My Foot's in the Stirrup . . . My Pony Won't Stand (Code of the West) (18 page)

A voice echoed across the yard to the trees. “Wait. Don’t shoot anymore.”

It was a woman’s voice.

8

S
elena?"

“Tap?” Her voice sounded strong, yet on the verge of cracking.

“Who’s in there with you?”

“No one alive. Who’s with you?” she called out, still not showing herself.

“A friend of mine, Lorenzo Odessa. Come on out.”

“Why were you sneaking up on the store?”

“Why were you shootin’ at us?”

“I thought you were them.”

“Who?”

“Banner and Cabe and the others. I thought they had come back to kill me.”

“Why would they do that? Aren’t you and Banner married?”

Selena stepped over the fallen door to the open doorway, her shoulders slumped, a trapper model ’73 Winchester with a fifteen-inch barrel dangling from her left hand. Even from the trees across the yard, Tap could see that the sleeve of her dark dress was torn, her face smeared with dirt, her left eye black and blue.

“Would a husband do something like this?” She struggled to hold back the tears. “You knew we weren’t really married.”

“He beat her up, Tap. I can’t believe any man would do that,” Odessa raged.

Favoring his left leg, Tap hobbled across the yard, still carrying his rifle. “It’s all right, darlin’. Come on, we’ll get you out of here.”

Selena dropped her short-barreled carbine on the front porch and met Tap at the bottom of the steps. Her face, neck, and arms showed signs of deep bruises. She collapsed in his arms, clutc
hing him tight.

“It’s okay, darlin’, it’s okay.”

“I’ll kill him. Whoever did this, I’ll kill him,” Odessa exploded.

“Selena, this is Lorenzo Odessa, an old friend from my Ar
izona days. Was it Banner who did the punchin’ on you?”

“Mainly.”

“There were others?” Odessa questioned.

“You made ’em all mad, Tap. They took it out on me.”

“I made ’em mad? What are you talkin’ about?” He stroked her long, thick black hair.

“Why do men like to hit me? They always beat on me.” Selena’s dark eyes pleaded even more than her voice. “How come they never beat on Pepper? All the time we worked at April’s, men would never slug her or nothin’. They always hit me.”

“Why didn’t you use your gun?” Tap asked.

“He took it away before I even knew he was mad. They held me down. I couldn’t draw my knife.” Selena sucked up the tears and tried to gain control.

Odessa stomped back and forth on the porch. “I’m goin’ to kill the whole works. It ain’t right, Tap. I’m goin’ to kill ’em all.”

“Lorenzo, pick out the gentlest pony left in the corral and see if you can find a saddle. We’re takin’ Selena with us.”

“She can ride with me,” Odessa offered.

“Sure, you plan to put her on that blue roan and let her get bucked into the rocks?”

“You’re right. I’ll go get her a pony.” He started toward the corrals and then turned back. “Miss Selena, I really am going to kill the hombre who did this.”

Odessa stomped across the porch, spurs jingling. Tap sat Selena down on the step and then plopped down beside her.

“Who’s inside dead?”

“I don’t even know his name. The old man who runs the ferry was drinking at the bar and tried to stop them from bea
ting on me. He got shot.”

Tap let his black hat slide to his back, held on by the sta
mpede string. “Who did it?”

“That man Cabe. He shot the old man in the back.”

Tap brushed his mustache and felt a week’s stubble in his beard. “And I’m the cause of all this?”

“The other day when we saw you at Running Water, Ba
nner was furious that I talked to you and invited you to eat with us. He punched me around pretty good that night. The next day he spent drinking, and I stayed in the room upstairs. I didn’t want to go out lookin’ all beat up. He came back that night crying and drunk, promising to never hit me again.”

“And you believed him?”

“If I’d had stage fare, I would have rode off as soon as I could. But I was stuck and figured I would last it out until we got back to Cheyenne or Denver. But the following day, this guy Cabe comes rambling in, spouting to everyone in the room that you shot his partner in the back and were trying to kill him. Then he and Banner got real private and worked out some kind of partnership on a big Texas herd.”

“Cabe said that I killed Tracker?”

“I told Banner that Tap Andrews never shot a man in the back in his life. I called Cabe a liar and told Banner that he should have nothing to do with him.”

“I don’t suppose that sat well with Wes Cabe.”

“No, and it made Banner mad, too. He slapped me down. I should have shot him right then. I knew I should have shot him. But Banner and Cabe had some plan cooking. Within an hour or so I found myself in the saddle riding off with the two of them for this place. I don’t even know where I’m at. Banner left a couple men back at Running Water to keep an eye out for you, just in case you really tried to follow Cabe.”

“Yeah, I had a run-in with them.”

“You should have shot them.”

“Why?”

“Everyone was pretty much liquored up when we got here. Banner figured we’d spend the night, then take the whole crew up to Lone Tree Canyon. We'd pick up the others, then ride out to Nebraska and take over that Texas herd.”

“What do they plan on doin’ with them?”

“Drive them to Custer City and sell them off quick, I think.”

“What happened here last night?”

“The two from Running Water come riding in late to say that you’re on the prowl. That makes them all pretty nervous. I guess they were hopin' you were goin’ to go back to Pine Bluffs. Then in the middle of the night, another rider shows up from Running Water and says he tracked you in this direction, and you were asking around about me.”

“Askin’ about you?”

“Banner gets whiskey-drunk and really begins to whale on me. Some of the others give him a hand. That’s when the ferryman gets killed. After a while I’m not movin’, so they ease up and leave me alone. Banner and Cabe decide they should saddle up right then and ride to the canyon with the others. There’s no way you could fight them there.”

“He’s probably right. Why didn’t they take you?”

“Banner had this plan. He said if they left me here all beat up, you would call off the chase and take me to Cheyenne City or Pine Bluffs.”

