“Was she really rich?”
“Oh, yes, for there.”
“If you’d been single, what would you have done?”
“Probably stayed longer.”
“That’s funny.”
“You looking for a rich Spanish woman?”
Shawn reined in his horse “No, just curious. Why are those men in the river with that horse?”
The sorrel horse looked like he might be crippled. “They might be soaking his hooves.”
Two men were in the water, with one man who acted in charge. He looked angry at the two working for him. They were all three tough acting and arguing among themselves about what to do with the animal.
“Let’s ride on,” Chet said, not wanting to make themselves obvious.
“Hey, gringo,” the burly whiskered one shouted, wading out of the knee-deep river.
Chet reined up and Shawn did, too.
“What do you want?”
“Sell me that roan horse. Mine, you can see, is crippled.”
“He’s not for sale. Besides, I need him myself.”
“How much money you need for him?” He pulled a handful of paper money from his pocket and thrust it forward in a fist. “Tell me. I need him.”
“He is not for sale,” Chet said in Spanish.
“Gawdamnit. I have the money to buy him. Come back here.”
“Go on,” he said under his breath to Shawn who moved his mount slightly ahead.
“You want me to shoot you and take the son of a bitch away from you?”
Chet whirled the roan around with his Colt in his hand. “Drop the damn gun or die.”
Shock-faced, the man dropped his six-gun, a good thing because Chet was only moments away from shooting him.
“All right. All right. I was only kidding. My horse is lame and I’m supposed to be in Tucson.”
Shawn had his rifle on the other men with the loud-mouthed one.
“Wave down a stage. They go there every day. Now, get right back in the middle of the river and stay there till I get out of sight.”
“Yes, señor.” Walking on pained soles, he soon was back in the water almost to the sorrel.
Chet and Shawn galloped away. Out of sight, they slowed some.
“Who was he?”
Chet shook his head. “I should have found out. But that won’t be our last meeting with them, I feel certain.”
Shawn glanced back to see if there was anyone following. “He’s sure plenty tough.”
“He also has a lot of money for a man so poorly dressed.”
“Yeah, I noticed.”
“Made me think it was less than honestly earned.”
Shawn agreed, and they reined their horses down to a walk. Day one was even more exciting than he expected it to be off here in the desert. They’d need to be on the watch for those hombres.
They saw lots of country up and down the small river and returned to camp to find Ortega squatted on the ground talking to Jesus and Cole. The lanky vaquero rose and laughed. “Sorry I was not home when you called.”
“No problem. I wanted to talk to you about our situation. We’re a task force sent to clean up the banditry going on here with the culprits running across the border. Now, if we might endanger you or the children and family, please forgive that I asked this from you. We need a place to leave our gear and our packhorses when we don’t need them. And a place to camp when we are here.”
“Ah, so you are the law?”
“Yes, we are. I can pay you a fair price for rent and you can sell me hay for my horses.”
“I would hate to charge you, if you are trying to make it a better place to live.”
“No, I want to rent some ground and corral space and also pay you for any services rendered.”
“Me and my brothers can always use money. But I would rather be your amigos.”
“You would be. But some may hate us and take it out on you and your families.”
His eyes narrowed when he spoke. “They do and they will die.”
“I understand, but make sure your people know the risk. And everyone doesn’t need to know what we’re doing here until we’ve completed the job.”
“I savvy. Come tomorrow and set up where you want to.”
“No, if you aren’t there, you tell your wife where you want us to set up.”
He grinned big. “I will tell her.”
“Just so you know, we’ve already started our work. Last night, one of my men arrested two outlaws in Tubac. When they got to Charlie’s, they were already drunk. They robbed a man and took his horse south of Tucson, and ended up down here. We had word they were coming this way and a description of the horse. Two of my men took them to San Xavier today and the law will pick them up there tomorrow.”
“It sounds like you already have a good start on these banditos.”
“Yes. My nephew, JD, and a man named Roamer took those two to the mission, so that less people know about us. Now, I still want you to show us some good ranches. JD is the one needs the ranch.
“Oh, one more thing. There was a bearded man today with some tough hombres in the river with a sorrel that went cripple, I think. This big bearded guy got out lots of money and went to screaming he wanted to buy my roan. I had to draw my gun and make him go back in the river.”
Ortega gave a knowing laugh. “His name is Don McQuire. His father was rich, but he has pissed most of it away. He thinks he owns all this country. He does not mess with me or my brothers. He was testing you.”
“I’ll remember that. We’ll move up to your place tomorrow, if that’s all right?”
“Fine. Lots of babies cry around there, but we will watch your belongings. You need some help; we can match guns with that border bunch.”
“When we get moved there, you can fill me in on who to watch out for down here.”
“For sure. My brothers will be pleased you all are coming, too.”
“Here’s thirty dollars for the first month’s rent.”
“Oh, that is too much.” Ortega put up a protesting hand.
“You haven’t had to put up with us yet.”
So the tall vaquero rode for home with the money. Jesus and Shawn went to fixing supper, for it had been a long day for all of them.
