Blackjack

58

I had yet to speak with Daphne after the verdict. I stopped by the hotel a few times and tried to visit with her, but I was told she was not accepting any visitors.

After the sentencing she was visibly upset and had hurried from the courtroom with Pritchard, who was also in shock and disbelief. This was an obvious blow to them, as they had previously believed Black was not guilty of killing Ruth Ann Messenger.

Two days later and four days before Black’s hanging I was inside the round corral behind the livery, working Ajax, when I saw Valentine walking from the livery pulling two big bay mules.

“Fine looking animal you got there, Everett.”

“When he’s asleep,” I said.

“This here is Magellan and Columbus,” he said, nodding to the mules.

“Going someplace?” I said.

“I am,” he said, then pointed to his prison wagon parked behind the corral.

It was a standard sturdily built prisoner transport wagon with bars on four sides and lantern headlamps for night travel.

“Duty calls,” he said.

“You got somebody you’re going after?”

He laughed.

“Oh, there is always somebody in particular to be going after.”

“You don’t have to worry about me, Valentine.”

“Now, why would I worry about you, Everett?”

I smiled and walked toward the corral rail.

“I’m not your competition, Valentine,” I said. “Besides, I receive my regular government salary that precludes me from such monetary pursuits.”

Valentine came close to the corral and put a boot on the rail.

“Fact is,” he said, “time to move on.”

I nodded.

“’Sides, I don’t need to stick around for no by-God hanging, Everett.”

“Not so interested in that myself,” I said.

He shook his head a little.

“You headed back to El Paso?”

He looked off with a contemplative thought.

“Nope,” he said. “I’ve had plenty enough of that goddamn dusty place...”

“Figure you will try someplace new?”

He nodded.

“Where you thinking?” I said.

“Oh, I will stay on the border somewhere. I can’t move out of my honey hole, and I do like the sonorities...”

“Whole border is dusty,” I said.

“That it is,” he said. “But different dust, I’m thinking, is a good idea... Nuevo Laredo, maybe, Piedras Negras perhaps... I’m kind of undecided at this point, maybe even Corpus... Always been fond of the water.”

“When you riding out?”

“No reason to dally.”

“You talk to Virgil?”

“Have not.”

“You gonna?”

He looked off again and smiled, then shook his head.

“No.”

“No?”

“No,” he said with a smile.

“You want me to tell him anything?”

He shook his head.

“Nothing else to say, Everett.”

“Think he’d might want you to say something,” I said.

“Like what?”

“Hell, I don’t know, he’s not my brother.”

“Oh, you’re a brother to Virgil, Everett,” he said. “No doubt about that.”

“In some ways,” I said.

“Besides, as Virgil likes to point out, he’s my half-brother,” he said with a smile.

“Allie would appreciate it,” I said.

“Do me a favor,” Valentine said.

“What’s that?”

“Tell the both of them that I enjoyed their company and hospitality immensely.”

“Anything else?”

He shook his head and said, “Nope.”

“Well,” I said. “Think you might be missed.”

“That’s a nice thought, Everett,” he said. “I appreciate it.”

I pulled off my glove and reached over the fence.

“Safe travels,” I said.