“That’s an awful lot to glean from looking at prints in the dirt for a day and a half,” Tom scoffed.
Jarrett waited for the sheriff to bring his deputy in line. Although Rubin did shoot the younger lawman a stern glare, it wasn’t enough to keep Tom’s mouth shut for more than a couple of seconds. Shifting that same glare toward Jarrett, Rubin said, “Tom’s got a point. That’s a big leap to make.”
“There’s an easy way to see if I’m right. Let me and one or two others ride on ahead to Muriel so we can see it for ourselves. It won’t be a long ride for men on horseback, but a herd of cattle couldn’t have expected to get there until tomorrow morning at the earliest.”
“And what happens if you and one of those ranch hands you brought along does come across them rustlers?” Rubin asked.
“We can handle ourselves,” Jarrett insisted. “If you’re concerned, then send one of your deputies along with me. All we need to do is ride ahead, scout that town, and come back.”
“Let’s say those rustlers aren’t there. If me and the rest of the men you leave behind cross paths with them, we’ll be shorthanded.”
“Only until we get back.”
“It’s a stupid idea,” Tom snapped. “Now go back to studying dirt.”
“I should send the two of you out on this errand,” Sheriff Rubin groaned. “At least I’d be fairly certain only one of you would come back to give me any more grief.”
“And I’d be real damn certain of who it would be to come back,” Tom said with all the grit and bravado one would expect from a man trying to prove his worth.
Jarrett wasn’t about to lock horns with him over something as meaningless as boastful words. In fact, as he kept silent, he hoped to make the younger man look even worse. His gamble paid off when the sheriff looked to his deputy and said, “Tom, go on ahead and see if Troy found anything.”
“What’s he supposed to find?”
“If I have to tell you that after all this time, then you might as well turn right around and get back to Flat Pass, ’cause you won’t do me a lick of good out here!”
Grunting under his breath, Tom jerked his reins to steer his horse toward the west, which was where Ackerman had gone. He even goaded his horse with added enthusiasm as if that alone would be enough to make anyone watching quake in their boots.
Rubin let out a deep sigh before asking, “What makes you so sure them rustlers would want to go to Muriel?”
“There’s a man who lives there who goes by the name of Roland Gein.”
“Goes by that name? You think he’s got another name?”
“Probably,” Jarrett said. “Most likely, he’s got a few other names. The one he uses around here is Gein, and anyone who knows him also knows he’s the man to go to if you need to sell stolen goods.”
“Even cattle?”
“Especially cattle.”
“You know a lot about where to sell and, I presume, buy stolen cattle.”
“Of course I do,” Jarrett said. “Just like someone who buys and sells paintings knows where the forgeries are to be found. A man needs to know his business, and them who work on the fringes of that business are real big parts of it.”
The sheriff nodded. “You think this is the best bet as far as where that herd may be going?”
“I do.”
“I’ve heard of a few places where rustlers go to sell off what they stole, but this ain’t exactly one of ’em. You sure about this fella?”
Jarrett smirked. “No offense, Sheriff, but any outlaw that stays in one place for long and prospers there is bound to be good at keeping out of a lawman’s sight. There are other men in Gein’s line of work, to be certain, but he’s the one that pays the best and is most trusted.”
When Sheriff Rubin turned toward him again, he said, “I don’t know whether to admire you or be suspicious.”
“Shouldn’t you be more suspicious of a man in my profession who didn’t know about men like Roland Gein?”
“I suppose so. That still doesn’t take away from the concerns I already mentioned. If you do find them rustlers, you’ll be outgunned. If those rustlers find us while you’re away, we’ll be outgunned. Neither one is much good.”
“You have my word that I won’t be gone for more than a day or so. Just like you should accept that I know how my business works, I’ll accept that you know what you’re doing. Whether them rustlers find you or you find them, I’m sure you can handle yourself. Besides, it wouldn’t be much different if you faced those men now or if you’d gotten a chance to face them when my ranch was put to the torch. Ain’t that right?”
The sheriff let the barbed comment roll off his back in much the same way he’d dealt with his deputy’s smart mouth. “I understand how anxious you are to ride after these men, Jarrett. If I was in your spot, I’d want the same thing. That’s why I not only let you come along on this posse, but let you bring your own boys as well.”
“Let me come along?” Jarrett said. The words grated on him just as badly when he said them as when they’d been spoken to him.
To his credit, Rubin didn’t back down. “That’s right,” he said. “I let you come along when I should have insisted you stay home and get your head straight. It hasn’t been that long since everything went to hell for you.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“The wound’s still fresh. And like any wounded man with a job to do, you want to keep on moving through the pain. That don’t mean it’s in your best interest to do so. A man with a lust for blood can do a lot more damage to himself or them that’s around him. You should think about that before you insist on riding off on your own.”
Forcing himself to simmer down a bit, Jarrett said, “I have been thinking about it, Sheriff. I’m not just charging off half-cocked.”
“Really? And did you think about what happens if you’re spotted either in Muriel or on your way to it?”
