“She’s . . . dead?” He turned deathly pale. “She was fine when I left her, cursing up a blue streak when I told her I wasn’t coming back to her.”
“And why was that?” asked Ned.
“Why that no good tramp was two-timing me with ‘Red’ Culver, that’s why! She’d been telling me he was her brother but I found out from Pete’s wife, Maddie, that Nettie didn’t even have no brother!”
Now we’re getting somewhere! This is the first time he’s even admitted knowing Pete!
“So you didn’t stab her?”
Willie goggled.
“Stabbed? Someone stabbed her?” He shook his head in disbelief. “If you told me she’d stabbed someone . . . But she’d never let someone near enough to cut her.”
“But you did beat her up.” Ned spoke flatly.
Laughing harshly, Willie admitted, “I hit her. But just once, with the back of my hand when she tried the brother thing again.” He looked down at his right hand where the imprint of a ring remained on his pinkie finger. They’d taken the diamond from him when they booked him. Looking up again he added, “Cut her mouth, and may have cracked her tooth. But she had that blade out so fast she almost cut me, if I hadn’t been backing away from her so fast.”
He shook his head again. “Meaner’n a snake, that one, but she could be might nice, too.” He sighed.
“But I never killed her!”
Ned stared at Willie. What he said rang true. He’d seen her body and her face had been bruised and her lip cut, but those marks had been at least a day old. The knife had been what killed her.
“Red” Culver? First time his name had been mentioned, but Red had a reputation. Folks wouldn’t have crossed him by bandying his name about. He’d get Randy on it.
“So, now, let’s talk about Pete Gunder.”
~~~
Sheriff Johnny Behan was at his desk, rereading the wire he’d just received from a Pinkerton agent, a Ned Brandt. Hmmm, he’d heard that name. He usually worked the railroads in the east.
Intercepted mail from “Droopy Pete” Gunder stating he’s in Tombstone. Arrest on sight.
That was where he’d seen the name. On one of the Wanted posters that just came in. Robbery and murder on a train. The Sheriff looked up at the wall and zeroed in on the one for “Droopy Pete.” Hard to tell what the man looked like behind that bush of a mustache hanging lushly down to below his chin.
His head swiveled toward the door as he heard running footsteps pounding along the boardwalk. The door burst open and one of his deputies stumbled across the doorstep.
“‘Droopy Pete’ just kidnapped some woman! Her husband and Steve Coleman took after them in a buggy but Neal Foster saw Pete cut toward the river as soon as he was out of town. We need to ride after them! The husband didn’t even look armed! Steve said to bring his horse.”
“Best grab two. That buggy’ll be no good if he’s going off trail. Get Beau Smith, too. He’s our best tracker!”
Word went out quickly and a posse was rounded up to join the chase. Moses had gotten in touch with Randy Evans, Tom McNeel’s partner, and had been waiting at a small café for the Bristols to swing by on their way to the mine. They’d heard the hullabaloo on Allen Street and rode up in time to be deputized into the posse.
~~~
Ned Brandt had sent off two telegrams, one to Tombstone and one to Miss Maddux; no, surely she was Mrs. Bristol now. To be sure, he put both names on the wire. It had arrived safely, but too late. Megan was already on the Tombstone stage. The wire now rested with other mail on Ted’s desk, and Ned was on a train heading west, hoping to get to Tombstone before Pete could cause any more mischief.
~~~
Neal Foster led the way to where he’d seen Pete and his captive take off into the brush; then Beau took over, easily tracking the crushed undergrowth.
It wasn’t too long before they came upon the buggy, stuck between a pair of saplings. Tom and Steve had removed the horse from its traces and were debating who’d head back on the beast bareback when the posse arrived. They hobbled the carthorse and left it grazing while each happily accepted saddled mounts.
The tracks were still clear until they reached the river. Beau then split the group into four parts sending each in a different direction and along a different side to pick up the trail. It wasn’t long before a holler was heard.
“They’ve doubled back toward the mines!”
Beau again took point and they continued to follow Pete’s trail as it wound through the rocks and hills.
Moses rode over toward Randy, who was with Ted and Steve Coleman.
“I have a notion where your claim is,” said Moses “and, it looks like we're heading right for it.”
“You’re right,” replied Randy. “Tom and I always took care not to leave a track so we wandered a bit as we approached. But I know a shortcut from here.”
“I’m willing to take your lead,” Ted agreed.
Steve Coleman agreed. “If they aren’t there we can double back and pick up the track this group is leaving.” He headed over to Beau to let him know what they were intending. Beau, thought it made sense for him to keep following the trail in case the others were on a wild goose chase, but worth a shot for the four of them to head out in case the chase panned
