Pearl River Junction Page 11

  “Drink up, Mr. Shaye,” Cotton said. “The next round will be on me.”

  “The name’s Dan.”

  35

  Eventually, Shaye and Cotton moved to a table in the back and the saloon began to fill up.

  “I heard about Collier,” Cotton said at one point.

  “I thought you might check with the telegraph clerk.”

  “Why’d you think that?” the sheriff asked.

  “It’s what I would have done.”

  “How many men do you think he’s coming here with?”

  “I guess that would depend on how badly he wants Belinda and the boy,” Shaye said. “And if I was him, I’d plan on taking the bank too.”

  Cotton rubbed his temples.

  “All I’ve got are two young deputies.”

  “I’ve only seen one.”

  “The other one is part-time.”

  “And how much experience have you had with someone like Jeb Collier?” Shaye asked.

  “Not much,” Cotton said. “In fact, Belinda may be right about me. I may not be able to handle him.”

  Shaye shook his head.

  “Oh, don’t worry,” Cotton said. “I’m not going to ask you and your boys to stay and help me. I mean, if you’re convinced that Little Matt is not your grandson, you have no reason to stay.”

  “I haven’t made my mind up about that yet.”

  “And your sons?”

  “They have to make up their own minds.”

  Cotton thought a moment, then asked, “Do you think they’d hire on as deputies?”

  “Maybe,” Shaye said. “I can’t speak for them.”

  “Are they both capable?”

  “Very,” Shaye said. “Thomas is the more capable of the two. He’s older, a bit wiser, very good with a gun. He reminds me of me when I was younger.”

  “And James?”

  “James is more like his mother,” Shaye said. “She had hopes that he’d make something of himself—a doctor, a lawyer.”

  “Not a deputy?”

  “No. Not a lawman, like his father.”

  “Do you miss it?” Cotton asked. “Wearing a badge?”

  “That’s something I’m not sure about as well,” Shaye said. “You see? I’ve got a lot of thinking to do.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “But first,” Shaye said, “there’s the matter of helping you against Jeb Collier and his men.”

  “You’d do that? But why?”

  Shaye shrugged.

  “Once he’s taken care of, my sons and I can take our time making up our minds about the boy,” Shaye said. “This way we’re under the gun—and I hate being under the gun.”

  36

  Off on his own, Thomas was able to think better. His father had said that he and James had to make up their own minds. That meant he was free to decide what was best for him.

  First, he knew his brother Matthew would never have stood a chance against a woman like Belinda—and she was more woman than girl, in his opinion, despite her youth. She was able to handle a man as young as James and a mature man like the sheriff. And, apparently, an outlaw like Jeb Collier. Belinda Davis was a lot wiser than her years.

  But going back to Matthew, there was no way he’d father a child with her or have sex with her, not without first discussing it with one of his brothers or his father. Not with their mother, though. He’d never have been able to talk about that with his mother.

  So, as far as Thomas was concerned, Belinda was lying in order to get the three Shayes to take care of Jeb Collier and his gang for her. But what was she getting out of it? If she did convince them that her son was Matthew’s son and they protected her against Collier, what then? Would she want to stay with them? Or stay with the sheriff and his wife? Or go off on her own?

  And did she have a plan that none of them knew about?

  After walking and thinking for an hour, Thomas’s vote was still that Belinda’s baby was not Matthew’s son—and therefore not part of their family. But if there really was a gang coming to Pearl River Junction after her, he didn’t know if he could just leave Sheriff Cotton to handle them when it was clear he would not be able to.

  He wished he could just ride out and forget about it, but he couldn’t.

  James was convinced that the baby had Shaye blood. He didn’t think Belinda would lie about that. On the other hand was Thomas right about him? Was he influenced by the fact that Belinda was beautiful and his stomach sprouted butterflies whenever he looked at her or spoke to her? And if the baby was Matthew’s, then he was having impure thoughts about the mother of his brother’s child. What did that make him? Disloyal to Matthew’s memory, to say the least.

