Free Shoot Angel! by Frederick H. Christian Page A

silver face. Silently Angel
handed a circular badge to Birdy, watching the amazed expression
cross the man’s face. Birdy studied the badge closely, reading the
words inscribed around the edge of the disc. Department of Justice,
United States of America, it read, and embossed in the center of
the badge was the symbolic screaming eagle. Gradually a smile
etched itself across Birdy’s face. The smile widened and became a
chuckle, which in turn rose until Birdy was laughing out
loud.
    ‘ Jesus
Christ, Angel, you sure fooled us all! And me—breaking out of jail
alongside a goddamn lawman! Hey, if this ever gets out I’ll never
live it down!’ The thought triggered off another bout of laughter.
‘Wish I could’ve soon Capucci’s face if he’d found out! One thing
he hates is a badge-toter!’
    Angel retrieved his badge and
returned it to its resting-place. He let Birdy calm down before he asked: ‘How
do you feel about the law?’
    Birdy sighed. ‘Hell, Angel, we
all got a living to earn. Me, I been riding the owlhoot trail most
of my life. Never did amount to much. Always small-time stuff. Just
enough to keep me going. That was when I weren’t in jail. I got
this thing about being caught all the time. Just keeps happening.
And I never been one for using a gun so I end up behind bars.’
Birdy’s face hardened. ‘Mind you, this Liberty deal got me mad as
hell. Wouldn’t mind if I’d done anything.’ He grinned again. ‘Hey,
Angel, truth is I was framed! No foolin’!’
    ‘ I know the feeling,
Birdy.’
    ‘ You
mean to tell me they took you, Angel? I thought you Justice
Department boys were smart!’
    ‘ Yeah,
that’s what they keep telling me.’ Angel smiled.
    ‘ Do
they know who you are?’
    Angel shook his head.
    ‘ Far
as they know I’m just another stranger who rode in. I said I was
looking for Harry Culp. Told them I was a friend.’
    ‘ But
you ain’t?’
    ‘ Culp
was on the run. He was carrying seventy-five thousand dollars with
him. Proceeds of the swindle he’d been involved in. I trailed him
as far as Liberty, then walked in on the neat little set-up Judge
Cranford and Sheriff Sherman have going.’
    ‘ So now you got to go back to Liberty and
take ’em?’
    ‘ Something like that,’ Angel admitted. ‘Only I don’t expect
it to be the year’s most peaceful event. Culp’s dead. Murdered.
They’ll know I’ve found that out and I don’t expect any of them to
fancy ending up at the end of a rope.’ Angel paused. ‘You still
want to ride with me, Birdy?’
    ‘ Could
be interesting.’
    ‘ Birdy, I think you could be right.’

Chapter Ten
    Late afternoon. The setting sun cast long,
black shadows across the naked land. The searing heat of midday had
slowly evaporated. Now a pulsing warmth flowed out across the
earth.
    Frank Angel and Birdy crouched
in the shadow of a low hill and studied the town of Liberty. There
didn ’t
appear to be anything out of place. Nothing to suggest anyone
waiting for them. But Angel knew different. There was nothing
tangible. Nothing he could put his finger on. Just a gut feeling.
An instinct. And Angel had learned to trust his
feelings.
    He knew damn well that by now Cranford and
Sherman would have got the word he was free. That he had escaped.
Trench would have sent word. Acting on the information Cranford
would have arranged for a reception party.
    ‘ Looks
pretty peaceful,’ Birdy murmured. ‘But they wouldn’t want it to
look anything except peaceful.’
    ‘ They know we’re coming,’ Angel said.
‘They’ll be waiting.’
    ‘ Ain’t
going to make it easy, Angel.’
    ‘ It
never is easy,’ Angel told him.
    Leading the horses, they walked the last
stretch. Angel approached the town in a wide circle, bringing them
in at the rear of the buildings along the main street.
    ‘ We’ll
leave the horses here,’ he said.
    Birdy nodded and they tethered the animals in
the shade of thick brush.
    ‘ Ain’t
going to be time to change your mind