High Wild Desert (16 page)

“Stay still and shut up, Reye,” said Oldham, pressing him back down onto his blanket. Both Reye and his blanket were soaking wet. Oldham felt the burning fever through the gunman's wet shirt. “We'll get you taken care of as soon as we see who's coming from the main trail.” As he spoke, he slipped Reye's gun from its holster and stood up. “I'll hold this until you're feeling better.”

“You're taking my gun?” Reye said, almost sobbing. He began to tremble all over.

“You'll get it back, Reye,” said Oldham. “Take it easy.”

From atop a sandstone rock, Sieg watched the three riders gallop into sight.

“Simon's right,” he called down to the others, “three of them. One is that crazy-looking deputy.” He paused for a second. “Damn, one of them's Harvey Lang.”

“Cisco Lang?” said Oldham. “What the hell . . . ?” On his way to the rock, he passed his horse and jerked his rifle from his saddle boot. He pulled a telescope from his saddlebags.

“Stay up there, brother,” said Dave, watching Oldham start to climb up to join Sieg on the rock. But Oldham didn't seem to hear him.

Up beside Sieg, he stretched out the telescope and held it to his eye as the three riders drew closer.

“The deputy, Cisco Lang . . .” He paused for a moment staring at the third rider in the circle of the lens, the silver-gray sombrero, the big bear-paw Appaloosa. “I'm
betting
that's the man Dave's been talking about all day.” As he spoke he watched the badge come into sight behind the lapel of the Ranger's riding duster. “Yep, I won
that
bet,” he said to himself. “Stay up here, Karl. But when the Ranger and I throw down, keep out of it.”

“Come on, boss,” said Sieg. “You know I can't do that.”

“Yes, you can, Karl,” said Oldham. “There's wagering involved between this man and me. Don't you cross me on this.”

“All right, boss, you've got it,” Sieg said, catching the threat in Oldham's voice.

“What's the deal up there?” Dave called up to Oldham. He stood staring up at the two.

Oldham grinned and said, “They're not passing by, brother Dave.” He handed Sieg the telescope and climbed down to the ground.

“Well?” Dave said expectantly as Oldham dusted his knees and the front of his shirt, his rifle cradled in his arm.

“One's the deputy from town. The other is Harvey Lang,” he said.

“Cisco Lang, riding with the law?” said Dave.

Oldham looked closely at his brother.

“The Ranger is riding with them,” he said.

“The Ranger . . . ,” Dave said. He didn't appear surprised. “All right, stay up there with Sieg. We'll take care of this.”

“Whoa, hang on, brother,” said Oldham. “How do we know it's not a social call? We're not wanted for anything around here. He might be coming for coffee.”

“Quit it, Oldham,” said Dave. “We can cut this thing off right here. You cut out. We'll come meet you down the trail.”

Oldham called out to the others, “Anybody wanted for anything in Arizona Territory?”

“You asked us that before we went into New Delmar the other day, boss,” Sieg said from atop the rock.

“Now I'm asking you again,” said Oldham. “Because I want to make sure we've got no trouble coming at us until I'm ready to make my move on Burrack.”

Sieg shook his head and said, “I'm clean.”

“What about you, Deak?”

“I'm clean in Arizona,” Deak said. He gave a faint smile. “Unless the doctor reported me for shooting Reye all to hell.”

“Simon?” said Oldham.

“I'm good everywhere I go,” the blind man said, still facing the trail.

“I knew you would be,” Oldham said. He smiled. “Now everybody get spread out. Let's see what the Ranger has on his mind.” He looked at Dave and said, “If him and I throw down, I want everybody to stay out of it. You got that, brother Dave?”

“I've got it,” Dave said grudgingly. “I don't like it, but I got it.”

Chapter 16

The Ranger saw the figures standing off the trail, four men spread out in a half circle facing him as he and the others rounded a stand of rock and came upon them all at once. As Sam reined his stallion down, Lang sidled in close. Dankett reined his horse down too, but he pulled away from the Ranger, taking a position for himself with his long shotgun.

“There's the Coyle brothers,” Lang said to Sam under his breath, gazing away from the two as he spoke. “That's Oldham on the left.”

“That's what I would have guessed,” Sam said, also under his breath. He stared straight at the two brothers from twenty yards away. He looked to the Coyle brothers' right and saw a man seemingly staring at him through blacked-out spectacles. Yet he also saw the tapping stick leaning against Simon's leg and made the connection. Looking to the Coyles' left, he saw the dwarf, his small fingers tapping on the handle of the big belly gun strapped across his middle.

“Oldham Coyle,” he called out from his saddle, his Winchester propped up in his right hand. He sat silent, his eyes locked on to Oldham's until the gunman felt he had to take a step forward and speak.

“Well, well, Ranger Samuel Burrack.” He stepped forward. His right hand fell deftly beside his clean and holstered Colt. “I was wondering when we'd meet up. I suppose you heard all about the reward? About the odds being set in my favor?”

“I heard about it,” Sam said flatly. “But I'm not here to kill you right now, unless it comes to that.”

