Ralph Compton Train to Durango, page 3
El Lobo laughed, and Wes regarded him with some envy. Renita said nothing. There was almost no conversation, and when the food was brought, they all dug in. Nobody had anything to say until they were down to last cups of coffee.
“After lying around on the dirt floor of that cabin for a week, I’m terribly in need of a bath,” Renita said.
“Sí,“ said Tamara, “as am I.”
“A tub and hot water can be brought up to your rooms,” Silver said, “and while the two of you are taking your baths, Wes, El Lobo, and me can get together in my room. We still have to examine what was taken from the pockets of those outlaws.”
“Then we won’t know what you discover,” said Renita.
“Wes and El Lobo can tell you as much as they feel it’s safe for you to know,” Silver replied. “The outfit that took you and Tamara from Granny Boudleaux’s has reorganized, and is probably more powerful than ever.”
“So you’re going after them, taking Wes and Palo with you,” said Renita.
“Renita,” Wes said angrily, “it’s not your place to interfere in Silver’s business.”
“It’s my place to interfere in anything that could get you shot dead,” said Renita, her eyes on Silver.
“She’s right, Wes,” Silver said. “Once you commit yourself to a woman, you have to put her first. Just as I valued Nathan Stone’s friendship, I value that of you and El Lobo, and I won’t rope you into anything that might damage your relationship with these young ladies.”
Silver’s gray eyes rested for only a second on Wes and El Lobo. He then looked at Renita and Tamara, and something about him had a profound effect on the two women.
“If it is something Palo feels he must do, I will never stand in his way,” said Tamara. “Not even if it costs him his life.”
“I feel the same way about Wes,” Renita said, “and I’m sorry that I have allowed my selfishness to take control of me.”
“This has been difficult for both of you,” said Silver, “and I in no way regard either of you as selfish. Wes and El Lobo have never faltered in the face of danger, and I have every confidence in their ability to accomplish what they set out to do. There’s a diabolical conspiracy that could destroy this nation, and I’ll fight it alone, if I must. Wes and El Lobo are almost solely responsible for the recent success in California, and if I have any choice, there’s no other two men alive that I’d rather have siding me.”
“Bryan Silver,” said Tamara, “you are an inspiration. I do not know of this conspiracy, but I will urge Palo to join you. I would go myself if you would have me.”
“So would I,” Renita said.
Silver laughed, his eyes twinkling. “I am flattered, ladies. While the danger is such we can’t allow you into the thick of the battle, you’ll be considerably closer than El Paso, and I will be here until we have won. Wes and El Lobo will tell you more about what they have in mind. For now, I think we’d better be getting back to the hotel if you’re to have your baths tonight.”
With Renita and Tamara safely in their rooms, Wes and El Lobo knocked on Silver’s door. Not wishing to remain in the room with Renita, Empty had gone with Wes. Silver opened the door, closing and locking it when Wes, El Lobo, and Empty had entered. Wes held the hat in which he had collected the belongings of the four dead outlaws, and upending the hat, he spread the items out on the bed.
“Four thousand in double eagles,” said Silver, “and I’m betting every last one of them is counterfeit.”
“Let’s see,” Wes said.
Removing a knife from inside his right boot, he scraped the surface of one of the gold coins. Beneath a thin coating of gold, there was base metal. Quickly he scraped a dozen more, with the same result.
“Enough,” said Silver. “Let’s look at the rest of it.”
There were two of the Dragon coins, with a dragon head on one side and a numeral one on the other.
“Proof enough that we’re closing in on the Dragon,” Wes said. “The coins they used in old Mexico had a numeral three, while those in California had a numeral two. Now these have a numeral one.”
There were two scraps of paper, and Silver was studying them.
“Not much to go on,” said Wes. “Just three words: Grand Hotel, Denver.”
“It could be a meeting place, a rendezvous,” Silver said. “Had these hombres successfully bushwhacked you and El Lobo, they would have gotten more money.”
“What about this piece of paper?” Wes said. “There’s just one word: Stringfield.”