“He’s right, you know.”

Selena wiped her bruised eyes on her sleeve. “I know.”

“So, if you knew I was coming, why take shots at me?”

“I didn’t see you. I just saw your friend . . .”

“Lorenzo.”

“Yeah, Lorenzo. Some of them threatened to circle back and finish me off. I was afraid maybe it was them. I was scared, Tap. It was like that time you and Stack saved me from that bunch out at April’s.”

Tap glanced up. Odessa led a short black gelding around to the front of the store. “You want to wash up before we ride?”

“Where are we going?”

“I’m takin’ you back to our house in Pine Bluffs. You can stay with me and Pepper. And Angelita.”

“Who?”

“A little girl who’s stayin’ with us awhile.”

“Pepper might not want me around.”

“You two might fight like sisters, but you’re family. All you girls are family, and you know it.”

“Yeah.” She sighed and stood to her feet. “Somehow I knew you’d say that.” She hiked back into the store. “What about this ferryboat man?”

“We’ll bury him while you clean up.”

“Tap, I don’t even know his name. An honorable man died trying to help me, and I don’t even know his name.”

“The Lord does. I got a pretty good idea he’ll get a fair shake.”

“You and Pepper still hangin’ on to all that religion?”

“Yep. You ought to look into it yourself, Selena. I think you could find some comfort and forgiveness.”

“I don’t need you preaching at me, and I surely don’t need . . .” Her harsh tone cracked. She gazed at him with pained eyes. “Yeah, I do need that. Maybe I’d better talk to Pepper about it.”

“It’s not a game, Selena. God’s really there. He really c
ares. I’m sure Pepper will be happy to talk to you.”

Actually, Lord, I’m not all that sure Pepper will be happy to have another house guest, especially Selena. Maybe You could prepare her. It surely would be apprec
iated.

Tap and Lorenzo carried the dead man’s body out of the store. Finding a shovel in the back of the building, they bu
ried him among the cottonwood trees.

Then they mounted and bucked their horses out before Selena r
eturned to the yard.

“They beat up Miss Selena because they knew that would throw you off their trail?” Odessa fumed.

“That’s about it,” Tap turned to Selena. “You ready to ride?”

“I’m ready to ride, shoot, stab, whatever.” Her long, straight black hair had been combed and hung down her back, almost to her na
rrow waist.

“Which direction?” Odessa asked.

“We’ll head west back along the North Platte and then drop south of the Laramie River, picking up the Cheyenne-Deadwood road just below the Fort.”

“That’s kind of roundabout, ain’t it?”

“I have no intention of riding into Lone Tree Canyon with Selena alongside. If we swing out to the east, we could run across the whole gang or that Texas herd—or both. It’s safer this way.”

“But that’s exactly what they were hopin’ we’d do,” Lorenzo a
rgued.

“This time they’re right. We’ll spend the night at a roa
dhouse in Chug Water, then cross Little Bear Creek and swing back to Pine Bluffs, avoiding Cheyenne. It’ll be quicker.”

“I’m goin’ after them right now,” Odessa announced. “You take Miss Selena to your house. I’ll track down Banner and Cabe.”

“That’s foolish. One man can’t take on the whole gang. Besides, you don’t know where Lone Tree Canyon is, and you’ve never seen Cabe or Banner.”

“It don’t matter. I’ll find them.”

“It does matter. You’ll get yourself killed.”

Odessa trotted the blue roan on up ahead of them, then slowed down. “I could just trail them until you join back up with me.”

“Mr. Odessa, Tap’s right,” Selena broke in. “I appreciate your great concern for me. Truly I do. But one man I don’t know has already died trying to help me. I’d prefer that no others do. Besides, I feel safer with two escorts. Especially when they are both strong, handsome, and obviously quite handy with a gun.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Odessa tipped his hat toward Selena. “There you have it. We’ll both take her to Pine Bluffs.”

Pepper didn’t care if it rained. She wearied of the dry thunder and lightning. Ever since she and Angelita had returned from Colorado, they sat on the porch every evening and watched empty clouds roar and crack their way across the prairie.

But she was tired most of waiting for Tap.

It’s two weeks tomorrow, and I want him home. I don’t know why I ever agreed to this. I told him when we moved to Pine Bluffs that I didn’t want him having a job where he would be gone a lot. I wanted him home at night. I want to talk to him. Like right now.

Yet I know it was the money. We both wanted that extra hu
ndred dollars.

“It won’t rain, you know.” Angelita’s soft soprano voice a
lways sounded melodic. “It reminds me of Billy Sanchez. He threatened to punch me in the nose, but he never did. At first I was scared. Then I laughed and made fun of him. I think maybe Mr. Andrews will come home tonight. Do you think so? It would be a good time for him to come. I can’t wait to tell him that my father is getting better and . . . that he’s going to marry that woman.” She stared at the needlework in her lap. “I'm messin' up again. I don’t think I will ever learn. Maybe God just doesn’t want me to do domestic work.”

“What does the Lord have to do with your ability to sew?” Pepper pulled the flour sack towel off the arm of her wooden rocking chair and wiped perspiration off her forehead.

“He made me just like I am, right?”

“Yes.”

“And you told me God never makes any mistakes.”

“That’s right.”

“Maybe He makes some ladies to do housework and cooking and sewing and all that. And other ladies with different skills and abilities.”

“And I suppose you’re one of those ‘other’ ladies?” Pe
pper laughed.

“That’s obvious, isn’t it? Look at this mess. A kitten with a ball of yarn could do better than this.”

“Let me help you get it straightened out.”

“Why? The same thing will happen tomorrow.”

“Who knows,” Pepper teased, “perhaps tomorrow the Lord with give you the patience to slow down and knit well.”