The Lawman

Chapter Thirty-nine

Decker was pleasantly surprised to find that after he had broken through the hard surface, the dirt beneath was loose and easy to dislodge. The belt buckle worked perfectly as a shovel and though it was hard work he soon saw daylight shining through the hole. All he had to do was widen it a bit, and he’d be able to slide out beneath the wall.

Anxious to be out he finally discarded the belt buckle and used both hands to scoop out large portions of dirt. When he had it large enough he pushed his belt and gunbelt through, and then followed.

He had a moment of panic when he got stuck, but by wiggling he managed to dislodge enough dirt to loosen himself, and then he was out.

He squinted at the sunlight, and while his eyes adjusted to it he slipped his belt back on, and then his gunbelt.

Standing up he decided that first he needed a gun, and then he needed to find Moran.

It was time to stop playing around and get the business at hand finished.

He went back to his hotel, and the clerk stared at his dirty, sweaty clothes. He went up to his room and pulled his spare gun out of his saddlebags, a heavy Navy Colt that he had taken from a sailor on San Francisco’s Barbary Coast some years ago. He slid it into the front of his belt and left to find Moran.

He went first to the sheriff’s office, entered cautiously and quickly determined that Moran was not there.

However, Gilberto and Raquel were.

“Well, Raquel. Como esta?”

“Hijo de cabronl” she spat at him.

“Oh, I don’t know what that means, but it doesn’t sound good.”

“I am going to kill you, Decker.”

“Gilberto, that’s not something you say to an armed man from behind bars.” Decker took the Navy Colt from his belt, pointed it at Gilberto and cocked the hammer. The man tried to find somewhere to hide in the small cell without success.

“If I thought there was a chance of you carrying out your threat, I’d kill you right here.”

“You can’t!” Gilberto said, covering his head with his arms.

“Oh, leave him alone, Decker,” Raquel said. “What do you want?”

“Nothing, from you. I was looking for Moran.” When she looked puzzled, he said, “The sheriff.”

“Then he is the man you are hunting for.”

“Is that why you followed me?” Decker asked. “For the reward on the man I was following?”

“Why else?”

“And I thought you liked me, and missed me.”

“If you let me out of here I will not miss you,” she threatened.

“Now you’re starting to sound like your brother. Oh well,” he said, easing the hammer down on the Colt and tucking it into his belt, “I have business to attend to.”

“Decker!” she shouted as he started for the door.

“Yes?”

“Decker,” she said again, her tone lower, sexier, “you can let me out and leave Gilberto here. You were right. I do miss you. We never had a chance to…get to know each other.”

“You know, you’re a dangerous woman, Raquel,” he said, walking back towards the cell.

She was beautiful, all wild hair and eyes, proud breasts and long legs.

“I’m almost tempted to let you out.”

“It can be wonderful, Decker,” she whispered. “It can be unbelievable.”

“I know,” Decker said sadly. “I know it could.”

He started away again and she called out again.

“Decker!”

“What?”

“You look like you’ve been rolling in…how do you say it?”

“Shit?”

“Si, that is it. Shit.”

“Don’t worry, with the money I get for Moran, I can buy a whole new wardrobe. Adios, baby.”

“Decker!”

The next place to look, he thought, was Crystal’s Palace.