Ahhhh, the coffee tasted good this morning. Marta was making breakfast for me, and Molly was waiting on tables and from time-to-time would come sit and take a few sips of my coffee.
I arrived back in Durango yesterday. It had been a long week. I had to send telegrams to Convney and Blasco. Blasco told me to wait until he sent a couple of deputies to pick up Lillian. She would be taken to Denver. Then there was the paperwork. Seems like there was more paperwork with this Secret Service business, but also a prisoner under my protection was killed and I had to give my report on that, the two men I killed, and the fight in general. I also sent a telegram to Charlie Gold, telling him to secure Billington’s office and house.
I was not too impressed with the sheriff in Pueblo. He seemed more perturbed that I had lived and a convicted prisoner had died. Plus the fact that there was a woman involved and was shot. In my mind there wasn’t much of a manhunt for the two that got away.
Marta brought me some eggs and a large ham steak along with several biscuits. After refilling my cup she went over and told Molly to come sit beside me. This time she got her own cup.
“I feel bad for Billy,” she said after taking her first sip. “I liked the boy, and thought he liked me.”
“Yeah, he liked you enough to shoot you in the head,” I replied.
“You know, that was an accident,” she argued.
I just grunted.
“What about Lillian? What was her involvement?”
“I’m not real sure. It seems as if Billington was takin’ a bar or two of gold from the shipments. He was supposed to pass them on, it seems to Lillian’s husband. When I wouldn’t let the gold go to the bank this last time, he panicked and ran, takin’ money from the bank,” I informed her with the knowledge that I had.
“The four men were working for her?” she asked.
“Sure seems that way, and remember there are the two I wounded still out there. They might just lick their wounds and go back from whence they came, or they just might show up here lookin’ for me.”
That reminded me. “Has Merker been in here?”
She frowned a bit, “I’m not sure I know a Merker, she paused and looked at me. “Miles, wipe your moustache.”
After dutifully wiping my face, I continued with my thought. “Merker was with Myers in Denver when they fired me from Wells Fargo. The day I left I thought I saw him enter the diner.”
“There’s strangers coming and going from here all the time,” she remarked.
“If that’s him, it just seemed strange that he is showin’ up here at this time. I’ll be glad when those special agents from Covney show up. They are going to check Billington’s office and house for any missin’ gold.”
She gave a little laugh. “How’s Douster handling the idea that he’s not allowed in the bank office?”
That brought a chuckle from me as well. “He thought he was goin’ to just take over,” I paused. “I wonder what Lillian was cookin’ up with him? Anyway, Ooverholm will keep an eye on him and tell Charlie if he tries to go in the office. From what I understand the company that controls the bank is meetin’ to select a new president.”
I took two large swallows that finished my coffee. “That reminds me, I need to go see Wilson Foster to find out who they are goin’ to put on the Council to finish out Billington’s term.”
“Miles, that’s no concern of yours,” Molly admonished.
“Not directly, but Charlie needs help. He can’t be marshal and sheriff both. This country is too big and there is too much goin’ on for him to stay in Durango all the time. Be back soon; goin’ to see the judge and see if there’s a telegram for me.”
Stopping just before I walked out I peered up and down the street. Habit I’d fallen into…when I saw Tommy running toward me with a note in his hand.