Dorothy Garlock (32 page)

He stood for a minute in the doorway, then walked between the stalls to the back and looked out. When he came out, he slammed the door shut.

“Ain’t nothing there but a pile of shit and a cow out back.” He lifted his pant legs and looked at his shoes. “I can hardly wait to get out of this hick country and back to the city. How do you stand it?” he asked Potter.

“I’m paid to stand it and so are you,” Potter answered frostily.

“Yeah, but—”

“Shut up, Lester.” Benny wasn’t as tall or as heavy as Lester, but it was evident from his tone that he was in charge. “Your carping is getting on my nerves. What could have happened to Morey?” He turned and spoke to Potter. “What the hell is going on?”

“What’s going on,” Mr. Potter said coolly, “is that a bunch of soft city boys were sent out here to deal with men who know what they’re doing. You lost forty thousand dollars’ worth of valuable inventory when that cave blew up. I wouldn’t like to be in your shoes when you get back to Chicago.”

“We lost three men and a damn good car too.”

“What the hell did the men amount to?” Potter sputtered. “I doubt any one of them knew their ass from a hole in the ground, or they’d not have gone up there and got themselves and the warehouse blown up.”

“They were sent out there to guard that hooch. You didn’t tell them that it was wired.”

“Don’t be throwing that botched-up job back at me. How in hell would I know it was wired?” Potter’s voice was raised in anger. “There was one man out there. Couldn’t your
boys
take care of one man?”

“They were not my boys, although I knew them.”

“Who burned out that car? It looks like the one that belongs to a fellow staying at the hotel.”

“Morey shot into the gas tank last night.”

“Christ Almighty! That took brains.” Potter shook his head in disgust.

“He did it on his own. I never told him to.”

“Can’t you control the men you brought with you, for God’s sake? Things were going smooth as silk around here until you smart city fellows showed up.”

“If things were going so smooth, how come you didn’t keep a closer tab on Boone?”

“If you fool around and bring the federal marshals in here, there’ll be hell to pay. Donovan’s isn’t the only operation going on around here.”

“We’re doing the job we were sent to do.”

“Then why aren’t you up in the hills looking for Boone and that other fellow who works for Donovan?”

“Because you told me they’d be here.”

“You’d better find them—and the girl, and the boy that’s been staying here.”

“It’s why we’re here, goddammit!”

“When they blew up that cave, I heard the blast all the way to town. It isn’t hard to figure out that they heard it here and went up to see about it.”

“Are you giving orders now?”

“Damn right I am. If you don’t want to follow them, get your ass back to Chicago and I’ll find someone here to do the job.”

“I wasn’t told to get rid of the girl, just the men.”

“Are you too chickenshit for the job? She’s got chummy with the owner of the car you burned and probably spilled her guts to him.”

“Who is he? Nothing was said to me about a third man, just the boy.”

“He came into town a few weeks ago. I’d not be surprised to find out that he’s a revenue agent and playing up to the girl to see what he can find out about Donovan. The man’s a cold-eyed bastard. He’s not going to stand still and let you shoot him.”

“
Me
shoot him? What’s the matter with you? Don’t you have the guts for it?”

“Don’t be talking down to me, you half-cracked dude.” Potter’s voice rose again in agitation. The dapper little white-haired man with the rosy cheeks looked like a gentle Santa Claus, but he was tough, mean and very much in charge.

“No one told me that you were the boss here.”

“Well, I am. And if you get any ideas about taking over, I’ll remind you that there are two of us running things in this county.”

“How come your buddy ain’t out here stickin’ his nose in?”

“He will be if you can’t handle things. He’s handled small-caliber thugs before. I don’t doubt he can handle you.”

“You listen to me, old man—”

“Looky here what’s comin’,” Lester broke in, glad to have a reason to defuse the tension between the two men. Both men turned toward the woods.

“Now, there’s a hayseed if I ever saw one,” Benny muttered.

Chapter
23

A
NNABEL WAS TREMBLING FROM THE SHOCK of hearing the harsh words from the band director she had admired. Silent little gasps came from her lips; her hands seemed frozen to Corbin’s shirt. Corbin held her tightly to him and whispered in her ear.

“Quiet, honey. We can’t let him know we’re here.”

“He wanted me to play in his band—and now he wants to kill us!”

