the Lonesome Gods (1983) (57 page)

At a nearby table sat two Anglos, both of them vaguely familiar. Fletcher had grown older and a bit heavier. He was known as a businessman who gambled. The business to which he devoted his time was buying horses, cattle, and other things, and he asked no questions as to their origin or previous owners.

Glancing at the two who had just entered, he asked his companion, "Know them?"

"Uh-huh. The one with the flat nose, that's Chato. Thief, murderer. He'll do whatever it takes, and they say he's a mean fighter."

"And the other?"

"Don Federico. You should know him."

"I do, but it has been some time, and I wished to be sure. By their looks I'd say things had gone wrong for them, very wrong."

Fletcher refilled his glass. Don Federico, it was said, had money, and no sooner did Fletcher come by such information than he began to try to discover ways in which he could get some of it. Preferably, all of it.

"Last I heard," Fletcher commented, "he was hiring men to guard water holes against Johannes Verne and offering big money to anybody who killed him."

"If I'd known there was money in it, I'd have killed him myself. I never did like him." He glanced over at Fletcher. "We went to school together. He used the name of Vickery then. He'd just come around the Horn from the East."

"He never came around the Horn," Fletcher said. "He and his pa were in the same wagon with me. Them an' that Nesselrode woman."

"She's one of the wealthiest women anywhere, or that's what I hear."

"She's done all right," Fletcher admitted grudgingly. "She's a smart woman, and tough." He told his companion about her killing the Indian on the way west.

"So he never come around the Horn after all! I figured him for a liar. I wonder if ol' Fraser ever knew?"

"He knew. He was in the wagon with us."

"What about that?" Rad Huber was angry. "That doubledealin' pen-pusher knew all the time!"

They sat silent, waiting for their food. There was silence at the other table, too. Fletcher glanced at Don Federico and then said, "He got away from you, did he?"

Don Federico's head snapped around, his eyes angry. "I do not know of what you speak," he said. "Nor do I know you, or wish to."

Fletcher was amused. "No reason why you should have known me before," he said, "but there is now. I want him dead as much as you do. Almost as much," he amended. Actually, it was not true. Fletcher had never liked Johannes or his father; neither did he have any great animosity against them, but always alert for an idea that meant money, he had just the glimmerings of an idea.

"Come over an' join us," he invited. "I think we should talk. Might be to mutual advantage, if you get what I mean."

Federico hesitated, then shrugged and moved across to the other table, Chato following.

"Heard it said you were his heir," Fletcher suggested. "I was. I am not so now." He took out the letter from Don Isidro and passed it over to Fletcher.

Fletcher studied it, then turned to Huber. "Rad? See if you can borrow a sheet of paper in there, will you? I want to show these gents something."

When he had the paper, he studied Don Isidro's note for a moment, and then wrote in a quick, flowing hand, an exact imitation of Don Isidro's writing:

I, Don Isidro, being of sound mind, do give and bequeath all my goods and chattels, as well as all lands and properties to my beloved heir, D011 Federico.

Then he signed an exact duplicate of Don Isidro's signature. Federico stared, looked up at Fletcher, then stared again. The note and the signature were flawless. He, who had seen as much of Don Isidro's handwriting as anyone, could detect no difference.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"Half," Fletcher replied.

"Half! You are insane!"

"Half is better than nothing. You get half, I get half. We are both rich men. Otherwise, you get nothing." "There are two heirs closer than I."

"With this last will and testament, nobody is closer than you."

"Nevertheless, there are Tia Elena and Johannes." "Two only? That is nothing."

"He comes up the trail now," Chato said. "He should be along within the hour. The good Johannes Verne and his bride-to-be, Meghan Laurel."

"Who?" Rad interrupted. "What do you mean, his bride?" "It was a rumor I heard. There are no secrets. Everybody talks."

"They are coming up the trail now?" Fletcher asked. "Just two of them? Then there it is. The old woman, we can get anytime. Johannes is coming. It is a trail not much traveled at this hour. What are we waiting for?" Don Federico stared at the paper in his hand. Here it was, all so easy, so simply done! He had thought all was lost. All he had wanted and worked for through the years ... gone. And now it was here. He thought quickly. Who knew Don Isidro's signature? Not over three or four people. Elena, of course, but she would be gone.

"You see," Fletcher said gently, "everybody knows Don Isidro has wanted his grandson dead, so why shouldn't the grandson want him dead?

"There'll be some shootin', and when folks come to investigate, they'll find the old boy dead, his sister dead, and Johannes Verne with a gun in his hand."

Don Federico studied the paper in his hand, but he was seeing Madrid, Paris, Rome, even London. As for fifty percent, half was better than nothing, but suppose, after the will was written, and after ...

After all, Johannes had gone to school with Rad Huber, and he had come across the plains with Fletcher, so why should they not join him in an attack on Don Isidro? Fletcher needed him, but he himself needed nobody. Once that will was drawn ... And even with this one, written only as a demonstration ... ?

"All right," he said, "they will be coming. We had best get out there."

"Meghan, too?" Rad objected. "Now, see here
,
"Of course. She must be killed, Rad. We can't have witnesses. Besides, she turned you down, didn't she?" Don Federico folded the paper and put it in his pocket along with the letter from Don Isidro. Then he followed them out to their horses.

The patio tables were empty, and a girl from inside came to gather the glasses and the remains of their meal. When she had gathered the dishes, she wiped the table quickly and stooped for a couple of fragments of food that had dropped to the floor.

The girl came quickly through the darkened inner room, where a woman sat alone at a table in a corner. "Did you notice that heavyset man? In the dark suit? Whenever he comes here, if I'm not around, you be sure you get your money, do you hear? I know him, and I don't trust him." "Si, Senora Weber. I shall be careful."

