Gun Work: The Further Exploits of Hayden Tilden (11 page)

Big vein in Benny's neck went to throbbing so hard I could see it. His worried, restless gaze rubbered around the stuffy room from one of our faces to the other. In spite of looking pitiful enough to make a thousand-year-old angel weep, he couldn't find a bit of sympathy anywhere.

Sorry skunk went to scratching and squirming again. Then he said, “Well, uh. Well, uh, uh. Shit almighty, what was the question? Done forgot what you bastards asked me 'fore you went and started beatin' on me.”

Carl shook his head and grinned. Said, “You ain't even begun to have anyone
beat
on you yet, you stupid bastard. Think someone mighta slapped you a mite, but so far that's been the limit of it. Screw with me and I'll jerk your arm off and hammer you into the floor with the bloody end of it.”

Fingers wrapped so tightly around the chair's arms he appeared on the verge of shredding them into a pile of sweat-soaked leather, Benny bent over at the waist and yelped, “Mighta slapped me? That what you just said? Shit almighty, you damn near knocked all my teeth loose, that's what you done, by God. Beat me to death with my own arm? Mean-assed son of a bitch.”

Carl's open hand shot forward again. The open-fisted crack, crossways of Benny's opposite cheek, sounded like a pistol going off in the closed room. Red welt that bore an unsurprising resemblance to a man's fingers and palm immediately popped up on the flabbergasted gunny's face.

Coltrane sucked in an astonished breath, then hocked a glob of red-flecked spittle onto the floor. Wiped his blood-seeping mouth on a dirty sleeve. “Done gone and busted my lip, you son of a . . .”

With no warning, Carl delivered another mind-boggling, open-palmed rap that caught Coltrane across the entirety of his forehead. Benny's empty noggin snapped backward like the popper on the end of a bullwhacker's favorite whip. Would've sworn I heard bones in the man's neck crack. Had he rolled onto the floor with a fistful of his neck bones reduced to powder and a snapped spinal column, scene wouldn't have surprised me one bit.

Dazed, the back-shooting slug's eyes rolled around in their sockets. For a second I thought he really might fall out of the chair. But in that single instant, I witnessed all the swaggering bluster and outlaw bravado drain from his face. Happened quicker than a hot iron can scorch a Baptist lady's favorite Sunday-go-to-meeting dress.

Got to say as how I never liked watching a man break. Even one of such reputed low-life orneriness as Benny Coltrane. Hard to work up much sympathy for the kind of murderous scum who'll slaughter women and children, but we needed what the stink-spraying polecat could tell us. And we needed it as quick as it could be obtained.

Felt then, and still feel to this very instant, that if slapping the dog stuffings out of skunk like Benny Coltrane could circumvent another heartless murder, then so be it. All you highfalutin pansies, pantywaists, and bleeding hearts who live your lives in a chicken coop and that don't agree with that blunt assessment had best hope no one ever murders your entire family—two of 'em with a double-bit ax.

When his head finally stopped wobbling on its long, thin, bony stalk, barely heard it when Coltrane mumbled, “All right, all right. What is it you mean-assed, badge-wearin' bastards want to know? Just ask. Swear 'fore Jesus, tell you whatever I can. Won't hold nothin' back. Got my word on it.”

Grinning, Carl and Nate backed off a step or two, glanced over at me, then torqued their heads to one side like curious dogs. I took the obvious hint and said, “Where are your less than worthless brothers, Benny?”

Man looked up at me like he wanted to crawl off and die, but said, “Far as I know they're still down in Texas, Marshal Tilden.” He shot Carlton a quick glance and added, “And that's the God's truth, so far as I know it. Swear on my mother's grave.”

“Texas?”

“Yeah. Said they 'uz goin' to Fort Worth. Gonna spend some time in Hell's Half Acre 'fore they come back this direction. You know how it is. My brothers are the kind of fellers what like to drink, gamble, and whore around till they just wear themselves slap out. Six months from now they'll do it all over again. 'S all I know.”

Leaned a bit closer. Tried to sound comforting when I said, “Where's the girl, Benny? Where's Daisy Cassidy?”

Coltrane did a corner of the eye check to make sure Carl wasn't about to slap the bejabbers out of him again. Then, snapped another worried gaze directly into mine. Man suddenly went to shaking as if suffering from malaria. After some effort, he regained control of himself and said, “Please don't let that little redheaded son of a bitch hit me again. Okay?”

