“Thanks,” Preston said.
They picked up their glasses and turned around. The saloon was almost full with train passengers and locals. A slightly plump whore with a bright red dress and hair to match was sitting in the lap of a cowboy playing Faro.
Preston walked over to a nearby table where three men were playing poker and Charlie followed.
“Man, get a hand in this game,” Preston said.
One of the men looked up at Preston. It was Billy Shaw. He had on his sheriff’s badge and was packing his ivory-handled Colt. “You come in on the train?” Billy said
“Sure did,” Preston said.
“No IOUs, money up front to cover your bets,” Billy said.
“Good enough,” Preston said and sat down.
A burly-looking cuss wearing overalls with a dirty beard pitched his cards out on the table and poured himself a glass of whiskey. The other one did the same and leaned back in his chair and looked at Preston like he was sizing him up. He was lean, narrow-jawed and solemn looking. He had on a stove top hat, black coat vest and pants.
“What ‘bout you,” Billy said to Charlie.
“I’ll just watch if that’s okay?” Charlie said.
“As long as you sit behind your partner where his cards are the only ones you see,” Billy said.
Charlie nodded and sat down behind Preston, drank the rest of the whiskey and sat the empty glass on the table.
“This here is Ned Martin,” Billy said and pointed at the dirty bearded guy, “and this is the undertaker, Crawford Smart.” Both men nodded.
“Willie Preston.”
“Name sounds familiar,” Billy said. “Weren’t you a marshal from over Kansas way?”
“Was a time back, been marshaling in Milberg, Virginia until recently,” Preston said. “Bounty huntin’ now.”
“Who you lookin’ for?” Billy said.
“An Indian, a one-armed man and a boy, killed a man in Whiskey Gulch and maybe three more. You seen ‘em?”
“They been here,” Ned said, “don’t forget somebody like that. Was here when they rode in with the two Bannister boys layin’ across their saddles.”
“That right, sheriff?” Preston said.
“They said the boys came flying out of the woods, shootin’ at ‘em,” Billy said. “Didn’t have a choice but to kill ‘em. Couldn’t prove otherwise, had to let ‘em go. Didn’t know about the other trouble, though.”
“We goin’ to gossip or play cards,” Ned said and took a big swig of whiskey straight from the bottle.
“Play cards.” Billy picked up the deck, shuffled the cards and dealt everyone a hand.
They were still playing at two in the morning. Ned went broke and called it a night but Crawford and Billy were trying to get back what they lost to Preston.
“Think I’ll turn in,” Charlie said.
“Shouldn’t take long to get the rest of their money,” Preston said and smiled. Crawford and Billy found no humor in it.
“Tell you what,” Billy said. “One hand for what I got left.”
“I’ll go for that,” Crawford said.
“Okay,” Preston said. “I’ll match what each of you has. Five card stud, face up, no draw, best hand wins.”
They both nodded.
Charlie sat back down. “I gotta see this.”
Preston dealt the hands. Crawford had high card, no pairs. Billy had two jacks and Preston two kings.
“Looks like you’re out of money, boys,” Preston said and drug the money across the table to his side. “Buy you a drink ‘fore you go?”
“Not me,” Crawford said and stood up. “Got two stiffs to bury in the morning. Have to charge more now to cover my losses.” He repositioned his stove top hat on his head and walked out of the saloon.
Billy sat there. “I’ll take that drink,” he said. Preston picked up the whiskey bottle and poured Billy a full glass of whiskey.
“There you go, drink up,” Preston said.
“Thanks, wanted a bit of conversation with you in private anyway,” Billy said and looked around the saloon. No one close enough to hear him except Preston and Charlie.
“What you got on your mind, sheriff?” Preston said.
“Bout them men you chasin’ after. You need any help?”
“Nope,” Preston said, filling his pockets with Billy and Crawford’s money.
“You know where they’re goin’ at least?” Billy asked.
“I do,” Preston said.
“You include me,” Billy said, “and I can tell you something that’ll make it worth your while.”
“Might consider it,” Preston said.
“Need your word ‘fore I tell you.”
“What you get out of it? No reward for them, got a personal reason?”
“You’ll know when I tell you.”
“Okay, better be good then,” Preston said.
“I got your word?”
“You have. What is it?”
“Them three you’re after killed two boys that robbed a bank in Pinefield,” Billy said. “They got the money. They brought the dead boys in sayin’ they was the ones robbed the bank. Had over seven-thousand dollars of the bank’s money still in the sacks on the Bannister Boys’ horses. Said they was taking it back to the bank. I knew they wasn’t goin to do that so I tried to arrest them but they bushwhacked me and left me out on the trail. I barely did make it back alive. They still got the money.”
“Why didn’t they kill you?” Preston said. “I would have.”
“Don’t know. I came back here like nothing ever happened. I’m the only one knows ‘bout the money. Thought maybe we could partner up. Kill ‘em, split the money. No one would ever know the real story ‘cept us.”
“Now that I know about the money, why would I want to include you?” Preston said.
“You gave your word. I got a badge to make you my deputies. We’ll be the law, everything nice and legal. I’ll show you one of the Pinefield Bank bags in the morning to prove my story.”
“Pretty convincin,’” Preston said.
“We got a deal then?”
“We do.”
“Meet you in the morning,” Billy said. “Seven-thirty at the train station.”
Preston nodded and Billy stuck out his hand and Preston shook hands with him.
“Let’s get some sleep, Charlie,” Preston said and they headed up the stairs, Billy watching.
Preston and Charlie went
