And you saw him this morning.
I had come in last night to see this gentleman, Mr. Tanner said, nodding toward Malson. This morning I was getting ready to leave when I saw him, him and the woman.
I was right there, R. L. Davis said. Right, Mr. Tanner? Him and I was on the porch by the Republic Hotel and Rincon goes by in the wagon. Mr. Tanner said, You know that man? I said, Only that hes lived up north of town a few months. Him and his woman. Well, I know him, Mr. Tanner said. That mans an Army deserter wanted for murder. I said, Well lets go get him. He had a start on us and thats how he got to the hut before we could grab on to him. Hes been holed up ever since.
Mr. Malson said, Then you didnt talk to him.
Listen, Mr. Tanner said, Ive kept that mans face before my eyes this past year.
Bob Valdez, somewhat behind Mr. Tanner and to the side, moved in a little closer. You know this is the same man?
Mr. Tanner looked around. He stared at Valdez. Thats all he did, just stared.
I mean, we have to be sure, Bob Valdez said. Its a serious thing.
Now Mr. Malson and Mr. Beaudry were looking up at him. We, Mr. Beaudry said. Ill tell you what, Roberto. We need help well call you. All right?
You hired me, Bob Valdez said, standing alone above them. He was serious, but he shrugged and smiled a little to take the edge off the words. What did you hire me for?
Well, Mr. Beaudry said, acting it out, looking up past Bob Valdez and along the road both ways. I was to see some drunk Mexicans, Id point them out.
After that, for a while, the men with the whiskey bottle forgot Bob Valdez. They stayed in the shade of the hollow watching the line shack, waiting for the Army deserter to realize it was all over for him. He would realize it and open the door and be cut down as he came outside. It was a matter of time only.
Bob Valdez stayed on the open part of the slope that was turning to shade, sitting now like an Apache with a suit on and every once in a while making a cigarette and smoking it slowly and thinking about himself and Mr. Tanner and the others, then thinking about the Army deserter, then thinking about himself again.
He didnt have to stay here. He didnt have to be a town constable. He didnt have to work for the stage company. He didnt have to listen to Mr. Beaudry and Mr. Malson and smile when they said those things. He didnt have a wife or any kids. He didnt have land that he owned. He could go anywhere he wanted.
Diego Luz was coming over. Diego Luz had a wife and a daughter almost grown and some little kids and he had to stay, sure.
Diego Luz squatted next to him, his arms on his knees and his big hands that he used for breaking horses hanging in front of him.
Stay near if they want you for something, Bob Valdez said. He was watching Beaudry tilt the bottle up. Diego Luz said nothing.
One of them bends over, Bob Valdez said then, you kiss it, uh?
Diego Luz looked at him, patient about it. Not angry or stirred. Why dont you go home?
He says get me a bottle, you run.
I get it. I dont run.
Smile and hold your hat, uh?
And dont talk so much.
Not unless they talk to
you first.
You better go home, Diego said.
Bob Valdez said, Thats why you hit the horses.
Listen, Diego Luz said. They pay me to break horses. They pay you to talk to drunks and keep them from killing somebody. They dont pay you for what you think or how you feel. So if you take their money keep your mouth shut. All right?
Bob Valdez smiled. Im kidding you.
Diego Luz got up and walked away, down toward the hollow. The hell with him, he was thinking. Maybe he was kidding, but the hell with him. He was also thinking that maybe he could get a drink from that bottle. Maybe there would be a half inch left nobody wanted and Mr. Malson would tell him to kill it.
But it was already finished. R. L. Davis was playing with the bottle, holding it by the neck and flipping it up and catching it as it came down. Beaudry was saying, What about after dark? And looking at Mr. Tanner, who was thinking about something else and didnt notice.
R. L. Davis stopped flipping the bottle. He said, Put some men on the rise right above the hut; he comes out, bust him.
Well, they should get the men over there, Mr. Beaudry said, looking at the sky. It wont be long till dark.
Wheres he going? Mr. Malson said.
The others looked up, stopped in whatever they were doing or thinking by the suddenness of Mr. Malsons voice.
Hey, Valdez! R. L. Davis yelled out. Where you think youre going?
Bob Valdez had circled them and was already below them on the slope, leaving the pines now and entering the scrub brush. He didnt stop or look back.
Valdez!
Mr. Tanner raised one hand to silence R. L. Davis, all the time watching Bob Valdez getting smaller, going straight through the scrub, not just walking or passing the time but going right out to the pasture.
Look at him, Mr. Malson said. There was some admiration in his voice.
Hes dumber than he looks, R. L. Davis said, then jumped a little as Mr. Tanner touched his arm.