“That’s where I got it,” I said.
Garrison looked at Pony some more. Pony said nothing, showed nothing.
“You see my Indian,” Garrison said, “or the breed he’s running with, the railroad’s got a nice reward out.”
“Bounty hunters?” I said. “Sure… big reward.”
“They following you?” Virgil said.
Garrison smiled.
“You know the trade,” he said. “Yeah, they let us do the finding and then try to slip in ahead of us and get there first.”
“You mind?” I said.
“We get paid either way, and we ain’t eligible for the reward, anyway.”
“Dead or alive?” Virgil said.
“Yep.”
“Dead is easier,” Virgil said.
“Yep,” Garrison said. “And, hell, he’s an Indian.”
Nobody said anything.
“Well,” Garrison said. “Keep an eye out.”
“Surely will,” Virgil said.
Garrison backed his horse out a couple of steps away from us and turned him and headed on down toward Callico’s office. The three other riders followed.
When they were gone, Virgil turned to Pony.
“Place up north a ways, Resolution. Me and Everett worked there a while back. Last I knew, the law up there was a couple boys we worked with.”
“Cato Tillson,” I said. “And Frank Rose.”
“You tell ’em we sent you,” Virgil said. “Be a nice place to hunker down for a while.”
“What about police chief?” Pony said. “Sunday.”
“Callico?” Virgil said. “On Sunday, Callico’s gonna let it slide.”
“You know?”
“Know enough,” Virgil said. “Don’t worry about Callico.”
Pony nodded slowly.
“We will go there,” Pony said.
Pony smiled and shrugged.
“I was Garrison,” Virgil said, “I’d turn that corner and send a man back along Front Street to see what you done. If you lit out, I’d have him follow you.”
“Ain’t going to light out,” Pony said. “Go home with you.”
Virgil nodded.
Pony smiled.
“Then light out,” he said.
“I was you,” Virgil said, “and I was gonna light out anyway, I’d collect Kha-to-nay and light out ’fore Allie cooked you supper.”
“Sí,” Pony said.
“And tell your brother,” I said, “not to irritate Cato.”
“Sí,” Pony said.
Then the three of us got up and walked down Main Street toward Virgil’s house.
18
ON SUNDAY MORNING Virgil was sitting where he sat, in front of the Boston House. He was heeled and his Winchester leaned against the wall beside his chair. I was across the street with the eight-gauge, standing on the boardwalk in the shade in front of the feed store. Above us the sky was a pale, even, uninterrupted blue that appeared to stretch clear west at least to California.
People were on the street, dressed up, the women especially, going to church. I saw Allie go by in her best dress, with Laurel. They were walking with a tall, handsome woman in clothes that looked like she’d shopped in New York. Allie waved at Virgil as she passed. Virgil touched the brim of his hat.
We waited. That was okay. We were good at it. Virgil and I could wait as long as we needed to. Around midday, Callico came down the street with his Winchester escorts. They stopped in front of Virgil. Callico looked around, saw me across the street, and murmured something to his escort. Three of the policemen turned and faced me. I nodded at them. Nobody nodded back.
“I’ve decided not to kill you, Virgil,” Callico said.
He had a big voice, and it carried easily from the Boston House to the feed store.
Virgil looked at the armed policemen.
“You ever go anyplace alone, Amos?” Virgil said.
“I’m not a violent man,” Callico said. “And I figure it’s easier to get along with you than kill both of you.”
“A sight easier,” Virgil said.
“Long as you don’t break the law,” Callico said.
Virgil didn’t comment.
“And I’ll be keeping my eye on you,” Callico said.
“Expect you will,” Virgil said.
“You break a law and I’ll come down on you like an avalanche.”
“Avalanche,” Virgil said.
“Like a mountain fell on you,” Callico said.
Virgil nodded.
“Amos,” he said. “You got to stop trying to scare us. Ain’t effective. Me ’n Everett been doin’ gun work too long.”
“This is a small town,” Callico said. “And a big country. I’m not going to sacrifice the big for the small, you understand that?”
“Surely do,” Virgil said.
“So, you do your business, and I’ll do mine, and you stay clean, we won’t bother each other.”
“That sounds fine,” Virgil said.
He raised his voice.
“That sound fine to you, Everett?” he said.
“Fine,” I said.
“We think it’s fine,” Virgil said.
Callico looked at Virgil for a considerable time without a sound.
Then he said, “Mind your step, Virgil. Just mind your step.”
He turned and led his policemen on down the street. I strolled over to where Virgil was and sat down beside him.
“Pompous son of a bitch,” I said.
“Don’t mean he ain’t good with a Colt,” Virgil said.
“Stringer claims he’s one of the best,” I said.
“Stringer knows something about that,” Virgil said.
“On the other hand, we’re pretty good, too,” I said.
“We are,” Virgil said. “Ain’t we.”
Tilda came out with coffee and we settled in for another day.
19
ALLIE AND LAUREL liked to walk up Main Street in the evening, but Laurel wouldn’t leave the house without Virgil, so when they wanted to go, we went, too, and strolled with them past the dress shop window, where Allie told Laurel how beautiful the clothes were. Laurel stared at them silently.
At the end of Main Street, past Seventh, were the short-time whorehouses, so we stopped before we reached them, and crossed the street and headed back down along Main Street. Walking ahead with Virgil, Laurel would pause sometimes and whisper to him. Allie and I dropped a few steps behind.
“You think she’ll ever talk to me, Everett?” Allie said.
“Might,” I said.
“I’ve been a mother to her since what happened,” Allie said.
“You’ve been a good one, Allie.”
“I guess she talks to Virgil because he saved her,” Allie said.
“I saved her, too,” I said. “And she won’t talk to me.”
“Or Pony Flores,” Allie said. “Virgil always says you wouldn’t have found her without Pony Flores.”
“True,” I said.
“She even hugs him, but doesn’t speak.”
“I know,” I said.
“There must be something about Virgil,” she said.
“Virgil’s not like other people, Allie.”
“No,” she said. “He certainly isn’t.”
We passed the Golden Palace. The light and sound spilled gladly out onto the street.
“Everything seems so peaceful now,” Allie said.
“Yes.”
“Did Virgil ask Pony to leave?” Allie said.
“Pinkertons showed up looking for him,” I said. “We sent them up to Resolution. Know the law there.”
“Resolution was where you and Virgil were for a time, while I was… away.”
“Yes,” I said.
“Why doesn’t Kha-to-nay go back to his people?” Allie said.
“First place they’d look for him,” I said. “And Pony is afraid that if he’s back with the tribe he’ll instigate trouble.”
“So, it wasn’t because I asked him,” Allie said.
We passed the Boston House.
“How are things with the police chief,” Allie said.
“Fine.”
“Mrs. Callico invited me and Laurel to tea after church last Sunday,” Allie said. “She’s so elegant. From New Orleans.”
“Never been to New Orleans,” I said.
“And she speaks French,” Allie said.