“I’m shocked too, but we can’t let it throw us. Sometimes people are not what they seem to be.”

“There’s another man working with him.”

“Contact men usually come in pairs in case something happens to one of them. What he said about me isn’t true. You know that. You’re my love, my life. I don’t care if your papa is Al Capone.”

“I know, but I’m … scared.”

“So am I. We’d be fools not to be. We have to sit tight until they leave. But if they don’t, remember that you promised to go out the back and run if I tell you to.”

“They want to kill Boone and Spinner and even Jack. I don’t understand. …” She rolled her face back and forth on his shoulder.

Corbin peered out the side of the loft door. “Marvin Carter is coming,” he whispered, his lips close to her ear. “He’s on horseback.”

“Is he alone?”

“Yes. I hope he doesn’t shoot off his mouth and get himself killed.”

“Hey,” Marvin shouted as he neared the house. “What ya doin’ here?” He gaze swept over the two strangers and the druggist.

“Who wants to know?” Lester answered belligerently.

“He’s one of the Carters,” Potter explained. “The hills around here are loaded with them.”

“Ain’t you the man from the drugstore?” Marvin pulled up on the reins and stopped the horse a few yards from where the men stood.

“You know that I am. I’m the band director as well.”

“What’re ya doin’ out here?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business. What are you doing here?”

“I’m callin’ on Annabel, and it ain’t none of yore’s.”

“She isn’t here.”

“Where is she?”

“I only know that she isn’t here.”

“I ain’t believin’ ya.”

“You calling him a liar?” Lester’s voice was curt.

“I ain’t talkin’ to ya, shit-head. So shut up. I’m looking for my sister. She was here with Annabel.”

“See for yourself. She isn’t here.”

Marvin slid off the horse and headed for the house. He stepped up onto the porch and went inside. A few minutes later he came out and stood in the yard, looking toward the barn.

“Believe me now?” Mr. Potter said with an excessive amount of patience.

“Hey, hayseed, did you look under the bed?” Lester asked with a sneer.

“Haw’d ya like me to smear yore mouth all over yore ugly face?” Marvin snarled.

“Think you can?”

“Want to find out?” Marvin snarled, before turning back to Mr. Potter. “Some city slickers was here last night. They burned the jaybird’s car. If they took Annabel and Tess, they’ll be shittin’ bullets when I get through with them.”

“It’s a tough man we got here, Benny,” said Lester.

“What jaybird?” Potter asked.

“The feller who was callin’ on my girl,” Marvin shouted angrily.

“Who’s Tess?” Lester asked. Then, “There was two women here? Hot diddle-dee-damn, Benny. We’ll have us one apiece.”

“Annabel is my girl. Tess is my sister, ya dumb-ass. Ya keep yore hands off ’em.”

“Or … what?” Lester goaded.

“Or ya’ll be gettin’ yore asshole stretched over that washtub.” Marvin stepped off the porch and crossed the yard to look into the shed. After a glance inside, he went to the barn, flung open the door and disappeared inside. He walked the length of the aisle separating the stalls and looked out the back door.

On the way back he heard a rustling in a pile of hay in the back stall and paused. Then, thinking it was only a rat, he passed the stall and went to the ladder leading to the hayloft. Remembering that the loft door was open, he climbed quickly.

The instant his head cleared the loft floor, Corbin pressed a gun to Marvin’s temple.

“Let out a sound and I’ll blow your head off.”

“What … the hell?”

“Be quiet!” Corbin snarled.

“What’re ya doin’ up here?” Marvin’s eyes found Annabel.

“Trying to stay alive and keep her alive.”

“Who’re them men?”

“Killers out of Chicago. Potter is one of them.” Corbin spoke quickly and in a whisper. “There were three besides Potter. I’ve got one of them tied up in that back stall.”

“Why—” Marvin’s eyes found Annabel again. She was hunkered down next to the wall.

“Donovan’s a big-time bootlegger, and they want his business. They want to hold Annabel and force him to come to them. You know what they’d do to her in the meanwhile. Then they’d kill her. I’m here to see they don’t get their hands on her.”

“Horse cock! I ain’t believin’ ya.”

“You stupid bastard! There was two carloads of them. One carload got themselves blown up. This bunch would just as soon kill a man as look at him. Get on your horse, get out of here and bring us some help.”

