Ironhorse

105

Bloody Bob was alive and as far as we knew the mean, murderous son of a bitch was still in Half Moon Junction. Berkeley rounded up all of his hands. We left Deputy Larson and two other of Berkeley’s men to keep watch on our prisoners and went in search for Bloody Bob. We first went to the Hotel Ark. We went through every room in the whole place including the kitchen, bathrooms, and broom closets before we got the place secure. The only rear door to the establishment was in the kitchen, and it was secured with a heavy oak beam. Berkeley positioned two of his hands, a couple of brothers, Gabriel and Jesse, to guard the hotel. The brothers were big, strapping fellows with surly dispositions.

Virgil told Hobbs to make sure the governor and his family did not step foot out of their rooms.

“Under no circumstances,” Virgil said. “Make sure they do not so much as pee.”

It was raining hard by the time Berkeley, Virgil, and I were out looking for Bloody Bob. Virgil figured since we were dealing with a monster who has proved hard to put down, it’d be best for us to stay together as we searched for him.

The three of us wore our slickers as we worked our way slowly around town in the pouring rain, looking for any sign of Bloody Bob. Each bar and whore establishment we searched with a plan. Virgil gave one of us time to get positioned by the back door before two of us came through the front. We did this in all the bars and brothels and found nothing. We walked through the livery stables, looking thoroughly through each loft and stall. We rooted through every tent and shed. We checked the depot and every train car in the yard. High and low we scoured the whole of Half Moon Junction looking for Bloody Bob or anyone who might have seen him, and by ten o’clock we came up empty-handed. After we looked through the Chinese laundry we stopped by the whore church. Virgil pointed me around the back, and him and Berkeley positioned themselves in the front. When I got to the back of the church I found the door open. Inside was dark but there was a single lamp burning, and I could see Betty Jean lying bloody and naked on the floor. I pointed my eight-gauge into the darkness.

“Hold up, Virgil,” I shouted. “Look alive!”

“What do you got?” Virgil called out from the front.

“Got one dead for sure,” I said. “Take her easy.”

“The big one or little one,” Virgil said.

“The big one,” I said.

“That’d be Betty Jean,” Berkeley called out.

I heard Virgil ask Berkeley what was the name of the other whore. Berkeley answered him and Virgil called out.

“Laskowski,” Virgil said. “You in there?”

We listened for a moment, but there was no answer.

“Bob?” Virgil said. “You in there?”