Packing Iron

by Steve Hayes

‘He ain’t for sale.’

  ‘Everything’s for sale, amigo, includin’ a man’s soul. Just gotta find the right price.’

  Gabriel felt a trickle of sweat run down his back under his shirt. He wasn’t afraid of the diminutive gunman, but he did wonder if he could out-draw him.

  ‘Name it,’ Latigo continued. He gestured toward the stolen loot piled in the freight wagon. ‘I’m a rich man now. Can afford anything I want. Even a stolen horse.’

  Gabriel, knowing Latigo was trying to goad him into drawing, refused to back down. ‘Seems to me, that’d be the last thing you’d worry about.’

  ‘Guilty as charged, amigo.’ Latigo grinned. Deep down he admired Gabriel and hated to have to kill him. ‘Ever wonder how it would play out ’tween you’n me?’

  ‘Never,’ Gabriel said.

  ‘Never?’

  ‘Never.’

  ‘Me, too,’ said Latigo, laughing. He leaned slightly forward, onto the balls of his feet, his left hand dangling just above his gun. ‘Any time you’re ready, make your play.’

  Gabriel, realizing that Latigo, like most deadly gunmen, only wore two guns for show, concentrated on Latigo’s left forearm. He knew the lefty’s hand might be quicker than his eye, but no matter how fast Latigo was, his forearm had to move first – and Gabriel hoped that that infinitesimal advantage would be enough for him to out-draw the little gunfighter.

  Before he could find out he heard Raven call his name.

  ‘Gabe … Gaaaabe!’

  ‘Hold it,’ he told Latigo. Taking a chance that Latigo would oblige, he turned and saw Raven running toward him.

  ‘What is it?’ he asked as she charged up.

  ‘Momma needs you. That girl, the one hurt in the stable, she’s bleeding ’tween her legs and Momma’s trying to get the doctor to look at her.’

  ‘What’s she need me for?’

  ‘There’s a bunch of looters stopping her. They’re robbin’ all the houses on the doctor’s street. The folks who live there are trying to hold ’em off and nobody will stop shooting to let Momma pass.’

  Gabriel looked questioningly at Latigo.

  The little gunman shrugged. ‘This’ll keep,’ he said and handed Gabriel the Morgan’s reins. He then winked at Raven. ‘Remember me, missy?’

  ‘Sure. You’re the man who watered his horse at our ranch outside Santa Rosa.’

  ‘That’s right.’ He playfully ruffled her hair. ‘Got a good memory.’

  ‘I had a gun trained on you all the time, did you know that?’

  ‘Sure,’ he said, playing along. ‘Why do you think I hightailed it out of there.’ He grinned at Gabriel, ‘I like her grit,’ and walked off.

  Gabriel stepped into the saddle and pulled Raven up behind him.

  ‘Know what?’ she said as they rode off.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I bet he’s not that fast.’

  ‘You’d lose that bet.’

  ‘Huh,’ she said. ‘Well, I still think you could beat him.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Hearing gunfire ahead, Gabriel slowed the Morgan to a walk as he entered Pioneer Avenue, a broad tree-lined street with large wood-frame houses on one side and open country on the other.

  He could see Ingrid and the hostler’s daughter crouched behind an abandoned buckboard, and farther on down the street a dozen or more looters, hiding behind trees and rocks, shooting at the houses opposite. People in the homes returned their fire, keeping the looters pinned down.

  Gabriel reined up as he reached the buckboard, waited for Raven to jump off then dismounted and hunkered down beside Ingrid.

  ‘Thank goodness you’re here,’ she said, concerned. ‘I begged them to stop shooting but the darn fools wouldn’t listen to me.’ Lowering her voice so only he could hear, she added: ‘I’ve done all I can to slow the bleeding down, but the poor child’s already lost a lot of blood—’

  Gabriel looked at the young girl slumped against the rear wheel. Her eyes were closed and she looked drained. There was blood on the skirt of her dress and the sight of it, and the looters’ lack of compassion, enraged him.

