“Fistfights?” Michael asked from where he stood hanging on to his mother’s skirts.
Seeing the exasperated look on Bethany’s face, Aldus tousled the smaller boy’s hair and said, “Remind me to tell you about that some other time.”
“I’m sure he will,” Bethany sighed.
Aldus stopped himself from digging in any deeper by showing James how to fire the Schofield. It was a quick lesson since genuine customers were getting anxious to have their turn, and James mostly wound up holding on to the pistol while Aldus placed his hands over the boy’s and took a shot. When the bottle at the other end of the gallery exploded, James puffed out his chest and beamed with pride.
“That was fun,” Bethany said, “but I’m sure Mr. Bricker has customers to tend to.”
“Just call him Aldus, Ma,” James scolded.
“I’ll be sure to remember that.” Looking up at Aldus with a warm smile, she said, “Thank you for this. Do you have any plans for supper?”
“Not at all,” he said.
“You can come by again if you like. It’ll be nothing fancy, but you’re more than welcome.”
“Sounds terrific. I’ll be there.”
After saying good-bye to her and the boys, Aldus watched them leave. When he turned toward the wagons to see if anyone seemed interested in doing anything more than looking, he found one of the locals leaning against the wagon with the locked drawers containing Hayes’s tools and ammunition. It was the man Aldus had tossed out of the Kolby Arms, and although he seemed much more sober than he’d been that night, he wasn’t at all happier.
Aldus walked over to him and stood just within the big man’s reach. “What are you doing here?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing,” the man growled.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Aldus replied while holding his arms out to encompass the wagons and gallery. “I’m tending to my business. Perhaps you should go tend to yours before that face gets any messier.”
The man took a step forward and glared at Aldus. “No. You’re tending to my business. Leave them alone.”
“Who?”
“You know damn well who!”
Some of the others near the wagons were taking notice, but Aldus didn’t care about that.
“Them kids ain’t yours,” the man said. “And that woman sure ain’t, neither!”
“You’re Nate Talbott,” Aldus said as his entire body became numb. It was the same feeling he would get when he was seconds away from a fight that he knew was going to be drawn out and bloody. He wanted that fight to commence more than anything when he saw the smug grin on Talbott’s bruised face.
“You got that right,” Talbott said. “And I staked my claim long before you showed up. I don’t care who you think you are, you ain’t about to roll into town and take what’s mine.”
Aldus had his hand around Talbott’s throat in the space of a heartbeat. “Bethany don’t belong to you or any man,” he said. “Neither do them boys. I heard about what you did to them.”
“Did you?” Talbott spat. “That ain’t your concern, mister. If anyone steps out of line, I’ll knock them back where they need to be. That goes for . . . goes for you, too.”
Even though Talbott was having trouble speaking because of the tight grip around his neck, he kept his head high and venom pouring through every word. Even when Aldus slammed him against the side of the wagon, he couldn’t wipe that smug, arrogant confidence from the other man’s face.
“You won’t hurt them no more,” Aldus said.
“I’ll do what I please.”
When he tightened his grip, Aldus was ready for Talbott to defend himself. Not only was he prepared for a reprisal, but Aldus yearned for one since it would allow him to unleash what he had in store.
Instead, Talbott merely grabbed hold of Aldus’s wrist and squirmed against the side of the wagon. “I ain’t afraid of you,” he wheezed.
“If you had one lick of sense,” Aldus growled, “you would be.”
While Talbott might not have had much sense, he had enough to know to keep his mouth shut at that moment. Even after Aldus let him go, Talbott stepped away and didn’t do anything to provoke him.
“You steer clear of her and them boys,” Aldus said.
“Or what?” Talbott asked now that he’d put some space between himself and Aldus. “You’ll run and tell her about me and that whore over at the Kolby Arms?”
“This is between me and you from here on. You start anything else around that family and I’ll finish it. You hear me?”
Talbott nodded as he continued to back away. “Yeah. I hear you. Just be sure to watch your step.”
“I’m watching it right now,” Aldus said as he stepped closer to Talbott. “You want to put this to rest right here? That suits me just fine.”
Talbott made a show of looking around to all the others gathering around the potential fight even though he was plainly concerned with only one man. He laughed unconvincingly and walked away.
Aldus’s blood was surging through his body. He felt heat flowing just beneath his skin, and his fists were clenched tight enough to whiten his knuckles as he watched Talbott’s retreat. If not for the hand that came to rest upon his shoulder, he might very well have run to catch him.
“That one’s a snake,” said the man who’d caught Aldus’s attention. “Let him crawl back under whatever rock he came from.”
“You know that fella?” Aldus asked.
The local man waved him off. He was well dressed and looked to be somewhere in his forties. “Just one of the dregs that spends his nights drunk and trying to act like a bad man. I’m sure you know the kind.”
“Yep.”
“How about giving me a look at one of those Winchester rifles you have on display? I’ve been meaning to get me one of those.”
One of the many things Aldus had learned as a fighter was how to pick his moments. Now was the time to conduct the business of selling guns, so he got back to it and allowed his blood to cool down.
