FOUR
In spite of Hudson’s less than hospitable behaviour on his previous visit, Matthews decided to call in on him again three days later. In truth, he normally spent such a lot of his time with Hudson that he was rather at a loss without his companionship. Anyway, he had more or less convinced himself that he had let his imagination run away with him and so had a feeling that he ought to make it up to his friend. Not that he had any intention of confessing his foolish suspicions to Hudson, but he thought he could invite Hudson for a night in town and thus indirectly compensate him for them.“Comin’ into town tonight, Jim? I thought we could get up a poker game. Ya ain’t been in for nigh on a week.”
“I told ya, I’ve been busy.”
“Ya can’t fence at night and surely ya must have finished messin’ around in that kitchen by...”
Hudson interrupted, snapping, “Kitchen? What the hell are ya on about my kitchen for? Nothin’s goin’ on in there.” He had completely forgotten his earlier lie about cleaning and now glared at his friend full of murderous suspicion.
More than somewhat taken aback by this extreme reaction to his idle jest, Matthews stared at him. “I-I thought ya said ya were spring-cleaning it last time I was here.”
“Oh … ah … yeah, s-so I did,” Hudson said, making an effort to recover himself. “Never finished it though. Too busy with other things.”
“Ya will join me tonight though, won’t ya?”
“Not tonight. I’m rather bushed. I think I’ll have an early night. How about sometime next week?”
“Sure, whatever.” In truth, Matthews was more than happy to go. He had felt a goose walk over his grave when Hudson had turned on him and he was feeling incredibly ill at ease. But what should he do?
He pondered his next move as he rode into town. The easiest thing would be to do nothing. After all, he still had no real evidence to back his suspicions and would look a damned fool if he turned out to be wrong. Further, Hudson would make a dangerous enemy. But could he in all conscience keep his suspicions to himself?
Then there was the danger of guilt by association. What if Hudson was finally caught out and decided to spread the blame, accusing him and Dan Martin of involvement? They had been careful to avoid the other six when harassing Tanner, but it was likely that some other citizens might have seen or heard part of what went on and might choose to speak up.
Then there was the question of what exactly Hudson might do to Tanner. What if, having amused himself, he decided to shut Vin’s mouth permanently? There was no way that Matthews wanted to be associated with murder.
Right, so he had to say something, but to whom? JD, as sheriff, was the obvious choice, but he could not face the questions he was sure the boy would ask in his innocence and ignorance.
Larabee then? No, the man sent shivers down his spine at the best of times. And what if Hudson was right in what he said about Tanner being the gunslinger’s catamite? Hell, that cold-blooded killer might gun him down there and then before seeking Hudson.
Josiah? No, he could not say what had to be said to a man of religion.
That left Buck, Nathan and Ezra. Ezra then he decided. He wrongly believed the apparent dude to be the least dangerous of the group.
Accordingly, he headed for the saloon and, after quite some hesitation, approached the gambler. “Excuse me, Mr Standish, I’d like to speak to ya privately for a moment if I could.”
“I am in the middle of a game, Mr Matthews, can it not wait?”
Reluctant to say anything in front of others, Matthews nodded, “I suppose so.” He nearly went right home at that point, but realised he could not. So he walked across to the bar, begged a pencil and scrap of paper, and wrote the word “Tanner”.
He then walked back to Ezra and handed him the folded scrap.
For a moment, the gambler was tempted to toss it on the floor, as he hated interruptions to his game, but at the conclusion of that hand, curiosity overcame annoyance and he opened it. Blood drained from his face and he lurched to his feet hurriedly making a garbled excuse for his precipitate departure.
For Ezra Standish to quit the tables when winning was unheard of and a buzz of interest and speculation went around the room. Those who had seen his pale face suggested sudden illness, but others had seen Matthews hand him the note and so wondered what it might have said.
Meanwhile the gambler had joined Matthews on the porch. “Do you know where Mr Tanner is?” he asked, in his urgency not employing the usual long words of his extensive vocabulary.
“I’m not sure. I th-think so,” Matthews replied. “Can we go somewhere private?”
