Jess and Ozzie continued to guard the camp in case there were reinforcements they didn’t know about lurking close.
Peyton sat each cutthroat at a tree. “Let’s tie these two securely for the night and we’ll decide what to do with them in the morning.”
“I’m wounded. I could bleed to death by then.”
Red stuck the knife in the wounded man’s face. “Say another word and I’ll slit your sorry throat.”
That stopped the man’s whining. The man dressed in browns was slowly waking.
Peyton knotted the rope around the tree where the first one was bound. “Ozzie, we need to find their horses.” He pointed at the injured man. “Where did you leave your horses?”
The culprit watched Red as if afraid to speak.
Peyton kicked the man’s leg. “Answer me or I’ll step aside and let her finish you.”
“About twenty yards up the trail.” He bragged, “None of you will never get close to my horse. Mine won’t let anyone but me get near much less ride him.”
Ozzie sent the prisoner a glare and strode in the direction indicated. When he returned, he rode one horse and led the other. He dismounted and tied them to a wagon. “I checked the brands and they’re all right.”
The prisoner sagged further. Peyton didn’t bother to tell him Ozzie had a gift with horses. But what in the devil were they going to do with the two captured men? They deserved to hang in his opinion, but he was a Pinkerton agent, not a judge and jury.
Chapter Ten
The next morning, Peyton stood at one side of the campsite talking to the other men. “I wish those two had missed us. Now we’re stuck with them until we reach a town with a jail. I thought about stripping them to their underwear and leaving them to walk somewhere but I doubt they’d make it. I’d worry whether they got to safety or took up with men like them to come after us.”
Sarge’s scowl would scare a lesser man. “I wouldn’t worry about them. You think they would have left any of us alive? Your missus had the right idea.”
“I have to admit I could cheerfully choke the life from the one in black. He’s lucky I’ve vowed to uphold the law.”
Jeff grinned. “He’s lucky your missus and her mama didn’t get charge of him. As lovely as they are, I wouldn’t want either of those women mad at me.”
“Having experienced my wife’s temper, I agree. Her mama is more reasonable but I suspect she would also be more formidable.”
Ozzie gestured. “Bunch of riders coming.”
Peyton guessed over a dozen men rode toward them. What now?
As the riders drew near everyone but him took cover. Thank heavens, the man in the lead wore a badge. In a cloud of dust, the group stopped in front of Peyton.
The one with a badge leaned an arm on his pommel. “Conklin is the name, sheriff of Santa Fe County. We’re looking for a group of men headed this way who beat and robbed a man. We figure there are six on horseback and at least one in a wagon.”
“Saw them yesterday. They’re a full day ahead of you. One of them came to question us. Recognized the brand on his horse as belonging to Beau Lawson from near Los Perdidos.”
The sheriff’s face gave nothing away but his eyes narrowed. “You friends of Lawson’s?”
“The opposite.” He pulled aside his lapel to display his badge. “Pinkerton agent on the way to check on one of Lawson’s victims who happens to be my brother-in-law. Not what I told the man yesterday, of course. Told him we’re on the way to Kansas.”
Peyton gestured to the two men tied to a tree. “We had other unwelcome visitors early this morning. One in brown intended to cut the rope stringing our horses. One in black tried to abduct my wife but she carries a knife and defended herself.”
The sheriff dismounted and stomped over to the two men. “Well, well, Havens and Diaz, can’t say I’m surprised to see the two of you in trouble again. Looks as if you’ve met your match this time. Your luck ran out when you picked on a Pinkerton agent.”
Peyton had walked with the sheriff. “To tell the truth, we were stumped as to what to do with these two.”
He explained how the men had spotted and followed them. “Thought we’d have to load them on their horses and bring them with us until we found a town with a jail.”
“Few and far between.” Sheriff Conklin met Peyton’s gaze. “Now I suppose you’re hoping to stick me with these two.”
“I’d appreciate the help. We don’t want to take time to return to Santa Fe. Lawson has laid siege to my brother-in-law Josiah McAdams’ place.” He relayed the story of how Josiah had acquired the ranch and what they knew since.
The sheriff yelled, “Murphy, Deitrich, Jones, Martinez.”
The four men rode closer and dismounted.
“Take these two to jail and forget where you put the key. This time they’ll stay there.”
He looked at Peyton. “Diaz has a wealthy grandfather who’s managed to get him released from every charge, but not this time. Kidnapping a woman, or trying to, is a hanging offense as far as I’m concerned.”
The two bound men were loaded onto their horses with hands tied. Peyton and his three companions stood near the sheriff and watched the process. The four posse members and the two prisoners rode off toward Santa Fe.
After a few more minutes of conversation about Lawson and Los Perdidos, the sheriff said, “I’ve heard bad things about Marshal Cain but haven’t met him. This man Lawson is notorious. Thinks he can take whatever he wants with no consequences. So far, he’s been right. I
