The Deputy - Edge Series 2 (16 page)

He mopped at his brow with a colourful silk handkerchief.

‘Say what you came for. But I warn you I don’t intend to make any deals that involve turning your son loose.’

It was clear Martinez had not expected to hear anything but this and his expression remained placid, showing neither anger nor disappointment as he sucked in cigar smoke. He held it for long seconds and then blew it out and said: ‘Are you quite sure of your ground, sheriff?’

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‘I’m certain of it,
senor.’

‘Sure that you are not exceeding your authority, perhaps?’

‘Your boy’s suspected of murder, Martinez. He was arrested on eye witness evidence I consider strong enough to stand up in a court of law. Only if he’s found not guilty by a jury in that court will I be duty bound to free him.’

‘When that happens, sheriff – ‘

North cut in: ‘
If
rather than when, I reckon.’

Now Martinez showed a reaction. Dull fires briefly blazed in his small eyes and his lips tightened into the thinnest of lines beneath the understated moustache. But then he shrugged back into an attitude of feigned relaxation.

‘Very well, I will not split hairs.
If
Jose is found not guilty and is released . . . will it not have been a miscarriage of the justice you quite rightly hold so dear that my son will have spent so long in jail for a crime he did not commit?’

‘It’s the way the legal system works in this country.’

Martinez inclined his head. ‘Quite so. Like human beings, the law is not perfect. But in such a case as we are discussing there is an approved method of overcoming such an injustice is there not?’

‘Is there?’

Edge took out the makings and started to roll a cigarette as he looked toward the doorway through which the appetizing cooking smells continued to drift.

‘It is known as the bail bond,’ Martinez said. ‘As I am sure you know, if I were to pledge an amount of money to guarantee my son will appear in court on the day appointed for his trial, then he may be freed?’

North said: ‘I know all about bail,
senor.
And I know as well as you how it operates. What you didn’t mention is that bail gets granted by a judge. And the judge – ‘

‘A mere formality,’ the Mexican broke in. ‘Mostly not practical in a remote town such as Bishopsburg. Where the circuit judge visits so infrequently.’

North said earnestly: ‘Like I was just going to add, Judge Hiram Miller should have been holding court today. But a couple of hired killers murdered him.’

The sometimes quick to change expression face of Martinez suddenly showed melancholy. ‘Yes, a terrible crime. That cold blooded murderers should slaughter an entire innocent family and the judge, too . . . Dreadful!’

He shook his head as if to physically dislodge from his mind this aspect of the reason for his visit to town. ‘And the tragedy means, of course, that a considerable time will elapse before another judge can be appointed to try my son’s case?’

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‘That sure is right,’ North agreed. ‘I’ve wired the state justice department asking for things to be hurried up. But you’re right. It’s sure to be awhile.’ The sheriff elected not to mention the telegraph message in his pocket.

Martinez pointed out sourly: ‘Jose has already been incarcerated for more than four weeks.’

‘Yeah, I know.’

‘And it could be much longer than that before a new trial can be scheduled. So does it not seem just that in a country like the United States where a man is considered innocent until proved guilty that my son should be set free on bail?’

‘I can’t do that.’

‘Perhaps not, according to the strict letter of the law, But in such harsh circumstances for Jose? And in the knowledge that I am a man of honour and some substance who would certainly not fail to keep his pledge in the unthinkable events the boy failed to make an appearance in court?’

‘There’s something else that – ‘ North started

Martinez hurried to break in: ‘You may set whatever figure you like, sheriff. Within reason. And I will even, if you insist, deposit the bail bond money in an account with the bank here in this town?’

North made to interrupt but held his peace in response to a tacit plea from Martinez.

‘How much? Five thousand dollars? Ten, perhaps? Not much higher since the liquid capital immediately available even to me is limited. But ten thousand in cash on deposit in the Bishopsburg bank? Plus a pledge for double that, if you wish? How does that sound?’

‘I can’t agree, Martinez. No matter how much.’

Anger ignited the older man’s eyes more brightly this time, darkened his complexion and compressed his lips into the thinnest line yet. Then the words he rasped had a spiteful sound. ‘I think you mean you
will
not agree to accept my offer!’

North shook his head. ‘Can’t I said and it’s what I mean. In misdemeanour cases I’m authorised to grant bail to prisoners waiting for the circuit judge to come around. But here in Texas neither me – nor a duly appointed judge for that matter – can grant bail in the case of a prisoner arrested for a hanging crime.’

The Mexican glowered, rose slowly from his chair, dropped his partly smoked cigar, ground it out viciously under a heel and demanded grimly: ‘Is that your final word in the subject?’

‘It has to be. First, last and all those in between.’

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Martinez turned and strode to the batwings, paused with a hand hooked over one of the doors, looked back at the table where North and Edge continued to sit and showed an expression that was as much of hatred as fury.

‘Then I cannot guarantee that some of my men – those that are good and loyal friends of Jose – will not take the law into their own hands, Sheriff North.’

‘Is that a threat,
Senor
Martinez?’

‘No, it is not. I regret to have to admit that it is an admission that I may not be able to control the men who work for my only son and I at
El Blanco Hacienda.
So high do feelings run about a young man of the calibre of Jose being held for so long in the matter of the killing of a woman no better than she should be.’

‘I hear you loud and clear,’ North said tautly.

Edge was close enough to see the blue veins standing out on the lawman’s brow and at his neck as he fought to control his rage.’

