Free Crow Bait by Robert J. Randisi

would cost money, and I’m kind of short right now,” Lancaster said.
    “Well, I can’t help ya there,” Ledge said. “I ain’t got much money myself.”
    “That’s okay,” Lancaster said. “My friend over at Wells Fargo staked me enough to get outfitted. And Mal helped a lot.”
    “Then you’re ready to go.”
    “Yeah, and don’t take offense, but I’d just as soon do this alone,” Lancaster said. “I’m kind of used to working that way.”
    “Hell, I ain’t takin’ offense,” Ledge said. “This is your business. Believe me, I know how it feels. It took me eight months to track the two who shot me in the back, but I got ’em, and I felt great about it. Folks say revenge ain’t worth it, but I’m here to tell you, it is.”
    “Well, I’m intent on mine, and nobody’s gonna talk me out of it,” Lancaster said.
    “Well, now that you have a couple of places to check out, when will you be leavin’?”
    “Soon,” Lancaster said. “I probably need a couple more days myself, and Crow Bait can use the extra feed time. But I’m not gonna wait much longer than that. I don’t want those jaspers getting too big a head start on me. I’ve already got a lot of time to make up.”
    “Slow and steady, Lancaster,” Ledge said. “I’m here ta tell ya that slow and steady will do it.”
    “Well, I think I got the right horse for that,” Lancaster said.
    He did, as long as Crow Bait didn’t suddenly revert to that condition. The animal did still look awful!
    Lancaster finished his coffee with Ledge and thanked the man for backing his play. When he left Ledge’s place he walked over to the livery and found Mal still awake and working.
    “How’d it go?” he asked.
    “Got what I needed,” Lancaster said, “without firing a shot.”
    “That’s good.”
    “Ledge was a big help. Thanks for that.”
    “He gonna track ’em with you?”
    “He would, but I asked him not to.”
    “You wanna do this alone, huh?”
    “That’s right.”
    “Can’t blame you.”
    “You ever heard of a place called Peach City?”
    “No,” Mal said, “but I heard of Peach Springs.”
    “Where’s that?”
    “It’s a small town in Arizona, east of Henderson.”
    “That’s gotta be it, then,” Lancaster said. “Henderson and Peach Springs.”
    “And you’re still takin’ Crow Bait?”
    “Unless you tell me he can’t make it.”
    “Ain’t gonna tell ya that,” Mal said. “He looks awful, but he seems to be okay.”
    “So he’ll make it?”
    “He should make it,” Mal said, “if that’s good enough for you.”
    “It’s good enough for me.”

Twenty-seven
    Three days later Lancaster went to Doc Murphy’s to get checked out, then went to Mal’s livery to check on Crow Bait. Both of them got a clean bill of health, although Crow Bait still looked like hell.
    Actually, so did Lancaster.
    But it didn’t matter how they looked. What mattered was how they felt.
    “He’s kickin’ down the stall,” Mal said. “I’m amazed. Based just on looks, you wouldn’t look at him twice. But I think you’re right about him. It’s all about stamina.”
    “Is there any chance—” Lancaster said, then stopped himself.
    “What?” Mal asked. “That he’ll suddenly become the horse he looks like?”
    Lancaster nodded.
    “Well, is there any chance you’ll suddenly become the man you look like?”
    “Every day,” Lancaster said.
    “There ya go, then,” Mal said. “You’ll both be takin’ a chance on each other.”
    When Lancaster got back to his hotel, there was a message for him with the clerk. It was from AndyBlack, asking if he’d come over and see him as soon as he got the note.
    He did.
    Andy looked up as Lancaster entered and stood up.
    “Thanks for comin’ over so fast, Lancaster.”
    “I didn’t know when you left the note.”
    “It was only about an hour ago. Have a seat. Somethin’ to drink? Coffee?”
    “Coffee’s good.”
    Andy poured two cups of coffee, passed one over to