Red Water by J. R. Roberts

Author:J. R. Roberts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2011-03-11T05:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

Frank actually wasn’t a bad tracker. As much as he disliked the deputy for that scuffle in the alley, Clint had to admit as much just by watching the man lead the others around in circles in the distance. As near as Clint could remember, those were awfully close to the same circles the thieves had made when they were trying to regain control of their spooked horses.

Clint had a couple of the locals accompanying him as he followed the other set of tracks. Only one man opened his mouth for more than a yawn and he seemed like a good enough fellow. His name was Baker and Clint had to assume that was his last name, since no other had been given. Baker looked to be the runt of the litter, but he sat in his saddle as if he’d been born on a horse’s back. The holster around his waist was well weathered and the gun looked to be properly cared for.

“You ride along with a posse before, Baker?” Clint asked.

“Maybe a few. Why?”

“Because you look more suited for this than some of those lawmen.”

Baker winced and looked over his shoulder as if the marshal and his men could hear Clint despite all the distance between them. “Marshal Flynt means well enough.”

“I’m sure he does. It just seems that they don’t really have much of a plan out here.”

One of the other posse members chimed in. “We’re supposed to get paid whether they find those men or not. You ain’t heard any different, have you?”

Clint looked over at a slouching man in his thirties with a face covered by uneven stubble and a curtain of stringy, greasy hair. Until now, Clint wasn’t even sure what the man’s voice sounded like.

“I haven’t heard any different,” Clint assured him, “but I just think it’s peculiar that—”

“Just so long as we get paid,” the greasy man interrupted. “Suits me just fine if’n we don’t find them outlaws.”

Baker shook his head as if to apologize for the greasy man’s apathy. Clint leaned toward him and asked, “What exactly were you men told?”

“That this was an easy paycheck,” Baker replied. “When we went up to so much as look at that book we signed, Marshal Flynt said we’d get a handsome fee no matter what.”

“You don’t seem too anxious to get that reward.”

“Fact of the matter is that the marshal made it sound like we probably wouldn’t find the men anyhow. The fee’s enough to make it worth our while to take a few days and ride around for a bit, though.”

Clint nodded and took it all in. One thing that struck him now was that Baker seemed to be one of the only normal men he’d spoken to in this affair. Just to check that theory, Clint asked, “Doesn’t any of this seem strange to you?”

Reluctantly, Baker nodded. “Yeah, but I wasn’t gonna say anything. I could use the money. We all could.”

“Never look a gift horse in the mouth!” the greasy man said.

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