The Hanging of Samuel Ash (36 page)

Celia pushed her hair back, displaying her widow's peak.

“And what about you, Hook?” she asked.

“Me? I have a train to catch. Next time I'm through, maybe I'll stop by for a peanut butter cookie.”

Celia took his arm, dropped her hand on the back of his neck, and brushed her lips against his cheek.

“We'll be waiting,” she said.

Hook turned to Mixer. “Come on, dog, before I change my mind about leaving,” he said.

*   *   *

Hook and Mixer picked their way over the tracks to the Waynoka machine shop. Frenchy's old steamer sat on the siding with a half-dozen flat cars at her back, Hook's caboose coupled in on the end. Frenchy came around the front of the engine just as Hook walked up.

“That louse box of yours is on the tail,” he said.

“So I see. When are you pulling out, Frenchy?”

“About an hour, if I can find the goddang bakehead.”

“You haven't seen my associate, Junior Monroe, have you?”

“I saw a dandy wearing high-water britches and a bow tie. Might that be him?”

“Most likely. Could you throw this mutt into the caboose and pick me up at the depot on your way out?”

“Oh, sure, sure,” he said. “We can shut down the whole goddang railroad if you want.”

“A slow will do, Frenchy. I'll be riding in the caboose back to Clovis. I need my rest for fighting crime, and I'm not up to listening to you and that bakehead tell lies all the way.”

“Well, that suits us just fine,” he said. “Some folks have real work to get done, you know.”

*   *   *

Hook found Junior sitting on the bench outside the depot. He had a new hat perched on the end of his shoe.

“Junior,” Hook said. “See you made it without falling off the train. I'm thinking you're getting the hang of things.”

“Hook,” he said. “I need to talk to you.”

“Well, here I am.”

“To tell you the truth, I've had about all the practical experience I can stand. I'm on my way to Kansas City.”

Hook lit a cigarette. “That so? What you going to do in Kansas City, Junior?”

Junior took his hat off his foot and screwed it onto his head. “Law school, and I plan to look up Jackie. I can't get her out of my head.”

Hook stepped back. “When I told you to catch pickpockets, I didn't exactly have that in mind, Junior.”

“It just sort of happened, Hook.”

“That's how it is most often,” he said. “How do you plan on getting there?”

“I planned to get on a freighter.”

“That's against the law, Junior. I'd have to arrest you.”

“I've been doing it ever since I came.”

“You were working for the railroad then. Doing your duty, so to speak.

“Hang on a minute. I'll be right back.”

When Hook came out of the depot, he handed Junior an envelope. “Here,” he said. “I don't have time to be running you in to jail.”

“What is it, Hook?”

“A ticket on the
Super Chief
to Kansas City. She'll be rolling through here in a few minutes. Try not to fall off, Junior, and remember it's a sin to ride the
Super Chief
and not eat in the dining car.”

Junior grinned. “Thank you, Hook.”

“And tell that girl I better not catch her picking pockets on my railroad.”

*   *   *

The
Super
had no sooner slid out than Frenchy came chugging in from the yards. Hook hopped on his caboose and gave him a wave-off.

Frenchy brought her up, and they were soon clipping over the countryside. The sun lowered on the horizon, and the steam from Frenchy's engine drifted up into the evening sky. The old caboose waddled down the track, her wheels clicking along, and Mixer snored beneath the bunk

Hook fixed himself a Beam and water and lined his books across the table. He studied his new find, the 1902 American first
Hound of the Baskervilles,
the final link in the chain, a task complete after a long and difficult hunt. No one loved that book more than him. No one deserved it more.

He looked out the window at the sunset. Of all the places on Earth, this was where he wanted to be.

Soon, he'd be back to Clovis and with a few things to wind up: a call to Eddie Preston explaining how the road-rail ended up riding on the nose of the eastbound, a debate with Popeye for paying up that dollar he owed, and a trip to the library to return the 1902 American first
Hound of the Baskervilles
.

 

 

ALSO BY SHELDON RUSSELL

Dreams to Dust

Empire

Requiem at Dawn

The Savage Trail

Hook Runyon Mysteries

The Yard Dog

The Insane Train

Dead Man's Tunnel

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SHELDON RUSSELL has taught at the University of Louisville and is professor emeritus at the University of Central Oklahoma. He is the award-winning author of seven novels, including
The Yard Dog, The Insane Train, and Dead Man's Tunnel.
He lives in Waynoka, Oklahoma. Visit his Web site at
www.sheldonrussell.com
.

 

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

 

 

THE HANGING OF SAMUEL ASH.
Copyright © 2013 by Sheldon Russell. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

 

www.minotaurbooks.com

 

The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

 

Russell, Sheldon.

     The hanging of Samuel Ash / Sheldon Russell.—First St. Martin's Minotaur edition.

            pages cm

ISBN 978-1-250-00101-6 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-250-03199-0 (e-book)

  1.  Runyon, Hook (Fictitious character)—Fiction.   2.  Murder—Investigation—Fiction.   I.  Title.

     PS3568.U777H36 2013

     813'.54—dc23

2013009830

 

e-ISBN 9781250031990

 

First Edition: August 2013