Pearl River Junction: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

37

James returned to the saloon to find it filled with the usual sounds—music, the clinking of glasses, men’s voices raised in argument, discussion, or celebration. At a table in the back he saw his father, seated alone. He went to the bar, got himself a beer, and joined him.

“Where’s Thomas?” he asked.

“I was about to ask you the same question,” Shaye said. “I guess he’s still walking around out there.”

“Pa,” James said, “I can’t leave. I think these people need our help.”

“These people?”

“Belinda, the boy,” James said, “the sheriff and his wife. Hell, if there’s a gang really on its way here, the whole town. I don’t think Jeb Collier is gonna get his men to follow him here just so he can find his son. There is a bank in town, you know?”

“Yes, James, I know,” Shaye said. “That’s good thinking, son.”

“You thought of it already, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did,” Shaye said, “but I’m proud of you that you did too.”

“Thanks, Pa.”

“One thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Don’t let the fact that you’re sweet on that Belinda girl cloud your judgment.”

James lowered his head. “You could tell that, huh?”

“Of course, James,” Shaye said. “I been sweet on a girl or two in my time—and not just your mother.”

“I feel bad about it.”

“Why?”

“If her son really is Matthew’s, then…I’m bein’ disloyal to his memory”—he lowered his voice—“havin’ thoughts about his woman.”

“I don’t think your brother would hold it against you, son,” Shaye said.

“You don’t?”

“Hell no, she’s a fine-looking woman.”

“Yeah, she is—”

“But remember what I said.”

“Yes, Pa.”

“You could get killed or get one of us killed, letting your mind wander at the wrong time.”

“I know, Pa.”

They sipped their drinks for a few moments and then James asked, “What do you think Thomas is gonna do, Pa?”

“I don’t know,” Shaye said. “I’ve had the feeling for a while that he’s ready to strike out on his own.”

“You really think he’d leave us?”

“Why not?” Shaye asked. “I expect you to go off on your own eventually too. Don’t you?”

“I don’t know,” James said. “I…I ain’t thought about it much.”

“Would you like to wear a badge again?”

“I—I’ve thought about it,” James said, “but I kinda thought we’d all do it together.”

Shaye touched the front of his shirt where a badge would go. He was wearing one of his new shirts, without the old pin holes in it from the various badges he’d worn.

“I guess I thought that too.”

“What do we do if he leaves?” James asked.

“We’ll just have to stand with the sheriff and his deputy,” Shaye said, “the two of us.”

“Deputy?” James asked. “I thought he had two.”

“One’s part-time.”

They fell silent again and then James said, “I don’t guess there’s any way we can find out how many there are.”

“There’s a couple of ways,” Shaye said. “We’d just need the sheriff to send a few telegrams to some of his colleagues.”

“Did you talk to him about it already?”

“No,” Shaye said, “but I told him I’d see him in his office tomorrow.”

“I’ll be there, too.”

“Good.”

“But—”

“But what, son?” Shaye asked. “Come on, spit it out.”

“We sure could use Thomas and his gun if Jeb Collier and his gang do show up here.”

“I know, James,” Shaye said. “We sure could.”

Thomas appeared in the doorway of the saloon roughly a half an hour after James did. He spotted his brother and father at the table in the back, got himself a beer, and sat with them.

“Nice to see you, Thomas,” his father said.

“Did you think I’d leave, Pa?”

“No,” Shaye said and then added, “well, not tonight anyway.”

“James,” Thomas asked, “what have you decided to do?”

“I can’t leave the sheriff to face Collier and his gang by himself, Thomas,” he said.

“Sounds like that has nothing to do with Belinda and her son at all,” Thomas said.

“It don’t.”

“Pa?”

“The question of whether or not the boy is Matthew’s can be solved later, Thomas,” Shaye said. “If there’s a gang on the way here, everyone in this town is going to need help.”

“So you’re stayin’?”

“Your brother and I are stayin’ to stand with the sheriff,” Shaye said. “We hope you’ll do the same, but we’ll understand—”

“I’m stayin’,” Thomas said, cutting Shaye off.

“Oh, thank God,” James said and slapped his big brother on the shoulder. “I knew you would.”

“You did, huh?”

“I’m gonna get Pa and me another beer and then we’ll drink to it,” James said. He got up and went to the bar.

“Pa, you know he’s sweet on the girl.”

“Yes, but it has nothing to do with his decision,” Shaye said. “I’m confident of that. I believe you’ve both made the right decision because you’re honorable men. I’m proud of you both.”

“Have you talked to the sheriff yet?”

“Yes, he found me here,” Shaye said. “I told him we’d be in his office in the morning.”

“You were that sure of us both?”

“Well…” Shaye said rather sheepishly, “I told him I’d be there and I hoped you boys would be with me.”

“And are we gonna wear badges?”

“If he offers them, I suppose so,” Shaye said. “Is that all right with you?”

“Actually, Pa,” Thomas said, “that’s just fine with me.”