“Certainly! Accompany me to Nathan’s place. He is in attendance at an accouchement this evening.”
They moved hurriedly along the street and let themselves into the clinic. Ezra lit a lamp. “Now tell me,” he urged.
“I-I’m not sure, but I think he is … he might be at … at Jim Hudson’s place.”
“At Hudson’s place? But Mr Tanner does not even like the man,” Ezra said, recalling what Chris had told him about the tracker’s reaction to Hudson’s visit.
“I said I think he’s there. I didn’t say by … by choice.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Well … um it’s a bit difficult to explain, but … um …”
“Just tell me!” Ezra snapped in exasperation.
“Ya see Jim’s got a bit of a … um … er … a thing about Tanner. Dan and I used to think it was just a joke, but I’m starting to wonder if he was serious all along.”
Ezra felt a cold knot of fear growing inside him. “Please be a trifle more explicit,” he begged, hoping like hell that he had misinterpreted Matthews’ words.
Matthews steeled himself and blurted, “I think he’s kidnapped Tanner. I reckon he’s … he might be … um … assaultin’ him.”
Ezra’s heart contracted as his worst fears were realized. He had hoped desperately that he had been putting a wrong interpretation on Matthews disjointed explanation, but clearly he had not. “Have you seen Mr Tanner at Hudson’s ranch?”
“No, but Hudson’s actin’ awful funny and he’s said some odd things like there’s somethin’ goin’ on and he won’t let me in the house.”
“Have you spoken to anyone else about this?”
“No, I d-didn’t know what to do. Ya see I’ve got no proof, but Hudson’s been sexually harassin’ Tanner for weeks and now he suddenly claims he’s not interested in him and …”
“Did you say he’s been sexually harassing Mr Tanner?” Standish questioned aghast.
“Yeah and I guess … well, Dan and I we helped him. J-Just comments and … and the odd touches, but we th-thought it was just a bit of fun ‘cause Tanner’s got long hair and is kinda pretty … ya know. We didn’t mean anythin’, but … but …”
“You now think Hudson was serious?”
“Yeah.”
“Right, we’d better find Mr Larabee.”
“Larabee? But … But … I can’t …”
“Mr Larabee has to be told.”
“He’ll kill me!” The terror in Matthew’s voice was clear.
“Not if you have spoken the truth about the extent of your involvement. He will be too relieved at locating Mr Tanner to seek retribution against you.”
Matthews felt obliged to say, “I still don’t absolutely know for sure that he’s there.”
“It is still the best lead we have had. Now if you will accompany me, I will get my horse and we will proceed to Mr Larabee’s home.”
Twenty minutes of hard riding saw Ezra knocking loudly on Chris’ door and calling his name as he did so.
Meanwhile, Larabee had just been having an odd experience. He had been sitting staring morosely into the fire, wracking his brain as to other places they could search for Vin. He had not fallen asleep. He would have sworn an oath on that. Indeed, he had not slept properly since Vin’s disappearance was discovered, even though he was desperately tired. Yet he had suddenly had a most disturbing vision. Vin was huddled in a small, dark space. He was in a very distressed state and seemed to be struggling to breathe. Larabee could feel rather than hear the sharpshooter yearning for him and whimpering his name over and over like some kind of mantra. “Where the hell are ya, Vin?” he implored, but a loud banging on his front door sound jerked him back to reality.
Confused and cursing, Chris jumped up. He had a dreadful feeling that he had just missed some vital information. But that was ridiculous. It could only be a figment of an overstressed brain. He had known from the first he had some kind of link with Vin, but not that strong.
He hastened to the door. ‘It’d better be damned urgent,’ he thought grimly.
He flung the door open, expecting it to be Buck and JD, and was somewhat taken aback to see the gambler. For the latter to leave the tables in the evening, it must indeed be important. “What’s happened, Ezra?” he demanded.
“We may have located Mr Tanner! Come on, I will elucidate en route.”