  He knew how Thomas was going to vote, because he knew his older brother stuck to it whenever he made up his mind. He didn’t know how his father would vote, but he thought he knew one thing about both of them. Like him, they’d never be able to leave Pearl River Junction if the sheriff was going to have to deal with a gang of outlaws. James was young and his experience as a lawman was limited, but he knew after meeting the sheriff and talking to him that he’d never be able to stand up to them, not even with two deputies. Just riding out of town and leaving the man to be killed wasn’t an option.

  As the saloon filled up with customers, the sheriff decided he had to go back to his office. Shaye agreed to come and see the man there in the morning, to decide what their strategy would be to deal with a gang—if it showed up.

  “I hope, when you come to my office, it’s with your sons,” Cotton said, before leaving.

  “That’ll be up to them,” Shaye said, “but I’ll see you in the morning.”

  After Cotton left, Shaye did some thinking on his own. Whether Belinda’s boy was his grandson or not was going to have to be dealt with later. There was no way he could leave Sheriff Cotton on his own to face the gang, especially not after meeting the man’s wife. So putting himself at the sheriff’s disposal until the gang question got sorted out would give him more time to mull the question over. What he needed to find out now was what his boys were going to do. James, he felt, would stay. He was sweet on the girl. That would be enough to keep him there, but he also knew that James would feel as he did. They had to help the sheriff.

  Thomas was a different story. Shaye had been waiting for the day Thomas would go off on his own. He was full grown, able to handle himself, and Shaye felt that his oldest son was a born lawman. Somewhere out there was a sheriff’s badge waiting for him to find it.

  He just wondered if today or tomorrow would be the day Thomas Shaye would finally strike out on his own?

  37

  James returned to the saloon to find it filled with the usual sounds—music, the clinking of glasses, men’s voices raised in argument, discussion, or celebration. At a table in the back he saw his father, seated alone. He went to the bar, got himself a beer, and joined him.

  “Where’s Thomas?” he asked.

  “I was about to ask you the same question,” Shaye said. “I guess he’s still walking around out there.”

  “Pa,” James said, “I can’t leave. I think these people need our help.”

  “These people?”

  “Belinda, the boy,” James said, “the sheriff and his wife. Hell, if there’s a gang really on its way here, the whole town. I don’t think Jeb Collier is gonna get his men to follow him here just so he can find his son. There is a bank in town, you know?”

  “Yes, James, I know,” Shaye said. “That’s good thinking, son.”

  “You thought of it already, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, I did,” Shaye said, “but I’m proud of you that you did too.”

  “Thanks, Pa.”

  “One thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Don’t let the fact that you’re sweet on that Belinda girl cloud your judgment.”

  James lowered his head. “You could tell that, huh?”

  “Of course, James,” Shaye said. “I been sweet
on a girl or two in my time—and not just your mother.”

  “I feel bad about it.”

  “Why?”

  “If her son really is Matthew’s, then…I’m bein’ disloyal to his memory”—he lowered his voice—“havin’ thoughts about his woman.”

  “I don’t think your brother would hold it against you, son,” Shaye said.

  “You don’t?”

  “Hell no, she’s a fine-looking woman.”

  “Yeah, she is—”

  “But remember what I said.”

  “Yes, Pa.”

  “You could get killed or get one of us killed, letting your mind wander at the wrong time.”

  “I know, Pa.”

  They sipped their drinks for a few moments and then James asked, “What do you think Thomas is gonna do, Pa?”

  “I don’t know,” Shaye said. “I’ve had the feeling for a while that he’s ready to strike out on his own.”

  “You really think he’d leave us?”

  “Why not?” Shaye asked. “I expect you to go off on your own eventually too. Don’t you?”

  “I don’t know,” James said. “I…I ain’t thought about it much.”

  “Would you like to wear a badge again?”

