Ironhorse

59

After the hard rain, a low mist was rolling in across the dark streets of Half Moon Junction. The air was dense and damp. We left the horses hitched in front of the jailhouse and walked the short distance up the street toward the Hotel Ark. For some reason it wasn’t until we were on the move that I realized how big Berkeley was. He was almost a foot taller than me, and moving at a quick pace like we were, his long strides were hard to keep up with.

“So this escaped convict, John Bishop Wellington,” Berkeley said. “You think this is his plan?”

“Don’t know,” Virgil said.

“What about Mr. Hobbs?” Berkeley said. “Do you believe there is a cooperation between the men, that they were in on this together, Hobbs, Lassiter, and this Wellington?”

“Don’t know for sure, either,” Virgil said. “Figure we’ll find out soon enough.”

“I have to say, Marshal, I was not remotely leery of Lassiter and Hobbs,” Berkeley said. “Frankly never crossed my mind they could be behind something like this, never. I considered them to be caring and intelligent.”

“Money makes smart men do stupid things,” Virgil said.

“Especially a half-million dollars,” I said.

“Especially,” Virgil said.

“I believed them, based on their relationship with the governor and their prominence, their credentials.”

“Bigger the credentials, bigger the prospect you’ll find a rat or possum at the bottom of the barrel,” Virgil said.

“What about the governor?” I said. “You think he had a dog in this hunt?”

“Be a fool if he did,” Berkeley said.

“Well, he is a Texan,” I said.

“That he is,” Berkeley said.

“And a politician,” I said.

“Questionable combination,” Virgil said, “but having his family and the Pinkerton agents along, I’d say he was set up.”

“I can tell you, he was in bad shape when we got him and his wife into the hotel room. White as paper. He just collapsed in a corner chair, closed his eyes as if it were a bad dream.”

“How do you want to go about this?” I said. “Rousing Lassiter up?”

Virgil stopped at the bottom of the steps before entering Hotel Ark and looked at Berkeley.

“Which room is Lassiter’s?” Virgil said.

“Second floor, top of the stairs on the right, first door on the east.”

“And Hobbs?”

“His room is just to the other side of the stairwell, west side. Stairs split the two rooms.”

“What about the governor?” I asked.

Berkeley pointed up.

“Got one room on the third floor. Governor and his wife are there,” Berkeley said.

Virgil looked at me.

“You go through Hobbs’ door. I’ll go through Lassiter’s at the same time. No polite knocking or knob turning; needs to be a surprise.”

“I’ll be right there with you,” Berkeley said, “in case you need backup.”

We started to move.

“One thing,” Berkeley said as he pulled a gold-plated watch from his vest pocket and flipped open the lid. “It’s late.” He looked at his watch. “Or I should say early.”

“They should be sound asleep,” I said.

“They should,” Berkeley said as he slipped the watch back into his pocket, “but I want you to know, they both got trim... So if you would, please be mindful of the merchandise.”

Virgil nodded slightly with his eye on me, and we entered the hotel.