'From what I've heard about your prisoner, that doesn't surprise me,' Putnam said with a wink.
Longarm drank his coffee and ordered breakfast. During the next hour, he and the marshal talked about one thing and the other, always coming back to Mrs. Ortega.
'So how come you were asked to deliver her to Yuma via Prescott?' Putnam asked. 'the whole thing sounds a little strange to me.'
'What is that supposed to mean?'
The local marshal buttered a piece of toast. He was a short, fastidious man who had once been a Pinkerton agent and who was reported to be very good with a gun despite his benign appearance.
'Well,' Putnam said, 'why reroute you up through Prescott if they don't have something ulterior in mind?'
'Like what?'
Putnam frowned. 'My hunch is that this girl has probably convinced your boss that she has been framed. That being the case, he sends you to Prescott hoping that you can dig up some information that supports her story.'
'If Billy Vail felt that way, he would have told me so outright,' Longarm argued.
'Maybe he couldn't,' Putnam said, munching on his toast. 'Maybe he is sticking his neck out a little for this woman. It just... just doesn't sound quite right that you should be going to Prescott first. That's all I'm saying. I think that there is more to all this than meets the eye.'
Longarm had to admit that Putnam could be right. During the rest of their breakfast, they talked about other things, and when they parted, Putnam Picked up the breakfast check.
'It's on me, and I would like to meet this woman.'
'Then follow me upstairs.'
'Thanks,' Putnam said with a grin as he paid the tab.
When they arrived back at the hotel room, Longarm un locked the door and said under his breath, 'She's a little tired and might still be in bed.'
'Sure,' Putnam said, grinning broadly as Longarm pushed the door open and stepped inside, not quite sure what to expect.
Lucy was dressed and was sitting on the edge of the bed brushing her hair to a luster. She looked, quite honestly, ravishing.
'Well, hello,' she said with her sunniest smile.
Longarm introduced Marshal Putnam, who stared and stammered, grinning like crazy. 'Pleased to meet you!' he finally managed to say. 'I hope that you have an enjoyable rest in our town. Stop by to visit before you leave.'
'Thank you,' Lucy said, batting her eyelashes.
They made small talk for several minutes, and then Putnam said sheepishly, 'Oh, I almost forgot the main reason for coming by, Custis.'
'What's that?'
'The Kincade brothers were released from prison last month and they're back in town.'
Longarm stiffened. After a botched stagecoach robbery attempt, he'd killed one brother and winged a second. The third had surrendered. It had been Longarm, not Putnam, who'd tracked them down, and the two survivors had sworn undying vengeance.
'You might,' Putnam suggested, 'want to leave town right now.'
'Our horses are played out,' Longarm said.
'Trade them in for fresh ones,' the marshal suggested. 'I'll try to keep an eye on those two, but I can't make any promises, and I can't just arrest them for what they've sworn to do to you.'
'I know, Pat.' Longarm's brows knitted together. 'I'll go over to the livery and see how our horses are looking and if they're shod yet.'
'They won't be if Frank is the one that's supposed to do it,' the marshal predicted. 'He's honest and he's a hell of a nice fella, but he's slower than a grunt.'
'Thanks for the warning,' Longarm said. 'I'll see if I can build a fire under Frank's smokestack. In the meantime, you might just have a word with the Kincades.'
'I thought of that, and decided it might be better to say nothing in the hopes that you'll be gone before they even know you were passing through.'
'I doubt that will happen,' Longarm said. 'Albuquerque isn't that big.'
'You're right,' Putnam agreed. 'There's not much that goes on that everyone doesn't hear about it. And I'm thinking that Mrs. Ortega has really got tongues wagging. Tell you what. I'll see if I can dig the Kincade brothers up. I'll create a little distraction to keep their minds on something besides nailing your hide to the livery barn door.'
'Much obliged,' Longarm said as they parted.
When Longarm arrived at the livery, Frank had their horses out and he was working on their feet. Their coats were brushed and their tails combed free of burrs and tangles.
'I can see you've been busy,' Longarm said.
Frank dropped a hoof and straightened. He didn't look very happy this morning. 'The Kincade brothers were
