[Texas Rangers 04] - Ranger's Trail (13 page)

Through the heavy leaves he watched the two men on the other side of the creek, one leaning from the saddle to observe Rusty’s tracks.

He felt a sharp disappointment as the pair came into clear view. Neither was Corey. But they were Bascoms, a couple of Corey’s brothers. When they rode past him, he remounted and brought the rifle up high enough that he could place the stock against his shoulder in an instant. He put the dun across the creek and closed the distance. The murmur of the creek masked the sound of his horse’s hooves.

He ordered, “Turn around and raise your hands.”

The voice startled the two. One of the brothers complied, carefully reining his horse about, then lifting his arms. The younger hesitated.

Rusty shouted, “I won’t say it again.”

The youngster made a grab at the pistol on his hip, at the same time jerking on the reins, trying to turn his horse around to give him a clear shot. Rusty did not allow him time to complete the move. He fired the rifle. Dust puffed from little Anse’s shirt. The impact drove him backward as the horse took fright and jumped to one side. Anse tumbled from the saddle. The horse turned and ran a short distance before the dangling reins became entangled in the underbrush.

The younger brother lay in an awkward heap, just as he had landed. He hardly quivered. Newley Bascom’s face seemed drained of blood. He trembled.

“
Please, Shannon, don’t shoot.”

“
I won’t unless you give me reason. Fish your six-shooter out of the holster and pitch it into the creek.”

Newley complied.

Rusty said, “Now the rifle under your leg.” Newley tossed it away, too. It made a splash and quickly sank to the bottom.

Rusty demanded, “Who sent you-all after me? Was it Corey?”

Newley fought to keep his frightened voice under some measure of control. “We ain’t seen Corey since he left home. It was Ma sent us.”

That did not surprise Rusty. “Corey hasn’t been back? You’re not lyin’ to me?”

“
I wouldn’t lie, not when you got that rifle in my face. And my baby brother layin’ there on the ground.”

“
There was four of you brothers. Where’s the other one at?”

Newley was reluctant but finally replied, “Ma sent Lacey out to do another job.”

Rusty knew what that would be: to finish Alice. “All right, get down real careful and go fetch your brother’s horse.”

Newley freed the bridle reins and led little Anse’s mount back. Rusty dismounted and picked up Anse’s pistol. He started to pitch it into the creek to join Newley’s but reconsidered and shoved it into his waistband. An extra weapon might come in handy.

“
Put your brother’s body up on his saddle. Tie his hands and feet so he won’t slide off.”

Tears streamed down Newley’s face. In a breaking voice he said, “I don’t know how I’m goin’ to tell Ma about this. She’s goin’ to take it mighty hard.”

Remembering the woman’s ruthless nature, Rusty could muster no sympathy. “Tell her it’s her own fault, sendin’ you-all out to do a dirty job.”

Only as he watched Newley lead away the horse with his brother’s body tied on it did Rusty succumb to any sense of remorse, and that only because of little Anse’s youth. The boy was a member of an outlaw family. Even with the best of luck he had probably been fated to an early death by bullet or perhaps by hanging. It was likely that Bessie Bascom would live to mourn all her sons unless her machinations somehow resulted in her own death beforehand.

He considered what Newley had said about the third brother, Lacey, being sent to kill Alice. That came as no surprise; Rusty had expected another try. He had warned Andy and Evan to keep a close watch. Now he began to reassess his own mission, the search for Corey Bascom. This endless riding was getting him nowhere. He might travel a thousand miles and get no nearer to Corey than he already was. Even if he found Corey and killed him, that would do nothing for Josie except avenge her death. The best thing he could do for Josie at this point would be to help keep her younger sister alive.

He decided to return to the Monahan place. He would not give up his search for Corey, but he would reluctantly defer it for a while. Vengeance would have to wait.

He approached the farm, his shoulders hunched, his body so tired he held himself in the saddle by force of will. The dun horse seemed to falter in its step. It needed long rest and many generous helpings of grain.

James Monahan walked out from the barn. “My God, Rusty, is that you? You look like hell.”

Rusty rubbed a hand over his unshaven face. “I’ve been through hell and out the far side. I’d swear I’ve ridden this poor horse a thousand miles.”

“
He shows it. Find any sign of Corey?”

“
Not one. He could be in Mexico or Colorado or California for all I found out. How are things here?”

“
Grim.”

“
Is Alice all right?”

“
She’s feelin’ low. Blames herself. Still wishes it had been her instead of Josie.”

So do I, Rusty thought with a rush of bitterness, then felt guilty for it. “The Bascoms made any more effort to get her?”

“
One. Somebody tried to sneak up to the house a couple nights ago. Andy challenged him with a shotgun. Whoever it was, he turned and ran. Andy gave him a blast and heard him holler.”

“
All the Bascoms except Corey know Alice is alive. Far as I can tell, though, he still thinks she’s dead.” Rusty told about his encounter with the two younger Bascom brothers.

James said, “Maybe losin’ that boy will convince the old woman to take what’s left of her family and leave the country.”

“
You ever see a hurt snake get so mad it bites itself? She’ll probably be meaner than ever, and more determined. All the way back, I’ve been thinkin’ we need to get Alice away from here.”

“
Where could she go that they wouldn’t find her?”

“
My old friend Tom Blessing has a wife who’s ailin’. He’s been wishin’ he could find a woman to help take care of her ’til she’s back on her feet. It’s a long ways down there. The Bascoms would have no idea how to find her.”

“
Mama’s still in bad shape. I don’t know as Alice would want to leave her.”

“
Clemmie’s lost one daughter. What would come of her if she lost another?”

James mulled that over. “Then we’ll send Alice away with you whether she wants to go or not.”

