Lester didn’t sit still for one second. During the entire ride, he was constantly squirming in the saddle, shifting from one side to another, nervously glancing at various points on the horizon. His jumpy reflexes were getting quite a test, since there was no shortage of things scurrying about on the edges of his field of sight. Critters scampered across the trail, going about their lives as the two horses ambled by.
The last time Nick had been to the Badlands was when Barrett was with him. He didn’t remember things quite the way that Lester had described, but the two accounts were close enough to make Nick glad he’d jumped off that train when he did. Otherwise, he might not have been able to cross paths with one of the grave robbers he’d been hoping to catch.
As Nick led the way deeper into the Badlands, each ridge and every rock seemed familiar. While all of these lands had already been claimed by one tribe or another, the rocky patch that Nick now rode through was too rough for any Indian in his right mind to live on.
For every flat stretch of trail, there were twice as many spots where a horse or man could slip and crack their skull against a rock.
For every spot that could make a nice little campsite, there were three patches of sand that were being watched by anything from a nest of poisonous spiders to wild coyotes. Like any other sort of prey, Lester could sense that he was in over his head. And, like any self-respecting predator, Nick strode confidently into the heart of the Badlands.
As he drew closer to the spot where he knew he would find Barrett’s final resting place, Nick felt a calm settle over him. Even Lester felt it and he allowed the breath he’d been holding to finally seep out of his mouth.
“This is as far as you go,” Nick said as he drew Kazys to a stop.
Snapping his eyes wide open, Lester asked, “We’re not there yet?”
“We’re close, but not quite there. What did you think? Just because you got as close as you did, I’d just lead you in the rest of the way?”
Judging by the expression on Lester’s face, that was almost exactly what he’d thought. Now that he realized the error of his assumption, Lester suddenly felt more isolated than if he’d been stranded in the middle of a desert. Even the small animals that had been scurrying about seemed to have chosen this moment to run back into their holes.
“Just so you know,” Nick announced, “the moment I see anyone riding toward me who I don’t recognize, I’m shooting them first and you second.” After letting that sink in for a second or two, he added, “Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?”
At first, Lester kept perfectly still.
Then, as the thoughts churned through his mind and his imagination wreaked its havoc, Lester started to twitch. Just the corners of his eyes twitched at the start, but then the tremors worked through his face until he was almost shaking.
“There’s someone else coming,” Lester spat out. “He made me swear not to tell you.”
“Then why are you telling me?”
“Because I don’t think he’s gonna hold up his end of our deal. He was supposed to cut me in on a percentage of whatever we found in that grave, but then he saw you and wanted to cash you in for the price that’s on your head.”
Nick nodded and looked around as he said, “A bounty hunter.”
“That’s right.” Dropping his voice to a harsh whisper, Lester added, “And he could be anywhere. He could be watching us right now.”
“What was your plan?”
“I was supposed to get in close and keep you occupied until he could get a shot. For all I know, he’s got us both in his sights right now.”
“He doesn’t,” Nick said confidently.
“How the hell can you be so sure?”
“Because he would have killed you before you spilled so much about what was really going on. That either means he’s not close enough to hear us, or you’re making this up to save your skin.”
Lester’s eyes widened to the size of saucers as he shook his head violently. “I didn’t make it up! I swear to God!”
Oddly enough, Nick believed him. He had taken enough twists and turns while riding to this spot that he would have noticed if anyone else had been following him. For all the ridges, gullies and trenches in the area, there were plenty of spots to hide in, but not a lot of ways to move silently from one spot to another. There were too many loose rocks and nervous critters around for a man to go unnoticed for long. Nick knew that much from firsthand experience.
Also, Lester was too scared to be lying well enough to pull the wool over Nick’s eyes. Nick had lost count of how many chances he’d given Lester to trip up on his stories. So far, Lester hadn’t tripped over much of anything other than his own tongue. Lester could be an exceptional liar, but Nick’s eyes were telling him to go along with his gut reaction.
The surrounding landscape was jagged and made up of sharp lines. Even a man lying on his belly could be spotted if he was trying to spy on Nick and Lester from afar. If such a man was closer, he would have made noise, disturbed a rabbit, or done something else to tip his hand. If he was good enough to avoid doing all of those things, then there wasn’t much Nick could do about him.
“Come on,” Nick said as he turned Kazys toward a wide, rocky slope that led to the east.
Lester leaned back in his saddle as if that would put him out of harm’s way. “Where are you taking me?”
“You came along this far, you might as well come along for the rest.”
“Y…you’re gonna shoot me and bury me with Cobb.”
“I dragged Barrett a hell of a lot farther than this. If I’d wanted you dead, I would’ve done it a long time ago, just to keep from hearing you whine so much.”
Lester glanced around, but found nothing to give him any solace. Reluctantly, he nodded and gave his reins a limp-wristed flick.
Waiting until Lester caught up with him, Nick got Kazys moving just fast enough to keep pace with the other man. “What did you say your name was?”
“Lester.”
“I’d rather not kill you, Lester. In fact, I’d like you to get a good look at what I’m about to do and then go tell all your friends or cousins about it. In fact, tell everyone you know. I’ll even give you some money so you can buy drinks at all the saloons from here to Texas, have a few beers, and tell the story some more.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I couldn’t care less,” Nick replied. “I’m not the sort who enjoys swapping stories with a bunch of drunks. In my youth, perhaps, but I did plenty of other stupid things back then that I’ve also given up.”
“But…why would you want me telling folks about you? Don’t you know there’s a price on your head?”
“I know,” Nick said.
Lester blinked and waited. When a hammer didn’t fall for what he’d already said, he decided to keep going. “I heard you were a killer. I heard about some of the things you’ve done and if even half of them stories are true…” He couldn’t even finish that sentiment as the conclusions ran through his mind.
Holding up his gun hand, Nick said, “Take a look at that.”
When he caught a full look at the gnarled remains of Nick’s fingers and the scars that were smeared across his flesh like so much tar, Lester winced.
Nick recognized that look, having seen it on plenty of other faces. “That’s just a taste of what I’ve been through.” He lowered his hand and let his eyes settle upon the trail that wound in front of him. “Whatever’s out there…whoever’s out there…it all gonna come to me whether I run from it or not. After a while, a man just gets sick of running.”