"Transport where?" "Reservations, usually. Oklahoma mostly, unless someone buys them first." Rhett's blood went cold.
"They're selling people out of a military fort?" "It's not official, but Coleman's got an arrangement with the quartermaster. Anyone registered as property gets auctioned off to contractors, ranchers, anyone with cash." Hank leaned in.
"Word of advice. Don't go out there looking for a fight. Coleman's got a lot of friends. You won't win."
"I'm not looking to win. I'm looking to get someone back." "Same thing in this case." Rhett tossed another dollar on the bar.
"Get me a bottle of your best whiskey." "Planning to drink yourself brave?" "Planning to trade it for information." Hank pulled down a bottle of decent bourbon and slid it across.
"Good luck, Callaway. You're going to need it." Rhett rode through the night, pushing Ash hard but not cruelly. The fort loomed out of the darkness around dawn.
Stone walls, guard towers, the territorial flag hanging limp in the still air. He approached the main gate and was stopped by a young soldier with a rifle. "State your business." "Name's Rhett Callaway. I'm here to see Coleman."
"He expecting you?" "No, but he'll want to talk to me." The soldier looked skeptical but went to check. Five minutes later, he returned and waved Rhett through.
Coleman was in an office near the barracks, sitting behind a desk like he owned the place. He didn't look surprised to see Rhett. "Figured you'd show up," Coleman said. "Faster than I expected, though."
"Where is she?" "Safe. Fed. Probably sleeping better than she did in that shack of yours." Rhett's hand twitched toward his gun.
Coleman noticed and smiled. "Easy, Callaway. You shoot me, you'll never get out of here alive, and the woman will end up on a transport to Oklahoma anyway." "What do you want?"
"Smart question." Coleman leaned back in his chair. "See, I don't actually care about your Apache woman, but I do care about making money. And Gettys is upset you cost him a sale."
"So here's the deal. You pay me what Gettys would have made off her, say $100, and I'll release her to you. Paperwork filed. All legal."
"I gave Gettys $50." "And he would have gotten 70 from the next bidder if you hadn't interfered. So 100 sounds fair." Rhett didn't have $100.
Didn't have close to it. "I need time," he said. "You've got three days. After that, she goes on the transport."
Coleman shuffled some papers. "And Callaway, don't try anything stupid. I've got 20 soldiers here who will back whatever story I tell. You understand?" Rhett understood.