“Look, son—”
“I ain’t your son,” Minnesota said. “Go on, old man. Go back to work. I don’t need you.”
“You’ll run out of targets—”
“I’m just about done,” Minnesota said.
Dillon shrugged and left him at the range alone.
Minnesota turned to the target, drew quickly, and fired six shots. He walked to the target to check the results. Five killing shots, two bull’s-eyes, the sixth shot a hit.
Damn it!
He reloaded, considered putting up more targets, then decided against it.
THIRTY-NINE
Frank looked up when the batwings opened. Dudley, Clell, and Hap came walking in.
“Where is he?”
“He’s comin’,” Dudley said. “He’ll be here.”
Frank shook his head. If he was going to have one brother back his play in a fight, it would be Del, but once the fight was over, all he thought about was women, and gambling, and drinking. Del was the middle brother, after Dudley and Frank, older than Clell and Hap.
“All right,” Frank said. “Let’s eat. Go in the back and tell Diego to bring out some food.”
“Okay, Frank,” Dudley said. He turned and jerked his head at his brother Hap.
Clell Graves went around behind the bar and drew five beers.
By the time Del Graves showed up, the table was filled with food. He walked in, sat down, and started eating without a word.
“That’s it?” Frank said.
“What?” Del asked.
“You’re just gonna sit there and eat without sayin’ nothin’?”
Del looked at his brother, grinned, and said, “Hi, Frank.”
Del looked like a cross between his brothers Dudley and Frank. Not as big as Dudley, built along the lines of Frank, but taller.
“Where’ve you been all this time?”
“You know,” Del said, “poker, girls, more of the same. Don’t worry, I’m ready.”
“Did the boys fill you in?”
“Yeah, on everythin’,” Del said. “Gonna rob the bank, burn the town, kill the lawmen. I got it. You know, if you’d taken me along the first time, none of this would be necessary.”
“So I’ve been told already,” Frank said. “Look, the five of us lead this thing. We make all the decisions.”
“I thought you made all the decisions, Frank?” Dudley asked.
“For the family,” Frank said.
“And the cousins aren’t family?” Clell asked.
“They are, sort of,” Frank said. “They’re cousins, not brothers, like us.”
“And the rest?” Hap asked.
“They’re just hired hands,” Frank said.
“You think they know that?” Dudley asked. “I mean, you think the cousins and the hired hands know their places?”
“They better,” Frank said.
“Look,” Dudley asked, “once we get this done, this Guardian thing, what’s next?”
“I don’t know,” Frank said. “I ain’t looked past Guardian yet.”
The other four brothers stopped eating and looked at each other.
“That’s not like you, Frank,” Clell said.
“Yeah, you usually plan way ahead,” Hap said.
“What’s goin’ on?” Del asked.
“This is all I been thinkin’ about,” Frank said. “Ever since I got shot. Just gettin’ even with that town. Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of jobs after this one.”
“Well,” Dudley said, “let’s just get it done, then. You sure you’re ready to ride, Frank?”
“I’m ready,” Frank said. “Don’t you worry. I’m ready for this.”
FORTY
“You want us to do what?” James Prescott asked.
“Camp out,” Clint said, “you and Harley.”
“Where?”
“North and south of town.”
“For what?” Harley asked.
“To keep watch,” Clint said.
“What if they come from the east or the west?” Buck asked.
“I don’t think they will,” Clint said. “I don’t think they’re going to sneak up on us. The only roads are north and south, and I think they’re going to want the town to see them coming.”
“So then why do we need to camp out?” James said. “We’ll see them from the rooftops.”
“I want to see them earlier,” Clint said. “I want to know which direction they’re coming from so we can get set.”
“Set?” Buck asked.
“I’ve got an idea,” Clint said. “Commons has found a store of explosives he can use. We’re going to set up some surprises for the Graves gang, but we need to know what direction they’re coming from. We need maybe half an hour to get ready.”
“So one of us sees them,” Harley said, “rides back, and tells you?”
“Right.”
“You think we’ll see them that soon?” James asked.
