“Oh, that must mean there’s another member of his gang here in Crooked Lance. But why are you telling me all this? I thought you were cross with me and mine.”
“I am, a mite. You see, ma’am, this notion you have on holding our prisoner for some sort of fool auction is getting serious. You folks in Crooked Lance are playing cards for high stakes with professionals, and—no offense intended—some of your cowhands could get hurt.”
“You know our stand about the money, damn it.”
“Yep, and it’s getting tedious. You ain’t a stupid woman, Miss Kim. You must know time is running out on you. Any day now, the army will send in a troop of cavalry to back Captain Walthers, or a team of federal officers will be coming to see what’s keeping me. If I was you, I’d go with the Justice Department. One feller just made himself a modest bounty tonight, by cooperating with me.”
“Could you give me something in writing, saying we were due the reward on Younger and his gang, whenever they’re caught?”
“I could, ma’am, but it wouldn’t be worth the paper it was written on. You see, Cotton Younger has to stand trial before it’s legal to hang him, and there’s always that outside chance some fool jury might set him free. The reward’s for capture and conviction. As to Frank and Jesse James, us federals might make a deal with Younger and we might not. I could put in a good word for you if it was a federal man that caught them rascals, but there’s others looking. So the James boys might get caught by other folks. They might get turned in for the reward by anybody. They might never be caught at all, since nobody’s seen hide nor hair of either one for a good two years or more. You see how it is?”
She sighed and said, “At least you’re likely more honest than some of the others. Sheriff Weed’s promised us the moon, but he gets cagey every time I ask him to put it in writing.”
“You’re not likely to get anything on paper, and if you do, it won’t be worth all that much. The position you’ve taken just won’t wash, ma’am. The longer you hold that prisoner, the more riled at you his rightful owners are going to get.”
She hesitated. Then, with a firmer tilt to her head, she said, “I have to think about it. You’ve got me mixed up, as you doubtless intended.”
Longarm believed in riding with a gentle hand on the reins, so he tipped his hat and said, “I’ll just let you sleep on it, then. Good night, ma’am. It’s been nice talking to you.”
They were waiting in the shadows as Longarm rode out to the main trail. He saw they weren’t skulking, so he didn’t draw as Timberline and another tall man fell in on either side of him as he left the redhead’s property. Longarm nodded and said, “‘Evening, Timberline.”
“What was you pestering Miss Kim about, Longarm?”
“Wasn’t pestering. Wasn’t cutting in on you, either. As she’ll likely tell you, it’s no secret I was asking questions.”
He turned to the other rider and asked, “Would you be Slim Wilson?”
The youth didn’t answer. Timberline said, “A stranger could get hurt, messing about my intended, Mister.”
“I gathered as much, but like I said, that ain’t My play with the widow. I only want what’s mine. That owlhoot you and she are holding in defiance of the law.”
“Oh, hell, that pissant’s caused more trouble than he’s worth! If she’d just let us string the rascal up and have done with him, the valley could get back to its business, raising cows!”
“Why don’t you just let me take him off your hands, then? We’d all ride out and you could be free to pick posies for your gal, Timberline.”
“It’s tempting, but she’d never talk to me again. You may have noticed Kim Stover is a stubborn woman, Longarm.”
“I did. You really want to marry up with her?”
“Hell yes, but she’s stubborn about that, too. Says she has to know me better. Hell, I’ve known her half a dozen years already, but she’s skittish as a colt about a second try.” Timberline’s voice dropped lower as he confided, “That Ben Stover she was married to was a mean-hearted little runt, just like his father over to the general store.”
“I noticed his old woman and the gal look tuckered some. Haven’t had more’n two words with the storekeeper. Seems a moody cuss.”
“He is. Beats both his wife and the girl. Ben Stover used to whup Miss Kim when they first married up. That is, he did until me and him had a friendly discussion on his manners.”
“I take it you’ve always been right fond of Kim Stover.”
“You take it right, pilgrim. And don’t think I can’t see that you’re a good-looking man, neither. You see where this friendly talk is taking us?”
“Yep. We’re almost to the store, too. Look, Timberline, I said I ain’t sparking the widow and I don’t lie any more’n most gents. I got enough on my plate without fighting over women.”
“All right, I’ll let you off this time, boy.”
Longarm’s.44 was suddenly out and almost up Timberline’s nose as he reined in, blocking the bigger man’s mount with his own as he purred, “You did say mister, didn’t you?” He saw the one called Slim about to make a foolish move and quickly added, “Stay out of this, Slim. You make me blow his face off and you figure to be next, before you can clear leather!”
Timberline kept his free hand well clear of his holstered hogleg as he gasped, “You hold the cards, Longarm! What in thunder’s got into you?”
“I don’t take kindly to being bullied and I don’t like being talked down to. You may have taken the simple truth as crawfishing, but let’s get one thing straight. I ain’t been riding you, so I don’t mean to be rode. You got that loud and clear?”
