“What’s so important about this Cord?”
“He’s a geologist, Sam,” Evan said.
Sam looked at Evan and said, “A geologist?”
“Interesting, huh?”
“Now what would Lincoln Burkett need with a geologist?” Sam wondered aloud.
“That’s what we were wondering,” Evan said.
“Gold,” Jubal said. “It’s got to be, and I’ll bet it was on Pa’s land.”
“Gold?” Sam said. “On the ranch? If that’s the case, why would Pa sell it?”
“Maybe he didn’t know,” Evan said. “Maybe Burkett did.”
“This might tell us why Burkett wanted the ranch,” Sam said, “but it still doesn’t tell us why Pa made the deal he made with Burkett. Did John Burkett have anythin’ to say about that?”
“No,” Jubal said. “He was pretty drunk to start with, and got drunker still. All he did most of the night was complain about the way his father treats him. His old man owns the whorehouse, Sam, and he keeps John out of it.”
“Is Burkett the owner of record?” Sam asked.
“I doubt it,” Evan said, “but we can check that today, at the courthouse. It would be interesting to know what businesses Burkett has bought out, and what deals he made with the owners.”
“My guess,” Sam said, “would be that whatever he’s bought he hasn’t done it openly. His name won’t be on the record of the sale. He’s not gonna want the town to know he’s buyin’ it up. Not yet.”
“Maybe if they did find out,” Evan said, “they wouldn’t be so eager to have him as a citizen.”
“Maybe somebody should let them know,” Jubal said.
“Yeah, but we need proof first,” Sam said. “After breakfast why don’t you go and look it up, Evan. Jube, you can stay with Serena until Evan comes back.”
“And what are you gonna do?”
“I thought I might go out and ride around the ranch a bit.”
“If Burkett’s men see you—” Evan started.
“That’ll be their hard luck,” Sam said.
“You think you’re gonna find gold on the ground, just like that?” Jubal asked.
“I don’t know what I’m gonna find,” Sam said. “I won’t know until I get out there.”
“You’re not going to see Burkett, are you?” Evan asked.
“I’ve thought about it,” Sam said. “I think I’ll play it by ear for a while, though. I’ll try to be back before dinner.”
“All right,” Evan said, “we’d better get over to Serena’s for breakfast.”
As they left Sam wondered when they had started referring to the Miller house as “Serena’s” and not “Dude’s.”
Serena wondered why Sam, Evan, and Jubal were so quiet at breakfast. She thought that they were probably planning something, but she didn’t want to ask them yet. They were talking mostly to her father, but it was all small talk, about the past, about their parents.
After breakfast they went into the living room with her father while she cleaned up the kitchen.
There Evan said to Miller, “Dude, has there ever been a gold strike around here?”
“Here? Hell, no. What makes you ask that?”
The three brothers exchanged glances and then Evan said, “Burkett’s brought in a geologist.”
“A geologist? What would he need a geologist for?”
“We figure there’s something on Pa’s land that Burkett knew about. Gold seems the most likely thing.”
“But why would your father—”
“We’ve already asked those questions, Dude,” Evan said. “Sam’s gonna ride out today and take a look around the ranch. Maybe he’ll find something.”
“Yeah, trouble,” Miller said. “You can’t let him go out there alone.”
“We don’t have a choice,” Evan said. “I have something else to do. Jubal’s going to stay here with Serena.”
“There’s no need for that,” Miller said. “I’m fine now.
Serena and I can go and open the store and stay there. I can take care of her.”
“Just the same,” Evan said, “Jubal’ll go with you.”
“Evan—”
“Do this our way, Dude,” Sam said.
Miller looked at Sam and then said, “All right.”
“I’m gonna leave now,” Sam said. “I’ll see you all later.”
“Be careful,” Jubal said.
“Always.”
Just as Sam went out the front door Serena came into the room.
“Where’s Sam?” she asked, looking at all of them in turn. “What’s going on? You all look like you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar.”
“I’ve got to go to the courthouse,” Evan said. “Jube, explain it to her.”
“Sure,” Jubal said as Evan headed for the door, “thanks.”
Sam went to the livery and told Swede he needed his horse.
“I’ll get him for you, Sam,” Swede said.
While Sam waited for his horse he thought back to his prospecting days in Shasta County, California. That was another time when he’d thought he could put his gun down. It didn’t work out any better than his marriage had, but he had learned about what to look for when searching for gold.
The Swede walked his horse out to him and handed him the reins.
“Are you going riding alone?”
“Yes.”
“After what happened near the telegraph office—”
“The telegraph office!” Sam said.
“What about it?” Swede asked, but Sam had alreadymounted up and was riding to the hotel. The incident at the telegraph office had been several days ago, and Sam had completely forgotten to check for his reply.
He stopped at the hotel and went inside to the desk clerk.
“Is there a telegraph message for me?”
“I’ll check, sir.” The clerk turned and looked in Sam’s box, then came out with a yellow slip of paper. He handed it to Sam.
“Thanks.”
Sam took it outside and read it there. It was from Murdock, who said that while he was too far away to be of any use there was a man who might be able to help them out. His name was Carson, Frank Carson. Murdock further stated that he would have Carson ride into Vengeance Creek as soon as he could.
Good ol’ Page, Sam thought. Came through, as always.
He put the message in his pocket to show to his brothers later, mounted up and rode out.
At the courthouse Evan McCall looked up the ownership of Louise’s, which was on the records as a saloon. Louise Simon was the only owner of record. If Burkett did own a piece of the business—or the business as a whole—it was through a private deal he made with Louise.
That made sense to Evan. It fit with what he and his brothers figured, that Burkett would be keeping his movements to himself as long as possible.
There was no point in looking up any other records. If Burkett owned any other business it would not be reflected in any records that were available to the public.
Since he finished at the courthouse so early, Evan decided to ride after Sam, just in case his older brother found more trouble than he’d anticipated.
Jason Cord came down to breakfast at the Burketthouse and found his host and his son waiting there for him. The breakfast that was laid out on the long dining room table was impressive: eggs, potatoes, ham and biscuits, flapjacks, coffee and milk.
“Well,” Cord said, “this is quite a feast, gentlemen. Do you eat like this all the time?”
“Never mind that,” Lincoln Burkett said. “Sit your skinny ass down and answer some questions, Cord.”
Jason Cord was a rather timid man in his late twenties, sandy-haired, tall and thin. Violent language and violence had never been part of his life. He had thought twice about coming west, but the offer of payment was so good that he couldn’t resist. And if he managed to find what Burkett thought he’d find, it would mean even more money.