"I came over the trail with him, Maria, and knew him for what he was."

"Si, senora."

"You're a good girl, Maria. When I sell this place and move to Los Angeles, I want you to come with me. I want to open up a place there. I think it's a coming town." "Sl. senora. I would like to go."

Mrs. Weber walked to the door and looked down the road. It was almost time for the stage.

Odd that those four had left together and gone back down the trail.

Well, it was none of her business. And that was what she thought until she heard the shooting.

Chapter
61

It was a warm, lazy afternoon. Our destination for the night was only a bit further along, and we were both tired.

"There's a place called Politana. I believe it's on what they call the Bandini Donation, a strip of land Juan Bandini, Lugo, and probably others had donated to some New Mexicans, good fighting men, to create a buffer between their ranches and raiding Indians." It had been rumored that some of those Indians might have been led by Peg-Leg Smith or old Bill Williams.

I turned in my saddle and glanced back, but the trail was empty. Yet, far back, I believed I saw dust hanging in the air. I removed the thong from my pistol.

"There are people there whom I know, and there's a cantina. I've heard it is kept by an Anglo, but I couldn't say for sure."

"I just want to rest, and I am hungry," Meghan said. "Besides, I want to get back before Father returns, and his ship is due in almost any day. If I am gone, he will be worried."

"We can get some fresh horses there and move along faster." I glanced back again. Yes, that was dust, and it was closer. More than one rider, and probably three or four.

Leading the way, I rode into a small stream, then drew up as our horses needed to drink. "Let them drink," I said. "They've earned it."

There was dust in front of us, too. "Meghan," I decided on the instant, "let's get off the trail. Somebody is coming!"

"But--" she protested.

"There!" A small bypass trail led into the trees. "That way! Quick!"

She spurred her horse and went up the bank and into a small copse, where she drew up. The bypass trail led on through the trees, to rejoin the main trail a hundred yards further on. Evidently it was used when the main was impassable for one reason or another.

"If anything happens, take that trail and ride hard for the cantina. It can't be more than a mile or two. Don't worry about me."

"I have a rifle now."

"Meghan ... please! Don't argue. If trouble begins, walk your horse a short distance so they will not hear you, and then go!"

"Johannes, I love you!"

"And I love you, but let's live to enjoy it. Please! If I am worried about protecting you, I cannot protect myself nearly so well."

Reluctantly she rode along the bypass, and I rode back to where we had forded the stream. If Meghan could reach the cantina ...

Riders were coming into view not fifty yards away. Standing back among the trees, they could not immediately see me, but I recognized each of them.

Don Federico, Chato, Rad Huber, and Fletcher ... "I'll be damned!" I said softly.

To try to turn away now would only reveal my presence. I could only hope they would miss seeing me. Careful to make no whisper of sound, I drew my rifle from its scabbard. My left side was toward them, my rifle across my saddle.

The black stallion stood very still, ears pricked, sensing trouble as a wild horse will.

Fletcher pulled up. "Why not wait here? They'll have to come this way, and they can't see us until they're right atop of us."

It was Chato who saw me. He was looking all around, and our eyes met and held. We both knew it was to be today. "I am not a boy now, Chato," I said, and I fired.

It was point-blank with a rifle at less than twenty yards, and I missed.

At the instant I spoke, Chato, the most experienced fighting man of the lot, instinctively jumped his horse, and the bullet intended for him hit Rad Huber and knocked him sidewise in the saddle, almost unseating him. His horse jumped, and Huber, wounded, fought for control. Chato fired, as did Fletcher and Federico. A bullet burned my hand, and I dropped my rifle just as I got off a second shot.

Palming my six-shooter, I put two bullets into Federico. Then suddenly the afternoon exploded with roaring guns and charging horses. Flashes stabbed the air, and there was a smell of gunpowder. The black stallion swung away, and I fired into Huber as he turned toward me, blood staining his shirt.

Fletcher was down, but other riders had come in, and all were shooting. Wheeling the stallion, I was in time to see Monte McCalla put a finishing shot into Fletcher as he tried to rise. As quickly as it had begun, it was over. Besides McCalla I recognized Jacob Finney, Owen Hardin, and Yacub Khan. Two others were strangers; by their style, they were El Monte boys.

Thumbing cartridges into my pistol, I holstered it. Hardin swung down, picked up my rifle, and handed it to me. "What's the matter?" he said, smiling. "Can't you keep out of trouble?"

"Where'd you come from?"

"Miss Nesselrode sent us to round up Meghan Laurel, and we were just tryin' to catch up when we ran into Khan here. He come down Mills Creek an' ran right into us.

"We were ridin' along enjoyin' the afternoon when we saw your dust up ahead, and when you topped a rise, we recognized you. Just about that time we saw four riders headin' into the creek bottom, no we used our spurs, an' all hell busted loose."

"Where is she?" Jacob looked around. "Where's the girl?"

"Gone along to the cantina," I said, and for the first time I looked down at the bodies.

There were but three: Rad Huber, Fletcher, and the don.

Chato? Chato was gone!

"Meghan!" I shouted, and I slapped spurs to that black stallion and took off with a lunge.

That cantina was only a little way ahead, and Chato ...! The others were behind me, running their horses. The clump of trees, the hitching rail, the patio with its tables ... I hit the ground running.

Chato was standing in the shade of a big oak on the edge of the patio. His gun was in his hand.

"Meghan?" I shouted.

"I do not fight women," he said. "I fight only men." "I am a man," I said. I was fairly certain now that he had not harmed Meghan, so I could concentrate fully on the job I had to do.

Shadows fell on the cruel face, the flat nose, the old scars. "I should have killed you then, in spite of the old man. You were trouble. I could see it in your eyes, and you were but a baby."