by Bill Sheehy
‘Mr Tony Rodriquez, Miss Elizabeth Havilah. She has only just started with us and is a welcome addition, especially as it gives Miz Baynes time to take care of other business.’ Looking directly at her, Tony smiled and held out his hand. She returned his smile and thought he held her hand a little longer than necessary.
‘Mr Rodriquez,’ she said, hoping she wasn’t mumbling. ‘I’ll be over at the counter when you’re ready.’
‘Tony, Miss Havilah,’ the rancher said. ‘Mister is saved for more important men. I’m just plain Tony.’
‘Now,’ said Ivor, cutting in, ‘if you’d read these documents and if they are correct, simply sign here and,’ he pointed to the bottom of the second page, ‘here.’
After taking care of all the paperwork, and making sure the description of the section being held for security was clear, Tony, after giving the woman another smile, stepped out into the morning sunshine.
‘It’s coming on lunch time,’ he muttered to himself, ‘I wonder if that young lady will be taking her lunch over at the hotel.’ Thinking he’d take the gamble, he walked that way. Likely both would have enjoyed their meal more if he’d guessed right, but as it turned out Tony had other things to think about over lunch.
Chapter 37
Greeting the three men sitting on the hotel porch, Tony was turning into the restaurant then stopped to watch the stage come across the bridge. The driver wasn’t as flamboyant at Dollarhide and didn’t race into town.
Coming to a stop in front of the hotel he swung down and opened the coach door.
‘Here we are, folks. Baynes Springs. We’ll be here only long enough to change the team, so don’t get too far away.’
Tony, along with the three old men, watched to see who’d be climbing down. The rancher frowned when the second man, a broad-shouldered man in a dark wool suit stepped down, then stopped to adjust his derby.
‘Sure seem to be getting a lot of people coming into town,’ said Clyde quietly. ‘Some even come back a second time. Still makes me wonder what he’s up to.’
Amos nodded and watched Drazen go up and into the hotel. ‘I wonder if that deputy marshal knows the lawyer fella has come back,’ said the old man. ‘Wonder if he cares, even.’
Tony, standing there watching, frowned. Where had he seen that man before? Not someone from around here, that’s for sure. About the only time he would have had an opportunity to meet someone new would have been when he’d gone back east to college. The big man was familiar, but Tony couldn’t recall when or where he’d seen him.
Shaking his head, he turned and went in to lunch.
Elizabeth, taking her lunch at the boarding house, didn’t know Drazen had returned until the next day when he came in to talk with Miss Baynes. All thought of the good-looking rancher who’d come in the day before faded at the sight of the lawyer. This man was why she was in Baynes Springs after all. Maybe she’d better come up with a plan, before he went riding out of town again. What could she do? Wait for him to meet with the outlaw, Morgan Runkle? The rest of the day she tried to figure out a way to get what she wanted.
Chapter 38
Elizabeth and Tony Rodriquez weren’t the only ones interested in the big man’s return. Nathan Stewart had spent the morning trying to think of a way to get some time alone with the woman at the bank. Elizabeth Havilah was her name. He’d learned that from the group out on the hotel porch. A widow, someone had mentioned.
Stewart was about to walk on down and see about lunch at the boarding house, nodding at the old men sitting on the hotel porch as he walked by. He was just past when he heard one of them say something about the big city lawyer. Trying to be casual, he turned back to listen.
‘Yeah, he came in on yesterday’s stage,’ said Clyde, noticing the interest of the lawman but not looking his way. ‘All dressed like some important dude. Still had that hidden pistol under his left arm too. Then just a bit ago he went over to the bank. I’m waiting to see if he takes Miz Baynes to lunch today.’
‘Ha,’ Amos said disgustedly, ‘that ain’t likely. Not if’n Martin happens to be in town. I don’t reckon even someone what looks so dangerous as that city fella is gonna want to cross up young Baynes. Not when he gets all fired up. I know I wouldn’t.’
