Murder at Thumb Butte (14 page)

“
Mr. Dancy, I guess it’s time for that tip.”

“
What makes you think you earned a tip?”

“
Because I was fast, I carried all the boxes, and I didn’t bore you with idle chatter.”

I had to smile. “Well said.” I handed over another four bits.

“
John, since you’ve been paid handsomely, start carrying those boxes over to the church.” Mrs. Cunningham had entered the hall from behind us.

“
Ma?”

“
No back talk. When you’ve got a job in front of you, it’s better to do it today than tomorrow. You can get four of them over there before washing up for supper.”

“
Yes, ma’am.” He looked dejected, but I saw him rubbing the two coins together as he went out the door.

“
Supper smells good,” I said.

“
Mr. Dancy, I appreciate your help, but I’m not in a position to offer free meals.”

“
Is that room let?”

“
No, would you be interested?”

“
I am at a dollar a day.”

“
Then it’s yours.” She held out a hand. “I require one week in advance.”

I handed her a ten-dollar silver certificate. She started for a sideboard, but I stopped her progress by saying, “I should be here at least ten days, so no need for change.”

“
Thank you. I’ll give you a day’s notice when the next week is due.”

“
What time is supper?”

“
Excuse me, one dollar buys the room. It costs another dollar for board.”

“
You told me Mr. Campbell owed you twenty-one dollars for three weeks. I assumed that was for room
and
board.”

“
Mr. Campbell mooched his meals elsewhere.” She looked highly disappointed. “Do you want your money back?”

My room at the Palace didn’t include meals, so two dollars a day was still fair—unless Mrs. Cunningham was a lousy cook. But bargaining was in my nature. “Keep the ten for one week’s room and board. If we’re happy with each other by the end of the week, I’ll pay two dollars a day.”

She looked indignant, and I thought she was going to show me the door, but then she looked down at the ten dollars in her hand. “All right, Mr. Dancy, but if you pull this again, I’ll send you packing. Are we clear?”

“
Yes, ma’am.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the black tubes and handed them to her. “These are the only things of value I found in Mr. Campbell’s belongings. They’re an A. T. Cross pen and pencil. Not one of their gold models but recently invented and very fine instruments. My guess is that someone in the courthouse would pay five or six dollars for them … perhaps more if they’re a novelty in Arizona.”

Her reaction surprised me. She looked like she might cry. “Mr. Dancy, I apologize. I was so mad at myself for letting Mr. Campbell get the better of me that I was rude to you.” She held the pens up in her fist. “This means more than you know. It’s not the money; it’s my pride. I run a good house, but there’s very little room for error, so I get angry when I make a mistake.”

“
Mr. Campbell took much greater advantage of others … some prominent citizens.” With that comment, a thought struck me. “Ma’am, before we settle this fully, I should inform you that I’m friends with the man accused of killing Mr. Campbell.”

She lifted her chin. “I … Did he do it?”

“
No, ma’am. But someone in this town did, and some important people might get pretty mad as I try to uncover the real murderer. You could come under some pressure because I board here.”

“
Mr. Dancy, as long as you pay in advance and don’t disturb my other boarders, you are welcome in my house.”

“
Thank you, ma’am.”

As I left my new lodgings to go visit Sharp, I wondered about her second condition.

_{Chapter 20}

When I stepped out of Mrs. Cunningham’s house, it was dusk. Where had this day gone? Had it been only one day? It had started with a calm breakfast, a visit to Sharp in jail, my interview with Castle, lunch with Blanchet and his cronies, another visit with Sharp, the discovery of Maggie, and the ride to meet her father, and had ended with my search of Campbell’s room. I suddenly felt exhausted.

Damn. I had forgotten I was supposed to be at Earp’s for supper, and I still had things to do. I ran around the side of the house to find John. After a quick negotiation, he accepted one dollar to move our belongings from the Palace to my new room. I told him to stack Sharp’s stuff neatly in a corner. Then I rode the half block to the Palace. Luckily, newly arrived in town, we had bought our rooms for only one night.

