Julie Garwood - Come the Spring

"And they were after army payroll again? " "Yes." Cole filed the

information away.

Then he asked, "Where did they strike next? " "They went back to

Texas, " Ryan answered, "and robbed a bank in Dillon."

"That's your hometown, isn't it? " Ryan looked startled. Cole quickly

explained.

"I did a halfhearted search for you when you took the compass from my

mother."

"What else did you find out? " Cole shrugged. "Nothing much. Was

anyone killed in the robbery in Dillon? " he asked, switching the

topic back to the more pressing matter.

"Yes." His voice turned harsh, angry. "Too damned many." Cole

waited, but Ryan didn't give him any particulars. When Cole prodded

him for details, he became agitated.

"Look, it's all in the files. I've gone through them at least a

hundred times, but maybe when you read the reports, you'll find

something I missed. The bank in Dillon was the last one they hit that

year. They lay low in the fall and winter months, then start in again

in the spring and summer months. It's sporadic, yet consistent, " he

added. "Last year they moved north and became even more violent, and

this year, all three banks they've robbed have been in Montana

Territory."

"Probably because there are so many places to hide."

"Yes. I think so too. They've stayed away from the big cities."

"Sheriff Norton told me about the witness you had in Middleton." Ryan

nodded. "Luke MacFarland was his name. He happened to be walking past

the bank during the robbery. He told me he heard gunshots, but that he

was already looking in through the space between the window and the

shades because of something else he heard."

"What was that? " "Laughter." Cole wasn't shocked. "I told you they

enjoy their work.

It's going to get much worse unless you stop them."

"Unless we stop them, " Ryan corrected. "You're in this now."

"Yeah, I guess I am.

Did Luke tell you how the people inside died? Did they make them kneel

down? " "No, they were taken into the back room and killed there. The

kneeling . . . that's new. So is the knife." Ryan reached up and

began to rub the knot in the back of his neck.

"Damn, I'm tired." Cole could see how exhausted Ryan was. "You

shouldn't have slept outside in the rain. You're too old for it. "

Ryan smiled. "I'm only a year older than you are."

"How do you know my age? " "I know everything there is to know about

you." If Cole was surprised by the comment, he didn't let it show.

"Why didn't you protect your witness in Middleton? " "I sure as hell

tried to protect him. Honest to God I did, but another robbery was

reported over in Hartfield, and I left to check it out.

Marshal Davidson was put in charge of Luke MacFarland and his family.

" "Besides telling you that he heard laughter, what else did Luke

say?

" "He could only see two men through the seam. One of them took his

mask off, and Luke got a glimpse at his profile. He didn't think he

could point him out in a crowd, though. He did say he was tall,

lean.

" "Anything else? " "No."

"What was Marshal Davidson doing while his witness was being killed? "

"He'd already gotten hit. He's going to recover, but it will take a

long time. The doctor dug three bullets out of him."

"They wouldn't have left him unless they thought they'd killed him."

"Yes, that's what I think."

"Sheriff Norton told me how MacFarland and his wife were killed. A

knife was used on both of them. He thinks they murdered his wife to

send folks a message. He says you're going to have a hell of a time

getting anyone to admit he saw anything. Word travels fast in the

territory."

"Did Norton happen to tell you anything about his background? " "No,

he didn't.

Why do you ask? " "Just curious. Have you ever heard of a gunslinger

named the Laredo Kid? " "Sure, " Cole answered. "He was a legend when

I was growing up. Every one knew what a daredevil he was . . . crazy,

but fast with a gun. Real fast. He's probably dead by now. Did

Norton kill him? " Ryan smiled. "The Laredo Kid isn't dead. Fact is,

he became a sheriff."

"Norton is . . . ? " Cole was incredulous.

"I swear it's true."

"He should have been killed years ago. There's always someone faster

with a gun waiting to prove himself. He's lucky he's still alive."

"I agree, especially with that wife of his cooking for him. Did she

make you eat her fried chicken? It damn near killed me." Cole burst

out laughing. He was surprised how good it felt.

The tension in his gut eased up a little. "She tried, " he admitted.

"But I didn't touch it." Ryan also relaxed, until he looked at the

bloodstained floors again. It was a sobering sight.

"You've had time to look around. Tell me what you think happened. "

The laughter was gone from Cole's eyes when he answered.

"I'll tell you what I know didn't happen. None of them fought. There

aren't any signs of a struggle. Hell, they were as meek as sheep.

There are guns in all three cash drawers behind the windows, " he said

with a tilt of his head toward the tellers' stations. "They're loaded,

but they haven't been touched. Now, you tell me something, Ryan. Why

did you come after me? There are better men out there to wear this

badge."

"I wanted you."

"Why? " "It's complicated."

"That's an excuse, not an answer." Ryan sent the chair flying backward

when he stood up and leaned against the desk. Both men ignored the

crash that followed as the chair struck the wall, their gazes were

fixed on each other.

A long minute passed in silence before Ryan made up his mind. "All

right, I'll tell you why I chose you for the job. A long time ago I

started getting curious about you when I heard about the trouble you

ran into down near Abilene and how you handled it."

"I'm sure the story was exaggerated."

"No, it wasn't. I checked it out. You knew what they were going to do

to that woman, and youţ" "Like I said, " Cole interrupted, "the story

was exaggerated."

"You shot through her to get him." "I shot through her arm, that's

all. The bullet didn't touch bone. She only got a nick."

"But that same bullet killed him.

" "He needed to die." 'I can give you at least twenty other

examples.

" "I'm good with a gun. So what? " "You want the best reason of

all?

" "Yes."

"You think like they do."

"Like who? " "The bastards who came in here and killed all those

people."

"Son of a bitch! " Cole roared. "Do you think I could do something

like this? " Ryan diffused his anger. "No, I don't think you could do

something like this. I said you think like they do. You can get into

their minds, Cole.

I've tried, but I can't do it."

"You're nuts, Ryan."

"Maybe, but I need a man who won't hesitate and who doesn't mind

bending the law in certain situations. I also have to trust him, and I

trust you."

"How do you know you can trust me? " "All the stories you say didn't

happen. I rode with your mother on the train to Salt Lake, and she

told me all sorts of saintly things about you only a mother could

believe. Does she know how ruthless you can be? " Cole refused to

answer the question.

Ryan plunged ahead. "She thinks you're headed in the wrong

direction.

That's why she gave you the compass."

"The compass you kept for over a year." Ryan shrugged. She also told

me the compass was to remind you to stay on the right path. The way I

see it, I'm helping you do just that."

"I'm not ruthless."

"When the situation calls for it, you are. I also heard about

Springfield."

"Ah, hell."

"Are you going to help me or not? " Cole had already made his

decision. The sight of those bodies would stay in his mind for a long,

long time, and he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep at night unless he

helped find the men who had committed this atrocity. He simply

couldn't walk away.

"I want to get all of them, " he whispered. "I'll keep the badge, but

as soon as this is over, I'm giving it back."

"You might decide to stay on."

"Maybe, " was all he would allow. "Are there any special rules for

marshals? I never was one for rules, " he warned.

"Marshals are assigned to territories, but you and I are theexception

because we're on special duty. As for the rules, you don't need to

worry about them. It's all common-sense stuff anyway. Marshals can't

be tried for murder, you know." He told the lie with a straight

face.

Cole laughed. "That rule will come in handy." Ryan stood up and

rolled his shoulders to work the stiffness out. "Why don't you go

through this box while I go in the back and look through the drawers