The deputy pondered the news. He’d missing seeing Drazen coming back into town. Once again he’d been caught napping. The question now was should he telegraph the news to Marshal Adkins or wait to see what else he could learn? Maybe the marshal had some news about Drazen’s sudden trip to Dodge City. Hell’s fire, it was even possible he’d been doing something for the court and there wouldn’t be any need to keep watching the man any longer. Unlikely but, well, weren’t much happening, as far as he could see, anyway.
He decided to wait. In the meantime he’d go down and have lunch. Maybe even get to talk a bit with the widow. Ya never knew.
Chapter 39
On the trip back to Baynes Springs, Drazen had thought about things and had finally decided on a plan. The first thing, though, was to find a place to put the federal bank’s money. He’d been carrying it in his old leather haversack but didn’t want to run the chance of someone seeing it. Finding a place to hide the bulging bank sack wasn’t that simple. Hiding it in his room at the hotel would be foolishness. You never knew who’d be going through his belongings when he was out. And he had some plans to go riding again. He thought it wouldn’t hurt to spend a few days out, looking over the Circle B. Kinda get used to it, he thought, smiling.
But first the money.
‘Ha,’ he laughed silently. ‘Of course. Where else would it be safe but in the bank.’ The thought of Martin and Marcy hiding the stolen money and not knowing it made his smile grow even bigger. How ironic.
Carrying his haversack over to the bank, nodding to both clerks, he walked back to Marcy’s desk.
‘Ah, good morning, Miss Baynes. I do hope nothing too drastic happened while I was out of town.’
‘Mr Drazen, it is good you’re back. Did you learn anything about that train robbery while you were gone?’
Drazen frowned and shook his head. ‘No, I’m afraid not. My sudden trip to Dodge City was about some other business that had to be handled. Lawyer business, you understand. And that brings me to this,’ he held up the leather bag. ‘There are important papers in here, well, important to me at least, and I’d rather not have them lying around my hotel room. Is it possible I could rent space in your big safe? It won’t be for long. But I’d feel a lot better knowing they were secure.’
‘Of course. The safe is the one place in town where nobody can get into. My father, when he started this bank, had that iron monster brought out special. At the time everybody laughed, thinking it was too grandiose for our little bank. However, now the safe is our pride and joy.’ He watched as she opened the door and placed the leather haversack carefully on a lower shelf, pushing it toward the back.
‘I’ll give you a receipt so if you need it and I’m not here, Ivor will know where it is.’
Scribbling the notice out on a small slip of paper, she smiled and handed it over.
‘You haven’t heard anything from the Pinkertons either?’
‘I did check in with the marshal’s office while in Dodge City, but there hadn’t been any new sighting of any of the members of the outlaw gang. It seems one man who was believed to have taken part in the holdup had been arrested and brought to jail but the judge had released him. Apparently there was insufficient evidence. That is one of the benefits and failings of our legal system, you know. I was assured the man was being closely watched, however.’
Marcy’s shouldered slumped and her smile faded. ‘We, my brother and I, were counting on that federal money. I’m sure the replacement will be shipped but until then, well, banking is getting difficult.’ Lifting her head she forced her smile to return. ‘Are you continuing your part of the investigation?’
Drazen nodded, and picking up his derby, returned her smile. ‘Oh, yes. I do have a few
more things to do about it. Plus I wanted to come back to see you.’
The woman’s smile warmed and she felt her face flush. ‘How nice of you. Thank you. Of course I was hoping you’d be returning with good news, but I guess I’ll just have to have patience.’
‘Yes, I’m afraid so. Well, thank you for finding room for my papers. Now I think I’ll take a little ride out, look over the countryside. I’m always interested in new places.’
Watching the man go out the door, Marcy scowled. There might be a problem with Martin when he heard Drazen had stopped by but didn’t have any news about the federal bank’s money. Well, he’d just have to understand; right now this man was important to both the ranch and the bank. The insurance company he represented was her best link to the federal bank’s money they both sorely needed. Martin would just have to understand that.
