The Long Wire by Barry Cord

Author:Barry Cord [Cord, Barry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Western Fiction
Publisher: Ace Books
Published: 1968-01-10T00:00:00+00:00

XI

Sheriff Collins paused in front of the law office and looked at his deputy. They had walked in silence from Paul Saint’s house and Vic sensed the quiet anger in the lanky man by his side.

“Lock up and go home,” he said. His voice was tired. “You’re not being paid to work twenty-four hours a day.”

Hank shook his head.

Vic eyed him for a moment, then sighed. “All right—come out with it. What’s bothering you?”

Hank did not feel like arguing. “Vic—I know you’re not feeling well—”

Collins’ tone hardened. “I don’t feel that bad, Hank!”

Hank shrugged. “There’s two dead men lying on slabs in Sam’s back room. One of them is a construction boss for Trans-Pecos. He was shot. The other one, with the busted head—I think I’ve seen him around town. But—”

Vic cut in sharply. “Forget it, Hank!”

Hank stared at his boss. “Forget it? Like we did about Bill Davis and Steve Orville?”

“We did what we could,” Vic said.

“Sure.” Hank’s voice held a sharp sarcasm. “We rode around a bit, nosed through Frenchy’s Canyon, then came back and washed our hands—”

Collins’ voice was rough. “What else could we do? We don’t even know how they died.”

“We know how Evans died!” Hank snapped.

Collins said nothing for a moment…he stared down the cold dark street with bitter eyes. Then he turned, put a hand on Hank’s shoulder,

“Hank,” he said slowly, “there’s nothing we can do. Lock up and go home—”

Hank shook his head stubbornly. “We didn’t have much to go on with Bill Davis and the others. But I think I’ve got a lead on who killed Evans. Just give me—”

“No!” Collins’ voice was sharp. Then his tone softened. “Hank—this is between Trans-Pecos and Overland. You start nosing around and neither you nor I will be wearing a badge next month.”

Hank was bitter, “What’s a badge good for if you can’t use it?”

Collins shivered as a cold wind made its run up the street. There was an ache in his bones and his eyes watered. I am getting old, he thought. There had been a time when he relished winter, the bite of an icy wind. There had been a time when, like Hank, he would not have been afraid to buck Trans-Pecos or Overland to uphold the law.

“Look,” he said kindly. “Even if I said go ahead, you wouldn’t get anywhere. Mike Donovan’s in town, and he speaks for Overland. He knows Trans-Pecos is in trouble—he’s waiting to pick up the pieces. It’s not a new story—”

“That doesn’t change things,” Hank said. “Someone killed Walter Evans. If what you say about Overland is true, Donovan probably had a hand in it.”

“Probably. But we’ll never prove it.” Collins shrugged. “They’re too big for us, Hank. Even if we managed to get enough evidence to bring Donovan to court he’d never be convicted.”

Hank said bitterly, “If you work for a big rich company you can get away with murder. Is that it, Vic?”

“I’m saying it’s something you and I can’t handle!” Collins was losing his temper.

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