"If he did," Victoria said, "he knows that the news of it would spread like a wildfire."

"That's right," Longarm agreed. "But from what I can gather, Hank Ba.s.s is a man who likes to spend money on his pleasures, and so I can't imagine that hewould be able to hold on to those gold coins for very long. Especially after he gets down near the border and starts to romancing his senoritas."

"Custis, has it occurred to you that he might intend to ride deep into Mexico?"

"Yes, and the trouble is, I have no authority down there and in fact am not supposed to even cross the border."

"But if he is in Mexico, we can't just let him go free," Victoria protested. "With all that Spanish gold, he may never return to the United States. Why should he take the chance of being caught or arrested?"

"He wouldn't," Longarm replied. "But we've learned from asking questions that Hank Ba.s.s likes beautiful women, liquor, and gambling. Any one of those can quickly drain away all of a man's money. And I'll tell you something, the Mexicans who live near the border are experts in separating a gringo from his dollars or his gold."

"So are we going to ride all the way to the border?"

"I think that's our best hope," Longarm answered. "I don't really know what else we can do. The last information we've gotten is that Ba.s.s was seen riding south. My hunch is that he did cross the border but that he'll remain very near it. Most outlaws like to keep the border in sighta"just in case some corrupt Mexican authorities attempt to extort them for their gold or American dollars."

"I see."

"I have a few old friends on both sides of the border near Nogales," Longarm said. "If our man is anywhere near there, I'll learn about it."

"Would you go deep into Mexico after him?"

"You bet I would," Longarm vowed. "After what he did to you and others, I'd not hesitate a minute to cross the border even if it meant risking my badge."

Victoria reached out and took his hand. "I'm sure that we can find something to do while we wait for Hank Ba.s.s to come back from Old Mexico."

Longarm read the wanton look in her eyes and he knew that Victoria was right and that they would have no trouble whiling away the time. The trouble was, Longarm was not an especially patient man and neither was his boss, Billy Vail.

He'd sent a telegram to Billy from Tucson, requesting additional travel funds and also sketching out his progress on the case. He'd told Billy he'd managed to put an end to the Ba.s.s gang, but that Hank was still on the run. Billy had replied in a terse telegram that made it clear he was not very happy with Longarm's progress, but he had also forwarded another hundred dollars for travel expenses.

"Victoria," Longarm said, "I'm afraid we're about to receive some bad company."

The three riders had appeared from behind a hill. Longarm rested his shotgun across his saddle horn, just in case. This was a cruel, rugged country and he was not about to take any chances, especially in Victoria's company. She was a beauty and would be worth a small fortune to some wealthy Mexican rancher or official. The slave trade was nothing new in this desert southwest, and Longarm was making sure that he could protect Victoria.

"Trouble?" she asked, unable to hide her sudden anxiety.

"We'll find out. I gave you a pistol, why don't you slip it into your riding skirt a just in case."

"All right."

Longarm noticed that the three hard-looking riders reined their horses away from each other a few yards, which was definitely not a good sign. Two of them wore Mexican sombreros, but the one in the middle was a tall, bearded white man whose dress and saddle indicated he was a Texan.

"Victoria," Longarm said without taking his eyes off the approaching riders, "did you just see how they fanned out a little?"

"Yes."

"That's almost a sure giveaway that they mean bad trouble," Longarm told her.

"So what do we do?"

"Expect the worst. d.a.m.n, but I wish that I hadn't allowed you to come this far south with me!"

"I'll be all right," she replied, voice sounding high and strained but filled with resolve. "I've got the pistol in my hand now and I won't hesitate to use it."

"Let's just hope that it doesn't come to that," Longarm said as he drew in his horse and raised his hand in a gesture of peace and greeting.

The three riders didn't acknowledge the greeting, but they finally did draw in their horses. The white man wore a battered old Stetson and he thumbed it back on his brow, then stared at Victoria with a thick-lipped and lecherous smile that made Longarm's blood boil.