Anyway, she liked being in Mr Drazen’s company. He made her feel special. Feeling her face flush again, she turned to look out the big front window, enjoying the thought of how this man made her feel. For the first time she was beginning to see beyond Baynes Springs and the bank. Martin wouldn’t like that either.
Chapter 40
All through lunch at the boarding house, Deputy Stewart had watched for his chance. Listening to the talk around the big table he was enjoying the thick sliced bread, baked only that morning, and beef stew and apple pie for dessert. The stew was nice and thick, just the way he liked it. For all of that, he kept his eye on the widow woman. He wasn’t alone. Most of the other three or four men at the table were very aware of her. Only the one man, Avery Williams, studiously ignored the young woman.
Coming to the table, Stewart had hurried, hoping to grab the chair on one side or the other of the young widow only to be out maneuvered by a short, pot-bellied man and a rough-looking cowpuncher. The short man, to listen to him talk, was a governmental land surveyor.
‘Well,’ he said, talking over all the other conversation going on and taking yet another slice of the still-warm bread, ‘I’m not actually part of the surveyor team. No. No. My job is to assess the potential for homestead land. Most of what is called the Indian Territory is being opened up for people. Settlers. The areas that haven’t been officially registered with the land office in Dodge City will be surveyed and, well, in not too long towns like this one will have a lot of new people coming through.’
The cowboy didn’t like that. ‘Most of the grassland ain’t suitable for farming,’ he snarled. ‘Damn sodbusters come in and plow up land that’s only good for grazing and what happens to the cattle ranchers who was here first? It ain’t right.’
‘Eminent domain,’ said the government man calmly, slathering butter thickly on the bread. ‘It’s the law. Under eminent domain the federal government has approved the settlement of various lands for the expansion of the nation. Now, if a rancher has his boundaries legally accounted for, he doesn’t have to worry. However, it is the rest of the territory I, and others like me, are inspecting.’
Stewart wasn’t paying attention to the talk. He couldn’t see a time when the prairie would be settled. These people, he thought, just had no idea how big this part of the country was.
‘It ain’t the folks coming in, that’ll ruin things,’ said the cowboy, using bread to sop up the last of his stew, ‘naw. It’s the fencing that’ll do her. Cattle need lots of room. They only put on weight enough to be marketable if they can move around to the best grass. It’s the fools back east what don’t understand. They eat the beef but don’t think about where it comes from.’
‘Times are changing, sir,’ was the response from the pot-bellied man, pulling his cloth napkin from the front of his vest. ‘With the war over there are a lot of men who want land of their own. Why, it won’t be the homesteaders that make things grow out west, no sir. It’ll be the railroads. You mark my words. The railroads will make it possible for people to come west. Little towns like this will become the business centers once the rails are in. The day of the big cattle ranches are coming to an end. That, my friend, is progress.’
Glancing around, Stewart saw how most of the others at the table were ignoring the two men. Elizabeth Havilah, he saw, was keeping her attention on her meal. His best chance, he decided, would be after everybody finished and went back to whatever they were doing the rest of the day. If he was quick, he’d likely get to walk the woman back to the bank.
Chapter 41
Elizabeth had been a little flustered when leaving the boarding house. The man she heard someone say was a deputy marshal asked if he could walk her back. Since meeting the young rancher, Mr Rodriquez, she hadn’t thought about much else. That caused her some distress. That wouldn’t do. She had to keep her mind on why she was in this town. There wasn’t time for anything else. Especially someone who she found so interesting. And now there was another one. But maybe this lawman knew something that would help her. She decided to think about that.
Stewart tried, but not having much experience with women, he found himself unsure of how to make conversation. Too soon, walking around the corner and down the main street, they reached the bank.
‘That meal,’ he said hesitantly, ‘uh, Miz Cornwall puts on the table is right good, isn’t it? I mean, ya wouldn’t expect such good cooking, would ya?’
Elizabeth, uncertain how to treat this man, and not slowing her stride, only nodded.
‘Uh, I don’t mean to intrude,’ said the deputy, wanting to grab her arm to slow her down but stepping up to keep up, ‘but, uh, would you like to have supper with me this evening? Over at the hotel. The restaurant, I mean.’
