Hard Edged (A Tony Masero Western)

by Tony Masero

  We’d kiss and fool around a little and she would teach me restraint. Oh Lord, she certainly did! I was near dying to have her and I reckon I spent most of that time going around with a permanent erection I was that horny. The others would remark on it, getting to call me ‘knob head’, ‘corral post’ and such like. Truth is, I was like to die for that woman.

  At last she relented and said I could go see her auntie and ask permission.

  The old girl proved to be a mean kind of bitch with a shrewd eye for the make. It cost me the price of a new house for that biddy before she would give permission for us to marry. But it was money well spent and it weren’t mine anyway. So, after I had set auntie up with nice town house with a regular faucet inside the property we finally got to tie the knot.

  It began there, I guess.

  That’s to say my gradual disillusion with the outlaw game. That and Ace’s decline.

  You see Ace was not a rampaging loon all the time; he could be a very fetching fellow, full of good jokes and harmonious company. We were friends from childhood you have to understand, we knew each other right well and for a long time I excused his errant ways in that memory. We were like two brothers in a way, having both suffered the same hardships in our growing.

  Kennedy was always there but kind of in the background with his quiet ways. He suffered being the butt of our jokes with an even temperament and his loyalty could never be questioned. He was the one with the brains I guess and if he had ever owned the brass to carry it out it would have been him who would have been boss.

  So that’s how it was until the day came along that Annie May told me she was with child.

  If you don’t have no kids you’ll never know how it is to have your first.

  I know you’ll have heard all the stuff about it being a miracle and a gift from on high but it ain’t like that. Yeah, well, it is in a way but you know what I mean. All those soft words and high blown thoughts don’t come into it. You and your wife made this thing that’s suddenly a reality. It’s yours and your lady’s, just yours…. all yours. And they look so damned perfect in their tiny reflection of an adult. Every nail and finger, hair and nostril a miniature piece of sculpture. Beautiful, I guess that’s the word. Took my breath away, I can tell you. Literally. The breath stopped in my chest when I was introduced to my daughter for the first time.

  Something gave way in me then.

  All the terrible things I had done in my life and all the bad things I had suffered in my time went away in the glistening of an eye when I looked at her.

  ‘You like her?’ Annie May asked from the bed, she was lying there exhausted all shining with sweat and with her hair strewn about like strings of wet straw.

  ‘Sweet Jesus, Annie May!’ was all I could manage.

  They had put the little ball of pink into my arms wrapped in a blanket and it curled and snuffled like a little newborn mouse.

  ‘What shall we call her then?’

  Annie May had been on about names for months, ever since she had started showing. She had a whole list of boys and girls names stockpiled from A to Z, starting with an ominous sounding Abraham right through to an equally doubtful Zydalia but now the time had come to it she was asking me.

  Then it came to me, clear as a bell ringing.

  ‘Callie,’ I said, without any doubt.

  ‘Callie Tallen, it is,’ Annie May agreed without a single quibble.

  So we did, we called her that but always in my mind she had another name. The one I had mouthed when I first saw her.

  Mouse.

  Chapter Three

  Can you ever leave off anything when you’ve spent your whole life doing it?

  Not really. I had no other skills to speak of. I could barely write and my reading abilities were limited. I knew my numbers good and that only came from adding up stolen money. So I knew if I was going to break away from the outlaw world it would have to be in another direction.

  I sent Gonzalez to go get Kennedy. Gonzalez was my right-hand man, a great tough fellow with shoulders as wide as an ox. Like most Mexicans he could make a terrible enemy but if he took to you, then he was there to the end. And Gonzales was like that, totally loyal and true but big and mean to all who opposed us. Him and Lefevre were my two closest allies after Ace and Kennedy. Lefevre was the quickest man I ever saw with a handgun, he was lean and handsome in a dago kind of way and therefore never short of a woman but he and I spoke the same language and I would trust him with my nearest and dearest. As I did when it came to it.

  I called in Kennedy and asked him. I knew there was no use speaking with Ace, he would not even believe me if I did. So it had to be Kennedy who had the brains to figure out such a conundrum.

