Larry and Stretch 8 by Marshall Grover

Author:Marshall Grover [Grover, Marshall]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: winchester rifle, colt 45, old west outlaws, old west lawmen, western pulp fiction ebook, larry and stretch western, leonard meares, marshall grover, the wild west ebook, lone star hellions
Publisher: Piccadilly Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Another Gun South

The Pinkertons puffed at their cigars and waited patiently, while the boss-lawman angrily admonished his deputy.

“All right, Jake, what is it this time? Can’t you see I’m busy? We’re planning a big operation—or trying to.” He paused to glare at the ceiling. From the cells above the narrow stairway, the voices of the prisoners were clearly audible. The Hacketts had returned to consciousness and had found plenty to complain about. “Confound those caterwauling fools!”

“You don’t have to fret ’bout them Hacketts,” drawled Jake. “They’ll settle down—inside a couple hours.” From the gun rack, he took a Winchester. From a drawer of the sheriff’s desk, he took a box of .44-40 shells, a goodly quantity of which he began transferring to his pockets. “Just thought you oughta know—that Texan’s quit town, headed back to Three Springs.”

“Fine!” growled Dreyfus. “Good riddance.”

“Doc Bryson went along with him,” said Jake.

“More fool him,” shrugged Dreyfus.

“And I,” said Jake, “figure to tag after ’em—if it’s okay by you.”

“Valentine’s a fool,” protested Dreyfus, “if he thinks Stark will attack at Three Springs.”

“I’m thinkin’ Valentine could be right,” shrugged Jake, “so I guess that makes me a fool, too, huh, Barney? Anyway, it wouldn’t do no harm for a county lawman to check on Three Springs.”

“Three Springs,” Dreyfus reminded him, “is out of my jurisdiction.”

“If Valentine’s hunch is right,” frowned Jake, “you’d want to know ’bout it, wouldn’t you?”

Dreyfus pretended to ponder Jake’s suggestion, though his decision was already made. The Georgia man was apt to become a thorn in his side, a humiliating irritation. Throughout their long association, he had tried to convince Jake of the necessity for a deputy to show respect for his superior, but in vain. Jake was, at all times, flippant, cynical, sarcastic; this was his nature, and he couldn’t change. Consequently, Dreyfus hadn’t relished the prospect of having Jake participate in the ‘organised sweep of the territories’. There would be too many openings for Jake’s blunt barbs, too many opportunities for him to embarrass his ambitious chief—with the Pinkertons as his audience.

“One thing you gotta admit,” said Jake, “about this Valentine hombre. He’s got quite a record. What I mean, him and his pard have whupped the tar outa many an owl-hoot outfit. And …” He tapped his temple significantly, “He’s got smart brains. If he says Stark is gonna hit Three Springs ...”

“You’d rather follow Valentine’s hunch,” challenged Noonan, “than the findings of the Pinkerton Agency’s top criminologists?”

“Mister,” grunted Jake, “I don’t even savvy what the word means.”

“Sheriff,” smiled Noonan, “it’s not for me to influence your decision in this matter but, if you’re interested in my opinion ...”

“Feel free, Noonan,” offered Dreyfus.

“You can spare this man,” declared Noonan. “Yes, indeed. You can certainly spare this man. If he wants to follow Valentine on a wild goose chase—let him.”

“We think alike,” beamed Dreyfus. “I had exactly the same idea.” He nodded to the deputy. “All right, Jake, have it your way. Follow Valentine to Three Springs.”

“Sure,” nodded Jake. “I reckon that’s what I’ll do.

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