Revenge at the Rodeo

by Gilbert, Morris

  Dani looked at him and smiled. “I don’t think so, Luke,” she disagreed, leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek.“It looks as if I’ve got you to take care of me.” She turned and stepped inside the room, leaving him to stare at the door for a full minute. Then he turned and walked to his own room, his face thoughtful as he touched the spot on his cheek that bore a trace of her lipstick.

  Dani opened the door the next morning at seven to find Sixkiller waiting. “Let’s go eat,” he suggested. On their way to the hospital he told her about his visit at four o’clock. “Gave me kind of a shake, you know?” he admitted, keeping his eyes on the traffic. “I mean, Ben’s always been so active—and when I saw him all pale and still, well, I didn’t much like it. Never was much good around sick people.”

  They found Ruth at the hospital and with her was Clint Thomas. She introduced him to the pair, and Dani felt the power of his hands in the brief handshake. “Glad to know you, Miss Ross,” he greeted her in a soft baritone. “But too bad it’s got to be under such tough circumstances.” He was not a large man, which surprised Dani for some reason. Wiry and strong, he was no more than medium height, with stiff black hair and deep-set black eyes. He had a cleft in his chin and was not handsome, but Dani knew he would draw the attention of women. He was, Ruth had told her, thirty-eight years old and divorced.

  “Glad to meet you, Clint,” Sixkiller exclaimed, then added, “I was there the night you rode Tombstone.”

  Thomas gave the muscular Sixkiller a keen look and smiled ruefully, “Well, I’m glad you were there that night, ‘cause nobody’s rode him since then!” He looked suddenly at Dani. “Are you two—ah—going together?”

  “I’m—ah—trying my best to talk her into it, Clint,” Sixkiller retorted. “Not much luck so far. May be she won’t have an Indian on the place.”

  “Oh, hush, Luke!” Dani sputtered, then turned to Ruth. “You go in this time. Luke and I will be here all day.”

  Ruth nodded and left, and the three of them sat down to wait. Sixkiller asked Clint how he had done lately, and Thomas spoke easily. “Got kind of a hold on number one—but that ol’ Bake could take that away anytime, Luke.” He spoke openly of the money he’d made thus far, and Dani sat there listening, trying to read the man. She’d only known Ruth a few hours, but she was Ben’s sister and was in love with Clint Thomas. This man was no grocery clerk; in his own small world, he was king. That did things to people, Dani realized. It made despots out of some, brought out benevolence in others. She had kept up with the world of rodeo years ago, in high school, and was aware that the stars in that world drew groupies. There would be plenty of women for Clint Thomas—easy women, who would ask nothing more than his notice, at any price. Some men could handle that, and some women, too—but many became users, tiring quickly of what came so easily and always looking for a new thrill.

  Ruth came back after the brief visit, announcing, “He’s just the same.” Dani persuaded her that there was no need for staying and suggested, “You can come back and see him at four o’clock. Luke and I will be here.”

  Ruth said, “All right, Dani, if you think so.”

  Clint offered, “Hey, if there’s anything I can do—maybe help with the expenses, anything?”

  But Dani recommended, “Just take care of Ruth.” She stood there, watching the pair leave, and at once asked, “What did you think of him?”

  “Clint Thomas? I guess he’s okay.” Sixkiller’s brow wrinkled, and he added, “He’s got a rep as a woman chaser—but any guy in his shoes would have women after him.”

  “I hope he’s all right. Ruth doesn’t need another bump right now.”

  “Well, let’s go feed Handsome,” Sixkiller proposed. They got the bread and sat down under a small oak beside the pond. The sun was hot as it rose, but the sound of the waves lapping the shore and the reflection of the small tree quivering in the water brought a peace to the place. Dani threw bread to the ducks, watched them gobble it down, and laughed as Handsome carried on his eternal war to hog all the food.

  She went in to see Ben at noon. Ruth came at four—this time alone—and then Dani went in at eight. She went out for a sandwich and for another walk, then called her parents, giving them her brief and unsatisfying report on Ben’s condition. “I’d better come home tonight, Dad,” she suggested.

  “Don’t worry about the office,” he insisted. “I talked to Mel this morning, and he can help fill in until you can get free.” Mel Hartz was an ex-investigator who had once worked for Daniel and if he was on the job, there was no problem with her father.