“Have my word on it. Marshal Cecil won't hit you again.” Not sure he believed me, because he kept eyeballing Carl before saying anything. “Honest to God, my word of honor, I couldn't say, Marshal Tilden. Swear, I'm tellin' you the God's truth. Swear it. Just couldn't say. Don't have no ideas on the subject of Daisy Cassidy's whereabouts.”

Nate pulled the makin's and started rolling a smoke. Said, “Way we heard the bloody tale, them brothers of yours took Miss Cassidy down to Hell's Half Acre and whored her out to anyone with enough money to pay for an evening's carnal entertainment. That true?”

Coltrane's gaze swiveled around the room, as though his head had somehow become detached from his neck. “Now that ain't true, by God. Jus' ain't true. Ain't nobody gonna make Daisy Cassidy do nothing she don't want to do. Gal looks like that 'un has a mind of her own. Does as she damn well pleases.”

Three of us took a surprised half step backward at the exact same moment. Couldn't believe what we'd just heard. Benny Coltrane had unwittingly placed himself in Daisy Cassidy's company, at some point. Think we were all amazed at his astonishing inability to keep the information to himself. Tight mouthed up till that point, he'd inadvertently given away a piece of what might prove vital information.

I moved in real close to the man and placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “How do you know what Daisy Cassidy would or wouldn't do, Benny? Sounds to me like you two might've known each other a bit better than any of us realized.”

Mask of twisted panic shot across Coltrane's unshaven face. “No. No. You musta misunderstood. Not me. 'S my brother. Jesse. The good-lookin' one. 'S how I know about Daisy. Honest. That's the God's truth. Hell, any gal as looks like Daisy ain't gonna have nothin' to do with a feller like me. But Jesse, now there's a different story altogether. He's always been able to keep company with them good-lookers, you know.”

Carl made a springing leap toward Benny, kicked hell out of one the chair legs. Drew his hand back again, as though he was about to slap poor Benny's eyeballs right out of his head. “Quit mealy mouthin' around, you walkin' bag of manure. Get to it, or swear to bleedin' Jesus, I'm gonna knock you into next month.”

Arms and hands covering his face, Benny dodged and weaved in the chair like a sitting boxer in the fight of his life. Once he realized the blow wouldn't fall, he peeked from between trembling fingers and said, “Went to the Cassidy place after we hit the Elk Horn Bank in Winslow.”

Nate shook his head. “Why? Seems like a stupid move to slow your getaway after robbin' a bank. Hell, the Cassidy farm's just a bit more'n five miles from the scene of the r obbery.”

Benny's head bobbed up and down, as though he could-n't agree more. “Hell, I know that,” he said. “But Jesse couldn't get within ten miles of that gal's scent without sneakin' by her daddy's farm. Tole us he wanted to stop by and pick the girl up for the trip to Texas.”

Tapped him on the arm again to draw his attention my way. “You're telling us Jesse planned to take the girl with him to Fort Worth? That what you're saying?”

“Yeah. Yeah. But see, when we got to the farm her ole man said as how she warn't there. Not at home. Swear on my mother's sainted head. Soon's I heard that, I left Jesse and Leroy arguing with ole man Cassidy. Last I seen any of 'em, they 'uz all standin' in Cassidy's sorghum field yellin' at each other. Hell, I already had me a gal. Lives a few miles from Clifton. If'n I hadn't stopped for a drink with that buncha travelin' coyote spit peddlers, Marshal Reed never woulda cotched me the way he went and done.”

“ 'S not what you told Marshal Reed,” Carlton said. “Did some loose-mouthed bragging about your part in a triple murder.”

Benny's face and neck turned red all the way up to his hair line. “Didn't know 'bout them killins till Marshal Reed confronted me with 'em. Just runnin' off at the mouth when I said I took part. Honest to God. Wasn't there when them folks got kilt. Swear it. Didn't even know they 'uz dead till Reed asked 'bout 'em. Had already left the scene. Didn't have nothin' to do with none of it.”

“Truth is, we don't care, Benny,” I said. “Just one more question for Judge Parker and the court to settle. But we do care about the girl. You should want us to find her. Gal ought to be able to confirm that you didn't take part in the killings.”