The three rode hard, Ezra giving Larabee a potted version of events as they travelled. By the time they neared Hudson’s ranch, Larabee knew as much as Ezra and he was in a killing mood.
All too aware of this, Standish feared the gunslinger would go in guns blazing, with possibly disastrous consequences. Although his usually reliable instincts told him that Matthews’ summation of the situation would prove correct, there was still no real evidence that Vin was even at the ranch and, if he was, a precipitate move on his rescuers’ part might lead to Hudson panicking and killing him to stop his mouth. He also knew that Hudson employed four hands. The men were likely to rush to their employer’s assistance in the event of a sudden and apparently inexplicable attack.
So Ezra took the risk and put a hand on Larabee’s arm. “Chris, let us take this slow and easy,” he suggested. “I propose that we approach the hired hands initially to ascertain whether they know anything appertaining to the situation. Furthermore, it will be advantageous for them to know it is us and not bandits dealing with their employer so they do not feel obliged to become involved in any skirmish that may eventuate.”
Wanting only to hurry to find Vin, Chris glared at him for disrupting his plans, but could see the sense in the suggestion. He nodded curtly. “We’ll leave the horses here and go in on foot. Matthews, the men know ya as Hudson’s friend. You rouse them and we’ll follow ya in.”
Five minutes or so later they were in the bunkhouse. The hands supported Matthews in his comments about Hudson’s odd behaviour and were frankly derisive when Matthews mentioned the ranch-work Hudson claimed to have been doing. “That lazy bastard probably wouldn’t even know a fencin’ tool iffen he fell over one,” one commented.
“Yeah,” another agreed. “Hell he’s hardly set foot outside the house for nigh on a week. Not that he ever does much round the place, but he’s been worse than usual lately.”
“Damned touchy too,” a third added. “I went up to the house the day before yesterday to get the okay to go into town to get some gear we needed and he gave me short shrift. Told me if it needed gettin’ just to damn well get it and not to bother him.”
“What do ya think he’s doin’?” one asked.
Chris had known he was going to have to deal with that question sooner or later. It was tricky, as if Matthews was right, Vin would not want others knowing what Hudson had done and yet he had to say something. “We don’t know exactly what’s goin’ on, but ya’ll all have heard Vin Tanner’s missin’. Well, Hudson doesn’t like him much and Matthews thinks he’s got him in there.”
“Could be. He’s a mean bastard if he’s got a set against someone and one night when I come home late and was crossin’ the yard I thought …” The man trailed off uncertainly.
“What? What did ya think?” the gunslinger demanded, sinking iron fingers into his arm. The intensity of Larabee’s reaction was frightening.
“I-I thought I heard a scream. It was sorta choked off. I listened for awhile, but there were no more. I thought I must have been hearin’ things.”
“Damn!” Larabee swore. “That’s enough I’m goin’ in.”
“Mr Larabee, we have to be careful,” the gambler cautioned. “We do not want him to cause Mr Tanner further injury.”
Chris nodded. “Okay. Matthews, ya go and knock. We’ll grab him when he answers the door.”
Matthews looked as if he wanted to argue, but there was no gainsaying the gunslinger so he walked across to the house. Chris and Ezra flattened themselves against the wall on either side of the door. “Knock!” Larabee hissed, as Matthews hesitated. So Matthews did.
At first there was no response, but then an irritable voice called, “Who the hell is it?”
“It’s Tom!”
“Go away! It’s the middle of the damned night,” Hudson shouted angrily.
“Sorry, Jim, but I gotta see ya about somethin’. It’s important.”
“It’s better damned important. Hang on a minute, I’m gettin’ dressed.”
A short time later, he thrust the door open and snarled, “Now what the hell do …”
That was as far as he got. Larabee sprang out and grabbed the larger man by the throat, shoving him back into the house. Taken aback, Hudson was at first too surprised to react, and by the time he gathered his wits, it was too late as he found himself looking down the barrel of Ezra’s colt. The gambler looked every bit as lethal as Larabee.
“Where’s Vin?” Larabee demanded.
“Tanner? I dunno. He ain’t here. We ain’t exactly friends, ya know.”
