Longarm and the Colorado gundown

_{Longarm decided that he would by damn point all that out to the good people of Snowshoe too. Make sure they}

_{understood the seriousness of this.}

_{Once he found someone to talk to, that is.}

_Dammit.

_{He grumped and grumbled a little more to himself, then finished his smoke and stood.}

_{Then, for the first time in quite a while, he actually smiled.}

_{It hadn’t particularly occurred to him before now, but the City Hall building of Snowshoe was a freestanding structure built of native rock.}

_{And there was an alley on either side of it.}

_{That tobacco-chewing dragon might be guarding the jail entry in that alley over yonder, Longarm knew. But the alley over on this side here was another matter entire, wasn’t it.}

_{Longarm flipped the butt of his cheroot into the street and shoved his gear underneath the bench he’d just been resting on.}

_{He tugged the tail of his coat down where it belonged, and ambled around the comer into the alley away from where that idjit watchman was.}

_{The idea was that rooms, even basement rooms, even jail cell basement rooms, have windows.}

_{And if Longarm couldn’t officially see or have a word with the Utes he’d come here to spring loose, why, there wasn’t anything would stop him from peeking in and whispering a howdy to them.}

_{At the very least, he figured, they should know that help was on hand.}

_{He took one last look over his shoulder, then made his way deep into the alley by feel, one hand hovering close to the butt of his Colt.}

_{Chapter 14}

_{Longarm was not only frustrated, he was angry. Damned angry.}

_{City Hall was closed, the jail was closed, the police chief couldn’t be located—wouldn’t be was more the truth of that—and nothing, absolutely nothing was going right.}

_{Longarm stormed into the first establishment he came to that was open for business.}

_{“You!” He stood at the bar with an accusing finger pointing into the startled face of the nearer of the two bartenders.}

_{“S-s-sir?”}

_{“I’m looking for a man who lives in this shitty town. Able. Ab Able. Where do I find him? And you’d best tell me right now, by damn, or so help me...” He didn’t bother finishing the threat. But then he didn’t have to. Fury in Custis Long’s eyes had been known to turn roaring bullies into meekly cooperative citizens. A slightly built, inoffensive fellow like this barkeep was not apt to cross the deputy at a moment like this.}

_{‘T-t-t-t-t—”}

_{“It’s all right, Henny,” the other barman said quickly. “You go an’ draw a short one for Mr. Babcock, please.”}