Trego, page 29
“Sure, that sounds alright also. I’ve never been the greedy sort. And I know you’re not. Why don’t we do it for the whole town, how’s that?” Brie said.
“Sure, you’re the brain of the outfit, you see to it.” She was bending over putting on her boots. Those pants were tight in the right places, I came up behind her and kissed the back of her neck, she moaned lightly and pressed back against me, hard….Thank heaven all of the cells were empty. I locked the front door, when I turned she was naked, she was the prettiest woman I had ever seen, or would ever see again, cause she was the only woman for me till hell froze it’s self over.
Brie had always been a quiet lover, but not so today. Maybe it was, that being almost free of the responsibility and stress of the mine, she was letting loose. I had to put my hand over her mouth to keep it down to a loud moan.
We had no more than gotten dressed again, than Harry Little Light was pounding on the door. I unlocked it, “How come the door was locked, my key wouldn’t work?” He said.
“I don’t know, it must have locked on its own,” I said lamely.
“Uh Huh, sure it did. I thought I had better let you know, three of those guys are in Bayard’s saloon, they’re getting drunk and starting to cause trouble.”
I turned back to the desk, I tossed Harry the three flyers on them. “Well, I guess it’s the excuse I need to arrest them. Brie, why don’t you keep those other three busy, I don’t need any input from them. Harry, come on, you might as well get your feet wet, since this will be your responsibility pretty soon.”
“Hey, why can’t I come with you two? I can shoot better than the two of you.” Brie said.
“Cause, I’m the Marshal for one reason and the other is that I don’t need any new holes in my wife. You just keep that Finn fellow off of my back, alright?” I said. This was the first time that I had ever gave my wife orders, so to speak. I don’t think she liked it, but she clamped her jaws shut and stomped out the door. The real reason was, that I had no idea how gun savvy these guys were and I had a weird feeling about this. Was this the time that I wouldn’t come out on top? And if I wasn’t on top, I would be six feet under….
Harry and I were on our way to Bayard’s saloon when a runner from the new saloon came up. “There’s a disturbance, I think there is going to be a shooting.” He said.
“Harry, you go with him and take care of it, then come by Bayard’s, I’ll try and hold off doing anything till you get there.” I said. The shadows were getting longer the closer I got to the saloon…
I stopped just outside the door. I shook my head, trying to get those cobwebs out of my mind, they were twisting around and around trying to choke me. I knew half of any confrontation was a positive mental attitude. And if I didn’t get my head clear, I would be done for.
Brie’s face came up in my mind, she was saying “I love you Tre`, don’t worry you can do it.” The shadows pulled back, like wraiths slinking back to their dark beginnings.
I felt a wet tongue on my hand, I looked down, Jake and Wolf were setting on their haunch’s looking at me. “Well Guys,” I said, “it seems we have a problem, there are at least three men in there who would dearly love to kill me. Maybe even more, if they saw their chance, would chime in. So I tell you what, when we go through the door, you two split up, one of you go right, one left. Stay close to the wall, so just maybe no will notice you. Then hang loose and help where you can.” They sat there with their tongues’ hanging out. Well hell, maybe they did understand me, who knows?
I loosed my guns in their holsters, making sure they wouldn’t hang up. Then I reached behind my neck and did the same with the Bowie Knife in its scabbard. Funny thing, I had just sharpened it this morning. Usually, I don’t think about it, sometimes I go six months between putting the steel to it, this time it had only been two days. Was fate trying to tell me something? What the hell was wrong with me? I don’t believe in fate, I believe we make our own destiny, or at least it boils down to chance and circumstance. It just goes to show you, to keep a positive outlook, if you start doubting yourself, it leaves room for negative thoughts to take over.
I guess Jake and Wolf did understand, Jake went left, Wolf right. The place was packed. No one noticed my canine buddies. There were two drunks punching each other not three feet in front of me. I drew my left hand gun and clipped them both on back of their heads. I dragged them over beside the door and propped them up in a setting position, I would take care of them later. I looked around, the only ones that were paying any attention to me were those three.
