The Last Buckaroo (3 page)

CHAPTER
THREE

When
darkness fell Yancey began feeling guilty about his horse, burdened with his
every belonging, still tied at the rail out front of the tavern.  He finished
his beer, bid Katie goodnight, then went across the street to the hotel and
rented a room.  Once his horse was put up in the barn in back of it, he stored
his things in the tack room along with the saddle and went to turn in for the
night.  Tired and somewhat drunk, he didn
’
t
want to dwell any more on his predicament.  That would just have to wait until
tomorrow.  But one thing for sure, if he was to move on, he would first need to
withdraw his money from the bank, which now amounted to near a thousand
dollars, the fruits of a lifetime of ranch work.

Two
hours later, Sheriff Preston Ames returned to the tavern, this time flanked by
two deputies.  He took a quick look around at the few patrons that remained and
then marched up to Katie at the bar. 
“
How
long ago did Yancey Burke leave from here?
”

“
What
’
s
this about, Sheriff?
”

“
We
just found Clyde Banyon,
”
Ames said, his steely eyes on hers, a
brilliant green. 
“
He
’
s
dead, Katie.
”

“
Oh
my God!
”
she screeched. 
“
What
happened?
”

“
He
must have returned to the livery.  Someone just found him in the back room with
a horseshoe hammer driven through his skull.
”

“
My
lord
…”
 
She turned away for a
moment to gather her wits. 
“
So, why do you
want Yancey?
”

“
That
same someone saw Yancey Burke in the area, just after dark.
”

“
Now
you listen to me,
Sheriff,
”
Katie
started, angry
. 
“
Yancey Burke may
sound tough at times, but I
’
m here to tell
you he wouldn
’
t hurt a flea.  It
’
s
just not in him to kill anybody.  In fact after you left before, he sat right
here defending Clyde against that attempted murder charge you placed on him. 
Now does that sound like a guy who would then go kill Clyde?
”

“
He
’
ll
have his day in court, Katie.  You can testify on Yancey
’
s
behalf then, if you want.  Now where is he?
”

Thinking
the s
heriff didn
’
t
know Yancey no longer worked at the Double Cross, she formulated a lie. 
“
Where
does he always go when he leaves town?  Back to that ranch, I suppose.  He
never really said.
”

“
That
’
s
near a day ride.  Why would he leave for there so late in the evening?
”

“
Well,
for one thing, he
’
s a loner, Sheriff.  He
likes such things as sleeping out under the stars.
”

“
Is
that so?
”
the s
heriff
said. 
“
It
seems to me you know an awful lot about him, Katie.  You two have something
more between you than this bar?
”

“
I
resent that, Sheriff!
”
Katie said angrily, pushing fingers into
her hair, which was held up with decorative combs. 
“
I
’
m
a married woman, and you know it.
”

“
I
know no such thing, Katie.  I don
’
t
believe I
’
ve ever seen the man around.  So
where you hiding him, if that
’
s true?
”

“
I
don
’
t
believe that
’
s any of your business,
”
she returned smartly.

“
You
’
re
right, Katie, it isn
’
t.  But Yancey
Burke is.  I
’
ll expect you to give me a jingle
just as soon as you see him.  Is that understood?
”

“
Sure,
Sheriff,
”
Katie said and watched
him go to the door and pass through it, followed by the deputies.  But she had
no intention of doing what he asked at all.  In fact, she knew where Yancey was
right now.  He
’
d told her he planned to spend the
night at the hotel, before he left around dark.  But surely the sheriff would
think to look there, too.

Now
she feared for what may happen to him over time.  One might say Sheriff Preston
Ames owned this county.  When he charged someone with a crime, rest assured he
got a conviction, regardless of the factual evidence.  When Ames took the stand
and pointed a crooked finger at the accused, it seemed everyone fell in line
behind him: judge, jury, and eventually the hangman.

With
no concern for her patrons, Katie dashed to the rear door and out into the
night.  Rounding the building she got to the street and gazed across to the
lighted lobby of the hotel.  Without a doubt the sheriff was in there
somewhere; his black Model T Ford sedan, a white star painted on the door, was
parked on the street out front.

