“Yes.”
“He wasn’t talkin’ when we left,” Colon said.
“I knew Thomas would get somethin’ out of him,” James said. “I knew it.”
“Come on, little brother,” Thomas said. “Let’s keep movin’.”
James, Colon, and Cory listened intently while Thomas told them of his conversations with Wendy Williams and Sean Davis.
“Well, too bad about the rancher,” Cory said, “but did you believe Davis?”
“I did.”
“Why?”
Thomas hesitated, then said, “Let’s just say he wasn’t in a position to lie to me.”
“So if Cardwell and Jacks are going where Davis thinks they are, what should we do?” James asked.
“I don’t know this area,” Thomas said. He looked at Cory and Colon. “What about you two? Is there some way we could get there ahead of them?”
Cory and Colon exchanged a look, and then Colon shrugged and said, “I do not know.”
“Ralph?”
“There might be,” Cory said, “but if we do that and Davis is wrong, we’ll lose them.”
“I know that.”
“So whose call is it gonna be?” Cory asked. “It’s got to be one of you two.”
“Let’s give it some thought,” Thomas said. “We can talk about it again when we make camp.”
“Sounds good to me,” James said.
Thomas looked at Cory and Colon.
“Fine by me.”
“Muy bien,” Colon said. “I also agree.”
“Okay then,” Thomas said, “why don’t you fellas tell me what you’ve been up to, then….”
They brought Thomas up to date on what had happened since they split up. Among the things they mentioned was Sheriff Gibney thinking he had recognized “Ralph Cory.”
“Yeah, he mentioned that to me too,” Thomas said.
“Doesn’t matter, really,” Cory said. “I mean, it’s not like I’m wanted or anything like that.”
“Maybe not,” James said, “but you don’t really want people to know who you are either.”
“No,” Cory said, “but hey…there are other names, other places.”
“No reason you can’t go back to Vengeance Creek when this is all over,” Thomas said.
“Maybe not,” Cory said. “What about you fellas?”
“What about us?” James asked.
“You goin’ back?”
“Sure,” James said, “why not?”
Cory looked at Thomas, who looked away.
“Just a thought,” Cory said. “I thought maybe you were havin’ second thoughts.”
“About what?”
“The law.”
James laughed. “What else would we do?” He looked at Thomas for support, but found none there. “Thomas?”
“There are other things, James.”
“What?” James said. “You’re thinkin’ about…givin’ up the law?”
“Right now,” Thomas said, “I’m thinkin’ about gettin’ this job done. Anything else can wait until we get back.”
James looked as if wanted to say more, but in the end he simply fell silent.
Rigoberto Colon had observed the conversation between the other three but had stayed out of it. He had his own demons to deal with, which none of these men would understand. Dan Shaye had given him a reason to crawl out of the bottle. Now he had to decide whether he would crawl back in when this was all over. He had to admit that giving up the whiskey had not been as hard as he’d thought it would. Perhaps there had never really been a need for it at all.
They all rode in silence, alone with their own thoughts, until night began to fall and they made camp.
56
They went back to standing watches as they had since leaving Vengeance Creek, which meant Thomas went last. Toward daybreak he heard something snap behind him, turned to find James approaching.
“Hey,” Thomas said, “it’s early to be up. You’ve got about another hour.”
“Couldn’t sleep anymore,” James said. “I’ll make a fresh pot of coffee.”
Thomas watched his brother prepare the coffee and still couldn’t understand why it tasted different from his.
The night before, the four of them had discussed what they should do the next day. Cory was for continuing to track Cardwell and Jacks. After all, that was why he had been brought in. Colon was content to go along with whatever decision the others made. It was James who suggested that they should split up, two finding a shortcut and two continuing to track the bank robbers.
“That way we’re covered no matter what happens.”
“And once we get there,” Cory had asked, “I mean, the two who go ahead, how long do we wait before we decide Davis was wrong and the other two aren’t comin’?”
“All I’m sayin’,” James answered, “is that we take the chance. Look, they’re bound to have other guns waitin’ for them. If we get there first—”
“And if they don’t get there at all?” Cory interrupted. “The two of us who are still trackin’ will be left high and dry.”
“Okay,” Thomas said. “Why don’t we sleep on it and make our decision in the mornin’?”
“And who makes the decision then?” Cory asked, as he had that afternoon.
“James and I do,” Thomas said. “We’re wearing the badges.”
“And why are Colon and I even talkin’?”
“We take your input into account, Ralph,” Thomas had said.
“Right.”
Cory looked at Colon. “You don’t have much to say, Berto.”
“What is there to say, amigo?” Colon replied with a shrug. “Thomas is right, they are wearing the badges. I am happy to sleep and wake to their decision.”
“Fine,” Cory said, “that’s what we’ll do, then.”
Colon had looked at Thomas and James and said, “I just hope you make the right decision, Jefes.”
Now, James handed Thomas a fresh cup of coffee, then poured one for himself and sat next to his brother.
“I think we should do what you said, James,” Thomas said.
“What?”
“Split up. Two go ahead, and two keep trackin’.”
“What made you decide that?”
Thomas shrugged. “It’s as good an idea as any. If it works, we can cut them off before they join up with more men. If we have to face ten or twelve guns, we’re gonna be way too outnumbered.”
“And if they’re not headed where Davis thinks?”
“Then we made a mistake,” Thomas said, “and we’ll have to live with it.”
“We’ll have to go home, tell Pa we failed,” James said.
“Are you worried about Pa, or the mayor?”
“I’m not worried about the mayor,” James said, “but I don’t want Nancy’s killer to get away.”
“Neither do I, James.”
“If we just stay on their trail, we should run them down eventually.”
“Tryin’ to get ahead of them was your idea.”
“I know,” James said, “but I’m havin’ second thoughts.”
“Then I have an idea.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ll go ahead, and you stay on their trail.”
“How are you gonna find a shortcut?”
“I’ll take Cory with me. He’s got the experience.”
“And how are we supposed to continue to track them without him?” James asked.
“Berto can do it,” Thomas said. “I think this is the best way to go, James. Cory and I go on ahead, you and Berto keep trackin’.”
James stared at his brother for a few moments, then held his coffee cup out. “Agreed.”
Thomas clinked his cup with his brother’s and said, “Agreed.”
“Now,” James said, “let’s talk about this business of you givin’ up your badge.”
“No.”
“What? Thomas—”
“No, James,” Thomas said. “That’s somethin’ to talk about when we get back, with Pa. Not now.”