  ‘Which house is the doc’s?’

  ‘The middle one,’ Ingrid pointed at a green house with white trim around the windows and front door. The glass was broken in the downstairs windows and rifles poked out of two of them. But whoever was shooting wasn’t accurate and Gabriel knew it was merely a matter of time before the looters took over.

  ‘Stay here,’ he told Ingrid. ‘That means you, too,’ he warned Raven.

  Pulling a Winchester from its scabbard under the saddle, he ducked low and made his way toward the looters. Trees and rocks and bushes hid him from them, allowing him to work his way around behind them.

  He got within spitting distance before one man paused to reload and turned in Gabriel’s direction. Alarmed, he dropped his rifle and grabbed for his pistol.

  Gabriel shot him. At once the others whirled around. Gabriel shot two more then dived behind some rocks as the looters opened fire.

  From behind cover Gabriel angrily pumped round after round into them. And when the rifle was empty he drew his Colt and continued firing.

  Unprotected from behind, the looters had no chance. Three more were killed and several others wounded. At the same time, the people in the houses, encouraged by Gabriel’s attack, stepped up their shooting.

  Caught between a withering cross-fire, the remaining looters threw down their weapons and raised their hands in surrender.

  Gabriel emerged from behind the rocks. Keeping the looters covered, he signaled to the people in the houses that the fight was over.

  About to signal Ingrid the same message, he saw that she and Raven had already linked hands to form a sling and were carrying the hostler’s daughter to the doctor’s house. Before they reached there, Dr Guzman and his two teenage sons rushed out and helped them inside.

  ‘Better pray that girl don’t die,’ Gabriel grimly told the looters. ‘’Cause if she does, I’ll personally see to it you all swing.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  By nightfall all the fires were out and any looters who hadn’t ridden off with Latigo Rawlins were in jail. Everyone gathered in the partly burned town hall to discuss the restoration of the damaged buildings. That included Gabriel, though it took a lot of persuading by Ingrid and Raven to make him accompany them.

  Mayor Adam Pratt, a short, chubby, ebullient man in his sixties, banged his gavel for silence and then showed everyone a telegraph message that he’d received from the newly elected governor of California, Henry Harrison Markham in reply to his request for state assistance and military protection to stop any future looting.

  ‘The Governor assures me that help is on its way,’ the mayor said. ‘Says there’s a trainload of workmen coming to help us dig out any earthquake survivors; and he’s dispatching a military detachment from Union Camp some time tomorrow.’

  Cheers arose from the townspeople.

  ‘I have more good news, folks. A deputy marshal will be arriving soon from Sacramento to help keep the peace. In the meantime the Governor advised me to appoint a new sheriff as soon as possible.’ Pausing, Mayor Pratt searched the faces of the people seated before him, hoping for a response.

  None came.

  ‘Come, come, gentlemen,’ he encouraged. ‘Surely one of you is willing to volunteer your services.’

  ‘Him!’ Dr. Guzman pointed at Gabriel. As everyone turned and looked, he added: ‘If he hadn’t risked his life and stopped those looters from robbing me and my neighbors – perhaps even killing us – Beth Ingram would have surely died.’

  ‘That’s for true,’ Travis Ingram said. Rising, the burly, balding hostler walked to the back of the room and offered Gabriel his hand. ‘Me’n my daughter owe you, mister. And as long as you’re living here anythin’ I got is yours. So help me God.’

  Embarrassed, Gabriel shook hands and accepted the applause from everyone around him.

  ‘How ’bo
ut it, mister?’ Mayor Pratt pointed his gavel at Gabriel. ‘Can we count on you to uphold the law and protect us?’

  Gabriel didn’t hesitate. ‘Appreciate the offer, Mr Mayor, but—’

  Mayor Pratt cut him off. ‘Don’t have to decide right now, friend. Think on it a while. Discuss it between you’ – he beamed at Ingrid and Raven – ‘Maybe come morning, you’ll feel differently.’

  ‘We’ll do that,’ Raven said cheekily.

