Valley of Bones Read online

  They downed their beer, thanked her, and started for their horses.

  As they left she thanked them and told them to come back anytime.

  * * *

  Los Olivios had one huge olive tree that towered over the rusty tin roofs of the smattering of buildings. One man was playing a guitar and another beat a tall drum with his hands. A drunken ranch hand was trying to dance with a scantily dressed woman in the dust. It was quite a show as Chet and his men slipped up to the bar, ordered a beer, and stood watching the action.

  The dancer started to sing as she danced. She had an operatic voice that made chills run up Chet’s sweaty back under his shirt. Such a voice out there in a wilderness of catclaw, creosote brush, and alkali dust all shaded by an enormous olive tree. What a crazy place.

  Nothing more to help them find out the plans to kill him and Spencer. It was way past midnight when they rode back under the stars, fell out of the saddle at the O.K. Corral livery, and walked the three blocks back to the hotel, leaving the night man to rub down and grain their weary horses.

  Liz sat up in bed as he unlocked the door.

  “You made it back?”

  “And I don’t know much more. I am tempted to leave all this to my men and go home.”

  “You would be nervous as a cat in room full of rockers at home. You will get a break soon but obviously today was not the day.”

  “One of the men that works for Fulbright is wanted in Texas for shooting a girl’s father that he was eloping with. Then she didn’t come away with him. The other robbed a bank and his fellow robbers left him afoot in New Mexico with none of the money.”

  Liz was laughing. “More winners, huh? You eat anything?”

  “I am going to sleep. I can eat tomorrow. Oh, and there was a woman at Los Olivos, a border cantina, who sang opera as good as anyone I ever heard. She made chills run up my spine.”

  “Why is she down there?”

  “Damned if I know,” he said as he undressed and crawled into bed.

  She hugged and kissed him. “Sleep tight. You are tired.”

  “I am that. . . .”

  * * *

  Morning came and he could hardly get up; his eyes were gritty from dust and sun made them feel burned to the core. He washed his face and then shook his head, drying his face. “This job is endless.”

  “They all are that way at first. You just don’t have enough evidence. Rest easy. I imagine Jesus will be back tomorrow and have the information on the ring, and I’ll bet Fred is coming to help you get what you need on the white slaver. Sit back and take it easy for today.”

  Things started to happen, finally. First Jesus returned and had a vague outline of the men involved in the Tucson Ring.

  “Thrasher and his ranch partner Louis Benfield are part of the ring. There is a grain dealer named Collier, a big store man named Horace Algood. He owns the Southern Arizona Mercantile. A man named Goldman belongs, and two brothers, Alfredo and Carman Renaldo. There are more, but I could not pry anything more out of anyone. They have big lawyers and a member or two on the statehouse committees. Probably more than that, but this is what I found out for starters.”

  “These are the men that want you dead?” Liz asked Chet.

  “Yes. You heard, that whore heard that I was getting in their way in D.C.”

  “I think JD does business with some of them,” Liz said. “When we get home I’ll look for their names on invoices.”

  “We damn sure don’t need to support them.”

  “We got some hardware up at the Oracle project from the Southern Arizona guy,” Spencer said. “We can find it elsewhere.”

  “Yes.”

  The “baby” telegram came and they rode to St. David to meet Fred at Marcus Thornberry’s house. Miguel was going to take him by the back road, to Kilton’s place, to spy on him.

  “Hey, thanks for asking for me. Everyone at the Prescott Ranch said tell you hi. They miss every one of you but understand how important this is. What can I do?”

  “Fred, this is a dangerous assignment. There is a man over in Gleason named Bracken Kilton, they call him BK. Originally we thought he was in on the stage holdup where they tried to kill us, but he probably wasn’t. However, we think he’s involved in white slavery. We know you understand this kind of thing. He has a real tough sleazy outfit. We want to nail his hide in court. That means we need witnesses in court to testify. They have to be credible. He does not know you, we feel sure, so we want you to get in there and see what you can find out. He will kill you if he thinks you are going to expose him. In any case if things looks too tough for you, you get the hell out. One of us will be at the Alhambra Hotel. Maybe it will only be Liz, but the rest will be checking in.”