“Ya been tryin’ to court her—”

“Shit a brick!” Corbin said in exasperation. “Listen, I can hold them off long enough for Annabel to get out the back way. Meet her in the woods and take her to town,” he whispered, not wanting Annabel to hear.

“Marvin, please, help us,” Annabel murmured.

“Give me your word, or I’ll blow your head off now.”

Marvin looked at Annabel again. “Ya got it.”

He backed down the ladder, went to the back stall and looked at the pile of hay, kicked at the man beneath it through the stall slats and, satisfied Corbin had told the truth, left the barn. He blinked when he came out into the bright sunlight.

“What took you so long, Carter?” Potter asked.

“Lookin’ to find me a bottle of whiskey,” Marvin replied and headed for his horse.

“Don’t you drink the stuff you make? Stoney Baker seems to like it.”

“Stoney’d drink piss if it was in a liquor bottle.”

“Where you goin’?” Lester asked when Marvin took the reins of his horse.

“What’s it to ya, shit-head?”

“I’m gettin’ tired you callin’ me that.”

“What’re ya goin’ to do about it, shit-head?”

“Kill him,” Potter said.

“Huh?” Lester looked at Potter.

“You heard me. Kill him.”

Before Marvin had time to open his mouth, the bullet to his heart slammed him back against his frightened horse, who shied, whinnied and took off running toward the woods.

“Good shooting.” Potter gazed down at the man on the ground.

“Damn right.”

“Don’t get a big head. Anyone can hit the side of a barn.”

“Now, look here, old man. I’m getting tired of your mouth.”

“And I’m getting tired of yours.” Potter headed for his car.

In the loft Annabel let out a gasp that was cut off by Corbin’s hand over her mouth.

“Hold on, honey,” he whispered against her ear. “Don’t give way.” He turned her face into his shoulder.

“Did they … did they kill him?”

“Yes, they did.”

“Is he … dead?”

“I believe so.”

“He was going to help us, and they just … shot him.”

“Try not to think about it.” Corbin grasped her shoulders, held her away from him and shook her gently. “Listen to me. I’ve got a couple sticks of dynamite, but I don’t want to use them if I don’t have to. If I do, I want you to get behind that pile of junk and stay there. If I tell you to run, get down that ladder and run. Understand?”

Annabel looked at him with dull, unfocused eyes. Corbin feared that she was going into shock. He’d seen it happen during the war.

“Annabel,” he hissed. “Listen to me. Dammit, I need you to help me.”

She blinked her eyes. “What do you want me to do?”

“I know this is hard for you, sweetheart. But we’ve got to work together if we’re going to get out of this.”

“I’ll do what you say. I’m … sorry—”

“You’ve been great. Sit down, honey, I’ve got to see what’s going on,” he said when he heard a car door slam.

Corbin peered out to see that Potter was now in his car. The man called Benny stood at the car window. After a moment he moved away. Potter started the car, drove it into the space in front of the barn, backed up and headed down the lane. Benny then moved the big black car behind the house so it wouldn’t be seen from the road.

“What’re we going to do with the hayseed?” Lester asked.

“Why did you shoot him?”

“Potter told me to.”

“I know that. Why are you suddenly taking orders from that little dandy?”

“I wanted to shoot the mouthy bastard. Besides that, I’ve not shot anyone lately.” Lester’s lips curled into a grin, but his eyes were hard.

“I thought that you’d rather bury a man in a barrel of cement,” Benny said dryly.

“That’s fun too. What’er we going to do with him?” Lester jerked his head toward the body lying on the ground.

“Nothing. We’ll leave him right there. The Carters will come looking for him. Potter said they’re a mean bunch and stick together like glue. They’ll blame it on Boone and tear up jack around here. They know these hills. If Boone and Donovan’s girl are hiding out anywhere near, the Carters will find them. All we got to do is sit back and wait.”

As Corbin watched from the loft, Benny took a bag from the car and went to sit on the end of the porch. Lester was pumping water at the well. It didn’t seem to bother either of them that Marvin Carter’s body lay in the yard not a dozen feet away.

Benny opened the bag and took out a Thompson submachine gun. It had a handgrip under the barrel and, in front of the grip, a round drum. Corbin was familiar with the weapon known as the tommy gun. It was deadly and the favorite weapon of the modern-day gangster.