Johnny McCabe (The McCabes Book 6)

by Brad Dennison

  Matt was smiling. “I’m not bragging, gentlemen. I’m just stating a simple fact.”

  The trail to town was a few miles long, and the men from the Bar M were taking it by horseback.

  Johnny rode alongside Matt and Joe. Corry and Evan were a little ways ahead.

  Matt was on a cutting horse. The old mare from the farm was in a pasture at the ranch.

  A year ago, the old mare was about all the horse Matt could handle. Now here he was, Johnny thought, one of the bronc-busters at the ranch. When Matt chose a horse to ride to town tonight, he picked a young mustang with some spirit.

  Johnny said, “I’ve been thinking about Ma and Luke a lot lately.”

  Matt nodded. “It’s been a year and a half since we left.”

  “And they haven’t heard from us in that time.”

  “Don’t seem right,” Joe said.

  His ankle had long-since healed, and he was in a new pair of boots.

  Johnny said, “Matt, since you’re the best with words and seem to have all that natural charm..,”

  Joe said, “At least he thinks he does.”

  Johnny grinned. “As foreman, I’m assigning you a job to do. Not today, but after the dance. Maybe tomorrow morning. I want you to write a letter to Ma and Luke.”

  Matt sort of shrugged with his eyebrows. “What can I really tell them?”

  “I think it’s time we just tell them everything. They’re bound to have figured something’s wrong by now. We wanted to spare them the truth, but it’s been so long now, they might be wondering if we’re even still alive. I say, just tell them the whole story. Even the names we’re going by, now.”

  Joe nodded. “I agree.”

  Matt thought about this a moment. “Tell them the whole story, huh?”

  Johnny said, “They might have seen the reward posters by now, anyway. If the posters are here in California, there’s no reason to believe they’re not being circulated back East too.”

  Joe said, “They deserve the whole truth, and they deserve to hear it from us.”

  Matt said, “Even the part about Thad? I’d hate to hurt Uncle Jake and Aunt Sara.”

  Johnny nodded. “Even the part about Thad.”

  “All right. It’ll have to be Monday, though. I’ll have to buy a pen and a bottle of ink and some paper, and the general store is closed on Sunday.”

  Joe said, “I thought you already had the fixin’s for writin’.”

  Matt smiled at the way Joe phrased it. Matt said, “I left my fixings back in Texas. I didn’t think the bottle of ink would hold up well on a horse. If it broke, the ink would get all through my saddlebags.”

  Johnny nodded. “All right. Monday it is.”

  The dance was being held in the lobby of the hotel, which had a dance floor and a small stage for a band to play. The balcony was decorated with red, white and blue bunting, left over from the Fourth of July celebration.

  On the stage was a fiddler, a banjo player, and a man playing a stand-up bass, and they filled the air with the rhythm of a southern two-step. Couples moved about on the dance floor, some twirling and improvising doe-see-does, and others just doing old-fashioned stomping and clogging.

  Johnny stood by the punch bowl. Joe and Matt were with him, and so were Evan and Corry.

  Johnny held a glass of punch. He wasn’t much of a dancer, though a girl at the far side of the room had caught his attention. Blonde hair that was all done up in curly ringlets. She moved with a sort of reserved grace.

  “That’s Doc Marker’s daughter,” Evan said to Johnny. “Pretty girl.”

  Johnny blinked with surprise. But it was Joe who said, “How could that old horny toad of a man have a daughter that purty?”

  “Don’t know,” Evan said. “Accident of nature, I suppose.”

  The music stopped. The band conferred for a moment, then the fiddler started wailing out a slow waltz.

  Matt said to Johnny, “You should go ask her to dance.”

  But then a man Johnny didn’t recognize approached her. Probably a cowhand riding for the Cabot ranch. It was a safe bet in this town if a cowhand didn’t ride for the McCartys, he rode for the Cabots. The cowhand took her hand and she gave him a shy little curtsey, and they stepped out onto the dance floor.

  Too late, Johnny thought.

  “So,” Joe said to Matt. “Are you going to go out on the dance floor?”

