Alone By The Window

Jake and Eli dismounted at the telegraph office. Jake patted Buddy. "Wiley'll be right out."

Eli opened the door, entered the office and Jake followed.

Seeing the office empty of customers, Eli shouted, "Where's Wiley?"

Blake scowled hatefully at Eli. "We don't serve your kind here."

Jake charged behind the counter and grabbed Blake by the neck. "You ain't got no manners. Where's Wiley!" He shook Blake.

"Akkkk!"

"Oh, sorry." Jake loosened his grip on Blake's neck. "Where's Wiley?" he shouted into Blake's face.

With terror in his eyes, Blake gagged, then said, "He's not here anymore. He left with a man just as rude as you."

"What man?" Jake shouted and tightened his grip on Blake's neck.

"Let go of me! Blake screamed. "I don't know what man. A man who looked like Wiley. They left together, now let me go!"

"Which way did they go?" Eli asked.

"Up the street. Down the street. I don't know!"

"Of course you know!" Eli shouted. "Wiley probably threatened to arrest you for being nasty, and you watched him leave!"

Jake released his hold on Blake and ran out the door.

Eli didn't move. "How long ago did they leave?"

"I'm not telling the likes of you anything," Blake shouted.

Calmly, Eli pulled out his U.S. marshal badge that he'd kept even though he'd resigned six months ago. It had come in handy and the U.S. Marshal's Department had allowed him to keep it. Eli flashed the badge in front of Blake's face and growled, "I'll arrest you if you don't cooperate fully. You'll spend ten years in Yuma prison!"

With terror and hate in his eyes, Blake mumbled, "They left an hour ago. Went up the street toward the bars."

"You'd better be telling the truth," Eli growled as he left the telegraph office.

In the street, Eli found Jake checking Wiley's saddlebags. He noticed Jake's expression of concern. "Find a note or anything?"

"Nothin'." Jake looked at Eli. "You think that man lookin' for Wiley found him?"