of southeast because he had no choice. At first he had thought only about Diego Luz and his family. But when there was no sign of Tanner, no dust rising through the field glasses, he began to think of the woman more. When she was still with him when they reached the arroyo, he knew he wanted to keep her and tied her up to make sure of it.
Following the dry stream bed north, Valdez saw the tracks where Tanners men had crossed; he noticed the prints of several horses leading south. He continued on a short distance before climbing out of the arroyo to move west. This way he circled Diego Luzs place and approached from a thicket beyond the horse pasture, studying the house and yard for some time before he moved into the open.
It might have been a dozen years ago after an Apache raid, the look of the place, the burned-out house and the dog lying in the yard; but there were people here, alive, and a team hitched to a wagon, and that was the difference. They waited for him by the wagon, Diego Luz and his family.
Valdez dismounted. What did they do to you?
What you see, Diego Luz said. He raised his hands in front of him, his hands open, the swollen, discolored fingers apart.
Did they harm your family?
A little. If they did any more I wouldnt be here.
Im sorry, Valdez said.
Were friends. They would have come with or without Mr. R. L. Davis.
He was with them?
He saw me in Lanoria with your clothes. Jesus, my hands hurt.
Let me look at them.
No looking today. Get out of here.
What did they ask you?
Where you are. Man, what did you do to them?
Enough, Valdez said.
They want you bad.
They could have followed me.
But Mr. Davis brought them here. Listen, Diego Luz said, if you see him, give him something for me.
For myself too, Valdez said. Youre going to Lanoria?
My son is taking me to get these fixed. He looked at his hands again.
Will they be all right?
How do I know? Well see. I just need to get one finger working.
Ill take you, Valdez said.
Go to hell. No, go where they cant find you, Diego Luz said. I have my boy and my family.
R. L. Davis came across the Erin woman because he was hot and tired of riding in the sun.
He had moved south along the arroyo with the three riders who would watch with him. If he comes hell come from the southeast, the segundo had said. But after the segundo left, R. L. Davis thought, Who says hell come in a straight line? He could work around and come from any direction. He told this to the three riders with him and one of them, the bony-faced one whod picked up the little girl and whod broken Diego Luzs hands, said sure, it was a waste of time; hed like to get a shot at this Valdez, but it didnt have to be today; the greaser was in the hills and theyd find him.
That one, God, when hed picked up the little girl, R. L. Davis wasnt sure he could watch what the man wanted to do. Her being a tiny girl.
After a while he said well, hed double back and take a swing to the north. The others said theyd get up on the banks and look around and head back pretty soon. Good. He was glad to get away from the bony-faced one, a face like a skeleton face, only with skin.
So R. L. Davis moved back up the arroyo. He wasnt looking for anything in particular; there was nothing out here but the hot sun beating down on him. He saw the willow shade up ahead and the bright yellow blossoms of the brittlebush growing along the cutbank. The shade looked good. He headed for it. And when he found the Erin woman in there, sitting in the brush, tied up, he couldnt believe his eyes.
It was a lot to think about all at once. Valdez was here. Had been here. Hed put the woman here out of the way and gone to see Diego Luz. And if he left her like this, tied hand and foot, with a bandana over her mouth, then he was coming back for her. The woman was looking at him and he had to make up his mind fast.
He could pull her up behind him on the sorrel and deliver her to Tanner and say, Here you are, Mr. Tanner. What else you need done?
Or he could wait for Bob Valdez. Throw down on him and bring him in as well as the woman. Or gun him if thats the way Valdez wanted it.
The woman looked good. Hed like to slip the bandana from her mouth and get a close look at her. But hed better not. There was a little clearing in here and rocks that had come down the cutbank. There was room in here to face him. There was room deeper in the brittlebush for his horse, if the son of a bitch didnt make any noise.
God Almighty, R. L. Davis thought. How about it? Bring them both in.
Once hed moved the sorrel into the brush, he got his Winchester off the saddle and settled down behind the woman,
behind some good rock cover. He saw her twist around to the side to look at him, her eyes looking but not saying anything. Probably scared to death. He motioned her to turn around and put one finger to his mouth. Shhhh . Dont worry; it wont be long.
Crossing the pasture from Diego Luzs place, Valdez saw the willows in the distance marking the arroyo. There had been some luck with him so far, coming in and going out, though he didnt know Tanner and he wasnt sure if it was luck or not. He didnt know yet how the man thought, if he was intelligent and could anticipate what the other man might do, or if he ran in all directions trusting only to luck. Luck was all right when you had it, but it couldnt be counted on. It worked good and bad, but it worked more good than bad if you knew what you were doing, if you were careful and watched and listened. He shouldnt be here, but he was here, and if the luck or whatever it was continued, he would be in high country again late this afternoon, letting Tanner find him and follow him, but not letting him get too close until the time was right for that.