“No,” Longarm said, “I suppose not.”
“Well, you’re damn right I haven’t!” she said. “I may not have the same motive, to kill Nathan, but I still want my money back.”
“Of course,” Longarm said, untying his reins and then wearily mounting his horse.
“I’m glad that you’re so understanding,” Diana said as she also mounted. “Now, let’s go put an end to this whole sorry business.”
They had no trouble finding the Cox ranch. Longarm even spotted the Thoroughbreds grazing in a big pasture near the ranch house.
“How are you going to handle this?” Diana asked. “You know that the kid is quick on the trigger and that the two Whiskey Creek women are dangerous as hell.”
“Yes,” Longarm said, “I know that. I think that I should just ride in alone. Nathan might still recognize you, but he’s never seen me.”
“Bad idea!”
“Good idea,” Longarm said firmly. “If something goes wrong, you can ride for help.”
“And do what?” she asked. “Find out where Prescott’s marshal went elk hunting?”
“Please,” Longarm said patiently. “Just do as I ask for this once. Stay back here in the trees. If everything goes as it should, I’ll signal and you can ride in then.”
Diana didn’t like the idea, but she could see that Longarm was quite serious. “All right,” she said at last, “we’ll do it your way. But I’ll be watching from cover, and if anything goes amiss, I’m coming to your rescue.”
“Okay,” Longarm agreed.
Diana leaned out of her saddle and gave him a kiss. “After tonight,” she said, “I vote we take a few weeks off and find even warmer weather. We can have some fun together and relax. What do you say?”
“Sounds good,” Longarm said, “but there could be a problem with my boss back in Denver as well as the mayor and-“
“To hell with them!” Diana touched his cheek. “What have they done for us lately? Nothing. They never even wired you legitimate travel expense money.”
“That’s true,” Longarm admitted as he reined toward the ranch headquarters.
They were all sitting in front of a big stone fireplace playing penny-ante poker, laughing and sipping on whiskey, when Longarm tied his horse up in front of the ranch house and simply walked inside.
“Hey!” Rolf exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “Who the hell are you to just walk in here?”
Longarm studied the two women, then Nathan, who was still smiling, and he decided to draw his gun and give them the bad news.
“I’m United States Deputy Marshal Custis Long,” he said, reaching into his coat pocket and dragging out his badge. “And I hate to ruin this party, but you’re all under arrest.”
“On what charges!” Carole cried.
“They’ll vary depending on how much you cooperate,” Longarm answered. “Now, everyone stand up and turn around slowly with your hands over your heads.”
“You can’t do this without telling us what we’re being charged with!” Teresa said angrily.
“All right, passing counterfeit money, aiding and abetting a criminal and fugitive of the law.”
“We didn’t do any of those things!” Carole protested.
“That will be decided later,” Longarm said. “And on top of all that, you gals shot and killed a man in Whiskey Creek.”
“That gunnie was going to kill us!” Rolf cried.
Longarm turned his complete attention on Rolf. “What about Clyde Zolliver?”
“He was another that gave us no choice,” Rolf said. “It was him … or us.”
“Well,” Longarm said, “all I know for sure right now is that you’ve left a path of counterfeit money in your wake along with two dead men. And I’m quite sure that you bought this ranch with bad money.”
Rolf sighed. “Look, Marshal, those two men that we shot were trying to kill us. There are witnesses.”
“I’ve spoken to them.”
“Then you know that we killed in self-defense,” Carole said.
“Maybe.”
“Marshal, if you’d-“
“Hands up,” Longarm ordered, “and turn around. Now!”
The three did as they were told, but Nathan Cox didn’t do anything except look confused.
“Who are you?” he asked as Longarm made sure that the kid and the two women were unarmed. “Do you want to play cards with us?”
“Glad to finally meet you, Nathan Cox?”
“That’s what they call me,” Nathan said. “Are you hungry, mister?”
