29
While Dan Shaye and his sons continued on toward Oklahoma City, Ethan Langer rode into that city with a definite goal in mind. He had to find somebody, get his question answered, and get back to camp before nightfall. He thought he had his men sufficiently cowed to keep them from looking in the saddlebags he’d left in Terry Petry’s hands, but it was hard to be sure.
Oklahoma City was larger than the towns Langer was used to spending time in. His older brother, Aaron, liked big cities, like Denver and Chicago. Ethan preferred smaller, more western towns to spend his time in.
He knew the place he was looking for, he just didn’t know where it was. He stopped a man and a woman on the street to ask them, because they looked like the type of people who would know. After giving him a startled look—he knew he looked trail weary—they were happy to direct him.
“The Church of the Holy Redeemer is on the other side of the square, sir,” the woman said. The man took over then and gave him directions. Langer thanked them politely so he wouldn’t stand out in their minds, in case anyone asked, mounted his horse and followed the directions to the church.
Terry Petry sat at the first fire with the saddlebags at his feet. While he was pleased that Ethan had entrusted the money to him, he knew that the other men were now sizing him up, trying to decide if they should make a move for the money. All six of them were seated around the second fire, watching him. Of course, they also had to decide if they wanted to risk the wrath of both Ethan and Aaron Langer by going for the money.
If they did go for it, though, Petry knew he was the one who was going to end up dead, but he’d take some of those sonsofbitches with him. He wasn’t going alone.
Eventually, one man, Ted Fitzgerald, separated himself from the others and came walking over. He’d been riding with Ethan’s gang the least of anyone, and this had only been his second job.
“Hey, Petry, some of us have been talkin’,” Fitzgerald said as he approached.
“Looks to me like all of you have been talkin’,” Petry said, “and I think I know what about.”
“What’s the harm in jest takin’ a little looksee, ya know?” Fitzgerald asked, standing by the fire now.
“Forget it, Fitz,” Petry said, “and tell the rest to forget it too. Ethan left this in my care, and if anyone looks inside, it’s my head.”
“We could take it from you, ya know.”
“You could try,” Petry said, “but I’d kill some of ya, and the rest of ya would have to deal with Ethan and Aaron trackin’ ya down. You want that, Fitz?”
Fitzgerald looked more frustrated than angry. “It ain’t fair,” he said. “We don’t even know how much we got from that bank.”
“We don’t never know until Ethan and Aaron get together,” Petry said. “They like to see which one got the most money, first. Just go on back to the others, Fitz, and tell ’em we’re gonna wait until we meet up with Aaron, like always.”
“Can’t even take a look, huh?”
“Not even a look.”
Fitzgerald kicked at the ground, then turned and walked back to the others. He hunkered down by the fire and they all started talking again. Petry was pretty sure there were only one or two who were pushing the others to make a move. The rest of them were too smart to risk going against the Langers.
Petry poured himself a cup of coffee and kept it in his left hand so his right hand—his gun hand—was free.
He hoped Ethan would get back soon.
Ethan Langer reined his horse in outside the Church of the Holy Redeemer, dismounted and went inside. It was a big stone church, with high ceilings, and it was so empty that he could hear his own footsteps echoing throughout.
He stopped just inside, unsure of what to do. He removed his hat, held it in both hands. It was midday, middle of the week, so he guessed people didn’t come to church much at this time of the day. That would probably work in his favor.
He finally decided nothing would happen if he didn’t at least move away from the door. He started down the center aisle, knowing there was something he should be doing but unsure what. It had been a long time since he’d been in a church.
When he reached the front, he looked up at the altar and the image of Christ on the cross behind it. Off to one side he heard some footsteps, and turned to see a man coming though a door from somewhere in the back. The man was in his late forties, dressed all in black, with a white collar. He stopped short when he saw Ethan standing there.
“You have the gall to come here?” he demanded.
“What’s the matter?” Ethan asked. “A man ain’t allowed to visit his own brother?”
30
The two men faced each other in the empty church.
“You’re no brother of mine,” Father Vincent said. Once, he’d been Vincent Langer, older brother of Ethan and younger brother of Aaron. “You and Aaron gave up the right to call me brother when you turned to a life of crime.”
“Okay,” Ethan said, “then I didn’t come here as your brother.”
“What then?”
“I came because I need the help…of a priest.”
Vincent frowned. “You’re joking with me.”
“Why would I come here to make a joke, Vincent?”
“Father Vincent!”
“Okay, Father Vincent.”
Vincent studied Ethan for several seconds before coming closer. He stopped about five feet away, still looking his brother up and down.
“Is it true, then?” he asked finally. “You’ve come to me for spiritual guidance?”
“I don’t know if that’s what it’s called,” Ethan said, “but I need some kind of help.”
“Do you want to confess?”
“No, Vin—Father Vincent,” Ethan said. “I just want to talk.”
“All right, then,” Father Vincent said, “all right. We’ll sit down here and talk, Ethan. If it’s help you need, I cannot in all good conscience turn you away, can I?”
“I hope not,” Ethan said, “because if you can’t help me, I don’t know where I’ll go.”
“Pa?”
Here it comes, Shaye thought. The only one who hadn’t asked any questions yet—serious questions—was Matthew, and he had just ridden up alongside him. Thomas and James were riding behind them.
“Yes, Matthew?”
“Can I ask you somethin’?”
“Sure, Matthew,” Shaye said. “Go ahead and ask.”
“James told me and Thomas that you said what you’re gonna do to the men who killed Ma is murder.”
“That’s right, Matthew,” Shaye said. “The law might consider it murder, depending on how things go.”
“But how could that be?” he asked, clearly puzzled. “Ain’t we got a right to avenge our ma?”
“We got rights, Matthew,” Shaye said. “Maybe not in the eyes of the law, but in our own eyes.”
“But if the law considers it murder, are you gonna do it anyway?”
“Yes, I am.”
“But you’re a lawman, Pa,” Matthew said. “How can you break the law?”
“It’s not something I want to do, son,” Shaye said. “I’ve been upholding the law for the past twelve years. Don’t forget, I broke the law for some time before that.”
“But you’re wearin’ a badge now.”
“Yes, I am.”
