Longarm on the Thunderbird Run

up lost their lives because of it.

That sheriff had been almighty pissed, but as far as he knew he never got a look at a White Hood. If he did, he sure didn?t know about it at the time.

And now this bastard Markham was doing his level best to ensure that Custis Long never knowingly got a look at one of them either.

Longarm pressed his fingertips against his temples and rubbed, trying to take some of the pain away. ?I?ll tell you what,? he said. ?If you insist on playing this your way, with time running against us like it is, I?ll just turn the whole case over to you and your deputies.?

Markham blinked and looked pleased. Even Chief Dep­uty Mayes sat up straighter. The only one of them who didn?t react was young Charlie Frye, and Longarm doubted that the boy was mature enough or bright enough to keep up with the conversation anyhow.

?You can have the tip,? Longarm repeated, ?and you can have the collar. Me, I?m out of the whole thing. Does that suit you, Sheriff??

Markham glanced once at the big Colt Thunderer that rode at Longarm?s waist. Longarm knew damned good and well what the man was thinking. Without at least one real lawman in the ambush party, old Markham himself might have to pick up a gun and appear on the scene. The shit-for-brains really didn?t want to do that.

On the other hand, a successful ambush of the White Hoods?or an unsuccessful one, for that matter, so long as he was the man in sole charge of the glorious attempt? would almost guarantee him reelection to office.

?I am sorry you feel that way about it, Marshal, but I understand your position. I accept your withdrawal from the case, and I assure you I shall act on the information the Justice Department has conveyed to me. By nightfall, sir, this White Hood Gang shall be behind bars, and the streets of Thunderbird Canyon shall be safe from depredation by

?

There was more to the line of bull, but Longarm was no longer listening. The case now belonged to Sheriff Paul S. Markham and his force of deputies.

Belonged to Sheriff Markham, that is, as far as Sheriff Markham knew.

?If you gentlemen would excuse me,? Longarm said while the sheriff continued to natter on in a practice cam­ paign speech, ?I want to go over to the hotel and get some sleep now.?

He set his Stetson gently onto an aching head and got the hell out of there.

Chapter Sixteen

?You?re the chief of security for Arrabie Minerals??

?That?s right,? the big man said, giving Longarm a care­ful looking over. ?You aren?t here looking for work, not dressed like that you aren?t, so what is it I can do for you?? He sounded suspicious.

Longarm smiled. Unlike Sheriff Paul Markham, this Jack Thomas looked like he had more between his ears than fried mush and bourbon whiskey.

Longarm closed the door behind him and helped himself to a seat in front of Thomas?s desk.

Thomas was tall and broad-shouldered. The scars over his eyebrows and the lumpy shape of his nose said that he hadn?t come up to his position as head of security for a large mining company by being someone?s nephew, but there was intelligence in his eyes and a calm about him that implied confidence in his own abilities.

This was better, Longarm thought. He leaned forward and began to talk, laying out his badge and also the tele­graph message from Arkansas as he spoke.

?Uh-oh,? Thomas said when Longarm was done speak­ing. ?Do you have any idea how much money is coming on that train this afternoon??

Longarm shook his head. The lunacy with Paul Markham had never progressed far enough to think about infor­mation like that.

?I don?t know how much the others are having shipped, of course, though I could take a guess. Our payroll alone, though, is more than fifteen thousand. Plus there?s a pay­ment due this month to the old boy who made the initial discovery here. He isn?t so dumb as most of those back­woods prospectors. He cut a deal for royalties on top of a finder?s fee, and it?s paid to him every quarter. In cash. He insists on it. Says he doesn?t trust bank drafts. I happen to know from worrying about the security that his payment this time will be over forty thousand. And with what should be coming to the other outfits?? Thomas whistled softly ??hell, Marshal, the total in that car should be in the neighborhood of seventy thousand dollars.?

?That?s serious money.?

?Damn right it is,? Thomas agreed.

?Fortunately it?s being carried in a mail car. That makes it my business as well as yours, Jack.?

?And glad I am for that, Marshal.? The man paused and frowned. ?Look, uh, Marshal Long??

?Longarm,? he corrected.

?Yeah, thanks. Okay, Longarm, it isn?t really my place to say anything, but if you are counting much on the sheriff helping you with??

?So I?ve discovered,? Longarm interrupted. ?No point in going into details now, but whatever I do next will be independent of your local authorities.?

Thomas nodded and looked like he approved of that decision.

?For whatever it?s worth, Marshal, you can count on the full cooperation of me and every one of my boys. We aren?t a bunch of guntoughs or anything like that, but my people are all honest, decent men, and I?ll vouch for each one of them. If I wasn?t willing to say that about every last man of them, why, that man wouldn?t be drawing pay from Arrabie.?