  The hours moved slowly. During the midnight visit Dani was startled. She had gone into Ben’s room, and in the solitude was praying audibly and fervently for him. Her prayer was for God’s will to be done, but she cried, “O God, I don’t know your will for Ben! And until I do know it, I’m going to pray for you to bring health to his body. He’s in your hands, not the hands of the doctors—!”

  At a faint noise she broke off and looked up to see with some degree of shock that Dr. Rogers had entered the room and was standing right across from her, considering her with a level gaze. “Oh—Dr. Rogers! I didn’t hear you come in!” she told him apologetically.

  He smiled, the first smile she’d seen on his lips, and granted, “Well, I gathered you weren’t talkin’ to me, Miss Ross. And I nevuh want to interrupt when someone’s talkin’ to God.”

  Dani asked quietly, “Do you believe in God, Doctor?”

  “Yes, Ah guess Ah do.” Dr. Rogers shrugged. “But Ah’m not on as good terms with him as you are.” Then he broke off and looked down at Ben, putting his fingers on the strong throat. “He’s no bettuh, Miss Ross. In fact, he’s worse. The longer he stays in this coma, the worse it is. Could go into a bad condition.”

  Dani bowed her head, then raised it suddenly. Her eyes were gray-green, the strangest color Rogers had ever seen, and her lips were tight with determination. “Doctor Rogers, let me stay with him,” she requested. “I won’t do a thing. All I want to do is stand beside him.”

  The doctor knew the answer he should give to that request, but for some reason that puzzled him, he refused to give it. Intensive care, he well knew, was to keep people out. But after the silence in the room had run on for a few seconds, he nodded. “Don’t see any harm in it,” he admitted. He considered Dani, then cryptically added as he turned to leave, “May even do some good.”

  Dr. Rogers poked his head in the waiting room, explaining, “Youh young woman, she’s goin’ to stay with Mistuh Savage.” Then he cocked his head, an admiring look in his eyes. He smiled. “She’s a pistol, ain’t she now?”

  Dani stood beside Ben for nearly four hours, moving almost not at all. Occasionally nurses would come and read the gauges, make notations, then leave, but they didn’t speak to her.

  The time meant nothing to Dani. It might have been minutes or seconds for all that she knew. She had prayed for long periods before—but this was different. She lost, for perhaps the first time in her life, self-consciousness. Like most other people, Dani was always conscious of herself, even when praying. But as she prayed for Ben, at some point, she—Dani Ross—was no longer a factor in her spirit or her thoughts. She was engaged in a holy argument with God, and the only thing in the universe was God and the need—Ben’s healing.

  Finally, she moved into a state of consciousness of her surroundings, and it was like coming from one world to another.

  She saw that Ben’s eyes were open!

  “Thank you, Jesus!” she whispered and leaned over. “Ben, can you hear me?”

  Savage’s eyes regarded her, but he didn’t speak. Once she thought his lips moved, and she was certain that there was recognition of her in his eyes, but soon he closed his eyes again.

  Dani straightened up. “I’m going to believe you, God, all the way to the cemetery! He looked at me—and he knew me!”

  She left the room, and Sixkiller, taking one look at the stars in her eyes, came to his fee
t, his face alive. “He’s better!”

  Dani nodded, unable to speak for a moment and he took her in his arms. She wanted to weep, but struggled against it. “He opened his eyes, Luke—and he knew me!”

  She never told anybody about that time of prayer, but when the doctor came in at four, she met him and told him what had happened. He looked at her carefully, then shrugged. “Both of you can come in.”

  He led Dani and Sixkiller to Ben’s bed, and as soon as he touched the forehead, Savage’s eyes opened. “Well, now, this is bettuh!” Dr. Rogers exclaimed. “Don’t try to talk, young man. Just let me take a look.” He stared into Savage’s eyes, then straightened up. “Are you awake?” he asked.

  Ben looked at him steadily, then nodded slightly. “Fine! Fine!” the doctor commented. He moved to the charts, ran his eyes over them, then came back to stand beside Savage, looking down on him. “You’ve had us worried. Do you know this young lady?”

  Ben’s head turned slightly, and his eyes fell on Dani. His lips moved, and then he moistened them. “Hello, Boss,” he whispered huskily.