“Twelve to twenty men? Riding together? They should scare up quite a dust storm. You’ll see them.”
“Okay,” Harley said, “suppose I camp north and James camps south. And they come from the north. I ride in. How does James know what to do?”
“We’ll set up a signal.”
“A shot?” Minnesota asked.
“No, the gang might hear a shot,” Clint said. “Something else.”
“A smoke signal?” Wilkes asked.
They all looked at Wilkes. Everyone had all accepted the fact that he never came up with any ideas.
Until now.
“That’s good,” Clint said. “They might not see a smoke signal from the other direction.”
“So when do we start?” James Prescott asked.
“Today,” Clint said. “Saddle up, boys. Take some water and beef jerky, because you’ll be making cold camps.”
“No coffee?” Harley asked.
“Make a small fire at night if you have to, make some coffee. But during the day the smoke from the fire will be seen.”
“Okay,” James said.
The Prescotts left the office.
“Won’t the smell of coffee be a telltale at night?” Commons asked.
“I think the gang will ride during the day, camp at night,” Clint said. “The smell of their own camp will keep them from smelling someone else’s. Besides, I don’t think is going to take much longer.”
“You think they’re comin’ soon?” Wilkes asked.
“Real soon,” Clint said.
“Why?” Commons asked.
“Because this is when I’d do it,” Clint said, “as soon as the leg wound heals. You boys just need to stick to your schedules, and split the time the Prescotts would have been on watch.”
“And when are we supposed to sleep?” Minnesota asked.
“I told you,” Clint said. “This is going to happen soon. Sleep’s the least of our worries.”
“Then how about you splittin’ the watch time with us?” Commons asked.
“Fine,” Clint said. “I’ll take some of the Prescotts’ hours.”
“I’m gonna go do some shootin’ at the range,” Minnesota said.
“Don’t forget to relieve me!” Wilkes said.
“I’ll be there,” Minnesota promised.
The men cleared out of the office, leaving Clint alone. He’d gotten a telegram from Doc Foster earlier in the day. Harper was getting some movement and feeling back in his legs, but he was a long way from being recovered. Clint figured to have all of this cleared up well before Harper got back.
If he was right, the Graves gang was on their way and would get there in a day or two. By the time they arrived, he hoped to have a hot reception set up for them, with the help of Commons.
He and his men had noticed the way the townspeople were avoiding them. When they saw them coming, they stepped aside, not out of fear of them, but out of fear that they might be too close when the shooting started. The others were starting to be bothered by this, especially the Prescotts. They were from the town, and didn’t like the way their neighbors and friends were treating them. Maybe Dillon was feeling the same way. He wondered if they’d even stay in Guardian when this was all over.
If there was any town left.
FORTY-ONE
The Graves gang made camp halfway to Guardian.
“Set up a watch,” Frank said to Dudley.
“What for? Nobody’s after us. It’s us who are the ones after—”
“Just do it, Dudley,” Frank said. “We don’t want any surprises.”
“Okay.”
“Use the men, not the cousins.”
“Okay.”
Frank walked to the fire, where Del was drinking coffee. Away from a town, on the trail, Del was a different man. Quiet, moody, but effective.
Frank poured himself some coffee.
“Be there tomorrow,” he said.
“Good,” Del said. “I want to get this over with and move on.”
“You got plans?” Frank asked.
“Shit no,” Del said. “You make the plans, Frank. We all know that. I just want you to have a clear mind so you can make us some new ones. We need to make some money, you know.”
“I know that, Del.”
“This thing in Guardian, this is for your pride. You’re mad because they ruined your bank robbery and shot you in the leg. Well, you shot the lawman, didn’t you? But you can’t let it go.”
“Now’s not the time for this argument, Del,” Frank said. “If you had somethin’ to say, you shoulda said it sooner, but you weren’t around, were you?”
Del was eating his beans with a spoon, and now he pointed the utensil at his brother.
“I’m backin’ your play, Frank,” he said. “We all are. But if this backfires, I think we’ll have to take a long look at who should be runnin’ this outfit.”
“Fine,” Frank said. “You want to challenge my leadership? Go ahead.”
