At the telegraph office Shaye sent off three telegrams to lawmen he knew in the West.
“We’ll be waiting outside for replies,” he told the clerk.
“Yes, sir.”
He joined his sons outside.
“Think we’ll get an answer right away, Pa?” James asked.
“Maybe,” Shaye said. “No harm in sitting right here and waiting until it’s time to go.”
“Well,” Thomas said, sitting on one of three chairs, “Can’t get into much trouble just sittin’.”
“We hope,” James said.
That morning Cotton asked Marion, “Can you resist confronting her until later?”
“I hope so,” she said. “For the sake of Little Matt, I’ll have to.”
Cotton put his gun on, preparing to leave for his office.
“We’ll have it out with her later, Marion,” he promised. “After Dan Shaye’s sons meet her and the boy.”
“You go to work,” she said, patting his arm. “I have to feed the baby and make breakfast for her. Don’t worry. I’ll be good.”
Sheriff Cotton kissed his wife good-bye and left for his office.
On his way to open his office, Cotton passed the telegraph office and saw Shaye and his sons sitting out front. He crossed over and greeted them good morning.
“I sent some telegrams about Jeb Collier,” Shaye told him. “Thought we should know for sure what his situation was.”
“Good idea. Will you let me know when you find out?”
“Sure thing.”
“Gonna wait here until noon?” the lawman asked.
“Why not?” Shaye asked with a shrug.
“Sure,” Cotton agreed, “why not?”
“Did you tell your wife what I told you?”
“Yes, I did. She was upset.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Turns out she’s known more about Belinda’s true character than I have.”
“Is that a fact? And she was willing to put up with it?”
“For the baby’s sake.”
“He’s two, ain’t he?” James asked.
Cotton looked at him. “Yes.”
“Not really a baby anymore, is he?”
“To my wife, he is.”
“We’ll see you around noon, Sheriff.”
The sheriff gave a small wave and continued on to his office.
The telegram they were waiting for came at eleven-thirty. The clerk came out and handed it to Shaye.
“What’s it say, Pa?” Thomas asked.
“Jeb Collier was sentenced to two years for a stage robbery in Arizona,” he said. “He got out last month.”
“And is he on his way here?” James asked.
“No way to know that.”
“Well,” Thomas said, “at least we know she told the truth about that.”
“At least we know,” Shaye said, “that she can tell the truth—when she wants to.” Shaye folded the telegram and put it in his pocket. “Time to go.”
31
It was all Marion Cotton could do to hold her tongue all morning. When she saw the three men walking toward her house, she was relieved. As they got closer, she recognized Daniel Shaye. When they reached her backyard, she saw that his two sons were quite handsome. One seemed barely a man and the other several years older—and bigger. They all wore guns. She hoped that the three of them would be a match for the Collier gang.
“Mrs. Cotton,” Shaye said as they reached the fence surrounding the backyard. He removed his hat and his sons followed his example.
“This is my son James…and my son Thomas.”
“Ma’am,” Thomas said and James just nodded.
“I’m happy to meet you both,” she said.
“Where are Belinda and the boy?” Shaye asked.
“They’re inside,” she said. “I’ll go and fetch them.”
“And your husband?”
“He hasn’t come home yet,” she said. “He must have been held up at his office. Please, come into the yard and wait.”
She opened the gate and the three men entered while she went into the house.
In the house she told Belinda, “They’re here.”
Belinda went to the window to look out at Daniel Shaye’s sons. She was impressed with the older one. He was tall, well built, and quite handsome. He reminded her of Matthew, but not as large.
“I’ll get Little Matt,” Marion said. If Belinda noticed the coldness in her tone, she gave no indication. “Why don’t you go out and…talk to them?”
“All right,” the younger woman said. “I’ll see you outside.”
She went out the back door while Marion went into the bedroom to get the child.
When Belinda appeared in the yard, wearing another simple gingham dress, both Thomas and James caught their breath. They could both see how she would be able to influence a man with her beauty. If she could do it to a mature man like Sheriff Cotton, then their brother Matthew would have had no chance against her.
Shaye could see the reaction both his sons were having to the lovely young woman. He gave James no chance against her charms, but hoped that Thomas was old enough and smart enough to resist.
“Boys, this is Belinda,” Shaye said. “Belinda, Thomas and James.”
“It’s very nice to meet the two of you,” she said. “I can see the resemblance between you and your brother Matthew.”
Neither Thomas nor James commented on that remark.
“Where’s the boy?” Thomas asked.
Belinda pouted, a gesture that annoyed Shaye.
“Aren’t you interested in getting to know me first?” she asked.
“The boy is the one we might be related to,” Thomas pointed out.
“And you?” she asked, directing her gaze at James now.
Shaye saw James swallow and hesitate. If they ever left him alone with her, he’d be lost.
At that moment the back door of the house opened and Marion Cotton came out carrying Little Matt.
“There he is,” Shaye said.
While she walked toward them, Shaye noticed that Belinda had not removed her hot stare from James, who still seem mesmerized by her. Thomas must have noticed as well, because he stepped between the two of them, breaking the contact.
“Let’s look at the boy, James,” he said.
“His name is Matt,” Marion said, stopping before them.
“We call him Little Matt,” Belinda said, “because his father was so…big.”
Thomas walked toward the boy for a closer look, but did not touch him. James followed, but when he reached the woman and the boy he stuck his finger out as Shaye had done the day before. The boy immediately reached for it.
