Blue (Ben Blue Book 2) Page 4

  “Oh, I understand that, and I’d hate if it happened, but what’s to become of my ranch, and my happiness?” When I heard those words coming out of my mouth, I knew how cheap they were, and I knew I was destined to pin on that badge again… or at least carry it in my pocket.

  “Okay,” I said, “What’s my plan? You got that worked out for me?”

  “I delivered the message. There’s some things you got to do for yourself. I can’t be doing your job for you… you know?”

  “Great!” I said. “Oh, before I forget it. While I was up wild horse huntin with Pablo from Domingo’s spread, we ran across four men sneaking off with about a hundred head of J over’s cows.”

  “Did ya see which way they went?” He asked.

  “Yeah, one of them went to hell under the herd, one went west, and two of ‘em went where ever they could to stay ahead of those cows… we got the cattle rounded up and pointed toward Johnston’s and didn’t try to look for the others.”

  “Come on,” he said, “I’ll buy you some dinner. I figure that’s the least I can do for a feller who’s givin up his chances of leadin a normal life for the county. Anyway, I just may have a thought of a plan, but you’ll have to polish her up.”

  Over a midday meal, Nelson laid out his plan. It wasn’t much of a plan, but it had a possibility of working. I was to ride over to Tierra Amirilla the county seat and major town in Rio Arriba County. I was to let on that I was in the market for cattle. I wouldn’t be too critical of how good the brand looked as long as they were readable. Next we would just wait to see how things progressed.

  “Ben, when or if you go in there, you need to go in tough, but not on the prod. Don’t go in throwin your weight or your money around. Make a few queries, and let ‘em come to you. Don’t deal with an underling… you want to talk to someone who can make the right deal… If you decide to go with this plan, that’s the best advice I can give you.”

  “I was always the planer when Andy and I were ridin together; it’s kinda nice to let someone else do the thinkin for a change. That plan sounds good to me… I’d say the fewer who know about this the better. In fact it would be a good idea for me to only meet with you on the quiet.”

  He leaned across the table and said, “Ben Blue, you’re a rare breed.”

  Going our separate ways, him to the office and the business of the law, and I went to the ranch, and the business of being somebody I wasn’t. All the way back to the MB I kept wondering if I was a good enough actor to pull off this little masquerade. Well, I’d soon find out.

  The first thing I did when I reached the ranch was to bring the Jake horse up to the corral. He needed work and he was a good riding horse. Then I went out to find Rafe. He told me that he would be cleaning out the water hole at Lonesome Bluff. None of this valley had been named because not many had cared to live here before me, so Rafe and I sort of made up our own names for landmarks.

  Lonesome bluff was about five miles and a little north across the valley. And it really was a lonesome place.

  I found Rafe covered with mud and pretty pleased with himself. He’d done a fine job. I said, “Need some help there, cowboy?”

  “Now, you show up. Wantin to hog all the glory when the job’s all done.”

  “Well, you sure did a great job. Makes me feel like gettin’ down and takin’ a drink. What say you call it a day and we’ll go get an early supper? You’ve earned a break.” He thought that was a downright good idea.

  While Rafe stopped at his cabin to get cleaned up, I rode on up to the house to get things started. By the time he got there, I had a pot of beans that had been soaking for a couple of days warming over the fire and a couple of smoked elk steaks sizzling on the spit. The coffee was boilin and the bread was rising.

  “Whoeee!” He said. “If you was a purty waitress, I’d swear I was in Delmonico’s or someplace like that… What’s the occasion, boss? That little gal say yes?”

  “Hardly.” I growled. “She said she weren’t about to move into this valley as long as that knuckle headed Rafe Baker was in it… Seriously, I’m goin to have to leave you for maybe a couple of weeks, and I thought you deserved a good meal that you didn’t have to cook for yourself.”

  “You goin back up after them wild horses, or does this have something to do with that note from the sheriff?”