“Tell me where he is!”
“I told ya, he ain’t here. Search the damn place if ya like, ya won’t find him.” There was almost a note of gloating in that last phrase.
Shepherding Hudson ahead of them, they did just that, but there was no trace of Vin. However, they were convinced that Hudson knew more than he was telling as his air of arrogance increased.
Finally, they entered Hudson’s bedroom. Hudson gestured at the bed. “See he ain’t here and that’d be the place I’d have that pretty boy iffen I had him anywhere,” he sneered provocatively.
‘Yes, that would be it,’ the gambler thought. He moved towards the bed and reached for the covers.
“What are ya doin’?” Hudson protested, grasping his arm. “Ya can see he ain’t there. Don’t touch things.”
That clinched it. Ezra shook the restraining hand off and flung back the covers to reveal the blood-splattered sheets beneath. Even though he had had his suspicions, the gambler paled and staggered back. There was so much blood. What the hell had the bastard been doing to Vin? He swung around, pointed his colt at Hudson’s stomach, and snarled, “Tell us where he is or I’ll gut-shoot you.”
Hudson gulped, but recovered himself and said, “Shoot me and you’ll never find him.”
Chris suddenly recalled the strange waking dream he had had of Vin. “Is there a cellar?” he asked Matthews.
“No.” He paused and then said, “Wait a bit! The kitchen! C’mon!” He hurried in its direction, with the others following.
“I wonder if there is one. Jim didn’t want me in the kitchen and I’ve got a vague memory of him tellin’ me somethin’ ages ago about his pa startin’ to dig a cellar and givin’ up on it. I’ll bet …” He broke off, his eyes wide with terror.
Larabee turned and saw that Hudson had seized a large kitchen knife from the table. “Ya damned traitor!” Hudson shrieked, raising his arm above his head to give added impetus to the stroke, and flinging himself at his erstwhile friend.
It seemed impossible for Matthews to escape, but just as Hudson’s arm started its downward move, Larabee’s gun boomed and a slug took the rancher through the throat. Ezra had always known Larabee was fast, but he could not believe the speed of that draw. He had his weapon already in his hand, but could not even raise it in the time in which Chris had drawn and fired. He and Matthews stood and gaped as Hudson crashed lifeless to the floor.
Larabee grabbed the body and flung it aside, as if it was weightless, in his urgent need to find Vin. Then he kicked the mat aside and the trapdoor was revealed.
All stared at it, fearing what lay beneath. Larabee recovered first and knelt, drawing back the bolt and raising the heavy door to reveal the huddled figure within. “Vin!”
There was no reply. The tracker was not moving.
Larabee and Standish gently lifted him out and laid him on the floor. All three stared in horror at the naked form, covered with blood and bruises.“ Is he … Is he dead?” Matthews ventured fearfully.
“No, but he’s in bad shape,” Larabee responded. “We gotta get him into town. You go and get Hudson’s wagon hitched up. Ezra, see iffen ya can find a mattress and some clean beddin’ to put in the wagon bed.” Both hastened to obey.
Meanwhile Chris cut the ropes binding his friend and ran his hands over him checking for broken bones and swearing silently at the cuts, bruises and bites marking the tracker’s slender frame. His arm was obviously broken. The bones, having barely started to knit after the accident, had been pulled out of alignment again. There did not seem to be any other breaks, but the gunslinger was concerned at how hot Vin’s skin was. The fever had clearly returned in force.
Chris went into the bedroom, seized the cleaner of the pair of sheets and tore it up for bandaging. He wrapped Vin’s arm and then picked the tracker up as carefully as he could. ‘God, he doesn’t weigh a damned thing,’ he thought.
He carried Tanner outside to find that the other two had the wagon ready. He put Vin in the bed and covered him up. Then he hurriedly ducked back into the house to grab the other sheet, planning to burn it later. The discovery of it would have led to undesirable speculation.
