Killing Halfbreed (21 page)

Byers whistled.  "You've got quite a grudge against this guy, huh?  What'd he do to you?"

"None of your business.  Can I count on you, or should I turn to other means?"

"No, no.  I'll do it, but I don't understand it."

"You don't need to."

***

He smelled like smoke, an offensive, but stimulating odor that whispered mystery and allure on every wafting tendril that reached her nose.  Exactly the kind of aroma that excited Renee DuBois.  She liked danger and it seemed to ooze from this man's pores.  To her, he was the perfect mix of confidence and cockiness.

When he'd first approached her over a year ago for a romantic interlude, she'd almost blown him off.  Renee had known him for a while and he’d never seemed the dangerous type.  Not her type.  Still a buck was a buck, so she’d accepted.

It didn't take but one night in the sack to realize his manner was all a front.  It took a few more nights for her to stop charging.  A few more after that and she found herself wanting to be with him all the time.  There was something about his dark eyes that stirred her to the very core.

Right now, he wore that cocky little grin of his which made her giggle like a schoolgirl.  He struck a match on the table and lit one of his homemade cigarettes.  It dangled loosely from his lips as he spoke, a habit Renee found irresistible.  She hoped he didn't realize what a strong hold on her he had.  Men had a way of using things like that against a woman like her.

"Baby, I need you to do me a favor."

"I'm all ears."  She used her seductive voice to let him know how willing she was feeling.

"It's not to do with me.  You know that two-bit rancher, Jake Talbot, who's got a spread northeast of town?"

"Yeah, I’ve seen him around.  He’s quite a looker."  His face didn't react to the purposed comment, which disappointed her.  She sometimes tried a yank on his jealousy strings, but it never worked.  She wasn’t sure if that was because of his complete confidence, or if he simply didn’t care about her the way she did him.

"The next time he's in town, I need you to help me set up a nice little surprise for him."

Renee's pulse raced.

He didn't like Jake.  She had an idea what kind of surprise he meant, and it wouldn't be good.  That was too bad.  She'd really liked Jake.  He had a nice face.  Still, her lover excited her more, and the possible danger of it left her unable to say no.

***

I returned to the cave and hauled out a couple more bars of gold.  I didn’t dare pull it all out yet.  To do that, I’d need a couple of wagons, some good horses, and a few good men I could trust to help me guard it.  I’d also need a bank I could trust.  No, it was probably safer right where it was for the time being.  Nobody else could possibly find the cave without knowing exactly where to look.

While inside, I examined the sword more closely.  That one really stumped me.  Who would leave a sword lying around in a cave?

Its leather sheath was the color of dark chestnut and had simple decorative horizontal bands extending up and down its length.  Both it and the sword were clearly very old.  The sword itself was not ornate, somewhat simple in design.  Its blade was about three feet long, double-edged, and worn by time.  In spite of the lack of luster, it looked like it would still cut flesh well enough if needed.  The hilt was golden and more ornate and seemed a little too thick for the blade.

The longer I examined the weapon, the more it intrigued me.  For the moment, I decided to leave it hidden in its niche and come back later.  It had to have some significance.

I had plenty of cattle now, but I still needed men to manage them.  With these gold bars, I had the means to pay them.  I traveled to the seat of an outlying county to convert the gold to cash at the assayer's office.  Didn't want people around Cottonwood seeing me with gold in my possession.

By the time I got back to the ranch, I was light-headed with exhilaration, on top of the world.  The sky glowed a deep, gorgeous blue, as if portending a brighter future.  Amazing how a little gold can change your life overnight.

On top of my other blessings, I didn't find any rustler tracks when I got back, which meant they'd left my herd alone while I'd been gone.  Things were looking better and better.

I rode into Cottonwood to see about hiring a team of hands to help me with branding my newly purchased herd.  In any town, there will always be a couple of drifters, men waiting around to see what kind of work would fall their way.

There were actually quite a few men like that in Cottonwood, but none of them would accept my offers.  I soon ran out of people to ask.  They all turned me down. 

Frustrated, I decided to grab something to eat over at the hotel dining room and ponder my situation.  Never in a million years had I expected to be unable to find help.

Something was wrong, for sure.  I’d offered the last man nearly double a month's normal wages.  He’d still refused.  Several of them had seemed downright hostile as they turned me down.  One even spat at my feet.

I didn’t believe I owed this warm reception to the killing of Tom Logan alone.  There was no explanation other than somebody had spread some rumor about me around town.  Whatever that rumor was, it must have been a doozy.

Looked like I’d have to go as far as Rio Perdido or some other town in search of hands.  The fact of the matter was I could not manage a herd of that size by myself.  Somebody wanted me out of business.

When I entered the dining room, I felt like I’d been hit in the stomach with a pile of bricks.

Elizabeth Miller was seated at a table in the center of the room by herself.  The sight of her swept my breath away.  My heart pounded.  The sheer, unexpected strength of my feelings surprised even me.

The tresses of her long, raven hair shone like silk in the sunlight streaming through the front window.  Her cheeks glowed like pink roses just beginning to bud.  The pastel green dress draped over her slender frame had transformed the woman from the dusty trail partner I knew into a distinctly delicate, feminine version of Elizabeth.

I definitely liked the change.

As she lifted a bite of potatoes to her lips, she noticed me.  Her hand froze in mid-air.  After a moment of hesitation, she continued to eat, but did not withdraw her eyes from me as I seated myself two tables away.

At first, that familiar and seemingly undiminished hatred blazed in her eyes, but it soon dissipated into a forlorn gaze.

The waiter neared and I ordered my lunch.

I looked at her again.  Surprisingly, she returned my stare without flinching, or anger now.  She stood and walked toward me.  She was so beautiful, I couldn't stop watching her.  My heart leapt at the realization her attention was riveted solely on me.