  I didn’t answer for a long half minute and finally said, “Rafe, I gonna have to trust you on this.” I walked into the other room and came out carrying the Special Deputy US Marshal’s badge and set it on the table. “I’ve been called to duty.”

  “This rustling is getting way out of hand. At first it was twenty or thirty, then fifty, then seventy five, and now they’re taking hundreds and even a thousand at a time. Some mighty fine ranches can be mighty hard hit if this keeps up. I’ll not tell you where I’m going, so you won’t have to tell any lies. You can say that I saw a likely looking place when I was up in the San Juan’s and went prospectin. That’ll send some of them off a runnin.”

  “I’ll be leaving in a couple of days, and there’ll be a few things that you’ll need to take care of for me. I’ll lay them all out tomorrow.”

  The next two days were spent doing the things that needed doing when you’re going to be gone for a while. There were things like making sure all your leather is in good shape, weapons are cleaned oiled and loaded, and of course getting enough food stashed in as little space as possible, since I didn’t plan to take a pack animal. I gave Rafe his wages because I wouldn’t be back by payday. I asked him to take five hams and twenty pounds of bacon into the Mercantile come Saturday, and to add that to my account. “Rafe”, I said, “whatever story you tell folks, make sure it’s the same story to all of them.”

  I rode into town on the evening before I was to leave to have one last confab with Nelson. I told him that I would be registered at the hotel, but would most likely spend my nights in a camp. It never hurt to keep folks off balance with a little misdirection.

  “Now that’s a plum good idea.” He said. “I’d a never thought of that. Kinda keeps ‘em wonderin.”

  “If I can get a deal worked out, I’ll come back to get my drovers. Can you get a posse together on short notice?” He said that he could, and we parted ways.

  Two days later I was standing at the bar in the Noah Count Saloon in downtown Tierra Amirrila. For a town with that much name, it sure didn’t stack up to be much. It had all of one street running north and south with four false fronted buildings and three blocks of adobes and jacals. There was a scattering of huts and shacks scattered around all higgledy piggledy.

  Standing there in the half empty saloon, with my back to the wall at the end of the bar, I was nursing a flat beer. The rest of the patrons were giving me customary attention, which is common in towns where there aren’t many outsiders passing through. I came in tough per Nelson’s suggestion. I had my twelve inch double barreled ten gauge holstered on my left rigged for cross draw, and my Colt on my right. I didn’t often reach for either one, but when I did I wanted the one that was going make the biggest noise close at hand. In a room this size, that express gun could take out the whole place with both barrels.

  There weren’t more than three others standing at the bar, and they were all stealing glances at me. A card game was going on at one of the tables and three other tables were occupied by two and three drinkers at each. A gent came through the swinging doors and took a few seconds to let his eyes adjust to the dim light, then he moved on to one of the tables. After about two minutes of conversation with the boys at the table he got up and jingled his spurs to the bar next to me.

  “Howdy.” He said. “Buy you a drink?”

  “Got one, but I’ll buy you one.” And I put a two bit piece on the bar.

  “That won’t cover it.” He said. “I only drink Noah’s private stock. Ain’t that right Noah.” The bartender acknowledged it was a fact.

  I’d seen this kind of set up play out before. No matter what I said, it w
ould be wrong and he would be insulted. So with my beer mug in my left hand I picked up the coin with my right hand. “Okay, the offer’s been withdrawn.”

  Just as I thought, he went for his gun. I swung that heavy bottomed beer mug with my left hand so that it hit him right where the eyebrow and cheekbone meet. Blood beer showered the bar and the fella on his left. Before he hit the floor, I had the express gun out and aimed at his middle with one hammer back. He didn’t know anything about it. He was out like a pole axed steer.

  I eared back the other hammer and pointed both barrels at the table where he’d been sitting. “You three… yeah you. Get over here, and pick up this pile of prairie dog dung. He wasn’t even enough to make a half decent cow plop. Drag him outa here; he makes me sick just lookin at him.”

  “You think you’re pretty salty with that thing. Don’t you?”

