Leaving Epitaph: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

52

The seven men left the sheriff’s office by the back door. Shaye and his sons were armed with rifles they’d removed from their saddles. The local lawmen had shotguns from the office gun rack. Thomas went with Sheriff Holcomb to take care of the two men who were still sitting out in front of the saloon. Deputy Ray Winston paired up with Matthew to go around to the back door and get into the saloon that way. Deputy Will Strunk and James were going to go around to one side of the saloon and get in through a window, while Shaye went alone to the other side to do the same.

Thomas had to go completely around the building to come at the two men in front of the saloon without being seen by them. The sheriff, who would approach them more directly, gave him five minutes to do that. Thomas actually passed his brother and Will Strunk while they were working on a first floor window.

When he got to his assigned spot, he was able to see the sheriff approaching from the other side. The men there were supposed to be on watch, but they weren’t watching very well. From what Thomas could hear, they were bitching that they’d had to sit inside or outside this saloon all day long, and what the hell was the matter with those two damned brothers?

The sheriff sidled up on them before they knew it and spoke to them, getting their attention.

“Nice night to be sittin’ outside, ain’t it?”

Both men, startled, began to go for their guns.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Thomas said from behind them.

Both men froze. Thomas already had his gun out, and now Holcomb produced his.

“You fellas don’t know what you’re doin’,” one of the men said.

“Hopefully,” Holcomb said, “we’ll figure it out along the way. Right now I’m just gonna take your guns, so stand easy so my friend there doesn’t have to shoot you.”

It was the first time Thomas had ever held his gun on another man.

James and Will Strunk got the window open and slipped quietly inside the saloon. They found themselves in an office. Outside the office door, they could hear men talking.

Now they just had to wait.

Meanwhile, Matthew and Ray Winston slipped the back door open and entered. They found themselves in a hallway that led to a curtained doorway. Beyond that doorway was the saloon.

Aaron shook off the punch from Ethan, which didn’t have much sting behind it, but as Morales had predicted, brought forth a look of respect.

“You ready to tally?” Aaron asked.

Ethan wiped blood from his face with his sleeve and said, “Yeah.”

Aaron went outside and shouted downstairs, “Morales and Branch, come on up.”

There was a low roof on the other side of the building, and Shaye was able to climb up onto it and gain access to a window. He managed to slide it open and climb in, finding himself in a room with a bed.

He didn’t know that in the room right next to him four men were counting money out onto a poker table.

Shaye opened the door to the room as quietly as he could and stepped out. He was on a balcony overlooking the saloon. There were easily a dozen men or more downstairs. He couldn’t get a clear count. He hoped the entire gang was all there.

He waited for the first move to be made.

James cracked the door to the office open and peered out. He also could see many men, but could not count. No one had any way of knowing if all the men were present.

He and Will waited.

Matthew and Ray peered through the curtain. They could see plenty of men with guns, but could not get a count. They waited impatiently to make their move.

The first move was to come from Thomas and Sheriff Holcomb. They had relieved the two men of their guns, and now they turned them to face the bat-wing doors. They intended to use their prisoners as cover as they entered the saloon.

“If one of you fellas moves wrong,” Holcomb said, “we’ll put a bullet in both your backs? Got it?”

“We got it,” one of them said, “but you’re gonna be sorry. There’s a lot of men with guns in there.”

“How many men?” Holcomb asked.

“You’ll find out.”

“If they open fire, you’ll be the first to go,” Thomas said.

Holcomb looked at Thomas, who nodded and said, “Let’s do this.”