The Bridge (12 page)

I
t was close to midnight by the time Virgil and I left the Western Union office.

“Why would somebody do this?” I said.

“Got to be some reason,” Virgil said.

We stayed on the porch and watched it snow for a moment, thinking.

“Cox lives in the big house on the corner of Fourth Street,” I said. “Maybe we let him know about this?”

Virgil nodded.

“Maybe he knows something,” I said. “Something we need to know.”

Virgil nodded.

“Maybe,” he said, and we stepped off the porch.

We walked to Cox’s place. It was a three-story structure toward the north end of town. We climbed the dark steps and I knocked on the door.

It took a while before a light appeared at the top of the steps. Slowly a man descended and came to the door.

“Territorial marshals,” I said. “Mr. Cox?”

We heard the door handle twist. It cracked open a little and a small black man peered out at us.

“No, sir,” he said. “I’m Mr. Cox’s butler, Jessup. Mr. Cox is asleep.”

“We need to talk to him,” Virgil said.

“Now?” Jessup said.

“Now,” Virgil said.

“Let him know it’s important,” I said.

Jessup looked to me, then to Virgil, and opened the door.

“Come in,” he said. “This way, please.”

Jessup led us. We walked through a set of doors leading into a stately office with books from floor to ceiling. Jessup set the lamp down and lit two lamps that were sitting on the corners of a huge desk.

“I’ll get Mr. Cox,” Jessup said.

Cox’s office was a shrine to his accomplishments. We walked around the room, looking at all the books.

“Goddamn library,” I said.

“Is,” Virgil said.

Behind the desk were gilded framed placards. I moved closer to read them.

“Graduate of Harvard University,” I said. “Certificate of excellence from Philadelphia Law. He’s no slouch.”

“Look here,” Virgil said.

I walked over to where Virgil was standing near the front window. Tacked on the wall were drawings of the Rio Blanco Bridge and sitting on a table in front of the window was an impressive wooden model of the bridge.

“Damn,” I said. “Something.”

“Was,” Virgil said.

“Yep.”

“No more,” Virgil said.

“Goddamn shame,” I said.

“Lot of work,” Virgil said.

We heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and in a moment G. W. Cox walked into the office, followed by Jessup.

Cox was very tall and thin, with broad shoulders. He was wearing a proper English robe with velvet lapels over a dark-colored silk sleeping gown. He looked to be in his mid-sixties. His hair was silver but his eyebrows, sideburns, and mustache were dark. His nose was long and pointed, with a high ridge in the middle. He had an instant, distinguished air of sophistication about him.

“Gentlemen?” Cox said in a deep southern baritone. “Jessup here said you men need to see me.”

“We do,” Virgil said.

Virgil stayed near the window next to the bridge model, and I moved toward Cox.

“We’re territorial marshals out of Appaloosa,” I said. “I’m Deputy Marshal Everett Hitch and this is Marshal Virgil Cole.”

“G. W. Cox,” he said.

I shook his hand.

“What is it? What’s happened?”

I looked to Virgil.

“We got word,” Virgil said. “A telegram from the Rio Blanco Bridge way station. Two days ago, the bridge was destroyed. Three men dead.”

Cox didn’t say anything right away. He just looked at us with a blank expression on his face.

“I’m sorry?” Cox said with his slow long drawl. “Could you repeat that? Two days ago,
whhhuuut
?”

—
28
—

V
irgil nodded to the model in front of the window.

“This bridge was blown up,” Virgil said. “Three men died, they were killed.”

Cox shook his head.

“This can’t be,” Cox said.

Virgil nodded.

“’Fraid so,” Virgil said.

“Two days ago?” Cox said.

Virgil nodded.

“Any idea who would do this?” Virgil said.

Cox looked to the floor for a long moment. He shook his head slightly, then walked to the big desk and dropped into his chair.

“Leave us, Jessup,” Cox said.

Jessup just looked at Cox for a moment.

“Now,” Cox said. “I don’t need you standing there looking like you are looking. Just leave.”

“Certainly, Mr. Cox, sir,” Jessup said, and closed the doors behind him.

“You know this to be a fact?” Cox said.

“Not seen it firsthand,” Virgil said, “but that was the telegram.”

