The Lawman

Chapter Thirteen

Moran had not enjoyed the fight. He could think of better things to watch two women do than fight, even if they were fighting over him.

When the fight had started he decided to pick up his clothes and leave, so he didn’t know what the outcome had been. Rosa had anger on her side, but Carmen had size and weight. He wondered if this meant that he was going to have to choose between the two of them.

Maybe there was a new girl in town, but if there were she’d have to really be special to take his interest away from Carmen and Rosa.

Moran walked around the town, checking to see if it had changed since he’d been gone. He was glad to see that it hadn’t. There was no sign of progress, anyway.

Progress meant more people, and if more people started coming into San Louisa, he’d have to stop coming here.

“Señor Moran!”

He turned and saw the mayor, Eduardo Felipe, walking towards him. The mayor was a bandy-legged little man with a pencil-thin mustache who bowed and smiled a lot. He remained mayor because no one else wanted the position.

“Hello, Mayor.”

“Señor, I have a huge favor to ask of you.”

“What’s that, Mayor?”

“You have come to San Louisa at just the right time, señor Moran.”

“Why is that?”

“We have had a problem here in the past few weeks, and I know you will be able to help us. You are obviously a very capable man, señor.”

“Mayor,” Moran said, “could you get to the point, please?”

“The point? Ah yes, the point. Ah, we here in San Louisa find ourselves in dire need of a sheriff.”

“A sheriff?” Moran repeated, wanting to be sure that he had heard correctly.

“Si, señor. A sheriff—ah, the man with the star…on his chest? Am I not saying it correctly?”

“And you want me—” Moran said, laughing now.

“Si, señor,” the mayor said, puffing his chest out. “As mayor of San Louisa I ask if you would accept an appointment as sheriff…”

“Señor…?”

“Why are you laughing, señor…?”

“Did I say something funny?”

Moran couldn’t answer. This was so funny, so ironic, that as soon as he could answer—as soon as he could stop laughing—he was going to accept.

Sheriff Red Moran, of San Louisa, Mexico.