of the tables were taken, some by families. He hoped his appearance would not cause Vic Delay to do anything foolish. Briefly, he considered that he might be making a mistake, but once he entered the place he was committed. He walked over to Delay’s table.
Delay’s meal had not yet been delivered to him, but he did have a pot of coffee on the table and a couple of cups.
“Mind if I join you, Vic?”
Delay looked up at him calmly.
“Do I have a choice, Deputy?”
“Sure you do,” Shaye said. “Everybody’s got choices in life.”
“Have a seat,” Delay said. “Help yourself to some coffee.”
“Thanks.” Shaye sat across from the killer and poured himself a cup of coffee.
“What can I do for you, Deputy…what’s your name?”
“Shaye. Dan Shaye.”
“Shaye?” Delay frowned. “That name sounds familiar.”
“I’ve worn a badge here and there—”
“No, further back than that,” Delay said. “There used to be a fella named…what was it…Daniels, Shaye Daniels. Had him a rep around Missouri. He sort of…disappeared.”
“That was a time in my life I’m not proud of,” Shaye admitted. “That’s what I mean about making decisions. I made some wrong ones back then and now I’m making right ones.”
“Which name is the real one?”
“Daniel Shaye.”
“Well, Daniel Shaye,” Delay said, “changing sides may be the right decision for you, but I don’t think it would work for me. Can’t see myself drawing a deputy’s pay, wearin’ a badge…not for me.”
“Well,” Shaye said, “to each his own.”
“I guess you want to know what I’m doin’ in town.”
“No, we already know,” Shaye said.
“You do?”
“Your other men are already here,” Shaye said. “Now we’re just waiting for Jeb Collier to arrive. My guess is that after he takes care of his business with the woman and the child, you fellas are planning to hit the bank.”
“What if all I’m doin’ is passin’ through?”
“That would be nice,” Shaye said, “but we both know that’s not the case.”
“Wait a minute,” Delay said. “You got some boys, don’t you? I heard somethin’ about you and the Langer gang.”
“That was a couple of years ago,” Shaye said.
“Grown sons as deputies, right?”
“Yes.”
“They here with you too?”
“They are.”
“Any other law? Got to be a sheriff, I reckon.”
“There is and another deputy.”
“Five of you?”
Shaye shrugged. “At least that.”
“Well,” Delay said, “I guess you feel that’s enough.”
“It’ll do.”
“Not that I care,” Delay said, “’cause I’m just passin’ through, stopped here for a meal and a bed.”
On cue Connie appeared with a plate of food for Delay.
“Somethin’ for you, Deputy?” she asked.
“No thanks.”
“Bring more coffee,” Delay said. “The deputy is helpin’ me drink it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I won’t be drinking much,” Shaye said. “I just wanted to stop in and say hello, introduce myself.”
“Well,” Delay said, “if you see me around town, introduce me to your sons. They know about their father’s past?”
“They know.”
“Odd to find a man who changed his life and ended up with a reputation anyway.”
“That’s life,” Shaye said, standing up. “We get to make our own decisions, and then we see how they play out. I’ll see you around town, Vic.”
“Glad to meet you, Shaye,” Delay said. “Hope you have luck with that bank thing.”
“Yeah,” Shaye said, “so do I.”
60
“What did that accomplish?” Cotton asked when Shaye returned.
“Not much, I guess,” Shaye said. “Guess I just wanted to look him in the eye and let him know we knew who he was and why he was here.”
“How did he react?”
“Calmly,” Shaye replied. “Says he’s just passing through.”
“You gonna brace Collier that way?”
“I thought we both would,” Shaye said. “I figured we’d take him to see Belinda, get that much out of the way. What do you think?”
“I think maybe I should check with her.”
“Why?” Shaye asked. “She doesn’t check with you about much that she does.”
“That’s true,” Cotton said, “but I should talk to my wife, if I’m gonna bring someone like that to my home.”
“Then let’s not take him to your house,” Shaye said. “Let’s have them meet somewhere neutral.”
“Like where?”
“Like whatever hotel Collier decides to stay in. They can meet right in the lobby.”
“You think he’ll go for that?”
“He will if we don’t give him a choice,” Shaye said. “You’re the sheriff. This is your town. You call the shots.”
The door of the office opened and Thad stepped in. His face looked swollen and had purplish bruises all over it. When he and Shaye returned from the livery, Shaye had not even had to speak to Cotton on the young deputy’s behalf. The sheriff made up his own mind not to fire him.
“Maybe he’ll learn from it,” he’d said.
“We can hope so,” Shaye replied.
“You feeling any better?” Cotton asked him.
“Yes, sir,” Thad said. “Well enough to go back out on my rounds.”
“You take a seat right in one of those chairs and stay where I can see you,” Cotton said, pointing to three chairs out in front of the office. “You’re lucky I’m not firing your ass after the stunt you pulled.”
“Yes, sir.”
Thad sat in one of the chairs, shoulders slumped.
“Okay,” Cotton said then, “you’re right. We won’t give Collier any options. We’ll go and get Belinda and bring her to him…and we won’t give her any choice either.”
“They’ve both put us in this position,” Shaye said. “Why should they get a choice?”
Cotton nodded, his jaw firm.
While they continued to watch the street, the first two men who rode in walked over to the Wagon Wheel Saloon and entered. Shortly after that the second duo did the same, followed by the third. Finally, Vic Delay walked into that saloon as well.
“What’s the Wagon Wheel got that the other saloons don’t?” Shaye asked Cotton.
“Well…it’s the biggest saloon in town.”
“That’s probably it,” Shaye said. “They want to meet there and blend in.”