Dalton for Hire by Ed Law

Author:Ed Law
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Culbin Press
Published: 2023-04-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“The bag was full of what?” Raphael said, setting his hands on his hips.

“It was full of cut newspaper,” Wallace said. “There wasn’t a single dollar bill in there.”

Raphael walked to the window of his hotel room and stood before the window, lifting on his heels and shaking his head.

“Cheer up. At least those outlaws died for nothing.”

“Quit baiting me, Raphael. I see nothing funny about this.”

“If it isn’t funny, it’s most unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate isn’t the word I’d use to describe it.” Wallace bit his knuckle, but a strangulated oath still escaped.

The last ten minutes had been fraught. While they had waited for Sheriff Quentin, Wallace had conducted a furious argument with Ryan, Dalton, the teller and anyone else who’d made the mistake of straying too close to him.

By the time Quentin had arrived, Wallace was riffling through the newspaper. Then he kicked the empty carpetbag around the floor and scurried back to the hotel with Dalton trailing behind him.

Ryan had stayed behind to explain what had happened to Quentin. Since returning to the hotel, Wallace had just stayed on the side of decorum, but from his rapidly reddening face, Dalton reckoned that was about to change.

“What word would you use?” Raphael asked.

“Robbery, deception, fraud.” Wallace waved his arms above his head, and then pointed at Raphael. “I can think of plenty more to describe what you’ve just tried.”

Raphael arched an eyebrow. “I’ve tried nothing.”

“You tried to steal my hotel using the most . . . most pathetic trick I’ve ever heard of.”

“Wallace, you’ve got to think straight,” Dalton said, moving to his side. “You’ve accused pretty much everybody in Yellow Creek of stealing your money. You have to think this through before you jump to another hasty conclusion.”

“I have thought this through,” Wallace said. “That man tried to buy my hotel with a bag full of newspaper.”

“Listen to Darnell,” Raphael said. “These accusations are doing you no good while you’re not thinking clearly. The bag contained real money. You opened the bag and saw it.”

Wallace shook his head, but then Ryan came back into the room. Wallace’s eyes narrowed.

“Dalton was in the other room with the bag, but the room was locked,” he said, speaking slowly. “The only other time the money left my sight was when . . .” Wallace turned to Ryan. “. . . was when you left this room. You disappeared.”

Dalton mouthed a plea for calm, but Ryan backed away toward the door, his eyes boggling.

“I didn’t steal it,” Ryan said.

“Now we’re getting to the truth,” Raphael said.

“So why did you hide in room eighteen after I told you to stay in the corridor?” Wallace said, walking around to stand between Ryan and the door.

“I explained. I was just. . . .” Ryan closed his eyes for a moment. “You can’t accuse me. I’m no thief.”

As Wallace faced Ryan, seemingly trying to extract a confession using only his accusing gaze, the door swung open and Quentin strode in. Ryan gulped, barged Wallace aside and ran through the door, slamming it shut behind him.

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