Business thrived for the rest of the day. Hayes never showed up, but neither did Talbott. Bethany did a passable job of roasting a chicken for supper, and they spent another night talking on the porch. This time they discussed simpler, happier matters. It was the kind of night that made every moment of the ride to Corbin worth the effort and ended with a kiss. Their lips touched and Aldus got to wrap her in his arms. The worst part of that entire week was letting her go.
Chapter 25
Hayes came back to town the following day. He arrived well past noon and was pleased to find a fair number of patrons at his wagons. Reining his horse to a stop, he looked down at Aldus and called out, “You seem to be doing well for yourself!”
“I made a few sales,” Aldus replied. “Two shotguns and a Winchester.”
“With ammunition to go with it?”
“Naturally.”
“Good man,” Hayes said. “I’m famished. Have you eaten yet?”
“Yes, but I could eat again.”
“Then meet me at the hotel. I need to bring my things to my room after putting my horse up.”
“We can eat there for free if you like,” Aldus said.
“You’re treating me to a meal? What’s the occasion?”
“No. We’re both eating for free. I’ll explain when I see you there.”
Never one to question a free meal, Hayes pointed his horse toward Third Street and flicked his reins.
Aldus finished up what he was doing and put away the sample rifles before walking over to the Kolby Arms Hotel. He could see Hayes settling in at one of the tables in the dining room, and before he could join him, Edmund came down the stairs and caught his attention.
“I’d like to thank you for what you did,” the lanky hotel manager said.
“Haven’t done m
uch,” Aldus replied. “Not around here, anyway.”
“Oh, but you did. We have a regular group of blowhards that come here every so often, and ever since you put that one man out on the street, nobody else has been willing to step up.”
“That’s good to hear. What do you know about that man?”
“Just that I don’t want him around my hotel, and thanks to you,” Edmund added with a grin, “he won’t be darkening my door anytime soon.”
“Glad I could help. By the way, my friend and I will be having something to eat.”
“Whatever you like!”
Aldus shook Edmund’s hand and stepped into the next room to join Hayes.
“You’ve covered a lot of ground in a short time,” the salesman said.
“I do my best. How did things go in Omaha?”
Hayes took most of the meal describing his exploits in vivid detail. Even knowing his partner’s penchant for drama, Aldus couldn’t help being impressed.
“So, did they catch them robbers?” Aldus asked.
“Who? Augustus’s men?”
“Them or the law.”
“I don’t know,” Hayes said.
“And . . . you let them keep the rifle?”
“After what I did to that rifle, he’ll wish he’d been shot.”
Aldus didn’t know as much about the inner workings of firearms, but he’d seen enough to know what kind of damage could be done by a faulty one. “I suppose that should teach them a lesson. Would’ve been easier just to turn them over to the law.”
“The law’s after them, don’t you worry,” Hayes said impatiently. “Now please tell me you gathered enough courage to speak to Bethany.”
Smirking, Aldus nodded. After a bit of prodding, he gave a quick account of how he’d spent the last couple of nights. It wasn’t long after that, while the two of them were walking down Garver Street after finishing their meal, that the conversation drifted in another direction.
“How is she feeling?” Hayes asked. “Were you right in thinking she was troubled about something?”
While Aldus had been more than happy to tell his friend about the good times he’d had with Bethany and her sons, he hadn’t told him everything. She hadn’t said it outright, but Aldus knew a good portion of what she’d told him regarding Talbott was only meant for him. Still, Hayes had played a large role in bringing Aldus this far and had always proven to be a valuable ally.
“I was right,” Aldus said. “Nate Talbott was courting her. He turned out to be a skunk who hurt her . . . and the boys.”
“There’s nothing worse than someone who would stoop so low. Have you met this man?”
“Yes. I just about wrung his neck the other night. Put on a bit of a display at the gallery when I did. I didn’t mean to act that way there, but it just happened.”
After considering that for a moment, Hayes asked, “Has it affected sales?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then good for you!” the salesman said as he put up his hands in a flailing attempt to mimic a boxer’s style. “I only wish I was there to see it. By the way, do I get the honor of meeting the delightful Miss White?”
“She works as a seamstress at a place on First Street.”
“Let’s pop in and say hello. After that, I’ve got a lot of work to do and I don’t know when I’ll get a free moment again.”
“I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”
The two of them swapped some more stories about what they’d been doing over the last few days, which was more than enough to occupy them during the short walk to Brine’s Tailor Shop. It was a small place. Small enough for Aldus to see just about everything and everyone inside after taking one step through the door.
“What can I do for you gentlemen?” asked a short man who’d been sitting on a tall stool behind a wide table covered with various shapes cut in fabric. “Looking for a nice suit or perhaps a jacket for the coming winter?”
Even though he could see the short tailor was the only other person in there, Aldus asked, “Is Bethany around?”
“No, her boy came in here looking for her and she went home.”
“Was it anything serious?”
“The boy was worked up, but that little fella’s always worked up about something or other.”
