Chapter 8

Hank was approaching Alamogordo with some trepidation. He had resolved to find a new partner to replace Bill Jones. Now that Bill was married, there was no way he was going to traipse around NMT with the chance of getting killed at any moment when he could be home in the arms (and between the legs) of his loving wife.

How could Hank find a bounty hunting partner? Particularly one he had liked and trusted as much as Bill. Oh, well, he had to start out by looking and asking around. He would start by asking his friend Asa, the bartender at this favorite saloon in Alamogordo. Of course, while he was there, he would visit Mae, his favorite prostitute in Alamogordo. Between the two, he would find sympathy and solace, if nothing else.

Hank pulled up to the hitching rail at Asa's saloon and loosely hitched Ada, his mule, to the rail as a pro forma gesture. Ada wouldn't wander off, but somebody might interpret an unhitched animal as an abandoned animal, and Hank would hate to have to shoot a man over something as silly as that.

Hank walked in and bellied up to the bar. "Howdy, Asa, gimme a beer, ifen ya please. Ya got a minute or two fer some help and sympathy?"

"Shore, Hank, anytime fer a friend like ya. Here's yer beer. Now, what's the problem?"

"Well, ya know I had myself a pardner the last time I wuz in here, but no more. He's done got hisself married and has quit the bounty huntin' business. I've gotten used to havin' a pardner an' I'm lookin' fer a replacement. Got any idees?"

"My sympathy fer yer loss, there, Hank. Right off hand, I don't know of nobody I'd want to stick ya with. Gimme a chance ta think on it, an' I might come up with a name."

"I'd be much obliged to ya, Asa, ifen ya kin think of somebody. Meanwhile, I'll look to Mae fer solace ifen she's available."

"Hank, I hates ta be the one ta tell ya this, but Mae don't work here no more. She done got married, also. Seems like a right nice fellow, too, soz I wish 'em both good luck. He owns a ranch near Las Cruces, an' they left fer it 'bout two week ago."

"Well, don't that beat all! Shit! I hope she's happy. Ya got anybody else as nice as her working the same job?"

"Give Anne a try. She's neat an' clean an' 'bout as friendly as you could ask fer. It's early enough in the day that she ain't busy at the moment, soz ya could get right on with it, ifen ya want to."

"Shore, I'll give her a try. Where is she?"

"I'll call her over an' introduce ya. There she is. HEY, ANNE! COME HERE, IFEN YA PLEASE!... Anne, I wants ya ta meet a good friend of mine. This here is Hank, be nice ta him, an' make shore he gits his money's worth."

"Shore will, Asa. Howdy, Hank. Ya wanna go up to my room where we kin git to know each other?"

They went to Anne room and spent a glorious 60 minutes. Wow! Hank really had his $2 worth! He hadn't had so much sexual action in years, not since he had hired the two women that time in Santa Fe. Anne really knew how to ply her trade. He had to admit it, she was much more skilled than Mae. Damn! Hank planned to stop by more often.

Back downstairs, Asa asked, "Well, was she worth it?"

"Damn tootin'! She was worth every penny! Where'd ya find her? I thought I'd die when she let me watch her shave her pussy. I ain't never seen nothin' like that afore! She's a real artiste with a straight razor. She kin shave me anytime!"

"Well, she said that she used ta work in a barber shop. I've been wonderin' what she shaved there."

"I kinda hates ta change the subject, but have ya thought of any names fer me ta check out fer my pardner?"

"Well, I don't know much 'bout him, but ya might check out Rafe Sims over there. He has a reputation fer honesty an' bein' fast with his guns. He did say that he was at loose ends and looking fer a job."

"Much obliged. I'll go talk ta him right now."

Hank walked over to where a man was sitting in a chair against the wall. His eyes darted from place to place, keeping the entire saloon under surveillance. He was nursing a beer and Hank noticed that the man held it in his left hand, always leaving his right hand unencumbered. The man wore two pistols at his waist, holstered in a convenient cross-draw position. Hank definitely approved of the man's caution.

