We might get two dozen or so."
"That many?"
"You look surprised."
"I didn't see any ships or landcars."
"They wouldn't leave ‘em here and then walk six miles to the mines,” replied Ryan. “Use your head, lady.” He paused. “If you really are looking for some guy, you could be in for a long wait if you expect him to show up here. There are more than eighty miners out there. You'd be better off taking your landcar to the mines and looking for him when they knock off at sunset."
"Maybe I will,” said the Mouse. “What direction are the mines from here?"
"Northwest. Just follow the tracks."
"Thanks,” said the Mouse. “I'm too tired, and it's too damned hot to go out today. But if he doesn't show up, we'll head out there before sunrise and see if we can spot him."
"And then what?” asked Ryan.
"I'll go back to Haggard and get the police."
Ryan laughed.
"What's so funny?” asked the Mouse.
"They won't come to this hellhole for a thief. It'd probably take a mass murderer to get them out here."
"Then what will I do if I find him?” asked the Mouse, playing out her part and wishing that Penelope had kept her mouth shut.
"There's a guy upstairs right now who might be able to help you,” said Ryan confidentially.
"I take it he's not a miner?” answered the Mouse sardonically.
"Ever hear of Three-Fisted Ollie?"
"Everyone has,” said the Mouse uneasily. “Is he here?"
"Nope. This is the man who killed him a few months back."
"He's not dead,” blurted Penelope.
"Isn't he now?” said Ryan with a triumphant grin. “And how'd you come to know that, little lady?"
Penelope, flustered, looked helplessly toward the Mouse.
"What's this man's name?” said the Mouse cooly, ignoring the girl's gaffe.
"He claims his name is Bundy,” said Ryan, “but I recognize him from his posters: he's the Forever Kid."
"The Forever Kid?” repeated the Mouse. “That's an odd name, even for the Frontier."
Ryan nodded. “It fits, though. He's some kind of sport or mutant. Grew up normal til he was 18 or 19, and hasn't aged a day in the last couple of centuries."
"What is he—a bounty hunter?"
"Wouldn't do you much good if he was,” answered Ryan. “Unless there's a price on your man's head. No, the Forever Kid's a killer. He hires out to anyone who can afford him."
"What's he doing here?"
"Some questions it just ain't politic to ask."
"But you brought him up."
"I don't mean you asking me,” said Ryan with a grin. “I mean me asking him ."
"When is he due downstairs?” asked the Mouse.
"Depends on how much fun he's having,” answered Ryan. “But he's rooming at the hotel, so he'll be taking his meals here."
"And he's definitely a killer and not a bounty hunter?"
"Yep—not that it makes any difference to you. The child as much as said that you weren't robbed."
"Don't believe everything you hear,” said the Mouse.
Ryan laughed again. “If I believed half of what I heard, I'd be dead and buried already."
"We're going to need a room,” said the Mouse, getting up from the table and signaling Penelope to do the same.
Ryan looked at his computer, which was behind the bar. “Room 203,” he said. “Two beds, with a view of the pool."
"You've got a swimming pool out here?” said the Mouse disbelievingly.
"Yep. Ain't got no water in it, but the pool's there. Breaks up the landscape, anyway.” He paused. “You got a name?"
"You choose one,” responded the Mouse.
Ryan nodded, as if this was a daily request, then typed a code into his computer. “Okay, Miz Mother and Miss Daughter. The stairway's off there to the left, behind the curtains, and the door's unlocked. Once you're inside, it'll flash the lock and unlock codes on a panel over one of the beds. Dinner's half an hour after sunset."
"Thanks,” said the Mouse, leading Penelope to the curtain. “By the way, when did he get here?"
"The Kid? He showed up this morning.” Ryan pointed out the window. “That's his vehicle a few yards to
"That many?"
"You look surprised."
"I didn't see any ships or landcars."
"They wouldn't leave ‘em here and then walk six miles to the mines,” replied Ryan. “Use your head, lady.” He paused. “If you really are looking for some guy, you could be in for a long wait if you expect him to show up here. There are more than eighty miners out there. You'd be better off taking your landcar to the mines and looking for him when they knock off at sunset."
"Maybe I will,” said the Mouse. “What direction are the mines from here?"
"Northwest. Just follow the tracks."
"Thanks,” said the Mouse. “I'm too tired, and it's too damned hot to go out today. But if he doesn't show up, we'll head out there before sunrise and see if we can spot him."
"And then what?” asked Ryan.
"I'll go back to Haggard and get the police."
Ryan laughed.
"What's so funny?” asked the Mouse.
"They won't come to this hellhole for a thief. It'd probably take a mass murderer to get them out here."
"Then what will I do if I find him?” asked the Mouse, playing out her part and wishing that Penelope had kept her mouth shut.
"There's a guy upstairs right now who might be able to help you,” said Ryan confidentially.
"I take it he's not a miner?” answered the Mouse sardonically.
"Ever hear of Three-Fisted Ollie?"
"Everyone has,” said the Mouse uneasily. “Is he here?"
"Nope. This is the man who killed him a few months back."
"He's not dead,” blurted Penelope.
"Isn't he now?” said Ryan with a triumphant grin. “And how'd you come to know that, little lady?"
Penelope, flustered, looked helplessly toward the Mouse.
"What's this man's name?” said the Mouse cooly, ignoring the girl's gaffe.
"He claims his name is Bundy,” said Ryan, “but I recognize him from his posters: he's the Forever Kid."
"The Forever Kid?” repeated the Mouse. “That's an odd name, even for the Frontier."
Ryan nodded. “It fits, though. He's some kind of sport or mutant. Grew up normal til he was 18 or 19, and hasn't aged a day in the last couple of centuries."
"What is he—a bounty hunter?"
"Wouldn't do you much good if he was,” answered Ryan. “Unless there's a price on your man's head. No, the Forever Kid's a killer. He hires out to anyone who can afford him."
"What's he doing here?"
"Some questions it just ain't politic to ask."
"But you brought him up."
"I don't mean you asking me,” said Ryan with a grin. “I mean me asking him ."
"When is he due downstairs?” asked the Mouse.
"Depends on how much fun he's having,” answered Ryan. “But he's rooming at the hotel, so he'll be taking his meals here."
"And he's definitely a killer and not a bounty hunter?"
"Yep—not that it makes any difference to you. The child as much as said that you weren't robbed."
"Don't believe everything you hear,” said the Mouse.
Ryan laughed again. “If I believed half of what I heard, I'd be dead and buried already."
"We're going to need a room,” said the Mouse, getting up from the table and signaling Penelope to do the same.
Ryan looked at his computer, which was behind the bar. “Room 203,” he said. “Two beds, with a view of the pool."
"You've got a swimming pool out here?” said the Mouse disbelievingly.
"Yep. Ain't got no water in it, but the pool's there. Breaks up the landscape, anyway.” He paused. “You got a name?"
"You choose one,” responded the Mouse.
Ryan nodded, as if this was a daily request, then typed a code into his computer. “Okay, Miz Mother and Miss Daughter. The stairway's off there to the left, behind the curtains, and the door's unlocked. Once you're inside, it'll flash the lock and unlock codes on a panel over one of the beds. Dinner's half an hour after sunset."
"Thanks,” said the Mouse, leading Penelope to the curtain. “By the way, when did he get here?"
"The Kid? He showed up this morning.” Ryan pointed out the window. “That's his vehicle a few yards to
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