“Might be the name of a town,” said Silver, “or the name of a man. Maybe these two pieces of paper go together. Stringfield may be the name of the contact, and the place the Grand Hotel in Denver.”
“Should be easy enough to find out if there’s anybody named Stringfield at the Grand Hotel,” Wes said. “In fact, if we’re going on to Dodge, we’ll be able to take the train from Boulder. To get there, we’ll have to ride almost through Denver. If this Stringfield is still there, expecting to hear from his four killers, we don’t have any time to spare. If we go on to Dodge and then return to Denver, too much time will have passed, and he’ll know the bushwhacking failed.”
“You’re dead right,” said Silver. “We’d better ride out in the morning. I’d say it’s at least three hundred miles to Boulder. If Stringfield is a contact, and he’s at the Grand in Denver, it could be the start of something big time. We’ll eat early in the morning and be ready to ride at first light. You’d better break the news to Renita and Tamara tonight.”
“We will,” Wes said.
El Lobo knocked on the door, identified himself, and was let in. Wes knocked on his own door, and when he had identified himself, Renita let him in. The lamp was turned low. The tub was still there, towels draped over its edge. Renita wore nothing but a smile.
“I reckon that water’s cold,” said Wes. “I could use some washing, myself.”
“It’s not all that cold,” Renita said. “Wash, and I will watch.”
“You’d better get in bed,” said Wes. “We ride out at first light tomorrow, on our way to Boulder, Colorado.”
“I don’t care,” Renita said. “We’re going to have tonight, if we never have anything else.”
Wes didn’t get into the tub, but soaked one of the towels, using it to wash away some of the trail dust.
“Why are we going to Boulder, Colorado?” Renita asked.
“From there, we’ll be taking the train to Dodge City,” said Wes. “I once worked for the railroad, and was headquartered in Dodge. I have friends there. You and Tamara will be staying at the Dodge House. Silver will be there too, until this case is closed.”
“I believe Tamara and me have the right to know what this conspiracy is all about,” Renita said. “Silver seemed to think so too.”
“I reckon you’re right,” said Wes. “In the left front pocket of my Levi’s there are some double eagles with their faces mutilated. Get them.”
The half dozen coins were counterfeit, taken from the slain outlaws. Renita spread them out on the bed, and Wes told her as much as he felt she needed to know.
“You and Palo are involved in something truly grand,” Renita said. “But there are so many of them, and they’re so powerful, how do you know where to start?”
“We found something on one of the dead men that might be a lead,” said Wes. “We’ll find out when we reach Denver.”
“You’ve satisfied my curiosity about that,” Renita said. “Now tell me about Silver and Molly Horrel.”
“I’ve been away for months,” said Wes. “Now we have a room all to ourselves, with a soft bed, and all you want to do is talk.”
“I have plans for more than that,” Renita said, “but first, I want to hear about Silver and Molly.”
Wes sighed. Stretching out on the bed, he told her of the mutual interest that Silver and Molly seemed to share.
“I’m glad for her,” said Renita. “Bryan Silver is the kind of man who would make any woman proud.”
“I reckon,” Wes said. “If he wasn’t interested in Molly, I wouldn’t want him spendin’ too much time with you.”
Renita laughed. “You’re jealous of him.”
“Some,” said Wes. “There’s just something about him. If I could figure out what it is and sell it, I’d be rich. I just had the feeling that if El Lobo and I hadn’t been around, Silver would have had you and Tamara in bed with him. One at a time, or both at once.”
“You won’t have to worry about that,” Renita said. “If Molly has her claws in him, he won’t have the time or strength for anybody else.”
“You don’t like Molly, do you?”
“No,” said Renita. “After your father was killed, she’d have gone after you, if you had not ridden off to Mexico, hunting the Sandlin gang.”7
“Tarnation, she’s ten years older than me,” Wes said.
“Nathan was ten years older than Molly,” said Renita. “King Fisher was as old or older than Nathan, and Molly lived with him until they had a falling out. Any difference in age won’t matter to a woman, as long as everything works out under the sheet.”
