The Lawman

Chapter Twenty-eight

When Decker rode into San Louisa he was surprised.

For a town with the hottest new whorehouse anywhere, it did not look very prosperous.

Decker passed by the whorehouse, and saw that other than the sign above the entrance, it looked much like any of the other buildings in town. He wondered what it looked like on the inside.

Later, when it opened, he’d find out.

As he turned his horse in at the livery he realized that he was starting to feel the anticipation he felt whenever he was closing in on his prey. He still had no concrete evidence that Moran was in town, but his instinct told him that he was.

And he had rarely gone wrong trusting his instincts.

As he had done in other towns when he was checking into the hotel, he looked through the register. He found what he was looking for three weeks back.

Red Moran had registered at the hotel.

“I hope you enjoy your stay señor,” the clerk said, handing him a key.

“I’m sure I will.” He started for the steps and then turned back. “What time does Crystal’s open?”

“Eight o’clock, señor.”

“Thanks.”

There were five hours before Crystal’s Palace would open. Decker took the time to walk around town, enter some of the shops and get something to eat. Keeping his ears open, he found out several things.

First, Red Moran had managed to get himself appointed sheriff. Old habits die the hardest. He wondered if Moran had plans to rob the bank.

Secondly, many of the townspeople didn’t like Moran, or the woman called Crystal. They resented the fact that they had opened a successful business and were not turning any of their profits over to the town.

Decker didn’t know if he agreed with that. It certainly wouldn’t make a man popular in town, but why should he turn any part of money he’d earned over to the town, unless it was willingly?

Still, the fact that Moran didn’t seem to have many friends in town, and that he was sheriff, started Decker to thinking.

Moran was clean in Mexico, and Decker would have to take him all the way back to the Rio Grande at gunpoint before he could turn him in. If, as he suspected, Moran’s situation in San Louisa was leading to where Decker thought it was leading, he’d soon make the same move here that he had made in all the other towns.

He’d try to rob the bank.

If Decker could catch him in the act, then he’d be able to turn him over to the law here in Mexico and let them provide transportation to the United States.

All he had to do was wait for the itch. And judging from the length of time Moran had been here, and his present situation, he should start feeling it just about now.