Cowboy Caveat (17 page)

“
Yup, that’s about the
size of it, but there’s one more piece of evidence that I have
here.” Rick pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket; he
unfolded it and handed it to Ed to read.

It was a wire from Henderson to Tex giving
detailed instructions concerning a train that had been robbed the
previous year. It was addressed to him at the hotel in the town and
it was signed by Henderson. The very proof needed to link the
Mexican back to Henderson.

“
I wonder why he kept
this,” Ed mused.

“
Insurance I should
think,” said one of the Rangers.

“
I agree,” said Rick
nodding.

“
Or for blackmail?” Ed
wondered.

“
Yeah that, too. Well now,
gentlemen, are we all agreed on the plan?”

“
Yup. I’ll ride up to the
ranch alone and in full view. Once inside the house I’ll pretend to
negotiate with Henderson, come to some agreement with him and draw
him outside where y’all will be in position to surround him. What
about any hands that feel inclined to interfere with their boss’s
arrest?”

“
Jus’ you let us worry
‘bout that, son, but make sure you keep that brother of yours low
down and safe inside the house.”

“
Will do.......OK boys,
let’s ride!” Ed swung off his chair, reached for his hat and led
the way outside to where their horses awaited them.

Amy had been overjoyed to
see her husband and sister again. Ethan questioned Amy about her
forced journey to Dallas and wanted to know how Rick Cook had
treated her. Amy was only too happy to reassure him about Rick’s
treatment of her and was glad he hadn’t thought to ask about
her treatment
of the
poor, long-suffering Ranger.

When they had finally stopped at Mountain
Creek, Rick had removed her gag and untied her hands. Amy had
promptly slapped his face, then leapt from the cart and ran behind
some bushes to dress and relieve herself. She had then verbally
abused the Ranger all the way to Dallas.

After a luncheon of cold collation, Judge
Richardson closeted himself away in Hilda’s small parlor with Ethan
while the ladies took a walk. On their return, Ethan popped his
head out of the parlor and called Amy inside. The judge gestured to
a high-backed chair next to where Ethan sat on the other side of
the desk. Ethan pulled out the chair for his wife. After Amy was
seated and had removed her gloves, the judge begun to explain the
seriousness of her situation.

“
The thing is, Mrs.
Walker....”

“
Amy, please.”

“
Amy then,” the judge said
and smiled at her, “shooting an unarmed man comes with a harsh
sentence. Usually two years or more in the
penitentiary.”

Amy gasped and reached for Ethan’s hand.

“
My hands are tied rather
as far as sentence is concerned but an alternative punishment for a
woman is a public whipping.”

Amy gasped and swivelled to look at Ethan,
her face white and her throat so dry she couldn’t speak. Ethan
clasped her hands in his and said, “It’s not as bad as it sounds,
darlin’. Jim here,” he said and gestured to the judge, “thinks if
we don’t allow the newspaper to get hold of the story, nobody would
need to be there but the judge, me, you and Rick.”

“
Rick
?”

“
Yup, that’s the great
news: Rick can administer the whipping. He’s a lawman – a Ranger --
who better!”

Oh
great
news, thought Amy sourly.
After the way she had behaved on the trip to Dallas, Rick Cook
would skin her alive, given a whip in his hand!

“
I know what you’re
thinking, Mrs. Walker,” the judge said.

I don’t think you
do,
Amy thought
.

“
But have no fear.
This
whipping will be administered safely
in a controlled environment and it will be limited to
your buttocks only.”

“
Gee, thanks!” Amy
sneered.

“
Amy, behave yourself,”
Ethan told her. “Jim has done us a good turn here, darlin’ – you
didn’t think we’d be getting off scot free, did you?”

“
What’s with the ‘we’,
Eth? Are you gonna take the whipping for me, then? Actually, can
he?” Amy turned to the judge hopefully.

“
I am afraid that is not
possible. No, Amy, you committed the crime, so you must pay the
price.”

