Read Online Message on the Wind by J. R. Roberts - Free Book Online Page A

“Ain’t no use in going to that town, Adams. It’s dead.”
    â€œJust tell me where it is,” Clint said, “and I’ll go and see for myself.”
    â€œWell, it’s kinda hard to tell you where it is,” Hickey said, “but I can show you.”
    â€œWhich means you want me to get you out of here,” Clint observed.
    â€œThat would be helpful.”
    â€œThat’s not going to happen, Hickey,” Clint said.
    â€œThe state is not going to let you out of prison just to satisfy a curiosity of mine.” Clint stood up. “So I guess we’re done here.”
    Hickey rattled his chains and said, “Wait, wait, don’t be in such a damned hurry!”
    Clint stopped, and saw the guard peering in through the bars to see what the commotion was. He waved the man away and turned back to Hickey.
    â€œSit back down,” Hickey said. When Clint didn’t move, the prisoner added, “Please.”
    Clint sat.
    â€œThe thing about Organ Pipe is where it’s located. You could approach it for miles and not see it, and then there it was, right in front of you.”
    â€œIt’s hidden?”
    â€œIt’s well hidden by the hills around it,” Hickey said. “More people would find it by accident than would actually go there on purpose.”
    â€œBut you could tell me how to find it?” Clint asked.
    â€œI could tell you how to find where it used to be,” Hickey said. “I’m sure they musta burned the whole thing to the ground.”
    Clint looked down at the newspaper article, which he’d forgotten to pick up again—or had he? Was Hickey telling the truth about a plague wiping out the town? Clint shook his head and picked up the clipping. He folded it under the watchful eye of the convict and put it back in his shirt pocket.
    â€œTell me how to find it,” he said.
    â€œGet me some paper and a pencil,” Hickey said, “and I’ll draw you a map—but you gotta agree to somethin’ first. I mean, I gotta get somethin’ outta this, right?”
    â€œWhat do you want?”
    Â 
    When Clint was finished with Hickey, a guard walked him back to the warden’s office, where Steve Wynn and Warden Kelsey were sharing a whiskey and talking.
    â€œDid you get what you wanted?” Wynn asked.
    â€œI did.”
    â€œWhat did it cost you?” Kelsey asked.
    â€œI’ll be sending some packages in for Hickey from time to time, Warden,” Clint said. “Will you see that he gets them?”
    â€œAs long as there are no weapons in them,” Kelsey said, “I don’t see why not.”

TWENTY-TWO
    When Clint and Wynn got back to town, Clint said, “Buy you that whiskey?”
    â€œI had one with the warden,” the editor said. “That’s my limit, but I’ll take a beer.”
    Clint let Wynn pick the place, and he chose the Wagon Wheel.
    â€œIt’s quieter,” the editor explained, “and closer to the paper.”
    They went inside, and found it fairly empty since it wasn’t yet noon. The bartender greeted Wynn by name—“Mornin’, Mr. Wynn”—and Clint and Steve ordered two beers.
    â€œSo,” Wynn said, “what can you tell me that you didn’t want to say in front of the warden?”
    â€œHickey wanted me to get him out so he could show me where Organ Pipe is.”
    â€œHe knows?”
    â€œHe says he knows where it was.”
    â€œWas?”
    â€œAccording to him,” Clint said, “the town died of the plague. He thinks it was probably burned to the ground.”
    â€œThat’s odd.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œYou’d think that would be newsworthy,” Wynn said. “I never heard a word about it. So he told you where the town was?”
    â€œDrew me a map.”
    â€œAnd you promised to send him some . . . items?”
    â€œFrom time to time,” Clint