Trail of the Hanged Man (13 page)

It was after midnight. The stores were closed, the streets almost empty. Except for the rowdies whooping it up in the Copper Palace and the Las Flores, everything was quiet in Santa Rosa.

Lawless lay on his cot in the cell, unable to sleep, a desert wind blowing in through the barred window refreshingly cool on his face.

Presently, he heard the door in the adjoining office open. Boots stomped in from outside. Voices and laughter followed. He guessed it was Deputies Lacey and McGowan returning from their last patrol around town. He listened intently. Shortly, he heard the higher-pitched voice of Lacey say goodnight; then a brief silence; then Deputy McGowan closing the front door and sliding the bolt into place. His boots clumped across the plank flooring. A key unlocked the door to the cells. Lawless closed his
eyes and pretended to be asleep as the deputy looked in.

Satisfied all was well, Deputy McGowan locked the door. Lawless heard him cross to the stove, pour himself a cup of coffee and flop in the chair behind the sheriff’s desk. Lawless smiled. McGowan enjoyed ordering folks around and Lawless guessed by now he had his boots up on the desk and was
imagining
how it would feel to be sheriff. A long silence followed. Lawless wondered if the deputy had dozed off. If he had, now was as good a time as any to try to break out.

Rising, Lawless quietly slid the cot over to the window, stood on it and peered out through the bars. There was a dirt alley running between the back of the jail and a large adobe-brick building that he guessed was some kind of storehouse. He tested the bars. They were buried in the lower and upper walls of the window and when he tugged on them, they didn’t budge. Even if he had a knife he doubted if he could dig them loose by morning.

Stepping down, he slid the cot back against the wall and checked the lock in the cell door. It was a large, uncomplicated lock stamped with the manufacturer’s name: Sargent & Greenleaf. Lawless remembered the key was big and fitted so snugly Sheriff Thorpe had had trouble inserting it and removing it when he first locked Lawless up. The key also grated when it turned, suggesting the lock might be rusted inside. Still, Lawless thought, it was worth a try. Removing his belt, he held the buckle flat and inserted the metal prong into the lock. He gently twisted it around. It snagged against the mechanism, but was not stout enough to turn anything. After several tries, Lawless gave up and slipped the belt back through the loops on his jeans.

Escape was hopeless, he knew, unless he could trick the deputy into moving close enough to the bars so Lawless could grab him. But Deputy McGowan, though young and cocky, was no fool. In the few times he had entered the cell room, he had never come within arms’ length of the bars.

Glum, Lawless sat on his cot, took out the makings and built
a smoke. Striking the match on the wall he held it up for a moment, using the flame to illuminate his surroundings. Nothing but bars, walls, stone floor and a flat adobe ceiling that was out of reach and probably several feet thick. Frustrated, Lawless lit his cigarette from the sputtering flame and leaned back against the wall.

After all that life had thrown at him, he wondered, could he now really be doomed to hang – a second time? Was fate really that heartless? And what about the citizens of Santa Rosa – would they actually stand by and say nothing while an innocent man was hanged? If Stadtlander had anything to say about it, the answer was most definitely yes.

Damn, Lawless thought. If only Joey hadn’t shot his horse, he’d be in Arizona by now and—

Voices interrupted his thinking. Someone outside on the boardwalk was talking through the front door to the deputy. Lawless couldn’t make out everything that was being said but he recognized the speaker’s voice. It was Deputy James Lacey’s and it sounded like he was asking McGowan to open the door.

‘Goddammit, Jim,’ Lawless heard Deputy McGowan reply, ‘what in tarnation did you forget this time?’

Rising, Lawless went to the bars and listened. He heard McGowan’s boots clumping to the door, then the scrape of the bolt being slid back – then the door opening – then a moment of silence followed immediately by the sound of a brief scuffle – and finally two bodies collapsing on the floor.

Before Lawless could figure out what was happening, a key unlocked the door to the cells. A man stepped in, a man who except for a full black beard and the trail dust caking his clothes, could have been Lawless’s double.

‘Well, if it ain’t my favorite cousin,’ Will Lawless said. He stepped close to the bars, whiskey fouling his breath, and grinned at Ben Lawless. ‘Surprised to see me?’

‘That’s one way of putting it,’ Lawless said grimly.

‘My, my, sounds like you’re still holding a grudge,
hombre
.’

‘Not so long as you’re holding those keys.’

Will chuckled, ‘You always did know which side your biscuit was buttered on,’ and unlocked the cell.

