Breath of the Feathered Serpent (6 page)

“What are you doing in our town?” The ringleader took a step forward. He was big and bulky. Doubtless he was used to intimidating people with his size.

“Just leaving,” Madison called out. “If you boys will let us, that is. We don’t want any trouble in such a nice little town.”

The ringleader took another step forward. “We don’t like strangers.”

“And we don’t like trouble. As I said, we just want to get our horses and leave. You’re the ones trying to stop us.” Madison repeated himself and bowed again to the lady across the road. She’d been joined by another woman and a couple of men. They murmured and pointed, watching the scene unfolding before them.

The ringleader stopped, his ugly face twisted into surprise, and Adam’s smirk grew wider. Madison’s build made everyone think he was naturally quiet-spoken, as he’d been so far. So to hear his voice boom like thunder, catching the attention of several more passers-by, caught the gang off guard.

Adam eased into a fighting stance as the gang members looked at one another nervously, and the ringleader took a few more steps forward. Despite his uncertainty, he’d obviously been paid to make sure a fight ensued.
Well so long as it’s a fist fight, that’s just fine by me. There are plenty of witnesses to say we were goaded into it.

“Please, boys,” Madison said, lifting his hands in supplication. “Just let us get our horses and go. These fine townsfolk don’t want to see a fight, and my cousin and I don’t want to be in one. Don’t force us to defend ourselves.”

The ringleader threw a punch at Madison in response. It would have put the smaller man down heavily, except it never landed. Adam watched long enough to see Madison twist and kick. The sole of his foot connected solidly with his attacker’s midriff and knocked him to the ground.

The other three attacked, but Adam was ready. It was no surprise that two came for him. He was taller and broader than Madison, and even though his partner had taken down the ringleader, the two men heading for him still saw Adam as the bigger threat.

One threw a roundhouse punch. Adam dodged the punch, twisted away from the second man, and landed several rapid punches to the first man’s kidneys. The attacker dropped to his knees with a grunt.

As Adam moved away from the first man, the second charged toward him, arm cocked back aiming for his face. Adam saw the move coming and deflected it enough so that it was little more than a graze. By contrast, Adam’s uppercut landed perfectly. The man rose off his feet and collapsed to the ground. He was out cold. Adam spun around to face the first assailant who’d gotten back on his feet.

“You want me? Come and get me.” Adam taunted the man, who licked his lips nervously and charged him, swinging wildly.

Adam easily ducked under the blow. He slammed several punches to the man’s gut. Adam watched as the man crumpled to the ground and then looked to see how Madison was faring.

His friend twisted on one foot and kicked high with the other, striking his attacker’s chin. The man dropped like a stone. Madison stood over both of his attackers who lay unconscious. Adam started to walk over to his partner, when a gunshot sounded, and dust kicked up between them where the bullet had struck.

“You’re under arrest for fighting.” Sheriff Jackson strode towards them, his gun drawn. He stopped when another shot rang out. The bullet hit the dirt inches from his booted foot.

“I don’t think so, Sheriff.” Adam turned to see Ellen and Elijah with their guns raised.

“They attacked these men...” Jackson started.

“No they didn’t, Sheriff. These boys did all they could to avoid the fight.” The blacksmith’s voice rang out as he appeared from behind Ellen’s horse. “Me an’ these folks here’ll vouch for that. These here fellers on the ground did all the provokin’.”

Madison grinned at Adam as a murmur of agreement rose from the people standing nearby. Adam nodded to him. Jackson seemed frozen.
So they were sent to fight, and if we beat them, you were ready to throw us in jail. Just why is Carter so hell bent to get us out of the way. Looks like he’s got something to hide.

“All we ask is time to get our horses, Sheriff, and we’ll be on our way,” Madison said.

“Seems a reasonable request since the men you need to arrest are lying on the ground, Sheriff,” Ellen said.

“You boys just make sure you stay out of trouble in the future,” Jackson said, clearly trying to take back control.

“Oh, that we will,” Madison said. “Let’s go and leave the Sheriff to arrest those troublemakers. I’m sure the townsfolk will be glad to see them locked in a cell.”

Adam smirked at the glare Jackson gave Madison, but there was little else the sheriff could do. The people standing around watched Jackson and took no notice of Madison or him. Adam fell into step with his friend. “Well, let’s hope the day improves from here,” he said.

