Vengeance Creek: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

10

Thomas was out doing morning rounds when James returned to the office.

“What did you find out?” Shaye asked.

James took a moment to pour a cup of coffee, then relayed everything he’d learned to his father while seated with his feet up on the desk.

“Doesn’t sound like much,” Shaye said.

“I guess not,” James said. “Coulda been more, though, if that other man hadn’t stepped in.”

“Cardwell and Davis,” his father said. “We don’t know if that’s their real names.”

“What about posters?”

“Thomas checked,” Shaye said. “He didn’t recognize their likeness on any of them.”

“So what do we do?”

“Nothing,” Shaye said. “They haven’t broken any laws here. Let’s just keep an eye on them.”

“Me?”

“Yes,” Shaye said, “you.”

“What about Thomas?”

“I’ll talk to Thomas,” Shaye said. “Maybe we should just all stay on the job at the same time while they’re in town.”

“Okay with me.”

“Then get your boots off my desk and get out there.”

James dropped his feet to the floor and said, “Yes, sir.”

Ben Cardwell kicked the bed and shouted at his partner, “Time to get up, goddamn it!”

Davis leaped into a sitting position, staring around him wildly. He went for his gun, but Cardwell had wisely removed it from the holster hanging on the bed post.

“Lookin’ for this?” he asked, holding the gun out. “I coulda put a bullet in you while you slept. Might as well have, you sleep like the dead, anyway.”

Davis looked around, then asked, “We bring any whores back here with us last night?”

“Not a one.”

“Damn!”

He rubbed his hands over his face, and suddenly his eyes focused and he was awake.

“Whatsamatter?” he asked.

Cardwell tossed his gun onto the bed and said, “Time to get up, is all.”

“Breakfast?”

“I had breakfast,” Cardwell said. “More like lunch, for you.”

“You been out, already?” Davis swung his feet to the floor, let his hands hang between his knees for a moment. He was wearing off-white long johns which at one time had been white. His legs were long and skinny, his knees knobby.

“Out and back,” Cardwell said. “Had me a conversation with the law.”

“The sheriff?” Davis looked surprised.

“The deputy,” Cardwell said.

“The one from last night?”

“Yeah.”

“What did that bastard want?”

“Just some questions about what we’re doin’ in town.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Not much,” Cardwell said, “but they’re probably gonna be watchin’ us.”

“So are we callin’ off the job?”

“No,” Cardwell said, “we’re goin’ ahead with the job. In fact, them watchin’ us is probably gonna help us with the job.”

“Howzat gonna help?” Davis asked.

“Get yourself dressed and meet me downstairs,” Cardwell said, heading for the door, “and I’ll tell you.”