‘Around you I had to,’ Lawless said, adding: ‘How’d you know I was here?’

‘I told him,’ a man said from the doorway. Dark-haired and bronzed by the sun, Gabriel Moonlight was even taller than Lawless and had the kind of ice-blue eyes that pierced right through to a person’s soul. ‘Cally told me yesterday at the hideout and I got word to Will, here. Figured since you were kin, he might want to help us cheat Stadtlander out of a hanging.’

‘Thanks, Gabe. I owe you,’ Lawless said.

‘C’mon, you jabbernuts,’ someone yelled from the office. ‘Hurry it up. The horses are falling asleep!’

‘Christawmighty,’ said Lawless, recognizing the voice. ‘Just like old times.’

The three of them pushed out into the office where two bodies lay sprawled on the floor. One was Deputy Lacey. By the unnatural way his head was turned Lawless knew his neck was broken. The other man, Deputy McGowan, was unconscious and had blood seeping from two gashes on his temple.

Perched on the desk beside him, his dangling legs too short to reach the floor, was Latigo Rawlins. The dapper little gunman winked at Lawless and then pointed his carbine at Deputy McGown. ‘Dumb bastard started coming around, so I had to give him another tap.’

‘Better tie him up,’ Gabriel said, ‘or we’ll have a posse
breathing
down our necks.’

‘Why waste good rope?’ Will Lawless said. Before they could stop him, he whipped out a boot knife and sliced the
unconscious
deputy’s throat. ‘Reckon now we got all the time we need.’

‘Goddamn you!’ Lawless raged. ‘Now I’m on the hook for two killings.’

‘What of it?’ Will said. ‘They was going to hang you anyways.’ Wiping his knife clean on the deputy’s shirt, he stuck it in his
boot and walked out.

‘Ain’t he a daisy?’ Latigo said.

‘I should’ve let the bastard drown,’ Lawless said grimly. Then, as the others looked at him questioningly, ‘When we were growing up, we were always fighting and one day he tried to push me down his old man’s well. Will was stronger than me, but I was quicker. I wrestled loose and hit him. He went stumbling back, lost his balance and next thing I knew he’d fallen into the well.’

‘And you were bone-headed enough to pull him out?’

Lawless shrugged. ‘He was my cousin.’

‘What of it?’ Latigo said coldly. ‘Just ’cause you’re kin don’t mean you can’t kill each other.’

‘So you would’ve let him drown?’

‘Not me,’ Latigo said. ‘I would’ve shot the sonofabitch as he was swimming around.’ Jumping off the desk, he carefully stepped over the corpses and walked out.

Gabriel Moonlight shook his head in disgust. ‘And goodness and mercy shall follow them for the rest of their lives.’

‘Amen,’ Lawless said. They left, closing the door behind them.

On their way to the border they stopped at the Bjorkman ranch to pick up Lawless’s gun.

Despite the late hour a light glowed in the window. Guessing Ingrid was up for some reason and not wanting her anywhere near his cousin, Lawless reined up outside the gate and told Gabriel, Will and Latigo to wait for him. Dismounting, he
handed the reins to Gabriel.

Instantly he had to jump back as the irascible all-black Morgan tried to bite him.

‘When you going to teach that damn horse some manners?’ Lawless cursed.

‘I’ve tried teaching him,’ Gabriel said. ‘Sonuvagun’s too
mule-headed
to learn.’

‘Maybe you should’ve stoled another horse,’ Will said.

‘I didn’t steal Brandy,’ Gabriel said. ‘I keep telling you that. I won him fair and square, aces and eights.’

‘Yeah, but I heard you dealt yourself the second ace from the bottom of the deck.’

‘That’s a damn lie – and everyone at the table knows it.’

‘Then how come Stadtlander’s got men out looking for you?’

‘’Cause the old man can’t stand losing – at anything.’

‘If we’re going to cross the border afore sunup,’ Latigo reminded them, ‘we best make tracks.’

‘Be right back,’ Lawless said. He ducked between the bars of the gate and hurried to the house. No one answered his first knock. He knocked again, slightly louder.

‘Who is it?’ Ingrid asked.

‘Ben – open up.’

The door opened and Ingrid, framed by lamplight, stared at him in shock.

‘I don’t have time to explain,’ Lawless said, ‘but I need my gun.’

She reached behind the door and handed him his gunbelt. Looking tired and close to defeat, she asked him if he was all right.

