High Valley Manhunt: Laramie Davies #1

by B. S. Dunn

  “Laramie Davis,” he answered.

  “That's what I thought. You know there are some fellers in town lookin' for you?”

  “Yeah I met them earlier,” Laramie said.

  “Was that the shot I heard?”

  “Maybe.”

  The hostler's eyes lit up, “Did you kill one of 'em?”

  “Blood thirsty critter ain't he,” Lonesome commented.

  “No I didn't kill one of them,” said a frustrated Laramie, “Now, can you take the horses or not?”

  “Sure I can!” the hostler exclaimed, “No need to get narky about it.”

  Once the horses were settled, the two men found the doctor's office and Laramie left Lonesome to get checked out then he went on over to the jail.

  There he found both Hank and his daughter waiting for him, in heated discussion.

  “Surely that must tell you something Pa, at least what type of people you are dealing with?” Sally said stubbornly.

  Hank Richards rolled his eyes, “For the last time, it's my job. I'll look into the other matter while I'm out.”

  Laramie smiled at the pair, “If you want, I can come back.”

  The Mountain Pass Sheriff looked at him in exasperation, “She's just as stubborn as what her mother was. You were a Marshal, you explain it to her.”

  Laramie shook his head, “Nope, I try to make a point of stayin' out of family squabbles.”

  Richards' face took on a more serious expression, “Speakin' of families, it seems there was some trouble with the Coltrains while I was gone.”

  “How's that?” Laramie asked curiously.

  “The Judge feller beat up on one of Bob Wessels' girls from The Royal Flush and damned near killed her.”

  Laramie frowned, “Why isn't he in jail for it?”

  “That's the strange part,” Richards added, “he was, Lyle locked him up.”

  “So what happened?”

  “The brother, Jeb, turned up here with Judge Billings who ordered him released upon payment of a hundred dollar restitution to Bob.”

  “And that's strange?” asked the gunfighter.

  Richards nodded, “It is if you know Judge Billings. Normally he would have held a trial and given Coltrain thirty days.”

  “Do you think his brother got to the Judge?” Laramie asked, but already knew the answer.

  The Mountain Pass Sheriff exhaled loudly, “Seems to be too much of a coincidence to me. Any how I'll go and see him after. I'm goin' to talk to him about havin' your trial here.'

  “A trial!” Sally exclaimed, “You can't be serious.”

  “Sally,” her father said sternly, “Go home.”

  She set her jaw firmly and defied her father, “I don't think so.”

  “This is men's business young lady,” her father raised his voice a little, “now go home or I'll damn well put you in a cell instead.”

  Sally Richards was shocked, “You wouldn't dare.”

  The Sheriff took a step toward his daughter.

  She raised her hands in surrender, “Alright I'm going.”

  Laramie watched her leave, “You sure do have your hands full there Hank.”

  “Don't I know it,” he allowed, “Now where was I? Okay, I'm goin' to see Judge Billings about holdin' the trial here in town. I'll send word for the witnesses to come here as well as a Marshal.”

  “The Coltrains ain't goin' to like that Hank,” Laramie said, stating the obvious.

  “They will have their own problems,” Richards went on, “that's what the Marshal is for. He'll be lookin' into them and Blackie Harbin.”

  There was concern in Laramie's voice when he said, “Be careful Hank, they might just slip a noose around your neck as well.”

  “Let 'em try,” he smiled almost relishing the challenge, “now let's get you upstairs and squared away.”

  “Are you really goin' to lock me up?” Laramie asked skeptically.

  Richards smiled again, “I'm goin' to close the door.”

  *

  “What in hell are we goin' to do now?” asked Shell Coltrain as he rubbed his arm where it still throbbed.

  “Shut up kid, I'm thinkin',” Jeb snapped as he tossed down another shot of red eye.

  “We can't let him do his own investigation Jeb, we'll never get justice for Jeremiah if he does,” Zeb lamented.

  The Rock Springs Sheriff remained silent.