“You can be so damn crude, and without cause,” Wes said. “Molly doesn’t even like me. She blamed me for my father’s death.”
“Perhaps at first,” said Renita, “but you don’t understand women, Wes Stone.”
“Then I reckon it’s time I was figurin’ them out, startin’ with you,” Wes said.
Quickly he blew out the lamp and piled under the covers with her, while in the next room, El Lobo and Tamara still talked.
“I am proud of you, Palo,” said Tamara. “It is an honor to have won the friendship and confidence of such a man as Bryan Silver.”
“Sí,“ El Lobo said, pleased. “He bueno hombre.”
In his room Bryan Silver lay across the bed, having removed only his hat and gunbelt. He did not know how long he might remain in Dodge, or what danger he must face in the days ahead. Leaning over, he turned up the lamp’s flame. There was a bedside table with a drawer, and within it a few sheets of writing paper and some envelopes with the hotel’s name and address. Sitting on the bed, using the bedside table, he quickly wrote a one-page letter. He folded the letter, placing it in an envelope, which he then addressed to Molly Horrel in El Paso. Removing his wallet from his coat pocket, he counted out five hundred dollars in currency. Tomorrow, before leaving El Paso, he would purchase a bank draft.
• • •
Across the street from the hotel, two men had concealed themselves in the shadows, as Silver, Wes, El Lobo, Tamara, and Renita had left the cafe.
“By God, it’s them,” said Olson. “We could gun them down from here.”
“And have the law after us,” Baker said. “We’ll wait for a better time and place.”
“Him and that damn Indian has got to die,” said Olson. “I ain’t forgettin’ how they took our horses in the mountains, leavin’ us to hoof it two hundred miles back to Santa Fe.”
“I ain’t forgot,” Baker said, “but I ain’t forgot they can shoot like hell wouldn’t have it. They ain’t short-horns, either. We was all set to bushwhack them, when they got ahead of us, got the drop, and took our horses. We got to be careful.”8
• • •
Silver was dressed, shaved, and ready to go when Wes knocked on his door.
“I know we aimed to leave at first light,” said Silver, “but I have some business with a bank, and I must post a letter. We’ll be maybe two hours later than planned.”
“Might be just as well,” Wes said. “I’m ready, and so is El Lobo, but not so with our women. After near two weeks of sleeping on the ground, they were ready for a bed.”
Silver laughed. “I don’t reckon you and El Lobo keeping them awake late had anything to do with ‘em not being up this morning?”
“Maybe,” said Wes. “It took considerable time, telling them about the Golden Dragon. That, and we had to bullyrag them some. We told ‘em you’d never seen a naked female before, and you was totally mortified.”
He said it with a straight face, but he couldn’t maintain it. Silver paled, and Wes had to laugh at his shocked expression.
“Damn you,” Silver said, “you have your daddy’s poker face. He could and would bluff with a pair of deuces.”
“You should have brought Molly with you,” said Wes. “Then you’d have somebody to talk to you.”
“You could be in for some surprises,” Silver said. “Even Nathan didn’t understand my every move, and neither do you.”
El Lobo came in, accompanied by Empty, who had been waiting in the hall.
“Tamara don’t be awake,” said El Lobo.
“I’m not surprised,” Silver said. “You likely kept her awake all night.”
“Sangre de Cristo,“ said El Lobo, “she keep me awake.”
“Let her rest a while,” Silver said. “I have some business to attend to, and the banks won’t open for another two hours.”
“Since we’re gettin’ a late start,” said Wes, “Renita and Tamara can eat when they’re ready. I’m hungry now.”
“So am I,” Silver said. “I can eat now, and again before we leave town.”
“Bueno,“ said El Lobo.
