Outlaw Train by Cameron Judd

Author:Cameron Judd
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

During the time that Dr. Artemus evaluated the state of the prisoner in his cell, Luke walked with Dewitt outside the jailhouse. Inside, Bailey was still there, helping oversee the situation.

“Why’s he doing that, Luke?” Dewitt asked. “I don’t trust him.”

“I can’t say I do, either,” Luke replied. “Bailey and me have never got on well, and it’s always seemed to me that he had some personal motive for anything he does.”

“I bet I know what it is, Luke. I bet he’s hoping the county will name him sheriff to replace poor old Sheriff Crowe.”

“You think so? Because he’s got no experience at all as a professional peace officer. You think they’d put somebody in like that?”

“That’s the point, Luke. He’s acting like a good citizen volunteer to make himself look good in their eyes. He’s hoping they’ll say, ‘That Bailey might never have been a peace officer, but by gum he sure showed his stripes the way he jumped in and helped out old Luke Cable when Sheriff Crowe got gunned down. We ought to make him sheriff!’ That’s what Bailey is hoping they’ll say. Betcha anything.”

“You may be right. And if you are, my days as marshal are numbered. Even though he’d be county-hired and I’m town-hired, my office works too close with the sheriff for us not to get along well. He’d find ways to undercut me and try to get me out of the job. Don’t you figure?”

“I do.”

“But at the same time, Dewitt, I might take Bailey up on an offer he made me. He’s willing to step in and be a temporary deputy for me while we’ve got Nolan locked up. And it is Nolan. I had a notice about him in the file, and there was a picture. It’s him, hardly any doubt about it.”

Dewitt reacted with an expression Luke couldn’t interpret. “So Bailey’s taking my job?”

“No. You’d still be jailer. Bailey would just help out on the side for a while.”

“What about Hank McAdams? Why not just get Hank to help more?”

“Hank stuck a letter under the jail door, Dewitt. He’s quit as deputy. His mother’s nigh dead, and he’s going to spend all his time for now seeing to her. Once she’s gone, he’s going to put cattle on the family land and do some ranching.”

“So Bailey is replacing Hank.”

“Sort of. Just temporary for now.”

“Luke, I’m sorry to speak so forward, but this ain’t a good idea. You and Bailey working together…that’s cat and dog.”

“I know. But can I speak just as ‘forward’ as you?”

“’Course you can, Luke.”

“Don’t take offense, Dewitt, but I’d feel better having somebody like Bailey here at the jail some as long as we’ve got such a notable prisoner. Especially one with a reputation for being able to get out of jailhouses.”

“You figure he’d get past me, huh?”

“He’s a tough old bird. Cool and slick as a dog’s nose. And you’re still a new jailer. Yeah, I figure he might get past me or you, either one.”

“But not Bailey.

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