Trouble at the Red Pueblo (2 page)

“That’s mighty slim—” Spider was about to go on when Laurie put her hand on his knee.

“Do you need to leave?” she asked Jade.

The young man ran his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to look impatient. The truth is, my wife is supposed to call me. She went to the doctor this morning.”

“Is anything wrong?” Laurie’s concerned look deepened.

Jade’s cheeks grew rosy and he shook his head. “We’re expecting a baby. It’s our first.”

“Congratulations!” Spider stood and held out his hand. “If you don’t have any more information for me, I’ll let you get on your way back to Vegas. Just tell me who I talk to at the museum.”

Jade stood, patting his shirt pocket before extracting a business card. “Here’s the director’s contact information. He can tell you the whole story.”

Spider walked with Jade toward the gate, reading the name on the card as he went. “Martin Taylor. Should I call him or just show up?”

“We’ll just show up,” Laurie said. “Since we don’t have a phone.”

Spider stopped and looked down at his wife. “
We’ll
show up? Are you coming with?”

“There’s no need for me to stay home now,” Laurie said. Her voice quavered at the end of the sentence, and her eyes filled with tears. She accepted the handkerchief Spider proffered and turned away for a moment to wipe her eyes. “Excuse me,” she said to Jade. “I didn’t expect to get weepy.”

Jade stopped at the gate to let her go through first. “Please don’t apologize. I should have come on another day.”

She shook her head. “No, I think it’s wonderful you came today. This will give us both something to think about instead of the empty chair in the living room.”

Spider put his arm around his wife as they walked Jade to his car.

The young man stopped with his hand on the door handle and looked at the roof of the Latham vehicle. It still showed the dents Spider hadn’t been able to completely hammer out after the rollover accident he’d had on one of his first cases. “I see you’re still driving the same pickup.”

“It runs good,” Spider said. “And it’s easy to spot in a crowded parking lot.”

“My dad would approve,” Jade said with a smile, opening the door of his own car. He paused and leaned against the top. “If things are so tight here, why don’t you come to Vegas and work for Tremain Enterprises? Dad’d hire you in an instant.”

“I know that,” Spider said. “He told me the same thing last time I worked for him, but Lathams have been living in Meadow Valley for four generations. Five if you count my boys. We’ve got good pasture and plenty of water. It’s worth hanging onto, even when times are lean.”

Jade slid into the driver’s seat and closed the door, speaking through the open window. “Dad says there’s a room for you at the Best Western in Kanab. It’s there on the main drag. He wants you to call him once you’re settled in and understand the lay of the land.”

“Will do.” Spider drew Laurie back a pace as Jade started the engine. They watched as the car turned around in the drive, and they waved as it rattled over the cattle guard.

“I’ll run over to Bud’s and ask him to check on the cattle for me every few days,” Laurie said. “Then I’ll stick all those funeral casseroles in the freezer and pack something for us to eat for supper on the way.”

“We’re leaving this afternoon?”

“You heard what Jade said. They’re in trouble, and there’s a deadline.”

Spider took the phone from his pocket. “All right. I’ll call and make sure it’s okay for me to take the time off.”

Laurie headed toward the barn. “I’m getting my saddle right now and putting it in the pickup, so I don’t forget it.”

Spider paused with his thumb on the key pad. “Hold on a minute. You’re taking your saddle?”

Laurie stopped and turned around. “Yeah. I thought I’d spend some time with Jack.”

“Jack?”

“Jack Houghton, my cousin. We used to ride all around that red rock country when I was sixteen. It would be fun to do it again.”

“Isn’t he a dentist? How do you know he has horses?”

“He’s an orthodontist. His cousin Sally was at the funeral today. She told me he’s bought the old family ranch and built a new house and stables on it.”

“Huh,” Spider grunted. As Laurie turned again toward the barn, he went back to scrolling through the menu on his phone to find the sheriff’s number.

SPIDER SHUT THE
hotel room door behind him with his foot as he balanced Laurie’s saddle on his shoulder with one hand and carried her guitar case in the other. He dumped them both on one of the two queen size beds. “I didn’t know you packed your guitar.”

She put down the phone receiver. “Jack and I used to sing together. I brought it just in case.”

Spider pulled down the corners of his mouth.

Laurie smiled. “Don’t give me that look. What have you got against Jack?”

“What look? Why would I have anything against Jack?”

“I don’t know. You tell me.” She walked over and put her arms around his neck. “You look like you’ve bitten into a persimmon every time I mention his name.”

“Not a persimmon.” Spider dropped a kiss on her lips. “Maybe a horse biscuit.”

Laurie laughed and turned away. “You’re terrible. What has poor Jack done to make you dislike him?”

“I don’t like the way he looks at you, and he never misses a chance to put his arm around you.”

“He’s my cousin. We spent a lot of time together when I was a teenager.”

“He’s a third cousin.” Spider pulled a card from his shirt pocket. “And I particularly don’t like the way he’s always quoting poetry.”

Laurie hefted a suitcase up onto the bed. “He’s a fourth cousin, and it’s cowboy poetry. He writes it. He’s pretty good, too.”

“I wouldn’t mind it so much if he didn’t do those gestures.” Spider struck a pose with one foot forward, one hand in the air, fingers spread apart. Then he shook his head and picked up the phone.

Laurie grinned. “Well, we’re having dinner with him tonight.”

Spider rested the receiver on his shoulder and looked at her, eyes narrowed. “Not really.”

