The Last Good Day, стр. 41

Preston raised his hat up again. “Charlie, I can’t get no sleep with you talkin’ me to death. I don’t know, supposed to be there in the morning. Now shut up and let me get some rest.” He placed his hat back over his eyes.

The next morning, Preston and Charlie were the only ones that got off at Traversville and the train moved on to Austin. They picked up their gear and walked across the tracks and saw a livery stable sign at the end of the street.

“Let’s get some transportation,” Preston said and they walked on down the street to the stable.

Riley Jones was feeding horses when they walked in.

Charlie spotted Rance’s buckskin and looked at Preston. Preston nodded.

Riley sat the feed sack down and walked over to them and looked at the bags they were carrying.

“You just get off the train?”

“We did,” Preston said.

“Looks like you need some horses.”

“We do.” Preston sat their gear down and cradled the double-barrel in the crook of his arm as he looked around.

“Where’s the boys that owns them horses,” Preston said.

“Sheriff come rushin’ in here this mornin’ and took ‘em to jail,” Riley said. “Been sleepin’ in the loft.”

“What he take ‘em in for?” Preston asked.

“Said they threatened Mr. Travers. He’s a big shot around here, owns the railroad, people kind of cater to him to make sure they stay on his good side.”

“That the only reason?”

“Far as I know. Whatever Travers says is pretty much the law.”

“How much for two horses with tack?”

“Oh, forty dollars would do it, I guess, for the ones in the corral,” Riley said.

“Let’s have a look.” Preston walked out back to look at the horses. “Not the best lookin’ ones I seen but they should do for now.” He gave Riley thirty dollars.

“You’re ten short,” Riley said.

“Nope, that’s it,” Preston said, “all they’re worth.”

Riley looked at the money, then looked back at Preston.

“Okay,” Riley said. “I’ll get ‘em saddled for you. Already fed and watered them.”

“We’ll help, want to take a look around town,” Preston said.

“Not a whole lot to look at,” Riley said. “Lot of saloons and hungry people, no work. People robbin’ their neighbors. Big Sally Saloon’s close by if you want a drink or female company.”

“Might get that drink, think my pal here has sworn off women, though,” Preston said and grinned.

“That a fact?” Riley said.

“Depends on the woman,” Charlie said.

They saddled the horses and Preston and Charlie rode out of the livery stable.

“The blacksmith said they been sleepin’ in the livery,” Preston said. “The money might be in the livery stable since they was whisked away to jail so sudden-like.”

“Think the sheriff found it?” Charlie asked.

“Have to check it out.”

“What about the smith?”

“More likely he found it if anyone did,” Preston said. “If he gets in the way or he’s got the money, kill ‘em.”

“Think I’ll take that buckskin, too,” Charlie said.

“Fine with me long as we get the money.”

“What do we do ‘bout them?”

“Let ‘em be, don’t have to worry ‘bout them long as they’re in jail,” Preston said. “We get that money, ain’t gonna be concerned ‘bout marshalin’ no more no how.”

“How come you all-fired sure they got the money? That Johnny Reb may have been lyin,’” Charlie said.

“What other reason could he have had for wantin’ to go.”

“Where we goin’ after we get the money?”

“Arizona,” Preston said. “Don’t have much law out there, man can build an empire with some money if he don’t care who he steps on.”

“Don’t matter to me who they are.”

“That’s why I let you come along, Charlie, you got no scruples and that’s the kind of man I need right now. That changes, though, I might have to kill you.”

Charlie laughed. It never occurred to him that Preston meant it.

“I’m feeling better now,” Charlie said. “Might buy me a handsome woman.”

“We don’t have time,” Preston said. “After we eat we’ll go back to the livery for the money, start with the smith.”

“Don’t you feed prisoners around here?” B.W. said.

It was ten in the morning and Sheriff Odom had just arrived.

“When I want to. Got your money, goin’ to let you out,” he said and handed B.W. an envelope through the bars.You got two hours to get out of town or we’ll bury you here. Dropped your weapons off at the livery. Don’t load them till you’re out of town. Now get.”

When they walked in the livery stable, they saw Riley lying beside the feed bin.

“Is he dead?” B.W. said and tried to find the money bags under the harnesses. They were gone.

“He’ s alive.” Rance kneeled down beside him and raised his head. Riley let out a moan and opened his eyes. There was a big bloody gash on his forehead and several cuts on his face.

“What happened?” B.W. said.

“After they took you to jail, two fellas I sold some horses to came back and started pistol-whipping me, askin’ about money you had. Tried to tell them I didn’t know anythin’ about it. They found some saddle bags under the table and tried to steal your horses, too, but they couldn’t get a saddle on and left ‘em.”

“Holy hell, they got our money!” B.W. said.

“Need a doctor?” Rance asked Riley.

“Don’t think so.”

“Did you hear me,” B.W. said, looking at Rance.

“I heard you.”

“Hear any names, Riley?” B.W. said.

“One of them called the other one Charlie when he was trying to put a saddle on the buckskin.”

“Charlie a big man, kinda barrel-chested?” Rance said.

“Yes,” Riley said. “The other one was tall, slim and had a black mustache. An ornery-lookin’ cuss totin’ a tied-down .44. You know ‘em?”

“Yeah, we know ‘em. Did you see which way they went?” B.W. said.

“No. They said they came in on the train.”

“How did they know we were here?” Tommy said.

“Told you, Preston knows his business,” Rance said.

“Why didn’t they come get us then,” Tommy said.

“Found that money in the saddle bags first. Probably didn’t care about us anymore,” Rance said.

“There was money in the saddle bags?” Riley asked.

“We got to get