“You think you can stop me?” Sam asked. “But, you see, I intend to see your boss, and—”
“I—I got enough men here to stop you.”
Sam took a moment to look around. Most of the men who were watching were wearing sidearms.
“You sure do have enough’this time.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you’ve tried sendin’ seven men after me, and then eight. Now you’ve got about eleven, countin’ yourself. Maybe you’ll do it this time, but there’s one thing you should know.”
“What’s that?”
“If I only get off one shot, it’ll go right into your brain. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred that’s a fatal shot. How do you feel about those odds, Conners?”
Chuck Conners stared at Sam McCall, then looked around at his men, who were waiting for him to call the play.
“Come on, Conners,” Sam said. “Make a play or tell your boss I’m here.”
There was a tense moment while Conners weighed his options, but he was saved from having to make the final decision.
“He doesn’t have to tell me you’re here, McCall,” Lincoln Burkett said. He was standing in the open front doorway. “I can see that for myself.”
“You willin’ to talk to me, Burkett, or are you gonna call the play here?”
“Oh, I’ll call the play, all right, McCall,” Burkett said, “when the time comes. I think you’ve killed quite enough of my men. Chuck, let him by.”
“But boss—”
“Let him come in. I want to talk to him.”
Sam dismounted and handed his reins to a startled manstanding nearby. He brushed past Conners and climbed the steps. He heard Conners beginning to climb the steps behind him.
“Not you, Chuck,” Burkett said. “I’ll see Mr. McCall alone.”
“Boss, I don’t think—”
“Don’t worry,” Burkett said as Sam McCall reached him, “I’ll be safe enough, won’t I, McCall?”
“That depends on you, Burkett,” Sam said, and slipped past him into the house.
Sam knew the way to Burkett’s office. Evan had told him which room it was. He was waiting there for Burkett, already sitting in front of the man’s desk.
“I see you’ve made yourself at home,” Burkett said, moving around to the other side of his desk. “Can I offer you a drink?”
“No.”
“Let’s get to it, then,” Burkett said. “Why are you here?”
“Like you say,” Sam said, “I’ve killed enough of your men. I think it’s time for you to try and kill me yourself.”
Burkett laughed.
“Why would I want to do that?”
“Either you kill me,” Sam said, “or tell me what happened to my parents.”
“I intend to do neither,” Burkett said. “Actually, I won’t do the first, and I can’t do the second because I know nothing about it.”
“That’s bull.”
“That might be what you think,” Burkett said. “I’ll tell you the truth, the sheriff questioned me after your parents were found.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Well, we had only made the deal for his ranch a month before. I guess the sheriff felt that was sufficient —”
“That’s more bull,” Sam said, interrupting him. “You own the sheriff, just as sure as you own the whorehouse and whatever other businesses you own.”
“Who told you I own the whorehouse?”
Sam smiled.
“It’s a badly kept secret, Burkett,” Sam said, “but never mind. I think you should know I’ve sent for a federal marshal.”
“You…have?” Burkett’s face betrayed him for just an instant. He didn’t like the idea of a federal marshal poking his nose in his business. “When will he be arriving?”
“Soon,” Sam said, “very soon.”
“And what do you expect him to accomplish?”
“Once he looks at the evidence I’ve put together, I expect him to arrest the killers of my parents.”
“Evidence?”
Sam stood up.
“I haven’t been here all this time without accomplishing something, Burkett.”
“And your brothers?”
“They don’t know what I have,” Sam said. “I’m tryin’ to protect them.”
“That’s admirable,” Burkett said. “A man should take care of his family.”
“I’m glad you feel that way, Burkett,” Sam said, moving toward the door, “because that’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do all along—and what I’ll continue to do. Uh, before I go, are you sure you wouldn’t like to try for that gun in your desk?”
Burkett’s eyes momentarily flitted to the desk drawer where he kept his gun.
“Uh, no, I don’t think so.”
“That’s a pity,” Sam said, and left.
Outside he found that the men who had gathered to watch him and Conners face off had not yet dispersed.
Even Conners was still there. The man he’d given his horse to was still holding the reins, and he took them back.
“Thank you.”
“Did you accomplish anything?” Conners asked.
From astride his horse Sam looked down at the man and said, “I got done what I came to get done. Ask your boss about it. He’ll tell you. In fact, I think he wants to see you.”
Sam wheeled his horse around and rode away from the house, leaving behind a bunch of puzzled men and one very confused foreman.
“I was going to send for you,” Burkett said when Conners entered.
“McCall said you wanted to see me.”
“He did, eh?”
“Uh, do you want to—”
“Yes, yes, of course I do,” Burkett said. “Close the damned door.”
Conners did so and moved closer to the desk.
“What did he say?”
“He said he had evidence.”
“He can’t.”
“I know,” Burkett said, “but he also said he’s sent for a federal marshal.”
“That must be what he was doing in the telegraph office that day.”
“If I ever find out who was behind that…” Burkett trailed off. “The man has killed eight of my men, Chuck… eight! And now he’s got federal law coming in.”
“What do you want done?”
Burkett took a long moment to light a cigar to his satisfaction. He was regarding the glowing tip when he finally said, “Get Coffin.”
