MURDER AT DEVIL'S HOLE

Drena Hills

 
'So you think *I'm* the murderer? What do I have to do to convince you that I'm not… be the next victim?'
 
'Well, that would be a start.'
 
Cary Grant & Audrey Hepburn, "Charade", 1963
 
 
 
 There was only thing Hannibal Heyes was sure of, if he had been there when Kenneth Long had arrived none of this would have happened.
 
 Kid Curry had noticed the extra horse first as the two of them rode into the Hole just ahead of the storm. He had brought it to Heyes’s attention with a cock of his head, but said nothing.
 
 “Think I’ll go see if the boys got in all right,” his younger cousin had said casually as they left the barn.
 
 “Tell them I’ll be along later,,” his cousin replied, a look of understanding passing between them. Together they had led the Devil’s Hole Gang for the past three years, turning a once notorious band of outlaws into something legendary. 
 
 Both knew it would not do for Heyes to come looking for the newcomer, but for Kid to casually drift by for a cup of coffee after riding in was the norm and acceptable.
 
 Heyes entered the two man leader’s cabin and allowed himself to exhale as he shut the door. The approaching storm had darkened the main room early and he lit the lanterns surprised at how much comfort the cabin gave him. It was home of sorts, well closest to one than they had in a great many years and it was beginning to take on their personality and needs. The chess set, the books, Kid’s fascination with every gadget and new invention he came across.
 
 Lighting the fire he turned his attention to the preparation of an evening meal mostly because it allowed him to glance out the window and watch for his friend’s return from the bunkhouse across the courtyard.
 
 Fifteen minutes later Kid opened the door and pulled off his hat. Most people would agree his partner was almost always impossible to read. As a rule Kid gave off a calm, quiet exterior that was rarely ruffled. But Heyes had known him since birth and didn’t miss the tightened jaw or the methodical way he hung up his coat and hat. He was tense and he was angry and more importantly he was worried.
 
 “Seems we have a new man,” was all he said accepting the coffee his partner handed him.
  
 Kid took a sip, his eyes never leaving his partner as he waited for his reaction.
 
 Heyes raised an eyebrow, but otherwise gave no sign of his feelings on this announcement. Officially the decision to let a man stay was his, but everyone knew he took in the rest of the gang’s opinion and then discussed it with Kid.
 
 “Oh were they thinking of letting me know?” Heyes said finally his annoyance finally showing as he walked over and pulled on his gun belt with a slow weary, but resolved movement.
 
 "He's trouble Heyes,” Kid said standing between his partner and the door, for once his action suggesting they pause and think it out.
 
 “And?” Heyes said knowing there was more.
 
 “Unanimous decision by the boys to let him stay."
 
  His partner stared at him in amazement. "Unanimous? This group can't all agree on what day of the week it is!"
 
  "I know," Kid said throwing his hat down. "Which is why I didn't push it until I talked to you."
 
  "He coming over here?"
 
 "Yea as much as it pains me," Kid said dropping into a chair and pulling off his gloves. "I told him you had the final say."
 
 His partner looked at him, "Pains you?"
 
 Kid squirmed under the look annoyed at having to explain, "Remember when we were kids and that snake got in the house and even though we caught it my Ma said she could feel it at her feet for days after Figure this fella will have the same effect on a place.”
 
  Heyes blinked considering this. His partner wasn’t usually so colorful when giving him his take on a man, but he was always right.
 
 “He got a name?" was all he answered.
 
 "Kenneth Long at your service Mr. Heyes."
 
 Heyes turned, the man stood in the doorway grinning like he enjoyed startling people. His clothes were dandified, but worn and he needed a shave. Closer investigation revealed a certain weary edge to Mr. Long that suggested life recently had not been good to him and it gave his jagged green eyes a glint of desperation that made everyone he glanced at feel like prey.
 
 He looked like he had ten years on them both, but the truth was it was only five, the adage produced by his greased back hair in the latest town style.
 
 He oozed confidence and played for control, but Heyes was enough of a poker player to pick up the slight clenching of one hand, Mr. Long wasn't completely sure of himself. Kid’s visit had unnerved him and now it seemed he was battling with Hannibal Heyes’s reputation as well.
 
  "People usually knock," Kid said quietly and Heyes could feel his anger.. 
 
 "It was open," Long dared.
 
 Kid got up slowly. "No it wasn't."
 
