Chapter 17
Longarm woke up at dawn the next morning. After dressing and starting a fire for coffee, he went outside to grain the horses in preparation for a long trip back to Colorado. He had not slept well during the night and felt a little groggy. The way Longarm figured it, the best and easiest way to return to Denver would be to go to Flagstaff, take an eastbound train to Albuquerque, and then make his final destination plans.
The kid had told Longarm where to find the stolen Denver mint plates as well as the currency paper and ink. The three fugitives had decided to hide everything in the barn under some hay. Longarm had pretty well decided to destroy the government currency plates and burn the paper rather than to have to worry about their safe transfer back to Colorado.
The air was clear and cold. The sun was just peeking over the eastern horizon when Longarm stopped outside the barn to admire the sunrise. He was yawning when he thought he heard something move behind him, but before he could react, Buck Zolliver stepped out of the barn, gun up and trained on Longarm’s chest.
“Well, Mister Lawman,” Buck said, his eyes burning with hatred. “I guess it’s finally payback time for you, huh?”
Longarm felt a chill pass through his body. “Maybe.”
“Why don’t you turn around and enjoy your last sunrise. I’ll give you about a minute’s worth.”
“If you shoot me, you’ll wake up everyone in the house,” Longarm said, trying desperately to give himself time to think of a way to get the drop on this hateful giant.
“Lawman, I’m not worried about ‘em.”
“Neither was Clyde, and I expect that’s why he was gunned down in that hotel back in Whiskey Creek. Are you going to make the same mistake?”
Buck’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s the kid?”
“In bed asleep, I expect.”
“And all that counterfeit money and those government plates?”
“I dunno,” Longarm drawled. “I forgot to ask.”
“Liar!”
Buck cocked back the hammer on his six-gun. “I ain’t gonna play any games. Where are they at?”
“The plates or the money?” Longarm asked.
“Both!”
“The kid said that they’re hidden in the barn under some hay. I was just about to look for them myself.”
“Reach down with your left hand and ease that hog-leg out of its holster,” Buck ordered. “Let it drop to the ground and step away from it real slow.”
Longarm saw no choice but to do as he was told. Buck picked up his Colt and shoved it into his waistband.
“Now, Marshal, step inside,” Buck ordered, swinging open both of the barn doors. “And shot or no shot, if you make one false move, I’ll drill you in the guts and then I’ll kill all three of them in the house. Clyde was naked and unarmed when the kid gunned him down. It won’t be the same this time.”
“I expect it wouldn’t be,” Longarm said.
“Inside!”
Longarm went inside, body tight and ready to spring at Buck if he lowered his guard even a little. But the giant never gave him a chance to attack, so Longarm stopped in the middle of the barn.
“Now what?” he asked.
“Find the gawddamn money and counterfeiting plates!”
Longarm knew where to look, but he acted as if he didn’t have a clue and began to rummage around in the straw, poking and prodding, even hoping that he could locate a pitchfork or any damn weapon that he could whip around and throw at Buck just long enough to make a dive for the giant’s legs. If he could get the man down, he’d have a fighting chance. Hell, he’d whipped Buck once and he figured that he could do it again.
“Hurry up!” Buck raged. “Dammit, quit playing games!”
Longarm heard the anger and knew that he could not delay any longer. So he found Nathan’s canvas packs and pulled them out in the open, then knocked off the loose straw.
“Here you are, Buck.”
“Open ‘em!”
Longarm opened the packs. One of them had a lot of counterfeit currency. He grabbed a handful and raised it for the gunman to see. “I expect this is what you’re really after.”
Buck grinned. “You got that right. And I’ll use some of it to find the best printer in the country. He can make me some more.”
“Got it all figured out, huh?”
“You bet I do! I’ve had plenty of time.”
Longarm was about to say something, when he saw a shadow in the doorway and then Nathan appeared. He was smiling and said, “Good morning, everyone.”
Buck whipped around and fired in one smooth motion. Nathan spun and fell and before Buck could pivot back Longarm had already drawn his hidden two-shot .44-caliber derringer that he always kept attached to his Ingersol railroad watch chain and concealed in his vest pocket. The derringer had saved his life on more than one desperate