  ‘Rav-ven,’ her mother chided.

  Everyone laughed.

  ‘Meeting adjourned,’ Mayor Pratt said quickly and banged his gavel.

  The townspeople started talking among themselves, forming little groups as they slowly began filing out.

  Mayor Pratt hurried over to Gabriel, Ingrid and Raven. After offering Ingrid condolences for the loss of her stepbrother, he turned to Gabriel, said: ‘I don’t think I caught your name, sir.’

  ‘Gabe Moonlight,’ Gabriel said reluctantly.

  ‘Well, Mr Moonlight, I hope you change your mind and accept the job. Reece Blackwood was a friend of mine. A good friend. And the citizens of Old Calico owe him a lot. Without his enthusiasm and drive to make this a good place to live in, you’d most likely be looking at a ghost town.’ He paused, hoping to get a favorable response from Gabriel.

  When he didn’t, he said: ‘Now it may seem odd to you that we’d appoint a stranger as our sheriff. And under normal circumstances, you’d be right. We’d elect him by vote. But I don’t need to tell you that these aren’t normal circumstances. And since you’ve proved you’re more than capable, and Doc Guzman recommended you, well, that’s good enough for me and for everyone else. So I hope you’ll reconsider.’

  Again he waited for Gabriel to respond and again Gabriel didn’t.

  The mayor, knowing a stubborn man when he saw one, tipped his hat to Ingrid. ‘G’night, ma’am. You too, little lady,’ he said to Raven, adding: ‘Keep working on him, OK? I got a feeling he’s the perfect man for the job.’ He hurried off.

  ‘Nice fella,’ Gabriel said, meaning it.

  Ingrid nodded. ‘This is a nice town, too, full of nice people. Be a fine place to settle down.’

  Gabriel frowned at her. ‘Not suggestin’ I take the job, are you?’

  ‘You know me better than that, Gabe.’

  ‘But you wouldn’t object if I did?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘How ’bout you?’ Gabriel asked Raven. ‘Want to throw in your two cents?’

  Raven carefully weighed her answer. ‘Would I get to be your deputy? When I’m old enough,’ she added as he rolled his eyes. ‘You’ll need someone you can trust and you did say I was responsible—’

  ‘Hush,’ her mother said. She lifted her eyes lovingly to Gabriel. ‘I guess what we’re both saying is, we want you to be a part of our lives. And if that means being sheriff or helping me to run my brother’s businesses or even cutting hair at Julius’s barbershop – we’ll support your decision.’

  Gabriel gave a grunt that could have meant anything. ‘’Case it’s slipped your minds, ladies, I’m wanted in three states an’ a whole country called Mexico.’

  ‘Who’s gonna know that way up here?’ Raven said.

  ‘The deputy marshal, for one.’

  ‘I bet he won’t,’ she said. ‘I bet he ain’t even heard of you. And even if he has, I bet he won’t care. All he’ll care about is getting free breakfast, lunch an’ dinner and a fast train ride home.’

  ‘Raven, for heaven’s sake—’

  ‘It’s true, Momma. Dad told me so. Said whenever ol’ Marshal Sheply came to Santa Rosa, or even Las Cruces, that’s all he ever talked about – getting stuff for free. Fringe benefits, Dad said he called them. Said he was more worried about that than who needed hanging.’

  ‘I wish you’d stop exaggerating,’ Ingrid said. ‘Though I must admit,’ she added, after a pause, ‘Marshal Sheply, God rest his soul, did enjoy the comforts of life.’

  ‘He enjoyed a lot more than that,’ Raven said, sounding older than her years. ‘’Cording to Dad, every cantina floozy in the territory knew him by his first name.’

  ‘All right, that’s quite enough, young lady. We don’t need any lurid details.’

  ‘I was just trying to prove my point, Momma.’

  ‘Which is?’ Gabriel said.

  ‘That lawmen like things easy, same as anyone else.’

  ‘What’s that got to do with me bein’ wanted?’

