by Evans, Tabor
“He insulted me,” Henry Plummer said, trying to look contrite.
“Even so,” Billy said. “You’re now a sworn officer of the law, and a verbal insult is hardly sufficient provocation to strike a citizen. Even one who provokes you with insults. Use physical force only when necessary.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Custis, you’re going to have to start teaching young Henry a few things about what we can and can’t do while we wear a badge.”
“We took our badges off before we went into that saloon,” Henry Plummer explained.
“What!”
Longarm had heard enough. “Look, Billy, I have my own way of doing things and I’ve been pretty successful for a long time, haven’t I?”
“Sure, but not wearing your badge and . . .”
“Why don’t we talk about this later?” Longarm suggested. “Right now I think you should be focusing on who we can send into that south neighborhood and how we can make him look like a fugitive of the law.”
“Yeah,” Billy conceded, “you’re right. The man we put in there is going to be risking his life from the start. He needs to be top-notch.”
“How about Paddy Malloy?” Longarm suggested. “He’s experienced and Irish.”
“Paddy has a temper and he loves his drink a bit too much,” Billy argued. “I’m not sure that he’s the best man or that he’d get in and out without also having his throat cut.”
“Then what about Mike Flannery?” Longarm suggested. “He’s been with us for over a year. Mike is tough, determined, and smart.”
“But he just got married,” Billy said. “Be a crying shame if he was uncovered by this gang and murdered leaving a young widow.”
“Yeah,” Longarm said, “it would at that.”
“But he’s quite obviously the best man I have for this extremely dangerous job,” Billy said quietly. “Could you boys sort of back Deputy Flannery up without exposing his cover?”
“Of course,” Longarm said. “It’s not the thing that I do best . . . but I’m sure that Henry and I can figure out a way to stay close yet not too close. And Flannery looks like he stepped off the boat from Dublin.”
“I’ll see if he’ll do it,” Billy decided. “Henry, go get Deputy Flannery.”
“I’m . . . I’m not sure who he is.”
“Ask anyone. Mike isn’t much older than you and he’s full of blarney and bluster, but he’s tough as boot leather.”
As soon as Plummer was gone, Billy leaned forward on his desk. “Custis, I’m not sure that it’s a good idea to hide your badge.”
“It works well for me. The saloon we went into was filled with men who had been arrested and probably jailed or thrown into prison.”
“Even so, the badge gives you authority.”
“Look,” Longarm said patiently, “why don’t we just agree to disagree about this and see what Deputy Flannery has to say about putting his neck on the chopping block?”
Billy was about to say something more, when the two young deputies returned. Mike Flannery was of medium height and not especially strong or imposing physically, but Longarm had worked with the young man a few times and knew he was dedicated and fearless. He was also a little reckless and sometimes too loud, but he was smart enough to curb his exuberance when it counted. And Mike could shoot a gun and hit what he aimed at every time.
“Flannery, we have a job for you . . . if you want it.”
“Whatever you say, Boss.”
“This could be very dangerous, and you just got married to that beautiful girl, so I’m a little—”
“Marshal Vail,” Flannery interrupted. “Delia knew when she married me that I was a law officer, and that meant that I would have to put my life on the line. She accepted that as part of the deal and she’s fine about it. Delia is a woman, not a girl, and she understands the risks of my chosen profession. We talked about that plenty before we were even engaged.”
“I see. In that case, have a seat, and we’ll spell out what needs to be done and do a bit of planning on how to do it.”
“I take it this is about the Shamrock Gang.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ve heard they are a bad, bad bunch,” Flannery said. “So whatever I can do to help would give me a great deal of satisfaction.”
Longarm and Billy exchanged satisfied glances, both thinking that they had made the correct choice. “Custis, why don’t you tell Billy what you and Deputy Plummer learned yesterday afternoon while drinking?”
Longarm explained everything to Mike Flannery and ended by saying, “We know who the leaders of this gang are, and we know they’re brazen but probably very careful about who they mingle with. They’re poor Irish and they’re not only desperate, but extremely ruthless. They are the ones who slit that man’s throat yesterday afternoon, and they’d do the same to yours if they discovered you were a federal officer.”
“I understand.”
“We need you to go into that neighborhood posing as a fugitive from the law.”
“A man who escaped from prison or a jail?” Flannery asked.
“That would work fine. Or someone who has committed a serious crime and wasn’t caught.”
“Like murder.”
“Murder would be good,” Longarm said. “But you’d have to be very convincing, because your life will depend upon them believing you.”
“I can do that,” Deputy Flannery promised. “How long will I have to keep up the lie?”
“Good question,” Billy said. “And there’s no set answer. Keep it up only as long as it takes to get the ones that robbed the banks and who committed those other serious crimes. We’re federal officers, of course, so the bank jobs are paramount to us, but I’m sure any other crimes that can be proven would be very interesting to the local authorities.”
“You’ll need to look rough,” Longarm told the clean-shaven and respectable-looking lawman.