  “Ben!” Dani’s eyes filled with tears, and she had to grope for a handkerchief. Sixkiller handed her his and she dabbed at the tears that ran down her cheeks. “Ben—” she quavered, her voice rough, “You’re all right.”

  Dr. Rogers observed Savage’s response as Dani spoke to him, then ordered, “Well, now, what this young fellow needs is some rest. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t out of this place and in a private room befoah long!”

  He led Dani and Sixkiller out of the room and turned at once to announce, “He’s going to be all right, Miss Ross. His eyes are fine—absolutely clear.” Then he hesitated before saying carefully, “I told you this might happen. And the charts say that he started gettin’ bettuh while you were sittin’ with him. Now, I suppose you’re going to say it was God’s doing?”

  “Yes, I am, Doctor!” Dani declared firmly. Then she gave him a militant look and asked sternly, “Whose doing do you think it was that brought him back?”

  Dr. Rogers shook his head soberly. “Well, not mine, Miss Ross.” Then he smiled, adding, “As a physician I have no answer, but as a seeking man, I’ll have to say that I think it actually was God who did the work.”

  He left on that, and as he had said, Ben was moved to a private room. Delighted, Ruth fell into Dani’s arms, tears streaming down her face. They all went out and ate at a fast-food place, but at noon the next day they all filed into Ben’s room.

  He was sitting up, looking alert, despite the greenish bruises on his face. Though Ben winced when he moved, his eyes were bright and aware. He watched them come in, then greeted Sixkiller with, “Not enough criminals in New Orleans to keep you busy?”

  “None of my business how many crooks there are in New Orleans. I’ve been suspended. Police brutality.”

  Ben wanted to hear about it, so Sixkiller gave him a quick rundown. Then Savage greeted Dani, “Hello, Boss. Who’s minding the store?”

  “Dad’s working some, and Mel is filling in.” She wanted to touch him, but instead tried to act tough. “I knew as soon as you got out of my sight this would happen.”

  Savage’s lips curled upward at the corners, and he nodded. “Well, Sherlock got tossed off a cliff by Professor Moriarty.”

  Ruth came to her brother and bent down to kiss him. “Ben, I’ve felt so awful! It was all my fault.”

  “How was it your fault that I was stupid?” he asked. Disgust swept his features as he added, “I might as well have worn a sign: STUPID DETECTIVE HERE—COME AND BEAT HIM UP.”

  “How’d they get you?” Sixkiller asked.

  “Why, a guy called me up and said he had a lead on who was making the phone calls. And I just went there and let him hit me over the head.”

  “Did you see who it was?” Ruth inquired.

  Disgust larded Savage’s voice as he answered, “No. He told me to meet him out on the edge of town. Said he’d be in an eighty-nine Camaro. Well, the Camaro was there, and like a sucker I walked over to it. There was a guy in it. I bent down to speak to him, and he knocked my brains out. I guess he must have taken a few licks after I was out, too.”

  “You’ll be out of commission for a while, Ben,” Dani pointed out. “You’ve got a broken collarbone and some nasty bruises. As soon as Dr. Rogers says it’s all right, we’ll take you back home.”

  Savage stared at her stubbornly. “And just let Ruth go down the drain?”

  Ruth interjected, “Oh, Ben, don’t be muleheaded! You’re in no shape to follow me around from one rodeo to the next! And now that everyone knows you’re a detective, you’ll never be able to find out anything.”

  “I can handle it.”

  Dani grew suddenly angry. “Ben Savage, if you think I’ve got nothing to do but drop everything and come running every time you get in a jam, you’ve got another think coming. Now, you’re going back to New Orleans, and that’s all there is to it!”

  “Am not!” he snapped.

  For the next ten minutes the three of them tried to talk Ben into going home. Finally Savage declared, “You’re always trying to run a man’s life, but you’re not going to run mine.”

  Sixkiller broke in, “Hey, let’s give the patient a little rest, okay?”

  Dani saw that Ben’s face was pale, and she bit her lip in chagrin. “I’m sorry, Ben,” she apologized.

  “It’s okay.”

  The room was quiet, until Sixkiller commented, “I thought you were a smart gal, Dani. I’m just a dumb flatfoot, but I know what to do.”

