Part 32 (1/2)

guard. That wouldn't stop a determined thief, though.”

”It's such an awful thing. I can't help thin kin' it was a lot likeFranklin's death.”Louie nodded.”Thought of that, myself.””Course,” Ott continued.”Franklin had some enemies.”Winn spoke for the first time.”Enemies?””Well, let's just say he made some folks mad.” Ott was clearly hesitant to say what he had been thin king. He added hastily, ”None of 'em would hold agrudge 'against Mrs. Franklin.””It's hard to tell. If someone's mad enough he might,” Winn said.”If you know anything, it could be important.””I think a lot of Mrs. Franklin,” Ott said.”She don't take to me, but that don't matter.”He was quiet for a moment as if considering what he should say.

”Well, several of us around here found ourselves needin' money,” he began. ”And Victor Franklin seemed like the one to go to. His rates were reasonable and here he was a family man and all. Well, we all took our money and wentto work, pa yin'

it off like we should. Only thing was, after a while,Franklin sends Dempsey out to run us off.”

”Exactly what did he do?” Winn asked.

”Well, he come out to my place and talks like this wasn't a healthy place tostay. You know, no thing real threatening, but there just the same.” He leaned closer to his companions and lowered his voice. ”Now I know for a fact that he threatened Merlin out there 'cause Merlin told me. Weren't longafter that, Merlin was dead.”

”Peter's father,” mumbled Louie.

”But that can't have nothin' to do with this. Dempsey was workin' forFranklin. He didn't come back to bother me after Franklin died.”

Louie shrugged.

”I ain't good at figurin' other people's doin's. Kinda makes my head hurt.”

Winn said, ”I think Dempsey threatened Franklin.”

' ”How would you know that?” Ott asked.

”Something Greg said. I've got a gut feeling Dempsey's into this up tohis... cigar.”

Louie laughed.

”And the fact that he's courting Mrs. Franklin doesn't have anything to dowith your gut feelin's.”

”Not a bit,” he said, and knew it was a lie.

The waitress brought their plates and Louie told Winn where everything was.He offered to cut the pheasant into smaller pieces and Winn accepted, feelinga little foolish but reminding himself that spilling all the food in aneffort to cut it himself would prove even more embarra.s.sing.

Winn wanted to hear more about Mr. Franklin and Dempsey but Louie and Ottconfined their conversation to local politics and Winn had to concentrate onthe meal. He could tell that the cafe was filling with customers and wasglad when they were ready to leave.

Ott walked with them to the wagon and bade them good luck. When they reachedthe west side of the river, Dempsey was waiting to take the ferry into town.

”Afternoon, Mr. Dempsey,” Louie said.

Dempsey didn't speak, but walked his horse past them with no more than aglance and a tipped hat.

Winn helped Louie hitch the wagon and when they had traveled a half mile fromtown he said, ”Take me out to Dempsey's place.”

Louie could think of a lot of arguments against it. In the time it took to travel to Dempsey's small cabin, he came close to mentioning three or four ofthem. Each time, though, he would look at Winn and decided to keep hismisgivings to himself.

Finally he said, ”It's just ahead here. What do you expect to find?”

”I don't know, a bunkhouse full of hired guns, maybe.”

”I hope you're kidding,” Louie said.

”If he's into something this bad, he'll keep any hired men a long way from

here. If they were out here, people like Ott would know about it, which is

the last thing he would want.”

”I hope you're right.” Louie stopped the wagon well away from the group of buildings.

”Doesn't look like there's anyone around.”

”h.e.l.lo, the house!” Winn called. Louie jumped

enough that Winn could feelthe seat shake. ”We're just being neighborly,” Winn explained calmly.

While they waited for an answer, Louie eyed his companion skeptically. Finally he decided it was safe to move in closer. As he set the brake in front of the house, Winn said, ”Tell me what you see.”

”Well, there ain't much to recommend it, that's for sure. There's a slap-together cabin, a lean-to shelter what pretends to be a barn, and oneshed.”

”Let's start with the shed,” Winn said, climbing out of the wagon.

”Start with the shed,” Louie mumbled, coming around the wagon to lead Winntoward it. ”The best thing I could do right now is fire you. You keep forgetting who's boss.”Winn just grinned.”You want to find something here as much as I do.””Now that's where you're wrong,” Louie said, leading Winn forward.”I want the sheriff to find something' here.”The shed was dark inside. Louie struck a match but found no lantern.Leaving the door wide open brought in enough light for him to see a little.”What are we lookin' for?””Let's start with branding irons. Could he turn the Franklin brand into his own?””Nope, won't work. Franklin's a rocking F. Dempsey uses a lazy K, which isseemin' more appropriate all the time.” Louie was loo king into the shadows of the little shed. Most of the tools stored there looked as if they hadn't been used in a while.

”Could he have another brand registered that you haven't seen?”

”We won't find out here,” Louie said.

”We will if we find a second iron.”

”Here they are.” Louie found the irons hanging on the wall behind the door.

”This one's the K. Here it is. Circle P.”

”Would it fit?”

”I'd bet on it. But Winn, this ain't exactly proof.”