by Neil Hunter
‘I sort of expected something like that,’ McCall said.
Ballard took a deep breath. ‘Yeah,’ he said.
The desk clerk appeared at the head of the stairs. He saw the Texans and came across to then.
‘Your water will be ready in a few minutes, Mr. McCall.’
‘Okay, slim,’ McCall said and turned towards his room.
Ballard said, ‘You’d better put a few gallons on to boil for me.’
‘Yes, sir, right away, Mr. Ballard.’
Later they both made their way to the Bonanza Restaurant for a meal. Connie Ward had heard they were back and she came from behind the counter and over to their table as they sat down.
‘Hi!’ she said as she straightened the blue tablecloth. ‘My, don’t we all look dandy.’
‘We had a bath all on account of because we were coming here,’ McCall told her.
‘Well, it was worth it. I do declare you both look almost handsome.’
‘Only almost,’ Ballard said, ‘is all I ever hear.’
‘You boys hungry?’ Connie asked.
‘Sort of,’ McCall replied.
‘Wait a few minutes and I’ll put that right,’ she told then.
Within five minutes they were eating their way through large, thick steaks, fried potatoes and eggs, followed by apple pie, and three pots of hot black coffee.
McCall finally put down his cup and leaned back in his chair. He glanced across at Connie who had joined then at the table.
‘If this place caught fire right now I sure enough would burn up with it. Man, I never ate so much in a long time.’
Ballard gave a contented sigh and refilled his cup.
‘Thank you, ma’ am, for a wonderful meal,’ he said.
‘You are welcome, sir,’ Connie said. Changing the subject she said, ‘I went to see Ernie a while back and he told me you were in town. He told me what happened. And about Dicken. I’m so sorry.’
‘So are we,’ McCall said. ‘If it hadn’t been for Dicken I don’t think we would have caught them.’
‘Ernie said you’re both leaving.’
‘Ain’t anything to keep us,’ Ballard said.
Connie glanced up as someone came into the restaurant.
‘Customers,’ she said. Before she left them she said, ‘You call in before you go.’
McCall nodded. ‘Will do.’
‘Just what are we going to do when we leave?’ Ballard asked.
McCall shrugged his wide shoulders. ‘It’s a big country out there,’ he said. ‘Plenty big enough to keep us occupied until we decide.’
‘Sounds reasonable,’ Ballard said.
And so it was…
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