Cox placed both of his hands squarely on the desk in front of him.

“Why am I just receiving this information?” Cox said.

“The lines were down,” I said.

“Just recently fixed,” Virgil said.

“When the communication connection was reestablished,” I said, “we were contacted.”

Cox stared at me blankly.

“To confirm, we made contact with the way station just a while ago,” I said. “The bridge being blown up and deaths were confirmed.”

“Got any idea why somebody’d do this?” Virgil said.

Cox looked away, then leveled a look at Virgil but didn’t respond to Virgil’s question.

“You got enemies?” Virgil said.

“I’ve spent most my life putting people in jail, Marshal,” Cox said. “I have plenty of enemies.”

Cox stood. He put his hands in the pockets of his Englishman’s robe and walked slowly over to the bridge model. He looked at the model with a sad expression on his face as he shook his head slightly from side to side.

“Walton Wayne Swickey,” Cox said.

“Who’s Walton Wayne Swickey?” Virgil said.

Cox stared at the bridge model, not saying anything.

Virgil looked to me, then back to Cox.

“Who is Walton Wayne Swickey?” Virgil said again.

“A powerful, money-grubbing man,” Cox said.

“Where would we find him?” Virgil said.

Cox shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

Virgil looked to the model, then to Cox.

“Why?” Virgil said. “Why would he do this?”

“Because I got the bid to build the bridge and he did not.”

“Any other reason?” Virgil said.

“Like what?” Cox said.

“You tell me,” Virgil said.

“I can’t imagine any reasons,” Cox said.

“No other bad blood between the two of you?” Virgil said.

“No,” Cox said. “Nothing I’m aware of. I never knew the man until I bid against him, did not know him from Adam. I was warned, when I went up against him, though, that he was a ruthless, not-to-be-trusted sonofabitch.”

Cox looked back to the model and shook his head.

“But this?” Cox said. “Why anyone would do something so atrocious as this, Marshal, is beyond me. Even Swickey. Losing a goddamn contract? Well, hell, that offers no logical reason, or explanation for such awful nonsense as this, no matter how burned or scorned one might be. Just nonsense.”

“He live here,” I said. “In Appaloosa?”

Cox shook his head some.

“I don’t know. He was here for the bidding,” Cox said. “Not sure where he lives, though.”

“You have no idea?” I said.

“No.”

“And no idea of his whereabouts?”

“No, I don’t know where he is,” Cox said. “I’ve not seen him, but I’m not around here full-time. In fact, I just returned to Appaloosa last week.”

“From?” Virgil said.

“Philadelphia.”

“When was the last time you saw Swickey?” I said.

“The day I was awarded the contract to build the bridge and he was not.”

“What were your parting words?” I said.

“No words,” Cox said. “He just smiled at me. A devil’s smile, conjured up from the bowels of hell.”

—
29
—

W
hat now?” Cox said.

“Everett and me are riding over there,” Virgil said. “Have a look at this firsthand.”

“When?”

“Subsequently,” Virgil said.

“I’ll go with you,” Cox said.

“Not necessary,” Virgil said.

“Might not be,” Cox said, “but I insist.”

“Conditions are bad,” I said.

“Yes,” Cox said. “They are. No matter. I have a great deal invested in these men and this bridge.”

Cox walked to the office doors and opened them.

“Jessup,” Cox called.

“Yessir,” Jessup replied.

“Get my horse ready to ride,” he said.

Jessup showed up at the doors.

“Now?” Jessup said.

“Yes,” Cox said. “Now.”

Virgil looked to me and moved toward the door.

“We have readying to do,” Virgil said. “We’ll come back around here in a bit. If you’re ready to ride, you can ride with us. We won’t wait on you.”

“I’ll be ready,” Cox said.

Virgil nodded and I followed him out of the office.

We left Cox’s place and walked back in the direction of the sheriff’s office.

“Think we need to try locate this Swickey fella,” I said.

“Yep.”

“Not sure how best to go about that,” I said. “Not this time of night, anyway.”

“Same as before,” Virgil said.

“Wallis?”

“Yep.”

Virgil and I cut through the alley and crossed two blocks to Main Street. When we got to the Boston House, the saloon was locked up.

“Any idea where Wallis could be,” Virgil asked.