  “Salty enough to stretch his hide, and I figure he was the best at the table, at least he had the nerve to try me… Now get him out of here!” They didn’t like me, but they didn’t have to because I didn’t want them to.

  When the blood was wiped off the bar and fresh sawdust was spread on the floor. I told Noah, the bartender, to get me another beer.

  “Thanks mister.” He said. “He’s been needing that for some time now. He’s kinda a local bad man… On the house.”

  I thanked him and accepted the beer. One of the card players cashed himself in and came to the bar next to me. “I’d offer to buy you a beer, but you might get me confused with that other hombre and crack my skull with a beer mug.” He laughed.

  I smiled and told him, “Thanks anyway, but I’ve about had my limit… That fella pull that stunt often?”

  “Only with strangers, the locals give him a wide berth. I’m Burt Samuels, and if you’re lookin for work, I’ve got a place south of here that could use an extra hand.”

  “Pleasure, Burt Samuels, I’m Ben Blue form over near Taos, and I’m in the cow market, if you know of anybody sellin.”

  “Well,” he said rubbing his stubbled chin, “most everybody’s done shipped all they’re willing to let go of… Too bad you had a run in with the Williamses, They run a little rawhide outfit a bit north a here. They always seem to have an expandin herd. But you didn’t hear that from me.”

  “I never heard a thing, and I’ve already forgot your name was Bob Smith.”

  He laughed and said, “You’ll do, Red.” He left and I went back to making circles on the bar with my beer mug.

  After a bit, the batwings swung open and a figure came through. With the sunlight behind him, all I could see was he was big. Maybe as tall as me, but a durn sight broader. He surveyed the bar and walked directly to where Burt Samuels had been standing. “You passin through, stranger.”

  I noted the star on his shirt pocket and said, “Nope.”

  “That wasn’t a question, stranger.”

  “That wasn’t an answer, Sheriff. It was a statement… I’m here on legitimate business. I’m lookin to buy cattle.”

  “You sure picked a hell of a way to introduce yourself by pickin’ a fight with Rank Williams.”

  “Sheriff, there weren’t no fight, he just got stupid and is damned lucky to be still breathin. When he went for that gun, I could have just as easy blown him in two.”

  “How ‘bout I just keep that thing while you’re in town?”

  “How ‘bout we just leave it where it is, I feel a little naked without it and I’m a very modest sort of fella.”

  He laughed and said, “Alright, young fella, you hang on to it, but be real careful with it… Whatta they call you, boy?”

  “Some folks call me Red, some call me Blue, you can call me any color you want as long as it isn’t yellow. Most folks just call me Ben… Ben Blue’s the name, from over near Taos. I got me a big chunk of graze and need cattle to eat all that extra grass.”

  “Ben Blue… Ben Bl… You’re some kind of bounty hunter, ain’t you?”

  “I’ve collected a few bounties along the way, but I never done it a purpose. It was just fringe benefits I reckon… I’m a rancher needin cattle… that’s all.”

  “Well, Ben Blue, I’m sorry to tell you, but you just made a enemy of the people that could of helped you… The Williams boys have cattle, and they’re willin to dicker, but their pretty hot under the collar right now.”

  “Ahh, is that all? You tell ‘em I’ll be around town for a spell, and I’ll apologize for talkin rough to em and hurtin Rank. I’ll even kiss it and make it better, if that’ll get me some cattle.”

  He laughed again and said, “Dammit, Blue, I ought to lock you up so to have you around just to make me laugh.”

  “I don’t know if the county could afford my feed bill, Sherriff.” He walked off laughing. It’s so good to see a man enjoying his job.

  I left shortly after that to get checked into the hotel and stable that Jake horse. I paid for five days, and told the man behind the counter that I’d be in and out and may not even use the room, but I wanted a place where messages could be left for me. He understood, but still charged me the full amount. So I went on up and stretched out on the bed for a little siesta before going to supper.