“That Ortega is a very smart man,” said Jesus. “He went to two sessions of school, so he can read and write. Just before you came, I talked to him.”
“He’s a smart man for doing that. He told us the man who threatened Shawn and I today at the river was a rich man’s son who was spending his father’s money.”
Jesus smiled. “Cole and I saw lots of country, too. Some people we talked to are suspicious and wouldn’t tell us much, but when we’ve been here a while they will open up.”
“How many miles away is the young lady you wrote to?”
“Maybe two days’ ride.”
“After we get going, Cole and JD will want to go back and see their brides. I plan to send them home on the stage for a week. Roamer, too. If things are quiet then, you can go see her.”
“I would like to do that.”
“We can arrange it.”
The three men took turns at guard duty and he told them to wake him if anything was wrong. The nights here were never as cold as up at Preskitt, but they got down into the forties. His blankets kept him warm, but he missed Marge. When they were camped at Ortega’s place he’d write her a long letter. This job might consume six months. On the other hand, it might be longer.
How long could he be apart from his wife and ranches? The ranches were in good hands and they could handle them without him, even though overseeing them was his job. But his wife. With a baby coming, she needed him there. Oh, well, nothing to be done about it tonight. He plumped the small feather pillow into a ball and went to sleep on it.
When they moved to the Two 8 Slash, they were the center of attention. They set up the large tarp between two tall cottonwoods. Using poles Ortega found for them, they drove iron rods into t
hem to go into the grommets to support a side wall, then staked them down to make a house to be under. One of the Fernandez brothers hoped it brought them rain and made them all laugh.
After the shelter was up, Ortega brought material and tools to make a long table and benches to sit on. It went up fast. While they unpacked, Maria, his wife, brought them lunch. After the meal, they built a stout rack with poles notched and tied with green rawhide to put the panniers on to keep the ranch dogs out of their things.
Late that afternoon, on horses with salt dried on their legs and chests, a weary looking JD and Roamer arrived, dismounted, and took off their chaps.
“Nice camp,” JD said, looking it over.
“You two all right?” Chet asked.
“Long ride, but three lawmen met us there and took the prisoners. They thought we were lucky getting them two. I told them it wasn’t luck; we’d get some more before this was over. I don’t believe they thought we could even find any to arrest. Blevins sent you a list of crimes they think Mexican bandits have done recently.” He handed Chet the paper.
“All I can say, is those deputies probably only break up domestic fights and arrest drunks,” Roamer said with an expression of disgust. “They were neither horsemen, nor real lawmen.”
“I savvy that, too. Ortega’s family rented us this place for thirty dollars a month. We pay for the hay and they watch our horses and gear. Noontime today, Ortega’s wife, Maria, brought us enchiladas and they were good. But I made no deal for them to cook for us. If I can hire them to cook our meals, we’ll do that.
“Our first day, we met a tough-talking bearded man who tried to buy my roan. His name is Don McQuire and he has some grubby companions. Ortega says he’s spending his father’s money.”
“We saw nothing but dusty roads and the traffic on it,” JD said.
“Now that we’re all together, we can make some plans,” said Chet. “If nothing comes up in three weeks, we’ll take a break and send Roamer, Cole, and JD home for a week to go mend fences. Jesus wants to ride down into Mexico. Shawn and I will hold the fort down. The Fernandez brothers say they will ride with us if we need them.”
“That’s great,” Cole said.
JD nodded in agreement.
“Tomorrow, we split up again. JD knows Tombstone. You two ride over there and stay in a hotel a couple of nights. Look things over. That space over there is another route south, say from Benson. We need to know the country and the roads the bandits are using to get back home.”
After supper, Ortega and his brothers brought their wives and two guitars to the camp. They played music, and everyone danced in the dust with their wives. They were all very proper ladies and everyone had some entertainment. Jose, the youngest of them, was married to Ricky, a tall girl, not out of her teens. No children. Bronco and his wife, Consuela, were looking for number two baby. Maria had three small ones.
“We don’t want to take advantage of you,” said Ortega, “but our wives would cook your meals for thirty dollars a month and you buy the food. How does that sound?”
“We accept their kind offer. They can buy the food and I will pay them, or give them money to buy it.”
“Better if you give them money and they give you the ticket.”
Chet agreed.
Maria stepped forward. “Tomorrow, we will start at noon.”
“No, it will be tomorrow night before we all get back. If we aren’t back, feed the food to your family. They like beef fajitas with onions, sweet and hot peppers, and also your wonderful enchiladas.”
“I will be here in the morning to see how your breakfast is done.”
“Jesus can show you.”
“Gracias. If you don’t like something we cook, you tell us.” The three women standing in the flickering firelight nodded their heads in unison.
Consuela said, “We can always make it better.”
That night when Chet lay in his bedroll, he counted his blessings. They had cooks; his men were back and about to go on another scouting party. A good feeling to know things were working out. He wanted to see the Santa Rita Mountain mining area. Maybe hire Ortega to take them there on their first trip. His head on the pillow, he listened to the owls and a nearby coyote howling.
