Pearl River Junction: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

45

Jeb Collier was still seated in the saloon with Vic Delay when Lou Tanner returned. The other men had left in search of a meal or to check out their hotel rooms. Since they were sharing two or three to a room, they’d want to get first choice of a bed.

Lou Tanner got himself a beer from the bartender and sat down across from Jeb and Vic Delay.

“What’d you find out?” Jeb asked.

“What did you send him to find out?” Delay asked.

“Why this one-horse town has a telegraph key.”

“What the hell—”

“Just listen,” Jeb said. He looked at Tanner. “Go.”

Tanner explained everything he and Samms had learned at the Highbinder bank—or what was left of it.

“That bank in Pearl River Junction has got to be busting with money, boss,” he finished.

“Sure sounds like it,” Jeb said.

“So what do we do?” Tanner asked.

“Go get yourself somethin’ to eat, Lou,” Jeb said. “Delay and I will be along in a while.

“Okay, Jeb.”

“Ben’s out there somewhere,” Jeb reminded him. “Make sure he doesn’t get into trouble.”

When Tanner left, Jeb looked across the table at Delay.

“I knew there had to be a reason for this town to have a telegraph key.”

“Whatever you say, Jeb,” Delay replied. “You plan on hittin’ that bank in Pearl River Junction now that you know it carries so much money?”

“It’s too good to pass up,” Jeb said. “You and your boys want to be in on it?”

“Why not?” Delay replied. “We’ll be there, won’t we?”

“But we can’t do it until after I finish my other business.”

“When do you want to leave?”

“Tomorrow,” Jeb said, “and we’ll still ride in the way I figured. We’ll leave this town in four sets of twos, so we don’t ride into Pearl River Junction too close together.”

“Suits me,” Delay said. “Whataya say we get somethin’ to eat now? I’m starvin’.”

As they pushed their chairs back and got up, Jeb asked, “Don’t you want to talk about the split?”

“I figure you’ll see I get a fair share from the bank, Jeb,” Delay said, “’cause you know I’d kill you, otherwise, and that brother of yours.”

“I reckon I know that, Vic,” Jeb said.

“All right, then,” Delay said. “Let’s go and find somethin’ to eat.”

Sheriff Coffey watched the last two men leave the hotel and walk over to the café. Some of the other men were inside already. When they were joined by the last two, Coffey crossed the street and peered in the window of the café. He counted and saw that seven of the men were inside, seated at two tables. They were all eating except for the two who had just entered, who were ordering from a scared-looking waitress.

He was trying to decide what to do next when he felt something hard poke him in the center of the back.

“Just stand fast, Sheriff,” a voice said. “I’m gonna take your gun.”

A hand plucked his gun from his holster.

“Okay,” the voice said, “let’s go inside.”

Jeb Collier looked up as a man came stumbling into the café. The waitress gave a startled little scream.

“It’s okay, darlin’,” he said to her. “Just go and get us our steaks.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

Jeb turned his attention to the two men who had just entered. One was the sheriff and the other was Lou Tanner.

“Found the lawman peekin’ in the window,” Tanner said. “He’s been watchin’ us all day. Figured maybe he’d like a closer look.”

“Good idea, Lou,” Jeb said. “What’s your name, lawman?”

“Coffey.”

“You got any deputies?”

“No.”

“Guess you don’t need any in a town like this, huh?”

“Ain’t much of a town,” Ben Collier said.

“What’s your interest in us, Sheriff?” Jeb asked.

“You’re strangers,” Coffey said. “It’s my job to look out for strangers.”

“Is that right?” Jeb asked. “You think maybe we’re after your bank?”

“No, sir.”

“‘Sir’?” Jeb looked around at his men. “We got us a real polite lawman here, boys.”

“Jeb, he was outside the bank when Samms and me were inside,” Tanner said. He still had his gun in his hand, trained on Sheriff Coffey’s back.

“Is that right?” Jeb asked. “I reckon you probably went in there to see what Lou here wanted, didn’t you, lawman?”

“I’m just doin’ my job.”

“And does doin’ your job mean you use the telegraph key?” Jeb asked.

“Use the key for what, Jeb?” Ben asked.

“I’m thinkin’ he mighta warned Pearl River Junction that we’re comin’,” Jeb answered.

That made Vic Delay sit forward.

“How would he know we were headin’ there?”

“I don’t know,” Jeb said. “Maybe the sheriff here can tell us.”

“There’s nothin’ to tell,” Coffey said, sweating. “Tol’ you. I’m just doin’ my job, keepin’ an eye on you.”

“We’ll see, Sheriff,” Jeb said. “We’ll see. Lou, you and a couple of others make the lawman comfortable in one of these chairs. I want to eat before I talk to him some more.”

“Sure, Jeb,” Tanner said. “Samms, find some rope. We’re gonna make the lawman real comfortable.”

Sheriff Coffey watched the entire gang finish eating while tied to a chair that was shoved into a corner. It gave him time to wonder what they would do to him if he didn’t tell them what they wanted to know. It also gave him time to regret he’d ever taken this damn job.

“What are we gonna do with him?” Delay asked Jeb while they ate. He kept his voice down so the sheriff couldn’t hear him.

“We’ll send one of the men over to the telegraph office, find out if he’s sent or gotten any telegrams recently,” Jeb explained. “I’m thinkin’ maybe somebody in Pearl River Junction heard about me gettin’ out of Yuma and figured I might be comin’ to see ’em.”

“Her, you mean,” Delay said. “You’re talkin’ about your gal.”

“Maybe.”

“If she tol’ them you’re comin’, then they’ll be ready for us,” Delay said. “And if this fella sent them a message tellin’ them how many we are—”

“You’re puttin’ the horse before the cart, Vic,” Jeb said. “Let’s finish eatin’, then find out what he knows and what he told people, before we panic.”

“I ain’t gonna panic, Jeb,” Delay said. “That ain’t what I do. See, this whole thing is your plan. You’re gonna decide how we play it. I only know one thing.”

“What’s that, Vic?”

“This day’s gonna end with me killin’ a lawman.”

Jeb forked a piece of steak into his mouth and said, “I got no problem with that.”