I entered the sheriff’s office and sitting at the desk talking to Lucas was a man from my past. “Ring, Ring Carter! What in the world are you doin’ here? I thought you had done retired years ago.”
He chuckled. “No, I tried growing an orchard of apples. Just did want to take care of them as it was hard for me to see them grow sitting in the rocking chair from the front porch. So I went back to transporting prisoners.”
Looking at what I was holding carefully, he asked, “That for me?”
I smiled, “Nope, this is for the deputy here.”
“So that’s what you do now?” he questioned. “Deliver pies.”
I handed the pie over to Lucas who gave me a large smile. He knew what I was trying to do and he nodded his head.
“Yur here to pick up Samuels?” I asked. “He’ll need some watchin’ over with his injury.” I then explained what happened and how Lucas and I apprehended them.
He eyed Lucas over as the pie was devoured. “How old are you boy?” he snapped.
Lucas ignored him as he finished the pie. Then he licked the fork a couple more times before looking up at Carter. “Senor, I am but a wee nino.”
That started me to guffawing. “Ring, he’s old enough to do a deputy’s job. I’d have him on the train with me any time.”
“Senor Carter, I am sorry for the way I answered. I am almost eighteen.”
Carter was rubbing the whiskers on his chin. “Listen, I’m short a guard. I could use you for a week or so,” he paused to look in my direction. “What do you think Miles?
I threw my hands open and shrugged. “He’s hired by the county. You’d have to talk with the sheriff, who should be coming this way shortly.”
“I’ll have five prisoners with this one. There shouldn’t be any problem but one of them is Martin Blue, scheduled to hand over when I get him to Canon City. The other three are low-life’s wanted mostly for robbery, one for arson.” He looked at Lucas. “It’d pay you forty dollars plus travel expenses.”
When he said that I saw Lucas’ eyes perk up. He turned his attention to me, and fortunately at that time Charlie walked in. Ring told Charlie the situation who glanced over at me. “That would be up to Lucas here. His decision.”
“Good seein’ yuh again, Ring. You take care, and if’n I were you I’d think some more about that rockin’ chair and orchard.” I waved at Lucas then walked out the the door down the street toward the diner meeting Charlie along the way. I told him the story, and said I could be riding on the train, just in case, but Lucas was a full-fledged deputy and also the age of a man.
When I arrived at the diner the other guard, Jim Bellows, was getting sandwiches for the prisoners. The train would be pulling out in an hour and I needed to let Molly know what was going on.
“One of these days, Miles, you’re going to have to stop being a guardian angel,” she said chiding me.
I pulled her to me, “One of these days, but I feel I need to look after Lucas a while longer. The prisoners and guards will be in the baggage car because Martin Blue is one of the prisoners.” She looked up at me and I nodded, “Yes, he is bad.”
Within the hour we were clickety-clacking along the rails. There were two passenger cars and I was in the one furthest from the baggage car. We would change trains in La Junta, and again in Pueblo. I sat in the seat trying to recall if Blue had a gang that might try to free him, but from what I remembered he was mostly a loner. Hopefully it would be a peaceful and uneventful ride…