“I can give you a motive. Listen. Father expected to prove up yesterday on his Del Oro claim. If he had done so Cass Fendrick’s sheep would have been cut off from the water. Father had to be got out of the way not later than Wednesday, or that man would have been put out of business. He was very bitter about it. He had made threats.”
“It would take more than threats to get rid of the best fighting man in Arizona, right in the middle of the day, in the heart of the town, without a soul knowing about it.” The officer added with a smile: “I’d hate to undertake the contract, give me all the help I wanted.”
“He was trapped somehow, of course,” Curly cut in. For he was sure that in no other way could Luck Cullison have been overcome.
“If you’ll only tell me how, Flandrau,” Bolt returned.
“I don’t know how, but we’ll find out.”
“I hope so.”
Kate felt his doubt, and it was like a spark to powder.
“Fendrick is your friend. You were elected by his influence. Perhaps you want to prove that Father did this.”
“The people elected me, Miss Cullison,” answered Bolt, with grave reproach. “I haven’t any friends or any enemies when it comes to doing what I’ve sworn to do.”
“Then you ought to know Father couldn’t have done this. There is such a thing as character. Luck Cullison simply couldn’t be a thief.”