  “I can try. How do I go in?”

  “We have a sorry horse that can be spared. We will draw you a map to get there. Just be damn careful.”

  “When do you want a report?”

  Chet spoke up, “Take your time. As long as a week. I figure in a few days you will know the story. But you coming out unscathed is my first request.”

  “Man, I am sure glad you asked me to do this. And have faith in me.”

  “We have that. Just be careful.”

  “What else are you doing?”

  “We have been watching a guy who supposedly hired those men that tried to kill us. He works on a ranch south of here owned by some of the Tucson Ring players.”

  With that all said, the boy was on his way.

  Chet knew, from the Marshal service report wired to him, that Fulbright had been born in Texas. He had some scraps there growing up and served in the Army during the war. He married a woman after he was discharged and got into two shootings. After the second he abandoned his wife and two kids and fled Texas before the trial.

  Authorities in New Mexico wanted to interview him about some rustling, a shooting, and a double hanging at a small ranch. That was what they had on him. No brush with the Arizona law except drunk and disorderly charges by the Tombstone municipal police.

  Thrasher had no past charges nor did his partner Benfield. Chet felt they were hiring out all the bad deeds they needed done.

  There was no word from Fred. Jesus and Miguel watched him through field glasses each day and reported that he looked like he fitted in with the outfit.

  Then on Thursday night Fred slipped into town and met with Chet and his crew.

  “Two men brought two white girls in today and sold them to him. They had them doped. Bracken wants me to take them down to the CYR ranch tomorrow night. He says no one knows me and he figures I can get down there with them all doped up and Fulbright will pay me the money for them, then I am to come back up there and give him the money.”

  “How did this all happen?” Chet asked him.

  “I am guessing. From what little I know, Fulbright has contacts in Mexico to sell them or has some coyotes to take them to Mexico City for him. That makes Bracken mad because he says that Fulbright gets lots of money for them and he takes all the risk and only gets a pittance.”

  “We need his Mexican connection, too.”

  The others agreed.

  “Whoever expected that?” Miguel asked shaking his head.

  “I had no idea. Fred, after you deliver them, get the hell out of there. We will be close by but don’t linger there.”

  “I understand. I’d never imagined anything this big until those guys showed up with those two girls in their wagon yesterday. It must be a regular thing.”

  “Where did they come from?”

  “I am not real sure but I could identify the kidnappers if we can find them.”

  “Give Jesus a description of them and their horses and wagon.”

  “I will. They’re real tough guys, too.”

  “Which way did they go?”

  “Back north. One guy had a beard. Wore overalls, and a dust-coated floppy black hat. He wore brogans. The other guy was thirty maybe. He had not shaved and wore a gray felt hat. Looked more like a
cowboy. Talked with a lisp. They had some good mules pulling a green wagon.”

  “That might catch them.”

  “Don’t you wonder where they kidnapped the girls from?” Liz asked

  “That bothers me and we will find out, but first I want both Bracken and Fulbright arrested. I’d love to arrest their Mexican connection. If I could involve Thrasher in this arrest I’d be more pleased. But we now have the proof, and we will save those two girls, whoever they are.”

  “You can’t risk either their lives or Fred’s.”

  “Of course.”

  “Can you go back safely, Fred?”

  “Sure.”

  “Remain on your toes. We will be close by if you need us.”

  “I know that. I’ll be fine.”

  “You’ve done a great job for justice. Thanks.”

  “I’m ready to shed these rags and help you.”

  “It won’t be long. We’ll bring them along to the ranch tomorrow.”

  Fred was gone. Chet’s group nodded their heads.

  “This forces us to arrest both Kilton and Fulbright. We need a buckboard to take the arrested ones to Tucson.”

