20.   Akin.

 

We slow down as we ride into town.  It’s a fair-sized one, with several taverns, and saloons, and general stores, and even a couple banks.  There’s even a cattle auction in progress.  The wide dirt streets are dusty as wagons and horses move throughout.  When we reach the largest of the saloons, I nod to the girl to dismount, and tie the horses’ reins to a rail.  I look up and down the street and then push the swinging doors to enter the crowded and noisy room.  No one is paying us too much attention, just another pair of visitors to this burg.  I weave through the crowd and belly up to the bar.  I drop a gold nugget on the counter before the barkeep and order a bottle of whiskey with two shot glasses.  I also inquire of a room, and learn that there’s one in fact just available.  I don’t even ask the rate – the nugget should more than cover any for a couple days – just for the key and for a stable boy take care of our horses out front.  He nods in agreement, and I grab the bottle, shove the glasses into the girl’s hands and we head for the stairs.  I go down the hall... checking the doors... until we reach the end.  I shrug and open the door and lead the girl inside.

 

“Hmmm… only one bed. Figures.”  I sigh and move to sit on the edge and remove my boots as I motion for the girl to close the door and sit next to me.  “Now... tell me about yourself.  I think that there’re a few things that I need to know about you.  Like why you were not so surprised or alarmed by some of the things that I did earlier.”

 

Viss opens her mouth but she has no chance to answer as the door is suddenly kicked open and four men armed with rifles rush in and surround the bed.  The fifth man, who enters last and with no hurry, is armed with a revolver, a brass five-pointed star on his chest.  He grins at me with much contempt.

 

“Always reckoned ya just dumb enough, Rattlesnake, to ride in town in the broad daylight, when ya mug’s all over the territory.”  He tosses a crumpled sheet of paper in my face.  “But to ride the horses of my two deputies who disappeared the last week…”  He shakes his head in amusement.

 

Too astonished to answer, I mechanically unfold the paper.  The text under the drawing, which is doubtless of me, reads Sanchez ‘Rattlesnake’ Rivares.  Dead or Alive.  $5,000 Reward.

 

“I have a nice bed for ya too, down at the jailhouse,” the Marshal continues.  “Just remember, ya worth as much dead as alive.  So makes no difference to me.”  He grins again.

 

Four barrels look in our faces.  There seems to be no escape.  I quickly glance around the room, calculating my chances and weighing my options.  In this crowded room, I think I could easily take on at least three of the men at once before they could get off a shot.  Rifles aren’t the best thing to use in close quarters.  But, then there’s the Marshal behind the riflemen with a more apt and usable handgun.  I’m careful with my motions as I look again at the poster.  It’s obviously me.  Rattlesnake Rivares, eh?  I smirk at the Marshal.  I kinda like that handle.  So the horses belonged to two deputies.  I wonder what happened to them.  Most probably slain by the same person who put out these posters in an effort to frame me.  Is Brand here, already?

 

“Ya got me fair and square, Marshal.  I’ll surrender peacefully,” I say as I put down the poster and raise my arms up away from my guns, watching as one of the Marshal’s men cautiously moves forward to remove the guns from the holsters.

 

“Who’s she?” the marshal snarls sneering at Viss.  “Doesn’t look like the type that’s usually around you, Rattlesnake.”

 

“She's nobody, Marshal.  Just someone I picked up on the road.  Thought I’d be able to get... well, yanno," I grin at the Marshal.  Several of the men snicker and Viss turns red with embarrassment.

 

“Alright, Miss.  We’ll let you be... for now!  But, you stay in town, hear!?  I want to know where you’re just in case.”

 

Viss nods, looking scared and demure and innocent.  It’s hard to say whether or not she understood or just reacts to the Marshal’s tone.  I’m starting to get the impression that this girl’s a very good actress and knows much more than she’s letting on.

 

“On your feet, Rattlesnake!”  A couple men move out into the hall on one side of the door, as the other two riflemen level their Winchesters at my chest.  I nod and slowly get to my feet.  The Marshal motions towards the door and follows me into the hall with his gun pointed at my back.  I give a quick side-glance at the girl, catching her eyes.  Something’s there and I’m not sure what it is exactly.  I’m lead out of the hotel and marched to the jail, surrounded by the four deputies and the Marshal.  My eyes take in my surroundings.  I’m not too worried about getting out, of course.  The thing that I am worried about however, is time.

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