 The two men stared at each other and Long finally averted his eyes, "Yea maybe it wasn't." Quickly he turned to Heyes. "Mr. Heyes a pleasure to meet you, I'm Kenneth Long."
 
 He offered his hand, the frayed cuffs missing their usual diamond links.
 
 Heyes didn't look down and he didn’t take it. He merely concentrated on meeting the man’s eyes like two wild animals establishing dominance. 
 
 Long finally lowered his hand, looking down as he did.
 
 "Kid why don't you leave me and Long for a minute," Heyes said quietly.
 
 Kid looked up sharply and then caught Heyes's understanding. He had to show both Long and the men that he was quite capable of dealing with this newcomer without his cousin’s deadly ability with a gun backing him up. Heyes also knew Kid would use his time wisely checking out the men in the bunkhouse now that they were free of Long’s oddly unsettling influence.
 
 
 But that didn’t stop his partner from pausing to pull on his hat directly in front of Long and answer, "Won't be long…or far," His meaning a promise the man could not misunderstood.
 
 He shut the door with a distinct click.
 
 “So you wanna join the Devil's Hole Gang," Heyes said pouring a cup of coffee and purposely putting his back to the man to show how little a threat he thought him..
 
 "I already have," Long smiled taking a seat.
 
 Heyes stared at the man's audacity in amazement and considered whether he should hit him first and then throw him out or just throw him out.
 
 "I think that decision is up to me," Heyes said quietly and if the man knew that tone he would have been on his feet in a heartbeat.
 
 "Oh you'll let me stay, even let me be lead bandit, Wheat won't mind.”
 
 "Who the hell…"
 
 "And neither will you if you don't want murder added to your cousin's
 wanted poster Mr. Heyes."
 
 *****************************************
 
 
 “HE SAID WHAT!” Kid Curry yelled rising to his feet to glare down at his partner an hour later.
 
 "Will you calm down! We have to keep a clear, calm level head," Heyes said from his seat in front of the fire "He said you murdered a woman in Abilene, said he saw you leave her room and next morning she was found dead. Said he didn't know who you were at the time, but he does now."
 
 "Heyes that is the…wait a minute," Kid said turning back from his charge to the door. "Is that why he's still here? You believed him?" The voice had gotten younger, the emotion changing ever so slightly from anger to hurt.
 
 Heyes closed his eyes patiently and re-opened them.
 
 "Kid you were in Abilene and I remember that story in the paper, the description of the man who killed that saloon girl vaguely resembled yours."
 
 “You will also remember the paper said that Maggie was strangled…you really think I could do something like that?” his astonishment forced him to sink back into his chair his eyes wounded.
 
 "No I do not think!" Heyes said his anger escaping now as well, but it wasn't directed at his cousin "But I know rumors turn to truth and you're a wanted man and ever since those wanted posters of ours hit $5000 those railroads and banks would just love to tack murder on to your charges and really give people an incentive to hunt us down."
 
 "But I didn't do it!" Kid said through gritted teeth. "Besides that was over 3 years ago and everyone believed it was her ex-lover, same description as me, she even said that was why she picked me, to annoy him."
 
 "I know, but people love a good scandal and your name linked in a love triangle could be more trouble than its worth even if you were proven innocent."
 
 "So what are we gonna do?" Kid said going over to the door certain of what he would like to do.
 
 "Well I considered shooting him…Kyle? Doesn't anyone remember how to knock!" Heyes yelled at the frightened man standing in the door way as Kid jerked it all the way open.
 
 "I'm sorry Heyes, I just wanted to tell you, well there's a fight…" he looked at Kid frightened and Curry rolled his eyes knowing he'd heard everything. "I think Lobo is gonna kill that new fella…"
 
 Swearing under his breath, Kid brushed past him at a run with Heyes on his heels. Heyes hoping, in spite of himself they would be too late.
 
 
  *********************
 
 The fight was really no contest. No one could match Lobo with a knife and he was closing in fast when the two outlaw leaders burst into the bunkhouse.
 
 In no mood to let Heyes try and talk down the fight or if he was honest not wanting the man dead before he take a crack at him, Kid merely drew and with one shot sent the knife flying out of the gang member's hand.
 
 Lobo turned furious and then sobered as he saw Kid waiting gun still in his hand.
 
 "You know the rules, you wanna kill someone, you don't do it in the Hole," Kid said quietly.
 
 The bunkhouse went unnaturally quiet as everyone held their breath.
 
