Slocum and the Long Ride (13 page)

“Is there a church there?” he asked.

“Oh,
sí
, Saint Joseph.”

“Good. I may need to pray there.”

The big man crossed himself, Slocum guessed from just thinking about it. “He has no army. He was jumpy when he came here. Does he know you are after him?”

“I think so. Here take this money, you need it.”

“I feel like Judas telling you this for money.”

“Gomez is not the Christ that Judas exposed.”

“Oh, I know that. When he had his army, he would come here and demand to be waited on and rape men's wives in the village.”

“What did he do yesterday?”

“Drank beer and looked glum. He never used a
puta
, nor was he interested in one. I think he was sick.”

“Who rides with him?”

“A mean son of a bitch they call Goat. They say when he was a young he screwed them, because his cock was too big for the girls to let him use theirs.”

“Is he dangerous?”

“Oh,
sí
. He did all the killing and bad things for Gomez.”

“We will find him.”

“Many people in the Madres will thank you. What happened to his army?”

“They all died in their sleep.”

“Good place for them. I am glad to meet you, señor.”

“The pleasure is mine.” Then they shook hands.

•   •   •

The girl came back and slid into the booth beside the Kid. “He's gone to Loma Linda.”

Slocum paid her a five-dollar gold piece. She beamed like he had paid her a fortune. They finished their beer and went back to camp loaded with the food supplies that Silva had asked for, including a slab of fresh-cut beef, sweet peppers, and onions. Slocum knew what she'd cook to please them.

She stood on her toes and kissed him for what he brought back.

“Tell me about the man they call Goat who rides with him,” Slocum said.

“I was lucky I never felt his meanness. But he ripped women apart and strangled men who disobeyed him. They were making many raids then, and so he was off taking care of the army most of the time. I feared him more than any man who worked for Gomez, and there were more sons of bitches in that gang. I am glad they were blown up.”

“The man at the Cantina told us that Gomez had done lots of bad things when he had his army in that village, but now he's acting defeated.”

“Well he does not have all those men to do his bidding anymore. He knows you are coming. I told you that you would get him in the end.”

He hugged her shoulder. “You are a wonderful woman. I am glad I borrowed you.”

“So am I.”

Charlie returned and told them that Gomez had taken the right fork in the road. Slocum thanked him for all his scouting and then told them what they had learned.

“People up here really hate him. He did some bad things in these places when he had his army.”

“What is at Loma Linda?”

Slocum shook his head. “Some think his brother lives there.”

“I have never been there.”

With a nod, Slocum said, “Nor have we, but it is two days away on a burro.”

They all laughed and fell into eating Silva's food.

Her presence had really helped Slocum with his men, and her food was the greatest thing. These men had been on lots of manhunts, but they had never eaten any better under such primitive conditions. They'd have done anything for her too. She was helped at every turn because of the effort she made for them.

Never in camp did she need anything—wood was there, water when she needed some; they even washed the dishes and helped her pack up to move. They knew about her hatred for what Gomez had done to her. She didn't complain or retell her past experience, but instead kept spirits up, including Slocum's. He felt she was an angel, and he admired her.

They loaded up for Loma Linda. The packhorses were ready. Silva stepped onto her horse, and, settled in the saddle, she thanked them for their help. Slocum sent Charlie ahead. They rode out and left the campsite behind. The morning air was still cool in the high mountains, a big change from the desert behind them. Silva wore a shawl over her shoulders and moved in close to Slocum.

“We could be on the last days of this business.”

“You are an optimist,” Slocum said and about laughed.

“A what?”

“Oh, someone who's convinced that they will win.”

“Win, no—I will lose when you win. I can go back home to my children, my husband, my sister, and wash clothes at the village well. I don't mind that, but I know I won't win and be what you call it.”

“Optimistic means you think well of life.”

She nodded, but he knew he had not won her over.

•   •   •

The Sierra Madres were such a vast range of mountains. Slocum respected them. He and his group descended in a great valley and then climbed another range over twisty roads, until the fresh air swept their faces on the peak pass. The drudgery of the long journey showed on their faces, but Slocum also knew they were a united and tough small army.

Midday they had some tortilla-wrapped food Silva had packed for them, and they washed it down with tinny-tasting canteen water. The Kid stopped Silva. “If you did not have a family and husband, I would ask you to marry me.”

She looked up at him. “And I would say yes 'cause you are a real man. You will find a woman you deserve. I have been flattered you asked me. I don't feel I ride for revenge, but I do. But being with all of you has been the finest adventure I ever have had, and I will never forget every moment. Thank you.”

They mounted up again, then rode on across another mountain range and dropped into the next valley as the sun slipped down behind them. They made camp, and before the daylight was gone they hurried about to get her cook fire built and the horses unloaded.

The race, Slocum considered, ended as a tie. The sun went down and her fire lit the camp. She hurried about like usual, preparing food. Charlie and Gordon slipped out to learn what they could about Gomez's whereabouts and if they were close to him.

With fewer items to feed them, Silva apologized, but they told her not to worry, they knew how hard she had tried. Things were quiet under the million stars for a ceiling. A few red wolves howled, but they were distant. Charlie and Gordon returned and had word that Gomez was around, but his location was not clear. Both men ate late but thanked Silva. The fire's reflection gave off radiant heat as they all huddled under blankets for warmth.

“Summing up what we learned, we don't know much,” Charlie said. “If he's here, he is hiding like a rat gone in a hole. I doubt he can raise an army here. My hunch is he has no money, and that was his strength before all this happened. It is the longest campaign I ever have had to resolve such a situation. I think we will find him. If not tomorrow, soon.”

Slocum and Silva went to bed shortly after that. A guard shift had been set up. They were too close to Gomez not to have one. Under Slocum in the bedroll, she stretched out and sighed.

