After sending a telegram, William Brandon went to the Vance House Hotel and took his usual seat at the table by the window. The river wound in a distant, placid curve through the town. When the rains came, it could turn from tranquil to turbulent in a matter of moments, boiling over riverbanks to sweep along everything in its path.
But now it was calm enough, winding through stands of cottonwood trees and scrub willows, with new construction springing up precariously close to the banks as the town limits spread. San Antonio had been settled since the early 1700s and gone through as many changes as the landscape.
A rough town still, it boasted burgeoning commerce and a reputation as a place where one could buy almost anything, legal or illegal. Since the arrival of the new railroad in February, San Antonio had become a boom town. New industry was pouring in every day. Cattle lots sprang up, and even more saloons, hotels and mercantile stores were being built to handle the influx of cowmen.
He made an appointment to meet with Thomas Pierce of the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway. Pierce and his associates had organized a new company, but Pierce had since bought them out and the Pierce Line was operating under the nickname of the Sunset Route. Pierce, Brandon had observed, was eager for expansion, a man with vision—a man willing to take chances in business.
A man who might be willing to take the Sunset Route across the Rio Grande…
It would be perfect. He had already managed to lay tracks almost to the border, feeder lines that would get his ore to market more quickly and safely. Bandits had taken a toll at times, stopping silver convoys to steal the ore. Another expense had been incurred to hire guards to get it out safely.
Satisfaction replaced Brandon’s earlier pique, so by the time he finished his steak and had a brandy in front of him, he was in a much better frame of mind. Leaning back, he only smiled when he recognized the man coming through the door.
Shanghai Pierce, an obstreperous Texan and owner of some of the richest land in the state, strode into the dining room as if he owned it.
With a sigh, Brandon braced himself with distaste for Pierce’s imminent companionship.
“I heard you were in San Antone,” Pierce said as he plopped down in the chair opposite Brandon. “You oughta come down my way. I know how to treat a guest, by God! So what’s this I hear about your new venture, heh? Still plannin’ on runnin’ a railroad into Mexico?”
The temptation to excuse himself was great, but the senator merely smiled politely, his tone low in the hope that Pierce would lower his own voice.
“I’m always interested in new commerce, of course. I like to diversify.”
Pierce cackled, slamming his open palm on the table with a loud smack. “Hell, don’t we all! Damn, but it ain’t no coincidence that I done bought me some more land in Wharton County. Gonna see about puttin’ up some sites on it to load and unload cattle. Got the Texas and Mexican Railway in mind to run a line across it, name me a town, maybe. Pierce’s Station sounds damn good to me.”
Nodding, the senator debated involving Pierce, but it seemed a better bet at the moment to court Thomas Pierce. He’d never really liked the brash Texan across the table. Nor did it endear the man to him when Pierce grinned slyly and brought up Steve.
“Where’s that son-in-law of yours these days? He still running from the law? Damn, but he’s the fastest gunslinger I’ve ever seen work! Took ole Jed Langley without a blink, by God, and Jed’s the fastest around. Or was. Got hisself killed a while back, plugged in the back by some cowpuncher he pushed just a bit too hard. Had a temper, Langley did. I always knew he’d end up dead instead of making old bones.”
Irritated, the senator managed to say coolly, “I have no idea where Morgan is at this moment. We don’t keep in touch.”
“No? Well, he gets around, that’s for sure. Thought you might be meeting him here, since your daughter’s arrived. Wheeoo! I don’t mind sayin’, Morgan has good taste when it comes to women! Damn, I thought that Italian gal was a looker until I saw your daughter. She’s a beauty!”
Brandon felt his face freeze into a polite smile that he hoped masked his surprise at finding out Virginia was in San Antonio.
“So you’ve run into Virginia?”
“Senator, I had to stop myself falling off the sidewalk tryin’ to get close to her! Lord, those green eyes and that red hair—like a cloud, by God!” He chortled. “That’s about as fanciful as I get, though I wouldn’t mind giving Morgan a run for his money for that one!”
A trickle of sweat dribbled down under his high collar, and he fought the urge to swear. If Virginia was here, then Steve was no doubt close by. It could be very awkward!
While Shanghai Pierce talked about Virginia, Brandon busily constructed a plausible reason for being in San Antonio. It would never do to allow Steve Morgan to know too much about his plans. He knew too much as it was. Damn him! Why was he here?
It wouldn’t have made Brandon feel much better to know that Steve was wondering the same thing.
Just his luck, Steve thought, to ride into trouble again. He should have sent Ginny on to his grandfather’s despite her objections. Now there were bound to be problems he hadn’t anticipated.
Most of all, with Ginny.
“Did you know she was going to be here?” Ginny eyed him skeptically.
