Sharon Poppen (26 page)

“No.” He answered too quickly and then spit out some tobacco juice. “Why’d railroad men come here? Nearest railroad is in San Antonio.”

“I just –

Liam applied pressure to Hannah’s arm. “We just wondered. Blanco is such a nice little town that Hannah and I thought how nice it would be to be able to hop a train and get to all this good, green land. You know, a change from the sand and scrub south of here.”

“I wouldn’t be talkin’ trains around this town, mister. Folks like things the way they are.”

“And –

Hannah began only to have Liam interrupt again. “And, they should,” Liam agreed. “Mighty fine area. Well, we have to clean up before we meet the sheriff. Good evening.” He had Hannah out the door before she could say more.

“Liam,” she began to scold as they walked toward Sadie’s place. “His ‘no.’ came too quickly. I think he knows something.”

“So do I.”

She stopped walking. “Then why didn’t you let me question him?”

Liam urged her forward. “I don’t know. I just didn’t feel good about him. I think we should talk to the sheriff first.”

“You’re probably right.”

“Hey.” Liam stopped and pointed to a building next to Sadie’s. “Bath House! That sounds real good.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Her voice was wistful.

“Let’s get some clean duds and do it. Those quick cleanups in the hotel room are all right, but a nice hot bath, well …, ahhhh. Come on.”

“You go.”

Liam leaned forward and touched his nose to Hannah’s brow. “Uh, I hate to tell you this, pretty lady, but I’m not the only one who could use a bath.”

“I know.”

“All right. Then let’s do it.”

“Liam, I need to watch my money. I need to make it last until I find Drake and …”

“Oh, for God’s sake, Hannah. A bath. Probably no more than fifty cents. I’ll treat.”

“You’ve already paid for our room and the livery. I can’t take anymore.”

They’d arrived at the hotel. After a quick hello to Sadie, they made their way to their room. The minute the door closed, Liam dropped his saddlebag and rifle, took Hannah’s and laid them on the bureau.

“Get your clean clothes and let’s go.”

“Liam, I told you …”

He sniffed her hair again, and then moved his nose along the side of her face to her ear and finally her shoulder. “Let me buy you a bath.” He breathed into her dusty shirt material.

The closeness of the room and their bodies convinced her that they owed it to each other. “All right, but I’ll pay you back one day. I’m keeping track.”

“It’s a deal.”

They collected their change of clothes. Before they opened the door, Liam cleared his throat and made her an offer. “Of course, we could bathe together and save you from owing me fifty cents.”

She touched his hand and lowered her eyes. “Yes. We can do that.”

Liam was silent for almost a full minute. “Will you say the two words I need to hear in front of a preacher on our way to the bath?”

“I …, uh …,”

“That’s what I thought.” Liam opened the door and started down the hall. “I’ll put it on your tab.”

*****

The sheriff was already eating when Hannah and Liam entered the dining area.

“Thought you two stood me up.” He mopped some gravy from his mustache and motioned for them to sit down.

“We visited your lovely bath house. The hot water and steam nearly put us both to sleep.” Hannah gushed.

“Yes. It was almost too good to leave,” Liam agreed. “But, we wanted to know if you got hold of the Rangers? And if they’d found out anything.”

“Sent ‘em a wire soon as I got back. Gave ‘em Drake’s name and asked for what they’d turned up. Got word back they appreciated the name. Said they’d make some inquiries and get back to me. Ain’t heard no more.”

“They aren’t sending any Rangers back here?” asked Hannah.

“Doubt it. Rangers usually don’t bother with a single killin’, even it was a whole family. They go after gangs, groups.”

Sadie called across the room. “You two want some stew?”

“Plumb delicious,” the sheriff took another bite.

“Liam?” At his nod, Hannah ordered two helpings.

“So, Sheriff. We’re on our own to track down Drake?” Hannah persisted.

“I reckon.”

“He’s probably miles away. That’s why the Rangers would be such a big help.”

“Well, least they know about him now. Maybe they’ll stumble onto him.”

Their suppers arrived and the rest of the meal was enjoyed over small talk about the area and the folks in and around town. Once the plates were removed and each had devoured a slice of apple pie, Sadie poured coffee and left the three of them alone to talk.

“Sheriff, we made a grisly discovery after you left. I’ll let Liam give you the details.”

Disbelieve, disgust, shock and curiosity played across the sheriff’s face as Liam filled him in.

“Hell! Railroad men you say?” The sheriff hadn’t touched his coffee.

Liam handed over the leather pouch containing the three pieces of paper.

“By damn! They was railroad folks. What in tarnation were they doing around here? Ya think this Drake had anything to do with the killin’?”

“I wouldn’t think so,” said Hannah. “The bodies are too old and don’t show any signs of …, a …,”

“Oh, no eatin’ huh, just killin’?”

Hannah nodded.

“Sheriff, you’ve never seen any railroad men around or heard anything about running tracks thru Blanco?” asked Liam.

“Course not. Them cattle and sheep folks woulda been right mad at losing some of their grazing land.”

“How mad?” asked Hannah.

Through a disapproval scowl, he answered. “Not mad enough to kill nobody. Least not any of the folks I know.”

“How can you be sure?” she pressed.

The sheriff drained his coffee cup. “Can’t be sure. I just know.” His expression shut down any more questions, but he did make a request. “I need to see the bodies. You up to a ride out there tomorrow again?”

“We can be ready as early as you want, Sheriff,” Hannah offered.

Chapter 35

Gone

Hannah curled on her side with her back to Liam. Her legs longed for the release from her heavy denim trousers, but she knew it wouldn’t be fair to Liam for her to sleep unclothed. The heat of his body radiating through his clothes and into her skin brought on the usual magnetic urgings when they were this close. The warmth made her drowsy and lulled her into a hazy half-sleep. As if she’d been physically drawn, her body inched and squirmed back until she made contact with Liam.