Amy sighed heavily. “Well alright, I guess,
but how many lashes and with what type of instrument do I get this
whipping?” she asked, shuddering.

“
Usually a strap is kept
for the purpose, but sometimes a switch can be used, and in this
instance, I favor a switching. It might just suit the crime. The
number of strokes is up to me as the judge. I shall decide how many
after Henderson has been apprehended and questioned. Now my dear, I
am sure that you and your husband have some catching up to do. I
will take my leave of you both. Good day.”

Ethan shook the judge’s hand and walked with
him out into the hallway. Amy stayed where she was, stunned by the
news of her public whipping.

“
Amy, come on upstairs
where we can talk freely, darlin’.” No sooner had Ethan closed
their bedroom door than he pulled his wife into his arms and kissed
her passionately. All his fears and concerns for her were in his
kiss. His emotions were beyond relief to have her back with him,
safe and sound and under his protection once again.

Amy was surprised at how secure she felt
wrapped in his strong arms. She relaxed into his lean body and
allowed him to ravish her. She didn’t think or speak; she was
simply at one with her man, and when he had pleasured her to such a
pitch that only entering her would end her tumultuous need, Ethan
assuaged them both until Amy was left feeling completely whole and
totally replete. Held safe in her husband’s arms and hidden from
the entire world, Amy was content to stay where she was. At last,
her demons were held at bay and she fell into a dreamless
sleep.

* * * * *

Once the Rangers were in place and
well-hidden from sight of Henderson’s ranch house, Ed began his
slow ride up through the main gate. To say he was nervous was an
understatement; he was a sitting duck and he fully expected to be
shot at any moment. Not that it would benefit Henderson to shoot
him, Ed knew, but he didn’t trust Henderson’s men any more than he
trusted the man himself.

Henderson must have been watching Ed’s
progress because he opened the house door and languished against
the wall, watching Ed’s approach. Ed dismounted and threw the reins
over the hitching post.

“
Howdy neighbor, thought
I’d pay a visit and chew the fat a while,” Ed said with what he
hoped was a lazy grin.

Henderson was happy to play the game and
grinned in return. “Edward Campbell, welcome. I’m real honored,
sir! I have your brother Tyler here visiting as well. When does the
rest of the Campbell clan arrive?”

“
When they hear how
neighborly you’re being, Lawrence, I’m sure they’ll be hot on my
tail!” Ed quipped lightly, removing his hat and entering the ranch
house as Henderson moved inside, gesturing for Ed to follow
him.

There was no sign of Tyler
in the hallway, but as Henderson led the way into a large and
sparsely furnished front room, Ed spotted his brother in a heavy
wooden chair in the corner. Tyler was sitting by a window which
fully overlooked the front of the ranch. Ed quickly realized that
he needed to block the view from that window if the Rangers were
going to move nearer to the house. He strode over to Tyler and
pulled him up into a bear hug, quickly whispering into his ear,
“
Stay standing up and block the window
view.
Hey, little brother, what are you
doing up here bothering Mr. Henderson?
There are Rangers all
around keep
your head down and do as I say!”

“
Hey, Ed, -- I came
vistin’ same as you!
Okay.”

“
Can I offer you some
refreshment, Edward?” Henderson asked.

“
Why, that’d be mighty
nice of you, Lawrence, and I wouldn’t say no,” Ed replied while
seating himself away from the window to draw Henderson’s eye to him
rather than the view out front. Tyler stood and lounged behind the
chair, leaning over the back looking into the room and successfully
shielding the window. Every now and again, Tyler shifted from leg
to leg, hoping that any movement outside would be blocked as he
changed positions in front of the window.

Henderson poured a couple of shots of
whiskey out and handed a glass to Ed. They drank in silence for a
few moments and then Henderson set his glass down on the small
table next to him and said. “Well now, I guess you’re considering
my offer to drop all charges against that hot-headed sister of
yours in exchange for your pa’s homestead and land, eh?”

Ed cocked his head and pursed his lips.
“Hmm, I’m tempted...given the price is right, o’ course.”