With Empty following, they headed for the cafe. They were on the boardwalk, away from the protection of the hotel, when the roar of a Winchester shattered the early morning stillness. Wes stumbled as a slug ripped through his upper left arm, while a second one sent El Lobo’s hat flying. Silver had his Colt out, but instead of firing, he had started across the street in a zigzag run. El Lobo was right behind him. Wes remained where he was, for there were no more shots from the bushwhacker. Men hurried from the cafe, and several from the hotel lobby, including the desk clerk.
“Charlie, fetch Doc Padgett,” the desk clerk ordered.
One of the men from the hotel hurried away, as Silver and El Lobo returned.
“The varmint lit out when he saw us comin’ after him,” said Silver. “There’s an alley with rat holes everywhere.”
“I’m not hard hit,” Wes said. “It missed the bone.”
“Come on back into the lobby,” said the hotel desk clerk. “I’m sure the sheriff will be wanting to talk to you.”
Several blocks away, Baker and Olson crouched in the shadow of a vacant building.
“Damn it,” Olson said, “you missed the Indian. Now they’ll be on their guard, and we may not get another chance.”
“You didn’t do no better,” said Baker. “You just nicked Stone in the arm.”
“We’d better get back to our roomin’ house and stay there for a while,” Olson said. “I look for the sheriff to be nosin’ around, asking questions.”
“Yeah,” said Baker. “That old woman we’re rentin’ from has been askin’ around, tryin’ to find out where our money comes from. I’m tempted to tell the old bat we’re robbing banks and stages.”
When Dr. Padgett arrived, he quickly cleansed and dressed the wound. There was no sign of the sheriff.
“I’m goin’ back to my room for a clean shirt,” Wes said. “Then we’ll go eat.”
Leaving Silver and El Lobo in the lobby, Wes returned to the room, where he expected to find Renita still asleep. But she sat on the edge of the bed, leaping to her feet when she saw the bloodied sleeve of his shirt.
“You’re hurt,” she cried. “What happened?”
“Bushwhacker fired at us,” said Wes. “Silver and El Lobo went after him, but he lost them in an alley.”
Wes hadn’t locked the door, and Tamara rushed in.
“I heard Renita cry out,” she said.
“Silver, El Lobo, and I were ambushed,” said Wes. “Nobody was hit except me. I’m needin’ a clean shirt.”
“Oh, let’s leave here as soon as we can,” Renita said.
“Silver, El Lobo, and me were goin’ to the cafe,” said Wes, “and I’m still hungry. Both of you are awake now. Come on and go with us.”
“I must go for my boots,” Tamara said, “and I will be ready.”
Renita wore not a stitch, and she blushed. Tamara laughed.
“I think it take her some longer,” said Tamara, as she closed the door behind her.
“I think so too,” Wes said. “Cover yourself with something, Lady Godiva. I’m half starved.”
“You’re making fun of me,” said Renita. “I was about to get up, when you came in, all bloody. You shocked me.”
“I’ve been bloodier than that,” Wes said. “I don’t understand how the Dragon’s forces learned we were here.”
“How do you know it was them?”
“I don’t know it for a fact,” said Wes, “but who else could it be? I have the name of a fast draw, and while there are some who would like to test me, they wouldn’t shoot at me from cover. This varmint just narrowly missed shootin’ El Lobo in the head. There’s no gun glory, killing from ambush.”
“If they’re Golden Dragon killers, they’ll follow us when we leave here, won’t they?”
“I don’t know,” Wes said, “but we dare not overlook the possibility.”
Tamara returned just as Renita was brushing her hair. Wes had already donned a clean shirt, and there was no evidence of his wound. When Renita was ready, the three of them met Silver and El Lobo in the lobby.
“The two of you don’t look all that used up,” Silver said, looking at the women. “Wes and El Lobo said you kept them awake all night.”
“We did,” said Renita, “and we’ll do it again tonight.”
“Don’t get too noisy with it,” Silver said. “We’ll all be on the ground, and I’m a light sleeper.”
With Empty following, they again started for the cafe. When they entered, several men nodded to them, having witnessed the shooting. They ordered their food, and when they had eaten, Silver slid back his chair and stood up.
