Longarm and the Colorado gundown

_{“Thank you, Sally.” Aggie went forward and leaned down to give the old bag a buss on the cheek.}

_{“My pleasure, dearie. Anything I can do, you know that.”}

_{“If you hear anything ... like where my clients are being kept now . .. ?”}

_{“Do you want me to find out for you?”}

_{“Yes, please.”}

_{“Consider it done, dearie. My children will locate them wherever they are and get word to you as soon as I know.” “Thank you, Sally.”}

_{Aggie curtsied and left. Longarm nodded and followed her, out past Parson and on into the brightness of the alleys. He waited until they were well clear of that place— whatever the hell it was—before he spoke again.}

_{“Her children?”}

_{“That’s what she calls the, um, people who work for her,” Aggie explained.}

_{“Whores?”}

_{“Some of them, yes. And a few pickpockets, I think. Cheats and sharpies of various kinds. Plug-uglies and bullyboys. Even some genuine children, I understand, although I haven’t any idea what nasty use she puts them to. She controls them all by way of opium.”}

_{“Nice sort o’ friend to have.”}

_{“I defended several of her, um, employees once. Gratis. That was before I understood that Sally could afford to hire anything done she wanted. And I do mean anything. She’s insisted on being my friend ever since. I wouldn’t say that I’ve ever objected.”}

_{“No, I can see how you wouldn’t.”}

_{“Do you recall that I told you I was independently well off?”}

_{“Mm, hmm.”}

_{“Actually, Longarm, you just met my independence.” “Makes sense.”}

_{“Are you disappointed in me, dear?”}

_{“Hell, no. Nothing wrong with a lawyer making an honest living. An’ it kinda stands t’ reason that a lawyer’s honest living has t’ be earned in the company o’ folks that ain’t always honest.”}

_{She smiled and took his arm. “You do understand. Good.”}

_{“You think this Sally really will find out where the Utes are being held?”}

_{“Count on it.”}

_{“I’ll feel a whole lot better once they’re safely away from this country.”}

_{Aggie didn’t seem to be paying attention to what he was saying. Instead she was woolgathering, smiling and humming a gay tune and allowing him to guide her while she held onto him and stared toward the sky.}

_{“It’s a shame there aren’t any oysters available,” she said out of nowhere.}

_{“Run that’un by me one more time?”}

_{She laughed. “It’s really quite logical if you think about it, dear. Oysters? You do know, don’t you, what they say oysters are good for?”}

_“Oh.”

_{“Exactly. And we haven’t anything more pressing to do tonight while we wait for Sally to tell us where Bray Swind and his people are.”}