Coltrane's bewilderment appeared to deepen. Drop of sweat the size of a nickel dripped from his nose.

Nate blew a stream of cigarette smoke at Benny, then asked, “Just how'n the hell did a dry-gulchin' brigand like Jesse meet a farm girl like Daisy Cassidy to begin with?”

Coltrane shook his head and looked miserable. “Not sure.” “That's just more bullshit, Benny,” Carl growled. “Best come up with a better answer'n that one.”

“Tellin' the truth, you mean-assed son of a bitch.”

Carl made a menacing move Benny's direction, but I waved him off.

From behind lifted arms, Benny said, “God's truth. Just not sure. Maybe he met her in one of the mercantile stores in Winslow. He never said as how they'd met one way or the other. Hell, the man could walk away from a cold camp in the middle of Palo Duro Canyon at the darkest hour of the night and come back two hours later with a woman.”

“Well, now, that's quite a skill to have,” Nate said around the cigarette dangling from his lips.

Benny grinned as though happy that someone appeared to believe him. “ 'S the God's truth. Always had women around him, no matter what. Met Daisy 'bout a year ago, I guess. From then on, ever'time we went through Winslow, he'd make a point to creep by her daddy's farm. Cassidy gal was different from any a them others he usually hung around with.”

Thumbs hooked over his pistol belt, Barnes Reed moved closer to the interrogation again. “How so?”

“Hell, I don't know. Gal just had the power to bollix him all up. Mention her name, Jesse just seemed to get so confused he didn't know whether to smile, spit, or swaller. Me'n Leroy made fun of him over it. Hell, Jesse'd force us to ride a hundred miles outta our way so he could tiptoe up to Daisy's bedroom winder at night. Spend a little time rolling 'tween her sheets.”

“Jesse was gonna take her on the run with him?” I said. “That's your story?”

“Honest, Marshal Tilden, it's all I know. All I can tell you. We robbed the bank, hadn't got a mile outta Winslow when Jesse informed me'n Leroy that he was gonna stop at the Cassidy place for Daisy. Got there and the girl's old man claimed she warn't there. That's when I left.”

“So, you were gone by the time the killin' started?” Barnes said.

Coltrane wagged his head back and forth like a tired dog. “Swear 'fore Jesus, gents, don't know nothin' 'bout them poor folks gettin' dead. Wouldn't surprise me if Jesse kilt the girl's pap, but I have a real problem believing he had anything to do with the woman and kids. Just ain't like Jesse a'tall. Swear on my mother's grave. Story just don't sound like Jesse.”

“How about Leroy?” Carl said.

Coltrane looked confused. Rubbed his chin with the back of one hand. Scratched his head. Then, gradually, the confusion appeared to turn into misery. “Suppose he mighta done 'em. Leroy's not all there, you know. Got a bent rod in his thinker mechanism. Hell, he's the one what shot that drummer, then beat on him with the butt of a rifle till his head was nothin' but a wad of goo.”

After a moment of uncomfortable silence fell over the room, I said, “Well, think we've got all we need.” Glanced over at Barnes. “Might as well put him back in the cell, Marshal Reed.”

Barnes grabbed Benny by the arm and lifted him out of the chair. Heard the cell door clang closed behind me as I headed for the hallway behind Carl and Nate.

Almost out of the office when Benny Coltrane called out, “Marshal Tilden. Marshal Tilden. Could I speak with you in private for a few seconds?”

Barnes pushed past me, as I turned back into Marshal Dell's private fiefdom and made my way to the lockup.

Fingers grasping the cell door bars, Benny peered into my eyes and said, “Swear it warn't me what kilt that drummer, Marshal Tilden. Three of us was just riding along and came up on him camped not far off the road. Leroy snatched his pistol out and blasted hell outta the man 'fore either of us could stop 'im. He's like that, you know. Then he beat the poor son of a bitch to pieces after shootin' 'im. Made me sick.”

“Gonna be a hard sell in court, Benny. If nothing else, you were there when it happened, and never bothered to tell anyone about it till now.”

Stared at his feet while he toed at the floor. Gripped and regripped the cell door bars. “Yeah. Admit it don't look good. Worst of all though, know I went and shot off my braggin' mouth when I should've kept shut. But, honest to God, didn't have nothin' to do with them Cassidy murders neither. First I heard them folks was dead was when Marshal Reed started questionin' me 'bout 'em.”