  ‘You go legit,’ he advised me directly after barely a moment’s thought. ‘At least appear to do so.’

  ‘How’d I do that?’

  ‘Start with property. Cattle, land, things like that.’

  ‘But I couldn’t read a bill of sale if I got one.’

  ‘Maybe not but I can.’

  ‘You’d do that for me?’

  ‘I think it’s a good move, Smoke and I’m all for it. Sure, I’d be pleased to help out however I can.’

  ‘Ace ain’t going to go for it, you know that don’t you?’

  He nodded, ‘I know but then Ace is intent on going his own way.’

  ‘True enough,’ I agreed a little sadly, for Ace was still a long time companion.

  ‘You have money?’ Kennedy asked.

  ‘Enough to make a start.’

  ‘Could be there might be some heavy leaning to do to bring things off.’

  I remember smiling, ‘I’m good at that. That I can manage.’

  ‘Then it’s a deal,’ he said offering his hand. ‘I’ll bring in what cash I have and we make a partnership of it. How does that sound?’

  ‘You want to be involved in this?’ I asked, a little surprised.

  ‘I’m not a lover of the gun, you know that. Never have been. It was just the way it worked out for me but my heart was never in it and after that Paloma Springs thing, I don’t want it any more.’

  ‘No,’ I agreed. ‘That was bad.’

  ‘It’s going to be the way of it for Ace from now on. I’m afraid he’s losing all sense of propriety.’

  ‘That would be a strange thing for an outlaw to have anyway, don’t you think?’ I said this partly in defense of Ace, although I knew what Kennedy meant, there was a limit even within the loose world of lawbreakers.

  ‘I fear that unhinged is not a good bet whether it’s legal or illegal.’

  ‘You think he’s going crazy?’

  ‘Don’t you?’

  ‘Ach!’ I said dismissively. ‘Ace was always a wild card.’

  Kennedy smiled at the misplaced pun. ‘This is different,’ he added before going all parable and philosophical on me. ‘When you’re not playing with a full deck, the game is impossible to complete. There has to be rules or all we’re left with is chaos.’

  ‘And that would suit Ace perfectly.’

  Kennedy compressed his lips, nodding his head in ascent and saying nothing.

  ‘So where do we start?’ I asked.

  ‘I’ll hunt around see what I can find.’

  ~*~

  And that’s how it began.

  We did right well too. With Kennedy’s smarts and my abilities to bring pressure to bear we began to acquire a whole heap of interests. We part owned a silver mine, took over a chain of livery’s and then bought up a saloon and a brewery. We moved in on a parcel of Indian reservation land, selling on the land for settlement. There was some hassle from the local tribe but I sent in Gonzalez and Lefevre and that went quiet after a while. Some hard cases gave us grief for a time over free range grazing for our cattle but once again we busted heads and put one of them in the ground and after that there were no further problems.

  Within a year we had made three times what we made holding up stages and turning over banks. I would neve
r have guessed that going honest could be so lucrative.

  So with my share of the profits I built Annie May and Callie a fine house.

  It was in the fashion that a whole heap of cattle barons were constructing then. Big with lots of rooms, a veranda all around and the furnishings all imported from Europe or points east. The place sat on its own open stretch of prairie with long views all around so I could see anyone coming from miles away.

  To all appearances we were a profitable and successful company and to get away from the old Left-Eye image we called the setup The Golden Opportunities Land and Investment Company, as that sounded righteously prestigious and full of the right kind of entrepreneurial spirit.

  With me being around the house more in them days I got to see Callie all the time, which did my heart good, and Annie May enjoyed having me come in all smart in a suit and celluloid collar instead of a sweaty wool shirt and dragging a set of spurs across the floor. It was all going well and the future looked bright.

  But like all things seem to be in this dad-blasted messed-up world, just when you crack the nut and taste the meat along comes old man misery to show you that you ain’t worth no more than a spit in a hail storm.

  How it happened was like this.