Marge. Things are working out well. I miss you, but we’re getting arranged here. Tonight, the Fernandez wives asked to let them cook for us, so I hired them. I’ll write you tomorrow. Night, my darling.
The next morning before JD and Roamer left for Tombstone, he told them to just look around and check on telegrams. They promised to do that and headed for Tombstone with bedrolls behind their cantles. Roamer said he didn’t like hotel bed bugs.
Maria carried her baby in a sling as she watched Jesus cook breakfast, and they conversed in Spanish like old friends. Afterward, she told Chet she thought she could handle it.
He thanked her, then asked her to buy some canned peaches and tomatoes. “The men love them for a treat. Maybe two cases of each.”
Her brown eyes got bigger.
“I can afford them.” He wanted to assure a poor rancher’s wife it was all right to spend the money on the meals she’d serve them.
“I can do that.”
“Good, ’cause we sure appreciate you doing this.”
“Oh, señor. There is not much way to make money around here. You understand?”
“Yes, I do. But call me Chet, all right?”
“I can do that.” Maria smiled at him. “I will tell the others that is your name?”
“Yes.”
“You have a wife?”
“Yes, and we’ll have a baby in a few months.”
“You look happy saying that.”
“I am. Very happy.”
“I will not make lunch today?”
“Not today, but we’ll be back tonight.”
“I plan on the fajitas.”
“That sounds great. Don’t fret. As long as we don’t have to cook, we’ll like yours.”
She giggled as she returned to her jacal.
He caught his horse, then he and Shawn went to see about the nearby mines in the mountains. The roads to these places were crudely blasted out notches in the mountainside. So steep, he wondered how they ever hauled in timbers for their operations. They stopped to talk to several dust-clad miners who’d come out for air.
One man spoke about his concern about conveying any gold he found to Tucson.
“Alfred Brannon had a mine up here. Left here with I figure a thousand in gold dust. We never heard of him again. I checked in Tucson and he never made it there. That’s my worry.”
“You or anyone else has gold to carry out, come see me or my men. We’re at the Two Eight Slash ranch, and we’ll guard you to get there with it.”
“What do you charge?”
“There is no charge.” Chet studied the man before telling him, “Keep this information quiet, but we’re US Marshal deputies working undercover to stop these Mexican border bandits.”
“Well, how about that? I’ll only tell people I trust.” He shook Chet’s hand.
“If you pass on to us any information you receive, or even suspicious people you see, we’d appreciate it. We aim to stop them.”
“God be with you, brother. You have a tough job to do.”
“We can handle it.”
They rode on, meeting several more miners on the way and learning they were all concerned about getting their gold out. He told them to pool their gold for the journey and some of his men would guide them. When he and Shawn headed home, he felt they’d made a good round. Maybe to be more effective, they needed to protect a few such men and stop the robberies.
Maria delivered a telegram that arrived while they were away. It was from JD.
CHET BYRNES
THERE WAS A STAGE ROBBERY HERE. WE HAVE
RIDDEN OUT WITH THE WELLS FARGO AGENT AND
TWO OF THE EARP BROTHERS, PLUS THE INDIAN
SCOUT TO FIND THEM. WILL REPORT MORE LATER.
JD.
“What happened?” Jesus asked.
“JD and Roamer are riding off after stage robbers with a Wells Fargo man, two Earp brothers, and a scout.”
“Wow, they already got into it.”
“Right off.”
“Jesus and I talked to five different ranchers today,” Cole said. “Horse stealing is a big problem down here. They can’t hardly keep them.”
“More Mexican bandits?”
“They say they are.”
“We need to keep our eyes open and stop to talk to the suspicious looking ones.”
“I bet they take back roads, too, but we are learning them.”
“That’s why we want to know this country better.” He wondered about the Tombstone stage robbery chase and his men’s part in it. In time, they’d be back to tell him more.
“Maria is making great food for us tonight,” Jesus confided.
“Beats you having to do it.”
“Oh, my, yes.”
Supper was a fiesta, and Maria had good red wine for them to drink with it. All the families joined them for the meal. Bronco’s wife, Consuela, sang Mexican folk songs in a beautiful voice and played the guitar.
Maria acted a little concerned. “I hope I wasn’t wrong to tell them to come tonight.”
“No, we love it. Anytime you’re the cook, feed them.”
“I will. It livens up all our lives, huh?”
“Indeed, it really does.”
The camp situation had been a good move. He listened to the music and thought about May and her music. Memories like that made him question why he was so far away from home. But he’d chosen his cause—border rangering.
Later, he wrote to Marge and asked Maria to see that the letter was mailed.
CHAPTER 22
Before the sun came up, a youth rode up asking for Jesus. The boy had ridden the lathered horse a great distance. Jesus hurried over to him.
“What is wrong?”
“They stole six of our horses last night.”
“You live where?”
“The Triple X Ranch. My father is Antonio Amadore.”
“We met him yesterday. We will saddle up. The nice lady is fixing breakfast, so you must eat with us. Then we can chase down these rustlers.”
Brothers in Blood Page 20