It’s a strange thing, but people that are born and bred in a big city get a bloated sense of their own self worth and abilities. I could tell by their demeanor that they thought I would be easy pickings. That I was nothing but a back country boob. That was alright with me; it is always better to be underestimated as to one’s gun handling abilities.
The first mistake they made was that all three of them were standing together at the end of the bar, their backs turned to it, their elbows resting on the bar. If they wanted to brace me, they should be spread out, that would make me turn, which would take time. Giving them the advantage.
I’ve always liked to group my shots, they were making it easy for me. The runner said that they were causing trouble, of which I seen none. It was just probably a ruse to get me here. As I walked toward them, the other patrons finally noticed me. It must be something about impending death that travels through the air like the plague. Quite but deadly. Everyone was scrambling to get out of the way of wayward shots.
Arlin Boyle, the gang member from New York City, seemed to be taking the lead. He was a cocky sot, well into his cups. Did he have to imbibe to get his nerve up? The other two, Henry James and Frank Turlock, were a little more canny. They were cold stone sober. I could see what their plan was, get Arlin liquored up and put him out front, he would take the first bullet, giving them time to fill me full of holes.
But what I couldn’t figure out was, why? Why did they want me dead? Just to have a better chance of flimflamming Brie? That bucket just didn’t hold water, there had to be a better reason than that? Or was it, could their reasoning be that shallow?
Arlin swaggered forward, before he could say anything, I said, “Arlin Boyle, Henry James and Frank Turlock, you’re all three under arrest, I have warrants for you. You Arlin from New York City, Henry and Frank, yours are from St. Louis.”
That took them back a mite, not much. Henry and Frank stepped forward, just to the right and left of Arlin. You could tell they had never been in a frontier type gun fight.
They probably had, more or less executed their rivals. “You Lie,” Arlin thundered in his best Irish Brogue. He held his hand just above his gun that sat high on his hip, it trembled just a bit.
“Now, now Arlin, you probably don’t know the proper etiquette here in the west, you never call another man a liar, unless you have a death wish. Do you have a death wish Arlin?”
His lip trembled just a bit, he licked them. Damn, I hated to kill this clown. He was being put up like a sacrificial lamb. “No, but I don’t aim to die, we’re going to kill you!” He shouted. Talk about foreshadowing his draw, he might just as well have said, ‘now I’m going to draw.’
But him I wasn’t worried about, he was jerking at his gun, fumbling. Henry James and Frank Turlock were drawing theirs. They weren’t too bad, for the mid-west. I drew both guns at the same time, I let them get theirs almost level when I turned the bear loose.
Being as there were three of them, I shot to kill, Frank and Henry that was. I put lead right through their left shirt pockets. They both got off a shot, one in the floor and the other one in the embossed tin ceiling.
I turned my attention back to Arlin, he was just getting his gun loose from his hip holster. I shot it out of his hand, taking a finger with it. Then I walked forward and clipped him behind the ear, he went out like a coal oil lantern in a blizzard.
Something clubbed me in the back. That was when the lights went out, my lights that was!
I awoke to the sound of growling, I could tell Jakes growl. My back hurt like hell.
I sat up. I could verily move. Wolf had a man down and had a death hold on his juggler vein. Jake was growling at everybody, warning them to stay back. Just then Brie broke through the door, both of her .41’s in her hands.
She put a shot through the ceiling, “Everyone stay just where they are, if you have a gun, drop it on the floor.” It sounded like hail on a tin roof, all of the guns hitting the floor.
“Are you alright Honey?” She said, while still holding the room at bay.
“Yeah, I think so, I don’t feel any blood, but someone shot me in the back. I don’t know if I can stand up or not. Who does Wolf have on the floor?” I said, trying to get up. Brie walked over, “Wolf, let go.” She said, bending over and patting her on the head.