  I was headed into town one day. Las Aves it’s called, a small place but growing. Not the least because of the amount of business we was bringing its way. That earned me a lot of respect from the locals and I had no fear when I travelled alone into the place. Men tipped their hats and gave me good day, ladies would demurely bob a little curtsey and I was treated generally like some kind of local lord. Even the Mexicans and blacks gave me way and due courtesy.

  I had stopped off in the cantina and had me a morning coffee and bite to eat and was strolling down to our offices on Main Street where Kennedy was aiming to meet me to discuss some plans we had on the go just then. I was busily tipping my hat to all and sundry as I went and giving out a regular greeting for such a fine day. It sure was one hell of surprise when I found myself suddenly lying on my back with my attention fully focused on the span of the broad blue sky above.

  That was until the pain hit.

  I guess I knew then I had been shot. I rolled over onto my belly and began to crawl. Hell! I don’t know where I was going I just reckoned I had to get out of there. Bam! That’s when I took another one in the leg. Now that one did hurt. Kind of like an aching scream of pain that scratched at every nerve in my body and made me cry out.

  The world was glazing over and a fogginess entering my brain. I didn’t know it until later but I took another two slugs in that time. I know I tried to get my pistol out, I remember trying to do that but things weren’t working too well and my fingers wouldn’t grip the handle real well.

  Funny thing is, I didn’t hear nothing in particular, it was all just a jumble of noise that strung together and didn’t make any sense. I guess there was women screaming and men hollering. Some horses thundered past, I recall that but then it was all lost in a semi-conscious blur.

  After that everything went black.

  ~*~

  I woke up three days later.

  All my family and friends were there. Annie May and Callie sat at my bedside with Ace and Kennedy standing behind. Over at the door waited a somber looking Gonzalez and I could see Lefevre outside chatting with the doctor’s nurse.

  Annie May had my hand in hers and Callie sitting on her lap was giving me a kind of solemn eye. I tried to tell them I was okay and everything was alright but my throat was dry as the Mohave and Annie May had to put a sip of water to my lips before I could make a sound.

  Word must have gotten to the doctor as he bustled in almost right away. Stocky little fellow dressed in a white coat over a military tunic and wearing a pair of sharp eyes.

  ‘Well, Mister Tallen beats me how you’re still with us. I took four slugs out of you and none of them in places you’d want an addition. You have a strong constitution, sir.’

  ‘When can I get up?’ I asked with a voice like a limp willow.

  ‘Hah!’ he laughed. ‘Not for a while yet. No, indeed not. It will take some time for rest and recovery.’

  ‘Can I go home?’

  ‘Maybe in a few days,’ he allowed. ‘Now you rest up and I’ll be by later when your friends have gone and give you a look over. Folks,’ he said, turning to the room. ‘Not too long now. We don’t want Mister Tallen getting tired at this early stage of his recovery.’

  When he had gone, Annie May gripped my hand hard, ‘Thank God!’ she breathed. ‘Oh, thank….’ Words failed her and tears began, and to hide them from Callie she lowered her head into the sheets alongside my arm.

  ‘Where am I?’ I asked.

  ‘You’re in the hospital at Fort Lodge. Ace had you brought over in his carriage.’

  I turned my attention to Callie, ‘And how are you, honey?’ I asked, my hand limply trying to cup her pretty little face.

  ‘I love you, daddy,’ she said, her eyes welling up.

  ‘Thank you, Mouse,’ I said. I know Annie May had been here all along and by looking at her dark eyes I knew she had managed only a little sleep. I looked over her shoulder at Kennedy and caught his attention and with a look told him that he was to see her home.

  ‘Run along, baby,’ I whispered. ‘I’ll be alright now; you take Callie and get some rest. Kennedy will see you safe.’

  I nodded at Gonzalez and Lefevre and they got the message, I knew they would both guard my family against all dangers.

  Annie May, I could see, was exhausted and it didn’t take much encouragement for her to agree to leave. So with a little wave from Callie they both went home under the protection of my men.

  When we were alone, I turned to Ace.

  ‘Tell me,’ I grunted.

  Ace spread his hands, ‘I don’t know yet. We’re looking and don’t you worry we’ll get the bastards,’ he growled angrily.

