Pearl River Junction: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

66

Cotton entered the saloon first, followed by Shaye and then Thad. James and Thomas both stood up straight at the sight of them, knowing something was about to happen.

From the back of the room Delay and Jeb saw the three extra lawman enter and also knew something was in the air.

“Jeb,” Delay said, lacing his hand on his gun.

“Wait,” Jeb said.

“We got a lot of cover in here,” Delay told him. “Lots of people. The lawmen’ll try not to hit innocent bystanders. We don’t have that problem.”

“Just wait, Vic,” Jeb said. “Let’s see what they’re after before we go off half-cocked.”

Delay sat back, moved his hand away from his gun.

“Pick ’em out, boy,” Cotton said to Thad.

The place grew quiet as the lawmen moved among the patrons. At the bar Tanner looked over at Jeb, who shook his head. Ben Collier was standing next to him and also saw his brother shake his head.

Samms and Leslie were playing poker at the same table and didn’t notice anything until the place grew quiet. Samms looked around, noticed all the lawmen in the room, and got nervous.

“Stay calm, boys,” Jeb said under his breath.

It was Wilson and Roberts, though, who were the object of Thad Hagen’s attention. They were seated at a table with drinks in their hands and girls in their laps when the place grew quiet. Now they watched as the lawmen approached them, the young deputy in the lead.

“These are them,” Thad said.

“What is he talkin’ about?” Wilson asked the two older lawmen.

“You ladies move along,” Cotton said.

The two women got up and hurried to the bar, where they huddled together.

Roberts looked over his shoulder to where Jeb and Delay were sitting, but neither man moved or signaled.

“You men are under arrest,” Cotton said.

“Arrest?” Wilson asked. “For what? We just got to your town today.”

“And you couldn’t even get out of the livery stable without getting into trouble,” Shaye said.

“What are you talkin’ about?” Roberts asked.

“You assaulted my deputy,” Cotton said. “You’re both comin’ with me—with us.” He turned to Thad. “Get ’em on their feet, Deputy.”

“You heard the sheriff,” Thad said. “Up.”

Wilson and Roberts stared at the young deputy, then at Shaye and Cotton. Beyond them they could see James. When Roberts turned his head to look to Jeb for guidance, he saw Thomas standing behind them.

Thad produced his gun and said, “Up!”

Wilson and Roberts slid their chairs back and got to their feet.

“You young pup,” Wilson said. “You didn’t get enough—”

“Deputy Shaye,” Thad said.

“Yep?” Shaye answered.

“Take their guns.”

“Yes, sir,” Shaye said, but it was Thomas who moved in behind Wilson and Roberts and plucked their guns from their holsters before they could make a move. He then tossed one to his father and the other across the room to James, who surprised himself and everyone in the room by catching it one-handed before it could sail through the window.

“Deputy Hagen,” Cotton said, “take them over to the jail and lock their asses up.”

“Yes, sir,” Thad said. “You boys heard the sheriff. Get movin’.”

Wilson and Roberts were still waiting for Jeb or Delay—or both—to make a move when Thomas put his hand against each of their backs and pushed.

“You heard the man!”

Both men staggered forward and then kept walking. Thad fell in behind them. When they went past James, he fell in behind Thad.

“We gonna let them do that?” Delay asked.

“You see that deputy’s face?” Jeb asked.

“Yeah. So?”

“I told everybody to stay out of trouble,” he said, “but those idiots couldn’t do it. Let them sit in a cell for a while.”

“But we’re gonna need them for the bank.”

Jeb turned his head to look at Delay and said, “No, we ain’t.”

“Those fellas have any friends in here that object to them being arrested?” Cotton asked.

He, Thomas, and Shaye looked around. Shaye’s eyes fell on Jeb Collier and Vic Delay, but neither man made a move.

“Then I guess you folks better go back to having yourselves a good time,” the sheriff said.

“Pa?” Thomas asked.

“You leave with us, Thomas.”

“Yes, sir.”

Cotton went out the door and both Shaye and Thomas backed out, watching his back. Slowly, activity started up again in the room and then the piano started and things were in full swing again.