Vengeance Creek: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

36

Thomas took control and divided up the labor. Rigoberto look care of the horses. James got the fire going and was in charge of preparing something to eat. Thomas and Cory scouted the general area on foot, just in case.

“If they’re close by, they’re going to see the fire, or smell what’s cooking,” Cory said.

“Won’t make a difference,” Thomas said. “They gotta know we’re comin’ after what they done, don’t you think?”

“I suppose.”

“I get the feelin’ you more than suppose, Mr. Cory.”

“What’s that mean, Deputy?”

“Means my pa knows somethin’ about you that I don’t,” Thomas replied, “but I aim to find out what it is.”

“How do you intend to do that?”

“Maybe I’ll just ask.”

“Well,” Cory said, “maybe when you do, I’ll just answer. I hear a stream. Think I’ll fill all the canteens.”

They went back to camp, and when Cory left with the canteens, Thomas stayed.

“We haven’t come that far, you know,” James said.

“We’ll make up some time tomorrow.”

“What do we do if Davis catches up to them first?”

“James, we’re just gonna get the money back from whoever we catch up to.”

“And take them back to Vengeance Creek to hang for killin’ Nancy,” James added.

“Is that what you want to do?” Thomas asked.

“Whataya mean?”

“I had the feelin’ you just wanted to kill them. You know, for killin’ your girl and all.”

“Thomas, I’m not stupid.”

“I never said you were, little brother.”

“I know Nancy wasn’t my gal,” James went on. “Hell, I never said more than two words to her at the bank, and that was when I was makin’ a deposit.”

Thomas remained silent, even though that was the way he’d had it figured.

“But who knows what woulda happened if I ever did get up the gumption to talk to her?” James finished. “Now I’ll never know.”

“I understand, James,” Thomas said.

“I’ll have somethin’ for us to eat in a few minutes,” James said, dropping some bacon into a frying pan.

“Okay,” Thomas said. “I’ll pour everybody some coffee.”

Cory took his coffee and his plate to a dark corner and ate on his own. Rigoberto Colon also chose to eat alone, but he did so within the circle of the fire.

Thomas and James sat at the fire and ate.

“It feels funny,” James said.

“What does?”

“Bein’ here without Pa.”

“I know,” Thomas said, “but Pa’s trustin’ us to do this, James.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

“Then why send us with them?”

“The more the merrier.”

James looked around. “Nobody seems real merry.”

“It’s just a sayin’, James.”

“Pa only let us go because he got shot,” James said. “If he hadn’t, he’d be here with us.”

“If he didn’t trust us, he never woulda let us go.”

“How do you know?”

“Because if he didn’t think we could handle ourselves, James, he never woulda sent us out to get ourselves killed.”

James looked thoughtful and said, “Hmph, I guess you’re right about that.”

“Any more of those beans left?” Thomas asked.

“Sure,” James said. “You like ’em?”

“Let’s just say it’s all we’ve got.”

Still later, James leaned back as the brothers were sharing a cup of coffee and asked, “Do you think Pa shoulda deputized them two?”

He looked across the fire at Colon, and still farther away, at where Cory was seated.

“I get the feelin’ they wouldn’t be here if he’d tried that. They don’t seem the badge-totin’ type,” Thomas said. “I think Pa did what he did to get them to come with us.”

“I wish I knew who they really are.”

“They seem to know what they’re doin’,” Thomas said. “That’s the important part.”

“Aren’t you curious, Thomas?”

“Hell, yes, I’m curious,” the older brother said. “I practically told Cory I was gonna find out who he really is.”

“And what did he say?”

“He told me all I had to do was ask.”

James looked surprised. “And did you?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t feel it was the right time.”

“Well, let’s go and ask him now,” James suggested, sitting up straight.

“Still not the right time, James.”

“When will it be the right time?”

Thomas shrugged and said, “We’ll know.”

Cory came walking over to the fire and asked, “Any more of that coffee?”

“Sure,” James said, reaching for the pot.

“Why don’t you drink it here with us, Ralph?” Thomas asked while James filled the cup.

“Sure,” Cory said, “why not?” and hunkered down across the fire from them.

“Hey, Rigoberto,” Thomas called out. “Come have some more coffee with us.”

“But of course,” Colon said, and walked over to the fire. “It would be my pleasure.”

“You know,” Cory said to Colon, “for a drunk, you don’t seem to need a drink all that much.”

“Who tol’ you I was a drunk because I need to be?” the Mexican asked. “We are men, señor. We make decisions in life.”

“And your decision was to be a drunk?” Cory asked.

“Just as yours was to be a gunsmith, no?”

Ralph Cory frowned and said, “There was a lot more to it than that, for me.”

“Perhaps you will tell us about it?”

“Perhaps,” Cory said, “but not right now.”

“And these two fine young gentlemen,” Colon said, “they decided to be lawmen.”

“There was more to it than that for us too,” Thomas said.

“The decision kinda got made for us,” James said.

“How interesting,” Colon said. “Then I am the only one who made up my own mind?”

The other three men stared at him, and then Cory said, “I get the feeling there was more to it than that for you too, Rigoberto.”

Colon hesitated, then said, “Perhaps…but we are not gathered here to discuss that, are we?”