Texas Bluff

CHAPTER 59

“Here we are again,” Short said.

They were outside the house on Pennsylvania Avenue where Al Newman’s father had lived and, presumably, Newman himself had grown up.

“They’ve got to be inside,” Butler said. “Sutherland’s got no place else to go.”

“He can go home,” Luke Short pointed out. “The law’s not lookin’ for him, they’re lookin’ for us.”

“Okay,” Butler said. “Let’s knock, this time. They’re not expecting us.”

“Fine,” Short said, “we’ll walk right up to the front door and knock.”

When the knock came at the door, Sutherland looked to Newman.

“Who knows we’re here?”

“No one.”

“You sent for the law before, for Short and Butler,” Sutherland said. “How do I know that ain’t the law at the door for me?”

“Like you said,” Newman pointed out, “the law isn’t looking for you.”

Sutherland moved to Helen Newman’s side, grabbed her arm and pulled his gun.

“Hey, there’s no need—”

“Find out who it is,” he said to the lawyer, “and get rid of them.”

When Newman opened the door and saw Butler and Short standing there he said, “He’s inside. He has a gun on Helen.”

“Tell him to come out,” Short said. “Tell him we’ll do it, just him and me. After all, that’s what he wants.”

“Luke—” Butler started.

“Just tell him, Newman.”

Newman went back into the house, leaving the door open.

“Should we go in?” Butler asked.

“Let’s wait,” Short said. “Let’s just give him what he wants and get this over with.”

When Newman reappeared in the doorway, Sutherland was behind him, still holding Helen.

“Sonofabitch,” he said. “It is you.”

“Come on, Sutherland,” Short said. “Let’s get this over with so I can get back to my life.”

“What about you?” the man asked Butler. “You just gonna watch?”

“Yep,” Butler said, “and if you kill Luke, you’ll have your try at me.”

Sutherland frowned.

“How do I know this is on the up and up?” he asked. “What if I step out there and you both gun me?”

“You have my word,” Short said.

“And you?” Sutherland asked Butler.

“My word, too,” Butler said. “We just want to end this.”

“So do I,” Sutherland said. “I can’t find anybody good enough to send after you two, so I might as well just do it myself.”

Butler looked at Newman.

“You got a gun on you?”

“No.”

“In the house?”

“No.”

“If you come up with a gun,” Butler said, “I’ll kill you.”

“I have no gun.”

“Okay, then,” Short said, “can we get this under way?

“Back up, both of you,” Sutherland said. “Down the stairs. Butler, you stand off to the right where I can see you.”

Butler and Short did as they were told. Butler moved off to the right, wondering if they should have gotten his word that he wouldn’t try to kill them while standing behind Newman’s wife.

“Counselor,” Sutherland said, “here. You take your wife.”

He pushed Helen Newman toward her husband, who caught her.

“As my lawyer, am I in any trouble after I kill these two?”

“Not with us as witnesses that it was a fair fight both times.”

“I won’t say—” Helen Newman started.

“Shut up, Helen!” Newman snapped.

“That ain’t no way to talk to your wife, Al,” Sutherland said, and stepped down off the porch.