“Don’t,” I said. “Not if he ain’t at the saloon.”

“Know where Tilda stays,” I said.

“How do you know that?” Virgil said.

“She showed me.”

Virgil looked at me, but I didn’t look at him back as I walked on.

“She’s just up the street here at Fletcher’s old boardinghouse,” I said.

When we got to Fletcher’s we entered the small dark lobby and climbed the steps to the second floor. The boardinghouse halls were lined with a few dimmed sconces. We walked down the cold hall, stopped at the last door and I knocked.

“Tilda,” I said. “It’s Everett and Virgil, sorry for the hour, but we need to ask you something.”

We heard some bedsprings squeak and the sound of hushed voices. I knocked lightly again.

“Tilda?”

After a moment, Tilda cracked open the door.

“Hi,” Tilda said shyly.

“Sorry to bother you this time of night, but we’re looking for Wallis,” I said. “Need to find out something from him. Know where we can find him?”

“Hold on a minute,” Tilda said, and shut the door.

Virgil looked at me and frowned a bit.

After a moment, the door opened and Wallis stepped out with his breeches on over his unders. His hair was sticking out in every direction. He closed the door behind him.

“Bernice threw me out,” Wallis said, like a kid with his hand in the cookies. “Tilda’s just letting me stay with her for a while, till Bernice lets me back in or I have to relocate.”

“It’s okay, Wallis,” Virgil said. “We ain’t here to arrest you.”

Wallis looked relieved.

“What ya need this time of night?” Wallis said.

“Swickey,” Virgil said.

“What about him?”

“Know him?” I said.

“Walton Wayne,” Wallis said. “Sure do.”

“Where is he?” I said.

“Don’t know that he’s here,” Wallis said. “He don’t live here. He stays here some, though, always at the Boston House, but I’ve not seen him, not lately, anyway.”

“Where’s he live?”

“Across the Blanco,” Wallis said. “He has a big spread over there, I hear. He owns damn near all the land on the other side.”

Virgil looked at me and shook his head a little.

“What do you know about the Rio Blanco contract that was awarded to Cox and not Swickey?” Virgil said.

“Not much,” Wallis said. “Cox and him I know were on opposite
sides. Swickey is rich as hell and could buy damn near anything or anybody, but he didn’t win the contract. Cox, I hear, had the construction experience. That’s all I know.”

Virgil nodded a little as he thought.

“Appreciate it, Wallis,” Virgil said. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“Oh,” Wallis said, “no problem, you didn’t interrupt nothin’.”

“Don’t think I’d call Tilda nothing,” Virgil said.

—
30
—

V
irgil and I collected G. W. Cox. We started for the Rio Blanco Bridge just past three in the morning. The snow was falling steady as we rode and it was beginning to stick.

Cox was dressed for the weather. He had on a fur-lined cap that covered his ears, thick mittens, and a buffalo-hide coat that draped down to the fenders of his saddle. He rode a big black sturdy-looking horse that had an oilcloth drape covering his neck and ass end.

We rode by the depot, crossed over the tracks, past the last few homesteads on the road, past the icehouse, the old stockyards, and the abandoned slaughterhouse, past the trash heap. Soon we were out of Appaloosa proper.

We kept our heads down and our collars up and didn’t talk much on the journey. The ride was slow going, and by the time daybreak came upon us, the snow was near a half-foot deep.

“Could we stop for a moment’s time,” Cox said. “I’m not used to being in the saddle this long.”

We stopped under a large cluster of oak trees to give our horses some rest. I got some kindling from the mule’s panniers, gathered
what dry branches I could, and got a fire going next to a large felled tree. Once the fire was burning steady I put on some coffee to boil.

Virgil removed the snow from the big tree and sat over the fire, warming his hands. Cox removed a rolled slicker from his cantle. He placed it on the ground on the opposite side of the fire and sat on it with his boots close to the flame.

When the coffee was brewed I poured Virgil and Cox a cup and handed it to them with a piece of hardtack.

I pulled my watch from my vest pocket and checked the time.

“Should be to the bridge camp by a little after noon, I figure.”

Virgil nodded, holding his hands around the warm tin cup as he sipped his coffee. Cox just stared at the fire.