Justice at Spanish Flat (A Brian Garfield Western) by Brian Garfield

Author:Brian Garfield
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gunfighters, range war, colt 45, piccadilly publishing, the wild west, ebook westerns, brian garfield western, range justice
Publisher: Piccadilly

Chapter Seven

“WHY DON’T YOU shut up?” Ben Majors said, turning in the saddle to face his foreman.

Riley persisted. “Not until I find out what the hell this is all about. I’d as soon sleep with a rattlesnake in my bunk.”

“Ever hear that the pen was mightier than the sword?”

“Sure. So what?”

“Sid’s signature on that partnership agreement is worth a hell of a lot more than ten dead Spur men. If I had to go into the Yellows after Sid I’d lose half my crew.”

Bones hauled his horse to a stop. “If you’re plannin’ what I’m thinkin’, maybe I better just pull out.”

Majors snorted. Presently they arrived in the Spur yard, unsaddled and drove their ponies into the corral. Bones was scowling as they mounted the front steps—and hoofbeats behind spun them around.

Sid Vivian swept into the yard at a disdainful lope and stepped down with the air of a familiar visitor.

“Thought I’d have a look at our outfit,” he grinned, and entered the house before them. He made himself immediately comfortable in a heavy, leather-covered chair and observed, “This furniture is as overstuffed as the foreman.”

He smiled at Bones, who glared back silently. Majors still stood, nettled by Vivian’s easy intrusion, and let the uncomfortable silence lengthen.

Vivian heard Sara’s footsteps coming along the hallway. His lips curved into a slow smile and he drew the cigarette from his mouth, deliberately flicking its ashes to the floor. Majors frowned. “Well?”

“Don’t get edgy with me, Ben. You need me for the weight I can swing against these valley people. That’s why you made your peace with me. My bein’ here strikes at your pride. But it’s your only way of keepin’ anything to be proud of. So don’t ride me when you see me on Spur.”

Majors threw his heavy glance on Vivian. “You’re on pretty risky ground yourself,” he said. “I can remember a time four years ago when you were spendin’ a lot of money you never earned. And I remember seein’ you take your boys onto the desert road that night Chavis was bushwhacked. I said nothing. So you owe me a few things, too.”

“Gratitude is a fool’s virtue. I owe you nothin’.”

Majors stepped forward and Bones moved along the wall, habit bringing him along Vivian’s flank to back his boss’ play.

Vivian stood up and smiled. “Idle talk is no cause for breakin’ up a partnership. I came here to plan out this Chainlink business. And to point out that Tracy Chavis is no man to fool with. He sleeps light and his thinkin’ is a lot faster than yours or mine.”

“Only takes one bullet,” Majors said. He didn’t notice Riley’s darkening scowl.

“It ain’t that simple. Niles and Craycroft and the whole Mogul are watching this. We’ve got to drive the whole bunch off Chainlink and get rid of every one of them. Then people can ask questions all they want. They’ll get no answers—and I don’t give a damn what they guess.”

“I won’t be a party to killin’ that girl.

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