Aldus’s mind was racing as he turned around and started hurrying down First Street.
Racing to catch up to him, Hayes asked, “Did we miss her?”
“Looks that way. Something’s wrong.”
“Another instinct or something worse?”
“More than instinct,” Aldus said, “but I hope it’s not too bad. I need to make certain, though.”
“I’m with you, Aldus.”
“It might be best if you stayed behind. Things may get rough.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, things have been fairly rough ever since Cedar Rapids. Besides,” Hayes added, “I’m invested in this, too, and I want to see it through. What kind of friend would I be if I turned tail just because things may get rough?”
Aldus could already see the houses at the northwest corner of town. His eyes locked on Bethany’s place and he said, “All right, then. But if I have to get my hands dirty, you just stay out of my way.”
“No argument there.”
They arrived at Bethany’s house in a rush, but there wasn’t much to see. Aldus put his hand on the Schofield at his hip and shouted, “Bethany? You in there?”
No sound came from the house. There also wasn’t anyone else nearby for him to ask. There was, however, a horse tied to a nearby fence post.
“M-Mr. Bricker?”
Aldus looked around for the source of the squeaky little voice and felt a surge of relief when he saw Michael crawl out from beneath the front porch. “Come here, little man,” he said as he dropped to one knee. Michael ran at him and wrapped his arms around Aldus’s neck. Although the boys had taken to him, Aldus was surprised by the overwhelming display.
“What’s the matter?” Aldus asked.
“James is in trouble. I went to fetch Ma, but she went inside and didn’t come out.”
“What trouble is James in?”
“Mr. Talbott was here when we come home from school. He yelled at James and told him to get in the house. When James said no, Mr. Talbott hit him and knocked him down. That’s when I went to fetch Ma.”
“She went inside to help your brother?”
Michael nodded. “I heard shouting.”
Every one of Aldus’s muscles tensed. He looked at the front of the house but couldn’t see a hint of movement behind any of the windows. Holding the little five-year-old by the shoulders, Aldus said, “You stay out here with my friend. I’ll go in and see about your brother and ma.”
Michael looked over to Hayes and then back to Aldus.
“It’s all right,” Aldus said as he stood up and walked toward the house. “He’ll take care of you.”
The little boy stood in his spot until Hayes stepped up to take his hand. “My name is Zachariah. Let’s just stand over here and wait for everyone to come back out.”
The two of them spoke a bit more, but Aldus was only concerned that Hayes keep Michael out of harm’s way. He approached the front door and almost knocked out of habit. Instead, he drew a breath, placed his right hand on his Schofield, and used his left to test the knob. It opened with a creak that raked against Aldus’s ears like rusty nails. Knowing it was too late to regain any element of surprise, and not exactly certain what he’d do with it if he could, Aldus entered the house.
The front room was empty.
There was nothing moving on the stairs, and Aldus couldn’t see anything stirring at the top of them.
When he heard a few scuffling steps from the kitchen, he said, “Bethany? You in there?”
He got no reply.
“James? It’s Aldus. Come on out now.”
More scuffling came from the kitchen, so Aldus cautiously moved in that direction.
“Who’s in there?” Aldus asked, even though he was already fairly certain of the answer.
The kitchen took up most of the back portion of the house. It was also where Bethany and her family ate their meals. The door leading into it, however, only looked into a small portion of the left side of the room. Most of what Aldus could see from the hallway was a row of cupboards against the left wall and the potbellied stove in the back. Since he knew his view wasn’t going to improve on its own, he eased forward another couple of steps and then stopped himself before charging blindly into the unknown.
Aldus leaned over to look into the largest section of the kitchen and found James cowering under the dining table as a wide-shouldered man stooped down to try and pull him out. Bethany was crumpled in a corner, unmoving.
“Hey!” Aldus barked.
Talbott wheeled around. His pistol was already in hand, and he fired a quick shot at the kitchen entrance. The shot was wild and drilled through a pile of plates stacked on a shelf at Aldus’s chest level. “Leave us be!” Talbott shouted.
Pressing a shoulder against the wall, Aldus drew the Schofield and held it at the ready. “What are you trying to do, Nate? Kidnap the boy?”
“Ain’t kidnapping him! He’s mine! He’s mine and so is the other one. So is Bethany!”
“You don’t own anyone. That ain’t how a family works.” Aldus peeked into the kitchen. As soon as he got a glimpse of where Talbott now stood, another shot was fired at him, which hissed past Aldus’s head and punched a hole into the hallway behind him.
“They ain’t your family!” Talbott said.
“And they’re not yours, either. Just leave ’em be. You had your chance with Bethany and made a mess of it. You don’t get another one.”
“Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? That’s why you came to town in the first place, ain’t it? To steal them from me!”
Aldus could feel the seconds ticking away. Every one that passed where James and Bethany were trapped in there with a crazed gunman hammered against Aldus’s heart. “They ain’t property!” he shouted. “Men like you don’t deserve to be with good folks like these. This right here proves it!”
Ralph Compton Straight Shooter Page 24
