Slocum at Dead Dog Page 9

  Benton looked up from his paperwork. “Slocum,” he said. “What brings you around?”

  “I guess you heard the latest news?” Slocum said.

  “What?” said Benton.

  “Don’t play ignorant,” said Slocum. “I know they was bragging around town about it.”

  “You talking about the fight you had with the boys?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I hope you ain’t here to press charges,” said Benton, “because I never put anyone in jail for having a fistfight.”

  “It was more like a kicking fight,” said Slocum. “Them kicking me while I was down, but I ain’t here to press charges.”

  “Good,” said Benton. “What then?”

  “I just want to ask you if you’re making any progress on your investigation.”

  “I been asking around and looking around, but I’m afraid that I ain’t come up with anything. We’re right where we started. Sorry.”

  “It seems to me,” said Slocum, “that there’s plenty of circumstantial evidence.”

  “You’re talking like a lawyer now,” said Benton.

  “I ain’t a lawyer, but I don’t need to be to see it. You know that Totum wants the Kirk ranch.”

  Benton shrugged. “Totum’s a businessman. He wants it. That’s no secret. He’s made more than one offer to buy it.”

  “And when Vance Kirk wouldn’t sell, Vance got killed. Shot in the back.”

  “Slocum,” said Benton, “when you and Vance was running around together, did you make any enemies?”

  “Yeah. Sure we did, but—”

  “There you go. It could’ve been anyone who shot Vance.”

  “Then those three men came out to shoot the place up, and—”

  “And you killed one of them, but you don’t know who the other two were. Do you?”

  “I can’t prove who they were. But I know who the three were that come out to beat me up.”

  “We already talked about that,” said Benton.

  “Pounding on someone’s okay?”

  “Long as it’s a fair fight.”

  The thing that Charlene had said about Benton made more sense the more Benton said. This business was more complicated than Slocum had thought. He bid Benton good day and left the office. Then he saw Ball, Reardon, and the new man, Gurney, walking toward him on the sidewalk. Benton stepped out of his office just then and took in the situation.

  12

  Slocum unstrapped his gun belt, refastened the buckle, and walked to his horse, where he hung the rig over the saddle horn. The three men on the sidewalk stopped. They looked at one another and back at Slocum. Slocum stepped away from the horse and looked up at Benton.

  “Fair fight, Sheriff?” he said.

  Benton shrugged. The three men walked toward Slocum, stepping down into the street. Benton said, “Take off your irons, boys.”

  They paused and looked at Benton almost unbelieving. Then they unstrapped their belts and dropped the rigs on the sidewalk. They moved back out onto the street and walked toward Slocum. Slocum stood casually until they were within reach.

  “I guess you ain’t had enough, Slocum,” said Reardon.

  Slocum kicked as hard as he could, smashing Reardon’s balls. Reardon roared in pain and shocked surprise. Both his hands reached for his crotch as he doubled over, his face turning green. Then Slocum stamped the foot of Ball as hard as he could stomp. He felt like he had cracked some bones. Ball shrieked and began hopping around on one foot. Slocum turned on Gurney. Gurney had grown suddenly cautious. He put up his guard and danced backward away from Slocum. Slocum raised a hand and gestured for Gurney to come forward to meet him. Gurney danced around.

  “Come on, you little chickenshit,” said Slocum. “It’s just you and me now.”

  Gurney suddenly ducked his head and ran straight forward toward Slocum, but Slocum stepped aside and kicked Gurney in the ass as he passed, sending him sprawling in the dirt, his face digging a trench in the street. Slocum stepped after him, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him to his feet. He turned Gurney around and smashed him in the face, twirling him around and dropping him. Then he turned back to the other two. Neither one looked as if he wanted any more. Ball was sitting on the edge of the sidewalk holding his hurt foot, and Reardon was squatted in the street moaning. Slocum glanced up at Benton who was leaning casually against the wall watching the whole thing. Slocum jerked Reardon to his feet, punched him twice in the belly, and bashed him on the side of the head. Reardon dropped like a sack of flour. Then Slocum moved to where Ball was seated. Ball raised his hands up in front of his face. Slocum, ready to swing, reconsidered. He turned to walk away. Then he reconsidered again. He turned back toward Ball and stamped on his other foot. Ball screamed and fell forward in the street, clutching at his feet and rolling around in the dirt. Slocum kicked him hard in the ass and walked to his horse. He mounted up, touched the brim of his hat to the sheriff, and rode out of town.