He nodded. ‘You’re going to hear a lot of ugly stories about me tomorrow – about how I killed two deputies while breaking out of jail.’

‘Nonsense!’ She shivered despite the robe pulled tightly around her. ‘You’re many things, Ben, but I’ll never believe you’re a murderer.’

‘What you believe won’t matter. Not once they find the bodies. But I wanted you to hear the truth from me: I did not kill them.’

‘I would’ve gone to my grave believing that anyway. But I’m still glad you told me.’

In the darkness beyond the gate a horse whinnied and stamped its hoof impatiently on the ground.

Ingrid looked questioningly at Lawless.

‘Some men I’m with,’ he said.

‘If they need to water their horses—’

‘No. I don’t want you to see them or know who they are. That way, you don’t have to lie when the sheriff questions you.’

‘I thank you for that.’

‘You’re up late?’

‘I couldn’t sleep.’

‘If it’ll help … I’ll stay a while.’

‘Goodness no! This will be the first place they look.’ She managed a tight thin smile. ‘I’ll be all right. Promise.’

‘Sure you will. Just takes time is all.’

She looked off at the darkness, said distantly, ‘It’s not … I mean I’m not really afraid … though Raven says I am … it’s just … all so new … you know, being alone … the two of us … out here … without Sven or, or you to … to … well … it can be a little unsettling.’

One of the men whistled.

‘You’d better go,’ she said.

Lawless nodded but didn’t move.

‘Will I ever see you again?’

‘Of course,’ he lied. ‘Might be a spell, but.…’

Ingrid nodded, understanding. ‘I’ll miss you.’

‘Just don’t forget me.’

‘Do you really think I could?’

‘I’ll never forget you. Any of you.’

Ingrid smiled sadly. ‘Life,’ she said, ‘why does it have to be so complicated?’

A second whistle, more impatient than the first, pierced the darkness.

‘Take care of yourself, Ben.’

‘You do the same.’

‘I will.’

He wanted to say more, to tell her how he really felt about her, how that being with her and Sven and Raven was the best thing that had ever happened to him, but couldn’t find the words.

Sensing his struggle, she leaned close and kissed his cheek. ‘God speed, Ben Lawless.’

The urge to hold her, to feel her warm and soft and
comforting
against him was overwhelming. But he restrained himself, touched his hat and forced himself to walk away.

Never had he felt as empty.

Suddenly a slim boyish figure in a flannel nightgown pushed past her mother and caught up to Lawless.

‘I trusted you,’ Raven said angrily, ‘and you weren’t even going to say goodbye.’

He gathered her up, lifting her off her feet, and bear-hugged her. ‘I wanted to, sprout. But I didn’t have the guts.’

‘Hah! You expect me to believe that?’

‘Why would I lie?’

‘’Cause it’s what grownups do when they let you down.’

‘Trust.…’ he reminded. ‘It’s a—’

‘I know, I know,’ Raven grumbled, ‘“a notion you can live by”.’

‘And build on. Always remember that.’

She sighed. He felt her relax as her anger faded.

‘All right,’ she said grudgingly, ‘I believe you. So, there.’

Pleased, he set her down.

She stood there in the darkness, looking up at him with her large, black, expressive eyes. ‘I love you,’ she said.

He smiled, knowing he felt the same way about her.

‘Ain’t you going to say you love me?’

‘You already know that.’

‘Then say it. Say: I love you.’

‘Damn, if you aren’t the pushiest girl I ever met.’

‘Only when I want something and right now I want you to say you love me.’

‘God help me and the men that come after me,’ Lawless said. He hunkered down and looked deep into her shining eyes. ‘I love you, sprout. I always will.’ The words sounded strange coming out of his mouth but he knew he meant them. Kissing her on the forehead, he spun her around and gave her a gentle push in the direction of the house. ‘Look after your mother for me. She’s going to need you.’

He turned toward the gate and walked off into the darkness.

Behind him he heard Raven say, ‘I told him I loved him, Momma.’

‘I know, sweetheart. I heard you.’

‘Said he loved me back.’

‘Yes, I know.’

‘You love him too, don’t you?’

‘Yes,’ Ingrid said.

‘Like you loved Pa?’

‘No, sweetheart. Not like that. But in a very special way.’

It was shortly before sunup when the four of them crossed the border into Mexico. They crossed where there was no fence, only endless miles of pale lemony scrubland and rocks, and rode
westward
toward Las Palomas.

