Robert B. Parker - Blue-Eyed Devil

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Table of Contents

THE SPENSER NOVELS

The Professional
Rough Weather
Now & Then
Hundred-Dollar Baby
School Days
Cold Service
Bad Business
Back Story
Widows Walk
Potshot
Hugger Mugger
Hush Money
Sudden Mischief
Small Vices
Chance
Thin Air
Walking Shadow
Paper Doll
Double Deuce
Pastime
Stardust
Playmates
Crimson Joy
Pale Kings and Princes
Taming a Sea-Horse
A Catskill Eagle
Valediction
The Widening Gyre
Ceremony
A Savage Place
Early Autumn
Looking for Rachel Wallace
The Judas Goat
Promised Land
Mortal Stakes
God Save the Child
The Godwulf Manuscript

THE JESSE STONE NOVELS

Split Image
Night and Day
Stranger in Paradise
High Profile
Sea Change
Stone Cold
Death in Paradise
Trouble in Paradise
Night Passage

THE SUNNY RANDALL NOVELS

Spare Change
Blue Screen
Melancholy Baby
Shrink Rap
Perish Twice
Family Honor

THE VIRGIL COLE/EVERETT HITCH NOVELS

Brimstone
Resolution
Appaloosa

ALSO BY ROBERT B. PARKER

Double Play
Gunmans Rhapsody
All Our Yesterdays

A Year at the Races

(with Joan H. Parker)

Perchance to Dream

Poodle Springs

(with Raymond Chandler)

Love and Glory
Wilderness

Three Weeks in Spring

(with Joan H. Parker)

Training with Weights

(with John R. Marsh)

For Joan: blue-eyed and devilish, in exactly the right proportion

LAW ENFORCEMENT in Appaloosa had once been Virgil Cole and me. Now there were a chief of police and twelve policemen. Our third day back in town, the chief invited us to the office for a talk.

He was tall and very fat in a derby hat and a dark suit, with a star on his vest, and big black-handled Colt in a Huckleberry inside his coat. Standing silently around the room were four of his police officers, dressed in white shirts and dark pants, each with a Colt on his hip.

The chief gestured for us to sit. Virgil sat. I leaned my shotgun on the wall by the door and sat beside him.

Heard bout both of you, he said. Heard bout that thing, too. Whats it fire, grapeshot?

Its an eight-gauge, I said. Good for grouse.

Or fucking hippopotamuses, the chief said.

Them, too, I said.

Names Amos Callico, he said. Thought we should have a chitchat.

Virgil nodded.

Youre Virgil Cole, Callico said.

I am, Virgil said. Big fella here with the eight-gauge is Everett Hitch.

I know who he is, Callico said.

Virgil nodded again.

What I hear bout you is mostly good, Callico said.

Virgil looked at me.

Mostly, he said.

Probably meant all, I said.

Callico paid no attention. He took a cigar from a box on his desk, didnt offer us one, trimmed it and lit it, and got it burning right. The four policemen stood silently, watching us.

I know your reputation, Cole, he said. And I know that you ran the town, fore I got here. And I want you both to understand that you dont run it now.

That would be you, Virgil said.

And Ive got a dozen officers to back me, Callico said.

Virgil didnt say anything.

On the other hand, none of them are like you, Callico said. I could use couple of gun hands like you.

Virgil shook his head slowly.

Pay you fifty a month, Callico said.

Nope, Virgil said.

Make you a sergeant, Callico said.

Nope.

You speakin for Hitch, too? Callico said.

Yep.

Why the hell not? Callico said.

Virgil looked at me.

You think youre important, I said to Callico. Virgil dont think anybodys important. Bad match.

Virgil nodded.

That right, Cole? Callico said.

Tis, Virgil said.

Callico puffed on his cigar and blew some smoke past the lit end. He studied it for a moment.

So, what are you going to do in town? Callico said.

Sit on my porch, Virgil said. Drink a little whiskey. Play some cards.

Thats all? Callico said.

See what develops, Virgil said.

Callico smoked his cigar some more. Then he looked at me.

You boys done a nice job when you was in this office, Callico said. Bragg and the Shelton brothers and all.

Virgil nodded. Callico looked at me.

Heard you killed Randall Bragg fore you left town, Callico said.

I did, I said.

Why?

Self-defense, I said.

Heard it was over a woman, Callico said.

I got nothing to do, I said, with what you hear.

Was it over a woman?

I shook my head.

You know why he killed Bragg? Callico said to Virgil.

Bragg come at him with a gun, Virgil said.

Why?

Have to ask Bragg, Virgil said.

Braggs dead, Callico said.

So he is, Virgil said.

We all sat and thought about that. Callico nodded slowly.

Dont want no trouble from you boys, he said.

Dont plan to give you none, Virgil said.

Callico looked at me.

Me, either, I said.

Ill hold you to that, Callico said.

Virgil stood.

Nice meeting you, he said.

He looked around the room at the four policemen.

And you fellas, Virgil said.

He turned and left, and I followed him.

On the street, I said to Virgil, Were gonna have trouble with him.

I believe we are, Virgil said.

VIRGILS HOUSE hadnt changed much in the time wed been away. Allie and Laurel cleaned it up as soon as we arrived back in Appaloosa, and we moved right in. I bunked with Virgil in one bedroom, and Allie slept with Laurel in the second.

All four of us were sitting on the front porch sipping whiskey in the early evening while it was still light, when a tall, thin man with a big mustache walked up the front path. It was Stringer, the chief sheriffs deputy.

Evnin, he said.

Stringer, Virgil said.

Im down to pick up a prisoner, heard you folks was back in town. Thought you might be drinking whiskey.

Sit, I said. Have some.

Stringer adjusted his gun belt a little and sat.

Allie, Virgil said. You remember Deputy Stringer.

I dont recall us meeting, Allie said.

You was with the Shelton brothers, Virgil said. Probably thinking bout other things.

Allie nodded.

At the train, she said.

Thats me, Stringer said.

How do you do, she said to Stringer, and made a small curtsy.

Glad youre well, Stringer said. Whos this young lady?

Her names Laurel, Virgil said. She dont say much. Laurel, this here is Deputy Stringer.

Laurel looked at Stringer and nodded slowly and made her small curtsy. Then she went to Virgil and whispered to him. He whispered back. She whispered again.

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