Posted by The Black Knight on December 29, 2000 at 05:59:32:
Chapter 4
Two days later Jess and Luke stood in the Sheriff's office.
"Well do you have any ideas, Jess?" Luke asked.
"You wouldn't happen to know the layout of Robertson's ranch would you?" Jess asked.
"We're not exactly on speakin' terms." Luke said.
"Do you know anyone who would?" Jess asked.
"Just one of his hands. Maybe Miss Chalmers." Luke said.
"Miss Chalmers?" Jess asked.
"Miss Clarissa Chalmers, she runs the 'Fred Robertson Junior Hotel'. She's out at Robertson's ranch every other week." Luke said.
"I don't suppose you know where to find her?" Jess asked.
"Well if she's the hotelkeeper, I would suppose that you would find her in the hotel." Luke said.
"I'll see to Miss Chalmers, you round up as much ammunition as you can, some dynamite, and those two deputies if you can." Jess said.
Jess walked out of the Sherrif's office and toward the largest building in town, the hotel. A young brunette behind the desk smiled as he came through the door.
"You must be Jess Hawkins." the young woman said.
He took off his hat and lay it on the desk. The young woman was very tall and slender. She had wavy light brown hair coming down below her shoulder blades. Her big cobalt blue eyes sparkled as she flashed a
bright smile.
"And you must be Miss Chalmers." Jess said.
"Clarissa. I've heard a lot about you, Mister Hawkins." she said.
"All bad I bet." Jess said.
Clarissa smiled as she walked out from behind the desk.
"Phil, I'm going out for a little bit." Clarissa said over her shoulder as she walked toward the door.
Jess and Clarissa walked out the door and down the board sidewalk toward the General Store.
"You want me to tell you about Fred's ranch, don't you?" Clarissa asked.
"Why would I do that, Clarissa?" Jess asked.
"After what happened here all week, everyone in town is buzzing about you and the Sherrif going into the ranch after that girl." Clarissa said.
"That doesn't bother you?" Jess asked.
"I owned that hotel back there before Fred Robertson hit town. He bought everything out from under everyone. Pop Watson is the last hold out. Because he's the mayor Fred won't touch him." Clarissa
said.
"I was under the impression that everyone liked Mister Robertson." Jess said.
"They put up with him, but nothing more. He's promised to bring the railroads to Red Gulch and everyone's afraid to risk moving him out of the way." Clarissa said.
"So why are you talking to me?" Jess asked.
"Fred went too far when he took that girl. He thinks he owns this town and can do what ever he wants." Clarissa said.
"Well, Clarissa, care to show us around Mister Robertson's ranch?" Jess asked.
"Just give me a map. If it doesn't work, it will be my neck in a noose as well." Clarissa said.
Jess and Clarissa walked over to the Sheriff's office. Luke, Pop Watson, and Theodore Ernst stood around the desk.
"What are they doing here?" Jess asked.
"Well my deputies have left town and they volunteered." Luke said.
"What are you going to do, talk them to death? Those men out there are gunfighters, short of shooting them in the back all you'll do is get yourselves killed." Jess said.
"What chance do the two of you have?" Clarissa asked.
"Like Luke said earlier, if you're going to kill a snake go for the head. That's why we need your help. We plan to go in and take Rebecca and Robertson out without anyone knowing it." Jess said.
"And if that doesn't work?" Clarissa asked.
"That's what this is for." Jess said laying his hand on the dynamite.
Clarissa walked over a map of the lower Arizona territory. She pointed to a spot outside of Red Gulch.
"The ranch house is set off to one side with a cliff behind it. You'll have to cross three barbed wire fences." Clarissa said.
She pointed to the spots where the fences were. Jess pulled a rifle out of the rack and loaded it.
"We'll go in some time before dawn." Jess said.
Clarissa, Pop, and Theodore left the office.
"What do you think?" Jess asked.
"I think we'd better come around the bluff instead of directly in the way Clarissa said." Luke said.
"I agree, plant the dynamite to clear a path out and to provide enough distraction." Jess said.
"Do you think we can trust Clarissa?" Luke asked.
"She seems to have her own reasons for wanting Robertson out of the way." Jess said.