mine office. Two men came out just as we stepped up on the boardwalk. They weren’t dressed like miners. They looked like hired guns to me.
Henry whispered to me, “They are two of the men who run us off our homestead.”
“Walk a step behind me.” I said, as I unbuttoned my overcoat to free up my guns.
There were a few other people on the boardwalk, they seen the four of us and ran for cover.
“Ho, Ho, what do we have here?” One of the men said, “You’re the one who beat up the Boss’s kid.” They both planted their feet, setting themselves for an easy kill, or so they thought. I didn’t slow my pace, like they thought I would. I kept walking, I was almost on top of them before they reached for their guns.
Too late for them. With my left hand gun, I rammed it into the first one’s throat, as he was falling, I turned my attention to the second one, he got off one shot, but I had brushed his gun to the side and down, his bullet went into the boardwalk. I bent my right hand gun over his head. The other one was still trying to catch his breath, I didn’t give him time, I kicked him in the head.
That should have been the end of it, but the Marshall’s door was flung open, I turned, but was a little slow, the man with the tarnished star over his heart, got off a shot at me. It went through my heavy coat, just a little below my armpit. I could feel the burn. He started to fire again, my instinct took over. I put one shot right between his eyes.
Damn, I should of just shot his gun arm, was my first thought. But when someone is trying to kill you, self preservation takes over. I stood there with my gun smoking. Nobody moved. Then someone peaked out the window of the Marshall’s office. I slammed the door open, it was an older man and woman.
“Do you want part of this?” I said.
“No, no. We were just here trying to get the Marshall to find out who has been killing our livestock.” The woman said, her husband didn’t say anything. He just stood there with a questioning look in his eyes.
“Well, I don’t think the Marshall will be able to help you, that is unless some of those rustlers are already in hell.”
The man said, “Just who are you stranger?”
“My name is Trego. I just hit town yesterday. It sure is an unfriendly place.”
“It didn’t used to be, that is before the mine started up. You know how greed is, the more you have the more you want. By the way our name is Specter, my wife is Molly, I’m Harold.” He said, as he held his hand out to shake. I shook it and then picked the cell door keys off the nail beside the door to the cells. I handed it to Harold, “How about you open the doors to those cells, I’ll bring the carrion in.”
Henry helped me drag them in. I locked them in separate cells. We came back out. Harold and Molly were still there. “Was he the only peace officer this burg had?”
“Yes, he wasn’t elected, the Manager of the Wise River Mine, just appointed him.” Molly said. I looked at them, they were probably both in their fifty’s. He was tall and straight and dignified, with a white mustache. Molly was also trim and neat, with honey blonde hair. I asked them, “do you have any children?”
“Yes, of course, our son is a lawyer in Chicago. Our daughter married a Doctor, she is also in Chicago. We moved here ten years ago. It was nice, but like we said, till they hit silver.” Molly said.
“How many hands do you have on your ranch?”
“Well we did have seven, till some left to go prospecting. And then some left on account they were run off, by those two you just locked up. We have two older hands, that came here with us.” Harold said.
“Uh, do they have an undertaker here in Coolidge?”
“Sort of, old Dr, Hoeffer does double duty.” Molly said, “here he comes now.”
I went out to meet him. He looked at me, “You couldn’t of shot him in the heart, you had to blow his brains out?”
“Well, I’m sorry Doc. but when someone’s shooting at you, instinct just takes over.”
He was still grumbling as he enlisted the help of a couple of bystanders to pack the body away. As they picked him up, the mine office door opened. A man in an expensive black suit with matching vest, with a gold watch chain stretched over his abundant belly, said. “That was murder, as mayor of Coolidge I’m placing you under arrest.”
“Well now, first off that was self-defense, he shot at me first. And second off,” I said as I looked at Harold, “is he the elected mayor?”
“No, he just assumed it on his own, no one has the gumption to challenge him, that is so far.”
“Well now, that puts a different slant on things. Now you could try and make a citizen’s arrest, if you have the gumption, but I doubt you do. You’re the kind who would hire his dirty work done, perhaps even at night and in the back.” I squared around flipped my coattails back.
His bluster left him, he stood there quite naked without it. He shrank back, like a viper hunting his hole. I knew it wasn’t over, I’d have to watch my back. I heard steps on the board walk. It was Brie, “Are you alright, I heard the shot’s.” She said, as she came into my arms. We kissed, when we came up, it seemed like the whole town was looking at us. Seems we were the kiss’nst people they had ever seen.
Molly said with an amusing smile, “well now, you’ve only been in town for a day and you’ve already got the prettiest women in Coolidge in love with you?”
“It’s mutual Molly, the first time we laid eyes on each other, we knew. I guess we’re going to have to hunt up a preacher or something and make it legal. I guess you have one in town?”
Harold said, “Yeah, sure, he’s a self-righteous hypocrite, if you don’t mind that, he can do the job.”
“Aren’t they all?” I said. “Say, what was that Hi-Binder’s name?” I added, indicating the mine office.
“Evan Blythe, he’s the manager of the Wise River Mine. He came in last year, from New York, or so they say.” Harold said.
I looked around, “Where did Henry go?” I asked.
Molly said, “When they packed the Marshall’s body away, he went toward the livery.”
“Thanks Molly, are you and Harold going to be alright, or do you need me to ride back to the ranch with you?”
“No, we’ll be alright, especially since you locked those two up. But what about you? Who’s going to make sure those two stay locked up?” Harold said.
I looked at Brie, then I said, “I locked them up, so I guess it’s up to me. But we need to get the rest of the town together and get a mayor and city council and then have them appoint a new marshal.”
Molly said, “We’ll go talk to the shop owners and tell them to get the ball rolling.”
“Brie honey, I’m sorry, but it looks like I’ll have to bunk here in the Marshal’s office till we get a new one. But first I’ll get my horse and take him to your place. Jake will stay with me.” I kissed her again, then I went