 "Or maybe you want to save the pleasure for yourself," Robbins 
said with a grin under his breath.
 
 Kid didn't even look at the man, never taking his eyes off Lobo, "Something you want to say to me Robbins?" he asked the fair haired man not liking how close to the truth he was.
 
 "Reckon not," the man said coming to his senses.
 
 "Thought not."
 
 "Storm is riling everyone, now why don't we all just settle down and turn in early," Heyes said quietly. "Long I wanna see you outside."
 
 The man quickly skirted past Lobo and had just made it past the door when Heyes grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into side of the cabin.
 
 "Telling stories Kenny?"
 
 "I don't know what you're talking about."
 
 "I mean Robbins comment back there."
 
 “Might have mentioned you had a reason to be nice to me, no details."
 
 "Well let’s get one thing straight. You're here until I figure out how to get rid of you and until then you better stay low and keep your mouth shut or next time I won't let my partner save you."
 
 Long pulled free with a scowl. "Big talk Heyes, but you better remember your partner swings if I start talking, you just keep that in mind and tomorrow we'll start discussing how much my take of your next job is gonna be."
 
 Heyes hit him so hard he went right over the rail and just lay there as quietly the storm finally fulfilled its promise and the sky opened up.
 
 Kid stepped out of the bunkhouse and glanced down casually and then stepping over the man joined his partner on the walk back to their cabin.
 
 “Glad to see you kept a cool, calm level head,” he said suddenly feeling better as if his cousin’s flattening the man had confirmed something to him. 
 
 “He's alive isn't he?" was all his cousin growled.
 
 
  **********************************
 
 The storm arrived like judgment. It blew and beat and whistled and tore at the camp as if it would not be content until it shattered it from existence.
 
 Sometime after one the wind left leaving only the rain to pound merciless at the windows and seep under the doors and hint expecting morning to ever come might be overly optimistic. 
 
 Heyes woke once about midnight uneasy. He had learned to sleep light a long time ago and trust his instincts when that sleep was broken unnaturally. Waking he padded softly to the front door and peered out. The storm was at it worst then, the lightning and thunder on top of them as the storm hunkered down to do its worse. For a moment he thought he saw someone in the last moment of a lightning flash, but then it was gone.
 
 His mind made excuses, and his weary body begged for the warmth of bed and finally he returned to it and sleep none the comforted and slept fitfully until dawn.
 
 It never once occurred to him to look in on his cousin.
 
 
   **********************
 
 They found the body just after daybreak. Despite threats to the contrary, morning had arrived and brought with it both sunlight and a façade of calm. However this was quickly shattered by Preacher's yell, followed by Wheat's swearing and then the warning shot bringing everyone to the courtyard.
 
 The body looked oddly ridiculous hanging in the center of the well like that. Preacher's attempt to raise the bucket for water had caught it awkwardly and brought it up like some odd marionette whose strings had been cut.
 
 "Like Joseph he was cast into the well," Preacher said softly. "Which of his brothers or all?"
 
 Heyes looked around the group. Besides Preacher was Lobo looking hung over and mean. Next to him scared, was Kyle and besides him Robbins, his blue eyes bold and defiant. Wheat was angry, though Heyes wasn't sure if that had more to do with being hauled from bed than the actual murder. Hank and Luke were making it a point to look at anyone other than Heyes and Louie the cook was just cursing about people screwing up his water supply.
 
 "Where's the Kid?" 
 
 It was Lobo who asked and Heyes blinked surprised never noticing his cousin had not come up behind him in his usual spot.
 
 “Maybe he's in there too," Hank grinned and quickly swallowed it when Heyes cut him down with a glance that quelled his blood.
 
 "Spread out look for him. Preacher cut him down, Hank I want to know how he died," Heyes ordered and the son of a mortician nodded. Then turning, Heyes walked away not sparing Kenneth Long's body a second glance.
 
 
 ************************** 

It was Kyle that found him.

He was sprawled across the empty stall reeking of cheap whiskey and damp clothes.

Kyle’s yell brought everyone running forcing Heyes to push past them to kneel down beside his cousin and turn him over on his back fearing the worse.

To his relief Kid groaned and blinked at the intrusion of light and touch.

“Heyes? What happened?”

“His gun is missing,” Wheat pointed out politely.

If Hannibal Heyes had been armed at that moment Wheat Carlson outlaw career might have been ended or at least stunted.