She looked at him, then stepped on his throat, right after Wolf let him go. She turned her head and said, “Its Harold Finn. Do you want me to kill him?”
“Is he bleeding much?” I asked.
“Some, but I don’t think its from a main artery, just from superficial holes from Wolf’s teeth.”
“Where’s his gun? And be careful, I’m sure he has hideouts. Hell, just put him to sleep, I don’t feel like messing with him right now. Then come give me a hand, I want to see if I can walk.” She clipped him much the same way I did Arlin. Bayard was at my side before Brie could get there.
“I’m sorry Trego, I seen him pull his gun out, I couldn’t get to my shotgun quick enough. Where did he get you, I seen you go down like a pole axed steer, I thought you were dead.” He said, as he took one arm and Brie the other.
They took me over to one of the tables and sat me down, Brie pulled up my shirt, “I’ll be damned, you’re one lucky son-of-a-bitch.” Bayard said.
“Why? Where did he get me?” I croaked.
Brie reached and took my Bowie Knife and scabbard off. “He didn’t, he hit your knife.”
“Is my knife alright? I’ve had that for years, he didn’t break it, did he?” I said.
“No Honey, your knife is still in one piece, but you have an outline of the scabbard on your back. It must of felt like you were kicked by a mule.” Brie said, as she showed me the knife.
“You know Honey,” I said, “for some reason I felt that knife would save my life tonight, but I sure didn’t think it would be like that!
I had no more than said that, then Harry Little Light came running in. “What happened? Someone said that you had been shot?” He said.
“Yeah, I was. But his aim was too good, he hit my knife instead of my spine.” I handed my knife to him. He looked it over. “I’ll be damned, this is an original Bowie Knife, did Jim Bowie make it?”
“That’s what my Dad said, yeah I’m sure Dad said his name was Jim. He had it ever since he was a youngster, he got it from my Grandfather, they were from Texas. That’s all I know about it.”
Brie spoke up, “Harry do you think you can clean up this mess. There are two who are alive, plus two drunks by the door. Bayard can get the undertaker to get the dead ones. Put double locks on this one’s cell door. See if you can get the Doctor to do something with that one’s finger, don’t let him bleed to death. I’m going to get Trego home and run him a hot bath to soak his back.”
Brie helped me to my feet. Then got under my side to steady me. “Just a second honey,” I said, “I want to shuck those empties in my guns and reload.” I said. “Never know what we will run into between here and home.” I added, as I stuffed my guns back in their holsters.
As we walked along the board walk, I asked her, “So, where are the Fogerty’s?”
“There in their room at Margaret’s. We ate at that new saloon, they have pretty good food there. That bastard Finn ate with us, then excused himself, said he had a few things to do. Stupid me, I should of known he was up to no good.”
“I suppose they don’t know anything about what went on?” I said.
“I don’t know for sure. But the deal is going through, they are anxious to close on the mine. But now, with their lawyer going to be hung. That might slow up the process a little.” Brie said.
“Who said Finn will be hung? I would a lot sooner see him in jail for a long time. To me that’s worse than death. But what do you know about them, I mean just who and what? We know who Helen is, but Fogerty now, I think you should pump that Helen, get on her good side, you know woman to woman, see what she knows about him?” I said.
“Just how am I supposed to do that?” Brie said.
“Hell, I don’t know, take her shopping, buy her something, ply her with wine or something.” I said.
“Yeah, that’s what a man would do to seduce her, but I’m not going to seduce her. I think some woman to woman talk over tea, would be better. Put her at ease, make her think I’m nothing but a simple house wife, she’ll let her hair down that way.” Brie said.
The pain in my back was letting up a little bit. Enough to get a whiff of some kind of perfume that my wife was wearing. I had smelled that somewhere before, then it hit me, Helen Fogerty. She smelled like that. “Where did you get that perfume?” I asked.
“Why, Helen let me try it, do you like it?” Brie said, as we stopped and she turned to snuggle up against me.
“I don’t know, I always thought you smelled pretty good, just your woman smell was always enough for me. But if you like it, I guess I do too.” I said.
