Under a Turquoise Sky (16 page)

After Clint had told his story to the sheriff back in Kingman, the man said, “Okay, let me get this straight. Ed Martin and Isaac Brown were partners, and they wanted George Markstein killed so they could take over his half of the mine.”

“Right.”

“What made Martin think he'd get that half?” the lawman asked. “I'm not an expert on that kind of law, but wouldn't it go to the surviving partner? Joe English?”

“I suppose so,” Clint said. “I don't think he thought that far ahead.”

Cafferty shook his head and said, “It's enough of a surprise finding out that Martin and Brown were partners. How does Joe English feel about all this?”

“She and Markstein are getting along well,” Clint said. “He's going to be a very hands-on owner, so I don't think they'll miss Ed Martin very much.”

“Guess you musta felt pretty bad about shooting Isaac until you found out the whole story.”

“I relied on my instinct, which told me I was in danger. I didn't feel bad at all.”

“Oh, well…I suppose Buck Chance will back your story?”

“He will,” Clint said. “With his dying breath Breckens told Buck that Ed Martin had hired him.”

“Well, I don't think you need to hang around town much longer, then,” Kingman said. “I'll get a hold of Buck and I'm sure he'll back you.”

“Much obliged, Sheriff,” Clint said. “I would like to get moving. Been around here much too long as it is.”

Cafferty walked Clint out, thinking that the Gunsmith had been around long enough to kill five men—counting Mike Dolan. That was long enough for him, too.

Clint's horse was outside, and he grabbed the reins from the hitching post.

“I heard a story from the mine,” Cafferty said.

“What kind of story?”

“Somebody came to town with a story about one percent of the mine?” he asked. “Apparently that was all that separated the two partners?”

“That's right.”

“So what'd they do?”

“Markstein was going to sell one percent to Joe so they'd be even partners, but instead he gave two percent of the mine away to somebody else.”

“Really?” Cafferty asked. “Who'd he give it to?”

Clint smiled at Cafferty and said, “I'm afraid that's between him and whoever he gave it to, Sheriff.”