Oldham stopped moving forward. He smiled at the Ranger's bluntness, liking his brassy, confident tone.

“That's gracious of you, Ranger,” Oldham said. “What are you doing here? None of us are wanted in your territory.”

“I could probably come up with some paper on a couple of you if I scratched hard enough,” Sam said, letting his eyes shift across from one man to the next. “But I come to talk to you about a woman.”

“Sorry, Ranger Burrack,” said Oldham, relaxed, enjoying the confrontation. “But I've got none to spare. When it comes to women, we all have to do the best we—”

“Anna Rose,” Sam said flatly, cutting through his nonsense.

“Anna Rose?” said Oldham. The name appeared to have a sobering effect on him. “What about her?” His smile fell away; his shoulders stiffened. The Ranger took note of the change.

“So you do know her?” he said.

“Know her? Yeah, I know her, Ranger,” said Oldham with a darkness coming to his face. “You might say we got
well acquainted
in New Delmar.”

Reading something more in the Ranger's question than Oldham appeared to, Dave cut in.

“She robbed him, Ranger. What about her?” he asked.

“Robbed you, huh?” Sam said to Oldham, without answering his suspicious brother.

“Picked me to the bone,” said Oldham, his hand still hanging ready near his gun butt. “I never had won so much money or lost it so quick in my life.” He paused, then added, “Why are you asking me about her, Ranger?”

“I understand she was being friendly with a
Joe North
, a name I know you've shown a fondness for.”

Oldham glared at Lang, who sat with his hands cuffed to his saddle horn.

“Cisco didn't have to tell me anything,” Sam said. “I work these badlands something fierce.”

“All right, so what? She and I played around some before she disappeared with all my chips,” said Oldham.

“Somebody beat her up real bad. Left her for dead in the public ditch,” Sam said. “I don't suppose you know anything about that, though?”

“The public ditch? Jesus. . . .” A look of repulsion spread across Oldham's face. “You supposed right, I don't know nothing about it,” he said. “How bad off is she? Is she going to be all right?”

“I don't know yet,” Sam said, not giving up any more than he had to. “When is the last you saw her?”

“Hold it right there, Ranger,” Dave cut in. “If you're accusing my brother of hurting that dove, come out and say it.”

“Make no mistake, if I was accusing any of you, I already would have come out and said it,” Sam replied, making his answer to Oldham instead of Dave Coyle. “I'm searching for whoever done it. Far as I'm concerned, everybody is guilty until proven innocent.”

“Are you sure you don't have that backward, Ranger?” Dave asked, not liking the way the Ranger ignored him.

“No, I don't think so,” Sam said. He looked from one face to the next, even up toward the rock where Sieg stood out of sight ready to pull an ambush.

“You're peering down the wrong well, Ranger,” Oldham said. “If one of these men did something like that to Anna Rose, I'd kill him myself, straight up.”

From the side, Deak Holder stepped forward, his fingers on the butt of the big revolver.

“And I don't like being accused of something—” Deak stopped short at the sound of Dankett's long shotgun cocking and swinging toward him.

“Keep your short ass in line, Mr.
Bite-size
,” Dankett warned sharply. “I'll turn you into a spot of grease.” Seeing Deak freeze, he added, “And don't think you're going to yank some iron out of your sleeve or any place else. We heard about you shooting one of your own pards with a hideaway.”

Deak looked surprised, but settled himself into place. Seeing things start to take an ugly turn, Sam looked at Oldham.

“Is this the direction you want things to go?” he asked. “I was halfway thinking you sounded concerned over this dove.”

“Settle down, Deak,” said Oldham. To Sam he said, “I am concerned about her. I'm also wondering about my money. Maybe she didn't steal it after all, or maybe she was working with a partner. Maybe they double-crossed her.”

Sam saw Oldham working things over in his mind.

“I want to see Anna Rose as soon as she's able. Any problem with me riding into town?” he asked Sam.

“So long as you start no trouble,” Sam said, “I've got no reason to tell you to stay out.”

“What about that reward, Ranger?” Oldham asked. “I'm still out to collect it.”

“That'll be your mistake,” Sam said. “I'll kill any man who sticks a gun at me or breaks the law. But I won't fight because somebody is wagering money on it. The law is not a sporting event.” He looked around at Dankett, who stepped his horse back and lowered his shotgun an inch. “You're welcome in New Delmar, unless you go wrong,” he concluded to Oldham.

Oldham glanced around at the others.

“Hear that, men? The Ranger has invited us all to town,” said Oldham. “So I'm telling everybody here and now,
be on your best behavior.
”

The Ranger backed his Appaloosa and turned it, Lang right beside him.

“You didn't ask him much, Ranger,” Lang said in a whisper.

“I didn't need to,” Sam replied, looking around as Dankett turned his horse and fell in alongside him. “I was stirring the brew. I told him enough to get him interested. He'll come to town either to see about getting his money back from the dove or to find out who took the money from her. Either way, we'll benefit from him being there.”

“All right,” said Lang, “I guess I can see that.”

