Free Missing Patriarch (9781101613399) by J.r. Roberts

gang.”
    â€œDo you think he’d accept the badge?” Plummer asked.
    â€œNot for what you’re paying your sheriffs,” Willis said. “You’ll have to commit a lot more money to the job if you want him to take it.”
    â€œFor Chrissake,” one of the board members said, “our bank was robbed.”
    â€œWell,” Willis said, “he’s not going to do it for the fun of it.”
    â€œYou said he’s already looking for one of the gang members,” Plummer said. “Why don’t we just let him do it?”
    â€œBecause when he catches up to them, that’s all he’ll do,” Willis said. “He won’t bring the gang to justice, or bring the money back. For that, you’ll have to pay him.”
    â€œDid you talk to him?” the mayor asked.
    â€œI did.”
    â€œDo you know how much he’s going to want?” Plummer asked.
    â€œI didn’t talk to him about that,” Willis said. “I didn’t bring it up.”
    â€œWhy not?” a board member asked.
    â€œI was just questioning him as a stranger in town,” Willis said. “When I found out who he was, I let him walk.”
    â€œIs he even still in town?” Plummer asked.
    â€œYes, he is. He’s asking questions, trying to find out if any of the gang members said anything that would tell where they went.”
    â€œWho would they have been stupid enough to tell that to?” another man asked.
    Willis shrugged. “A bartender? A whore? That’s what he’s trying to find out.”
    â€œAll right,” Plummer said.
    â€œAll right . . . you’ll do it?” Willis asked.
    â€œWe have to vote,” a board member objected.
    â€œVote on what, Sam?” Plummer asked. “On whether or not we want our money back?” He looked at Willis. “Give me the badge, Louis, if you don’t mind.”
    â€œI don’t mind at all.” Willis stepped forward, took the badge from his chest, and set it down on the table. A great weight seemed to lift from his shoulders.
    â€œNow can you ask Mr. Adams to come and see me?” Plummer asked.
    â€œYes, sir,” Willis said. “I’ll find him and ask him.”
    â€œThen this meeting’s adjourned,” Plummer said. “Louis, will you stay a moment?”
    â€œSure.”
    The other members of the board stood and filed out of the room. Not all of them were completely happy.
    Finally, the room was empty but for Willis and the mayor.
    â€œIt must be a great relief, Willis, to get that target off your chest.”
    â€œYou have no idea,” Willis said. “I just took the job because we’re friends, Mr. Mayor. It was a favor to you, Jackson.”
    â€œWell, I’m going to ask you for another favor, Louis,” the mayor said.
    â€œWhat’s that, Jackson?”
    â€œI want you to go with Adams.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWe need someone from this town to go with him,” the mayor said. “What if he catches them and decides to keep the money?”
    â€œFirst,” Willis said, “how do you expect me to spend days on the back of a horse? Second, he hasn’t even taken the job yet. Why don’t we wait and see what happens?”
    â€œNo,” Plummer said, “I want you to be in my office when I talk to him, when I offer him the job.”
    â€œYou think my presence will make him take the job?” Willis asked. “And you think my presence on the trail with him will keep him from taking the money? Jesus, Jackson, he’ll just kill me and take it.”
    â€œThere is nothing in the man’s reputation to indicate he’s a thief or a murderer.”
    â€œNo, not a murderer,” Willis said. “Just a killer.”
    â€œLouis,” Plummer said, “I can’t trust anyone else to do this.”
    â€œWhy don’t you do it yourself?”
    â€œI would,”