  All three looked at Sixkiller, and he grinned suddenly. “You’ve got a horse and trailer, Dani. You know how to ride a barrel race. Do I have to spell it out for you?”

  Dani stared at him, her eyes blank with shock. Finally she gasped, “Do you mean I should go undercover and find whoever’s making those calls?”

  Ruth exclaimed, “That’s a wonderful idea! And you’d get paid, Dani!”

  Dani stared at her. “Paid by whom?”

  “By me,” Ruth announced promptly. “And by the rest of us. I’ll be paying for the rest of my career, if this thing goes on. Maybe I can get the others to go in, and we’ll hire you to work for us.”

  “Sure, and you might pick up a few bucks in the barrel races,” Sixkiller urged.

  Dani stood there, unable to speak. Finally she snapped, “I won’t do it!”

  The silence ran on, and then Savage requested, “Luke, will you and Ruth step outside for a minute?” He waited until the two left, then said, “I hear you prayed me back to life.”

  Dani, expecting something else, flushed. “God healed you.”

  “Dr. Rogers said it was you.” Savage looked at her strangely. “I don’t think he’s given to rash statements. Thanks.”

  Dani reddened, then took the hand he put out. “Oh, Ben, I was so scared!”

  He held her hand, instead of releasing it, and she didn’t know what was in his mind. His eyes were fixed on her, and finally he insisted, “Boss, you’ve got to do it.”

  Dani stiffened and tried to pull her hand away, but he held it fast. “Ben, that’s a crazy idea, and you know it!”

  “No, it’s not crazy,” he murmured. He was looking at her hand, and then he put his other one over hers and looked up into her face.

  “I can’t leave the agency. Dad would work himself to death.”

  “No, he wouldn’t. You find this guy and put him down. I’ll take care of the agency.”

  His answer took the wind out of her sails. She stood there, her hand held in both of his, and tried to think, but her mind was blank.

  “Boss,” Ben gently pointed out, “You’re no good to anybody the way you are!” She tried to jerk her hand away, but he held it. “You killed a man, Dani. No getting away from that. He’s dead, and all your tears won’t bring him back.”

  “And will it bring him back—if I do this job for Ruth?”

  Savage shook his head, and his voice was even as
he replied, “No, that won’t bring him back—but somehow you’ve got to accept the fact that you killed him. A change of scene might help. Maybe give you time to think it through—or pray it through.”

  He fell silent and released her hand. She stood there, her mind racing, but nothing came. Then she took a deep breath, her breast stirring as she acknowledged, “Ben, I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. But I’ll do it. For Ruth’s sake, if for no other reason.”

  He smiled at her, and the smile made him look much younger. “I’ll owe you one for this, Boss,” he said. “Tell Ruth, will you?”

  Dani went to the door and opened it. When the two others came in, she announced, “I’ll give it a try, Ruth. Probably won’t do a bit of good, and you won’t owe me if I don’t come up with the crook.”

  Ruth was delighted, but Ben quickly demanded, “Ruth, have you told anyone about Dani, that she’s a private investigator?”

  “Not a soul! Not even Clint!”

  “Good, keep it like that. Once Dani’s found the killer, the others can kick in their share of the fee. Then Savage shook his head. “It’s a risky business, Boss. I wish you had somebody to watch your back.”

  Sixkiller spoke up, “Oh, well, Ben, I’ve been watching her for a long time. I may as well watch her back for a change of pace.”

  “Never mind watching my back or anything else!” Dani snapped.

  “I mean it,” Sixkiller insisted, then gave her an odd look. “Hey, I’m an Indian, and I was raised on a horse ranch in Oklahoma. Give you one guess what I grew up hoping to be?”

  Savage’s eyes gleamed, and he said, “I’d guess a rodeo star.”

  “Give the man a cigar.” Sixkiller grinned. “And I was pretty good, too. If I’d stayed with it, I might be giving Clint Thomas a run for his money. But I became a cop instead. Only now I’m an ex-cop—at least for three months.” A hint of laughter gleamed in his eyes, and he quipped, “Well, now I get to play cowboy for three months—and watch the elegant Miss Danielle Ross!”

  Dani stared at him. “You mean—compete in the rodeo?”