“That’s all right, Mr. Sheriff. Now we know where you stand,” Flandrau, Senior, said stiffly.
The harassed official mopped his face with a bandanna. “Sho! You all make me tired. I’m not Fendrick’s friend while I’m in this office any more than I’m Luck’s, But I’ve got to use my judgment, ain’t I?”
The four adjourned to meet at the Del Mar for a discussion of ways and means.
“We’ll keep a watch on Fendrick—see where he goes, who he talks to, what he does. Maybe he’ll make a break and give himself away,” Curly said hopefully.
“But my father—we must rescue him first.”
“As soon as we find where he is. Me, I’m right hopeful all’s well with him. Killing him wouldn’t help Cass any, because you and Sam would prove up on the claim. But if he could hold your father a prisoner and get him to sign a relinquishment to him he would be in a fine position.”
“But Father wouldn’t sign. He ought to know that.”
“Not through fear your father wouldn’t. But if Fendrick could get at him some way he might put down his John Hancock. With this trouble of Sam still unsettled and the Tin Cup hold-up to be pulled off he might sign.”
“If we could only have Fendrick arrested—”
“What good would that do? If he’s guilty he wouldn’t talk. And if he is holding your father somewhere in the hills it would only be serving notice that we were getting warm. No, I’m for a still hunt. Let Cass ride around and meet his partners in this deal. We’ll keep an eye on him all right.”