  Out on the road, away from any eyes in town, Slocum clutched himself around the middle and doubled over in pain. Damn that had hurt his broken ribs.

  * * *

  Back in town, Benton looked at the three pathetic wretches. “Well, boys,” he said, “you didn’t do so well this time, did you?” He turned to go back into his office.

  Gurney tried to say something, but instead grabbed his jaw. Ball rolled around till he could look at the sheriff. “He’s broke both my feet,” he said. “Do something.”

  “I ain’t a doc,” said Benton.

  “I’m ruint for life,” said Reardon. “I won’t never have no kids now. Oh, shit. I’m ruint.”

  “Go get a doc,” whined Ball. “I can’t even stand up on my broke feet.”

  “When you had the chance,” said Benton, “you should have broke his feet. And his hands. You’re no good for anything now.”

  “You going to fetch a doc for me?” whimpered Ball.

  “You left him all to himself, didn’t you?” said Benton. “Take care of yourselves.”

  He walked away leaving the three of them in the dirt whining and crying. He made his way to the saloon and went inside. Kansas Totum was there alone at his favorite table. Benton got a glass as he walked by the bar. He went to Totum’s table and poured himself a drink out of Totum’s bottle.

  “What’s going on, Carl?” said Totum.

  “Not much.” said Benton. He lifted the glass and took a sip. “Oh. Slocum rode into town this morning.”

  “Slocum? Damn. I thought he’d be laid up longer than this.”

  “He looked to me to be in pretty good shape.”

  Totum drained his glass and poured it full again. “Damn,” he said.

  “Yeah,” said Benton. “He took on all three of your boys at once. Right in front of my office.”

  Totum looked suddenly interested. “What happened?” he said.

  “Slocum mounted up and rode out of town, still looking fine. Your boys are down the street in the dirt. Crying.”

  Totum downed his drink, shoved back his chair so fast that it tipped over, and rushed out of the saloon. He ran down the street to where the three were still writhing.

  “What the hell happened here?” he demanded.

  “Get the doc,” whined Ball. “My feet’s both broke in about a thousand pieces.”

  Totum turned on Reardon. “What happened to you?”

  “He mashed my balls into jelly. I’m ruint.”

  Totum turned to look at Gurney, who just held his jaw with one hand and pointed to it with the other.

  “God damn,” said Totum. “Three of you. Three against one. What the hell kind of saps have I hired anyway? What’s this look like in front of the whole damn town? Tell me that. What’s it look like? You’re fired. All of you.”

  He turned and walked away leaving them there, just as Benton had done. In another few minutes, having heard the talk that was going around town, the doc made his way down to them. He got Reardon and Gurney to their feet, and had t
hem hold Ball between them and walk to his office. All three moaned and cried the entire way.

  Totum made his way back to the saloon and back to his table. Benton was still sitting there. “God damn,” said Totum, sitting down and pouring another drink. “God damn it to hell. I fired their asses. All three of them. If the three of them together can’t take one man, they’re no good to me.”

  “You can’t fire them, Kansas,” said Benton.

  “What? Why?”

  “They know too much.”

  “Well, what can I do then? I can’t keep paying them for doing nothing. Coy says that every bone in both his feet is broke. Gurney’s got a broke jaw. He can’t even talk. Jimmy might be all right in a while. He says his balls is jelly. He might recover and be worth something again, but I doubt it. Three of them. Damn. Three on one, and they got their ass whipped. God damn it.”

  “You’re going to have to hire a new crew, Kansas,” Benton said. “I’d say about six new men. It’ll take that many.”

  “Six?”

  “I’d say hunt them up over in Hang Town. There’s a rough bunch hangs out there.”

  “Hang Town.”