  “Well?” questioned his brother.

  Suddenly Jeb had an idea, “Send a wire to the Marshal's office, Judge. Apprise them of the situation. Say that the local Sheriff has overstepped his bounds and that he's harbouring a wanted fugitive. Get them to send word to hand Davis over to us. Go now.”

  “And what if that don't work?” asked the Judge.

  “Then we kill the Sheriff and take Davis anyway.”

  Chapter 15

  “It says right there,” Zebulon Coltrain stabbed his finger at the piece of paper Hank Richards held, “you are to release Laramie Davis into our custody and he is to be transported back to Rock Springs for trial.”

  The answer to the Judge's wire had come back just after one in the afternoon.

  “I can see what it says damn it,” snapped Richards, “I can read, I'm not blind.”

  “Well then,” the Judge smiled gleefully, “go and get him. Bring him down here so we can leave.”

  “No,” Richards answered flatly.

  “What?” Zeb Coltrain couldn't believe what he'd heard, “This here come from the Marshal's themselves. It says you are to give up your prisoner to us. What part of that don't you understand?”

  Hank Richards turned his attention to Jeb Coltrain, “If it is alright with you, I would like to get that verified.”

  “No!” snapped the Judge, “it's not alright.”

  His brother was of a different opinion, “That's fine Sheriff, you check on it all you want. But we'll be back before dark to get our man. Count on it.”

  The Mountain Pass Sheriff stood quietly and watched the Coltrains leave his office before he took something from the old beat up cupboard against the wall and headed for the stairs.

  Meanwhile, outside on the board walk, Zebulon Coltrain was beside himself, “What in hell are you doing? he hissed at Jeb, “We could have walked out of there with him and had him hung before nightfall.”

  Jeb shook his head and explained, “No, he wouldn't have let him go without makin' sure it was all legitimate. This way he can check it out and see that it is all official.”

  “I hope you know what you're doing,” the Judge said with a hint of menace in his voice, “I mean to have him and if I have to kill that damn Sheriff to do it, I will.”

  “If we can't get him Judge, I'll kill the Sheriff for you.”

  *

  Laramie heard the garbled voices downstairs in the Sheriff's office as he lay back, on the lumpy cot, in the corner of the cell. As much as he tried, he couldn't make out what was being said, but he guessed it would be about him.

  He didn't have to wait long before he found out. Footsteps on the wooden stairs let him know that he was about to receive a visitor.

  Hank Richards appeared outside the cell door with a grim expression on his face. Instantly Laramie knew it was not good news.

  “You look like a man who just lost his best horse. What is it now? Coltrain trouble?”

  “Could it be any other at the moment?” he answered, “they just turned up with a wire from the Marshal's office in Helena. It said for me to turn you over to them.”

  “Ain't that somethin',” said Laramie in disbelief, “outlaws usin' the law for their benefit.”

  “Yeah, it's somethin' alright,” Richards agreed, “these fellers are startin' to irritate me some Laramie. But I told them I weren't goin' to hand you over until I checked out the wire first.”

  “I bet they loved that.”

  Richards snorted and said “They give me until sundown and then they're comin' to get you.”

  “If it comes to that Hank, I ain't
goin' down without a fight,” the gunfighter confirmed, “not to the likes of them.”

  “That's what I thought you'd say,” the Sheriff said as he reached inside his coat and pulled out one of Laramie's Remingtons, “take this, just in case.”

  Laramie swung his legs off the bunk and stood up. He walked across to the cell door and swung it open.

  “Thanks,” he said as he took the weapon.

  “If it comes down to it and the Coltrains come after you, the other one is in the cupboard down stairs,” Richards explained, “and if they do for me, make sure my daughter is safe.”

  Laramie nodded.

  “I'll be steppin' out for a while,” Richards told Laramie, “I need to track down the Judge. He wasn't in his office earlier so I will try his home. Then I need to check out that wire and see if there's been an answer from Rock Springs.”

