“So that’s where we come in. A federal offense was committed and they crossed state lines.”
“Exactly,” Billy said. “And they got away clean with nary a witness. Or if there was a witness, he was too frightened to speak up.”
“And they rode straight back to Helldorado to live happily ever after.”
“How did you guess?” Billy asked. “That’s exactly what they did.”
“So I’m supposed to go to Helldorado and … and what? If there were no witnesses, how can I make an arrest?”
“You can’t,” Billy conceded. “What you’d have to do is to infiltrate the gang. Pretend to be an outlaw on the run looking for like-minded men.”
“I see.” Longarm laced his fingers behind his head. “And then get the goods on the bunch of ‘em.”
“That’s it,” Billy said. “It shouldn’t be that difficult for a man who possesses your ingenuity.”
“It’ll be a sonofabitch and we both know it,” Longarm said flatly. “In the first place, I run the very real risk of someone recognizing me. And in the second place, I’ll probably have to ‘prove’ myself by doing something illegal. Maybe even participating in a robbery or a murder.”
“I know,” Billy said, his smile dying. “I’ve thought of little else but that possibility, and I know that I can’t offer you any easy answers. You will, in all probability, have to ride with this gang and take part in whatever they are up to in order to earn their trust. But it will be worth it.”
“Not to me. Not if it puts innocent people’s lives in danger.”
Billy came to his feet again and began to pace back and forth. “If it were me, I’d think of some way to help their victims rather than be a bystander or even a participant.”
“‘Help’ them?”
“Sure! Maybe you can save lives.”
Longarm supposed there was some logic to this.
“Custis, these are real hard-cases. They’ve not only robbed, but they’ve killed. We need to stop them and the sooner the better. You can understand that, can’t you?”
“Well sure, but …”
“I need you to leave tomorrow morning,” Billy said, coming to stand before Longarm.
Longarm bounced to his feet. “No! Absolutely not. I’m worn to the bone, Billy. Even you said that I looked awful.”
“I didn’t mean it.”
“Yes, you did. But a few days of rest will fix me up just fine.”
Billy jammed his hands into his coat pockets. “Tell you what I think we can do. We’ll give you a firstclass ticket from Cheyenne to Reno. That way, you’ll get your five days’ rest on the train. You’ll have your own luxurious sleeping compartment and the finest meals that money can buy. You’ll even have the opportunity to order free champagne with your five-course dinner. How does that sound?”
“it sounds like I’m going to need to buy some nicer clothes and a much better brand of cigar. How about a hundred dollars extra expense money just so that I can look like I belong in first class instead of the cattle car?”
“Fair enough,” Billy agreed. “But I never thought you’d stoop so low that you’d screw the government when you had it over a barrel.”
“Well,” Longarm said, “that just goes to show how little you really understand me. The fact of the matter is that I have no problem at all with taking a little gravy on my potatoes. Not when this agency is sending me into a situation that is likely to get me killed.”
“Be an optimist.”
“I’m a realist,” Longarm retorted. “I don’t believe in fairy tales, and I don’t believe in the lucky rabbit’s foot either. You’re putting me into something that no other man in this agency would accept.”
Billy’s congenial smile melted. “Nobody else working out of this federal office is nearly as good as you, Custis.”
“Stow it,” Longarm said, thinking that he could at least get one night’s good rest before boarding the train tomorrow morning. “And get the money—all of it.”
“You sound as if you are planning to take the money and run.”
“It would be the intelligent thing to do.”
“Custis, this job won’t be tough at all for you. Why, you’ve just come back from a far worse ordeal in Arizona.”
“Just requisition my expense money and cut the bullshit,” Longarm said. “My gut is growling and I need to buy some better clothes for the trip west. I just hope that no one recognizes me.”
“Shave off your mustache.”
“That won’t do anything.”
“Just a thought,” Billy said with a shrug of his round shoulders. “Just a thought.”
Longarm nodded, and watched as Billy brought out the forms to order his travel money and firstclass ticket. It would be nice to travel in style for a change. He’d need a shave, a haircut, and those new clothes. And some expensive cigars. Yeah, Longarm thought, this could even work out pretty nice, if things didn’t suddenly turn fatal.