  “Miguel can rent it and drive it. Spencer can guard it to Tucson. The three of us will protect the girls and Fred can help us.”

  “He never said anything about the other females in the camp at Gleason.”

  “We will have to sort that out. They may be the same thing. Get some rest. We’ll need it in the days ahead.”

  In bed, not sleeping, he lay awake thinking. If Fulbright was involved with the white slavery and the hiring of men to kill Chet, he hoped he would be able to prove that, too.

  All he could do was hope it all went well.

  Chapter 5

  Night came slow. Miguel had rented a good team and rig to use to deliver the arrested to Tucson. Chet and Jesus planned to leave town mid-afternoon, like they were going somewhere. Chet wished he had a guard for his wife, but she told him she had a gun and could use it. He hoped she did not need to. He kissed her good-bye, and told her to lock the hotel room door and that he’d be back as soon as he could.

  Virgil had recommended a place close to the ranch where they could watch the exchange take place. He and Jesus rode like they were going west, then turned on dim wagon tracks that led south. They stopped in an isolated spot. Jesus went back and checked. He was certain they had no one tailing them, and they made their way closer to the ranch.

  Under the shade of a few cottonwoods, their horses stood hipshot in the canyon. Before he went home Chet decided he would go by and see John Slaughter and thank him for supplying those fine horses.

  Jesus slipped up on the ranch carefully. He came back and said Fulbright had no guards posted but that he did see the shadows of six men in the bunkhouse.

  From their location they would know when Fred went by in the wagon to deliver the girls. There would be a good moon shining, so no trouble seeing from a distance when he drove up to the ranch.

  Fulbright had no idea he would soon be arrested. Then they would go back and arrest Bracken Kilton.

  “What will you do about Thrasher?”

  “When we get to Tucson I’ll get a search warrant for his house and business and in getting all the records I hope to find enough evidence to rope him in.”

  “What will you do after that?”

  “Ask the federal judge for all the records of the five others.”

  “Five others?”

  “Those five other men that we know are in the ring.”

  Jesus shook his head and squatted on his boot heels “Wow. I never thought of that.”

  “I have been thinking about it. It could prove interesting.”

  “Can they stop you?”

  “They may. They’ll have some good lawyers who will ask why we are questioning them, that they are simply honest businessmen.”

  Jesus was on his feet and using his field glasses. “You better look. These guys, coming, may be going there for the exchange tonight.”

  By the time Chet had the glasses focused, the two riders were out of sight. Then they reappeared on higher ground. “Well, bless my soul, I don’t know the other rider with him, but that is damn sure is Thrasher.”

  What will happen next?

  He began to pace back and forth. With Fred involved this could be a real shoot-out. He couldn’t let anything happen to that boy like they did taking his nephew Heck. He vividly recalled carrying Heck’s limp, bloody body down the road, meeting the posse sent, too late, to help him. Oh, Lord, don’t put me through that again.

  “You all right, Chet?”

  “Yes. Just some bad memories of what happened to Heck when I started home from here years ago.”

  “That was the Heck you told me about?”

  “Yes, that was him. Thrasher must be in on this slave-selling deal.”

  “I have no doubt.”

  “I won’t hesitate to arrest him or his partner.”

  Jesus nodded. “I’m with you. It’s still hours away but it’s getting more complicated by the minute, huh?”

  “Yes. I’d have brought more backup if I’d suspected this was going to happen.”

  “Too late now.”

  “Yes. It is up to us, Jesus.”

  “We’ve had some close calls. We can handle them.”

  “I agree.”

  “I don’t know if it will happen, Jesus, but I sure hope future people appreciate what all we’ve done for this territory.”

  “They will. We are going to leave this world a better place in fifty years.”

  Chet laughed. “I sure hope so.”