  Matt nodded. “As soon as the right girl gets here.”

  And at that moment, the right girl got there. Verna McCarty walked in through the open doorway. Johnny thought she had a grandness in the way she moved that said she had arrived. Johnny much preferred the shy girl with the gentle grace even though she was now on the dance floor with another man.

  McCarty and his wife were with Verna. And there was a man with her. He was about Matt’s age, with dark hair that was combed neatly. He was also in a Sunday-go-to-meeting suit and a string tie, and Verna was on his arm.

  “Must be Ern Cabot,” Johnny said.

  Evan nodded. “That’s him all right.”

  Verna was in a sky blue dress that fell from her shoulders in gentle ruffles. Her hair was tied up on her head in a collection of swirls.

  Matt said, “All right, boys, now I’ll show you how it’s done.”

  “Matt,” Johnny said, “she’s with someone already.”

  “That’s about to change.”

  He took a moment to make sure his tie was straight, then started across the floor toward Verna and her escort.

  He gave a polite greeting to McCarty and his wife and even to Cabot. Johnny couldn’t hear what was being said over the music, but he figured polite greetings are all mostly the same. How are you doing this evening? Why fine, thank you. And you?

  Then he took Verna’s hand and gave a little bow. She was grinning and nodded her head, and her hand slipped away from Ern. She and Matt headed out onto the dance floor.

  Joe was staring. “I’ll be danged.”

  Johnny said, “Well I guess he showed us how it’s done, didn’t’ he?”

  “It ain’t braggin’ if you can do it.”

  Evan held out a hand to Corry and said, “Pay up.”

  87

  The band took the crowd through a Virginia reel and then began another waltz. A Strauss melody. The fiddler showed the crowd he could really play the violin. Same instrument, Johnny thought, and yet very different.

  Matt was holding Verna close through the waltz, and her head was on his shoulder.

  When the music was done, the crowd gave a little applause, like they weren’t quite sure if they were clapping for themselves or the band.

  Matt then came over to the punch bowl and grabbed two glasses.

  Joe said, “If you don’t beat all.”

  Matt dipped one glass into the punch bowl, then the other.

  Johnny said, “Ern Cabot doesn’t look too pleased.”

  Matt gave a grin. “I’m not trying to please him.”

  Matt looked over at the blonde girl. She was standing alone again.

  Matt said to Johnny, “You know, there’s a time to hold back and a time to move in. You’re missing your opportunity.”

  Verna came walking over. By protocol, a girl should wait for her man to fetch a glass of punch and bring it to her. But Johnny had the feeling Verna was the kind of girl who lived by her own protocol.

  “Matthew,” she said. “I don’t believe I’ve ever been formally introduced to your brothers.”

  Matt looked like he was about to go through the song-and-dance of explaining that they weren’t brothers. But then he said the heck with it, and just said, “Verna McCarty, Johnny and Joe Reynolds.”

  “Pleased to make your acquaintances,” she said with a nod.

  She gave a quick glance in one direction and then the other. There was no one else at the punch bowl.

  She looked at Johnny and said, “Or should I say, pleased to make your acquaintance, Mister McCabe?”

  Johnny glanced at Ma
tt. Matt was looking at her wide-eyed.

  Johnny said, “Your father told you?”

  She looked from Johnny to Matt. “Don’t be silly. Either of you. My father’s word is as good as solid steel. But there’s not much that goes on in that household that I don’t know about, whether anyone is aware of it or not.”

  Johnny didn’t know what to say. Apparently even Matt didn’t.

  Verna said, “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me. I promise.”

  She made a little crossing motion over her chest. “Cross my heart.”

  She gave Matt a smile that made her face glow. “You can trust me. Really.”

  “Somehow,” Matt said, “I think we can.”

  Matt glanced across the room at Ern Cabot. It was like Johnny said. He didn’t look happy. His arms were folded across his chest and his eyes were fixed on Matt.

  Verna followed Matt’s gaze across the room and said, “Oh, don’t worry about Ern. He and I are just friends.”

  “Does he know that?” Johnny said.

  “Oh, of course he does.”