There was no moon but plenty of coyotes. They sang in mournful chorus all around them.

‘Once, when I was holed up in the Mimbres,’ Gabriel said as they followed Will into a sandy gully, ‘I ate nothing but coyote meat for three weeks.’

‘What’d it taste like?’ Latigo asked.

‘Dog. Only tougher … stringier.’

‘You’ve ate dog?’

‘Uh-uh.’

‘Then how do you know what it tastes like?’

‘’Paches told me. They eat dog all the time.’

‘’Paches’ll eat anything,’ Will said disgustedly, ‘just so it’s breathing and sometimes even if it ain’t. Makes no matter to them.’

No one said anything.

They rode on in the cool darkness. They were deep in the gully now and on both sides of them the steep, rock-strewn banks rose up like small cliffs. It was the perfect place for an ambush and to a man, they were glad it wasn’t ten years ago or behind each rock would have been an Apache.

‘How come you were holed up so long?’ Lawless asked Gabriel.

‘Posse was hunting me for robbing a cantina.’

‘A
cantina
? Jesus, you must’ve been pretty desperate.’

‘I was drunk as a skunk is what I was. Anyways, the posse wasn’t after me for the money – hell, I only got seven dollars. It was on account of I accidentally shot the ear off the Mex who owned the place and the sheriff, damn his hide, was sweet on his daughter.’ He paused as the others started laughing, then added, ‘As if that weren’t enough incentive, happens there was also a reward out for me … and the mayor was looking to get himself re-elected. I tell you, for a spell there it seemed like all of New Mexico was beating the bushes for Mesquite Jennings.’

His companions doubled over with laughter.

They rode on around a bend. Ahead the gully widened and the rock-covered banks got steeper. Shortly, they passed a
boulder shaped like a tombstone. Immediately Will, who was riding alongside Lawless, made sure no one was watching him. Then he gently tapped his horse with his spurs. The sorrel
quickened
its pace and moved a length ahead.

Not conscious of the fact that he was now riding alone, Lawless looked back at Gabriel and shook his head disparagingly. ‘Mesquite Jennings,’ he said. ‘By God, I almost busted a gut laughing when I heard that’s what you’d named yourself.’

‘What’s wrong with Mesquite Jennings?’ Gabriel said.

‘What’s right with it, you mean.’

‘Cally liked it.’

‘You were bedding her, for Chris’sake, what the hell did you expect her to say?’

Gabriel looked hurt. ‘Well, it was good enough for some dime novel writer to dream up.’

‘What’s that prove?’ said Latigo.

‘Could you write a book?’

‘Never tried. I’ll tell you this, though: if I ever did write one, I sure as sweet Texas wouldn’t name my hero after a goddamn bush!’

Lawless started laughing again.

‘Mesquite ain’t a bush,’ said Gabriel, ‘it’s a tree—’

A sudden volley of shots poured from the rocks on both sides of them. Will’s horse screamed, staggered and went down,
pitching
him over its head.

Bullets whined all around them.

Lawless, Gabriel and Latigo jumped from their mounts and dived behind the nearest rocks.

The shooting continued, heavier now.

Pinned down, the three could only get off occasional shots.

‘Stadtlander?’ Lawless said to Gabriel.

‘I doubt it. We had strict orders never to cross over.’

‘Well, it can’t be a posse,’ Latigo said. ‘Not unless someone tipped off the sheriff ’bout busting you out.’

‘Even if they did,’ Lawless said, ‘they wouldn’t know where we
were headed. We didn’t know ourselves till after we crossed the border.’

Bullets steadily chipped at the rocks, ricocheting dangerously close.

‘Who then?’ said Gabriel.

Will came scrambling up, Winchester in hand. ‘Goddamn bandidos! The wash is crawling with ’em.’

‘
Bandidos
– with repeating rifles?’

‘Why not? Enough pesos will buy you anything.’

‘How many, y’think?’

‘More’n we can handle,’ said Gabriel.

‘Not if we could get to our rifles.’

‘First we got to get to our horses.’

They looked at each other, knowing whoever went was risking his life.

‘I’ll go,’ said Will. ‘Cover me.’ He was gone, disappearing into the darkness before they could stop him.

The three exchanged surprised looks then straightened up and emptied their Colts into the enemy. It was still too dark to see if there were any hits. But a few painful cries followed by a body tumbling into the wash told them not every shot had missed.

‘What do you make of it?’ Lawless said as they ducked down and began reloading.

‘Of what?’ Latigo said.