But “Give me a hand lets get him in the house,” was all he said.

Heyes had seen his cousin drunk, he had seen him hung over and he had seen him sick, this was none of these. It was only when Kid winced and touched the back of his head and found blood they realized he had been hit from behind.

“Could have just fallen, he smells like he damn near drank the month’s allotment,” Lobo sneered when Heyes had thought this aloud.

Heyes’s look cleared the cabin and picking up a basin of water he returned to find his cousin trying to sit up and then held him as he was violently sick for attempting the effort.

“Heyes…where’s my gun, what am I doing here…”

“Hush,” Heyes said briskly laying him back down not liking the cold pale pallor of his skin. He had laid in the cold barn unconscious all night soaking wet. “Come on we gotta get you into something dry.”

“Long…”

“Dead.”

His cousin stared at him with eyes dull with pain, “How?”

“Murdered,” Wheat said from the doorway and then forced himself to add “Heyes looks like it was Kid’s gun that done it.”

And this time Heyes fought the need to be sick.

**************************

Hank’s experience with death came naturally. His grandfather had been a doctor, his father a well to do mortician. He had grown up around autopsies and bodies and even now treated the stripped body of Kenneth Long like part of the table he was lain across.

His cold blooded approach had cleared the bunkhouse, but his findings fascinated Heyes.

“Bullet wound?”

“To the heart, close range, face to face, dug it out,” Hank said almost embarrassed to produce the bullet and what it would mean. “It’s one of them ones Kid uses.”

Heyes took the bullet and studied it knowing the man was correct. Kid took both his gun and his ammunition very seriously, preferring a gunsmith in Denver when he could and stocking up so he always had some available. There was no doubting it had come from his gun.

“Heyes?” Hank paused as Heyes turned to leave.

“There isn’t enough blood.”

Heyes stopped and looked at him surprised.

“What?”

“Well he was shot and there should have been blood all over his clothes, least ways his Henley, but there isn’t, just a small hole.”

“Which means?” Heyes asked desperate for any straw to grasp.

“Well that maybe somebody shot him after he was dead.”

***************************

“Framed Kid by shooting Long after he was dead?” Wheat snorted as the gang stood around Heyes.

“Hank took another look, seems from the bruises on his neck Long was strangled from behind and then shot.”

“Look Heyes none of us liked Long you don’t gotta go making up this to protect Kid,” Wheat said.

“But why? How dead did they want him?” Kyle asked confused.

“I don’t know,” Heyes said quietly looking at each man carefully. “Maybe somebody wanted folks to think Kid did it and they’d never believe an attacked from behind, but they would believe face to face.”

“He got a point, if Kid was gonna kill a man, it would be a fair fight,” Luke said reluctantly.

“But that would mean one of us did it…” Kyle’s voice trailed off.

“Yea,” Heyes said quietly. “And I intend to find out who.”

**************************

“All I remember is waking up feeling something was wrong. I spotted someone out the window and went out to check it. I followed him into the barn and then I guess that’s when I got hit,” Kid said from the bed he was now sitting up in.

“So the killer took your gun and saw a chance to make it look like you killed Long,” Heyes said thoughtfully pacing. “Problem is Wheat said Long was black mailing half the west, he could have had something on anyone in that bunk house.”

“But enough to make them want to kill him?”

“He made it cross my mind,” Heyes confessed.

“Still Heyes I don’t like thinking we got someone here who would strangle a man from behind,” Kid said uncomfortable.

“Neither do I…strangled never could understand how a man could…” he looked at his cousin if seeing him for he first time. “That’s it!”

“What is it?”

“I’ve been approaching this from the wrong direction, I’ve been trying to figure out what Long knew that made someone want to kill him. What if what killed him was what he didn’t know!”

“Heyes your making my head hurt more,” Kid said and then sighed and moved to get up. “Let me find my gun and we’ll…”

He almost fell forward by the action and it was only his cousin’s fast reaction that caught him and pushed him back down.

“You aren’t going anywhere, I can handle this.”

“The hell you can, we got a cold blooded killer out there.”

“Let me go tell Wheat, I won’t take him on alone.”

“Heyes…”

“Kid I don’t need you falling over and distracting me, get some rest.”

“Well at least tell me who you think did it?”

“Not to I’m sure, I just gotta check one thing…”

****************************

Robbins entered the barn and paused surprised.

“Heyes? Wheat said you were looking for me?”