  Matt’s smile was back. “Well, if he didn’t, he’s learning it tonight.”

  Verna laughed. “I do so like you, Matthew.”

  Joe said, “That’s something you and Matt have in common.”

  Matt and Verna drifted off into the crowd with their glasses of punch.

  Joe said to Johnny, “She sure is a purty girl. But there’s something about her that reminds me of a rattlesnake.”

  Johnny nodded. “Or a wolf.”

  88

  Johnny was getting tired of standing idly by the punch bowl, so he made his way over to the door. The music was going, and the banjo player was calling a square dance. He wasn’t too shabby at it.

  Quint was standing by the door, so Johnny said, “Evenin’, Quint.”

  Quint nodded. He had a glass of punch in one hand.

  He said, “Having a good time?”

  Johnny shrugged. “Actually, I’ve had about enough of this. I think I’m going to take a break and go find something stronger.”

  Quint said, “I’m with you.”

  Johnny didn’t realize Joe had followed him over until Joe said, “Lead the way.”

  The saloon was open, yet the only man in the room was Slim, the bartender. The mirror that had been shattered in Johnny’s gunfight with the bounty hunter had been replaced.

  “Quiet night,” Johnny said.

  Slim nodded. “Most everyone’s at the dance, I reckon.”

  “How about a whiskey,” Quint said, bellying-up to the bar.

  Joe ordered a bottle of beer.

  Slim said to Johnny, “Tequila?”

  Johnny grinned. “That sounds like what the doctor ordered.”

  Slim set a glass on the bar and poured. He stood a bottle in front of Joe and pulled the cork.

  Joe said, “So, how come you ain’t asked that purty blonde girl to dance with you?”

  Quint grinned. “Probably afraid of her father, the old buzzard. I don’t blame you.”

  Johnny shook his head. “I don’t think it’d be fair to her. I like life on the Bar M. But we don’t really know how long we’re going to be able to stay.”

  Johnny was being careful with his wording, but he gave Joe a long look that said, read between the lines.

  Joe nodded.

  Quint said, “You boys can talk open around me. I figured you’re runnin’ from somethin’. Many men out here are. I was too, when I first come west.”

  Johnny said, “But you don’t know what we’re running from.”

  “Don’t matter none. It couldn’t be worse’n what I was running from. Killed a man back in Kentucky. It was self-defense, but I knew I couldn’t prove it. I busted out of the local jail and ran. I just kept on runnin’. Wound up out West. Worked different places, different jobs. I worked a few months at the Broken Spur, about fifteen years ago. Heard you boys mention that place. Worked the Shannon Ranch further south for a while. Worked at the Goodnight place for a time. Ended up here.”

  Joe said, “Ain’t you worried talkin’ about it might get you arrested?”

  Quint shrugged. “Changed my name when I started runnin’. Been almost twenty years, now. Figure everyone’s pretty much forgotten about it. The boy I was back in Kentucky and the life I led, it was so long ago it’s almost like it never happened at all.”

  Johnny said, “You don’t have the sound of Kentucky in you when you talk.”

  “Prob’ly lost it over the years. That can happen. Years in Texas, years out here in Californy.”

  Johnny nodded. He understood.

  He said to Joe and Quint, “I understand Matt finds Miss McCarty pretty. I can see in his eye that he really likes her. But I don’t think he’s being fair to her. Our mess that we’re running from is only a year and a half ago, and if folks find out, we might have to cut and run.”

  Quint said, “Are there reward posters out on you?”

  Johnny nodded. “Reynolds ain’t our real name, either.”

  Quint nodded. “Maybe you’re bein’ smart, then, stayin’ away from Doc Buzzard’s daughter. If you really like her. It wouldn’t be fair to her.”

  “I don’t know if I’d really like her. Don’t intend to find out.”

  Joe was chuckling. “That’s funny, though. Doc Buzzard.”

  Quint grinned. “That’s what we call him, sometimes.”

  After they finished their drink, they decided to head back to the dance. They were walking along the boardwalk with the hotel in sight when they saw a crowd of men circling around with their backs facing out. Johnny knew what it meant.