“
Me and Andy can take her out of here after good dark. Even if the Bascoms find out she’s gone, they won’t have any idea where she went.”

“
Don’t you think you need to rest a day or two first?”

“
We don’t know how much rest the Bascoms are takin’. I can rest after I get home.”

Alice was strongly opposed to leaving, as Rusty had expected her to be. But even Clemmie urged her to go. In a strained but determined voice Clemmie told her, “I don’t figure on stayin’ in this bed forever. I’ll still have Warren and Geneva and James. They’ll see after me. You go and see after yourself.”

Alice gave in. Clemmie beckoned Rusty to her side and took his hand. Her grip was weak. This woman had been heart and soul of the Monahan family. He hated to leave her now when she was ill.

She said, “I know you’re hurtin’. We’re all hurtin’. But I’ve been there before. It passes, with time.”

Rusty’s eyes burned. “I hope so, because it sure hurts right now. You-all are the nearest thing to family that I’ve had since my folks died.”

“
You’ll always be family to us.”

Preacher Webb walked with him up to the little Monahan cemetery. A bare new mound had appeared beside the grassed-over plots where Lon Monahan and his son Billy had been buried years before.

He felt Webb’s comforting arm on his shoulder. As far back as he could remember, Preacher Webb had been around to offer spiritual strength when he needed it.

Webb said, “She’s not really here, you know. She’s gone on to a better world.”

Rusty took no comfort in the words. “I wanted her here, in
this
world. If your God is so merciful, why does He let things like this happen?”

“
People have asked that ever since time began. I don’t know the answer to it. I just know there is sunlight and there is dark. There is good and there is evil. It’s up to those of good heart to try and end the evil.”

“
I’ll put an end to Corey Bascom if I ever find him. And I’ll find him!”

“
The Bascoms have taken away somethin’ precious to you, but don’t let them take away your soul. You don’t stop evil by doin’ more evil. Whatever you do, do it within the law.”

“
It’s been a long time since we’ve had real law in Texas.”

“
But we’ll have it again. Be a part of it, like you used to be.”

“
Like in the rangers?”

“
Like in the rangers. I hear they’re comin’ back.”

B
essie Bascom had been preparing to milk the cow when she first saw the oncoming rider. So long as she was outdoors, she missed very little that moved. She had watched the horseman now for half an hour, hoping he would prove to be Corey. Her eldest was the only one she felt was capable of lifting the darkness that had befallen the Bascoms. Sure, he was the one who had brought it upon them in the first place, fetching that girl Alice here, making her privy to the family’s doings. And sure, he had taken it badly when he thought his brother Lacey had killed her. But she felt he would come around to his mother’s way of thinking eventually. He was family. When the chips were down, the Bascoms always pulled together. Her sons had rallied like troopers when old Anse died at the hands of the state police. They would rally now.

She knew the rider was one of her sons. She knew them by the way they sat in the saddle, the same way their father had done before them. In time she became aware that he led another horse. It appeared to be carrying a pack. That was strange. She had not sent the boys for supplies. She had ordered Newley and little Anse out to trail the man named Shannon. She had dispatched Lacey to finish the job he had botched the first time, killing Josie. He had returned in pain, barely able to sit in the saddle. She had spent more than an hour digging buckshot out of his backside while he howled like a hurt dog.

Not until the horseman was within a hundred yards did she recognize him as Newley. Her heart began to race as she realized that what she had thought was a pack was in reality a body tied across a saddle. She went running, screaming. “Little Anse, my baby. Oh Lord God, my baby.”

The horses spooked at the wailing and the flare of Bessie’s skirts. Newley had to hold tightly to the reins.

Bessie threw her arms over the body and kissed the still, cold face. She wept bitter tears while Newley dismounted and stood awkwardly, his head down. He rubbed his sleeve over his face.

Bessie turned on him. Accusation overrode the grief in her eyes. “What happened?”

Newley took a step backward in fear of her. “Wasn’t no fault of mine, Ma. He oughtn’t to’ve tried to draw on that Shannon. It was over before I could move.”

“
I’m guessin’ you never moved at all. I’m guessin’ you just sat there.”

“
Wasn’t nothin’ I could do. Shannon come up from behind. He had the drop on us before we even seen him.”

“
But your little brother drawed on him just the same?”

“
He oughtn’t to’ve.”

“
Why didn’t you draw, too? You could at least have shot Shannon while he was busy shootin’ your baby brother.”

“
He’d have shot me, too. You got no idee how fast he is.”

“
Maybe it would’ve been better. You’d’ve been spared the shame of bringin’ this innocent baby boy back here dead while you don’t appear to have a scratch on you.”

Newley turned away, tears running down his cheeks. “I’m sorry, Ma. I done the best I know how.”

“
I ought to take a quirt to you, but it wouldn’t do no good. Wouldn’t make you no smarter, nor braver. Wouldn’t bring little Anse back to us. I’m just glad old Anse ain’t here to see this. One son dead. One
son gone off to God knows where. Two other sons dumber than dirt, can’t even take care of a simple job. It’s a mean world we’ve come to.”

Newley drew himself up with what pride he could muster. “I’ll go find that Shannon, and I’ll kill him.”

Bessie was gratified that Newley had that much pride, but she knew pride would soon give way to fear. “No, we’ll give your brother a decent buryin’ first. Then I’ll want you to go find Corey and bring him back here.”

“
Ain’t no tellin’ where he’s at.”

“
He’s somewhere. You’ll find him.”

“
What’s Lacey goin’ to do?”

“
When he’s able to ride again I’ll send him back to watch for another chance at that girl. It’s your job to find Corey before Shannon does.”