“You guys wanna keep it down?” Dudley asked. “Ya don’t want the rest of ’em hearin’ you argue.”
Frank stretched out his leg and rubbed it. Riding for the first time had made it stiffen up, but he was damned if he’d complain out loud. He picked up his plate of beans and started to eat.
Later, after Frank had turned in, Dudley and Del walked away from the fire and the camp to talk.
“What the hell, Dudley?” Del said.
“I know, Del,” Dudley said, “but Frank’s the planner. Without him we don’t have no jobs, so we gotta go along with him on this. It ain’t all personal, ya know. There’s still a bank there to be had.”
“Well, the take better be worth it, that’s all I gotta say.”
“You serious about challenging him?” Dudley asked.
“Hell, no,” Del said. “I don’t wanna lead. Do you?”
“No.”
“Clell and Hap, they’re too young,” Del said. “That’s why Frank has the job, ’cause you and me don’t want it. And we sure as hell ain’t gonna have a cousin runnin’ this outfit.”
“No chance.”
“Okay, then,” Del said. “We go along, but he listens to you, so you stay close.”
“Don’t worry, Del,” Dudley said. “I’ll be right there with him.”
FORTY-TWO
Clint was about to get up from his desk when the door opened and Lucy Dennison came in. It was obvious she was not wearing her sexy underwear this time—or a sexy look on her face.
“I’m kind of disappointed in you, Mr. Adams,” she said.
“Why is that, Mrs. Dennison?”
“I thought after my last visit here I’d get some of your attention,” she said, “but I haven’t heard from you since.”
“I’ve been busy,” he said.
“Too busy to be with me?”
“Busy doing my job.”
“Come on,” she said, “this is not your job. It’s Jack Harper’s job.”
“Right, and since he’s not here, it’s my job,” Clint said. “And we’re getting closer to the time the gang will ride in. So you’ll have to excuse me if I haven’t had the chance to come and play with you.”
“Play with me? Is that what you think I want?”
“Yes, Lucy, that’s what I think you want me to do—play. And I just don’t have the time.”
The door opened behind Lucy, pushing her several steps forward.
“Oh, sorry, ma’am,” Buck said. “Sheriff?”
“I’m busy, Lucy,” Clint said. “I’m sorry.”
“So am I,” she said archly, and marched out.
“She’s mad,” Buck said.
“She’ll get over it,” Clint said. “Or she won’t. Right now it doesn’t really matter. Did you need me for something?”
“Just wanted to know if you’d like somethin’ to eat,” Buck said.
“Sure, why not?”
James looked, and looked again. He wasn’t sure if he was actually seeing what he thought he was seeing. Whatever decision he made was going to set a lot of things in motion. He knew he had to be right, and he had to be right now if they were going to have time to get things into place.
He looked, and looked still again, and decided this was it. That dust cloud was not natural, and it wasn’t man-made.
It was being made by horses.
He mounted his horse and rode hell-bent-for-leather back to town.
FORTY-THREE
James Prescott came riding into town as Clint and Buck were crossing the street.
“They’re comin’,” he said, dismounting and almost stumbling. “They’re comin’, Sheriff.”
“From the north,” Clint said. “All right. Buck, find Commons. James, get to Wilkes and give the signal to your brother.”
“Right.”
“I’ll find Minnesota, and Dillon.”
“I think you’ll find them both at the range,” Buck said.
“Okay,” Clint said. “Let’s move.” He looked at James. “We got half an hour?”
“I hope, Sheriff.”
“Okay,” Clint said. “After you get to Wilkes, go to the north end of town and stand watch. Tell me as soon as you see something.”
“Right, Sheriff.”
They all went their separate ways.
Buck found Commons, and they met Clint at the prearranged place.
“They’ll be coming in from there,” Clint said, pointing up the main street. “They’ll head for the bank first. That gives us an edge.”
“So I’ll place some charges right in front of the bank,” Commons said.
“And in the street,” Clint said, “but we won’t detonate those until they’re trying to ride out.”
“Detonate how?”
“With this,” Clint said, touching his gun.