Doc Jones was sitting with Marshal Gold, myself, and Molly a few days after Christmas and he was fondly putting down his normal order of liver and onions. Charlie and I had some elk ribs and Molly had brought out some pie.
Doc eyed it with delight and remarked, “Boggy-top pie. What flavor?” I think he liked pie almost as much as I did.
The man I cold-cocked was in jail. The name he gave us was Sam Smith. Most likely not his birth name. He was in a daze for a couple of days and was mostly rambling when he talked; that is, when he finally decided to talk. The marshal finally enticed him with a cup of coffee. Amazing what that brew will do. He was given his meals with water, and he began moaning for a cup of coffee.
His partner just went by the name, “Blade.” He said Blade was sort of running the crew as the go-between with this other man. Smith said he only saw the man once; that he was fairly tall and thin. He was wearing a beard that he kept trimmed, but he never heard his name.
“Doesn’t sound like Wray,” said Doc.
“It could be Ferguson, but the last time I saw him, he wasn’t sportin’ a beard,” I replied.
“Doesn’t take long to grow one,” entered Charlie.
Molly got up to get the coffeepot to give us all a refill. “Do you think they’ll come for you Miles?”
“Yes,” and I paused. “One way or another.”
She put a hand on my arm and I looked at her. “I can’t be with you every hour of the day, nor with Marta and her family.”
“It might help if she slept here in the eatery, rather than up at your…” Doc sputtered, “your house.”
“It’s a shack, Doc,” retorted Molly. “We know that.”
“It would alleviate some walking around, and it would be safer here in town,” joined in Charlie, finishing his cup and nodding for me to pour more.
“It’s Wray!”
“Miles, you know the law. He’s already talkin’ about you threatenin’ him, and wants a restraining order against you.”
“I know the law, Charlie! But if Molly or my friends are hurt, I’ll go for him.”
“Maybe,” Doc entered the conversation. “Just maybe, if word went out that the source of payment might not be there in the event of another attack, the gang might become some concerned.”
I looked at him, “Not if they’re successful with me.”
“Hmmm, well, guess you have a point there.”
“But it would give them something to think about.” I looked at the marshal. “What are you holdin’ Smith for? He didn’t do anything, but stand there.”
Gold smiled.
“I’m goin’ to make Wray uncomfortable until he gets that restrainin’ order. And there may be a couple of those owlhoots in town watchin’.”
“I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about,” said Charlie finishing that cup and holding it out again.
I stared at him. “This place makes better coffee than I do down at the jail.”