Ralph Compton - Bullet for a Bad Man

Dan Morgan went to walk off. ‘‘I will come see you tomorrow so we can talk over how the ranch is to be run now that your pa is gone.’’

‘‘What is there to talk about? Pa is dead. Boone is gone. Ma is a woman. That leaves me. From now on, the Circle V will be run the way I say it is to be run. Any of our hands who doesn’t like it is free to gather up his plunder and his war bag and light a shuck for wherever he wants.’’

‘‘You don’t have to worry about punchers quitting on you,’’ Dan said. ‘‘They are loyal to the brand.’’

‘‘But will they be loyal to me ?’’

‘‘Why wouldn’t they? I’ll be the first to admit that Boone was more popular. But only because you tended to keep more to yourself and seldom mingled with the punchers like he did.’’

‘‘That will change.’’ Epp clapped Dan on the back. ‘‘All I ask is that you give me the same consideration you gave my pa. I can’t fill his boots, but I will do the best I can. You have my word on that.’’

Deeply touched, Dan clasped Epp’s hand. ‘‘And you can count on me to back you in anything you do.’’

‘‘I am obliged.’’ Epp watched the old foreman thread through the crowd, then chuckled and said to himself, ‘‘There is a jackass born every minute.’’ Tipping his glass to his mouth, he smacked his lips and joined those watching the dancers.

The fandango was soon over. Epp applauded with everyone else, and while his mother was catching her breath, drifted over. ‘‘That was some heel kicking you did, Ma.’’

Lillian had a black fan and was briskly fanning herself. ‘‘I have not done that in years. Your father did not like to dance.’’

‘‘Let’s hope he is not rolling over in his grave right about now.’’ Epp cupped her elbow and steered her toward a table where the drinks were being served. ‘‘How are you holding up?’’

‘‘I don’t rightly know how to explain it.’’

‘‘Try.’’

‘‘I am sad and giddy at the same time. Sad to the depths of my soul that Ned is gone. I loved that man, son. I loved him more than I have ever loved anyone or thing. And now God has seen fit to take him from me.’’

Epp recollected a quote from somewhere. ‘‘The Lord works in mysterious ways.’’

‘‘Exactly.’’ Lillian patted his hand. ‘‘You know, Eppley, I am seeing a new side to you, and I like what I am seeing.’’

‘‘A new side?’’

‘‘You have always been the black sheep of the family. Always went your own way. Did what you wanted to do, not caring one whit what your pa or me thought. Take Ranson, for instance.’’

‘‘My days of gambling and drinking all night are over.’’

Beaming happily, Lillian squeezed his hand. ‘‘I am so glad to hear that. And so sad at the timing.’’

‘‘How do you mean?’’

‘‘Here you have finally grown up and want to do good, and your brother has gone bad.’’

‘‘I am sure Boone had his reasons for killing all those people.’’

‘‘It is decent of you to defend him. But he has cut me to the quick and I don’t know as I can ever recover.’’

‘‘You are doing fine tonight.’’

‘‘I want to honor your father with joy in my heart, not sorrow. Is that wrong of me?’’

‘‘Not at all, Ma,’’ Epp said. ‘‘Just be careful you don’t overdo it. You are not as young as you used to be.’’ He smiled and walked off. He had not gone far when a hand fell on his shoulder.

‘‘I want to offer my condolences, Eppley.’’

‘‘Doc Baker. Having a good time?’’

Baker was white haired and had kindly blue eyes, and never went anywhere without his black bag. He was holding it now. ‘‘As good as I can in light of the circumstances. I liked your father. I liked him a great deal.’’

‘‘Didn’t we all?’’ Epp glanced around, then leaned close and said, ‘‘While I have you here, I want to let you know I am worried about my mother.’’

‘‘What? Why?’’

‘‘Have you seen how she is acting?’’

‘‘She is doing what she can to cheer everyone up. I call that commendable.’’

‘‘Not that,’’ Epp said. ‘‘I was just talking to her and she complained of chest pains. Has she said anything to you?’’

‘‘Chest pains?’’ Doc Baker said in alarm. ‘‘Perhaps I better go talk to her.’’

‘‘And spoil her mood?’’ Epp grabbed his arm. ‘‘I will bring her into Tucson in a few days and you can examine her then.’’

‘‘How bad were these pains?’’ Doc Baker inquired.

‘‘According to her, not bad at all. She thinks it is the stress. But I want to be safe and bring her in to see you.’’

‘‘By all means.’’ Doc Baker smiled in approval. ‘‘I must say, you have risen to the challenge of being the new master of the Circle V quite admirably.’’

Epp continued to mingle until near eleven, when the band stopped playing and the guests who had not already done so retired. He made it a point to happen on Doc Baker as the aged physician was about to go in, and to say so only the doctor heard, ‘‘I will check on my ma before I turn in and make sure she is feeling all right.’’

‘‘You do that,’’ Doc Baker said.

Epp refilled his glass and relaxed on the settee until the voices and the patter of feet faded and the house was as still as a tomb. Maria came from the kitchen and asked if there was anything else he wanted before she went to bed. He told her no, and remarked that he was going to stay up awhile yet.

The instant Maria was out of sight, Epp set down his glass and hurried to the stairs. He went up them three steps at a bound. The upstairs hall was empty. He glided to his parents’ room, quietly opened the door, slipped through and quietly closed the door behind him.

‘‘Who’s there?’’

Lillian was in bed. She lay with her head propped on a pair of large pillows and a blanket as high as her chin. A lamp, the wick turned low, was on the small bedside table. She reached for it, saying, ‘‘I need more light.’’

‘‘It is only me, Ma,’’ Epp said quickly. Smiling his best smile, he went over and sat next to her. ‘‘I came up to see how you are doing.’’

‘‘My, my,’’ Lillian said. ‘‘I can’t recall the last time you were so thoughtful. You never came in here when your father was alive.’’

‘‘I respected your privacy.’’ Epp put his hand on hers. ‘‘How are you feeling?’’

‘‘Tired, son. God-awful tired. I hardly slept a wink last night and I was on the go all day.’’

‘‘You did fine. Pa would be proud.’’

‘‘What is to come of us, Eppley? Your brother, vanished. Your father, dead. There is just the two of us now. I need your help. I can’t run the Circle V by my lonesome.’’

‘‘I don’t expect you to. Don’t worry. Thanks to Pa, I know all there is to know about ranching.’’

‘‘Yes, you do,’’ Lillian said. ‘‘And the first thing you must tend to are those rustlers. Your pa was convinced a brand artist is working our range. He even suspected—’’ She stopped. ‘‘No, I shouldn’t say without proof.’’

‘‘What did Pa suspect, Ma? It would help me to know.’’

‘‘He thought someone here on the Circle V must be in cahoots with them. It is the only way they could take so many of our cattle without us catching on.’’

‘‘Pa thought that?’’

‘‘Yes. We talked about it a few days before he died.’’

‘‘I’ll be damned,’’ Epp said, and then realized what he had said. ‘‘Sorry, Ma, for the strong language. What else did Pa tell you?’’

‘‘That we should set a trap for the rustlers. We should bunch the cattle so the rustlers have to show themselves to steal some, and when they do, we will have them.’’