Murder at Thumb Butte Read Online Free Page B

Sharp. “Why would a big mine operator take a deputy position?”
    “ I asked for his help,” Clive barked. He stood behind the sheriff, aiming a rifle at his head. “George Madison, you’re under arrest for extortion, assault, and accessory to murder. Your deputies are also under arrest on similar charges.”
    Sharp appeared to lay the newspaper back on the settee but used the motion to grab his Winchester by the barrel with his left hand and flip it up to his right shoulder. Before Clive had finished his first sentence, Sharp had the sheriff’s deputy in his rifle sight. My task was to cover the deputy in back. I rose and my gun came smoothly out of my holster, but I realized we had made a mistake. Sharp’s rifle would have been a better weapon to face a man hidden behind a wall. I slid to my left to get a better angle on the deputy but saw only part of his boot and the edge of his hat. Damn.
    “ Why, Marshal, you’re just a town appointee. You can’t arrest a duly elected official of Mineral County.”
    “ Call your man out from the back,” Clive commanded.
    “ Stay calm,” the sheriff said evenly. Then he raised his voice almost to a yell. “Matt, did you take care of those men out back?”
    “ Yep,” responded the deputy behind the wall.
    I got a sick feeling. Sharp’s two mine guards were supposed to come in behind the deputy. If they were covered, Madison had anticipated both our intent and strategy.
    Then Peter Humphrey confirmed my fears when I heard him say, “I have a gun on Clive, Sheriff.”
    A quick glance confirmed that the bank manager had a rifle trained on the marshal. If the situation hadn’t been potentially deadly, I would’ve laughed. The small hotel lobby was full of men getting the drop on other men who had the drop on still other men.
    Clive sounded nervous when he said, “Looks to be a Mexican standoff.”
    “ You’re misreading the situation,” Madison said as he slowly turned, using his left hand to lightly brush Clive’s rifle away so it no longer pointed at him.
    Clive’s allowing that was a mistake. I realized that my life was not safe in his hands. Damn. What had I been thinking? I swung my gun around, aiming at the sheriff. “Sheriff Madison! Do not move!” Then I added quietly, “Because I will shoot you.”
    The face that turned in my direction was fierce. “Put that gun down, or my men will kill you.”
    “ I prefer a Mexican standoff to being at your mercy.”
    After a hard stare, he smiled broadly. With a tip of the hat, he said, “You and Mr. Sharp may go.” After a theatrical pause, he added more firmly, “But don’t return to this town … either of you.”
    “ The others?” I asked.
    “ I’m afraid townspeople must pay for their sins.”
    Sharp, having seen me abandon my target, shifted his aim away from the deputy in front to the deputy hiding behind the wall in the back of the room.
    “ My men?” Sharp asked, over his shoulder.
    Madison grinned like a jack-o’-lantern. “Probably dead. I hired some wardens from the mines to split their skulls.” He looked exceptionally pleased with himself.
    “ That’s a shame,” I said. “They were your only bargaining chip. Jeff, shoot that deputy behind the wall.”
    Three rapid reports from Sharp’s Winchester rattled the glassware in the room. When the sheriff and his deputy went for their guns, I yelled, “Stop!” My ears were ringing and smoke stung my eyes, but I kept my sight on the sheriff. Suddenly, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I shifted aim and shot the second deputy just as he was raising his gun barrel in my direction. I had let the sheriff hold my attention with his eyes as his deputy smoothly slid his pistol out of his holster. My usual practice was to concentrate on the top dog, but in this instance, it almost got me killed.
    The sheriff wasn’t moving, so I glanced behind me and saw the first deputy stumble into view from around the corner and slump