Pearl River Junction: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

21

They spent the evening drinking in the Wagon Wheel and trying to stay out of trouble. Thomas got a deck of cards from the bartender and they played three-handed poker for pennies, turning away any who wanted to join them.

“Family game,” Shaye told them.

While playing, they talked over the day’s events and what tomorrow might bring.

“I think we should go together to see her,” James said. “We’re all entitled.”

“Maybe we are,” Shaye said, “but the sheriff has a point. Facing the three of us at once would be too overwhelming for her.”

“What if she’s not so easily overwhelmed?” Thomas asked. “I’ll take two cards.”

“What?” James asked.

“What if she’s puttin’ on an act,” Thomas said. “Conning us.”

“You think she’s a con woman?” James asked. “That her child is not really Matthew’s?”

Thomas shrugged.

James said, “One card.”

“And is she foolin’ the sheriff too?” Shaye asked. “Dealer takes one.”

“Maybe.”

“Let me ask you this, Thomas,” Shaye said. “If she wanted to con someone, why not pick a family with more money? Why us?”

“Our name?”

“Our name?” Shaye asked. “Up until two years ago, no one outside of Epitaph knew who we were.”

“They knew who you were,” James said. “In Missouri.”

“Knew who I was,” Shaye said. “But no one knew who the Shayes were.”

“Until we tracked down the Langer gang and made a name for ourselves,” Thomas said.

“Why would she want to be a part of that kind of name?” Shaye asked.

Thomas and James didn’t have an answer.

“Well,” Shaye said, ”I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.” He slapped his cards down. “I’ve got aces full.”

Shaye turned in before his sons. They chose to stay at the Wagon Wheel until closing.

“Remember what the sheriff said, boys,” Shaye told them. “Stay out of trouble.”

“We will, Pa,” James promised.

Shaye returned to the hotel while Thomas and James continued to play penny-ante poker, two-handed.

About an hour before closing, three men came into the saloon and stopped just inside the door, looking around. Thomas noticed them, James did not. Eventually, they walked to the bar and ordered three beers.

“Thomas?”

“What?”

“How many cards?”

“Oh,” Thomas said. “Uh, one.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“We’re bein’ watched.”

“By who?” James was smart enough not to turn around immediately.

“Three men, at the bar.”

“Are they from that other saloon?” James asked.

Thomas hadn’t thought of that.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t remember everyone from this afternoon.”

“Well, what are they doin’?”

“Drinkin’ beer, watchin’ us,” Thomas said.

“They wearin’ guns?”

“Yes.”

“What should we do?”

“I know what I’m gonna do,” Thomas said.

“What?”

Thomas smiled. “I’m gonna bet three cents.”

“Three more,” one of the men at the bar said.

“We’re gonna be closin’ soon,” the barman said.

“We’ll drink ’em fast,” the man said. “Three more.”

The bartender shook his head and served them three more beers. Aside from these three men and the Shaye brothers, there were only a couple of other men in the place and they both had their heads down: one on a table, and one on the bar.

“Them those Shaye boys?” the man asked.

“Why do you want to know?” the bartender asked.

“We’re just curious.”

The bartender looked at the three men. He knew them. They worked for one of the larger ranches in the area, the Bar-K. He didn’t know their names, but he recognized their faces. They came into the saloon a few times a month, usually to start trouble. The spokesman was named Cobb and the other two were…Martin and…Franks, he thought. Or was it Frank something?

“We just heard they was in town,” Joe Cobb said. “Wanted to take a look, didn’t we, boys?”

“Sure did,” Harley Franks said and Kel Martin just nodded.

“You boys better finish your beers and move on,” the bartender said. “I don’t want no trouble here.”

“We’ll leave when we’re ready,” Cobb said. “Why don’t you go back to work?”

The bartender stood there for a moment, then moved down the bar to wake up a sleeping drunk.