MacCorkle's desk that an army paymaster made a deposit that morning.
The amount was seventeen thousand eight hundred and some change. '
Cole whistled. 'That's a lot of money. I'll bet the bastards knew
before MacCorkle did that the money was coming.'
'I'm sure they did.
All they had to do was follow him.'
'Why bother robbing the banks? ' Cole asked. 'Why not rob the
paymaster on his way to the fort with the cash? ' 'It's too dangerous
and unpredictable, that's why. The paymaster doesn't ride alone, and
the guards assigned to him are all crack shots.
Banks are easier if you know what you're doing, and the men we're up
against obviously do.' The discussion ended when they reached the
hotel. The only rooms available were in the attic and were about the
size of clothes closets.
Cole's room faced the street. Ryan's room was directly across the
hall.
The beds were soft though, and with a little persuasion, the night
manager agreed to send up supper.
Neither Ryan nor Cole got much sleep that night. Cole kept thinking
about the grisly scene he'd walked into, and Ryan spent his time
thinking about the possible witness.
Sorning came all too quickly. As agreed, the marshals met at the bank,
where Sheriff Sloan was waiting to report that the posse hadn't had any
luck finding a trail. Ryan handed him the list of people he wanted to
report to the jail to be interviewed. The three women's names were at
the top.
The sheriff looked over the names and shook his head. 'Some of these
folks are sick as dogs with influenza. It hits hard and fast, ' he
warned. 'And some of the others are getting ready to head out of
town.
I ran into Doc Lawrence at the restaurant, and he was up all night
tending to the Walsh family, and you've got John Walsh's name on the
list. Doc told me Frederick O'Malley is heading out of town with his
brood as soon as the general store opens and he can get some more
supplies.'
'No one leaves Rockford Falls until Marshal Clayborne and I have talked
to them. That includes Frederick O'Malley.'
