Showdown in Dead Man's Canyon by Scott Connor

Author:Scott Connor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Culbin Press
Published: 2023-07-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“Did your brother tell you anything interesting?” Marshal Bishop asked when he and Rattigan joined the straggling procession of riders a mile past Dead Man’s Canyon.

The marshal had taken charge of the eight unarmed prisoners to ensure they carried out their side of the deal. While Rattigan had talked with Bradley, Bishop had waited for him, but he had let the prisoners ride on ahead alone, presumably giving them leeway as a test to see how much he could trust his new charges. As Rattigan counted seven riders, that test had succeeded.

“Nothing that’ll help us claim Corbin’s body any quicker,” Rattigan said. He shrugged when Bishop narrowed his eyes. “My brother wasn’t a talkative man when he was fit, and his injuries haven’t made him any more sociable.”

“I’d gathered from our meeting in the railroad office that he wasn’t an easy man to talk to, but if you’re holding out on me, you won’t get nothing out of this other than a return to your jail cell.”

Rattigan raised a hand to shoulder level in a mime of surrendering.

“In that case don’t blame me for this, but apparently before he died, Corbin claimed that Victor Greystone killed Marshal Dagwood.”

Bishop accepted his statement with a scowl, but Rattigan reckoned he didn’t look surprised and he didn’t question him anymore before he moved on to lead the riders. As he passed the men, he formed them into a tight-knit formation.

For the rest of the afternoon they rode at a steady mile-eating pace without incident, but as they’d set off too late to reach Red Creek today, when the sun lowered they made camp. While they settled down, Rattigan ensured he stayed away from Thornton and stayed close to Warner, but the sun had yet to set when the arguing started.

Everyone had a loud and different view about the position of the camp, how big a fire they should make and what they would eat. Bishop let the bickering run on, presumably to let the prisoners work out their differences.

When it showed no sign of ending, he let out an exasperated roar of anger. Then, when everyone had quieted, he walked into the center of the camp.

“You’ve been released from jail without charge,” he declared. “All you have to do in return is collect a body, and you’ll get a share in a two-thousand-dollar bounty. You have no reason to argue.”

The reminder of the money made everyone nod and, with a few grumbles at a lower volume, they settled down around the fire.

“How will we split the money?” Orville asked after a while.

“There are nine of us,” Warner said. “So I say we split it evenly. That’s over two hundred dollars each.”

“There are eight of you,” Bishop said with a weary air. “I’m a lawman. I won’t gain from this.”

If the marshal had expected a sympathetic response, he’d have been disappointed as his misfortune gathered only smirks.

“If we’re unlucky not all of us will make it back to Bear Rock,” Thornton said. “So those that do will get even more money each.

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