“My woman smell? What do you mean by that? You think I smell?” She said, as she pulled back a smidge and looked up at me.
It always astounded me how easy it was to stick your foot in your mouth with a woman. I couldn’t just say, “sure I like it,” no, I had to add something.
“No honey, you don’t smell, well you do, just your normal woman smell. Like I probably give off a scent too. Hell, I’m just getting myself in deeper. You know what I mean Honey.” Brie started laughing,
“Sure sweetheart, I knew what you meant all of the time. I do like to tease you once in awhile.” She said as she reached up and gave me kiss. My back was feeling better now. But I wasn’t going to tell Brie that, I wanted to be pampered a little and maybe something besides that, you know what I mean….
The next morning Sam Benbow took Hector Fogerty for another tour of the mine. While Brie and I had Helen over for morning tea. She was a little uncomfortable setting down with me at the table.
“So Helen, how did you and Hector meet? Brie said sweetly, while sipping her tea with her little finger held out. Looked pretty ridicules to me, but it seemed to impress Helen. Helen looked at me and then back at Brie.
“I’m not going to play games, your husband knows who I am, and even what my breasts look like. Did he tell you all about it?” Helen said, with an even demeanor.
“Good, then we don’t have to beat around the bush. Answer my first question.” Brie said briskly.
Helen cleared her throat, “I was working in the Golden Slipper in Philadelphia. Finn and I worked various cons. Finn is the one who set this up. It started two years ago, Hector was married at the time. His wife found out about it last spring, she divorced him.”
Brie and I looked at each other. Brie asked, “Did Hector and his wife have any kids?”
“Yes, three, two boys and girl. Why do you ask?”
“Just filling in the blanks,” I said, “do you happen to remember her name?” I asked.
“I think it was Janet. She disappeared, taking the children. Hector was some upset about it. He even hired a detective to try and find them, but they lost the trail, they think she came out west somewhere.”
“So are you legally married to Hector?” I asked.
“Yes, we got married right after his wife couldn’t be found.”
“Just how were you and Finn going to go about getting Hectors money?” Brie asked.
“Finn said that he would have a mining accident. That was why he wanted us to be married, to make the inheritance all legal like. But when we got off the stage and seen you, Finn said that you would have to be got out of the way first.” By this time she was talking almost in a whisper, with a tear running down her cheek. She took a deep breath and said, “but there was one thing I hadn’t counted on, I fell in love with Hector. After the failed attempt on your life last night, I told Hector all about it. We talked most all night. He forgave me.”
“Why should we believe you, after all you are a confessed con woman?” Brie said.
“Yeah,” I said, “why shouldn’t I just throw you in jail with your old lover?”
“Because, I would either kill him or him me?” She said, with a little color coming back into her cheeks.
I said, “You said that you told Hector all about your past, did that include that little attempt on my life in Denver?”
“No, I didn’t tell him about that.” She said.
“Then what excuse did you give him about why Finn and yourself wanted me dead?”
“I didn’t want you dead, I tried to talk Finn out of that. I told him that Finn and you had run ins in the past.”
“And he believed you?” Brie said.
“Why not? Trego has a reputation all over the west, or didn’t you know that?”
“All over the west? That’s hard to believe, I never heard about him till we got married.”
“Well, you just didn’t hang out in the right places, or should I say the wrong places.” Helen said.
“Be that as it may, let’s get back to Hector and his ex-wife. How did he treat her, did he beat her or the children?” I asked.
“I don’t think he beat her, but he abused her verbally. I heard him call her a worthless bitch to her face.” Helen said.
“Well, what makes you think he won’t treat you that way?” Brie asked.
Helen straightened her right arm a little bit, a derringer popped into her hand, “That’s why, if he does I’ll shoot his balls off.”
Brie looked at me and broke out in a hearty laugh, when she stopped, she said, “You know what? I believe you, have you ever heard the saying: Birds of a feather?”