Martinez said: ‘I do not know if any of my men were responsible for the trouble you experienced to the east of town last night. But when I tell them I have failed to obtain justice for Jose by reason instead of violence, I fear I will be unable to – ‘

North’s temper snapped and he snarled: ‘That’s enough, damnit! Like I told you, I’ve heard what you’ve been saying. And now I’ve got a message I’d like you to give to those hotheads of yours!’

‘Speak your piece,’ the Mexican invited icily.

‘Molly Crowell wasn’t nowhere near being a full grown woman, Martinez! She was an innocent sixteen year old girl from a respectable God fearing family. And her death is just one killing for which nobody’s yet paid the price. There are the murders of the judge and the Bellamys, too.’

‘That has nothing – ‘

North pressed on in the same ice cold tone: ‘I intend to see that the men responsible for that slaughter are brought to justice.’

‘That is your duty and I support – ‘

Again the simmering with latent rage North refused to hear out the defensive Mexican.

‘But whatever I have to do to accomplish that, it won’t keep me from seeing to it that if lesser crimes are committed the culprits will pay for their wrong doing. And the busting out of jail of a man being held for murder ain’t exactly a misdemeanour.’

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Eduardo Martinez drew himself stiffly erect and looked like a soldier about to salute. Then he gave a curt nod, donned his sombrero, turned and pushed out through the batwings without uttering another word.

Edge lit the cigarette he had been toying with while the two men talked and got nowhere with their exchanges. At the same time as the aroma from the kitchen became more appetising by the moment.

There was a flurry of irate Spanish from beyond the saloon entrance and a man blurted fearfully in heavily accented English: ‘I am so sorry, sir! Honest I am! I never meant to – ‘

‘Just get your filthy carcase out of my way, you disgustingly – ‘

Whatever other insults were hurled by Martinez at the contrite man who had evidently bumped into him were masked by the sounds of many horses being wheeled and commanded to gallop away from the front of the saloon.

They headed west, the direction from which they had come. Mingled in the cacophony were shouted farewells to Jose Martinez in the jailhouse. Edge and North rose from the table and could see through the windows flanking the doorway that the dozen or so men riding with Martinez were all Mexicans. That they were attired for range work rather than in the business suited style he had adopted for his trip to town, and all had gunbelts slung around their waists, revolvers in the holsters and carried rifles in saddle boots.

‘I’m sure that guy doesn’t make idle threats,’ North said grimly as he dropped heavily back on to his chair. Then he did a double take toward the batwings and groaned. Edge looked in the same direction as he too sat down again: saw a rangy, ill-clad and dishevelled looking man standing there. The newcomer was holding back, half in and half out of the saloon, trying to mask his apprehension with a crooked grin. Edge said: ‘If this is more trouble, feller, I’d like to eat while you take care of it?’

‘It’s Billy Injun,’ North replied with a sigh. ‘Probably fixing to bum a drink.’ He raised his voice. ‘Billy, you know you ain’t allowed in the Dancing Horse unaccompanied.’

The man on the threshold broadened his grin. ‘When you hear what I got to tell you, Sheriff North, you’ll reckon I’m real good company and no mistake.’

North said to Edge with no attempt to prevent the man on the threshold from overhearing: ‘I should warn you that a lot of what Billy has to say needs to be taken with a half handful of salt.’

Edge replied: ‘And I guess you don’t have to be mustard to spot his lies?’

‘Uh?’

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‘Forget it, feller. An old joke. Just call it well seasoned humour.’

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CHAPTER • 10

_________________________________________________________________

BILLY INJUN was of indeterminate age: at least forty or maybe more than fifty.
Tall and skinny, he was dressed in ragged and stained pants and shirt, was hatless and illshod in down-at-heel riding boots. He had a face that may once have been proudly handsome in his younger days but a livid scar on his right cheek, curving from the side of his eye down to the corner of his mouth, gave his features a twisted, unintentionally evil expression when he was not smiling.

Now he frowned with apprehension as he responded to North’s beckoning gesture and advanced on the table. Where he tentatively sat down and listened, apparently good naturedly, to the lawman filling Edge in on his background like he was not present.

‘Billy’s a half Navajo, quarter Mexican and quarter Anglo. Got some unpronounceable name that translates into English as half a damn dime novel.’

‘I prefer Billy Injun myself.’ The man grinned fleetingly and was ignored by North.

‘Been around Bishopsburg for nigh on ten years, it must be by now. Lives in a fallen down adobe shack out along the south trail.’

‘More than twelve years, Sheriff George,’ Billy corrected eagerly. ‘And my house is good enough for my needs.’

North continued in the same patronising manner. ‘A good man when he’s not drinking. Works at milking cows, fixing fences, sweeping floors and such like. Can repair almost anything that’s broke long as it ain’t mechanical. Not an ounce of spite in him, ain’t that right, Billy?’

The mix breed grinned and nodded enthusiastically to confirm all that the lawman was saying about him while he was saying it. ‘Everyone reckons that I am okay guy, ain’t that right?’

‘Most reckon that,’ North allowed.

The eager to please mix breed had pointedly not looked at the other man at the table until now, when Edge thrust out a hand and said: ‘Good to know you, feller.’

There was a degree of excited eagerness in the way Billy Injun shook the proffered hand that suggested it was some kind of privilege he did not often get to enjoy.

‘And for me to know you, mister.’

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North said caustically: ‘Okay, so now you’ve met Mr Edge who’s my new deputy and we’re all buddies - what makes you think you’re such good company for me today, Billy?’

The smile suddenly disappeared and was replaced by the unfortunate malevolent look. And Edge guessed that this unintentional expression was why North had made a point of saying there was no harm in the man.’