Outlaw Dalton, page 10
“This one needed to face justice,” the marshal said. “For years I’ve been trying to work out how he financed his grand office, and now that he’s dead I’ll probably never unpick the truth.”
“Don’t be so sure of that. Wenlock has some documents on him that he reckoned proved what he did.”
Latimer pointed at Wenlock’s body. “I assume Quantrill figured that out and that’s what started the gunfight.”
“It was, and you also need to study the records in his office. Wenlock told me that the mayor kept immaculate records of everything he ever did.”
Latimer frowned. “The fire burned up many of those records before we could bring it under control.”
“That’s convenient.”
Latimer snorted a laugh. “It is. Then again that just means there was something incriminating to find.”
“And you might find out what that was if you talk to the mayor’s business associate Sidney Cushing. Apparently, he was in league with Quantrill.”
“Sidney left town in a hurry shortly after the fire. I guess I’ll just have to drag him back to town.”
With that declaration, the two men carried the bodies of Hacket and Proctor along to place them beside Quantrill’s. By the time they’d finished, the townsfolk were gravitating toward the edge of town to find out what had happened. Jarren Rafferty was among their number and he was looking concerned, so Dalton broached the subject he now hoped would get a favorable response.
“I want you to know that Knox Rafferty shot your deputy and his actions didn’t have nothing to do with Wenlock or myself. I only wanted to look at the orphanage records that Quantrill had in his office.”
“I’d already worked that out,” Latimer said. “Just about everyone in town vouched for the fact you were asking about orphans who had stayed here. I also knew that the Rafferty brothers were no good, so it was clear to me that they shot Deputy Thorne and tried to burn down the office, again.”
Dalton wondered whether to correct the marshal over the last detail, but he decided that was one matter he didn’t need to know.
“I’m relieved.”
Latimer nodded and lowered his voice. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
Dalton sighed. “I didn’t get everything I wanted, but it could have been worse.”
The townsfolk were now moving closer, so after checking that the marshal didn’t need any more of his help, he turned away. While Latimer explained to everyone what had happened, Dalton moved on to join Jarren. Then the two men walked on for a short distance into town.
“I’m obliged you spoke with the marshal in good time,” Dalton said. “I don’t know how that encounter with Mayor Quantrill would have gone if Latimer hadn’t already been expecting him to react badly to our arrival.”
“I got to him as fast as I could,” Jarren said and then frowned. “Since they left the home we provided for them, I’ve never given Gillespie and Knox a moment’s thought, but I’m still relieved you and the marshal took care of their killers.”
“That was no problem.” Dalton smiled and they stood in silence for a while. Then Dalton gestured at the Lone Wolf saloon. “If you’re staying in town for a while longer, I’ll buy you a drink to show my gratitude and then another one so we can drink to Wenlock’s memory.”
Jarren shook his head. “I welcome the offer, but Kathleen should be ready to leave now, so I’d prefer to get back home.”
Dalton nodded and the two men shook hands. When Jarren walked away he turned to the gathering crowd. Presently, Marshal Latimer came into view leading Wenlock’s horse with Wenlock’s body strewn over the back.
Dalton stood back as it went by. Then, with a line of townsfolk following him carrying the other bodies, he turned to the west, the most likely direction his sister had been taken many years ago.
“Where did you go, Amanda?” he said to himself. “What happened to you? Do you now have a good life with children and. . . ?”
He trailed off and sighed. The near impossibility of his ever getting answers to any of these questions bowed his back. Then he turned and headed into the Lone Wolf saloon.
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Did you love Outlaw Dalton? Then you should read Dalton's Quest by Ed Law!
When Dalton accepts that his quest to find his missing sister is impossible, he abandons it, but with his endeavors having led to him borrowing money he can't repay, he faces the wrath of his lenders. A trip to Boot Hill beckons until Deputy Larry Doyle intervenes and saves Dalton's life.
Shortly afterward, the courageous deputy mysteriously disappears and nobody knows what happened to him, so Dalton embarks on a new quest to find his savior, a mission that takes him to the lawless outlaw haven of Gothic. There he will become embroiled in a world of shifting loyalties, betrayals and an ever deepening mystery concerning the fate of the missing deputy.
Also by Ed Law
The Dalton Series
Dalton
Dalton for Hire
Deputy Dalton
Dalton and the River of No Return
Hunter Dalton
Dalton's Bluff
Dalton's Valley
Dalton's Mission
Just Dalton
Dalton's Vengeance
Dalton and the Ruby Lady
Outlaw Dalton
Ed Law, Outlaw Dalton
