back room. Why'd you go in there?'
'To get some supplies.'
'Did anyone see you?'
'No.'
'Good,' Simpson whispered. 'You broke in, didn't you?'
'Yes.'
'Did you snap the lock or break a window?'
Douglas was a bit insulted by the question. 'No, of course not. Cooper won't know I was there unless he does a close inventory.'
Simpson was grinning with pleasure. 'I hope you robbed Vernon Cooper blind. His brother, Jasper, runs the wire office, and both the scoundrels are in Boyle's back pocket. No one in Sweet Creek dares send a wire from here unless they want Boyle to know about it, and that's why I used the wire service in Liddyville. Just on principle Trudy and I get all our supplies there too. We'd rather go without than give either one of the Coopers our hard-earned money.'
'If Ryan were to show up and arrest Boyle, would the man whose hands were broken testify against him?'
Simpson shook his head. 'I expect Ryan will have to find another way to get rid of Boyle,' he said, 'or run his henchmen out of town first. Wendell's too scared to testify. He's got a wife and two young daughters. He doesn't dare say a word against Boyle, or his family will pay the consequences. The poor man. He's got crops that will be ready to harvest in a couple of weeks, and with broken hands he's going to have to watch them rot.'
'Won't some of the town help him?'
'They're afraid to do anything that might make Boyle mad.'
'Why does he want Isabel's land?'
'He's telling everyone he wants to put his cattle there to graze. He has a lot of land surrounding his. ranch house, but he rents that out to some foreigners who buy cattle down in Texas and have them brought I up to his land to fatten up. Boyle's made a fortune over the last fifteen years, but he's greedy, and he wants more.'
'If he wants to use Isabel's land, why doesn't he do it? She couldn't stop him, and he has to know that.'
'He doesn't just want her land, son, he wants her too. He's real blatant about letting everyone know she's going to belong to him. Why, he struts around town like a fat rooster inviting people to the wedding. Folks say he started lusting after her the second he saw her.'
'Why is he waiting? He could force her to marry him now.'
'You don't understand Boyle the way I do. Pride's involved. He wants her to beg him to marry her, and he figures if he makes her desperate enough, she'll do just that.'
'Did he kill her husband?'
'If the bullet hadn't gone through his back, I would have suspected Parker accidentally killed himself. I'm not speaking ill of the dead, you understand. I'm only stating facts, and the fact is that Isabel's husband was about as useful as a kettle with a hole in the bottom, The man had grand notions about all sorts of things. He treated Isabel good though, real good. And he was kind to crazy old Paddy, even though he knew Boyle would hear of it and be furious.'
Douglas was intrigued. 'Being kind to an old man infuriated Boyle?'
'It's perplexing, isn't it? Paddy came to Sweet Creek straight from Ireland and had lived here for as long as I could remember. Boyle came along about ten years ago and squatted on the land adjacent to where Isabel is living now. Within a year he started building himself a grand three-story house, and when it was finished, it was as fancy as any you'll see in the East, I'll wager you. He filled it with new furniture he had shipped from Europe and then had a big party the whole town was invited to so he could show off the palace. Even Paddy was invited, but something happened that night that started the feud between the two men. No one recollects seeing the two of them together during the shindig, but from that night on, Boyle tormented Paddy with a vengeance. Folks started calling the Irishman crazy then because no matter how often Boyle came after him, Paddy laughed about it. You know what that crazy man told me while I was patching him up one evening? He said he was going to have the last laugh. Can you imagine? The funny thing is, he did.'
'How'd he do that?'
'Well now, I'm getting to that, son. Paddy was dying of consumption. He hung on until one Saturday night, because he knew that was when Boyle always went to the saloon to play cards. I happened to be there that night too, and I'll tell you it was the strangest dying I've ever seen. Paddy had dragged himself out of his sickbed, came into the saloon, and then laid down on the floor. He folded his hands together on top of his chest as though he was already in his coffin and announced he was going to die in a few minutes. That's when things turned mighty peculiar. Boyle knocked a chair over running to the old man. He knelt down beside him, waving me and everyone else away, and then he grabbed hold of Paddy's shirt and began to shake him, shouting, Tell me, old man. Tell me who it is.''
'What happened then?' Douglas demanded to know, fascinated by the bizarre story.
'It got even more peculiar, son, that's what happened. Paddy gave Boyle a big toothless smile and whispered something only Boyle could hear. And then he laughed. As God is my witness, Paddy died laughing. Boyle went crazy. He started choking the dead man and screaming vile names at him. Two of his men had to pull him off the Irishman so the funeral cart could come and collect him, and I heard one of his men ask him why he hadn't killed Paddy years ago. Boyle was still reeling from whatever it was the Irishman had said to him, and all he would mutter was that he couldn't kill him without knowing. The following day Trudy and I went to say our good-bye to old Paddy, and I swear to you when I looked in that coffin, that crazy old man had a big smile on his face. Isn't that the darnedest story you ever heard?'
Douglas agreed with a nod. The doctor let out a loud sigh, and then said, 'Boyle got over whatever was bothering him as quick as could be and started in pestering Isabel and Parker Grant the following week. No one saw him kill Parker, but everyone believes he did. I expect he thought our girl would fall right into his hands then, being pregnant and helpless and all. That was his big mistake because there isn't anything helpless about Isabel. Naturally she's vulnerable because of the baby, and I figure Boyle, with all his money and power, thought he could snatch her right up.'
'Does he have marriage in mind?'
'Oh, he wants her legal,' Simpson replied. 'Since she hasn't started begging him yet, we think he's waiting for the baby to come along. He's a smart one, Boyle is. Most mothers will do anything to feed their little ones. Isabel's a fine woman, but too pretty for her own good. I lied to Boyle, told him the baby wouldn't come until the end of September, and Isabel didn't start showing until she was well into her fifth month, so Boyle has no reason to think I'm lying. I don't know if the extra time will help much, but I'm hoping Boyle will continue to leave her alone until he sees for himself that the baby's here.'
'Doctor, the food's packed up,' Trudy called from the hallway.
Simpson immediately stood up. 'What else can I do to help?' he asked.
'I'd appreciate it if you'd send a wire to my brothers telling them I'll be delayed.'
The doctor motioned to some paper and a pen. 'You write it all down, and I'll see to it first thing in the morning.'
'Do you usually go to Liddyville on Mondays to see patients?'
'No, Tuesdays and Fridays are my usual days, but I could come up with a reason to go early.'
'There isn't any need for that. Besides, you shouldn't change your routine.'
'Are you planning to bring in some help soon?'
'Yes.'
'I expected you would,' he replied. 'I ought to mention something important first. Boyle's going to be leaving to attend his annual family gathering in the Dakotas. He's never missed one in all the years he's lived here, and everyone expects him to leave real soon. You don't want him to bring more men back with him, and I know he'll do just that if he gets word Isabel has evened out the odds. Besides, it's too risky to move the baby now, and you don't want to be worrying about Boyle's men setting her place on fire. They'll do it as sure as thunder follows lightning if they know you're inside.'
'How long will Boyle be away?'
'It varies from year to year. There's just no telling. Last year he was gone six weeks, but the year before he
