Vengeance Creek: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

67

“I’ve got fifteen permanent members of the force,” Police Chief Aaron Stattler said. “I can probably hire about ten more for temporary duty.”

Thomas had talked and talked while the chief listened, and then was surprised when the man took everything he said at face value.

“You don’t want to telegraph Vengeance Creek to confirm my story?”

“What would your motive be to warn me of an impending bank robbery?” Stattler asked.

“Maybe we’re plannin’ to rob one of the other banks,” Cory offered.

“I consider myself a very good judge of character,” the sixtyish police chief said, “and I don’t think that’s the case. So, let’s decide how we’re going to proceed.”

“I guess we have to figure out which bank he’s gonna hit,” Cory said.

“Well,” Chief Stattler said, “Bank of Denver has three branches in the city.”

“Is one bigger than the others?” Thomas asked.

“I don’t know if any of them is physically larger than the others,” the chief said, “but I do think that one has the most money. It’s in the business district, so a lot of businesses have their payrolls there.”

“That’s the one he’d go for, then,” Thomas said, “don’t you think, Ralph?”

“Seems to me if he’s been workin’ his way up to this bank for his whole career, he’d go for the biggest payoff. My guess is he’s looking to retire.”

“How many men will he have with him?” Stattler asked.

“We’re not sure,” Thomas said. “He used seven or eight in Vengeance Creek.”

“My guess is he’d use about a dozen,” Cory said.

“That would make for a big split,” the chief commented.

“Actually,” Thomas said, “he didn’t split with anyone in his gang when he hit our bank. He left them all behind to die or get arrested while he took off with the money, and one other man. Who knows, he may have double-crossed him by now too.”

“Do we have any idea when to expect them?” Stattler asked.

“We were just hopin’ we’d get here before them,” Thomas said. “Ralph?”

“Probably within the next few days,” Cory guessed.

“Good,” Stattler said, “that gives us some time to get some men together and assigned.”

“Can’t you send some men over now?” Thomas asked.

“It’s not that easy, Deputy,” the chief said. “This is a police department, and there are some protocols that need to be followed. I should be able to have some men over there by tomorrow afternoon.”

“That may be too late,” Thomas said.

“Better to be safe than sorry,” the chief said. “I need to choose my men properly and get them into position.”

“I really think you should send some men now—”

“Deputy,” Stattler said, “I appreciate you bringing this to my attention, but you are very young and I believe I’m better equipped to handle this situation. Why don’t you and your friend enjoy what our city has to offer for a few days while I take care of business.”

Cory looked at Thomas, wondering how the deputy would handle being talked down to that way.

“You mean you don’t want our help?” Thomas asked.

“You’re in the big city now, Deputy,” Stattler said. “This is not the old West that you’re used to.”

“Chief, I don’t—”

“Okay, Chief,” Cory said, cutting Thomas off, “we’ll just be goin’, then.”

“Please don’t misunderstand me,” Stattler said, standing. “I appreciate the information, but these things are better handled by professionals.”

“What do you—”

“Let’s go, Thomas,” Cory said. “The chief obviously has some work to do.”

Thomas wanted to stay and argue, but Cory took him by the arm and led him to the door.

Once they were outside the building, Thomas said, “I don’t believe his attitude. We brought him this information. If he doesn’t act quickly—”

“Thomas,” Cory said, “this chief is obviously a by-the-book kind of fella. He’s gonna do things at his own pace.”

“And by that time Cardwell could hit the bank and be gone.”

“So what do you want to do?”

Thomas eyed a café across the street and said, “Let’s go over there and get somethin’ to eat. I’m starvin’.”

“So am I,” Cory said, and they crossed over.

Once there, they both sank wearily into chairs, gave their orders to the waiter, and didn’t speak again until the food was in front of them. With renewed vigor, they tore into their steaks.

“I don’t know what to do, Ralph,” Thomas said as he was chewing.

“Well,” Cory said, “one thing we can do is telegraph your pa and tell him where we are.”

“Good idea,” Thomas replied. “Maybe he’s even heard from James.”

“Whenever Cardwell arrives, James and Berto should be right behind him.”

“Unless they caught up to him,” Thomas said, “and took him.”

“I guess that’s possible.”

“You don’t think so?”

“Thomas, I’ve been studying some of the things Ben Cardwell has done,” Cory said. “I think we got to realize who we’re dealin’ with here.”

“What are you sayin’, Ralph?”

“I have an idea,” Cory said, “a hunch, really. Let me lay it out for you and see what you think, okay?”

“Can we keep eatin’ while you do it?”

“Definitely.”

“Okay, then,” Thomas said, “go ahead….”

Across the street the young officer who had shown Thomas and Cory into the chief’s office came into the man’s office himself.

“Where’d they go?” Stattler asked him.

“They went into the café across the street, sir.”

“Did you stand outside the door and listen, Peter?”

“Yes, sir,” said Lieutenant Peter Masters, who acted as Stattler’s personal assistant. “What are you going to do, sir?”

“We can’t be at all sure they’re wrong,” Stattler said. “I mean, the boy’s an obvious amateur.”

“And the older man?”

“Not an amateur,” the chief said, “but not a lawman. He seems familiar to me, as well.”

“What shall we do, sir?”

“I want six men posted at the main branch of the Bank of Denver,” Stattler said.

“Just that one branch, sir?”

“That’s right,” Stattler said, “and I want them heavily armed.”

“What if they’re right and the bank is hit by a dozen bank robbers, sir?”

“Six of my men should be able to handle a gang like that, Masters, don’t you think?”

“Uh, yes, sir.”

“Especially,” Stattler added, “if they’re commanded by you.”

Lieutenant Masters squared his shoulders and said, “Yes, sir!”

“You choose the men,” the chief said, “and have them in place by tomorrow afternoon.”

“What if they hit one of the other branches, sir?”

“If this Cardwell is who I think he is, he’ll hit the bank with the largest amount of deposits. I feel fairly safe in predicting that, Masters…don’t you agree?”

The young lieutenant, who would never dream of disagreeing with his boss, said, “Yes, sir!”

“See to it, then.”

Masters left, and Stattler sat back in his chair. He’d heard of Ben Cardwell, knew the man was a bank robber. If the deputy and his friend had not presented him with Cardwell’s name, he would have put them down as alarmists. However, the fact that they had Cardwell’s name led him to believe there was some credence to their story.

Of course, if they were wrong and he made a fool of himself by placing his men there, they’d live to regret it.