After
a few minutes of waiting in the shadows between two buildings, Katie saw the
sheriff and deputies appear in the lobby.  They stood around for a time, then
came out the door, got into the car and drove away.  There was no sign of
Yancey with them, she noted, then wondered why.  Hurrying across the street she
entered the hotel and went to the counter.  No one was about so she rang the
bell to summon the owner.  Instantly he appeared looking very much like he
’
d
been sleeping, at some point.

“
Ralph,
was that the sheriff that just left?
”

“
It
was, Katie,
”
the
paunchy balding man in pajamas and robe said. 
“
He
was inquiring as to the whereabouts of Yancey Burke.
”

“
What
did you tell him, then?
”

“
I
said he was here, but he left.
”

“
He
left?
”

“
Yeah,
he put his horse away, went to the room for an hour or so, then came down
dressed just as he was when he went up, and left by the rear door.  The sheriff
went up to check the room, and he
’
s
gone al
l
right.
”

“
Is
his horse in the barn?
”

“
Nope. 
One of them checked that, too.
”

“
Yancey
just vanished?
”
Katie said and tried to think of
where he may have gone off to.

“
Call
it what you want, Katie, but he ain
’
t
here.
”
 
Ralph yawned. 
“
What
’
s
your interest in him anyway?
”

“
Well,
the s
heriff said
…
 
Never
mind.  Thanks Ralph.
”
 
Katie left the hotel and ran back across
the street.  Now she wondered if Yancey did have something to do with Clyde
’
s
murder.  Otherwise, why would he just leave like that?  But then, knowing him
as well as she did, one of a hundred things could have spooked him.  He
certainly marched to the drum beat of a different time, therefore only he could
answer that.

Back
inside the tavern, Katie found things much as she
’
d
left them.  The three patrons were still seated at the table playing cards and
none of them seemed to be in need of another beer.  She went behind the bar and
began washing up the glasses that had mounted up during the night, hoping that
would get her mind off the events of the day.

The
card players left an hour later and she went right to work sweeping up the
place.  Normally she would mop the floor as well, but this night she just
wanted to get home to the little house Helmer provided as part of her salary
and drop into a soothing bath.  Perhaps tomorrow would bring forth the real
killer and all would be back to normal
…
almost.

CHAPTER
FOUR

Katie
locked up at eleven p.m. and started down the dark alley with a lighted
kerosene lantern in hand.  Even though the normal closing time for the tavern
was midnight, Helmer allowed her to leave an hour early on nights when business
was slow or, in this case, non-existent.

She
had hardly gotten started on the block and a half walk to her house when Katie
felt no longer alone.  She paused and used the lantern to look about but saw
nothing in the near distance.  Normally, she would have continued on under a
similar circumstance, but this time her feet just wouldn
’
t
move another step.  She brought the lantern up again and caught something, from
the corner of her eye, far back into the darkness.  Focusing more closely she
saw it: a white horse standing broadside between two vacant run down warehouses
a quarter of a block away.  Knowing that Yancey had a white horse, she thought
to investigate.  But before she could, the sound of a twig breaking came from
behind her.  Quickly she turned and there before her was Yancey Burke. 
“
What
are you doing here?
”

“
I
didn
’
t
mean to frighten you
…
  I couldn
’
t
sleep.
”

“
You
couldn
’
t
sleep?  Come on, Yance, surely you can come up with something better than that?
”
she said in a low tone
so as not to alarm anyone that may bring the sheriff and his deputies on a
run.  Their office was only a block away.  She lifted the glass and blew out
the lantern.

“
Something
told me I should get out of that hotel.
”

“
You
don
’
t
know what happened, do you?
”
 
She closed the short gap between
them.

“
I
saw them hauling a body out of the livery earlier.  By the number of men it
took, I gathered it must have been Clyde.
”

“
So
you were there?
”

“
Just
riding by,
”
he
said. 
“
I
was out trying to clear my head.  Half of me said I should move on to someplace
else, and the other half said I should look for some kind of work around here. 
If I was to stay here
…”

“
Yancey,
stop!
”
 Katie was near frantic
now that she was certain he hadn
’
t
been the one that killed Clyde. 
“
Listen,
you have to get out of town!
”

“
Why?
”

“
The
sheriff thinks you killed Clyde.
”

“
What?
”
 
His eyes locked on to
hers, seeking clarity. 
“
I didn
’
t
kill anybody!
”

“
Of
course you didn
’
t.  But you know
Preston Ames.  He
’
ll make it stick
regardless.
”

“
Well,
then I
’
ll
just have to go find the sheriff and set him straight.
”
 
He started out toward
his horse.