  ‘Who the hell shoots me down in the middle of Main Street?’ I said, my own anger surfacing.

  ‘Hell, Smoke,’ he said. ‘If I knew that they’d be dangling by their toes right this minute. Don’t worry, my friend, I’ll get the sons-a-bitches and by God they’ll pay. I swear they will.’

  ‘What was it? Pistols?’

  ‘No, long shot. Rifle, a Sharps so the Doc says going by the slugs.’

  My mind drifted back to Left-Eye and the unknown assassin that had lain him low.

  ‘Who though and why? Damn it, I’m out of the running now. Was it the law do you think?’

  ‘What? You mean some rogue element of the Rangers or the Pinkertons? Something like that.’

  ‘Could it be?’

  He shrugged, ‘It’s possible but more likely some party trying to hustle into your setup. You’re doing right well, so I hear. You got to have made enemies.’

  For a while my anger had taken precedence but now the aching started. It was all over my body and with it came a sudden weakness.

  ‘Find out what you can, will you, Ace?’

  ‘You know it,’ he promised. ‘And if there’s anything, anything at all you need. Just call on me, you promise?’

  I nodded weakly, ‘Will do.’

  ‘I’ll leave you to rest,’ he said, his face showing worry and concern. ‘Get well soon, brother. Shit! This is real bad, Smoke. Real bad.’

  ‘I’ll live,’ I breathed.

  ‘Make sure you do.’

  I had a breather then before the Doc came back in to check me over and I cast my mind over the possibilities. It had to be a competitor, a party bold enough to come into my range and willing to put me down in order to get all I had made over the past few years. They would surface again, I was sure of it. When they did I wanted to be ready for them.

  Chapter Four

  It took four months before I could walk again and then it had to be with a stick.

  I hobbled about in my house happy to be home but I noted things had changed. Particularly between me and Annie May. Why that was I can’t
rightly say, maybe it was because we had been apart so long whilst I was laid up. Or it was the fear of the same thing happening again, some folks can’t handle the nearness of death when it gets to be real. When it does come calling it kind of knocks them sideways as if its never going to happen and then suddenly the Grim Reaper is standing at the door and it’s all of a shock. The body works, the day is fine, you have a beautiful child growing and then, out of nowhere, comes the terror. A lot of people can’t handle that, and it breaks through their normal expectation of living forever and fading discretely away after a long life. But there’s nothing in this world that’s fair, no sir, nothing that gives you the right to such expectation – so it’s best not to have it in the first place.

  Or maybe she feared for Callie’s safety. I don’t know but whatever it was she was short with me and there was a kind of tightness evident in her company. I hated it but what could I do, I was still determined to find out where the danger lay and as yet no word had reached me.

  There were whispers I knew, some hint of powerful parties at play but nothing you could exactly put your finger on. Both Ace and Kennedy were digging but neither of them had made any great discoveries as yet. The only sure thing, was that when I found out whom it was then I would make sure they were buried fast. It did my reputation no good to be seen as an easy mark. An example would have to be made.

  ~*~

  Finally, it was thanks to Gonzalez that the breakthrough arrived.

  Although not how I would have liked it to happen.

  Gonzalez lived with a short, fat, humble-faced round woman with hard-skinned work-worn hands and bare feet. Always dressed in black, she was a pleasant enough older Mexican peasant woman, who cared for Gonzalez and seemed to get on with him in a stolid and mostly subservient kind of way.

  It was she who came to see me.

  Consuela was standing in my lounge and shivering at the time, wringing her hands with eyes that were red-rimmed from crying. Her face bore a savage purple bruising that ran from a swelling eye all the way down her neck. She was dressed in a long and rather tired looking bulky black dress, with a veil she had pushed back over her thick greying hair. Hair that was in disarray and looked more like a wired bird’s nest at the moment. You couldn’t say that Consuela was a good looking lady, she had a dark mustache marking her upper lip and sweat beaded her double chins but she was robust and had seen enough hard times when she lived across the border to enable her to spit out her story without too many breakdowns.