Butler's Wager

CHAPTER 50

Ben Thompson handed Butler a cold beer.

“Congratulations,” he said. “That’s quite a move you have.”

“I don’t think I should be congratulated for killing a man.”

“Look at it this way,” Thompson said. “You saved the other two men he was after. Did you get their names?”

Butler hesitated just a moment, then said, “No, he wouldn’t tell me.”

“Doesn’t matter, I guess,” Thompson said.

“What did you say to the marshal?” Butler asked. “I thought I was on my way to jail for sure.”

“I…reasoned with him,” Thompson said. “Made him realize it was somethin’ personal between you and Ryerson, and none of his business.”

“Well, whatever you said, I appreciate it,” Butler said. “At least I didn’t have to deal with the law over this.”

“He’s probably back at his office looking through his wanted posters,” Thompson warned.

“That’s okay,” Butler assured him. “He won’t find anything.”

“Ryerson seemed to think he was covered,” Thompson said. “Might pay for you to leave town, Butler.”

“I don’t think so.” Butler looked down into his beer.

“Was one of the other men Corbin?”

Butler looked at Thompson.

“How did you know that?”

“He skipped town,” Thompson said. “I saw him leavin’ in a hurry. If he’d just waited a little longer…”

“Probably doesn’t matter,” Butler said. “Somebody else will recognize him at some point.”

“How often have you had to go through this?”

“Plenty of times,” Butler said. “At least this one had the decency to come right at me.”

“Yeah,” Thompson said, “one of the decent bounty hunters.”

They were in the Lady Gay, being served by a bartender other than Updegraff. At that moment Neal Brown came through the batwing doors and spotted them.

“I heard what happened,” he said, joining them at the bar. “What was that about?”

Thompson looked at Butler, obviously wondering what his explanation was going to be.

“I have some things to take care of,” he said. “I’ll see you later, Butler. Brown.”

“Thompson.”

The two men nodded to each other and Ben Thompson left.

“I guess I never asked,” Butler said. “About you, and Jim and Ben Thompson.”

“We know each other,” Brown said. “Not friends. Bat never liked Ben’s brother, Billy. It’s…complicated.”

“Isn’t everything in this town?”

Brown looked at the bartender and signaled for him to bring a beer.

“You don’t have to tell me what this morning was about,” he said to Butler. “Not if it’s none of my business.”

“It was…personal.”

“I know Ryerson was a bounty hunter,” Brown said. “I don’t hold it against you if there’s paper out on you.”

“There isn’t,” Butler said. “Not in the legal sense, anyway. There’s…a price on my head, it’s been there a long time, but it’s got nothing to do with the law.”

“Wow,” Brown said, “that is personal, isn’t it? You got somebody mad enough at you to put a price on your head?”

“And rich enough to make it a high one.”

“So the other morning…”

“…might have been about that, it may not have been. Today was definitely about that.”

“Did he tell you who it was?” Brown asked. “I mean, who put up the money?”

“He said he didn’t know.”

“Do you believe him?”

“Yes, I’ve heard that from others.”

“Others,” Brown said. “How many others have there been?”

“Many,” Butler said. “Dozens. I’ve lost count.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“Years…”

“Jesus,” Brown said. “That’s like bein’ on the run…and not knowin’ who you’re on the run from. At least wanted men know they’re wanted by the law. That can’t be an easy way to live.”

“It isn’t,” Butler said, “but I don’t have much of a choice.”

“Is Butler your real name?”

“Yes.”

Brown held up his hand.

“Okay, I don’t need that explanation,” he said. “I’m sure you’re keepin’ your name for a good reason.”

Butler was about to say so when Jim Masterson came down the stairs. He looked around at the three or four customers the Lady Gay had at that moment, then joined Butler and Neal Brown at the bar.

“I heard shots while I was getting’ dressed,” he said to them. “Anyone know what was goin’ on?”

“Why don’t you get a beer from your bartender,” Butler said, “and I’ll tell you a story.”