  “Then I’d see if I couldn’t get rid of them other three for good. That’s your best bet.”

  Back at the Kirk ranch that evening, Slocum put his horse away and went into the house. He found Tex putting away dishes, and Bobby Hooper helping her. Bobby appeared to be slightly embarrassed.

  “Slocum,” said Tex. “Where have you been?”

  “I went into town for a spell,” he said. “Had a talk with Benton, but didn’t get nowhere with him. No evidence, he says. I just kind of wanted to test him out. That Charlene told me that he’s working with Totum.”

  “That’s just what I thought,” said Tex. “The slimy son of a bitch.”

  “Well, damn it, I just wasn’t sure. He’s got such a good reputation around the country.”

  “Reputation be damned,” snapped Tex. “He’s a damn crook.”

  “It sure looks like you’re right about that,” said Slocum.

  “Did you tell him about those three beating you up?”

  “He said there ain’t nothing wrong with a fistfight,” said Slocum. “So when I run into them three out on the sidewalk, I pounded on them a little. Two of them won’t be bothering us for a spell. The other one might recover fast enough. I ain’t sure.”

  “What’d you do to them?” asked Bobby, his eyes wide.

  “Oh, I stomped one of them’s feet and broke some bones. He won’t be able to walk for a while. I broke another one’s jaw. The third one, well, I just give him a swift kick in the—well, between the legs.”

  “You shouldn’t have been acting like that,” said Tex. “You’re not quite healed up yourself yet.”

  “I found that out,” said Slocum.

  Tex laughed a little. “But I’m glad you did it.”

  A couple of days later, Joel Barnes drove out a wagon load of lumber. The new cowhands started work right away on the bunkhouse. The work went amazingly fast. “I guess they don’t like sleeping on the ground,” Slocum said. In another couple of days, Barnes came out with another load. Soon, the cowboys were sleeping under a roof and working on the barn. Slocum helped out a little, but his ribs were still sore.

  About that time, Kansas Totum returned to Dead Dog from Hang Town with six new gunhands. Benton saw them coming and walked to the saloon to meet them there. He waited until Totum walked in with the six new men and headed for his favorite table. Benton met him there.

  “This your new crew?” he asked Totum.

  Totum smiled a broad smile. “Yeah,” he said. “It’s a good one too. Boys, this is our sheriff, Carl Benton. Carl, meet Sundown, Chappy, Rucker, Scales, Nicks, and Payne.”

  Benton nodded. “I’ve heard of some of you boys,” he said. “I reckon Kansas has told you about behaving yourselves when you’re in town. I pride myself on keeping an orderly place here.” No one responded, so Benton turned to Totum once again. “You recall what I told you about Slocum? Well, they done got a bunkhouse built and they’re working on a barn.”

  “Let’s go back to the back room, boys,” Totum said.

  They were crowding their way into the back room when Jimmy Reardon came hobbling in. He saw them and hurried along to join them. When Reardon made it inside the room, the last one in, Totum said, “Shut the door, Jimmy.” Reardon shut the door. The new crew were all seating themselves around a table. Totum looked at Reardon. “So you ain’t dead?” he said.

  “It tuck a while,” said Reardon, “but I’m feeling better now.”

  “Still hobbling some, though,” said Totum.

  Reardon shifted his balls and winced. “That son of a bitch hurt me bad,” he said, “but I can get around again all right. That’s more than I can say for them other two.”

  “Come meet the new boys,” Totum said. He introduced everyone to Reardon, and Reardon took a seat. “We’ve got a job to do,” Totum said. “It’ll just take one man, I think. There’s a fellow out at the Kirk ranch that needs killing. His name is Slocum.”

  “I’ve heard of Slocum,” said Sundown. “He’s a bad one.”

  “One good shot can take out anyone,” Totum said. “And that’s all I want right now. One well-placed shot. One man to sneak up through the woods out there and take out Slocum while they’re all busy building that new barn. Drop him with one rifle shot and then get the hell out of there. More than one man will likely catch their attention, so just one man to do the job.”