  Darkness took forever. They got their horses and checked their cinches, all their weapons, and the handcuffs and leg irons in their saddlebags. Then they waited as the moon rose. Finally, they heard the sounds of a wagon harness jingling and hooves plodding on the road into the ranch. They made sure it was Fred’s hat. He was delivering the two girls. Chet and Jesus rode to the side, easing their way through the bunchgrass and low brush. They heard Fred holler whoa and then he pushed closer to the dark buildings. There were voices. He and Jesus dismounted and knew the horses would ground tie. He pointed for Jesus to go west and he headed for the other side of the house.

  The ranch bunch were holding lanterns, inspecting the two girls in the wagon.

  When he felt certain Jesus was ready, he yelled, “Hands in the air or die. U.S. Marshals. We have you surrounded.”

  Fred dove off the wagon and scurried to the side, away from the bunch of men. There was mass confusion, and one man broke for his gun. Chet shot him. The others held up their hands.

  Someone dropped a lantern, and the fuel caught fire and illuminated the scene.

  Jesus shot a man that was on his belly, under the wagon, ready to shoot them.

  “Hold that lantern high. Fred, disarm them.”

  Jesus ran to help him.

  “One ran off, Chet,” Fred shouted.

  “We’ll get him.” To his right, a man busted out the front door armed with a shotgun.

  Chet downed him with his pistol, and the gun went off into the porch floor. Fred ran up and jerked the weapon away from his hands. “We’ve got a bunch of them.”

  “Is Fulbright here?”

  Jesus said, “Damn right. So is Thrasher.” He had them on the ground and was cuffing them. “This must be his partner.”

  “You can’t arrest me,” the man protested.

  “Unless you’re the king of England, you’re going to jail and stand trial.”

  “You can’t make anything stick. I did nothing wrong.”

  “There are two girls doped up in that wagon that you intended for delivery.”

  “I just was checking on my ranch.”

  Chet heard the buckboard coming. Thank God. “What do we have, men?” he asked.

  “Four men in cuffs. Two men wounded.”

  “And one ran off,” Fred said.

  “Was he one of your hands, Fulbright?”
/>   “Go to hell, you son of a bitch.”

  “I almost did, thanks to you. Up in Texas Canyon. But instead I shot those bums you sent. And I stayed to catch you selling those white slaves so I could jail you and your bosses. You should know not to send dumb boys to do a man’s job. Better off if you do it yourself.”

  “We missed all the action, Miguel,” Spencer said, getting off the buckboard. “You did great, Fred.”

  “The one on the porch is dead.”

  “He won’t be missed. Hey, you even have the two ranchers, don’t you? I recognize old Thrasher from D.C. Nice job.”

  “How are the girls?” Chet asked.

  “Sleeping.”

  “Spencer, search the house. We need all the papers and files in there in boxes to take with us.”

  “You have no warrant to do that,” Thrasher shouted.

  “Oh yes. We are on a crime scene. We can search without a warrant to get all the information for the crime report and who was involved.”

  Spencer and Miguel took on the house, returning in no time with lots of records. They loaded the boxes into Fred’s wagon and covered them, being careful not to disturb the two girls.

  “Make one more search. I want anything that will send them all to federal prison.”

  In the house Fred stood on the dry sink and brought down a large pottery jar and handed it to Jesus while he climbed down. Jesus turned it to the candlelight, took one look, and called out to Chet.

  “Get over here, Chet.”

  “What is it?”

  “Pictures of naked girls. Lots of them. These must be the ones they’ve sold?”

  After looking at one Chet sighed. “I think they were made to use to sell the girls they enslaved, and they kept the pictures.”

  “It is illegal to take such pictures,” Jesus said.

  “Who enforces it? Put them in the wagon. It might add ten years to their sentences. Two of you need to ride to Gleason and arrest Kilton.”

  “Jesus and I can,” Miguel said.

  “Take Virgil Earp with you. He can interview the girls over there and maybe we can prove they were slaves, too. Have him hire some guards to protect those girls until we can get back, and be sure they have food and medical aid. I can pay for it out of the marshal fund.”