"Howdy, Mr. Sims. Asa, the bartender, suggested I talk ta ya 'bout a possible business proposition. My name is Hank Prescott. Mind ifen I sit here?"

"Howdy, Mr. Prescott. Ya're welcome ta sit. What's the proposition? Legal, I hope."

"Call me Hank. Yeah, its honest. I'm a bounty hunter. I jus' lost my pardner ta a woman, soz I'm lookin' fer a replacement. Would ya be interested?"

"Ya kin call me Rafe, Yeah, I'm interested, but I'd need more information afore I could commit. I ain't never done no bounty huntin', soz I'd need ta know sumpthin' 'bout that. I've heard yer name afore, soz I know ya're successful. Ya'll have ta show me the ropes."

They talked for a while longer, getting to know each other. Each one decided to take a chance on the other, so they shook hands and walked out the door, together. The had not quite reached the street beside Hank's buckboard, when Rafe shouted, "LOOK OUT!", pushed Hank to the left, and dove to the right.

There was a man standing in the middle of the street holding a shotgun and pointing it at Rafe. "I'LL GIT YA, YA BASTARD!" he shouted as he pulled both triggers. He must have been almost too drunk to stand up, because, not only did he miss, but he fell on his back from the recoil.

Hank watched as Rafe rolled to his feet and ran to where the man was lying on his back in the dirt and horse shit. "I told ya last night that I didn't cheat ya at poker, an' I'll let ya off this time. But, ifen ya ever point a gun at me again, I blow yer stupid fuckun' head off. Ya got that?"

The man nodded his head, so Rafe walked to where Hank was standing. "Sorry 'bout that. That yahoo lost over $20 to me last night in a poker game an' swore I cheated. His problem is that he jus' don't know how ta play poker. The fact is, his money wuz what paid fer my beer, today."

Hank introduced Rafe to Ada, and the two men climbed into the buckboard. Hank said, "I've been out of circulation fer a couple of weeks, soz I need to go by the county court house and check up on new wanted posters. This'll give ya a chance ta meet some of the folks ya'll be workin' with an' ta learn the procedures."

Their first stop was at the county jail to meet the deputy sheriff on duty. "Henry, this here is Rafe Sims, my new pardner. Rafe, meet Henry Olsen, as lazy a deputy as ya'd hope ta find."

"Glad ta meet ya, Rafe. Hank's the biggest liar in NMT, so don't believe nothin' he says."

"Howdy, Henry. Nice ta meet ya."

"Hank, what happened ta Bill Jones?"

"Bill up and married a woman over in Carlsbad County. He decided he preferred ta sleep in her bed than in a hotel room by hisself. There jus' ain't no accountin' fer some people an' their druthers."

"Where's yer prisoner, Hank? It ain't like ya ta come in here without some poor galoot in irons."

"This is jus' a social visit this time, Henry. We'll have a prisoner the next time ya see us. So long, fer now."

Their next stop was at the County Clerk's office for wanted posters. Hank picked up the recently issued ones for himself, and Rafe picked up a full set. The clerk commented, "Ya know ya could retire ifen ya brought in every one of them galoots."

Hank replied, "Ifen we did that, we'd have no excuse to stop by to see yer pleasant face."

The clerk giggled and said, "Don't worry, there'd be more out in a week."

Hank and Rafe tipped their hats as they left. Hank said, "Let's go back ta Asa's saloon an' go over these posters with a beer in hand. I think better when I'm comfortable."

They went back to the saloon and had sandwiches and beer for lunch while going over the posters. After a while of staring at picture after picture, Rafe suddenly sat up straight and announced, "I've seen this one in the last few days. He's working in a livery stable down the street. Shouldn't we go after him this afternoon?"

"Sounds good ta me. I want ta pick up a sack of feed fer Ada, anyway. Let's go. Ya lead the way, since ya know the galoot."

The climbed onto the buckboard and headed to the livery stable. When they got there, Rafe sat quietly while Hank bought the feed. After that transaction was complete, Rafe asked, "Ain't there another guy workin' here?"

"Not any longer. He got inta a fight with the boss and got fired. The last I heard, he was headed toward Julesburg."