Flannery rubbed his square jaw. “My beard grows like a weed. By tomorrow I’ll look as if I haven’t shaved in a week. And as for the clothes and disguise, I know a few street drunks that will swap what I wear for what they wear and do so laughing their asses off.”
Billy looked to Longarm to see if he had any more comments, and when Longarm did not, he said, “All right. Take the day off, grow your beard, enjoy the good company of your lovely new wife, get dirty and rough-looking, and we’ll start tomorrow. Custis and Henry will work out the details and try to keep you protected.”
“I’m up for it,” Mike Flannery vowed. “Been doing paperwork for most of this month and I’m about to go stir-crazy at my desk.”
“Good luck, and we’ll see you all tomorrow morning at eight o’clock sharp. Got that, Custis?”
“Sure, Boss.”
“Good. Then for the rest of today, maybe you could finally level that stack of reports that are overdue.”
“Nothing I can think of would give me more pleasure,” Longarm said cryptically before getting up and leaving.
“What would you like me to do today?” Henry Plummer asked his boss.
Billy thought about that a moment and said, “Why don’t you tag along with Mike for a short time and see how he prepares for this one? Mike, that okay with you?”
“Sure.”
Marshal Billy Vail watched his two young deputies leave and walk through the outer office. They were about the same age but could hardly be more different. Henry Plummer had been raised with money and around powerful and influential people. He was tall and very handsome, and it was easy to imagine him one day being a successful politician just like his father.
Mike Flannery, on the other hand, was common country stock. Average size, average looks, and probably had never had more than twenty dollars in his pocket at one time. But Deputy Flannery ha
d proven himself to be an outstanding deputy and a credit to the department.
Billy hoped that some of Deputy Flannery’s toughness and street savvy would rub off on their new born-of-privilege deputy. It had better, or the mayor’s only son, handsome and self-assured Henry Plummer, would not last long in this dangerous and even deadly business.
A clerk popped his head into Billy’s office. “Sorry to bother you, but Sheriff Lanier sent a message over that he’d like to see you again and right away.”
It only took a second for Billy to form his response. “Tell Sheriff Lanier that if he is in such a red-hot hurry to meet me, then he should deliver his fat ass over here to my office.”
The clerk’s jaw dropped and he gulped before saying, “Do you really want me to tell him those exact words, sir?”
“Yeah, except leave out the ‘fat ass’ part.”
The clerk’s face showed his relief. “Yes, sir!”
When the man ducked out of sight, Billy grumbled, “Even if he does have a big fat ass.”
Chapter 5
The Flannery house was very, very small, and the furnishings were, to be kind, extremely modest and looked to be secondhand.
“Delia, I want you to meet our newest deputy marshal. Henry Plummer and I are going to be working together.”
Henry Plummer tried not to gape at the smiling young woman. She was beautiful, with long, shiny black hair, dark brown eyes, and a gorgeous complexion. Delia was almost as tall as her husband and quite voluptuous. Henry thought she might be Italian, or perhaps Greek, but whatever mixes her ancestry was, it had produced a striking beauty.
He bowed slightly. “Very honored to meet you, Mrs. Flannery.”
“Call me Delia, please.” She turned and beckoned him farther into their home, which, though it was humble, she had decorated with very good taste. “Can I get you some refreshments?”
“No, thank you.”
“Then please sit and we’ll all get acquainted,” Delia said, motioning him toward a sofa. “This is actually the first time that Michael has brought one of his friends from the office to visit.”
“I can only stay for a few minutes,” Henry told her, although he actually had nothing at all to do the rest of the afternoon.
“Well,” Delia said when they were settled in her tiny parlor. “How long have you worked for Marshal Vail and with my husband?”
Henry didn’t bother to hide a grin. “Oh,” he said, gazing for a moment up at the cracked ceiling, “I’d say about two days.”
Delia laughed. “That’s not very long.” She looked to her husband. “I remember when you started your job and how nervous you were about making a good impression. Hard to believe that you’ve worked as a federal law officer for almost a year.”
“Yeah,” Mike Flannery agreed, seeming to enjoy the exchange between Henry and his wife. “Hard to believe.”
“Will you two be doing something interesting together, or will you get stuck shuffling papers for a while?”
Henry glanced at his newfound friend then back to the man’s wife. He was not sure how much he should tell her and decided that it would be best to let her husband answer that troubling question.
“Well,” Michael said. “We’re going to be doing some very important work in the next week or two. And I have tell you that I won’t be bathing or shaving until this job is finished. And it would be best if you did the same, Henry.”
Delia gave her husband a tepid smile and said, “Why on earth would you and your new friend not shave or bathe?”
“We, uh . . . have to sort of get to know some bad sorts so that we can put them behind bars.”
Delia could not hide her sudden alarm. “That sounds pretty dangerous! Will you be working closely with my husband, Deputy Plummer?”
“Yes, and we’ll both be supervised by Deputy Marshal Custis Long.”
“Well, that at least makes me feel a little better,” she said with relief. “I’ve met Marshal Long a couple of times, and we all know of his sterling and outstanding reputation. But still, how dangerous will this new job be?”