I found Brow at the bar, watching over the gaming tables. He gave me a friendly nod as I approached, but kept his eyes on a couple gamblers at the faro table.

“
Mr. Brow, I want to thank you for the hospitality, but I’ve taken a room at Mrs. Cunningham’s.”

He threw me a glance, then said offhandedly, “I heard a room recently became available in her house.” Evidently satisfied with the play at the faro table, he turned toward me. “I hope you’ll still honor us with your business in the saloon.”

“
Of course.” I signaled to the barman for a beer. “Mrs. Cunningham’s son will be over shortly to move our stuff out. Any charge for the delay?”

“
Naw. Any news about your friend?”

“
Only that Castle has agreed to defend him. Did Earp question the customers that were here last night?”

“
He did.”

“
Did he learn anything?”

“
The constable doesn’t share his work with me.”

My beer arrived and I took a healthy swallow. It tasted good after an hour of cleaning up Campbell’s mess. “Mr. Brow, you mentioned that Campbell was suing you. What for?”

“
I’d tell you it was none of your business, but everybody already knows. Campbell stayed in one of my rooms at first. He got behind, so I sent Lew to take his trunk as collateral. He was suing to get it back.”

I tried to keep the excitement out of my voice. “Do you still have it?”

“
Campbell never paid his bill. What do you think?”

“
Can I buy it?”

“
For his tally, plus five dollars. That’s a good price. It’s a Saratoga trunk.”

“
What’s in it?”

“
How the hell would I know? I never broke the lock.”

I would have paid more. A locked steamer trunk might hold the stock certificate and maybe even some evidence about who had committed the murder. After I gave Brow the money, he promised to have it delivered to Mrs. Cunningham’s.

I finished my beer and ran up to Sharp’s room. I wanted to retrieve his wallet. No sense putting temptation in front of John. In no time at all, I was back in the saloon, buying beer in a tin pail for Sharp.

When I got to the jail, the night man was already on duty. Before I was allowed to walk down the aisle to Sharp’s cell, the jailer swirled his pistol barrel around in the beer to make sure I wasn’t hiding something beneath the brew. Instead of being insulted, I admired Earp’s selection and training of men.

Sharp heard my steps and was at the jailhouse bars as I approached. “Good evening, Jeff. I brought you beer.”

“
That’s neighborly, but can ya get me out?”

“
Not yet, but I have good news. McAllen’s already in town.”

“
In Prescott? Here?”

I nodded too enthusiastically to retain any poise. “He was supervising the Schmidts on a case. Guess which one.”

“
Well, I’ll be damned. Gotta be Campbell.”

“
He’s been here setting up the Schmidts as ideal victims. Maggie’s here too.” I handed the pail through an opening in the bars meant to pass food trays to prisoners.

After a healthy swallow, Sharp said, “Thanks. That’s the best news I’ve had since they dragged me to jail. Tell Joseph to look hard at Blanchet. That man’s as crooked as a dog’s hind leg.”

“
What’d you learn from your talk?”

“
Nothin’ specific. He just kept talkin’ on an’ on ’bout how connected he was. That ain’t the way good lawyers talk. That sleazy bastard really wanted to defend me. He just kept at me. Took it hard when I finally told him to go pound tar. I wasn’t gonna string him on.” Sharp gulped down more beer. After he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, he added, “Steve, he talked ’bout Campbell like he admired him … and knew him a good while. Be just like that pettifogger to murder Campbell, then weasel his way into bein’ my attorney. My butt’d be hangin’ out in the wind.”

“
Could they have been partners, and maybe Campbell tried a double cross?”

“
Who knows? Just tell Joseph to look hard at that son of a bitch.”

“
I’ll tell him tonight. Jeff, I need to hurry. We’re having dinner together, and McAllen gets testy when a person’s late for an appointment.”