Her lips were red and full.

"Jake, I...I want to apologize.  I shouldn't have..."

"So, you like to rape your women and murder little girls, do you!"

Someone grabbed me roughly from behind by the shoulder and whirled my chair around.  I'd been so focused on Elizabeth, I hadn't realized anyone was behind me.  It took me a few seconds to come out of my stupor.

A dirty, unkempt man stood before me who looked like he hadn't shaven or taken a bath in weeks.  He was a roper, you could tell from his duds.  I'd offered him work just a few hours before.

His face burned beet red in anger.  It took a minute for the words he’d spat to register.  When they did, my face grew hot in embarrassment.  Elizabeth was behind me.  She'd heard what he'd said as well as I, though I didn't understand it.

"What did you say?" I asked incredulously.

"I said, you like to rape your women and murder little girls, huh?  Well, stand up, you coward, so I can show you what I think about a man who does stuff like that!"

The hotel clerk had materialized as soon as the commotion began.

"Please, gentlemen, take this quarrel outside."

No one paid him any attention.  I was too focused on the buffoon spoutin' lies about me in front of Elizabeth.  I stayed seated for the moment, but didn't know how long I’d be able to control myself.  Once I stood, there’d be a fight.  If I could help it, I wanted to avoid that as long as possible.

"Listen,
pal
, I don't know what in the world you're talking about, but those are some pretty serious accusations you're making.  You better be able to back them up."

"Don't play dumb, Talbot!  It's all over town about how you're wanted in Kansas for raping some woman up that way, and then murdering her and her little five year-old girl.  Came in on the telegraph yesterday.  We oughta string you up right now," he growled.

So,
that
was why I'd received such hostile treatment in town today.  I had no idea where these accusations had come from, but I’d be wise to be careful.  If people got incensed enough, a mob would not be out of the question.

I looked to Elizabeth and saw that whatever had been softening in her spirit toward me was gone, replaced by an even harder animosity than before, if that were possible.  She seemed to be buying into what this cowboy was saying, hook, line, and sinker.

I had to convince her that he was wrong, that this was all a big fat lie.  I stood and pled with her, "Elizabeth, you have to believe me.  I don't know who started this rumor, but it isn't true."

She looked confused, but the dirty ranch hand struck me hard in my lower back, right in the kidney.  It hurt like the dickens.  Self-preservation took over, and I laid into him with both fists, knocking him flat on the floor.  He started to get up, wanting more, but I drew and covered him with one of my Colts.  Nothing less would have frozen him in place.

"Look at you, Jake!  You're despicable!  Even if it's not true, look at you!  You're so violent!  I hate you, just get away from me!"  Big, wet tears rolled down her anguished face as she fled the hotel.

I had half a mind to take my frustration out on the jerk on the floor by shooting him where he lay, but that would only confirm in Elizabeth's mind what she already thought about me.  I had to show her I was different somehow.

I had to.

"Name’s Jake Halfbreed…"

"Yes sir, I know who you are."  The telegraph agent looked up nervously from the papers on his desk.

“You might know me as Jacob Talbot.”

“Yes, sir.”

"Heard somebody received a telegraph here accusing me of some crimes I supposedly committed up in Kansas last year.  I want to know who sent that telegraph, who received it, and when it came through."

The agent looked slightly perplexed, unsure of how to proceed.  He wiped a line of sweat from his temple with the back of his hand.

"I am familiar with the rumors you're referring to, Mr. Halfbreed."

"Well, boy, don't waste time.  Out with it.  Where did that telegraph originate?"

"I don’t know what to tell you, sir.  I have received no telegraph regarding you at any time."  His gaze dropped back to the desk.  It took a minute for his answer to sink in.

"You mean…there was no telegraph?  Somebody invented this out of thin air?"

"That would be my guess, sir."

This guy had called me sir so many times I was beginning to wonder if he thought I was his superior officer.

Somebody had a lot of guts to come up with such a bald-faced lie about me and spread it around town.  Sometimes, the bigger the lie, the easier it was for people to believe.  I eyed the agent with a glare designed to burn.

"If you know that, why don't you set everybody straight?"

"Sir, it would seem to me that somebody is out to get you, and I don't want them out to get me as well.  I hope you can understand."

The agent's hands were shaking.  He obviously didn't expect me to understand.  I seriously considered yanking him outside, bouncing him off a few posts, and then forcing him to tell everybody I could find the rumors were false, but with most people’s current frame of mind, they'd probably be unable to look past the fact that I was physically assaulting the guy.  Plus, there was no guarantee he'd tell the same story to anybody else.

Tension solidified in my shoulder and neck muscles, twisting them into something akin to hardened bricks.  Anxiety fought to take over my mind, but I wouldn't let it win.  I'd have to find another way.  I left the clerk peacefully in his chair.  A small sigh escaped his lips as I walked out the door.

***

I was in a fix.  I'd impulsively bought a thousand head of cattle with the gold I’d found, but no amount of money seemed to buy me help in running them.  The rumors had been too viciously spread and too easily believed.

The forces allied against me showed no mercy, starting with the very first night after I returned to camp from Cottonwood.  In the darkness, a group of rustlers grabbed about twenty head of my cattle.  I was halfway expecting it.  Around midnight, they came back.  I spied a small group of them riding single file up on a ridge, their black figures outlined by the pale, full moon.

I spurred my horse to intercept them at full speed, whooping and hollering. They led me on a chase, but it didn't take long to realize they were only acting as a diversion.  I raced back to the west side of the ranch just in time to catch sight of another group driving off some more of my cattle.  The morning light revealed they’d gotten off with a total of about fifty head.  These rustlers were more sophisticated than I’d originally thought.