‘Will taking off like that. I mean when’s the last time that bastard ever volunteered to get shot?’

‘’Cept he’s not getting shot,’ Gabriel said. ‘And he ain’t going for our horses either. See?’ He pointed to a shadowy figure scrambling up the rocks on the opposite bank of the gully. ‘Son of a buck’s heading right for where most of the shooting’s coming from.’

The three looked at each other, puzzled. Then it hit Lawless.

‘That mercenary sonofabitch! He sold us out.’

‘How you figure that?’ Latigo said.

‘Who told us he knew of a hideout near Las Palomas?’

‘Will.’

‘Who said this gully led to a shortcut through the hills?’

‘I see what you mean.’

‘Damn his lying hide,’ said Gabriel. ‘We get out of here alive, I’ll make sure he never back-stabs us again.’

It was growing light. A pale mauve wash began spreading across the gray sky as dawn broke beyond the mountains in the east.

They could now see across the gully. Peering between the rocks they caught a glimpse of Will Lawless. Almost to the top of the opposite bank, he ducked behind a rocky overhang and joined a group of his men who were hiding there. The incessant rifle fire that had kept Lawless, Latigo and Gabriel pinned down abruptly ceased. They leaned back against the rocks and began reloading.

‘How much you figure Stadtlander’s paying Will to kill both of us?’ Gabriel asked Lawless.

‘As much as it takes.’

‘So it ain’t going to end here, no matter what?’

‘No matter what.’

Gabriel shook his head in disgust. ‘All these years I thought I knew that old man. He took me in, treated me fair, made me ramrod – even favored me over his own boy most of the time. Now he wants to kill me ’cause he lost one lousy hand at poker.’

‘You can’t put a price on pride, Gabe. We made a fool out of him and he’s a mighty proud and vengeful man.’

‘Whatever he’s paying,’ Latigo put in, ‘you can bet your last dollar that he’d double it to get you back alive.’

‘That’ll never happen,’ Gabriel said. ‘I’ve seen some of his hangings. He don’t use a knot to break your neck. Lets a fella just hang there, kicking and fighting for air, until he’s dead. It ain’t pretty.’

Lawless wasn’t listening. ‘You know what I can’t figure out? If Will planned this, why’d they shoot his horse?’

‘Ever knowed a greaser who was a good shot?’ Gabriel said.

‘They’re not Mex. They’re Will’s men. I’d bet on it.’

‘That’d explain the Winchesters,’ Latigo said.

‘Yeah, but not why they shot his horse.’

‘You ask me,’ Gabriel said, ‘there’s nothing to figure out. It was just a lousy shot.’

‘Mean they were aiming at one of us?’

‘Not us – you,’ said Latigo.

‘You were riding right behind him,’ Gabriel reminded. ‘And it’s no secret he’s never forgiven you for shooting his old man.’

‘I had no choice,’ Lawless said. ‘Uncle Jesse was raging drunk and came at me with a scattergun. Will knows that. He was there, beside the cotton gin when it happened.’

There was a burst of rifle fire. Bullets ricocheted off the rocks around them, forcing them to hit the ground. When the
shooting
ceased, they heard Will call out, ‘Lefty? Lefty, you hear me?’

‘I hear you,’ Latigo said.

‘I ain’t looking to kill you. You want to leave, get on your horse and ride out.’

‘And if I don’t?’

‘We’ll bury you feet up, same as Gabe and Ben.’

‘I need to think on it,’ Latigo said.

‘Don’t trust him,’ Lawless said. ‘You step out there and he’ll gun you down just for the fun of it.’

‘Tell me something I don’t know,’ Latigo said.

‘This is your last chance, Lefty,’ Will shouted after a long silence.

Latigo ignored him.

Colts fully loaded now, the three prepared to shoot it out.

‘Something else that doesn’t make sense,’ Lawless said. ‘If Will wants me dead so badly, why didn’t he tell Stadtlander that you two were breaking me out? Then the sheriff and his deputies could’ve been waiting for us the moment we walked out of the jail. That way, Will would not have only gotten his blood money, but in a day or two, he’d have a front-row seat at my hanging.’

‘He already tried that once,’ Gabriel said without thinking. ‘And look where it got him—’

‘Shut up,’ Latigo hissed.

But it was too late.

‘What’re you saying?’ Lawless demanded. Then, when they didn’t answer, ‘Did Will have something to do with this?’ He
indicated
the rope scar around his neck.

