Circle of Fire by Al Lacy

Author:Al Lacy [Lacy, Al]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-78040-9
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2011-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

FOURTEEN

Billings, Montana, was dozing in the hot July sun as Yellowstone County Sheriff Mack Jensen left his office and strolled down the block toward the Montana Stagelines office, wishing for a breeze. It was 2:30, and the sun was at its hottest. What few people were on the street greeted Jensen or waved to him.

Jensen wore a tied-down Colt .45 on his slender waist and gave the impression he could use it adeptly. He had a hard-boned face, tight through the cheeks and red-brown from sun and wind.

The sheriff drew up to the office door and stepped inside. Agent Lou Flagg was behind the counter selling tickets to a middle-aged couple, whom Jensen recognized as Faye and Elmer Simpson, owners of the Big Sky Hotel in Billings. Jensen knew they also owned hotels in Worland and Sheridan, Wyoming. He greeted them, then said to the agent, “Stage going to be on time, Lou?”

“Far as I know, Sheriff. No wire saying otherwise. You expecting someone on it?”

“Yes.”

“Family member?”

“No.”

“Friend?”

“Not exactly. I’ve never met him, but we’ll probably become friends. He’s coming here to help us take down the Wade Kyger gang.”

“Oh, a lawman. What? Federal marshal?”

“Not exactly. He’s being sent here by the U.S. marshal’s office in Denver, but he doesn’t wear a badge. You ever hear the name John Stranger?”

“John Stranger?” Elmer Simpson said. “Faye and I know him! He did us a mighty good deed when we lived down in Worland.”

“Saved us from financial disaster,” Faye said, digging in her purse. “Left us a memento, as he put it, so we wouldn’t forget him. As if we could.” She took a shiny silver disk from the purse. “This is it. A silver medallion. He put it in my hand just before riding away after giving us enough money to rebuild the hotel when it was gutted by fire. Wonderful man! Like to see it?” Faye asked the sheriff, extending the medallion toward him.

“Sure.”

Lou Flagg leaned across the counter. “Looks like a star in the center.”

“Mm-hmm.” The sheriff turned the medallion in his fingers. “Has Scripture inscribed around the edge. ‘THE STRANGER THAT SHALL COME FROM A FAR LAND—Deuteronomy 29:22.’ I wonder what far land?”

“From what we’ve heard about him,” said Faye, “nobody knows where he’s from, and he won’t tell.”

“He’s a mystery, all right,” Elmer said.

The sheriff handed the medallion back to Faye. “Are you two taking this incoming stage when it turns around?”

“Yes,” Elmer answered him. “As you know, our two sons manage the hotels in Worland and Sheridan for us. We go a couple of times a year to check on the hotels and spend time with our children and grandchildren.”

“You sure have a hot, dry trip ahead of you this time.”

“Sure wish we’d get some rain,” Elmer said. “If we don’t get some pretty soon—”

His words were interrupted by the sound of the stagecoach coming down the street. Mack Jensen moved outside with the others on his heels. The six-up team trotted down the broad street, sending up clouds of dust that seemed to float in the breezeless air.

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