The ranch-hands were standing watching procedures from a distance. Ezra said, in an undertone, “I have informed them Hudson got shot resisting arrest for kidnapping and injuring Mr Tanner. They will deal with the corpse. It appears as if Hudson had no close relatives, so no one’s likely to ask awkward questions.”
“Right, we’d better get Vin in to Nathan.” He tied his horse’s reins to the rear of the wagon. “You drive the wagon, Matthews. I’ll sit in the back with Vin in case he wakes. Ezra, you go on ahead and alert Nathan so he’s ready for us”
“Certainly, Mr Larabee.” Ezra swung gracefully into the saddle and galloped off into the night.
As they drove, Larabee asked Matthews to give a more detailed version of the events that Ezra had hurriedly relayed to him as they had ridden to Hudson’s ranch.
Fearing the worst, Matthews nervously did so. To his everlasting relief, Larabee listened with only the odd question for clarification and then said. “I’m tempted to rattle yer teeth for yer part in harassin’ Vin, but I’m grateful ya came clean about it all and I believe ya when ya say ya never realised Hudson was serious. Ya will understand that Vin won’t want what Hudson did made public and I guess ya wouldn’t want people wonderin’ if yer tarred with the same brush as Hudson.”
“No.”
“Okay, so what I want ya to do is testify against Hudson at the hearin’. Just say he seemed to have some sort of grudge against Vin. Anyone can see he’s beaten Vin, but they don’t need to know other details.”
“Yeah, I reckon that’s best,” Matthews agreed, relieved he was going to escape so lightly. “Thank ya, Mr Larabee and could ya tell Tanner I’m sorry. I don’t reckon he’ll want to see me.”
The main street was in darkness as they drove towards Nathan’s clinic and nobody but Ezra and the doctor observed their arrival.
Vin still had not stirred. Again, Chris lifted him into his arms and headed inside, while Matthews and Ezra took the horses and wagon to the livery.
Nathan began his examination and immediately confirmed Chris’ findings. “Damn, his arm’s in bad shape. I’ll need to re-set it. We had better get him cleaned up first though. I’ve got water boiled. Will you wash him, Chris?”
“Sure.”
Once the tracker was clean, Nathan began to put ointment on the cuts and bites. “That Hudson must have been a damned animal,” he opined looking at various injuries. “I just hope none of these go bad. Human teeth are very infectious.”
Ezra had slipped back in while this was going on. “I wish you had gut-shot him, Mr Larabee. His demise was considerably more expeditious than he deserved.”
“True, Ezra, but I’m glad he ain’t still alive. I expect Vin ain’t gonna want people knowin’ what happened and a trial might have brought it all out.” He proceeded to tell them both about his talk with Matthews.
“So you are satisfied that he will keep the details of Mr Tanner’s ordeal to himself?”
“Yeah, I think he’s just damned relieved I didn’t shoot him.”
“What about Buck and the others?”
“What do ya mean?”
“Are you intending to enlighten them as to what has occurred?”
“I don’t think so. I reckon Vin would prefer as few to know as possible. I think we’d better stick with the story about a grudge. Anyway, I wouldn’t fancy havin’ to explain things to the kid and knowin’ JD he’d be likely to say the wrong thing and give the game away to someone.”
Nathan interrupted, “If you two have finished chatting, I would like some assistance with this arm.”
The two moved to help him. “Do ya agree with me, Nate?” Chris asked.
“Yes, I think it’s best. Rape victims are often ashamed of what has happened to them. They shouldn’t be as it’s not their fault, but they often aren’t thinking too clearly.”
Vin groaned and moved restlessly. “He’s very hot, Nathan,” Chris said.
“Yes, he’s back to square one with the fever. We’re going to have to get some fluids into him and to keep sponging him down like we did before. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to volunteer to help Mr Standish, as I don’t want Josiah to see the bites on Vin.”
“Of course.”
When he had the arm aligned to his satisfaction, Nathan began to bandage it. “I won’t bind it to his chest this time,” he said.
“How come? I thought you reckoned it was a good idea,” Chris said.
“And I still do, but he was so unhappy about it last time, that after what he’s been through, I don’t want to risk upsetting him further.”