Free Lawman from Nogales (9781101544747) by Ralph W. Cotton

his right side was real or artificial—which of course was his whole intent, he thought with a faint smile.
    â€œYou made better time than I anticipated,” he said up to Sonora Charlie.
    â€œWe were headed this way anyway,” Sonora Charlie replied. “We came upon Wet Hector camped out along the trail.”
    â€œWet Hector?” said Defoe, his cigar still in the forked fingers of his left hand. He eyed Hector as he spoke.
    â€œYeah,” said Sonora Charlie. He chuckled. “We scared him so bad he pissed himself.”
    â€œJust like a young schoolgirl might do,” Clyde Jilson put in. He gave Hector a wide grin.
    Hector gritted his teeth, fighting himself to keep from grabbing up the shotgun and killing them both.
    â€œPissed his britches . . . ,” Defoe chuffed in disgust. He shook his head and turned back to Sonora Charlie. “There’s a hot breakfast around back for you.”
    â€œObliged,” said Sonora Charlie. “While we eat, you can tell Clyde and me what you want us to do, and why you’re in such a hurry for us to do it.”
    â€œWill do,” said Defoe, ushering them with an arm toward the rear of the cantina. Turning to Hector, he flipped a coin up to him. “Good work, muchacho. ”
    Boy? He calls me a boy? Hector raged in silence. Containing himself, he looked at the gold coin in his palm.
    â€œ Gracias ,” he replied cordially. “If it’s all the same with you, boss, I will go visit my woman while her father is driving cattle to Mexico City.” His fist closed tight around the gold coin.
    â€œYeah, go on, Hector,” said Defoe. “But get back here as soon as you’ve uncrossed your eyes. I need you on the job here.”
    â€œTending bar?” Hector asked hopefully.
    â€œAmong other things,” said Defoe.
    Hector’s chest swelled a little. He was taking over Freddie Loopy’s job. Thanks to the holy saints!
    â€œYes, boss, I will hurry,” Hector said, already turning his tired horse toward the far end of town.
    Defoe and the two gunmen watched as Hector rode away.
    â€œWhere’d you find that squirrel?” Sonora Charlie asked Defoe. He and Clyde swung down from their horse and led them around the side of the cantina as he spoke.
    â€œDidn’t he tell you?” said Defoe. “Freddie Loopy is dead. Hector is the only man I had handy that I could send out to get you.”
    â€œIs he going to be taking Freddie’s place, working for you?” Sonora Charlie asked.
    â€œI need a gunman who can protect my interests,” said Defoe. “Hector is all right to carry messages and whatnot, but he’s high-strung like a cat. Too much to ever make a gunman. He would get jittery and shoot his toes off.”
    â€œCan we have him?” Clyde Jilson asked Sonora Charlie with a dark chuckle.
    â€œWhat do you two want with him?” Defoe asked as they approached a long table set out for breakfast.
    â€œI don’t want anything with him,” Sonora Charlie said flatly, “but Clyde wants him. He likes him.”
    â€œI like having fun with him,” Clyde said with a wide grin.
    Defoe just looked at the two. He pulled out a chair at the head of the table and sat down.
    â€œIs that all right with you, Three-Hand?” Clyde asked.
    Defoe gave a shrug and said, “If he wants to go with you two, it means nothing to me. Mexicans are a dime for a dozen in Mexico.”
    â€œBut I’m thinking you could tell him he has to go with us,” Clyde said, “in case he doesn’t want to.”
    â€œWhoa, hold on, Clyde,” said Charlie. “Let’s hear who it is Henri wants us to assass-inate. We might take Wet Hector as part of the deal.”
    Defoe waited until an aging dove with a white cloudy eye and a missing ear ambled over from a smoking chiminea carrying a platter of sizzling meat and a large bowl of beans and peppers. She set