Longarm and the Yuma Prison Read Online Free Page B

hand. “But my son is in pretty bad shape. There are two brothers named Pace and Slade Wittman and they’re the ones that sent my son to the hospital. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to arrest and bring them back to this jail?”
    â€œDoesn’t your son have any deputies?”
    â€œNope. We’re unincorporated here and underfunded.”
    Longarm scowled. It was not unusual for small localities in the suburbs of big towns to have their own staffs rather than rely on Denver to handle their issues. The trouble was, those localities, while adamant about retaining their independence, usually were poorly run and perpetually out of money.
    â€œI can check into the matter,” Longarm offered. “But for the time being I need to help this young lady, Miss Jessica Ray.”
    The old man smiled. “I sure don’t blame you for putting my boy on the back burner given how pretty she is. I’d go after Pace and Slade myself except they’d either shoot or beat the shit out of me. I’m too old and slow to take on a young and dangerous pair like that.”
    â€œWhat did they do that had your son trying to arrest them?”
    â€œThey beat up a whore a few days ago. Almost killed her. Her name was Loretta Love . . . probably not her real name . . . and they did some things to her that ought not to happen to an animal. When she fought back, they hurt her so bad that she can’t eat or see out of either eye.”
    Longarm’s face tightened. “Where do those sons o’ bitches hang out?”
    â€œAt the Buffalo Saloon.”
    â€œI know where it’s at. Maybe I’ll pay a visit to them after we get this house trouble settled on Plum Street.”
    â€œNice street,” Zeke said. “Houses are expensive there now. More than me or my son could ever afford.”
    â€œDo you want to come along and just watch what happens?” Longarm asked. “We could use a witness if things get rough.”
    â€œIf I do that, would you pay a visit to the Buffalo Saloon and arrest those Wittman brothers and bring them back here so I can lock ’em up in our jail and feed them dog shit and beans, with my piss in their coffee and spit on their breakfast eggs?”
    â€œYou’d do that?” Jessica asked with shock.
    â€œI sure would,” Zeke said, eyes hard as obsidian. “And when my son gets out of the hospital, they’ll get worse until they go before a judge and are sentenced to a prison. Marshal Long, they are too tough for the likes of me . . . but I got a feeling that you could handle them easy enough.”
    Longarm turned around and studied the front door for a minute. He felt Jessica’s hand on his arm and heard her whisper, “It sounds like you need to help this man.”
    â€œYeah, but I need to help you first,” Longarm told her. “I can tell you one thing, this weekend sure isn’t shaping up to be the relaxing two days that I’d intended it to be.”
    â€œAre you sorry we got together?” she asked, closely studying his face.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œGood!”
    â€œAll right,” Longarm said, turning around to face the old man. “If you tag along as a witness, I’ll drop by the Buffalo Saloon early this evening and put some misery on Pace and Slade Wittman.”
    â€œAnd you’ll arrest and bring them here to jail.”
    â€œYeah, I’ll do that, too. But you might have to pay for someone to carry them over here because I don’t have much use for a woman beater or a couple of men who would kick a lawman when he’s down.”
    Zeke filled his lungs and smiled for the first time. He marched over to the gun rack and found a shotgun and then he checked to make sure that both barrels were loaded. He also snatched a badge off his son’s desk and pinned it on his chest. “Let’s go!”
    Longarm allowed himself a small grin.