Resolution

57.

Wolfson had his meeting. He sat at a back table in the Blackfoot, with Swann on one side of him and Lujack on the other. The three squads stood against the wall on either side of the room.

“Boys,” Wolfson said to the four of us standing in front of the table. “We’re gonna have to make a change.”

None of us spoke.

“You boys done a fine job keepin’ the peace here in Resolution, ” Wolfson said. “But we all knew it was only temporary, and, well, now we got what you might call permanent cadre here, and there just ain’t no need for you fellas.”

“Don’t fuck with it, Wolfson,” Virgil said. “Just fire us.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to think of it as getting fired,” Wolfson said. “I like you boys. It’s just that you, ah, served your term, you know?”

Cato Tillson looked slowly around the room, snorted silently to himself, and walked out. Wolfson watched him and didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he refocused on the rest of us.

“I’ve asked Major Lujack to be town marshal,” Wolfson said.

“With nineteen deputies,” Rose said.

“Exactly.”

“I figure you owe me four days’ pay,” Rose said.

“I do,” Wolfson said. “And I’m happy to give all of you what I owe you. And room and board through the end of the week… plus a nice bonus for the job you did.”

“When do I get the money?” Rose said.

“Tomorrow. See Hensdale anytime tomorrow,” Wolfson said. “All of you.”

“I will,” Rose said, and headed for the door.

Wolfson looked at Virgil and me.

“You boys been with me the longest,” Wolfson said. “And I want to thank you both special.”

“Amos,” I said, “I’m too old to listen to horseshit. I’ll stop by and see Hensdale.”

“Well, just so there’s no hard feelings,” Wolfson said.

“None,” I said.

“You, Virgil?” Wolfson said.

“No feelings at all,” Virgil said.

Wolfson nodded. There didn’t seem to be anything else to say. But nobody ended it, and Virgil, for whatever reason, didn’t seem quite through yet. I didn’t know what his reason was, but Virgil was never a creature of whim, he was doing something. What he appeared to be doing was looking at Swann. Swann looked back.

Finally, Lujack said, “’Fore you boys go, I’d be interested in your plans.”

“Got no plans,” I said.

Virgil continued looking at Swann, as if Swann was an odd specimen of something.

“You, Cole?” Lujack said.

“None,” Virgil said.

Then I realized what Virgil was doing. He was pretty sure he’d have to go against Swann one day, and he was getting to know him as well as he could in preparation for that.

“Well,” Lujack said. “That’ll be fine for a few days, while you get your affairs in order. But in a week or so, I’ll be asking you all to move on.”

“We’ll keep it in mind,” I said.

Swann continued to meet Virgil’s stare. But it was a waste of his time. Virgil was probably unlike anyone Swann had ever seen. Virgil didn’t care if you met his stare or not. He didn’t care if he intimidated you or not. He was just gathering information.

“You got any plans, Cole?” Lujack said.

Without taking his eyes off Swann, Virgil said, “I’m formulatin’. ”

“And you heard me,” Lujack said, “about not hanging around too long.”

“I did,” Virgil said.

“Hope you’ll keep it in mind,” Lujack said.

“Surely will,” Virgil said.

He continued to look at Swann.

“Would,” Swann said to Virgil, “I was you.”

“One of the things I’m real happy about,” Virgil said, “is you ain’t me.”

They looked at each other for another minute. Then Virgil nodded to himself as if he’d learned something and turned and walked out. I went with him.