Sarge and Ozzie came over to stand by him.
Sarge watched the prisoner cart drive away. “Sure glad to get shed of that lot.”
Ozzie shook his head. “I hope they make it all the way to Las Vegas without those men getting away. They made some serious threats.”
“I have good news.” Both men focused on Peyton. “If you want it, Sarge, the marshal job is yours. Ozzie, the deputy job is yours. You men want to postpone your prospecting a little longer?”
Sarge scratched behind his ear. “I’m losing my interest in prospecting. Good meals at the boardinghouse and a steady job indoors seems like a soft life I could get real used to living.”
Ozzie beamed. “We talked about it, Peyton, and we’d decided to ask about the jobs. You sure brought us good news.”
“I have my own news. I bought Lawson’s ranch for his back taxes. I hope I can count on his cowboys working for me.”
Sarge grinned. “When things are all clear here, the new marshal will ride out with you to look it over.”
“Sounds good, Sarge. You might need a second deputy for when Ozzie wants to go somewhere with you.”
Sarge glanced at Ozzie then at Peyton. “We already thought of that. Diego wants the job but he has to be free to help his parents. He’ll take over the boardinghouse when they retire. Has a girl here in town named Angelina.”
Ozzie pulled his suspenders forward slightly. “We’re all gonna have to improve our Spanish.”
Peyton said, “Sí, señor.”
The three of them laughed.
Two attractive women who appeared in their thirties walked toward them.
One said, “Señor Dickinson, we have heard talk you are the new marshall, verdad?”
“Yes, ma’am. I just found out the sheriff has approved me serving as marshal.”
“I am Josefina Zuniga. I wish to show you the marshal’s casita.”
Sarge did a double-take. “What? You mean I have a house with the job?”
“Sí, but now it looks like a pig sty. It is a pretty casita you will enjoy when it is clean. I will cook grand meals for you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You cooked for Cain?”
She spit on the ground. “Pah! I would not speak to that man. For an honest marshal, I will cook and charge you only a few pesos a week for meals you will love.”
Ozzie nudged Sarge. “You know you can’t cook. You ought to take this lady up on her offer.”
Sarge looked at his friend. “You hoping to be included I suppose?”
The other woman flopped her hand. “Señor Elliott, you have your own casita. My name is Maria Dominguez. While my sister cooks for the marshal, I will cook for you. We are both good cooks but we are widows now whose children are grown and we need someone to feed.
Each woman took her charge by the arm and led him away. Sarge looked over his shoulders, raised his eyebrows, and gave a shrug. Peyton grinned. He figured both men were goners as far as resisting these two women. Seeing the men being cared for would be… interesting, but nice.
Peyton turned and saw Jeff walking toward him wearing a solemn expression.
“Hey, you look like you’ve lost your best friend. What’s happened?”
“Aw, nothing. I should be glad we’ve wrapped up this mission with none of us injured. I just can’t work up any excitement.”
“Wouldn’t have anything to do with Mama, would it?”
Jeff flushed. “What makes you say that?”
“Well, for starters, you escort her anytime she needs an escort. You call her Abigail. Oh, and you make calf-eyes at her.”
“I do not.” He grimaced. “Durn, I probably do. What can I possibly offer her, though? She wants to live here where Josiah lives. I was wondering if I should try and hire on as a cowboy on his ranch.”
“How about foreman of mine?”
“What? Since when do you have one?”
Peyton explained how he’d acquired Lawson’s ranch. “Since I’ll only be there part of the time, I need a trustworthy foreman.”
Jeff brightened. “The devil you say? And, we… um, I could live in the ranch house until you retire? What’s it like?”
“No idea. Thought I’d ride out there first thing in the morning. Why don’t you come? Sarge and Ozzie plan to go with me so I can talk to the cowboys. We need to take some of the horses off Wimberly’s hands. He doesn’t have room for all of them and I promised I’d pay for their feed and care.”
Jeff raised his eyebrows. “You have an inheritance, too?”
“Not hardly. I’ve saved every penny I could, though. I knew some day I’d come across the perfect ranch and I wanted to be able to at least make a down payment.”
Jeff’s sorrowful expression returned. “You were smart. I drank up some of mine, some I never got, and some I gambled or frittered away. Whatever, it’s gone now.”
“See here, I know the Texas Rangers didn’t pay well plus you had to pay all your expenses. As my foreman you’ll have a decent salary. I’ll also give you a percentage of the year’s net profits to save for your old age.”
Jeff clapped him on the shoulder with a chuckle. “You keep talking and soon I’ll own the place.”
“Not a chance. I’m not letting this ranch go. I’m going to go tell Red now before she hears about it from someone else.”
Peyton wondered how Red would react to his proposal they stay married. She must suspect how he felt about her. Didn’t women usually pick up on that kind of thing?
Looking relieved and cheerful, Jeff nodded. “I’ll wait until tomorrow to talk to Abigail. I’ll need to clean up some.”
“If you’re going courting, Señor Romero has some nice toilet water you could take her. He might have some men’s scents, too.”
“I’ll
