CHAPTER TWENTY

   Kersey didn’t bother to fetch the sheriff when Calamaro walked upstairs. He figured someone would be killed and there was no avoiding it. He still didn’t tell Sheriff Doyle about that purple-bearded bastard Merrick who Calamaro had shot earlier in the day.

   When he heard the explosion out front, Kersey walked to the front porch. He saw Ryan twitching on the ground with his legs all blown to bits. It was a miracle the asshole was still alive. Kersey stood there while the other two men fell to the ground and then he thought it might be a good time to get back to the front desk. He wasn’t surprised. If he had been a betting man, Kersey would’ve put all his money on the stranger.

   Calamaro came down the stairs and said, “A window broke in my room. I’ll pay for it.”

   “Paying for the window is the least of your worries right now. Blowing the legs off one of William Lyons’ boys? That’ll get you dead.”

   “He had it coming.”

   Kersey shook his head. “That may be so but you don’t seem to understand the situation you put yourself in.”

   “I think I do. If it helps any, I’ll leave your hotel.”

   “That might be best,” Kersey said. “I think I helped you enough.”

   “I appreciate it.”

   “If you appreciate it, then do me a favor and don’t mention it to anyone. I don’t need trouble from Lyons.”

   Calamaro nodded his head. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.” Then he walked out the back door. He untied his donkey and pulled it along the area behind the buildings to keep out of sight.

   Two minutes after Calamaro left, the sheriff walked into the hotel and shouted at Kersey. “Where the hell is that stranger?” He pulled his gun out.

   Kersey said, “Don’t know, sheriff. I fell asleep here at the front desk and only woke up when I heard the explosion. That boy okay?”

   “Okay? His goddamn legs are blown off, for Christ’s sake. What do you think? Now cut the shit and tell me who’s upstairs.”

   “Just the same handful of people who’ve been here for weeks, sheriff.”

   “What about the stranger? The one that came into town today?”

   Kersey shrugged. “Two strangers came in today. Which one are you talking about?”

   “Whichever one blew the legs off that asshole outside.”

   “I guess either of them might be upstairs. I don’t know but you feel free to check.”

   “I don’t need your fucking permission,” Sheriff Doyle said. He walked up the stairs slowly. He started checking every room. Half of the rooms were empty while a couple of others were being occupied by the familiar faces of men who Doyle knew weren’t suspects.

   He got to the room with the broken window. When he saw it was empty, he swore loudly. Then he went to the room next to it and saw the body of Merrick, his purple beard still twitching slightly.

   “Fucking hell!” Sheriff Doyle walked downstairs and slammed his fists on the counter. He grabbed Kersey’s shirt. “Were you going to tell me about the fucking dead man upstairs?”

   “Dead man? What dead man?”

   “Karl Merrick. Purple beard. Sound familiar?” Sheriff Doyle said, shaking Kersey hard. “Does it have anything to do with Nix and those assholes?”

   “I don’t know, sheriff. Honest.”

   Sheriff Doyle let go of Kersey and ran his hands through his hair. “I am seriously getting sick of this shit.”

   “Me, too.”

   “Shut the fuck up and go fetch Doctor West so he could take care of Karl. Got it?”

   “Yeah, I got it.”

   “And if you see either of those guys, you let me know immediately. Do you understand that?”

   “Sure thing, sheriff. I see the strangers, I’ll let you know.”

   Sheriff Doyle walked out of the hotel and saw that the doctor and his sons were carrying Ryan Hickory to Doctor West’s place. Chaps and Nix were able to walk on their own albeit slowly and painfully.

   Doyle shouted. “Didn’t Lyons tell you dumb assholes to wait?”

   Nix turned and said, “Fuck you.”

   The sheriff shook his head. Those boys would never learn.