“
You
can do what you think best, Yance.  But I wouldn
’
t
advise it for the reason I just told you.
”

“
A
man has a right to defend his self, Katie!
”

“
Okay!
”
she said and backed
away. 
“
So
can you prove you didn
’
t do it, beyond a
shadow of a doubt?  Because if you can
’
t,
Yancey, you
’
re as good as hung in this county! 
I
’
ve
seen what they do here.  And I
’
ve heard the
horrors of it passed around at the tavern.  A lot of people are aware, but
nobody will do anything about it.  I think they
’
re
all scared of Preston Ames.
”

“
How
can I run?  That thing will be hanging over my head till my dying breath.
”

“
It
depends on when you want to take that breath: in a few short weeks, or decades
down the road?  I
’
m telling you, Yance,
somebody has set you up.  And you are expected to take the fall for it.
”

Now
it was starting to make some sense to him. 
“
I
was set up?  Clyde must have had a lot of enemies
…
 
They used what happened
between us today to make it look like I did it?  Is that what you
’
re
saying?
”

“
It
is, Yancey,
”
Katie said sadly. 
“
Now
you must go.
”

“
But
I have money in the bank.  I can
’
t
leave without it.
”

“
Just
go.  Please!  When this thing blows over in a few years, maybe you can come
back for it.  I have a few dollars at my house.  Maybe that
’
ll
get you by till you can find work somewhere out of this county.
”

“
I
have a month
’
s pay on me.  I
’
ll
be okay,
”
he said and backed
away.  Pausing briefly to look at her one last time, he forced a smile.
 
“
I
guess this is goodbye then, Katie.
”

“
Yeah,
I guess it is,
”
she
said, not finding it in her to return the smile.
 
“
I
’
ll
miss you coming around, Yance.
”
  Just before
tears blurred her vision she saw his brilliant blue eyes glance to her lips. 
For an instant she could almost feel his full lips on hers.

“
Me,
too,
”
he said, and walked off
into the darkness, in the direction of the white horse.

She
stood where she was until galloping hoof beats on hard packed earthen streets
could no longer be heard before relighting the lamp and continuing on.  Now she
thought she should have asked where he was heading, just in case things changed
and word needed to be gotten to him.

Nearly
halfway up the alley something illuminated her path and she turned to see an
automobile coming toward her.  Moving to the young spring weeds at the edge of
the graveled alleyway, she waited until the familiar Ford sedan with the star
on the door pulled up beside her.

“
I
don
’
t
think it
’
s
a good idea, you being out here alone, Misses Peck,
”
Sheriff Preston Ames
said through the open window. 
“
Why don
’
t
you get in and I
’
ll drive you home.
”

“
No
thanks, Sheriff.  I only have a block to go,
”
Katie said, stepped
back to the alley, and began walking again.

“
It
doesn
’
t
bother you a killer is on the loose?
”
 
Ames kept pace with her, easing the car forward a little at a time as she
walked.

“
I
suppose that
’
s true.  No doubt there is a killer
on the loose.  But that killer mentioned isn
’
t
who you think it is.  If I were you,
Sheriff, I
’
d
be looking for a person who fiercely disliked Clyde Banyon.  Not a man who hasn
’
t
a hateful bone in his entire body.
”

“
What
’
s
Yancey Burke to you, Katie?  Hell, nobody else around here seems to know him
the way you claim to.
”

“
He
’
s
a friend I got to know at the tavern, is all.
”

“
No
hanky panky?
”

She
chuckled briefly. 
“
No.  No hanky panky,
Sheriff,
”
Katie
said. 
“
And
if you weren
’
t the sheriff I
’
d
have slapped your face for asking that.
”

“
It
goes with the job, Katie.  Don
’
t take it to
heart, okay?
”

“
If
you say so
…”

Just
then a gunshot echoed through the crisp night air, followed closely by two more
…
and then a fourth.

“
That
came from over yonder,
”
the sheriff said as he whirled to the
right, leaving only the white hat and long silver hair, which danced past his
shoulders, facing her.  The car lurched, then puttered away with all the speed
it had to offer.

Katie,
whose heart was near to jumping from her chest, watched closely to see where he
may be going.  A moment later she dropped the lantern and broke into a run
toward the lights of the town
’
s main street.