  “Watch your back, Hank,” Laramie warned.

  “I always do.”

  Laramie went back to the cot, put the Remington under the pillow and lay down. He preferred to meet his enemies head on and to be laid up in the Mountain Pass jail didn't sit well with the gunfighter. Even worse, he had to rely on Hank Richards to fight his battle for him.

  He knew when it came down to it, there was only one thing that the Coltrains would understand. When they came for him, he would give them what they deserved.

  *

  Hank Richards' first stop was the telegraph office where the answer from his enquiries to Rock Springs waited for him. While he read it, Richards instructed Charlie, the telegraphist, to send the wire to the Marshal's office in Helena.

  “How long until I get an answer Charlie?”

  Charlie rubbed a hand through his thinning hair and thought for a moment, “If you come back in a couple of hours I might have something for you then.”

  Richards nodded his thanks and left the office. He headed east along main street towards Judge Billings' house. It was easy to recognise the Judge's house, with the neatly trimmed gardens, courtesy of his wife who loved her flowers, and the white painted picket fence.

  Hank swung the gate open and it gave a small squeak from a hinge that required grease. His boots crunched on the gravel path as he followed it to wooden steps that led to a timber porch. The front door was white and the sign on it read simply Judge Billings.

  The Mountain Pass Sheriff knocked on the door and waited. After a couple of minutes he knocked again, louder this time. Still no one came to the front door and Richards became concerned. The fact that the Judge could not be found at his office or at home was a worry. That the Judge had last been seen with Jeb Coltrain was most concerning of all.

  Richards knocked one more time and called out. Maybe they just couldn't hear him.

  “Are you lookin' for the Judge, Sheriff?” asked a voice.

  Hank turned around and saw that the speaker was the town's newspaper editor, Gray Lawson.

  “Yeah as a matter of fact I am. Have you seen him about today?”

  “Nope, I thought he might be unwell 'cause he never turned up for his regular chess game this morning.”

  That did it, now he was convinced there was evil afoot, “Gray, come up here.”

  The editor came up onto the porch, “How can I help?”

  “Just stand there.”

  Hank hit the door with all his strength and it burst open.

  Instantly, the tell tale smell of death wafted out the door, pushed by a cross draft from a partially open window.

  “Oh my,” Lawson gasped as he held a hand up to his nose.

  “Wait here,” the Sheriff ordered.

  Richards stepped across the threshold and walked down a short hallway that opened out into the Billings' living room. That was where he found them both, laid out side by side with their throats cut.

  “God damn it,” Richards cursed out loud, “damn son of a bitch killed 'em both.”

  He turned away from the macabre scene and walked back out onto the front porch where a ashen faced editor waited for him.

  “Go and get the Doc, Gray, oh and the Undertaker too.”

  Lawson asked hesitantly, “Both of them?”

  Richards nodded, “Yeah, both of them. But keep it under your hat. I don't want it getting' around town just yet.”

  “Fine,” he answered and hurried off to do what the Sheriff had asked.

  Once the Doctor and the Undertaker had arrived, Richards went back to the jail. Lyle Gunderson had just finished his weekly clean of the guns in the gun cabinet, “Get over to the Judge's place for me Lyle and keep an eye on things.”

  “Sure thing Sheriff, but what am I keepin' an eye on?”

  “Some one killed the Judge and his wife,” he explained.

  The shock was evident on the Deputy's face. He went to speak but the Sheriff cut him off, “just go Lyle, now.”

  So without a word Gunderson left the jail.

  *

  Laramie cocked the Remington when he heard footsteps on approach. He levelled it towards the top of the stairs and waited for a head to come into view. When he realised it was Hank he eased the hammer down and slipped it back under the pillow.

  Laramie could tell something was wrong, something bad, “What's up?”

  “The Judge and his wife are dead,” he said angrily, “Somebody cut their throats and there'll be no prizes for guessing who.”

  Laramie understood what he meant, “Coltrains.”

