Vengeance Creek: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

34

“It’s gettin’ dark,” Simon Jacks said. “We should camp.”

“We’ll keep goin’ awhile,” Ben Cardwell said.

“What for?” Jacks asked. “You think there’s a posse out after us? Did you see any of them townspeople try to help the law? They ain’t gonna get a posse together, Ben—leastways, not today.”

“Maybe not,” Cardwell said, “but we’ll keep goin’ just the same.”

“You worried about Davis?” Jacks asked. “Hell, he’s probably dead, and if he ain’t, he ain’t got the balls to come after us.”

“Don’t sell Davis short,” Cardwell said. “If he’s mad enough—if any man’s mad enough—he’ll fight.”

“So if he finds us, we kill him,” Jacks said. “You were gonna do that anyway.”

“Simon,” Cardwell said impatiently, “we’ll ride a bit longer before we camp. I’m callin’ the shots here, not you, remember?”

“Oh, I remember, Ben,” Jacks said. “I remember real well.”

“Good,” Cardwell said, “so let’s get a move on.”

Jacks followed Cardwell. There was no harm in letting the man continue to lead as long as it suited him. It had served them both well…so far.

Sean Davis studied the ground, looking for the odd impression he knew would be left by either Ben Cardwell’s horse or Simon Jacks’s. One of them was riding an animal that stepped lightly with his rear left leg. It was going to make it easy for him to track them down—at least, one of them—and get his share of the bank money from them.

He knew Ben Cardwell didn’t have much respect for him, but he was going to show him and Simon Jacks the error of their ways. Not only had they tried to cut him out his share, but they’d left him behind to be captured, or killed.

He was going to show them how wrong they were.

“You fellas gettin’ acquainted?” Thomas asked Ralph Cory and Rigoberto Colon.

“Yeah,” Cory said, “just a bit.”

“Un poquito.”

“We’ll just saddle our horses and be right with you,” Thomas said. “Come on, James.”

The two brothers entered the stable, leaving Colon and Cory behind.

“I wonder why they’re comin’ with us?” James asked as they saddled their mounts. “I mean, nobody else in town wanted to volunteer. Why them?”

“I get the feelin’ neither of them volunteered either.”

“Whataya mean?”

“I mean,” Thomas said, pulling the cinch tight on his saddle, “I think they’re only doin’ it because Pa asked them to.”

“Why would they do that?” James wondered. “You think Pa knew them before we came to town?”

“Probably not,” Thomas said, “but I think he knows them now.”

“Well,” James said, “we’ll be on the trail with them. Maybe we’ll find out just who knows who.”

Thomas turned his horse and waited for James to bring his around.

“I don’t think they know each other,” he said. “They didn’t look real comfortable together, out there.”

“Think maybe they got money in the bank?” James asked. “That’s why they agreed?”

“Rigoberto doesn’t look like someone who has money, does he?” Thomas asked.

As they walked their horses to the doors James said, “I never would have picked him for ridin’ in a posse either.”

“Good point.”

When they got outside, Cory and Colon were already mounted.

“Some of these tracks have been trampled,” Cory said, “but I think we got a general direction.”

“Let’s head that way, then,” Thomas said. “We’re losin’ daylight fast.”

Cory and Colon exchanged a glance, then looked at Thomas and James.

“Who takes the lead?” Cory asked.

“Let’s start with you, Mr. Cory,” Thomas said, “and see how it goes from there.”

“Okay,” Cory said, “and the name’s Ralph.”

“Lead the way, Ralph,” Thomas said. “We’re right behind you.”

Shaye dragged himself to the door and outside onto the boardwalk. From his vantage point he was able to watch the four riders leave town.

“That’s the best you could do?” a voice asked.

He turned and saw Mayor Timmerman standing there.

“I don’t see you gettin’ on a horse, Mayor,” Shaye said, “and it was your daughter they killed.”

“Don’t be a fool,” Timmerman said. “I’d probably wind up getting one of your sons killed.”

Shaye leaned against the wall and said, “I hate to admit it, but you have a point there.”

“You couldn’t get more than four men?”

“This is your town, Mayor,” Shaye said. “What do you think?”

“Cowards,” Timmerman said sourly. “You know, there was a time people had pride in their town and would rise up and protect it when there was a need.”

“Those days are long gone, Mayor,” Shaye said. “Now it’s up to two green deputies, a gunsmith, and a drunk.”

Shaye limped back into the office and closed the door in Timmerman’s face.