“I sincerely hope it doesn’t get worse,” Madison murmured.

“We came to take you to see Uncle,” Ellen called out. “We’ll wait here while you get your horses.”

“Mighty glad you did, miss,” Madison said, raising his hat.

Ellen snorted. “Ellen. Just call me Ellen.”

Adam glanced at Elijah. His memory hadn’t paid tricks on him. The young man was every bit as attractive as he’d thought. Their eyes met, and Elijah blushed, his cheeks flaming crimson before he lowered his gaze. Adam licked his lips. The young man’s reaction suggested he was unused to dealing with such a situation.

Adam sighed.
He’s still a suspect until we can rule him out, but God in heaven, I’d bed him in an instant if I could.

“Adam, hurry up.”

Madison’s voice broke Adam from his reverie. He turned away and trotted off in the direction of the stables.

Chapter Nine

Within the huge sprawling grounds that comprised the Lazy E ranch, the approach to the main house was a dusty, tree-lined road. Two guards stood beside ornate, iron gate posts. As Adam rode closer, he saw they were Aztecs. The men’s hair was little more than a stripe down the center of their heads decorated with feathers. They were armed with rifles and long knives with ornate hilts in decorative sheaths on their thighs.

The guards nodded tersely at Adam and Madison and smiled at Ellen and Elijah as the twins waved. Adam stared. The guards’ teeth were colored red, giving them a demonic appearance. Doubtless the coloration had been done on purpose as a device to make the guards appear fiercer than they already were.

The Lazy E bustled with activity as they rode in. The twins made a deliberate show of waving to or acknowledging some of the men, but not all of them. Adam’s eyes narrowed. He watched a little more carefully. The ranch hands seemed divided into two distinct groups. Those that the twins acknowledged paid little or no attention to the men who’d been ignored.
Interesting. May not mean anything, but worth remembering.

The twins dismounted, and a ranch hand came to lead their horses to the stables. Adam tethered Cinnamon next to Madison’s horse on the rail in front of the house. He patted both horses and then turned his attention to the house.

Three steps led up to a veranda. To the right at the far end of the veranda were a set of windows that opened like doors directly onto the veranda. There was also a ramp over the stairs. A group of potted plants partially hid the window from view, and Adam realized it was just by luck that he was at the right angle to see it. The foliage around the house also seemed a little more overgrown there, and Adam wondered if the family had cared for an elderly relative at some point.

“Uncle’s keen to meet you fellers, but I don’t know if he’s of a mind to offer you any work. He hired quite a few men when he took over.” Elijah’s voice close to his ear made Adam turn.

He hadn’t realized how near Elijah was, and Adam found himself almost toe-to-toe with the young man. He was able to take his first up-close look at him. As he’d imagined, Elijah’s eyes were hazel and his lips full and lush. His cheekbones were high, giving him an almost angelic appearance. His skin looked surprisingly smooth. Adam wasn’t even sure if Elijah needed to shave. He licked his lips and fought back a groan when Elijah copied the action.

“We understand, Elijah. Thanks for the opportunity.”

Madison’s voice drew Adam back to reality, and he took a step or two back from Elijah. For a few seconds, Adam saw the disappointment in his beautiful eyes, and then Elijah turned away.

“Come on. This way.” Ellen strode forward, and Elijah fell into step behind her.

With a quick glance at Madison, Adam went next. He couldn’t resist a peek at Elijah’s denim-clad ass, filing it away in his imagination to be recalled on the lonely nights ahead of him. He shoved all maudlin and distracting thoughts aside and focused on the present.

Adam stopped and stared at the man who came toward them. His hair and beard were red, thick, and unruly, almost obscuring a pudgy face. His body was also corpulent, at least what could be seen of it. His lower half was encased in a wheelchair the likes of which Adam had never seen.

Instead of the chair being open to display his legs, gleaming copper doors hid them from view. The wheels were mounted outside the casing, and he could see the cogs and pistons that powered them as the man used a switch on the armrest.

“Uncle Mortimer, this is Adam and his cousin Madison. They were the men who found Charlie.” Elijah moved aside and indicated the man at his side. “This is our Uncle Mortimer, Pa’s brother. He came to help us when our father was killed a few weeks back.”