“Two words, dearest,” he whispered.

“I’m cold.” She smiled into the darkness.

“Umm, me too.” Liam rolled over, draped his arm across her waist and spooned against her back. “Better?”

Her answer was muffled by the shattering of the windowpane followed by something slamming into her hip. “Ouch!”

Liam was out of bed and at the window in time to see a lone rider disappear from the moonlight into the building shadows as he made his retreat.

Hannah relit the lamp. “Did you see anything?”

“A lone rider.” He continued to scan the area.

“Liam, look.”

He turned to see Hannah opening a piece of paper that had been wrapped around a large rock. Hannah frowned, then began reading the poorly written message out loud. “Train men was here. S’pect somethin’ bad got don to em.” She handed it to Liam. “Who do you think wrote this? How did they know about the bodies? Why wouldn’t they come to see us? Do you think whoever sent this is in some kind of danger? I wonder –

“Hannah, please. Slow down. I can’t imagine who wrote this or why.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “The only people we talked to were the sheriff and that livery man. Oh, and Sadie did drift back and forth from the kitchen.”

“Liam. The livery boy. I’ll bet he heard me ask.”

“You may be right. I wonder how much he knows.”

Hannah got out of bed and reached for her boots.

Liam grabbed her hand. “Wait. We can’t go talk to that kid. First, we don’t know for sure if it was him and second, if he told us with a rock through the window, he’s scared.”

“You’re right.” She sat next to Liam. “I guess there’s no hurry. We can show this to the sheriff in the morning.”

Liam shivered. “Damn, with that window broken it’s really getting cold in here. Come on.” He lifted the blankets and motioned for her to climb into bed. Once she was settled, he doused the lamp and snuggled up to her back.

Hannah felt his hand gently move her hair aside and then relaxed into the warmth of his kiss to the nape of her neck.

“Good night,” he whispered.

Her answer was a sigh as she burrowed closer to him.

*****

The sheriff was drinking coffee when Hannah and Liam wandered in for breakfast just a little after dawn. “’Mornin’ sleepy heads.” He raised his voice. “Sadie, more coffee.”

They settled across the table as Sadie poured coffee. “You sleep all right?” he asked Hannah.

“Fine. Thank you. But just before we went to sleep a rock came through our window. We swept it up as best we could, but we need a new pane put in.”

“A rock? Who the hell would do that to my place? Cal, you find the damn rascal that did it. I’ll make him pay.”

“Calm down, Sadie. I’ll see to it. Sit and have some coffee.”

“I’m too upset. Gotta go check on that window.” As she stormed out of the room, they heard, “Damn rascals!”

The sheriff chuckled. “Poor devil. I better catch whoever did it before she does.”

“I hope you do,” said Hannah, “because it wasn’t just the rock.” She handed the note to the sheriff.

After reading the message, the sheriff folded it up and put it in his shirt pocket. “Gonna keep this if it’s all right with you.”

“Of course,” said Liam, “but now that you’ve seen it, got any thoughts about who would have sent it to us?”

“Hell, no. Yesterday was the first time I heard of the railroad snooping about these parts. After I left you two last night, I went over to Abner’s place and drug him over to the post office. Had him send a wire to the Ranger office asking if they’d heard about three missing railroad men. Made him wait until I got an answer.”

“Did they know about the killings?” asked Hannah.

“Yep, said they found three scalped and skinned bodies up round San Angela around the time the railroad men went missing. Band of renege Kickapoo Indians had been marauding that area. Rangers figured it was the railroad men. Reported back to the railroad and closed the case.

“But, Sheriff, I think those papers we found prove the railroad men were in this area,” said Liam. “And now this rock in our window. Something’s going on around here.”

The sheriff stood up. “That’s the way I see it. You two have some vittles, and then meet me at the livery. Give me half hour or so. I got some questions for the boy over there.” He covered his unruly gray hair with his Stetson and left.

As if on cue, Sadie’s cook placed two plates of biscuits and gravy on the table. Hannah and Liam had no choice; the aroma brought pangs from their stomach that demanded satisfaction.

*****

“Damn it! There were three bodies here yesterday.” Liam jumped from his horse and strode through the grasses. “Where the hell are they?”

Hannah thrashed through the tall reedy grass. “I tell you, sheriff. They were right here.”

The sheriff remained in his saddle and surveyed the area.

“What the hell is going on around here?” Liam shook his head.

“Oh, Liam, I knew we shouldn’t have left them.”

“Hannah, they’d been here for some time. The only reason they’re gone is because someone saw us here. Someone is worried.”

“You’re right. We really need to find them. Find out what’s going on.” She looked up at the sheriff. “They were here. I swear.”

“I believe you. Look.” He pointed to the ground right below him. “A lot of horseshoe tracks, but see here where the mud is smooth. Something was drug across it.” He dismounted and began to examine the shoe prints.

Hannah joined in his scrutiny. “Anything particular we should be looking for?”

“Yeah and I just found it. See that double ‘cc’?”

“Yes.” She looked closer.

“It’s Cleve Condon’s brand.”

Liam joined them. “Cattle or sheep ranch?”

“Cattle.”

“Cassie. Her father is a cattleman.”

“That’s right, ma’am.” The sheriff shook his head. “But, I can’t believe Jeb Cooper could be involved in anything like this.”

“Is he friends with this Condon fellow?” asked Liam.

“Condon’s the self-appointed leader of the cattle folks. His family has been here since…, well they were one of the first to settle in the area.”