“Ranger, how did I do backing you up?” Dankett asked.

“A little harsh, Deputy,” Sam said, “but good.”

“I'll work on it . . . ,” Dankett said thoughtfully. He stared over his shoulder at Deak Holder as he turned to ride away.

“Let it go, Deak,” Oldham cautioned the small gunman who stood staring coldly at the three riders.

Deak released a tight breath and shook himself out. Simon Goss stood with his face toward the Ranger, Lang and Dankett as they rode away along the trail.

“Tell me we're not going to ride into New Delmar, brother,” said Dave Coyle.

“I can't tell you that, brother Dave,” said Oldham, “because we are riding in. We're riding in tonight, as soon as we get our horses and break camp.”

“Damn it, no!” said Dave. “This is crazy. Do you believe this lawman won't set you up and kill you, before you get a chance to kill him? You're favored to win, Oldham. He'd be a fool not to kill you from behind if the opportunity comes up.”

“It doesn't matter, brother Dave,” Oldham said. “We've got to ride in tonight anyway. We've got no choice.”

“What are you talking about, we've got no choice?” Dave demanded. “We've got a choice. All we have to do is ride away, forget the dove, the money, the whole damn deal.”

“Reye's burning up with fever and turning black on us,” said Oldham. “If we don't get him to town, he'll likely be dead by morning.” Seeing the look on Dave's face, Oldham shrugged and said, “Like I said, brother Dave, some things are meant to play themselves out. We've no choice but to roll with them.”

“Damn it,” Dave said, looking toward the lean-to, his fists clenched in anger at his sides.

“Go see for yourself,” Oldham said confidently. “While you do, we'll be getting your horse ready.”

•   •   •

On their ride back into New Delmar, Lang stopped his horse suddenly. So suddenly, in fact, that Deputy Dankett swung the big shotgun around toward him, ready to fire. But Sam slowed and circled his stallion, coming to a halt facing Lang, who sat with his cuffed hands held chest high. He was ducking slightly, as if that alone would stave off a shotgun blast.

“That was a stupid move, Lang,” the Ranger said. He raised a hand toward Dankett and had him lower the shotgun.

“I'm sorry, Ranger. I wasn't thinking,” said Lang. “It just came to me all of a sudden. There were two of Hugh Fenderson's men in the Number Five when we took the dove in there.”

“What?” Sam stared at him. “You're just now mentioning it?”

“It just came to me,” said Lang. “It's been eating at me all along. I recognized them but I couldn't figure from where. Now I know. One of them is Henry Teague. The other is a young gunman named Sonny Rudabough. Some say he's kin to Dirty Dave Rudabough.”

Listening, Dankett stepped his horse in closer.

“Are you talking about the two men sitting at the table by the wall?” he asked.

“Yep, that's the two,” said Lang. “Teague is said to be Fenderson's right-hand man.”

Sam looked back and forth between them.

“I've noticed them myself, Ranger Burrack,” said Dankett. “It struck me that they've been hogging that table like they own it the past few days and nights. I would have mentioned it, except they haven't done nothing out of the ordinary—haven't caused any trouble.”

“That's all right, Deputy,” Sam said. “You had no reason to mention it.” He looked at Lang. “What are you saying, that they have a hand in what happened to the dove?”

“I'm saying . . .” His words trailed off and he looked confused. “I'm not sure what I'm saying. There's just something about them being there that strikes me as more than a coincidence.”

Sam considered it.

“Obliged you told me,” he said. “I see no connection, but the fact that they work for a man who has a bounty on my head makes me want to talk to them.”

Dankett put in, “I can walk into the Number Five and butt-smack them up from their table,” jiggling his big shotgun in his hand. “Soften them up for a more constructive conversation?”

“You can go with me for backup, Deputy,” Sam said. “But no butt-smacking, unless you have to.”

“Butt-smack . . .” Lang gave the deputy a look of fear and disbelief until Sam took Lang's horse by its bridle, turning it and his own stallion back to the trail.

As they rode, Lang said to the Ranger, “I'm going to be getting some harsh treatment from other prisoners once word gets out I'm riding with you.”

“You're not riding with me by your choice, Cisco,” Sam said. “Once the jail's finished, you'll be in it.”

“I understand that, Ranger,” said Lang. “But you saw the look on the Coyle brothers' faces. They've got it in their minds that I'm cooperating, telling you everything I know about them.”

Sam looked him up and down.

“Aren't you?” he said. “I hope you're not holding anything back from me.”

Lang let out a breath.

“All right, I suppose I am cooperating,” he said. “But it's not like I'm telling you places they've robbed—”

“That's because you don't know what places they've robbed, unless you were riding with them, Cisco,” Sam said, stopping him.

“That's true,” Lang said, considering it. “Looking at it that way, I haven't told you anything except about somebody putting a reward on your head.”

Sam gave him a sidelong gaze.

“The truth is, Cisco, you haven't rode on any robberies except that mercantile store.”

“Oh, I've rode on some,” Lang said in defense of his bad reputation. “Plenty, in fact—”