“Heard he was from New Orleans,” I said. “Won some duels down there.”
“Heard that, too,” Virgil said.
“Means he got self-control,” I said. “Being quick don’t make no difference in a duel.”
“And he can shoot,” Virgil said. “You can’t, you don’t win many duels.”
“So, what we don’t know is how fast?” I said.
“Killed Burleigh Ouellette,” Virgil said.
“Burleigh was quick,” I said. “Chauncey got him?”
“Did,” Virgil said.
“And you figure he’s here to get you,” I said.
“That’s what he’s here for,” Virgil said.
“You figure the general hired him?”
“Be my guess,” Virgil said.
“So, what’s Teagarden waiting for?” I said.
“Needs a situation where it’s just me and him. He ain’t gonna fight us both at the same time.”
I nodded.
“Needs me to draw first, and he’s figuring how to do that,” Virgil said.
“And maybe he’s enjoying the game,” I said.
“Probably,” Virgil said.
“You think he can do it?” I said.
“Kill me?” Virgil said.
“Yeah.”
“No,” Virgil said. “I don’t.”
“You never do,” I said.
“Correct,” Virgil said.
“And you been right, so far,” I said.
35
LAUREL, holding her skirt up, came along Main Street at a dead run. When she reached us, she whispered to Virgil. Virgil nodded.
“Pony came to the house,” Virgil said to me. “Wants us to meet him west of town at Red Castle Rock.”
“I know where that is,” I said.
Laurel whispered again to Virgil.
“We won’t see him, but if we sit our horses by the rock, he’ll find us,” Virgil said to me.
“Now?” I said.
Virgil looked at Laurel. She nodded hard.
“Now,” Virgil said.
He patted Laurel on the shoulder, and we set out for the livery to get our horses.
We followed the stage road west.
As we rode I said to Virgil, “I noticed something ’bout Laurel today when she come running up to tell us ’bout Pony.”
“With her tits bouncing?” Virgil said.
“You noticed it, too,” I said.
“Yep.”
“She ain’t a little girl,” I said.
“Nope.”
“What are we gonna do ’bout that?” I said.
“Don’t know,” Virgil said.
The road began to rise gently ahead of us. The horses adjusted to it.
“She know the facts?” I said.
“Hope so,” Virgil said.
He grinned.
“Allie sure ’nuff is qualified to tell her ’bout them,” he said.
“Virgil,” I said. “Laurel don’t talk to anybody, ’cept whispering to you.”
“I know.”
“You can’t go round the rest of her life translatin’ for her,” I said.
“Probably could,” Virgil said. “But don’t seem like I ought to.”
“So, what do we do?” I said.
“Don’t know,” Virgil said.
“What’s Allie say?”
“Allie don’t like me talkin’ ’bout Laurel to her,” Virgil said.
“She don’t?”
“Nope. Says I spend too much time thinkin’ ’bout Laurel.”
“Jesus Christ, Virgil,” I said. “She’s jealous of Laurel?”
“’Pears so,” Virgil said.
“Well, we got to do something about Laurel,” I said.
“We do,” Virgil said.
“What?” I said.
“Was hoping you’d come up with something,” Virgil said.
Ahead of us, with late sun shining from behind it, was the high remnant of ancient red rock that looked a little like the tower of a castle.
We stopped close to its base and sat our horses in its shadow, and pretty soon Pony Flores rode around the base and stopped beside us.
36
HOW IS CHIQUITA?” Pony said. “She’s fine,” Virgil said.
“She talk yet?” Pony said.
“Just to me,” Virgil said.
Pony nodded.
“Kah-to-nay has gone to fight Blue-Eyed Devil,” he said.
Virgil nodded.
“Never could abide us,” Virgil said.
Pony shook his head.
“Kha-to-nay think you betray him,” Pony said.
“You know we didn’t,” I said.
“I know,” Pony said. “Kah-to-nay not know.”
“Kha-to-nay fighting white men by himself?” Virgil said.
“No, go back to reservation, get others. Maybe fifteen, they leave reservation, keep moving.”
“Raiding?” Virgil said.
“Si.”
“Live off what they take in a raid?”
“Si.”
“So they got to keep raiding.”
Pony nodded.
