over there. Any reason?”
Nelson glanced back toward the rack as if to make sure he knew what Longarm was talking about. “Oh, our arsenal. Well, my brothers and myself developed a passion for big-game hunting, first in Africa and then when we traveled the world. We’ve got most of the major trophies. Whenever you like, I’ll show you our trophy room. In fact, it was the search of a trophy head that brought us to this part of the country. We were after the bighorn sheep, which is found only in the mountains of New Mexico. Once we were here, we recognized that this flat country looked so very much like the Transvaal in South Africa. And being kind of private and hermit-like”—Nelson gave a little laugh—“by nature, we thought this might be an ideal place to settle. It’s within reach of a railroad and we can get to where we need via the rail. Ship out of New Orleans or out of Galveston in Texas or out of any of the ports in the east. So you might say that the rifles represent our greatest love, which is big-game hunting.”
Longarm said, narrowing his eyes, “You say you’ve got most of the big-game trophies. What are you missing?”
Nelson shrugged. “Oh, nothing of considerable value. Just little chinks here and there left to fill in. Perhaps we will have to make a trip to Australia someday to find what we seek. Perhaps even another trip back to the Himalayas.”
Longarm thought a moment. He slowly unfolded the paper. “Makes me very curious, you talking about hunting. I’m wondering if what I’m holding right here might not be a hunting permit.” With that, Longarm reached forward and placed the poster on the low table in front of Asher Nelson. “Is this your work, Mr. Nelson?”
Asher Nelson glanced down at the poster. He seemed genuinely surprised. “Why, that’s your name, Marshal. Has someone been playing a joke on you?” He laughed slightly. “The idea of putting out a wanted poster on a United States Marshal is a rather curious prank, wouldn’t you say?”
Longarm said in an even voice, “I’m not viewing it as a prank. I’m viewing it as an accessory to attempted murder.”
Nelson took a drink. “Oh, surely not. Anyone seeing this could only think it was some trickster up to a prank.”
Longarm tapped the bottom of the poster with his fingernail. “Did you see this part here where it says to apply to the Nelsons from Santa Rosa, New Mexico?”
Asher Nelson leaned forward, his face looking disturbed. “Why, no. My heavens, it does say that. What in the world? Marshal, this is most disturbing.” He looked over at Longarm. “So that’s your business here, to find out if we’ve had a hand in this. Well, I can certainly assure you that we haven’t.”
“Would you care to know where I found this notice?”
Nelson nodded. “Yes, I would.”
“In my room, in your hotel, in Santa Rosa.”
Asher Nelson looked even more disturbed. He said, “I can’t imagine such a thing. I … I’m dumbfounded. I don’t know how to reply to you, Marshal. It must have been the biggest coincidence in the world.”
Longarm said, speaking without sure knowledge of what he was saying, “Well, I don’t think it could be that big of a coincidence, Mr. Nelson, since there’s one in every room of your hotel.”
Nelson stood up as if to walk around the room. Then he sat back down. “I find that hard to believe, Marshal. This must have just happened in the last few days.”
Longarm shook his head. “I’m afraid not. We’ve had word that this has been going on for anywhere from ten days to two weeks. This didn’t just start happening in the past few days. This is what brought me down here and it took me more than a few days to get me down here. And you claim to not know anything about this matter?”
Asher Nelson gave him a frank look. He said, “Marshal, why would anyone be such a damned fool as to put up a wanted poster for a United States marshal and put their own name to it? The consequences should be obvious. A United States marshal would be sitting right where you are, just as you are. Of course, I wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“How about your brothers?”
“My brothers are of the same mind as I am in most everything. Neither one of them would be foolish enough to do anything this haphazard or stupid. Marshal, you’ve got to understand that we are men who have led rough lives in rough country and we don’t take chances. This would be taking a chance. Frank and Claude are serious-minded men. None of us would pull a stunt like this—and a stunt is all I can call it.”
Longarm sat back and looked at the man. He didn’t know what to think. Asher Nelson sounded as sincere as a man could sound. Yet there were two facts: the poster and the disappearance of Ross Henderson. But more than that, there was the attitude of the sheriff, the mayor, and the deputy sheriff. There was the odd hotel. There was this very unlikely palace in the middle of nowhere. These were not sensible and ordinary things that sensible and ordinary men did.
Longarm said, “Who do you suppose would have put your name on these posters? Do you have enemies who would have attempted to bring the law down on you?”
Asher Nelson shrugged. “I have no way of answering that, Marshal Long. Every man has enemies, and I’m sure that my brothers and I have made our share through the years, although I don’t know of any in this part of the country. We have benefited the town, I’m certain, with our money.” He shrugged. “Perhaps someone did it out of jealousy. I have no way of knowing. But I hope that you don’t think that I myself or my brothers would be stupid enough to put our names to such a poster and not expect some very serious consequences from the United States Marshal Service.”
Longarm said, “Does my nickname mean anything to you?”
Asher Nelson looked down at the poster. “Longarm? Where it says Deputy United States Marshal Custis “Longarm’ Long? Longarm? Is that the nickname you’re referring to?”
“Yes.”
Asher Nelson smiled slightly and shook his head. “I’M sorry if it offends you, but no, Marshal. Or should I say Deputy? Perhaps Deputy is more correct?”
Longarm said, “That is correct.”