  “I—I’ve thought about it,” James said, “but I kinda thought we’d all do it together.”

  Shaye touched the front of his shirt where a badge would go. He was wearing one of his new shirts, without the old pin holes in it from the various badges he’d worn.

  “I guess I thought that too.”

  “What do we do if he leaves?” James asked.

  “We’ll just have to stand with the sheriff and his deputy,” Shaye said, “the two of us.”

  “Deputy?” James asked. “I thought he had two.”

  “One’s part-time.”

  They fell silent again and then James said, “I don’t guess there’s any way we can find out how many there are.”

  “There’s a couple of ways,” Shaye said. “We’d just need the sheriff to send a few telegrams to some of his colleagues.”

  “Did you talk to him about it already?”

  “No,” Shaye said, “but I told him I’d see him in his office tomorrow.”

  “I’ll be there, too.”

  “Good.”

  “But—”

  “But what, son?” Shaye asked. “Come on, spit it out.”

  “We sure could use Thomas and his gun if Jeb Collier and his gang do show up here.”

  “I know, James,” Shaye said. “We sure could.”

  Thomas appeared in the doorway of the saloon roughly a half an hour after James did. He spotted his brother and father at the table in the back, got himself a beer, and sat with them.

  “Nice to see you, Thomas,” his father said.

  “Did you think I’d leave, Pa?”

  “No,” Shaye said and then added, “well, not tonight anyway.”

  “James,” Thomas asked, “what have you decided to do?”

  “I can’t leave the sheriff to face Collier and his gang by himself, Thomas,” he said.

  “Sounds like that has nothing to do with Belinda and her son at all,” Thomas said.

  “It don’t.”

  “Pa?”

  “The question of whether or not the boy is Matthew’s can be solved later, Thomas,” Shaye said. “If there’s a gang on the way here, everyone in this town is going to need help.”

  “So you’re stayin’?”

  “Your brother and I are stayin’ to stand with the sheriff,” Shaye said. “We hope you’ll do the same, but we’ll understand—”

  “I’m stayin’,” Thomas said, cutting Shaye off.

  “Oh, thank God,” James said and slapped his big brother on the shoulder. “I knew you would.”

  “You did, huh?”

  “I’m gonna get Pa and me another beer and then we’ll drink to it,” James said. He got up and went to the bar.

  “Pa, you know he’s sweet on the girl.”

  “Yes, but it has nothing to do with his decision,” Shaye said. “I’m confident of that. I believe you’ve both made the right decision because you’re honorable men. I’m proud of you both.”

  “Have you talked to the sheriff yet?”

  “Yes, he found me here,” Shaye said. “I told him we’d be in his office in the morning.”

  “You were that sure of us both?”

  “Well…” Shaye said rather sheepishly, “I told him I’d be there and I hoped you boys would be with me.”

  “And are we gonna wear badges?”

  “If he offers them, I suppose so,” Shaye said. “Is that all right with you?”

  “Actually, Pa,” Thomas said, “that’s just fine with me.”

  38

  The next morning all three Shaye men appeared at the sheriff’s office. Both Sheriff Cotton and Thad Hagen, his deputy, were there.

  “Sheriff,” Shaye said. “I guess you got all three of us here, ready to help you.”

  “Well, that’s fine,” Cotton said. “That’s just fine.” He stood up, then opened a desk drawer. “I got three deputy badges here. I know you’re used to being the sheriff, but I’d be honored if you’d wear them.”

  Shaye turned and looked at his sons, who both nodded.

  “We’d be proud to.”

  Cotton brought the badges out, swore all three men in, and handed the tin stars over. Shaye made holes in his brand-new shirt pinning it on and knew they wouldn’t be the last.

  “I’m proud to serve with the three of ya,” Deputy Hagen said and shook hands with all three men.

  “Thank you, Deputy,” Thomas said.

  “What about your other man?” Shaye asked. “The part-time one?”