“
All right, but do me a favor an’ take care of that jailer before ya go. I’d like to have decent meals, coffee when I call for it, an’ my chamber pot changed twice a day. An’ next time, bring a book an’ newspaper. Might as well read what they got to say ’bout me.”

“
Damn, I should’ve thought about that already. Sorry, Jeff. I’ll bring back issues of the newspaper as well. Maybe you can learn something. Writing material?”

“
Nope.” He nodded behind him with his head. “Castle already brought me writin’ paper an’ one of them newfangled pencils that push the lead on out whenever ya want.” Sharp laughed. “Castle said that for some damn reason they won’t allow me a knife so I can sharpen a wood pencil.”

“
Did he ask you to write down what you remember?”

“
Yep, but it ain’t much. He stopped by ’bout an hour ago to pick it up. Smart fella, asked good questions after he read it.”

“
Jeff, I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you in the morning.”

“
Bring Joseph.”

“
If I can. He sets his own agenda.”

I turned to leave, when Sharp added, “Tell Joseph that there’s somethin’ else that ties Campbell an’ Blanchet together. They’re both good buddies with yer friend John Frémont.”

With that jab, I hurried out of the basement jail. I was late for my supper appointment, but the real reason I took the stairs two at a time was that Sharp’s last comment reminded me that I had coerced him into coming to Arizona. As a result, my friend was in trouble, and my guilt went well beyond a twinge. I had to get him out of there. Not only because it was partly my fault, but because I knew he would do the same for me.

_{Chapter 21}

Virgil Earp lived in a log house within sight of his lumber mill. I thought of it as a house rather than a cabin because it appeared to have four rooms, and the roof was shingled. It looked similar to what locals called the Old Governor’s Mansion. I assumed the name was a joke until I learned that when the eight-room log house served as the governor’s home, it was the biggest and best house in the territory.

Before I dismounted, McAllen stepped onto the porch. He lifted a whiskey glass in salute, leading me to expect a cordial greeting. Instead, I got a McAllen greeting.

“
You’re late.”

“
Business.”

“
We have business here.” Without a further word, he turned around and reentered the house.

I tied up Liberty, removed my saddle, and cleaned my boots with a brush that was lying on the porch. Earp’s house surprised me. It looked homey, with a large oval hooked rug, family photographs on the wall, comfortable furniture, and a table set with matching china that belied the rustic exterior.

McAllen nodded toward a woman standing next to a substantial man. “Steve, I’d like to introduce Allie, Virgil’s wife, and this is Virgil Earp.”

Allie curtsied, so I returned a half bow before stepping forward to shake hands with Earp. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Thank you for having me at your table.”

“
You’re welcome,” Allie said. “I’ve been holding supper. If you sit right down, I’ll serve. Please hang your gun on that peg by the door.”

When I had first arrived in the West, I didn’t wear a gun, but a couple of incidents convinced me that it was dangerous for a man to go unarmed. Even so, I was glad to unhook and hang up my holster, because I needed to be careful about my sitting posture with a pistol on my hip. Nothing startles a hostess like a gun clattering to the floor.

“
Can I offer you a whiskey?” Earp asked, as his wife went to a stove in the back of the large room. His voice was so deep, it almost sounded like a growl.

“
That would be much appreciated,” I answered.

Virgil Earp was dressed in a dark suit that made me feel like I should have changed clothes for supper. His tall stature was accented by sandy blond hair, and his droopy mustache dominated a stern face that had yet to smile.

By the time we had our drinks and sat down, Allie brought over a platter with a roasted chicken surrounded by potatoes and carrots. The sight and smell made me very hungry.

“
My compliments. That looks and smells great.”

Another curtsy. “Thank you, sir. I hope it tastes even better than you expect.”

“
That would be a challenge, because your presentation has raised my expectations to a considerable level.” I looked at my host. “Mr. Earp, you’re a lucky man to have such a capable and attractive wife.”