Chapter 17, Part One

No Honor;  Chapter 17 Part 1: Conjecture

Out with me and Carter that night was Mitch, leaving Dancer and Norm at the grocery. We rode out ta Carter's tent again, which was moved from the place I last saw it. Still, it was angled in such a way, that we could get a good view o' Marco's buildin', and what activity there was, which wasn't much. We was there for an hour, an' no one came in or out.

There was one o' Marco's boys, on the third floor of the place, that was lookin' out the winda, and keepin' an eye on the property. Besides that lamp bein' lit, there was two others, in roughly the center of the home's second floor. This, we figured, was Marco's rooms. In the time we was there, we saw shadows movin', for a few minutes or so, but after that all was still.

Mitch said, "He's gotta be in there."

Carter shook 'is head. "Doubtful. Highly doubtful."

I said, " He might have a point Moon. Why not hide 'im in the most obvious place? Ya don't expect it, he knows that, and his security's right there, keepin' Larson safe."

Mitch said "That's what I'm saying".

Carter shook his head again. "One reason that can't be is Rex. He was just in there for a meetin', and if Roy was in there, he woulda did a check-up shorely, just ta see what was what."

I said, "So maybe Rex was lyin' about not seein 'im... It's possible ain't it?"

"It's possible, but unlikely", he said. "I don't know if I believe his intentions is all pure, when it comes ta this town, but he can't profit none by lettin' us round up his product, and cuttin' his customers off. If Roy was in there, he woulda gave 'im up."

"Okay", Mitch said."You convinced me... But if he's not in there, how come you're watchin' the place?"

"I'm lookin' for opium, or anythang, that makes me think it's comin' here. He has to know his suppliers got ambushed. So, he's either waitin' on the stuff, or he's clueless as ta when n' where it's shippin'."

"Which one you think it is?"

Carter shrugged. "I just hope that, by the time it gets here, it'll be awl but over."

He closed up his spyglass and mounted, so we mounted as well. After a moment's pause, he turned ta me.

"How much time you got?"

I said, "Well... I'm not tired yet".

He nodded. "Accordin' to what I heard in town, Mr. Melvin Price, decided ta skip town. Now wit awl that happened, over the past few days, I cain't say I'm su'prised, but I don't take anythang for granted.

"His place still needs ta be searched. Jake Waters' home as well, and if you're willin', we could use tha back up."

And so we went. Carter was able to open door locks, with some thin metal tool he had, makin' our entry, inta each buildin', quiet and easy. In fact, that's how I'd describe that night in general: 'Quiet and easy'. We met no resistance, and we didn't attract much attention.

Price's place was cleaned out. I imagine he heard we was lookin' for 'im, so he set up shop elsewhere. This suited Carter just fine. Jake's place wound up bein' exactly the opposite. Not only did we find Morphine, we found tobacco, and a whole lot o' booze, but we had ta wade through a ton o' shit, ta even see 'em; there was garbage all over the floor, and on every flat surface.

With tha end o' that business, Carter was satisfied, that at least what powder was in the town, would not be resupplied. What there was left, would probably be used quick, and perhaps it already had been. Everythang was set up at that point; the plan was in full-swing.

All we had ta do, was wait.

---------------------------------