  “Looks like there’s gonna be a fight,” he said.

  Johnny shouldered his way into the crowd and saw Matt and Verna to one side of the opening in the ring of men. Ern Cabot was standing at the other.

  Cabot said, “I told you, step away from my girl. I’m not gonna say it again.”

  Verna said, “I’m not your girl. You’re making a jack ass of yourself, Ern. Stop it.”

  Johnny could tell by the heated-up look on Ern’s face that he had a little too much to drink. Johnny didn’t know where Ern had found it. But Ern had enough to muster up some courage, and sometimes drink can fire up a man’s anger. But he hadn’t had enough to make him unsteady. A dangerous combination.

  Matt said to Verna, “Step back. This is between Ern and me.”

  “Matthew, no.”

  Johnny stepped between Ern and Matt. “Hold on. I don’t want you getting so beaten up you can’t work on Monday.”

  Matt said, “I won’t be the one getting beaten up.”

  Ern focused his hate-filled eyes on Johnny. “Out of my way, or I’ll knock you aside.”

  Johnny grinned. “All by yourself?”

  “Boss,” Matt said. “This is my fight.”

  Johnny looked at Matt, and he realized his brother was right. Out here, a man had to fight his own fights, even if he got whupped. Matt had been a reasonably good scrapper back home, but he had never been hell-on-wheels like Johnny was, or Joe. But the confrontation with Ern belonged to Matt.

  Johnny stepped back.

  Ern took off his jacket and casually tossed it to one side. But the casualness of the motion was a decoy, because he then charged at Matt.

  Cabot swung a fist. Matt was stepping back and turning away from it, and the punch glanced off of a cheekbone. Johnny could tell the way Cabot fought that he had received some training. Cabot then swung a hard left hook, and Matt ducked.

  Matt tackled him and pulled him down, and both rolled in the mud for a moment. Even though there hadn’t been rain in weeks, the street still found a way to be muddy. Like streets in most western towns, Johnny figured.

  They got to their feet and Cabot shot off another punch at Matt, and it caught him squarely on the cheekbone. Matt’s knees buckled and he was down.

  “Matthew!” Verna screamed and ran to him.

  Matt was getting to his feet, but his k
nees were a little wobbly.

  “I’m all right,” he said. His voice was shaky.

  “No, you’re not.” She looked at Ern and said, “What’s wrong with you? Get away from us.”

  Cabot looked at the crowd, and his anger was washing away. He looked like he felt a little foolish.

  He grabbed his jacket from the mud, pushed his way through the crowd, and stormed away.

  Matt looked like he wasn’t going to stay on his feet much longer, so Johnny took one arm and Joe the other.

  Verna was placing a hand on Matt’s cheekbone. “Oh, Matthew. You’re so brave. Let’s go inside and put some ice on that.”

  They got him back into the hotel and into a chair, and Verna ran to the punch bowl to get some ice.

  Joe said to Matt, “You gotta learn when to duck.”

  Matt grinned. “Sometimes it’s more important to know when not to duck.”

  89

  It was late, and people were going home. But there were still some on the dance floor.

  Johnny stood by the door with Joe at his side.

  Quint was there, too. He had said, “I’ll hang with you boys, if you don’t mind. Things get interesting around you.”

  The doctor’s daughter was sitting at the far side of the room. A couple of girls were with her, chatting.

  Johnny knew it wasn’t wise to get to know her. And yet, there she was. Not dancing with anyone at the moment. Something about her almost called to him. He had never felt drawn to any girl like this. Not even Becky Drummond.

  And then she looked at him. From across the room. Their gazes met, and he couldn’t pull away.

  Joe said, “Be smart.”

  Johnny said nothing. He started across the floor to her.

  Her eyes were on him as he approached.

  He stood before her and held his hand out, and she took it and rose to her feet. He said nothing and neither did she. They walked out to the dance floor, like at each other’s side was where they were meant to be.

  Joe stood with a cup of punch in his hand, and shook his head.

  Matt and Verna were on the dance floor. Matt had been watching over her shoulder and was smiling.