A chill seeped into Adam’s spine.
Another death, and quite recently.
He glanced over at Madison.

“We’re mighty pleased to meet you, sir,” Madison said. “And we’re sorry for your loss.”

“He went after some missing steers. Got thrown by his horse. Some of the men found his body out on the range. As I say to the twins, at least he died doing what he loved. This ranch was his life.” Mortimer eased his motorized chair a little closer and regarded Adam and Madison.

“Well, I guess that was a blessing at least, sir,” Madison said.

“Drifters looking for some wrangling work, I was told.” Mortimer eased his chair away from them. “Well, we are down a man with Charlie’s death. There may be something I can offer, for a few days at least.” Mortimer stroked his beard as he watched them.

“We stopped them getting arrested by that crony of Carter who pretends to be a sheriff. Four men jumped them, and he tried to blame it on Adam and Madison,” Elijah said.

Even scowling and his voice hard with anger, Adam found Elijah attractive. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We weren’t badly hurt.”

“Indeed? That’s very interesting. But you fellers didn’t start it? Four of them you say?” Mortimer looked from Adam to Madison. “Looks like you boys got off easy.”

“We know how to take care of ourselves. Seems Carter feels we shouldn’t stay around here,” Madison said with a shrug. “All we’re guilty of is finding a dead man on an empty ranch that isn’t empty anymore.”

“It isn’t?”

Mortimer and Ellen spoke simultaneously, and Adam eyed them both from beneath the brim of his hat.

“The new owner arrived by stage yesterday,” Madison said. “We escorted him into town. He’s planning on moving into the ranch tomorrow. We took a room in the saloon last night, and this morning we were attacked for no good reason. They tried to bait us into starting the fight. When that didn’t work, they jumped us anyway.”

“I see. I see,” Mortimer said. “Let me think a spell, boys. There may be something I can use you for, at least a couple of days’ work.”

“We appreciate that,” Madison said. “Money’s too tight to move on without anything coming from work while we’re here.”

“Yes. Indeed.” Mortimer’s voice was thoughtful. “Well, I’ll retire to my room for my nap. Get the boys some coffee and cake before they leave, Ellen. At least we can be more hospitable than the town was this morning.”

“Yes, Uncle,” Ellen said. “Come on, Elijah.”

Adam moved back as Mortimer headed to the right and the twins to the left, leaving him alone with Madison. “Another death. Three within a few months.” He spoke into Madison’s ear, his voice barely above a whisper.

Madison nodded. “The Lazy E and the Big A. Seems to me that it’s possible either or both are involved. Now we need to start unraveling this mystery. There’s just over two weeks until the emperor’s visit.”

“Maybe the statue wasn’t meant to disappear. What if Numa wanted to appear with it, to claim that he now holds the favor of Quetzalcoatl,” Adam murmured.

“Here’s your cake, fellers.” Ellen indicated the tray that Elijah held. On it was a plate with several slices of fruit cake.

Adam took a piece, as did Madison. He bit into it, savoring its moist richness. “Thanks. It’s very good. Interesting wheelchair your uncle has,” Adam said.

“I’ll tell the cook. It’s his grandma’s recipe,” Ellen said and smiled. “Yeah, the chair’s clockwork. The mechanism’s hidden inside it. We wind it for him a couple of times a day. Since he rests in the afternoons, it doesn’t use much energy between late morning and early evening.”

A servant came through carrying a tray with a coffee pot and four cups and saucers. Ellen waved the servant away and poured the drinks. Both Adam and Madison declined the cream.

“We’re real sorry to hear your father died so recently,” Madison said, as he sipped his coffee.

Elijah and Ellen looked at one another, and then Elijah spoke. “In truth, well, Ellen and me aren’t convinced our father died a natural death. Why would he go out alone? He never went anywhere without a couple of men. And dead from falling off his horse?” Elijah shook his head. “We never even saw his body.”

“What happened?” Adam asked.

“We were out of town for a few days,” Ellen said. “Pa sent us away. When we came back, he was dead and buried. Uncle had turned up the day we left. He identified the body and oversaw the burial. Said it was better for us to remember our Pa as he’d been and not as a corpse.”

Adam rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Did anyone else identify your father or just your uncle?”