‘Forget it,’ Latigo said. ‘That’s yesterday’s news.’

‘You sons of bitches,’ Lawless said. ‘How long you known?’

‘’Bout a month after the hanging,’ Gabriel said.

‘We wanted to tell you,’ Latigo said, ‘but since you couldn’t remember nothing, what was the point?’

‘Tell me now,’ Lawless said grimly.

‘Will set you up,’ Latigo said. ‘He pistol-whipped two
rurales
to death then had one of his men tell their officer that Will Lawless was responsible and where they could find him. ’Course, he was leading them right to you. The
rurales
took the bait, mistook you for Will and.…’

Lawless didn’t hear any more. He didn’t even hear the bullets whining and ricocheting all around them. In his mind the impenetrable darkness that had always blocked his memory of those missing twelve hours now melted away; and just like that, clear as day, he saw himself struggling to escape from the men holding him … and behind them more angry faces, Mexican faces,
rurales
, their high-crown sombreros pushed back off their heads, watching him being hoisted on to his horse and then the noose dangling in front of him, a hand now looping it around his neck and then, behind him, the officer whipping his horse … the animal lunging forward and …

… the ungodly horror of the rope jerking tight … crushing against jugular … choking him … and … then …

… the picture he was visualizing faded.…

He tried desperately to get it back; to force his mind to show him what happened next, but it was useless. It was like staring into an empty black hole.

Now, as he crouched behind the rock, he saw Latigo and Gabriel returning the fire of their attackers.

‘Reloading,’ Gabriel sang out. He crouched down beside Lawless and began pulling cartridges from his gunbelt.

Lawless grabbed his arm. ‘Gabe, you got to tell me. What
happened
? Why aren’t I dead? How’d I get away?’

‘I don’t know, Ben. If I did, I’d surely tell you.’

‘What about Lefty?’

‘He don’t know either.’

Latigo fired his last round and ducked down beside them. Checking his gunbelt, he said, ‘One more load and I’m out.’

‘Two for me,’ said Gabriel.

Lawless knew then what he had to do.

‘Will!’ he shouted. ‘Will, this is Ben.’

‘What do you want?’

‘To talk.’

‘’Bout what?’

‘You’n me. Settling scores.’

No answer.

‘This is family doing. Between cousins. Why not end it that way?’

‘Keep talking.’

‘Tell your men to stop shooting. I’m coming out.’

‘Alone?’

‘Alone.’

‘You heard him,’ Will told his men. ‘Hold your fire.’

‘One last thing,’ Lawless said.’No matter who’s left standing, Gabe and Lefty get to ride out of here.’

Silence.

‘It’s almost light,’ Lawless continued. ‘You might get us all in the end but not before one of us finds a way to kill you.’

Will looked at the ever-lightening mottled sky and knew Lawless was right.

‘Deal,’ he said.

The gully became deadly quiet.

‘Are you loco?’ Gabriel hissed at Lawless. ‘You can’t go out there. Like you just told Lefty, the bastard’ll shoot you afore you cast a shadow.’

‘Then I’ll have to shoot him first.’

‘Even if you do,’ Latigo said, ‘his men will blow you to pieces.’

‘Eventually they will anyway.’ Lawless indicated his empty
gunbelt
. ‘All I got is what’s in the chamber,’ he spun the cylinder of his Colt.

‘Then we’ll all go together,’ Gabriel said.

‘Don’t include me,’ Latigo said. ‘There’s no profit in dying.’

Gabriel shot him a disgusted look then stood up.

‘Thanks,’ Lawless gripped his shoulder fondly, ‘but this is something I have to do alone.’

‘No profit in being noble either,’ Latigo said.

Lawless ignored him. ‘You can do me a favor, though,’ he said to Gabriel.

‘Name it.’

‘Afterward, if he’s still standing, I’ll die happy if you shoot him.’

‘Count on it,’ said Gabriel.

‘Watch the fingers on his gun-hand,’ Latigo told Lawless. ‘He flexes them just before he draws.’

Gabriel glanced at the coming dawn. ‘You’ll have to get close to see his fingers.’

‘I intend to,’ Lawless said. ‘After all the goddamn grief he’s caused me, I want to see his face as he dies.’ Pulling his black, flat-crowned hat firmly down on his head, he squeezed out between the rocks and walked toward the middle of the gully.

‘Whenever you’re ready,’ he called out.

Loose stones and dirt came slithering down as Will Lawless slowly descended the opposite bank.