Crow Bait by Robert J. Randisi Page A

are quite a few ranches around us.”
    “Why isn’t the town larger, then?” Lancaster asked. “Why don’t you have a general store? Or a trading post?”
    “The ranchers usually go to Audley or Seligman for their supplies,” the waiter said.
    “How far are they?”
    “Thirty, and thirty-seven miles, thereabouts.”
    “But they come here to eat?”
    “Unless they stay home.”
    “Yes, you said that.”
    “Would you like anything else?”
    “Some more coffee.”
    “Comin’ up.”
    A town this size didn’t have much to offer. It didn’t offer much cover, either. If he started asking questions about Chet Adderly, word would get around. He was going to have to figure out a way to get answers without asking too many questions.
    Certain questions were harmless, though.
    “What’s your name?” he asked the waiter when he brought the coffee.
    “George.”
    “And your brother?”
    “Which one?”
    “How many do you have?”
    “Well,” he said, “Harry is the cook, Fred is the desk clerk, and Sam runs the livery.”
    “Four brothers? And you pretty much run the town?”
    George laughed and said, “We are the town.”
    “What about the saloon?”
    “Our cousin Dan owns it, and he’s the bartender.”
    “One big happy family, huh?”
    “Except for our sister,” George said. “She’s not so happy.”
    “Why?”
    “She hates it here. Wants to leave.”
    “Why doesn’t she?”
    “She doesn’t have a man.”
    “She needs a man to leave here?”
    George looked shocked. “A young lady can’t travel alone.”
    “Oh, right,” Lancaster said. “Uh, how old is your sister?”
    “Hermione is forty.”
    “Hermione,” Lancaster repeated. “Forty.”
    George nodded. “Is that all you want?”
    “Yes,” Lancaster said. “Everything was great. How much do I owe you?”
    “Two bits.”
    Lancaster passed it over and said, “And worth every penny.”

Thirty-seven
    Lancaster found out the family last name of George, Harry, Fred, Sam, and Hermione was Dickson. Apparently, Hermione’s age of forty made her the baby.
    After the beef stew he walked over to the livery to check on Crow Bait.
    “Not many men would give a horse like that a chance,” the liveryman said as he entered.
    “You’re Sam, right?”
    “That’s right.”
    “I met your brothers George and Fred.”
    “You had the beef stew?”
    “Yes, I did.”
    “It was good, huh?”
    “It was better than good.”
    Sam wiped his hand on his trousers and stuck it out.
    Lancaster shook it and said his name.
    “Horse don’t look like much, but he’s strong,” Sam said. “What’s his name?”
    “Crow Bait.”
    That made Sam laugh until he was bent over double, choking. “That’s rich. You come to see if I’ll take good care of him?”
    “That’s right.”
    “Well, don’t you worry,” Sam said. “He’s in good hands. Why don’t you go over to the saloon and have a drink?”
    “And meet your cousin Dan, huh?”
    “Dan,” Sam said with a face that said he didn’t like his cousin, “yeah.”
    “What’s wrong with Dan?”
    Sam shrugged. “He’s a cousin, not a brother.”
    That seemed to be reason enough for the dislike.
    “Well, I think I’ll take your advice,” Lancaster said. “I hope he’s got cold beer.”
    “He’s got it,” Sam said. “We may be a small town, but we got everythin’ you’ll need.” Sam raised his eyebrows, grinned, and added, “Everythin’.”
    Lancaster left the livery, wondering if “everything” meant sister Hermione?
    Lancaster was unaware that he was being watched from a window on the second floor of the hotel as he crossed over to the saloon. The white lace curtain was pulled aside, remained that way until he entered the saloon, then fell back across the window.
    The saloon was empty, except for the bartender. If Lancaster hadn’t been told that Dan was a cousin, he wouldn’t have recognized him as family. He didn’t look anything like the brothers. For one thing, they all