  I took off my boots and stretched out on that cot intendin’ to catch a little shut eye or at least rest a bit. Of course that didn’t seem to work out because I hadn’t been there a full minute when someone started pecking on the door. “Open the door nice and slow, and then show yourself. If there’s more than one out there only one comes in.” I pulled back the hammers on my sawed off.

  The knob turned and the door eased open. The crack was soon filled with homeliness, as one of the Williams’ boys poked his head around the door. He smiled a big gap toothed smile and said, “Howdy… We didn’t get a chanct to get introduced back there at the No Account Saloon, but I’m Tom Williamses.”

  “Well, come on in, Tom Williamses.” I told him as I swung my feet to the floor. “What can I do for you Tom?”

  “We been told that you’re lookin to buy cattle, and we go a bunch of em. Thought you might wanna look em over.”

  “What about the fella that wanted to shoot me? He still want to shoot me?”

  “Rankin? Oh hell no… He did, but Milo said to just shut up and tend to business. Rank gits a little proddy some times with strangers… He don’t mean nuthin by it; he almost never really shoots nobody. He just likes to push.”

  “Who’s Milo?”

  “That’d be Milo Rafferty, the sheriff. He’s kin to us and kinda gives us advice on stuff.”

  “All right, Tom. Tell me how to get to your place and I’ll ride out and see what we can do.”

  He gave me directions to W-V, which wasn’t but about five miles out of town. I told him I’d be there about ten thirty the next morning.

  I lay there on that cot for about a half hour, but napping wasn’t on my mind. I didn’t know those William’s boys very well;… maybe I knew them about as much as I wanted to. Would they be the type to set up an ambush, and dry gulch someone who had just got the better of them? Of course they would. So I got myself up and went out to the front of the hotel and sat in one of the three chairs provided for that purpose.

  I hadn’t been sitting very long when Sheriff Milo Rafferty strolled up and took one of the empty chairs.

  “Blue,” was how he opened the conversation, “I been diggin a little deeper in my rememberings, and it seems to me that you used to run with Hickory Jack Moore… Some kind of kin, I b’lieve.”

  “You’ve got a good memory, Sheriff.”

  “Is Hickory Jack here with you?”

  “Nope.” Was all I said. I wasn’t going to make this conversation easy for him.

  “Is he meetin’ you here?”

  “Nope.” Again. I could answer those kinda questions all day without too much exertion.

  “Well, where is he then?”

  “He’s dead, Sheriff. Shot in the back of the head by a pair of low life bastards.”

  “You here lookin
for them that done him?”

  I was getting tired of this conversation so I told him, “No again, Sheriff, I already done them that done him… Like I told you before, I’m here to buy cattle.”

  “Uh…Huh.” Was all he said and got up and left.

  After a nice supper at one of the cantinas, I collected the Jake horse, saddled him and rode out of town. I skirted the route Tom Williams had given me and saw where I could come in from another direction and have a good look at the layout without being seen. I wanted to just show up without being exposed on the main trail. The less they knew or could figure out about me the better I liked it.

  Making a wide semicircle around the town, I made camp about two miles south on a low ridge. I found a hidden spot where I could build a fire without attracting attention so I could at least have my coffee and maybe read a bit.

  I was in the only eating place that served American food just after sunup the next morning, taking care of steak and eggs with some fresh baked bread and butter and plenty of strong black coffee. The hotel man came in and sat down near me. He said, “Good morning, Mr. Blue, I hope you found your room comfortable.”

  I told him, “I wouldn’t know about that, I found different accommodations last night. But I’m sure the room was just fine.”

  After I’d eaten I went up to my room to see if anyone had been snooping. Someone had been in the room, and had gone through a stack of worthless papers that I’d left on the washstand. They were a lot of nonsense doodling with notations that meant nothing. Furthermore, my rifle was gone… now that was not worthless, and it meant something.

  I reported the theft to the fella at the desk. He apologized but said there wasn’t anything he could do about it since they weren’t responsible for lost or stolen property. But he’d make a report to the sheriff. I was madder than a stepped on rattler when I left town for my ten thirty visit to the Williamses ranch.