“Not that kind,” Longarm said dryly.
Davis glanced at Dulcima. She was sitting on the bed, examining her fingernails, not seeming to pay the two men any mind. Davis jerked his head toward the door. “Let’s go take another look at the situation outside,” he said.
“What?”
Davis jerked his head again and then stepped through the doorway. Longarm followed him. Davis drew the door to, but didn’t latch it. He walked past Longarm and went halfway down the stairs, motioning his partner to follow. “C’mon down here.”
Longarm descended the few steps. “What?”
“I don’t think we ought to be talking in front of her.”
Longarm frowned. “Why not?”
“Because I don’t think you’re going to be telling Caster about San Diego.”
“What have you got in mind? He’s a little large to hide. And I don’t see how we can bury him, with Dulcima’s hired hands working out in the back. I’m sure they didn’t mistake them gunshots for firecrackers.”
“I would imagine they hear gunshots around here all the time.”
“You got some kind of idea how we can not tell Caster anything?”
Austin Davis nodded slowly. “Maybe.”
“Who the hell am I supposed to have given the money to?”
“How about you gave it to San Diego and the last time you saw him he was striking out for Mexico with the girlfriend right by his side.”
Longarm turned and glanced at the closed door. “You talking about taking his body across the river?”
Davis nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know no place around here to get rid of him without risk of being seen or him being found too soon. I got some friends about twenty-five, thirty miles south of here ought to be willing to do me a favor.”
“Mexicans?”
“Yeah. Ranchers. In fact I bought some of that herd from them. Not many, about a hundred head. But the way I see it is you’ve got to be able to tell Caster that you gave San Diego the money and you don’t know what happened to him after that.”
“Why do I have to have given him the money? How come I can’t say I couldn’t find him?”
“Because Caster ain’t going to take the money from you,” Davis explained, “and I doubt if he’s got another go- between lined up. And that would just delay matters. Right now that ain’t what we need. On account of her. Dulcima.”
“What about her?”
Austin Davis pushed his hat up. “Well, I figure she’s got to go to Mexico with me. Either that or we got to shut her mouth some other way. She seen you kill San Diego. You willing to bet your hide she won’t go and tell Caster or tell somebody so word gets back to him?”
Longarm looked at the door again. When he turned back to Davis, he said, “No, I reckon not. But seems to me you are making plans mighty fast here. You sure you’re thinking good?”
Davis gave him a small smile. “At least I’m thinking with the right head. I’d say you been through a rodeo here just lately.”
“What if the lady don’t want to go to Mexico? She’s got this nice house here. What makes you think she’ll be willing to go off with you to some damn small rancho where they’re still eating tortillas and beans out of the same pot?”
“I’m counting on you to talk her into it. You seem to have a way with her.”
Longarm looked at the bedroom door once again. “I wouldn’t be counting on that. That’s a lady got a mind of her own.”
“Hell, she can’t say no to a big, handsome man like YOU.”
Longarm gave him a look. “What say we let that kind of talk slide for a better time? I know I’m fair game right now, but save it.” He reached up to reposition his hat and realized that the only thing he was wearing was a pair of jeans and a revolver. “I don’t know, Austin, you are carrying me kind of fast right now.”
“What the hell you want to do? You want to go and tell Caster you were slipping San Diego’s girlfriend a little of ol’ Slick Willy and he come in and didn’t like it and you killed him? Reckon how he’d take that?”
Longarm shook his head. “Damn. This is messy. Hell, I don’t much care for doing things in this manner.”
“You shot that robber in San Antonio that come out of an alley at you. You went to the sheriff about that and damn near ruined the job. You want some more?”
Longarm shrugged. “I reckon you’re right, We can’t let San Diego’s body be found before we make the arrest. And I don’t reckon we can let Dulcima run around loose. I think it would amuse her to tell folks about these two men having a gunfight over her.” He scratched his head. “But how the hell we going to work it?”
“Ask her to go with me to Mexico. Make up some story.”
“And if she won’t go?”
Davis shrugged. “Then I reckon she’ll have to be hogtied and taken.”
Longarm gave a dry laugh. “That ain’t a job I want.”