  ‘Everything. If you were a deputy marshal where would you want to spin your spurs – Old Calico or some big city like Sacramento or San Francisco?’

  Gabriel scowled. ‘Spurs don’t spin. Rowels spin.’

  ‘Good-God-Almighty.’ Raven gave a frustrated snort. ‘You’re more pernickety than my Dad!’

  ‘Gonna argue, scout, get your facts straight.’

  ‘All right,’ she said, undaunted, ‘I will. The fact is, Mr Moonlight, sir, you’re not wanted for anything in California and that’s all the marshal will care about. He’ll make sure you’re sworn in legally, order the most expensive meal in town an’ be on the next train back to Sacramento ’fore he’s even wiped the soup stains off his shirt!’

  Gabriel chewed on her words for a moment. ‘That’s what you figure, huh?’

  ‘That’s what I know. I may only be fourteen—’

  ‘Thirteen,’ corrected her mother. ‘You still have three weeks to go before—’

  ‘—but that doesn’t mean I’m deaf, dumb or blind,’ Raven continued, ‘or stupid. While you been moping around the ranch, Momma, and you,’ she said to Gabriel, ‘been ducking sheriffs, I’ve been listening and watching and payin’ attention to what’s going on around me. Been reading, too. By myself in the desert. Books that Dad gave me—’

  ‘So that’s where they disappeared to,’ Ingrid exclaimed. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

  ‘You wouldn’t have believed me. Would’ve said I was makin’ stuff up to get out of helping you do the wash.’ She turned back to Gabriel. ‘Dad said I gotta be smart if I want to make something of myself. And I do. I want to be rich an’ important some day and I’m not gonna let anybody stand in my way!’

  ‘Incredible,’ Ingrid said, looking at her daughter as if she didn’t know her. ‘I swear, Raven, you are the most perplexing child.’

  ‘Why? ’Cause I don’t want to grow up like you, dependent on every man who comes along—’

  ‘Enough! I don’t want to hear another word out of you, young lady. And I’m sure Gabriel doesn’t either.’

  ‘Fine,’ Raven said, disgusted. ‘Don’t listen to me. See if I care. But one day you’ll be sorry. Both of you. So there!’

  Floored by her audacity, Gabriel looked at Ingrid for help.

  ‘Don’t look at me,’ she said wearily. ‘I’ve given up being dumbfounded by her a long time ago.’

  Gabriel turned back to Raven. Black eyes full of fight, lips set in a tight, white, stubborn line, jaw thrust out defiantly she made no attempt to avoid his steely gaze.

  At that moment he admired her enough to hug her. ‘No one’s sayin’ you’re stupid,’ he said quietly, ‘or it’s wrong to have ambitions—’

  ‘Then you will ’least think about it – staying, I mean?’

  ‘Reckon.’

  ‘Not just saying that to shut me up?’

  ‘Nope.’

  ‘Swear?’

  ‘I swear.’

  ‘’Cause if you are, and you’re gonna ride out on us again, I’d sooner know now so I can get it all cried out of me.’

  ‘Heaven help us,’ Ingrid murmured.

  Gabriel sighed, hunkered down so his eyes were level with Raven’s, and placed his hands fondly on her shoulders.

  ‘Ever known me to lie?’

  ‘No, sir.’

  ‘Go back on my word?’

  ‘No, sir.’

  ‘Reckon that settles it then.’ Grasping their hands he led them out of the hall into the cool night air, which still smelled faintly
of smoke, and they began walking home.

  By the Same Author

  Gun For Revenge

  Copyright

  © Steve Hayes 2009

  First published in Great Britain 2009

  This edition 2012

  ISBN978 0 7198 0713 8 (epub)

  ISBN978 0 7198 0714 5 (mobi)

  ISBN978 0 7198 0715 2 (pdf)

  ISBN978 0 7090 8806 6 (print)

  Robert Hale Limited

  Clerkenwell House

  Clerkenwell Green

  London EC1R 0HT

  www.halebooks.com

  The right of Steve Hayes to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988