  “It had to be,” Richards confirmed, “Jeb Coltrain was the last man he was seen with. Before I left the Judge's house the Doc told me they'd been killed last night.”

  “Give me a badge Hank and we'll go round 'em up,” said Laramie as he tucked the Remington into his belt.

  The Sheriff shook his head, “I can't. You are still meant to be under arrest for killin' a peace officer. And before you say it, I know it was self defence and I'm certain they killed the Judge, but I need proof. The wire came back from Rock Springs and from the looks of it you'll be in the clear, although I'm still waitin' on the one from Helena.”

  “So what are you goin' to do?”

  “I'm goin' to check at the telegraph office to see if that wire has come through yet and I'm goin' to ask around to see if anyone saw anythin' last night.”

  There was a rush of footfalls on the stairs and before both men knew it, Sally appeared at the top of the stairs.

  “Is it true?” she asked, “did someone murder the Judge and his wife?”

  “Yes, it's true,” Hank confirmed the news to his daughter.

  She gasped with shock and placed a hand to her breast, “How terrible, who would do such a thing?”

  “We have an idea,” answered Laramie.

  “Who?” she asked before it dawned on her, “The Coltrains?”

  “We suspect it was them,” her father allowed.

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I'm goin' to ask around to see if anybody saw somethin' that might help. As of this moment I don't have proof. And you are goin' to stay here.”

  “But Pa...” Sally started.

  “No buts, you're stayin' and that's final. Laramie keep an eye on her.”

  Before Sally could say any more, her father was gone, down the stairs.

  *

  “Has an answer come back from Helena yet Charlie?” Richards asked the telegraphist.

  The man smiled, “Got it right here Sheriff, hot off the wire.”

  Richards took the piece of paper and read it. He then folded it and tucked it into his jacket pocket.

  “Charlie, I need you to send me one more wire and wait for an answer,” the Sheriff said as he picked up the stub of a pencil and a small sheet of paper.

  Richards wrote out what he wanted sent then gave Charlie the piece of paper. The telegraphist read it and looked questioningly at the Sheriff.”

  “The Judge and his wife are dead?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

  “Afraid so Charlie,” he said and left the stunned telegraphist to send the wire. />
  *

  The Gold Nugget was half empty when Richards entered through the bat-wing doors. He figured that was the effect the Coltrains had on people.

  He sidled up to the bar and ordered a beer. Mose, the Negro barkeep was working the afternoon rush, except it wasn't a rush at all.

  The barkeep gave Hank his beer and he took a large mouthful before putting it down on the scarred counter top.

  “Kinda quiet in here this afternoon Mose, is one of the other saloons in town givin' away free booze?”

  Mose picked up a shot glass and cleaned some dust off it, “No sir, it's them Coltrains. Nobody wants to be around 'em since that incident at The Royal Flush. And now with the Judge and his wife turnin' up dead, well let's just say you don't have to look no further than right here.”

  Hank's interest suddenly piqued, “Have you heard somethin' Mose?”

  “I was talkin' to a customer a little while ago,” Mose explained, as he kept an eye on the Coltrains, “and he told me that he saw that young feller down by the judge's last night.”

  “Is he sure it was him?”

  “Yes sir, he seemed mighty sure of what he seen,” Mose affirmed.

  “Who was it Mose?”

  The barkeep backed off a little, “Well, I'm not sure if I should say Sheriff. This feller was awful scared. He only told me cause he needed to tell someone.”

  Hank's voice hardened, “Tell me Mose. Tell me who it was now.”

  Mose dropped his gaze, “It was Will Humphries.”

  *

  The bell above the door jingled as Hank Richards entered the General store. Will Humphries had just finished serving a customer so the Sheriff held the door ajar for them.

  “Thank you Adeline, be seeing you next week.”

  “Goodbye Mister Humphries,” on her way out the door, “thank you Sheriff.”

  Richards touched his hat brim, “Ma'am.”