Homicidal By Design [Hector Escaton]

Chapter 17

Exhausted was putting it lightly. After eating dinner and figuring out what to do with Slim Miller, the three of them passed out in the workshop-turned-camp; the pillows and blankets were a godsend. Not even the ever-vigilant Hector woke up until early afternoon and they were greeted with a lunch served by Janey and Jessica before packing up to leave.

Even then, they were encouraged to stay as long as they wanted, and Izzy decided to use some of that time catching the loose horses from the night before. The men all followed her lead. Not only would they then have an extra pack horse, but Miller wouldn't have to be dragged behind them. (Izzy was not okay with him being dragged behind them). The family would be able to sell the extra horses as well. Win-win.

The ride to Pariah was short, and even being far from Sweetwater, they didn't want to chance someone recognizing Hector from a wanted poster. Their best option was riding in at dusk and immediately finding a hotel. By then, according to Len, Slim Miller will have bartered freedom for a meeting with El Lazo and Len could continue on to his War narrative.

The hours seemed to creep by, however, because nobody spoke. Izzy was still half-asleep from fatigue which kept her from mediating a conversation between the three of them; needless to say, Hector and Len didn't chat amongst themselves. At the thought of Hector, she groaned mentally. After their heart-to-heart the night before, thing had become – weird. Or maybe they hadn't? Maybe it was all in her head and he wasn't being weird; he was just quiet by nature. Ugh. She might as well be dating a 20-year-old poet for how much mental maneuvering she had been doing during this trip.

Not that she thought she was dating Hector. That wasn't what she meant...

"Come on, you guys!" Slim Miller complained from his horse. "I know you're just in it for the money! You ain't no lawmen!"

When the narrative kicked back in, Izzy was relieved. It gave her brain something to do other than over-examine her non-existent relationship with an android.

"Be quiet," Hector dead-panned. It was the first thing he had said in a long time.

It was obvious that Len's curiosity was piqued. This must have been what he was waiting for. "Yeah?"

"Look, my boss, El Lazo, he'll pay you twice what the marshals will if you cut me loose and take me with you to Pariah."

Izzy forgot that the host didn't know they were already planning to take him to Pariah. He thought they were stopping at an outpost and turning him in.

"Oh, will he?" Len replied. He was back in cowboy mode.

"Why are you acting as if we had not planned all along to take him with us to Pariah?" Hector asked.

Len eyed him murderously. Hector was unphased.

"Miller," he turned to the tied-up outlaw. "We are going to take you to El Lazo. But if you should think to double cross us, I will personally see to it that El Lazo would not even be able to find pieces of you, were he so inclined. ¿Vale?"

Slim Miller nodded emphatically, a desperate look in his big blue eyes. "Of course, sir! ¡Sí, sí, por supuesto, señor!"

Hector leveled his bored gaze on Len. "It would have saved us all time and effort if you would have handled this yourself. Hours ago."

Izzy was relieved that Len didn't look for her for support. It was true...they wouldn't have had to babysit Slim Miller to keep him from escaping if they had just aligned themselves with him from the start.

Santo pawed impatiently, and Hector patted his neck impatiently. She agreed with both studs.

Hehe. Izzy giggled to herself. Pun. Oh god, this was going to be a long day. Her brain had just gotten used to running on no sleep, now it was disoriented by too much.