Crow Bait

Sixty

It all came back to him.

He remembered his horse being shot and then the three men were on him. Sweet was the most brutal. Kicking him repeatedly when he was down, kicking him that last time as one of the other men called Sweet by name.

“Sweet, don’t…”

Lancaster noticed another thing, too, as their eyes met.

There was no recognition in Sweet’s face at all. He stared at Lancaster for a moment; then he turned his eyes down again, staring into his drink.

The man had no idea who he was, and so he also had no idea what was about to happen.

Lancaster took one sip from his beer, then turned and walked over to Sweet’s table, carrying the beer in his left hand.

“Sweet.”

Sweet looked up as he heard his name. He stared at Lancaster, and even this close he didn’t show any trace of recognition.

“I know you?”

“You should.”

Sweet took a moment; then he said, “Well, I don’t, so get lost.”

“Afraid I can’t do that,” Lancaster said.

Sweet looked up at him again. “You lookin’ for trouble, friend?”

“Well, I wasn’t,” Lancaster said. “I was just minding my own business when you and your buddies jumped me in the desert and left me to die.”

“What the hell are you—wait a minute.” Sweet squinted. “Lancaster?”

“That’s right, Sweet,” Lancaster said. “Mind if I join you?”

He didn’t wait for a response. He pulled out the chair across from the man and sat down.

“How the hell—”

“Never thought you’d see me again, did you?”

“You should be dead,” Sweet said. “I shoulda killed you, but—”

“But you weren’t being paid to kill me, right?” Lancaster asked. “You were being paid to leave me afoot in the desert with no water and no gun.”

“You know that?”

“I remembered just enough to know that the three of you were being paid.”

“So there’s no hard feelin’s, right?” Sweet said. “It was just a job.”

“Oh no, I can’t agree with you there, Sweet,” Lancaster said. “I’ve got lots of hard feelings, for you and your partners. But see…they’re already dead, so that leaves you.”

“They’re dead?”

“Yes.”

Sweet licked his lips.

“B-but they couldn’t tell you who hired us,” he said. “Only I know that.”

“And you’re gonna tell me, right?”

“Well,” Sweet said, a crafty look coming into his eyes, “maybe we can make a deal.”