  “Let me do it, Kansas,” said Reardon. “I been out there before, and I know Slocum by sight. I got a good reason too.”

  “There ain’t no time like the present,” said Totum.

  * * *

  Jimmy Reardon headed for the Kirk ranch. He had his rifle loaded, and he knew what he had to do. He was anxious for his revenge. Slocum had hurt him bad and perhaps ruined his chances of ever fathering a child. Not that Reardon had any real prospects for doing any fathering on. It was just the idea. He still had some pain in his balls, and it bothered him more than a little to be in the saddle, but it would damn sure be worth it to drop that son of a bitch Slocum. His heart was pounding in anticipation as he moved down the road.

  When he reached the gate to the Kirk ranch, he dismounted and tied his horse to the fence. Then he walked onto the property. Soon, he ducked and walked in a crouch. In a short while, he was on his belly crawling. It was a routine he knew from before. Getting closer, he could hear the sound of hammers pounding. They were at work on the barn all right, and that was good. The noise they were making would help to cover any sounds that Reardon might make in his approach. At last, he reached his goal. He stopped and found himself a comfortable position. He cranked a shell into the chamber of his rifle and squinted around searching for Slocum.

  He could make out seven men at work on the barn, but he did not see Slocum. He cursed under his breath. He took aim at one of the men. It would be an easy shot, but it wasn’t Slocum. He was a good distance away from the site of the barn building, far enough that he could get up and outrun anyone who might come after him. It would be an easy job, drop Slocum and run for the road and his horse, but where the hell was Slocum?

  Back in Dead Dog, Sundown walked to the hotel. The clerk at the desk asked if he could help him, but Sundown didn’t bother responding. He walked past the desk to the stairway and started climbing. Upstairs, he made his way down the hallway to the room he had been told about. He tried the door, and it opened. He stepped inside and shut the door behind him. There were two beds in the room. On one of them, Coy Ball lay on his back, his two feet wrapped in bandages. On the other bed, Gurney was stretched out with his jaw wrapped. Ball got himself up on his elbows, and said, “Who the hell are you?” Gurney sat up on the edge of the bed. He did not speak.

  “My name’s Sundown. I’m a new man working for Kansas Totum.”

  “Oh,” said Ball, falling back on the bed again. “What’s Kansas want?�
��

  Sundown figured that Gurney, with only a broken jaw, might be able to move a bit faster than Ball with the busted bones in his feet. Gurney was still sitting up on the side of the bed. Sundown walked between the two beds, between the two men. He slipped a long knife out of a sheath at his belt. Gurney’s eyes opened wide, but before he could make a move, Sundown shoved the sharp blade between a couple of his ribs. Gurney moaned and slumped. Sundown turned quickly and drove the blade twice into Ball’s chest. Then he turned back to Gurney to make sure he had done for him.

  13

  Slocum was sitting in the ranch house at the table drinking a cup of coffee and chatting with Tex. He finished the coffee and put down the cup. “Want some more?” Tex asked.

  “No,” he said. He was feeling guilty because the rest of the crew, including the new husband, was out working on the barn. He had tried to help, but he had discovered that he could not use a hammer without hurting his ribs. “I think I’ll walk out and see how the barn’s coming along. I can’t swing a hammer, but there might be something I can do to help.”

  “You be careful now,” said Tex. “I don’t want you getting stove up again.”

  “Don’t worry, Tex. If it hurts, I won’t do it.”

  He walked outside and started toward the barn. Out in the woods, Reardon spotted him. His heart raced even more. He put the rifle to his shoulder and took aim. It was a long shot, but if he waited until Slocum was about halfway to the barn, he could drop him easy. His finger tightened on the trigger, and he waited. Slocum was about to the halfway point. Reardon was sweating. His heart was pounding. He tightened his finger on the trigger a little more. In another instant, he would fire. Slocum was looking ahead at the work being done on the barn. He did not notice the depression in the ground ahead of him. He stepped in the hole and stumbled. Reardon fired. The bullet whistled just over Slocum’s head. Slocum tumbled on the ground, partly because of his stumble, partly on purpose knowing that he had been shot at.