"Mister, do you have some problem with your eyes?" Longarm asked, ignoring the two Mexicans, who looked plenty dangerous in their own rights.

The white man finally tore his glance from Victoria and regarded Longarm. He was big, filthy, and missing his upper front teeth. Long wisps of dirty brown hair sprayed out from under his hat, and his shirt was unb.u.t.toned almost to his navel so that his hairy chest glistened with sweat. Like the Mexicans, this man wore two pistols and had a rifle stuffed into his saddle boot. All three of them gave Longarm a cold stare that left little doubt of their sinister intentions.

"She's real pretty," the man with the Stetson finally said, grinning like a fool. "Prettiest woman I seen in a long, long time."

"She's mine," Longarm said flatly. "And we're on our way to Nogales."

"Why?"

"What do you mean?" Longarm asked.

"If I had me a woman as pretty as this, I wouldn't go anywhere! I'd just stay in bed with her until I was all f.u.c.ked down to a nubbin."

Longarm had heard enough. There was no longer any question that these three men would try to kill him and take Victoria and their outfit. And since that was the case, it was always better to start the play and give yourself the edge, especially when the odds were stacked against you.

"Victoria, are you ready?" he asked softly.

"I am," Victoria said, her voice a thin whisper.

The big man c.o.c.ked his head like a big vulture. "What are you both jabbering about?"

"This," Longarm said, whipping the shotgun up and pulling the trigger.

The big man was knocked flying from his horse, and when one of the Mexicans proved himself very fast with a gun, Longarm used his second load even as he heard Victoria's gun bark twice.

The battle was decided in just a few heartbeats, and then Longarm was dragging Victoria from her saddle and holding her tight.

"I feel like I'm going to get very sick," she gasped, taking deep lungfuls of air. "I never killed anyone before."

"It's not something that you ever get used to," Longarm told her. "But you did what you had to do."

Longarm was about to say more, but the rider that Victoria had shot moved. Spinning Victoria around so that he shielded her body, Longarm put another slug in the bandito.

He holstered his gun and took Victoria back into his arms, saying, "Now you don't need to get sick because I killed him instead of you."

Victoria nodded but she still looked quite pale. "Can we just get out of here?"

"Sure," Longarm said. "As soon as I catch up their horses and pack them to the nearest cemetery."

"What will you do with their outfits?" Victoria asked.

"Sell *em because I'm underpaid and need the extra cash."

Longarm reloaded his gun and then he went to round up the three horses. He soon had the bodies lashed down over their saddles, and a few hours later they delivered them to a small village named Arivaca. As expected, their appearance caused quite a stir in the little town. Longarm inquired about a local marshal and wasn't a bit surprised to learn there was none.

"You got a cemetery over yonder," he said, pointing. "Someone here must act as the undertaker."

"Mr. Blades who runs the cafe," the wizened old gent who ran the run-down livery and whose name was w.i.l.l.y said. "I seen them three dead ones plenty of times. Mister, you did this part of the country a favor by killing those murderin' sidewinders."

"I expected that I might have," Longarm replied. "You interested in buying their outfits?"

"Ain't got much money."

"It won't take much money," Longarm answered. "w.i.l.l.y, just pay me fifty dollars each and they're yours."

"Thirty."

"Forty or we take them on down to Nogales and double that price. The saddles are worth twenty all by themselves. And when you add in the blankets, bridles, and a"

"One hundred dollars and that's all the money I have in this world. I swear it is!" w.i.l.l.y exclaimed.

"Okay, providing you give me some information."

The old man squinted. "Information can get pretty expensive. What kind are you looking for?"

"I'm hunting for an outlaw named Hank Ba.s.s. I have reason to believe that he pa.s.sed through here not long ago, probably on his way to Nogales."

"Who are you, stranger?"

"I'm someone who has a score to settle," Longarm answered. "And so does my lady friend."

w.i.l.l.y glanced over at Victoria, who solemnly nodded in agreement.