Henderson was confident everything was going
according to plan. He didn’t mind paying the going rate for the
land; heck, he never had minded. Of course, he knew that once that
oil was drilled he’d be a rich man.

“
I’ll still pay you the
going rate, Campbell. I’m a fair man,” he told Ed
magnanimously.

“
Alright Henderson, you
write out a statement withdrawing all charges against Amy and I’ll
sell you Pa’s land at whatever is the going rate, plus let’s say
twenty percent.” Ed sat back and sipped his drink, watching the man
over the rim of his glass.

“
Ten percent,” countered
Henderson.

Ed kept silent and waited.

Finally, Henderson said, “OK, you got me --
fifteen percent, and that’s my final offer!”

“
I dunno. What do you
think, Tyler?”

Ed frowned as he looked at his brother, who,
surprised to be asked, raised his eyebrows questioningly and
shrugged. “I dunno, either.....but twenty sounds about right to
me.”

Henderson glared at Tyler and shook his
head, turning to Ed. “Hell man, he’s just a kid. What does he
know!”

Ed looked surprised and said, “It’s his
land, too, Henderson. It was his father who was murdered just as
much as mine. I figure Tyler has a right to decide how much we sell
for. Tell you what, you give us a moment alone and I’ll talk to him
an’ see if’n we can’t agree on fifteen.”

Henderson glowered at them, but he was
thinking fast -- if he locked the door, there was no way out of the
room, short of breaking the window, and they had to know that on
the first sound of breaking glass he’d be in there with his gun
blazing and one of them would end up dead. “Alright, Campbell, you
got two minutes, but if I hear breaking glass, hell if I hear
anything other than wind break, your baby brother gets it
first.”

He left the room and they heard the key turn
in the lock. Straightaway, Ed jumped to the window and pulled a
small mirror out of his pocket,

He angled it through the glass, turning it
back and forth to catch the sun. Then he stopped and waited, and
almost immediately a responding flash blinded them and then
stopped. Ed pulled Tyler away from the window and repositioned his
chair away from the glass. “Listen to me, Tyler, we are gonna agree
to fifteen percent and I am going to suggest you leave. If
Henderson agrees to you leaving, you go out the main entrance and
keep on going until you are out of sight. If you spot a Ranger,
ignore him. Don’t give him away with even a glance or a nod, got
that?”

“
Yeah, OK, but what about
you?” Tyler didn’t like the idea of running out on his big
brother.

“
I’ll be jus’ fine, kiddo,
don’t you worry! Now, if he won’t let you go when I give you the
signal, hit the deck behind that chair, got it?”

There was no time for Tyler to reply; the
key turned in the door and Henderson walked back in.

Tyler took the initiative, surprising Ed by
saying, “We’ve agreed fifteen percent over the land rate but we
want a written statement about Amy and the land to take away with
us.”

Henderson grinned; He’d
done it! He knew they’d cave! “Fine, young man, that’s just what I
agreed, but you have to sign a bill of sale
now,
Campbell. I just happened to
have my lawyer draw one up in case we reached an agreement today.”
Henderson held out his hand to Ed and with only a slight
hesitation, Ed grasped it and shook on the deal.

“
OK, Tyler, you go on
home, and Lawrence and I will sort out the paperwork. It might take
a while so there’s no point in you hanging around here. We ought to
have another drink to seal the deal, don’t you think,
Lawrence?”

Henderson rubbed his hands together and
said, “Good idea, Ed. Mind if I call you Ed?”

“
No, not at all. Off you
go then, Tyler,” Ed nodded at the door and Tyler walked slowly
toward it, looking extremely reluctant.

“
Get on, boy, you heard
your brother, off home with you!” Henderson almost shoved Tyler out
of the door before fetching more whiskey. This time, Ed only
pretended to sip the liquor. Henderson fetched the documents his
lawyer had drawn up and Ed made a show of reading them slowly, as
if checking every detail. Meanwhile, Henderson sat and wrote out a
statement exonerating Amy of any wrongdoing.