Pearl River Junction: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

30

That night when Dan Shaye turned in he made sure Thomas and James did as well. He didn’t want to take the chance of any more trouble with drunken ranch hands.

At breakfast they talked about what they would do if they were to decide that Little Matt was, indeed, Matthew’s son.

“We could take both of them back with us to the ranch,” James said.

Shaye and Thomas didn’t comment.

“Are we goin’ back to the ranch, Pa?”

“Well, we have to go back,” Shaye said. “Even if we decide not to live there, we’d have to sell it.”

“Without a ranch,” Thomas said, “What would we do with a woman and a child?”

“It might not be up to us,” Shaye said. “What if Belinda doesn’t want to leave here?”

“But now that the sheriff knows she’s not who she pretends to be, would they let her stay with them?” James asked.

“I don’t know,” Shaye said. “That would have to be between them. All we have to do right now is decide if the boy is Matthew’s or not. The rest will come after that.”

Thomas pushed his plate away.

“What if what she says about this gang is true?” he asked. “What if all she wants is for us to get rid of them? And the rest is a lie?”

“I get the feeling this girl has lied a lot,” Shaye said. “Maybe the gang is a lie too. Today I’ll send some telegrams to find out.”

James finished his coffee and set his cup down.

“If we’re all done,” Shaye said, pushing his chair back, “we can go and do that right now.”

At the telegraph office Shaye sent off three telegrams to lawmen he knew in the West.

“We’ll be waiting outside for replies,” he told the clerk.

“Yes, sir.”

He joined his sons outside.

“Think we’ll get an answer right away, Pa?” James asked.

“Maybe,” Shaye said. “No harm in sitting right here and waiting until it’s time to go.”

“Well,” Thomas said, sitting on one of three chairs, “Can’t get into much trouble just sittin’.”

“We hope,” James said.

That morning Cotton asked Marion, “Can you resist confronting her until later?”

“I hope so,” she said. “For the sake of Little Matt, I’ll have to.”

Cotton put his gun on, preparing to leave for his office.

“We’ll have it out with her later, Marion,” he promised. “After Dan Shaye’s sons meet her and the boy.”

“You go to work,” she said, patting his arm. “I have to feed the baby and make breakfast for her. Don’t worry. I’ll be good.”

Sheriff Cotton kissed his wife good-bye and left for his office.

On his way to open his office, Cotton passed the telegraph office and saw Shaye and his sons sitting out front. He crossed over and greeted them good morning.

“I sent some telegrams about Jeb Collier,” Shaye told him. “Thought we should know for sure what his situation was.”

“Good idea. Will you let me know when you find out?”

“Sure thing.”

“Gonna wait here until noon?” the lawman asked.

“Why not?” Shaye asked with a shrug.

“Sure,” Cotton agreed, “why not?”

“Did you tell your wife what I told you?”

“Yes, I did. She was upset.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Turns out she’s known more about Belinda’s true character than I have.”

“Is that a fact? And she was willing to put up with it?”

“For the baby’s sake.”

“He’s two, ain’t he?” James asked.

Cotton looked at him. “Yes.”

“Not really a baby anymore, is he?”

“To my wife, he is.”

“We’ll see you around noon, Sheriff.”

The sheriff gave a small wave and continued on to his office.

The telegram they were waiting for came at eleven-thirty. The clerk came out and handed it to Shaye.

“What’s it say, Pa?” Thomas asked.

“Jeb Collier was sentenced to two years for a stage robbery in Arizona,” he said. “He got out last month.”

“And is he on his way here?” James asked.

“No way to know that.”

“Well,” Thomas said, “at least we know she told the truth about that.”

“At least we know,” Shaye said, “that she can tell the truth—when she wants to.” Shaye folded the telegram and put it in his pocket. “Time to go.”