Mike Flannery shrugged. “It comes with the territory, Delia. We’ve talked about this many times.“I know,” she argued, “but I never thought that you’d be asked to go amongst evil people and pretend that you are one of them. What would they do if they found out who you really are?”
Henry Plummer could see his companion was struggling to find a reassuring answer, but as the seconds ticked by it was obvious that his silence was really upsetting to his new wife. Finally, Henry blurted, “Mrs. Flannery, I mean Delia, I’m sure that your husband will be just fine. Marshal Billy Vail picked your husband over all the others in the office for this special assignment.”
Delia bit her knuckle for a moment and then forced a smile. “Well, that certainly is a high honor, I suppose.” She reached out and took her husband’s hand. “I always knew that Michael would do very well as a federal law officer. He is so brave and smart. It’s the only job that he’s ever wanted. Is it the same way with you, Henry?”
He could not lie to this woman. “In a way, yes. I mean, I wasn’t sure if this was exactly the job for me, but I was interested in law enforcement in general, and I’m pretty excited and optimistic about this new career.”
“You might as well learn the whole story,” Mike Flannery said. “Henry here is almost like royalty. His father is James Flannery, our mayor.”
“Well, well! Isn’t that something to be proud about!” Delia exclaimed. “How wonderful.”
“Thank you,” Henry replied. “But being the son of the mayor isn’t always an easy thing. I’ve always been held to an extremely high standard, and my childhood was extremely confining and structured. I went to private schools, studied constantly, and didn’t have nearly the fun and boyish adventures that I craved.”
“No, I suppose you wouldn’t have,” Delia said. “And what did your father say when you decided to go to work for the federal marshal’s office?”
“He was . . . was neither thrilled nor pleased.”
“That must have been a difficult discussion you had with your father.”
“It wasn’t easy. My father made it very clear years ago that he wanted me to go into banking, real estate, or to become a lawyer. But those professions seem so . . . so bloodless and boring. I may eventually go into law or business, but I couldn’t see myself doing that until I reach middle age.”
“You were right to stand by your own dreams and to do what your heart says you should,” Delia told him.
“True,” Henry agreed.
“I want to be a writer,” Delia announced.
“Is that right?”
“Yes. I’ve always written stories and I most love writing them for children. I have written at least twenty stories, and some of them have even been printed by small presses back in the East.”
“I would love to read a few of them someday.”
“Well,” Delia said, “I think you would not be impressed by reading little children’s stories. And I am constantly improving. Perhaps one day I’ll show you a story or two.”
“I’ll look forward to the day,” Henry said, getting up. “Now I’d better go.”
Delia frowned with disappointment. “Can’t you stay for supper? I have a pot roast that will be ready in about any hour, and I’m sure that you might enjoy a little glass of whiskey or wine.”
“Thank you but no,” Henry said with more firmness than he felt. “I have made other plans and really need to be leaving. But it was a sincere pleasure meeting you, Delia.”
“Don’t forget to wear some really bad clothes tomorrow when we meet at the office,” Mike Flannery reminded him. “Rub them around in your father’s gardens a bit. Don’t shave, and try to look dissipated.”
“That will be something
new,” Henry called as he headed for the sidewalk.
“And be well armed!”
Henry decided that he had better see about buying a revolver that very afternoon and remembered how unimpressed Custis Long had been about his sole weapon being a derringer.
“Good-bye, Henry!” Delia called. “Come back soon!”
“I will,” he promised, feeling his heart jump in his chest and his breath come a little quicker. He just had to get away from the Flannery house before he made a complete fool out of himself and started having indecent thoughts about this stunningly beautiful married woman.
• • •
After walking a block back toward town, Henry Plummer actually had no plans at all other than finding ragged clothes and a serviceable pistol. He lived with his father in a very large mansion not far from the Capitol Building. It was a street where big houses sat back far from the street, with imposing lawns tended to by hired gardeners who specialized in rose gardens. It was a house that had servants and cooks, and one that would have completely swallowed up Delia Flannery’s modest little bungalow in just a few of its huge rooms.
But Henry wasn’t thinking about any of those things. He was thinking that it would someday be nearly miraculous to find as beautiful, charming, intelligent, and mesmerizing a woman as Delia Flannery. And frankly, although he absolutely loathed and was ashamed of himself for thinking it, he could simply not imagine why she had married a very common and not good-looking lawman who was probably making little more than Henry’s father’s manservant.
Henry was so engrossed in this mystery that he stepped on an ice patch, and the next thing he knew he was sprawled out on the sidewalk.
Serves you right for lusting after another man’s wife, he thought, getting up and looking to see if anyone had seen him take his awkward and ungainly spill. Serves you very right indeed, Deputy Henry Plummer.
Chapter 6
“All right,” Longarm said the next day, “we’ve learned that this Hammer Head Saloon is where the Shamrock Gang members hang out from noon usually until after midnight. I’ve been thinking about this, and it seems pretty unlikely that Henry or you will be noticed by the kind of hard cases that will be coming and going from this place. Unfortunately, I probably would be recognized, so I’ll have to stay hidden outside and freeze.”