"Hank Ba.s.s did you wrong, miss?"

"Yes."

w.i.l.l.y shook his head. "I believe that. Hank Ba.s.s is a mean son of a b.i.t.c.h, if you'll pardon my bad language. He's beat up a few women in this town, but they weren't ladies like you, miss."

Victoria looked away quickly, but not before Longarm saw tears glisten in her eyes.

"w.i.l.l.y, how long ago was it that Hank Ba.s.s traveled through here going toward Old Mexico?"

"He only left about four, no, three days ago," w.i.l.l.y said after a moment of reflection. "He caused quite a commotion *cause he was spending some real Spanish gold coins."

"is that right?"

"For a fact. I expect the wh.o.r.es and the saloons all got their share for letting him raise h.e.l.l."

"Did he say he was on his way into Mexico?"

"Sure did! But he'll probably never get across the border."

Longarm was caught by surprise. "Why not?"

"Because every bandito in Mexico will be watching and waiting to get him in their gun sights. You can be sure that the word is out Hank Ba.s.s is carrying a fortune in gold coins. I expect someone will ambush the fool the very minute he crosses the border."

Longarm frowned. "Ba.s.s is anything but a fool. Maybe he'll stay on this side."

"Either way, someone will come gunning for him," w.i.l.l.y reasoned. "Hank always came through this town with a bunch of men to back him up in any trouble. But this time, he was alone. He's a mean, tough son of a b.i.t.c.h, but he can't survive down here by himself. I'm telling you, stranger, someone will bushwhack him, that's for certain."

Longarm figured that w.i.l.l.y was right, which meant that Hank Ba.s.s needed to be overtaken as quickly as possible.

"We should push on now, Victoria."

She sighed. "I'm very tired. Couldn't we just spend one night resting?"

"You can sleep on fresh straw here in my livery for only a dollar," the old man offered. "Safer here than in one of the hotels. A whole lot quieter too."

"The horses do need a rest," Victoria argued.

"All right," Longarm reluctantly agreed. "But we'll leave very early. No need for anyone in Arivaca to even know that we were here."

"Now you're talking," the old man said as his chin bobbed up and down in agreement.

"w.i.l.l.y, go find me that hundred dollars. That way, I won't have to awaken you early tomorrow morning."

"That could be fatal," w.i.l.l.y drawled. "So I'll go get the cash right now."

The next morning, Longarm arose at first light and got his horses saddled and ready to ride. Victoria was sleeping like a baby and he felt sorry to awaken her but there was little choice. Down in this country, the outlaw trail could run cold in a hurry, and Longarm still wasn't entirely convinced that Ba.s.s wouldn't cross the border into Mexico.

It was a hard twenty-five-mile ride down to the border town of Nogales, and both Longarm as well as Victoria were badly worn down by the dust and oppressive heat by the time they had boarded their horses and found a suitable hotel room. After a meal of beans, tortillas, and warm beer, they went to bed and slept until after dark. Then Longarm got up and prepared to go out hunting for Ba.s.s.

"You're going to have to stay here," he said. "These streets are no place for a decent woman."

"But a"

"If I took you around to the places I'm going to visit," Longarm interrupted, "I'd be fighting off crowds of men. No, Victoria, I insist."

"But what if you run into Ba.s.s and are shot?"

"If I don't come back tonight, come looking for me in the morning. Pay a couple of tough-looking men well to protect you and make your first stop at the undertaker's. But don't worry, I'll find Hank Ba.s.s and he's the one that will be getting his ticket punched for Boot Hill."

"You sound so confident."

"I guess I do," Longarm admitted. "The fact of the matter is that I don't allow myself to think about getting shot and killed. If I did a well, I just don't."

Victoria kissed him good-bye, and when Longarm got to the door, he said, "Keep this door locked. Under no circ.u.mstances allow anyone in but me. Is that understood?"

"Yes, of course."