Monument Rock (Ss) (1998) (8 page)

Suddenly there was a rush of horses in the yard, and Talon said, "Now you'll reall
y
need me. Those riders are the worst kind of trouble."

"Don't give me that!" Kate said, but she hesitated, lowering the gun a little.

"There's three men, Kate," Ruth said.

The door opened and the three men from the Indian fight came into the room. The gunma
n
leading them stopped and his expression hardened when he saw Talon and Jones. "Yo
u
should have kept going," he said. "We told you."

"Tracey, isn't it?" Talon asked the bearded man. "And you," he said to the gunman
,
"are Lute Robeck."

"That's right." Robeck walked to the bar and picked up a bottle.

"That's two bits a shot," Kate said.

"Shut up." Robeck merely glanced at her.

Kate started to speak, then tightened her lips and was still; her eyes went fro
m
face to face and she walked back to the door of the bedroom and stood there, waiting.

She knew all about Robeck . . . the man was known to be a gunman, a killer, a rustler
,
and occasional robber of payrolls at outlying mines. Tracey, too, was a known man.

Her eyes went to Talon. Who was he? What was he?

"Well," Robeck said, "you're here, and the stage is due in a couple of hours, s
o
you'll stay, right here, until we're ready for you."

"Lute," Jones said, "you'd better take Talon's gun. I don't know who he is, but he'
s
too smart."

"Let him have it," Robeck said. "It may give me an excuse to kill him."

Talon glanced at Jones. "So you're one of them?"

"Sure." Jones smiled. "I worked for the mining company until they got a good shipmen
t
ready. No use pulling holdups when there's no cash coming; we just wait until w
e
know they've got it. Like now."

The dark outlaw who had said nothing loitered in a corner of the room almost beyon
d
Talon's view. There were four of them now, four to one. "Watch that Breslin woman,"

Jones said. "She's got Burnett's gun."

"Where's Burnett?" Robeck demanded.

"Back of that door. I figure he's hurt. Leastwise that's what Talon here figure
d
out."

Robeck grinned at Talon. "I hope you try for that gun," he said. "I don't like you
,
much."

Talon lifted his cup and sipped coffee slowly, watching Robeck over the cup's rim.

The outlaw walked to the door, and when Ruth made as if to stop him, he shoved he
r
roughly aside and opened it.

He strode to the bedside and looked down at the suffering man. "You lie quiet, Burnett,"
h
e said, "and maybe you won't be killed."

"You let me get my hands on a gun," Burnett said, "and I'll not make you any promises!"

Robeck chuckled. "Flat on his back and still full of fight." His eyes went to Ruth.

"Food, liquor, a gold shipment, and a girl... what more can a man ask."

"You'd be wise to let her alone."

Robeck turned his head slowly to look at Talon, who had not moved. "Don't push you
r
luck," he said.

Tracey got out a deck of cards and was joined by the dark man, whom he had calle
d
Pete. Tracey began to lay out a game of solitaire. Lute Robeck walked to the no
w
open door and leaned against the doorjamb, watching the empty road.

Four to four, Talon thought, only there were two women on his side, and a sick man.

And they were all around the room, and even when they did not appear to be, he kne
w
they were watching him. He also knew that he, at least, was to be killed. That wa
s
why they had left him his gun . . . Robeck fancied himself with a gun. He wante
d
Talon to try it so he could test himself.

An hour went slowly by. Talon wanted to move, but hesitated to give Robeck the chanc
e
he might be wanting. The two women had gone quietly to work, cleaning up his tabl
e
and, at Robeck's order, preparing food for the others. At least one of them watche
d
the women at all times, without making an issue of it.

Talon got out the makings and rolled a smoke. He touched the cigarette paper to hi
s
lips and then put the cigarette in his mouth. Robeck watched him with bright interest
,
but there was a matchbox on the table and Talon took out the match and struck i
t
on the table edge in plain sight.

Robeck chuckled. "Cagey, ain't you?" he said. "Where'd I ever see you before?"

"You never did," Talon said.

Robeck's eyes sharpened. "Maybe . . . You wanted by the law?"

"No." He turned his head. "Ruth, I'd like some more coffee, if you will."

It was very hot and still. Perspiration stood out on their faces. He had one gu
n
against four, and they were not worried by him ... Robeck was actually anticipatin
g
trouble. "If you're going to try for that gun," he said, "you'd better have at it.

When the stage comes we're going to take it away from you."

"I can wait."

Robeck chuckled, watching Ruth carry the coffee to the table. He got to his fee
t
and walked to the bar to pour a drink. Ruth gave Talon a look then slanted her eye
s
quickly away in the direction of Robeck. She looked back and gave him a slight littl
e
nod. She wanted him to go ahead, she was ready to take her chances.

Robeck's eyes followed the girl. "Now, there's a woman for you. Fire in her, I'l
l
bet." He glanced at the clock on the shelf. "And we've got most of an hour yet. Mayb
e
her and me-"

"Leave her alone."

Robeck turned, his smile gone. Before he could speak, Talon spoke again. "Leave he
r
alone, Robeck. You'll get the gold if you're smart, but leave that girl alone o
r
I'll kill you."

