dynamite. It’s too bad the whole damn bunch of them weren’t with him.”
Longarm said, “Well, what the hell do you suppose they are up to?”
Fisher shook his head. “I don’t know. I can’t figure it out. There is this, though, Longarm. You do have a certain reputation.” Fisher cut his eyes sideways at the deputy marshal. “You may not be aware of it, but there are some folks who believe you’re damn fool enough to try anything.”
Longarm said, “Bullshit. Anyone that knows me knows that’s not the case. I didn’t get to stay alive this long by being a damn fool.”
Fisher nodded. “I know that and you know that. I know that you won’t walk through a door without knowing what is on the other side and who is backing you up. But lots of folks see you do things that they think are taking chances, though in fact you’ve planned out every detail and you ain’t really taking a chance. The other fellow is taking the chance but he doesn’t know it. The Gallaghers figure that you want a piece of their ass so bad that you’d risk a dumb play like that. That you would take that kind of a chance, that you’d be so damned cocky that you would walk out there and try to tie their hands behind their backs.”
Longarm took a sip of his drink. “Well, I never thought folks had that opinion of me. Is it widespread?”
Fisher said, “Well, I guess you’d say it was the folks kind of on the fringe of the action that think that way. Them that know you a little better have got a pretty good line on what you will and won’t do.”
Longarm got out his watch and looked at it. It was going on nearly ten o’clock. He knew that Fisher’s game would be starting soon, and he wanted to get back to the hotel and check on Lily Gail, although at that point he wasn’t too sure if he wouldn’t have been as happy to see her disappear.
Fisher said, grinning at Longarm, “I kind of like the bait they sent in to try and reel you in. Sounds like a pretty tasty morsel to me.”
Longarm grimaced. “That woman is more dangerous than a bear in a closet. Sometimes you’d think she’s nearly sane, and then she’ll think or do something that will convince you that she ain’t got a lick of sense.”
Fisher gave him a bemused look. “Ya’ll talk a lot, do ya?”
Longarm smiled slightly. “She’s one of the best at that.”
“Talking?”
“You know what I mean, Fish. Listen …” He paused. “Would you be available to help me on this matter if I can ever sit down and think of some kind of a plan?”
Fisher sat back in his chair and said slowly, “I’d like to have a look at your hand before I make a decision on a question like that, Longarm. We’ve been friends for a long time and I’d like to see us continue being friends for a long time, but that might turn out to be difficult if one of us is dead.”
Longarm said, “I’m not planning on that direction, but I’ll tell you, Fish, a clean shot at those Gallaghers is just damn near more than I can resist. I’ve been trying to bring them bastards to book for five, six, hell, maybe even seven years, and all I’ve been able to do is kill ten or twelve of their hired hands and one of the brothers. Sonofabitch, would I like to get my hands on that bunch.”
Fisher said, “That kind of talk makes me nervous, Longarm. You’re getting the bit in your teeth now. You’re starting to talk like a runaway.”
“Yeah, that sort of does sound like dumb talk, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, Fish, I won’t get you off in a storm. I just need to know if I can count on you for some light work if I can get a handle on this situation.”
Fisher looked at his beer for a moment and then drank off half of it. “Well, if the odds are no worse than five to two, then yeah, I reckon you could count me in, but try and narrow it down if you can.”
“I’ve got to find out what this is all about first, but I don’t even know how to go about doing that.”
Fisher gave Longarm a shrewd look. “It’s my belief that wherever that Miss Lily Gail came from is where your Gallagher brothers are right now. I don’t think they’re camped out on the Cimarron Strip. They don’t strike me as the kind to lead the harsh life, not with the kind of money they have. I reckon that wherever she came from, that’s where they are sitting, waiting for the answer. Now, you’re supposed to meet them just over the line in Oklahoma Territory. Well, they can be there in a day’s ride if they came from Raton. In fact, they can be there before you can be there from here.”
Longarm thought for a moment. “Then maybe I might need somebody to follow Miss Lily Gail back to where she came from that she don’t know.”
Fisher gave him an eye. “You’re talking about taking up a considerable amount of my time, Longarm, running around chasing that female of yours. Do you know how much I can make in here a night playing poker with some of these big-monied ranchers that have more money than they have sense?”
Longarm said, “No, but I know how much you can lose when you get cold. How’s your luck been running here lately, Fish?”
“Now, Longarm, you know luck ain’t got nothing to do with poker playing.”
Longarm gave him a slim smile. “I’m not really sure that you’ve learned that yet, Fish. You’re still kind of a streak player. Sometimes you’re hot and it’s fine, but I’ve seen you get cold and still bet against your luck.”
Fisher laughed. “You’re never going to let me forget those few times that you’ve basted me at a poker table, are you? I hate to disappoint you, Longarm, but I play different than I used to. I play now for the money. I believe those people at the table have what is rightfully mine and they’ve held it long enough.”
Longarm nodded. “I’ve heard those words from men who dress a lot nicer than you do, Fish, although I have to admit, you’re looking mighty dapper tonight. Where did you get that shiny leather vest? And that’s a pretty fair pair of boots that you’re wearing there. Also, that would appear to be a diamond ring on your finger. How is it that’s not in a pawnshop?”
Fisher said, “Same old Longarm. Don’t hurt yourself giving me too much credit now. You don’t want to reach in your pocket and count money with me, do you, and see who has the most? The one with the most takes the other one’s pile?”
Longarm grinned. “You wouldn’t be trying to set me up for a sucker bet, now would you, Fisher?”
