Brimstone

70

“I NEED TO KNOW ONE THING,” Allie said.

She seemed still caught up in the drama of the recitation.

“How did you know it was me?”

“Had to be,” Virgil said. “Wasn’t no one else it coulda been.”

Allie smiled and nodded.

“Actually, two things,” Allie said. “I want to know if I hadn’t shot him, would he have killed you.”

Virgil nodded.

“Probably would have,” Virgil said.

“And Everett?”

“Maybe,” Virgil said.

“So that means I saved your life,” Allie said.

“It does,” Virgil said.

“And Everett?” she said.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said. “And I’m grateful.”

She nodded as if she was satisfied.

“Does that, maybe a little bit, anyway,” Allie said, “make up for any of the bad things?”

Virgil grinned at her.

“Yes,” he said. “It does.”

I went to the desk and took out a bottle. Then I got some coffee cups and poured all of us, including Laurel, a drink. I made Laurel’s drink short. Then I handed the cups out. I raised my cup, and everyone raised theirs. We drank. No one said anything.

Then Allie said, “What are we going to do now? Are we going to stay here?”

“Not good memories here,” Virgil said, and nodded at Laurel.

“No,” Allie said. “We should go someplace else.”

Virgil looked at me.

“Everett?” he said.

“Agree,” I said. “We should move on.”

“I’ll telegram Morrissey,” Virgil said. “Tell him we’re quitting.”

I nodded. We drank a little more whiskey, except for Laurel.

“Where?” Allie said.

“Where what?” Virgil said.

“Where are we going to go?” Allie said.

“Hadn’t thought about it,” Virgil said.

“I want to start over,” Allie said.

“Okay,” Virgil said.

“I want to go back to Appaloosa,” Allie said. “Close the circle. Begin again, see if we can do better… see if I can do better.”

“Everett?” Virgil said.

“Got no problem with Appaloosa,” I said. “Maybe even got work for a couple of upstanding shootists like us.”

Virgil nodded.

“Most places do,” Virgil said.

“Ain’t that fortunate,” I said.

“We got the money from Pike,” Virgil said. “We ain’t pressed.”

“Still gotta work,” I said.

“Yes,” Virgil said. “We do.”

Virgil looked at the girl.

“Laurel?” Virgil said.

Laurel nodded and stepped close to him and whispered. Then she sat back down on the couch next to Allie.

“Laurel would be happy to visit Appaloosa,” Virgil said.

“Allie been tellin’ her about it.”

“So, maybe it ain’t a sudden idea,” I said. “That Allie just thought up.”

Allie smiled faintly and said nothing.

Virgil said, “Maybe not.”

“So, it’s Appaloosa?” I said.

“It is,” Virgil said. “You want to ride along, Pony?”

Pony shook his head.

“Where are you going?” Allie said.

“Mother’s people,” Pony said. “Live Chiricahua for a while. Living white face too hard.”

Pony turned to Virgil.

“Jefe,” he said.

And he put out his hand. Despite the fact that Virgil never shook hands, Virgil shook it.

“Pony,” Virgil said.

Pony and I shook hands.

He nodded to Allie.

“Allie?” he said.

“We will miss you,” Allie said.

Pony looked at Laurel.

“Chiquita,” he said.

Laurel stood and took the derringer out of her coat pocket and handed it to Pony.

Pony shook his head.

“You keep,” he said. “Remember Pony Flores.”

She stared at him for a minute and then nodded and put it back in her pocket. Then she went to him and put her arms around him and hugged him for a long time.

Pony made no attempt to get loose. He stood quietly, patting her back between the shoulder blades. Then finally he took her arms gently and freed himself and guided her to the couch.

“Pony Flores come back someday, chiquita,” he said, bending to look in her eyes. “You see Pony again.”

She nodded.

Pony looked once more at Virgil. Virgil nodded. Pony nodded back. Then he turned and walked out of the office. We all sat silently, listening to the sound of Pony’s horse as he rode away.