Jeb grabbed his rifle and saddlebags and readied himself to leave.
“I need a small, quiet hotel,” he said to Styles. “Can you recommend one?”
“Just up the street, right after the junction, but before you get to the middle of town. It’s pretty quiet. Ya can’t hear all the noise from the Wagon Wheel there.”
“The Wagon Wheel,” Jeb said. “That the biggest saloon in town?”
“Sure is, biggest and noisiest.”
“Sounds like it’ll do, then,” Jeb said. “Thanks.”
He started out the door, then stopped and said, “Oh yeah, you know a gal named Belinda Davis?”
“Sure, that’s the gal lives with the sheriff and his wife.”
“Oh yeah? Where would that be?”
When Jeb Collier didn’t reappear at the Wagon Wheel, Shaye figured he was boarding his horse and checking into a hotel first. When dusk passed and he still didn’t appear, he thought they’d been had and went across the street to talk to the sheriff…
Tanner eventually made his way across the floor to Vic Delay’s table and sat down.
“Past dusk, Vic,” he said. “Reckon Jeb got held up?”
“I’m thinkin’ he never meant to meet us here at dusk,” Delay said. “He just wanted us to occupy the local law.”
“While he goes to see his gal?”
“That’s what I figure.”
“So whatta we do?”
“We wait here,” Delay said. “He’ll be along when he’s done.”
“We got us a lot of attention from the law,” Tanner said. “How we gonna hit that bank?”
“That’s Jeb’s lookout,” Delay said. “He’s the big bank job planner.”
“So we still dependin’ on him?”
“Lou,” Delay said, “all I can say is he better come through for us or I will be pissed that he hung us out here to give him time to see his girlfriend.”
“I seen the deputy come over and talk to you.”
“I invited him,” Delay said. “I also talked with his pa.”
“His pa?” Tanner frowned.
“You ever heard the name Shay Daniels…”
“My house?” Riley Cotton asked.
“That’s what I figure,” Shaye said. “When he didn’t come back, I thought, That sonofabitch. He’s got us watching all the other men while he sneaks over to see Belinda and the baby.”
“And Marion!” Cotton said. “I gotta get over there!”
“Slow down, Sheriff,” Shaye said. “He’s not going to hurt Marion. Let’s just take a walk over there and see what’s going on.”
“What about Thomas?” Cotton asked. “He’s inside.”
“He’ll be fine. Just let me wave James down from the roof. He can go inside and back Thomas up.”
Shaye turned, caught James’s attention, and waved for him to come down. Then he pointed, hoping James would understand that he wanted him to go inside the saloon.
“What about Thad?”
They both turned and looked at the young deputy, still seated in a chair in front of the office.
“Let’s leave him here,” Shaye said.
Cotton walked over to Thad and said, “You don’t move from here unless you hear a shot, understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
Cotton turned to Shaye and said, “Let’s get the hell over to my house.”
“Take it easy, sheriff,” Shaye said. “Remember, we don’t want to spook him.”
63
When they came within sight of the sheriff’s house, they saw three figures in the backyard. One was Belinda, one was obviously the boy, Little Matt. The third was Jeb Collier.
“Where’s Marion?” Cotton said. “If he’s done anything—”
Shaye grabbed Cotton before he could rush the yard.
“Let’s go in the front,” Shaye said. “We’ll probably find Marion inside, safe and sound.”
“But what about—”
“He’s not going anywhere for a while. Come on.”
Shaye practically dragged Cotton around to the front of the house, where the sheriff opened the front door and they went inside.
“Marion?”
“In the kitchen,” she replied right away.
They went into the kitchen and found her sitting at the table, hands clasped in front of her.
“They’re out back,” she said.
“Did he force her to talk to him?”
“Not at all,” she said. “He knocked on the door, I answered, he asked to speak to Belinda. He was very…gentlemanly. Belinda went out back with him willingly and carried Little Matt with her.”
Shaye went to the back window and looked out. Jeb Collier was down on one knee, talking to the boy. Belinda was watching them and the look on her face was anything but frightened. She seemed calm, content, even. Shaye was suddenly dead sure that the boy was not Matthew’s, but Jeb Collier’s.
Cotton came up next to him and looked out.
“What are they doing?” he asked.
“Just talking,” Shaye said. “She doesn’t look like she needs any protecting.”
“They’re going to take the baby away, aren’t they?” Marion asked, her hands clasped so tight the knuckles were white.
“We don’t know that, Marion,” Cotton said, turning to face her.
“I’m going to go out and talk to them,” Shaye said. “Why don’t the two of you wait here?”
“All right,” Cotton said. “Since he might be your grandson…all right.”
Shaye didn’t bother pointing out that he had just decided the boy was not his grandson. Instead, he simply opened the door and stepped outside…
“Another deputy just came in,” Tanner said.
“I see him,” Delay said. “Looks like another brother.”
Tanner looked over at the other men. They had also noticed the two tin stars in the room.
“The men are gonna get antsy.”
“Go around and calm them down,” Delay said. “Tell them nothin’s gonna happen today. Tell them we’re still gonna wait right here for Jeb to get here.”
“Got it.”
Tanner got up and started moving around the room.
When James entered he took a few steps sideways to get out of the doorway and remained there, his hands clasped in front of him. He saw Thomas standing calmly at the back of the room and they exchanged a nod. One by one he located the strangers who had ridden into town, starting with the man dressed in black, who was seated not far from where Thomas was standing.
He settled in, decided he’d take his cue from his brother.
When Shaye stepped out the back door, both adults in the yard looked over at him.
“Mr. Shaye,” Belinda said, “this is Jeb Collier.”
“I figured,” Shaye said, approaching them.
“Yeah,” Jeb said, “I saw you in front of the saloon.”
“The rest of your men are inside the saloon,” Shaye told him. “I guess that’s where they’re supposed to meet you, huh?”
“I got men?” Jeb asked. “That’s news to me.”
“I’ve already had a talk with Vic Delay.”
Jeb didn’t react.
“Don’t know him,” he said.
“We’ll see.” Shaye leaned down and said, “How are you doing, Matt?”
The little boy looked up at him with wide eyes, then looked at his feet.
“That’s not his name,” Jeb said.
“It’s not?” Shaye asked, straightening.
“Well, it has been till now,” Jeb said, “but it’s gonna change.”
Shaye looked at Belinda, who just shrugged.
“What gives you the right to change his name?”
“Didn’t she tell you?” Jeb asked. “He’s my boy.”
“No,” Shaye said, “she’s been telling me that he’s my grandson.”
“Naw,” Jeb said, “just look at him. Can’t you tell? He’s my son.” He looked at Belinda.
“Ain’t that right, sweetie?”
Again, all the young mother did was shrug.