"What?" Robeck was on his feet facing Talon. "You'll kill me?

Get on your feet, tall man, and I'll cut you down! Get up, you hear?

Get up!"

Talon did not move. He looked at Robeck and smiled. "Don't be in a hurry," he said.

"You have some time left."

The moment died. Pete walked to the door, then stepped outside and walked towar
d
the barn. Ruth served the others and watched them eat. Kate Breslin had done nothin
g
since the gun was taken from her but to cook and remain silent. It was very hot
,
and Talon loafed in his chair, waiting.

A fly buzzed on the window. Pete walked out to the road and looked off into the distance
,
shading his eyes against the glare. Jones got up and walked to the window and the
n
turned back, and as he came back toward the table he was behind Talon. Suddenly hi
s
gun was thrust against Talon's spine. "You may want to play games," he said to Robeck
,
"I don't. That stage is due any minute." Jones reached down and took Talon's gun
,
then stepped back away from him, careful not to get within reach of Talon's hands.

"All right." Robeck shrugged. "I just figured maybe he'd like to try it with me."

He grinned at Talon. "No guts."

Talon got slowly to his feet and stretched his long arms. Idly, he walked to th
e
bar where Robeck was seated, and poured a drink. Robeck moved back a little, watchin
g
Talon cheerfully. "I'll still kill you if you start anything, Talon," Robeck warned.

Ruth, tense only a moment before, relaxed, accepted her fate . .. she and Kate wer
e
one step further from safety.

In the kitchen, Kate Breslin had taken an old .31 Colt from her valise, and she slippe
d
it into Ruth's hand. "Only if the chance is just right," she whispered. "Then giv
e
it to him."

Pete walked out to the road. "Not much more time, Lute."

"No." Lute glanced around the room. "They don'
t
know the women are here, anyway. They can't know, with the only stage since Burnet
t
was hurt going out the other way. We'll hide them... put 'em in Burnett's room."

Tracey got up. "What about Talon?"

Ruth came into the room and crossed to the table where Talon sat. Lute watched he
r
with bright interest, never missing a move. The butt of the little Colt was visibl
e
to Talon from under Ruth's apron, but he carefully ignored it. Ruth fussed with th
e
dishes, waiting, and suddenly Robeck began to laugh.

"He's yellow! Yellow! Ruthie, you picked yourself the wrong man!"

Ruth turned away from the table and instantly Robeck motioned to Tracey, who grabbe
d
the girl and shoved her across to Robeck, who jerked the apron from her, and th
e
gun. "You little fool!" He slapped her wickedly across the mouth. "Who do you thin
k
you're fooling?" He shoved her back against the counter and slapped her again. Instantly
,
she lashed out and slapped him, then kicked him on the shins. There was a momentar
y
struggle, and then he shoved the girl from him and slapped her again, thrusting th
e
pistol into his waistband.

Talon stood flat-footed, watching, but making no move away from the table. His expressio
n
had not changed as he watched the brief struggle. When it was over he stepped ove
r
and helped the girl to her feet. Angrily, Ruth jerked away from him. "Don't touc
h
me, you coward!" she flared.

Robeck laughed.

Pete ran in from the road. "Here she comes!" he said.

Tracey grabbed Ruth and shoved her toward the bedroom door. Robeck stood watchin
g
Talon and smiling. "No hurry," he said. "They're bringing it right to us."

Tracey ordered Kate from the kitchen and into the bedroom. "If they make a wron
g
move," Robeck ordered
,
"use your gun barrel. And I don't care how hard you hit."

Lute Robeck walked to the door and looked out. The stage was rolling into the yard.

"All right." He gestured to Talon. "Walk out there ahead of us and don't say anythin
g
or make a wrong move."

Whatever happened now would depend on fast thinking and breaks, and the shotgun guar
d
must do some fast thinking, too. He walked outside with Lute beside him; Jones an
d
Pete moved up behind. Talon angled toward the stage, knowing the men behind him woul
d
spread out. If the shotgun guard started shooting, which Robeck well knew, Talo
n
would be the first man killed.

The stage whirled into the yard and came to an abrupt stop in a cloud of dust. Th
e
shotgun guard was staring from the door to the waiting men, and as Talon slowly turne
d
he saw a rifle barrel glinting from the bedroom window ... Tracey was going to kil
l
the guard.

"Holdup!" Talon yelled, and a Colt Lightning slid from under the arm of his coat.

Robeck swore and swung his gun, blasting fire. His first shot was too quick, Talon'
s
was not. The bullet caught Robeck over the belt buckle and he started back. Talo
n
fired again, then nailed Jones. Pete was already falling and suddenly there was silenc
e
broken only by the plunging of the horses and the rattle of harness. They quiete
d
down and Talon got slowly to his feet.

Talon walked over to Robeck and kicked the gun from his hand, but the man was dead.

Tracey was standing in the door, his hands high. "Don't shoot!" he said. "I've quit!"

Ruth came from the door, but the shotgun guard reached Talon first. "Thanks," h
e
said. "When I didn't see Dan I figured something was wrong."