  “I explained to him and Thad this morning that we might be facing some desperados in the next few days and he turned his badge in.”

  “He was scared,” Thad said.

  “And you’re not?” Shaye asked.

  “Well…”

  “It’s all right to be scared, son,” Shaye said. “Keeps you sharp.”

  “Yes, sir,” Thad said. “I guess I just wasn’t scared enough to quit on Sheriff Cotton.”

  “Sounds like you got yourself a good man here, Sheriff,” Shaye said.

  “Yep, I reckon I do,” Cotton said and Thad Hagen’s chest filled up until they thought it might burst.

  “Well,” Thomas said, “we were wonderin’ what it would be like to work in a sheriff’s office this grand.”

  “Now we know,” James said.

  “We might as well get our duties straight,” Shaye said.

  “Well,” Cotton said, “I figure if we’re waiting for a gang to show up and we don’t know what size it’ll be, that most of us should be on duty all day.”

  “Sounds right,” Shaye said.

  “Dan,” Cotton said, “if you or your boys’ve got any suggestions, I’d be glad to hear them.”

  “Well,” Shaye said, “if you’ve got a nice high building here in town, we can have one deputy up there all day. He might spot the gang from a ways off and give us some warning.”

  “That sounds good.”

  “We can set up shifts,” Thomas said, “so no one is up there for too long a time.”

  “Good,” Cotton said. “Anything else?”

  “I’d say keep at least one of us on duty all night,” James said, “in case they ride in after dark.”

  “Also good,” Cotton said. “That can work by shifts as well.”

  “How many days we gotta do this?” Thad asked.

  “I’d say they’re getting here any day now,” Shaye said, “if they’re coming at all. But Sheriff, I have another suggestion.”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  “If you could send some telegrams to some lawmen along the line, we might get some advance warning if the gang passes through one of their towns.”

  “Good thinking,” Cotton said. “I’ll take care of that today.”

  “Thomas,
why don’t you and James work with Thad setting up shifts for the roof and the night work?”

  “Sure, Pa.”

  “I’ll walk over to the telegraph office with the sheriff.”

  “We can all share this other desk over here,” Thad said, “since we’s all deputies now.”

  Thad walked Thomas and James over to the extra desk while Shaye followed Cotton out of the building.

  “Seems like those three will get along,” Shaye said outside. “Your deputy doesn’t seem threatened.”

  “He ain’t,” Cotton said. “I explained the situation to him and he knows we need the help.”

  “And he’s ready to use his gun—if he has to?”

  “He says he is,” Cotton said. “I believe he thinks he is. We won’t know til the time comes, though.”

  They started for the telegraph office.

  “Sheriff, you mind if I ask how often you’ve had to use your gun?”

  “A time or two,” Cotton said, “but if you’re asking if I’ve ever had to kill a man, the answer is no. That doesn’t mean I won’t, though.”

  “I’m just asking—”

  “No need to explain,” Cotton said. “I know your life depends on knowing who you’re dealing with—on both sides of your gun. I’ll watch your back, Dan—yours and your boys’.”

  “Okay,” Shaye said, “that’s good enough for me.”

  After they finished sending telegrams to sheriffs of other towns, Cotton asked Shaye to take a turn around town with him.

  “Might as well let folks see you with the badge on,” he said.

  “Fine with me,” Shaye said, “but what about your mayor? And the town council?”

  “I’ll introduce you and your boys to them later, but I’ve got the power to swear in deputies when I need to—especially in case of an emergency.”

  “Well,” Shaye said, “this just may qualify.”

  39

  Once Thomas, James, and Thad had their shifts figured out, Thomas asked the deputy what the highest building in town was.

  “That’s easy,” Thad said. “Right next door. City Hall.”

  “James,” Thomas said, “you better get your ass up there, then. First shift’s yours.”

  “Why don’t we all go up?” Thad asked. “I can show you how to get up there.”