“We’ll be all right, Doc.”
The judge’s hired man was genuinely happy to see them—especially Caleb.
“We’ve been searching the hills for two days.Yesterday, we decided to take a look west of the river.Didn’t see no sign of you.And now, here you are, coming back with Doc and his daughter, saving them all on your own.”
“That’s not all he’s done.”Doc motioned to the strongboxes and the string of horses.
The man’s eyes lit up.He rode past them and inspected the boxes and the cache of weapons.
“What happened?I want to hear the whole dang thing.”He tipped his hat at Sheila.“Pardon my language, miss.”
“Before I start, anybody missing the sheriff in town?”
“Horner disappeared the day Doc’s daughter went missing.”He tilted his head toward Sheila.“He and three of his men lit out, not saying a word to nobody.The judge was fit to be tied.I don’t think he’s feeling too good about our two-bit lawman right now.I told him the polecat probably weren’t up to no good.”
“You were right.He wasn’t.”
Caleb exchanged a look with Doc.He now knew exactly the story they’d be telling.
“Horner was in cahoots with one of the members of that gang, a fella named Dodger Clanton.They were the ones that took Miss Burnett here, and that outlaw left a trail for the sheriff to follow.Horner was after these strongboxes, so him and his men followed and shot up the road agents’ hideaway.It was an old mining camp way out beyond Devil’s Claw.”
Zeke stared at the doctor and his daughter.“You’re lucky he didn’t kill you both.He wouldn’t have let you go, knowing what he was up to.”
“We owe our lives to Marlowe,” Doc said.“He arrived while Horner was about ready to kill us both.And then our friend here put an end to their thieving lives.”
Zeke’s eyes widened and looked at the horses.“So Horner and his no-account deputies are dead?”
“They’re all dead.”
The miner scratched at his whiskers.“What about that passenger in the stagecoach?”
Doc cut in.“That passenger was actually a member of the gang, wounded during the holdup.That was why they came for me.”He shook his head.“That outlaw will never be robbing another stage.”
Caleb nodded his head soberly.“That gang is finished.”
“And you brought back the strongboxes.”
“Leave it to Marlowe to handle everything right,” Doc told Zeke and his men.
“We searched that hideout for any more loot, but there wasn’t nothing,” Caleb said.“This was all of it.”
“Dang, but we got another story to tell!”Zeke patted Caleb on the back.“This yarn is even better than you taking on that cougar with your bare hands out by Devil’s Claw.”
“What cougar?”Doc and Sheila asked, turning to him simultaneously.
Caleb shrugged.“Zeke will be happy to tell you all about it.”
Sheila’s gaze narrowed on him, half accusation and half wonder.Caleb looked away before she could see how much he enjoyed that look.
There were two bits of unfinished business sitting heavy on him.The first was letting Imala know that Smith was dead.The second was the letter he’d been carrying in his saddlebag since the dying rustler gave it to him to send to his mother.
He addressed Doc and Sheila.“How about if you two ride back with Zeke and his men to Elkhorn?Take the strongboxes back and all these horses and guns with you.I got one stop out here I need to make.”
“What do you need to do?”Doc asked.
“I’m gonna pay a visit to that miner’s wife and let her know about her husband.”
“He’s dead too?”Zeke asked.