“I told you, we can all handle ourselves. If that wasn’t the case, then none of us should be out here.”
“I’m not talking about handling yourself,” Rubin said. “I’m talking about alerting those killers that we’re onto them. Surely they must already be looking for the law to hunt them down. Men like that live every day like that. But if someone like this Gein fella gets wind of a posse on the way or that it’s already so close to catching up with that herd, he’ll most likely pass word along to those rustlers. After all, how do you think a man in that line of work builds up so much trust with his customers? I guarantee it’s not just by setting good prices for stolen cows.”
Jarrett hadn’t thought about that. Even if he wasn’t about to say as much to the sheriff, it was obvious that Rubin could read it for himself just by looking at him.
“You see,” Rubin said, “knowing such things about how outlaws work is what I do, Mr. Pekoe. Just like you know things about raising and trading cattle.”
“You’re right, Sheriff. Sorry to underestimate you.”
“I’m not looking for apologies. I’m looking for you to stay true to your word by doing what you assured me you’d do when I first agreed to let you ride along on this posse. That’s follow the orders I give you while we’re out here.”
Jarrett didn’t have anything else to say. He also wasn’t about to tuck his tail between his legs to get back in Rubin’s good graces.
After a few seconds, Rubin said, “On the other hand, you do raise an interesting point where this man Gein is concerned. You’re certain he’s known well enough for these rustlers to know about him?”
“If I wasn’t certain, I wouldn’t want to waste time in riding all the way out to Muriel.”
“And what if you do find the men you’re after?”
“If I find them, I’ll bring you straight to them,” Jarrett said. “The benefit here is that we could get a chance to get ahead of those rustle
rs instead of trailing behind them.”
“I know the benefits. Tell me, Mr. Pekoe. What would you do if I refused to sign off on this venture you’re proposing?”
“Then I go back to what I was doing and try to think of some other way for us to get this job done even quicker.”
If that wasn’t the answer Rubin had been looking for, it was sure close enough, because he grudgingly agreed. Jarrett was certain the sheriff would insist on accompanying him personally, but that wasn’t the case. Instead Rubin rode ahead to meet his two deputies, who were just now returning to the rest of the group.
Jarrett met up with Jack and Stan, who were riding down the middle of the wide set of tracks left by cattle that had recently trampled that patch of land. It wasn’t much longer before Lem came in from searching for diverging tracks to join them as well.
“What was all that about?” Stan asked. “You in trouble or something?”
Jarrett quickly explained the proposition he’d given to the sheriff. When he was through, Stan said, “I’ve heard Gein’s name brought up once or twice, but that’s about it. Sounds like you’re certain about him being the man to ask, though.”
“He’s the man, all right,” Lem said.
Having never tried to hide his lack of trust in Lem, Stan turned to him and said, “If you knew about a man like Gein, then you should’ve said something! You think we’re all out here for our health?”
“There are plenty of men out there who’ll buy stolen cattle,” Jarrett said in a voice that he hoped wasn’t loud enough to carry. “If I brought up every last one of them, there’d be a dozen places to try and only a handful of us to go there. We’re heading toward Muriel because my gut tells me that’s the place where my herd is being sold.”
“Sounds like it’s just one of the most obvious choices,” Stan said. “If them rustlers are looking to lie low, I doubt they’d want to be obvious.”
“They killed everyone they could back at the Lazy J and tried to kill us,” Jarrett said. “For all they know, they succeeded.”
“No,” Lem said. “They’re not gonna think they succeeded. Not completely anyway.”
“What makes you so damn sure?” Stan asked.
“Because you killed one or two of them that same night, didn’t you? When those men don’t come back, someone’s going to miss them.”
Jarrett laughed as if he was trying to loosen something from the back of his throat. “Do you really think a bunch of murdering bastards like that will be too upset if a few of their number don’t come back?”
“Yeah,” Stan said. “They’ll probably just be glad there’s fewer ways to split the money they’re gonna get from that herd.”
Lem considered that for a moment and then shrugged. “You could be right about that. I’m just saying those rustlers will be on their guard. And if a few of them did ride on ahead to have a word with Gein to let him know they were coming, things could get even more interesting.” Seeing the confusion on the ranch hands’ faces, Lem added, “Could very well be that someone like Gein might want to protect his investment.”
“All right,” Jarrett said. “That’s something good to keep in mind. Makes me feel smart for choosing you to be the one to go along with me to Muriel.”
Chapter 20
It was one of the rare occasions when Twitch wasn’t the only overly anxious horse in a group. All three horses making the ride into Muriel were so happy to be allowed to run at full speed that it seemed they were racing each other into town. After being held back to a trot while their riders busied themselves with their search, the horses indulged to such a degree that the ride into Muriel was completed in less time than Jarrett had thought possible.
When they’d first left, Jarrett was hoping Sheriff Rubin might forget about sending one of his deputies along or at least think twice about it. Instead the next best thing happened and Ackerman was tasked with accompanying him and Lem. The youngest of the lawmen was an affable fellow who was too early into his career to care about much more than doing his job properly. He also seemed to be just a bit intimidated by Lem, which could work to Jarrett’s advantage. For the moment, however, the three of them were all on the same page, which brought them to their destination all the quicker.