‘I’m not sure how late I’ll be at the bank,’ said the woman, uncertain of what to say. Would having supper with him be a good idea? Could she get him talking about that lawyer, Jackson Drazen? She just didn’t know and couldn’t decide.
‘Wal, I’ve a few things to take care of this afternoon. Being a deputy keeps me busy. But we all got to eat supper, and . . . . and we could have supper together and not have to listen to men talk. You know, cattle and settlers and . . . well, men talk.’
She quickly made up her mind. What could it hurt? Smiling up at the man, she nodded. ‘All right. But I won’t be out late. Miz Cornwall doesn’t like it when her guests come in late, waking other people up.’
Stewart nodded, and opening the bank door for her, tipped his hat. ‘I’ll come by about six, if that’s OK.’
The old men sitting on the porch hadn’t missed a thing. Silent, they watched the lawman walk past, a big smile on his face, not paying any attention to anything.
Chapter 42
Walking down the street, thinking about the possibilities of the evening, Deputy Marshal Stewart didn’t pay any attention to anything until he looked up to see Drazen riding past. Looking over his shoulder, the deputy stopped. Wonder where he’s off to, he asked himself. Might be where he’d gone last time, out to the Circle B. Or could be going to meet up with Runkle. Christ on a crutch, could be for anything. Was it worth following along? Maybe the best thing was to let Marshal Adkins know the lawyer had come back to town.
Before he even started writing out his note to the marshal, the telegraph puncher told him there had been a message from the marshal. It was brief and left Stewart wondering. The judge, according to the marshal, hadn’t seen enough proof Carly Morse was actually one of the holdup men. He’d let the little thief out of jail. On top of that, when Drazen was in town the fella watching swore the lawyer hadn’t left his hotel room.
What, Stewart asked himself, was going on? Hanging around, supposedly keeping watch on what Drazen was up to wasn’t proving worthwhile. Why wasn’t he being sent back to hunt up Runkle? Well, no reason to tell Marshal Adkins that Drazen was back. No reason to be watching the man either, far as he could see.
Chapter 43
For the first time in weeks Martin felt good. The pressure of not having the money he’d thought he would have by now had eased with old Allen agreeing to the loan. Even if that damn Rodriquez
had to give his approval, it had been getting around the old man that mattered. Tony wouldn’t fight it. Now all he had to do was wait, and with that loan money, he could afford to wait.
Riding into town to check with Marcy, his feeling of satisfaction dried up when he saw the rider coming his way. What the hell would Drazen be doing, coming out here? Then it came to him, he was bringing his share of the train money. Smiling again Martin waved to the other man.
‘Well, Jackson. Last I heard, you’d taken the stage into Dodge City.’
Drazen frowned. He hadn’t counted on running into Baynes. ‘Yes, I had some business to take care of. Something that couldn’t be put off.’
Martin Baynes’ smile grew. ‘I’d guess it had to do with meeting up with Runkle to pick up our share of the train money?’
Drazen’s smile faded as he shook his head. ‘No, there was no sign of Runkle and I didn’t want to draw attention to myself by hanging around. I reckon he’ll get in touch as soon as it’s safe.’
Once again he took pleasure in seeing the rancher’s face fall. ‘I don’t understand the man. Aren’t those men he had helping with the holdup asking for their money? I figured that was why you up and took the stage into Dodge City.’
‘Well, I figure he did have enough time to pay off his gang. There were only a couple of them. But then when that one, Carly Morse, was released from jail, well, that’s when he decided to disappear.’
‘Holding our money. I still don’t like it. How do we know he isn’t planning on keeping our share of the bank’s money? I never met him, but . . . well, I don’t trust him.’
Drazen frowned. The timing wasn’t right, he thought. He still needed to have this fool out at the Circle B. ‘No. I know Morgan. He’s just keeping out of sight, staying safe. Don’t forget, I was the one who brought him and his gang into that robbery. I’m the one who has to trust him. Just set back and wait. Everything is going to work out just fine. You’ll see.’
