“You two still mad?” Tommy said.
B.W. and Rance didn’t say anything but shook their head no.
A little further down the trail they came to a sign that read: Texarkana two miles.
“Long way to come to do something useful,” B.W. said.
“Only thing we have,” Rance said.
“You make a good point, partner,” B.W. said, looking at Rance.
Rance smiled. He got the message. “Maybe a cattle train in Texarkana we can catch to Traversville. Could be there tomorrow or the next day.”
“I come to like this horse, want to keep him. Named him Dusty,” Tommy said.
“Right good name,” Rance said.
“Your horse got a name, B.W.?” Tommy asked.
“Yeah…Horse.”
19
Back in Milberg, the soldiers that usually came in for dinner every evening at the eatery quit showing up and the local trade had dropped off considerably, something was going on but Julie didn’t know what until Colonel Hatch came in a few days later. He stopped inside the door at attention like his knees wouldn’t bend, took off his hat and placed a hand on the handle of his sword.
“What can I do for you, colonel?” Julie said.
“Miss Julie, the soldiers won’t be coming in anymore. I have posted a bulletin at the fort making your place off limits and strongly suggested to the townspeople that they abstain from patronizing your establishment, as well. The government has determined you’re a scarlet woman and a southern sympathizer helping the enemy and a bad influence on the local people.”
“That’s insane,” she said. “You long-winded bastard.”
“You just demonstrated why I put out the order,” Colonel Hatch said. “Our former marshal believed you knew about Major Allison’s jail break and helped plan it. The major and that Indian are combatants working for an underground Confederate organization to start another war and you’re a part of it.”
“I’ve never heard such garbage in all my life,” Julie said.
“I don’t have proof but I think he’s right.”
“This is my home,” Julie said. “I was raised here. All I’m doin’ is tryin’ to make a livin’ and my private life is my own business.”
“Might be better all-around if you find another town,” Hatch said. “As the magistrate under marshal law, I could close you down for good. I would suggest you sell the place before you go broke.”
“I see, and I bet you know someone that would just happen to buy it.”
“I do. A mister Walter Peabody has expressed interest in it and will give you a fair price.”
“What’s your cut, colonel?”
“I hope you don’t mean that, Miss Julie. I could have you arrested for those kinds of comments.”
“With people like you in charge, colonel, it’s going to take forever for this county to come back together.”
“I’ll send Mr. Peabody by to talk to you tomorrow. Best you take his offer.”
“Colonel, most of the people around here have known me all my life. I don’t think they will let you get away with running me out of town.”
“I would think different with that bastard baby,” Hatch said.
“You are a scoundrel,” she said. “But I’ll do it on one condition.”
“What’s that?” he said.
“You drop all the charges against Rance Allison, B.W. and the boy. I’ll take Mr. Peabody’s offer and leave.”
“I could take you to jail for threatening me.”
“I’m not threatening you, colonel, I’m giving you facts. I can stir up a hornets nest for you with the people in this town if I have a mind to, more trouble than you can imagine.”
He stared at her, wiggled his sword handle, took off his hat and wiped his brow. “For the sake of order I’ll do it,” he said, “If you sell to Mr. Peabody tomorrow, don’t discuss any of the details with anyone, and be gone in the next seventy-two hours, I’ll drop the charges.”
“No posters, no telegrams to any one. Taken off the books,” she said.
“Yes.”
“You give me your word?”
“Yes. I agree,” he said.
“Then we have a deal. If your word is good. If it’s not, I’ll be back with some help.”
“Good evening, ma’am,” he said and walked out.
The swinging doors to the kitchen came open and Fannie walked out. “I was listenin’ behind the door,” she said. “What you goin’ to do?”
“What I said I’d do,” Julie said. “We got to leave now, Fannie.”
The front door opened and the young woman who got off the stage when Paxton and Charlie left walked inside. “Are you Julie?” she asked.
“Yes. Do you want something to eat?”
“No ma’am, I need to tell you something…in private.” she said, looking at Fannie.
“Did someone send you?” Julie asked.
“No, ma’am.”
“This is Fannie,” Julie said. “You can say what you want to in front of her, I’d tell her anyway.”
“Very well,” the woman said. “I’ve only been in town a few days but I hear talk from my clients…”
“Clients?” Julie asked.
“At the saloon.”
“Oh, those kind of clients.”
“Yes, ma’am. My name is Cindy. I used to work in Whiskey Gulch. The boy with those two men that escaped jail is the son of one of the girls I worked with, Alice Woodson. I was afraid to say anything while I was there but from what I hear, you know the two men Tommy is ridin’ with. I know who murdered Tommy’s mama.”
“Go on,” Julie said.
“They said Mr. Allison was a friend of yours. I figured they’re goin’ to Traversville, where Alice came from, to see Tommy’s papa. That’s where his mama’s killer is, too. His name is Booker Church, an ugly man—long face, reminds me of a salamander, with fancy guns and boots. He paid double for a whole night with me, got drunk and told me what he was in Whiskey Gulch for. Said the boy’s papa hired him to kill her so she wouldn’t cause him no more trouble. Alice made the mistake of sending a telegram to tell him they were coming home. That’s why he sent Church to kill her.”
“And you didn’t tell
