That question caught him off guard, for sure. For a moment he just flapped his lips, trying to come up with something.
He smiled and shrugged. “How’d you end up sheriff?” he asked.
“It got laid on me,” I replied.
“Well, this got laid on me, Sheriff.”
“You coulda stayed in the city.”
He yawned. It was clear he wasn’t eager to continue this little talk. “That’s what separates you and me from Admiral Bragg and his strange-named brood, Sheriff. Bragg likes it here. He likes cows and cowboys and land. He likes this cold weather. He likes no one being around. He likes having his own trees and grass. He likes being alone and being lord of his whole universe. Me?” He shrugged again. “Accident. I won the original T-Bar in a poker game. I bet a night with my lady friend, Maybelline, against Arnold Austria’s ranch, and a full house won. So there it was. I got turned from a gambler into a rancher. Everything in my life’s a turn of the card, Sheriff. I have no ambition. If Admiral Bragg beat me out of my place tomorrow, I’d pack up and walk away. What does it matter?”
“You coming in to watch King Bragg hang?”
“I wouldn’t miss it, Sheriff.”
“Then maybe you care more than you’re saying.”
That sure surprised him. He frowned some. “You know,” he said, “it’s the justice of it I care about. Yes, three of my men got kilt, and that’s something to care about. I’ll be in Doubtful watching real close when you spring the trap,” he said.
Something wasn’t right with Crayfish. “You didn’t care enough to contact their next of kin,” I said.
He stared at me. “What are you up to?”
“I’m up to making sure justice is going to be done.”
“You’re a card, Pickens.” He began crowding me toward the door, and then he opened it. “Long ride for nothing,” he said.
“I got two weeks,” I said. “And I’ll use them.”
I handed him the tumbler and stepped onto his porch. Behind me the door closed quietly.
The bunkhouse was dark. Them cowboys sure didn’t burn any oil. But they were up before dawn, and out with the cattle while there still were stars showing. Chill air was rolling down from the mountains. It sure as hell would be a long ride back, but me and Critter, we’d manage it if I let him rest.
I collected my nag. Critter snarled at me. He was lookin’ for some hay and a good roll after the saddle was off, but here I was getting on him and steering him away from the pens and hay ricks.
We rode out quiet, in starlight, and I let Critter pick the way. Horses can see better than people, and he had no trouble takin’ me down that road. It sure was peaceful. Night is when it’s a joy to be out in the country, with no one nowhere, just walking along and owning the whole universe.
My stomach was tellin’ me it was owed some chow, but I had none, so there was nothing to do but ride them long miles back to Doubtful, so that’s what I set out to do. Wasn’t anyone gonna drop a rib roast and mashed potatoes and gravy into my mitts.
I like my sleep, but this was such a fine spring night I didn’t mind. It’d be maybe one or so when I raised Doubtful, more if I let Critter graze and fart along the way. I always use a single loop rein, so I just let her ride behind the horn, and stretched my arms and cracked my fingers some.
I was dozin’ along, letting Critter find his way back to Doubtful, when I got woke up sudden. I didn’t even know where I was. But a soft voice ripped out of the night.
“Stop,” said this female voice. I don’t rightly know why I thought it was female.
I woke up fast, and debated kicking Critter into a gallop, but instead I reined him in.
“I’ve got you skylined, Sheriff. I can see you but you can’t see me. You’re where the stars are blotted out. There’s a Greener loaded with buckshot aimed at you, and if you mess with me, you’ll be hamburger. That clear?”
“Mighty clear,” I said.
“Then I’ll put this shotgun away. I just want to talk to you, and not get shot at by an itchy lawman.”
“Well, you coulda chose a better way.”
“I’m sorry. It’s dark, and I thought if I called, you’d pump a bullet at me.”
“What do you take me for? I want to know what I’m shootin’ at, especially if it sounds like a woman.”
“You mind if I ride with you a way, and just palaver a bit?”
“I ain’t used to riding with strangers in the night, ma’am.”
There was a long pause, and I wondered whether she would beat a retreat.
“I’m Queen Bragg. Call me Queenie.”
Well, that wasn’t no surprise. “All right, what?” I asked.
“I’m getting my mare and we’ll ride together,” she said.
I wasn’t too pleased with that. This here day started out with a Bragg, and was ending with a Bragg.
I sensed her steer her nag close in. I kept my six-gun in my hand, just in case this was another abduction. I wasn’t gonna let any more Braggs haul me to any more hanging trees.
