Longarm and the Colorado gundown

_{“Then hurry up with it, whatever it is. I can’t wait to see Sal again, darling. You will excuse us, won’t you, Longarm?”}

_{“Of course I will, Leah. I got work t’ do.”}

_{“More of it than you might think today, Longarm,” Parson put in. ‘That’s what Miz Sally sent me here about. T’ find you, Longarm.”}

_“Oh?”

_{He grinned. “One of the boys guarding your Indians couldn’t stand it no more. He got homy and snuck into town last night. Miz Sally says I should tell you that the Indians are being held at the old Crane mine. Wherever that is. She had some miner fella draw up a map for you.” Parson produced a crudely sketched map and gave it to Longarm. “Is there anything else you need from me, Longarm?”}

_{“Just to see you and Leah enjoy this chance meeting. And thanks, Parson. Please tell the lady that I appreciate all she’s done to help.”}

_{“I’ll do that, Longarm.” He said it over his shoulder. He and Leah were already on their way out.}

_{Longarm stubbed his cheroot out in an empty butter dish and reached for his hat. Now that he knew where the Utes were he could get this business finished.}

_{“Sir?” a voice called from behind him before he had gotten three steps in the direction of the door.}

_{‘The bill for the breakfasts, sir?”}

_{Longarm chuckled. A little while ago Leah had made a big point of saying how well she was doing and that he was to eat hearty because this was gonna be her treat. Steak, caviar, roe, champagne cocktails with breakfast, anything he wanted. It seemed the distraction of seeing Parson and}

_{finding out that Sally was in town had taken that right out of mind. Not that he was complaining.}

_{“Put it on my hotel bill,” Longarm told the waiter. Hell, let the government pay for it. The cost was worth it if it helped him find those Utes. Making that claim was only stretching things a little way. “And add something for yourself too.”}

_{“Thank you, sir.”}

_{Longarm’s stride lengthened once he reached the door. He was debating with himself over whether he should tell Lawyer Able about this or wait so he could go to the mine alone and not have to argue about that. He didn’t want to drag Aggie into a gun fight. Better, he decided, to wait. He turned toward the livery stable instead of heading for the house where Aggie was staying.}

 

_{As armed camps go, this one was kinda pathetic.}

_{Longarm sat on the hillside behind a scrub oak and smoked a cheroot while he looked the situation over.}