Pearl River Junction: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

67

Thad came down from the second floor, hung the cell keys on a wall peg, and told Cotton, “They’re tucked away nice and safe.”

“In the morning you’ll bring them breakfast from the café.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you’ll stay here and guard them.”

Thad hesitated a moment, then said, “Alone?”

“No,” James said, “you won’t have to stay alone. I’ll stay with you tonight. We can take turns sleeping.”

“That sounds good.”

“All right,” Cotton said. He looked at Shaye. “You think they’ll come for these two?”

“They didn’t look all that upset when we took them,” Shaye said. “Collier will probably come and talk first.”

“You think they’ll try for the bank with six men?”

“Maybe,” Shaye said. “We’ll have to see.”

“I can stay tonight too,” Thomas said. “Just in case. James, will you make some coffee?”

“I will, just to keep you from making it,” James said.

“Riley,” Shaye said, “why don’t we go and talk to Belinda? Maybe it’s time she told the truth…all of it.”

“Okay,” Cotton said. “Then let’s do it.”

At the saloon Jeb and his men gave up the pretense of not knowing each other and congregated around one table.

“What do we do now?” Samms asked. “We’re down to six men.”

“You let me worry about that,” Jeb said.

“But are we gonna leave Clark and Dave in jail?” Ben asked.

“At least for tonight, Ben,” Jeb said. “The rest of you get some sleep and meet me back here in the morning.”

“The place won’t be open,” Leslie said.

“Just meet me out front.”

As the men started to get up to leave, Delay put his hand on Tanner’s arm to stay him. Jeb allowed Ben to go back to the hotel. He’d talk to him later.

Once the men were gone, Tanner asked, “What’s the deal?”

“You, me, Vic, and Ben are gonna take the bank tomorrow mornin’,” Jeb said.

“The four of us?” Tanner asked. “We don’t even know if they got guards or how many people work there.”

“I do,” Jeb said. “I know how many employees, how many guards, and where they’re placed, and now I’m gonna tell it to the three of you, so listen up.”

Bill Samms and Roy Leslie walked back to the rooming house they were staying in.

“We gonna leave Dave and Clark in jail overnight?” Samms asked as they approached the house.

“That’s what we been told to do,” Leslie said. “What’s the difference? They ride with Collier, not with us.”

“How long you reckon Vic is gonna let Collier call the shots?”

“Don’t rightly know,” Leslie said, “and I don’t care, just as long as I don’t have to call them.”

“Amen to that, I guess,” Samms said.

Cotton and Shaye entered the house and found Marion sitting on the sofa, holding the sleeping boy.

“Where’s Belinda?” Shaye asked.

“She went out.”

“You know where?”

“No,” Marion said, “she didn’t say, but she said she’d be back.”

Cotton and Shaye exchanged a look.

“She either went to Jeb or to Alvin Simon.”

“Simon?” Cotton asked. “The owner of the hardware store? Why would she go to see him.”

“Well,” Shaye said, “he’s in love with her and he claims she’s in love with him.”

“What?” Marion asked.

“Where did you hear that hogwash?” Cotton asked.

“Thomas and James heard it from Simon,” Shaye said. He went on to explain how.

“Why didn’t you tell me that before?” Cotton asked.

“What difference does that make to what we’re doing?”

“Well, it makes a difference now,” Cotton said. “We don’t know which man she went to see.”

“Doesn’t really matter,” Shaye said. “We can just wait here for her to get back.”

“Marion,” Cotton said, “why don’t you put the boy to bed and make some coffee?”

“I’ll make the coffee,” Shaye said.

“No,” Marion said, “that’s all right.” She stood up. “I’ll put the baby down and then make coffee. It’ll give me something to do until Belinda gets back.” She started from the room, then turned back. “I assume we’re going to get the truth out of her tonight?”

“We’re gonna try,” Shaye said.