She nodded. “I couldn’t tell him no. Besides, you said you were hungry.”

He looked at his watch. “When?”

“In about ten minutes.” She began transferring clothing from a suitcase to a drawer.

Looking at the card and punching buttons on the phone, Spider muttered, “I think I just lost my appetite.”

Laurie glanced up. “What did you say?”

“Nothing.” Spider turned away as his party answered. “Mr. Taylor? This is Spider Latham. Yes. Brick Tremain asked me to come over, see if I could help.” He listened a moment and then asked, “Can I come by and talk to you this evening? That would be fine. Seven-thirty it is.”

Laurie poked Spider in the back with a clothes hanger. “Seven-thirty? That doesn’t give us much time for dinner with Jack.”

Spider hung up the phone. “What can I say? Today’s my lucky day.”

Spider and Laurie walked the two blocks to Parry Lodge where a fresh-faced young woman with spiky black hair and dangly earrings met them in the foyer of the restaurant. Carrying a sheaf of menus on her arm, she welcomed them with a smile. “Would you prefer the dining room or the coffee shop?”

Laurie tucked her hand inside Spider’s arm. “We’re meeting someone here. Jack Houghton?”

“Oh, yes. Dr. Houghton is in the dining room. I’ll take you right in.” She led them through a wide archway to a pleasant room done in blue and green. Widely-spaced tables with heavy white linen tablecloths, napkins, and fresh flowers gave the room an air of elegance.

“Laurie!” At a corner table, a tall man, handsome in an angular way and graying at the temples, stood and beckoned.

“Geez.” Laurie grabbed Spider’s hand and whispered, “Look how thin he is.”

Spider nodded his thanks to the spiky-haired hostess and allowed himself to be pulled over to Jack Houghton’s table.

Jack planted one foot forward and held up his right hand, fingers lightly flexed, as he began quoting.

I saw her comin' from afar,

That gal with auburn hair,

And my heart, which had been workin' fine,

Just stopped and stuck right there.

She was such a pretty thing,

It scattered all my wits,

And I'd a-give my heart to her,

If it wasn't on the fritz.

“Hello, Jack.” Laurie kissed his cheek. “You are sweet and funny. Do you remember my husband, Spider?”

“I remember the face,” Jack said, shaking Spider’s hand, “but I thought his name was Spencer.”

“Spider’s a nickname.” Laurie took the chair that Jack held for her. “I don’t think many people know what his real name is.”

Jack sat opposite Laurie and leaned on his elbow, regarding her. “So tell me.”

Laurie’s answer was interrupted by a young waiter in a white shirt and tie. He introduced himself and asked if they would care to order drinks.

“We’re in a bit of a time crunch,” Spider said. “We’d like to order now, if that’s all right. What can you recommend that will be fast?”

Jack held up his hand. “Wait, wait, wait. You can’t eat at Parry Lodge and have a time constraint. Why, look around. Look at the pictures on the walls. Famous people from all over have eaten here. The place is famous for its food and famous for its ambiance.”

Spider didn’t reply to Jack. He kept his eyes on the server, waiting for an answer to his question. The young man stepped around in back, so he could point out items on Spider’s menu that took less time, and soon he was on his way to the kitchen, having promised expedited service.

“Famous people,” Spider mused. He looked around at the black and white photos. “John Wayne I recognize, but—” He peered at the names under the pictures on the wall next to his chair. “—Lex Barker? John Agar? If the food is equally famous, I hope I’ll recognize the lasagna.”

Spider felt Laurie kick him in the ankle and obligingly turned the conversation. “I hear you built a new house, Jack.”

Laurie’s cousin needed no more encouragement and entered into a detailed description of the art of building a straw-bale home. His narrative lasted through the salad and entrée, and he broke into poetry only once when he described the building site. He was deep into the stucco finish when Laurie looked at her watch.

“We’ve got an appointment at seven-thirty,” she said, putting her napkin by her plate.

Spider stood and helped with her chair. “Thanks for inviting us to dinner, Jack. Sorry we have to run.”

Jack stood as well. He kissed Laurie on the cheek. “I’ve got some braces I’ve got to see to tomorrow, but the day after that I’m free. We can spend it together. Remember that ride we used to take out to Inchworm?”

Laurie smiled. “Yes. I’d love to go there again.”

Jack turned to face Spider. “Uh, you too, Spencer. Glad to have you come. Do you ride?”

Spider offered his hand. “Yes, but this is a working trip for me. I’d better not make any plans.”

The two men shook, and then Spider walked behind Laurie, his hand on the small of her back, as they wove through the tables and across the foyer to the exit.

Night had fallen while they were having dinner, and the evening was pleasantly warm as they walked back to the hotel. Laurie linked her arm through Spider’s. “Nicely done, Spencer.”

“Yeah, well don’t try to talk me into going riding with you two.”

A couple walked by, having an animated conversation in what appeared to be Japanese. Spider waited until they had passed and then remarked, “I’ve heard about three different languages tonight. I didn’t realize Kanab was such a crossroads.”

“I think that’s why that summer I spent here was so exciting. People come from all over the world to see the nearby National Parks, and I got asked out in five languages.”

“But you didn’t go because your true love was Cousin Jack.”

“I didn’t go because I was a shy, small-town waitress, afraid to move out of her protected circle.”

They reached the pickup, and Spider opened the passenger door for Laurie. As he walked around to his side, an ambulance went by, siren wailing. He got in and waited until the sound faded before asking, “Are you sorry you never ventured beyond the small-town life?”