“Will you find him tomorrow?”

“I don't know.”

“Then we can make love and forget him.”

He kissed her and forgot him.

•   •   •

After breakfast they rode into the village. Ken and Silva stayed in camp to watch things. Slocum took on the large cantina. There were some gamblers playing cards. There were a few locals at the bar. This was a land of little money and few ways to make it.

The bartender brought him a bottle of mescal and a glass.

He spoke in Spanish. “You wish some mescal, señor?”

“I want far worse—an outlaw hiding here. A man who raped and robbed your neighbors. A worthless scoundrel hiding under someone's skirt in your village. He has killed innocent brave men without reason. I want this man. I will pay for finding him or I will pay for his head on a pike.”

“Who is this hombre?”

“Raul Gomez. Does that make you uncomfortable that he is here?”

Some who had gathered to hear him nodded.

“Tell me where he is or bring his head on that pike.”

“What about our families and homes?” one man asked.

“He will be dead. Ghosts won't hurt you.”

They laughed.

One cardplayer tossed in his hand. “I am going home to be sure he is not there.”

“May God go with you, sir.”

No one else moved.

“His brother lives here. If he is part of his gang, I want him too.”

No one spoke.

“Is there no one needs a hundred pesos?”

No reply.

“Oh, you are all rich and don't need any money?” He poured some liquor into his glass and shook his head. “My camp is west of this village. My money will spend.”

He downed the contents. “When he rapes your daughter or wife, I won't cry for you, I will cry for them because you are such cowards.”

The glass set back on the bar, his money for it beside the bottle, he still had no answer. He nodded to the bartender. “I thought real men lived in the Madres. I guess I was wrong.”

At the door, a man shouted, “Let's help him find that
bastardo
. Manuel, you swore you'd kill him for what his men did to your daughter? Stand up.”

The man did.

Slocum stopped inside the batwing doors. Another man stood up. “I will get my brothers. They will help. We will go with you and find him.”

“He can't be far. Let us get him.”

“Yes, we will help.”

In the street Slocum sent the growing number of men in four directions. Gordon came up frowning and dismounted. “What the hell is going on?”

“These men are going looking for Gomez.”

The big man frowned. “How the hell did you do that?”

“I challenged them in the cantina to find him for me. Many of their families have been hurt by him and his army in the past. I simply roused their anger.”

“Sounds good. Do we wait?”

“We have to. If he is around here, they can find him.”

Gordon hitched his horse. “I am willing to wait.”

“Where are Charlie and the Kid?” Slocum asked him.

“I've not seen them since we got here.”

“We better go look for them.”

“Fine. Where?”

Slocum shook his head. “I have no idea. But we better be sure they are all right.”

“I'll go west and you go east. This place isn't that big,” Gordon said.

Slocum agreed and set out. He stopped two ladies. “I am looking for an Indian and a white boy. Have you seen them?”

“No, señor, but everyone is looking for that
bastardo
Gomez.”

“I know. I sent them to find him.”

The older woman, with her eyes set hard, said, “Let me have him when you catch him.”

“Why?”

“I want to bash his balls one at a time with a mallet. He ruined my sister's life.”

Slocum nodded. “We will find him.”

“May God help you find him.”

“Thanks.”

He stopped an old man walking with a cane and asked him.

“No, everyone is looking for Gomez.”

Where in the hell had they gone? He was becoming concerned, when a woman told him, “I saw them ride east an hour ago.”

“Gracias.”
They must have a lead. Charlie was tough enough for the two of them, though the Kid had grown up a hell of a lot since they left Dan's place. Slocum still recalled his serious proposal to Silva. She was an impressive person, and he could see how the Kid had grown to admire her. This trip would have been a lot tougher without her and her food.

He started back to the cantina porch.

“Gomez must have fled,” a man said. “We have looked everywhere.”

“Well we tried,” Slocum told the man. “Thanks.” He hated to give up and let Gomez slip away again.

A group of men approached with a prisoner. They were hauling the haggard-looking man up the street. “This is his brother, Guermo. He did not know where his brother went, but he finally remembered.”

“Where?”

“To Blanco Springs last night.”

“How did you learn that?”

“We stuck a needle into his
huevos
. It helped his memory.”

Slocum about shuddered over the notion of a needle in the balls. “Does Gomez have a horse?”

“
Sí
, he stole one. The horse he rode in on is near death.”

“I appreciate all your help. I will set up a two-drink deal for everyone in the cantina. You are brave men.” He went inside, and the bartender agreed for thirty dollars to give everyone two drinks. Slocum had no time to argue. He simply paid the bill and went out to get his horse.

Gordon arrived and reined in his horse. “They say he went to Blanco Springs,” he said.

“I just learned that. They tortured his brother into telling them. I bought them all two drinks.”

“Yeah, I spoke to the woman who loaned them the steel needle.”

Slocum shook his head. “One way to get answers. I think Charlie and the Kid are on his tracks.”

They galloped their horses and by midday overtook the two.

“You have his tracks?” Slocum asked Charlie.

“Sorry, we learned from some woman who hated him that he had stolen from her, and we hoped to have caught him by now.”

Slocum nodded. “Lots of women hated him back there. I don't know why he even went there. Maybe his brother gave him some money. I think he was broke.”

“Unless he was hiding it,” the Kid said. “There were no signs of wealth at his last jacal. We found it, and his kids were in rags.”

Charlie agreed. “He didn't even have a horse. He stole the one he rides.”

“Maybe today we will catch him.”

“The horse he stole has no shoes and its hooves are cracked. I told the Kid we'd have him in a few hours at the most.”

“Good. We'll capture him.”

Beside the road ahead sat a vaquero and a crippled horse. His head hung low, the animal looked to be in pain.