The dark haired outlaw leader turned, his face unreadable.

“I guess you figured the well would be a good a place as any to hide the body. Sure it might start to smell, but with the storm Louie would just figure a dead animal got in and there would be a new well built, that one sealed up and no one would ever give a second thought to Mr. Long. Except the rain flooded it up and made the body catch on the bucket.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Let me guess you had come in the barn to free Long’s horse so everyone would think he had left afraid in the night and Kid surprised you. Is that when you realized you had a chance to ensure you were never accused? You had heard Kyle telling Wheat about Long black mailing me about the murder of that girl, you figured, I and everyone else would think Kid killed him if by chance the body was found.”

“Your crazy!” the man said shifting uneasily.

“So you hit Kid from behind, took his gun, doused him in whiskey and left him. Then you went back to Long’s body and used his gun to shoot him knowing no one would believe Kid could strangle a man from behind.”

“And why would I do all this?”

“Because Long was too close to the truth about you. It was Preacher who told me you were from Kansas, just like me and Kid. But you were from Abilene, same place that girl was strangled, the one who’s lover resembled my cousin with his fair hair and blue eyes, just like yours Robbins.”

“You got no proof of anything Heyes and if you even try and do anything with this I’ll go to the law myself. Yea, yea, maybe that Long did have the right idea, why I bet the law would love to hear my story of how I saw Kid Curry kill Maggie.”

“I never said her name was Maggie,” Heyes said quietly.

The man stared and a wave of panic crossed his face.

“Yea well don’t really matter since its just you and me.”

“But it ain’t,” Wheat said stepping out of the shadows and slowly one by one the rest of the gang emerged.

“Hear it all?” Heyes asked.

“Yup,” Wheat said giving the man a disgusted look.

“What you want us to do with him?”

“Take him down to Porterville, leave him with a note for Lom Trevors to find.”

“Heyes you know he’s gonna go on about it being Kid,” Wheat said softly to the man.

“I know, not much I can do about that,” Heyes answered back, but gave him a nod appreciating the offer in Wheat’s eyes.

“Nobody’s taking me anywhere!” Robbins yelled grabbing Kyle’s gun from his holster and pointing it wildly.

“Son you ain’t going no where,” Preacher tried. “Don’t be stupid.”

“Oh I’m going all right, straight out of here, but first Hannibal Heyes I’m gonna make me a legend and take you down.”

“ROBBINS!”

Robbins whirled on Kid’s sharp voice even as he moved to fire at Heyes.

The gunslinger had appeared in the doorway, slumped against the frame and looking like without it he would crumble.

With a yell of rage Robbins’s looked back at Heyes and pulled back the trigger.

Kid, head pounding, eyes blurry had no time for clever tricks or fancy disarming. He fired quick, sure and true with one goal, saving his cousin’s life.

The bullet ripped through Robbins and sent the gun flying wild as everyone dived for cover.

Kid hit the ground the same time the dead man did, though in a slower motion along the side of the door and considered never, ever moving again.

Preacher reached him first, but quickly passed over the position to Heyes.

“Found my gun,” Kid smiled pleased with himself and then slumped unconscious in his cousin’s arms.

*************************

“Heyes I am going.”

“Kid we have been over this, someone has to take the body down and explain it all to Lom,” Heyes said the next morning.

“And what if he don’t believe you? He’s only been a tin star for a month, what makes you think he won’t turn you in to make himself look good.”

“Because he owes me, you as well, besides that ain’t Lom and you know it.”

“I can ride, just give me a minute.”

“You move and I will tie you to that bed, Preacher says your gonna end up with pneumonia on top of that head wound if you don’t stay warm and rest. Now I’ll only gone a day, drop off Long, get some supplies and be back.”

“Supplies? We just got supplies. Like what?” Kid asked suspiciously.

Heyes shuffled uncomfortably, “Well I figured maybe I’d pick up that picture viewer you had your eye on, give you something to do while your resting up.”

Kid grinned at his cousin’s thoughtfulness, but even more delighted at getting him to admit it.

“Heyes you do care.”

“Yea about having a little peace and quiet, besides I wanna check on that pump I ordered and….

The front door suddenly blew open and Kyle stood there apologetically. “Heyes, Hank punched Lobo for calling him a ghoul and now they’re trying to push each other in the well. What’s a ghoul?”

Hannibal Heyes merely closed his eyes and added with a pained expression, “And a lock for that damn door!”