Muriel was a cow town in every sense of the term. Just by looking at the wide streets, the holding pens scattered throughout, and the abundance of granaries and saloons, Jarrett could tell it was built by ranchers for ranchers. If one part of the town wasn’t made to cater to those buying or selling beef, it was tailor-made to draw the money from a cowboy’s pocket. Throughout a good portion of the jobs he’d had in his life, Jarrett had been on one side of that coin or the other.
“Is this the place?” Ackerman asked.
Jarrett looked around at the row of stores and stables on either side of the wide dirt lane between them. “What were you expecting?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Streets?”
“Streets are generally too narrow for many cows or wagons to be brought through.”
“If someone has a herd to sell, they bring it straight into town?”
“You’re not from around these parts, are you?” Lem chuckled.
“I’ve lived in Cheyenne and Kansas City,” Ackerman replied. “Bigger towns before that, but not a place like this.”
Jarrett looked around and tried to see the place through fresher eyes. There were no boardwalks to be found, and alleys between the buildings were wide enough to be streets themselves. While Jarrett hadn’t seen the biggest cities to be found, he’d seen ones large enough to make Muriel seem like a trading post in comparison. “Well, this is the place, all right,” he told the young deputy. “Just because the buildings are few and far between, don’t think you’ve seen all there is to see.”
“I’m no fool,” Ackerman said indignantly.
“Yeah, well, don’t say that too loud,” Lem said to him. “Could work to your favor for folks to underestimate you as much as possible. Just keep your head high and a mean expression on your face and you should be fine.”
“Also, keep the badge where it can be seen, right?” Ackerman said while peeling back the flap of his jacket.
Lem was quick to respond, “No. If this town is home to a man like this Gein fellow, representing the law may not be a good idea.”
“Agreed,” Jarrett said. “Let’s just keep from drawing too much attention so we can get a look around. Come to think of it,” he added while squinting at something down the street a ways, “I may have already found something.”
“What is it?” Ackerman asked.
“You two just find somewhere to tie the horses while I have a look.”
Lem and Ackerman watched him ride ahead. Although the deputy obviously wanted to follow him, he was discouraged by a few words from Lem. Jarrett couldn’t hear what was said, but it was enough to convince the deputy to stay put.
What had caught Jarrett’s attention wasn’t a sight but a sound. With Jarret’s having spent so much of his time around herds of cattle, his senses were honed so sharply to them that he could feel the thump of their hooves against the ground from a hundred yards away. His ears picked up on their bovine grunts, breaths, and cries the way a mother could pick up on the discontent of her baby from just a sleepy sigh escaping a little mouth. Such things allowed him to sit at a campfire while on a drive and still know if the herd was at rest or gearing up for a stampede.
The sounds he heard weren’t anything close to a panicked group of cattle, but he could at least tell that there were several animals nearby. Since he couldn’t see anything more than a few horses tied to hitching posts here and there, his gut told him the animals he’d heard were being hidden. Jarrett followed the sounds down the street to a wide, low building situated between a feed store and what looked to be a barn. As with all of the buildings in Muriel, there was enough space between them for tw
o wagons to roll side by side.
Jarrett tied Twitch next to another horse outside the feed store. From there, he hurried toward the wide building next door and circled around it. Sure enough, there was a sizable lot behind that building where at least two dozen cattle were nudging each other to get their noses into a trough that was just a bit too short to accommodate them all at once.
“Easy, now,” he said as he approached the fence surrounding the lot. Two of the cows had spotted him and reflexively shuffled away. Jarrett reached out to place both hands on the fence while leaning over the top of it. “Just want to get a look at ya,” he said in a quiet, soothing tone.
Like most cows, these were generally nervous but not anxious enough to do much about it. Jarrett didn’t want to get close enough to give them much more of a fright than he already had done, but it seemed he did need to get closer than the fence would allow. The building to which the lot was connected had the look of a stable, but it could very well have been a warehouse of some kind. There were no markings to be found and no lights in the windows. Emboldened by the latter, but wary of the former, Jarrett hoisted himself up and over the fence to land carefully on the other side.
“Easy, girls,” he whispered.
The closest cow glanced nervously at him with large brown eyes while taking small sidesteps in the opposite direction. As soon as he was within arm’s reach, Jarrett placed a hand on her flank and gave the animal several gentle pats. That, combined with the soft clucking sounds he made, calmed the big animal down enough to focus on feed spilled from the trough instead of him.
If there was a sun shining down on him, Jarrett wouldn’t have needed to climb the fence at all. He would have been able to see the brand on the cow’s back end from a distance, or tell if there was even a brand at all. He studied the cow’s flank for a few more seconds before finding the scars left by the iron of her owner.
“Damn,” he whispered when he saw the broken circle marking that was completely unfamiliar to him.
Vigilante Dawn Page 14
