Posted by The Black Knight on February 19, 2001 at 08:46:16:
Chapter 6
Jess looked out the window and smiled as he saw the sun rise over the red hills outside of Red Gulch. Jess, Luke, and Rebecca were tied to chairs in front of the fire place. Clarissa stood by the fire
place, and Fred stood behind her leaning on the hearth.
"This was all very simple really. Get some hired gun to come into town and using my money buy as much of the town as possible. Promise the people prosperity so they don't object, then stand along
side of them and complain. Even help the Sherrif in capturing this bad man." Clarissa said.
"Why? Red Gulch is a small town, worthless except for a few small gold mines." Luke said.
"Give it a few years and the mines peter out and all that's left is the farmers." Rebecca said.
"Gold, is that all you can think of. Sitting under that precious church of yours is a very rich vein of iron and copper. Under the town, under your farms, even under this ranch. Everything was going
along just fine until you farmers showed up and claimed the richest end of the valley." Clarissa said.
"Fred Robertson was just a cover, so you could stay above reproach." Luke said.
"Fred Robertson doesn't even exist, just some saddle tramp I picked up outside of Abilene three years ago." Clarissa said.
"Just one problem, Clarissa." Fred said.
"Really what's that?" Clarissa asked.
"This saddle tramp likes being Fred Robertson. Now that I know the whole story, there is just no need for the middle man anymore." Fred said.
"You know I whole heartidly agree." Clarissa said as she turned with her Derringer pointed at Fred.
The door beside them opened and Webb came in.
"It looks like you'll be taking orders from me from now on, Webb." Clarissa said as she took Fred's Colt 44.
She smiled and pulled a Derringer out of his coat pocket.
"I almost forgot about that one." Clarissa commented.
"It seems that you are in the same predicament as we are. She only needs you until Brannigan gets here. After that, well who knows." Jess said.
Fred unbuckled his gun belt and threw it over to Webb. Clarissa walked over to Fred's desk and opened the top drawer. She pulled out a small revolver called a Peacemaker.
"You remember this gun don't you. The one you loaded with those hollow point bullets that Paskel was so fond of. You've seen them work, Mister Hawkins, how big is the hole they leave?" Clarissa asked.
"Come on now, Clarissa, I made you what you are. I helped you put this plan together." Fred said backing against the wall.
He jerked forward as he felt the cold blade of a sword behind him. On the wall was a display of several sword, knives, and daggers. No one had noticed, but as he backed into the wall, he had palmed one of the
daggers and hid it up his sleeve.
"You know, it's bad enough to have shoot you, but to hear you blubbering like some kid, please." Clarissa said with a smile.
She looked over at Webb.
"Why are you still here? Go and get Mister Brannigan's last meal ready for him." Clarissa said.
"Noo!" Rebecca gasped.
"What was it you said Mister Hawkins. If you want to kill a snake cut off its head. How long will those farmers stay after the preacher is out of my hair for good?" Clarissa said.
"We'll stay, Miss Chalmers. We have but one leader and that's not my Daddy." Rebecca said.
"Really, Miss Brannigan. Perhaps you would like to elaborate on that?" Clarissa said.
"Jesus said that his followers would be persecuted as he was. I thought that the days of martyrdom was over though." Rebecca said.
Rebecca's head jerked around as Clarissa slapped her left cheek.
"If I wanted a religious statement, I would have gone to your church, Miss Brannigan. By the way, I don't really care what you believe or don't believe, but I do care that you planted yourself and your crops on my land." Clarissa said.
"Actually by the Homestead Act, that land is legally theirs." Jess said.
Clarissa lay her gun against his chest.
"You really want to get this over with don't you?" Clarissa asked.
"How do you live with yourself. I know you have to have a conscience in there somewhere." Rebecca said.
"Miss Brannigan, I'm not like Webb. I won't stand around and let you spout off. Either you shut up now, or I will shut you up." Clarissa said.
"Then you're just going to have to shut me up, because this may well be your last chance." Rebecca said.
"My last chance for salvation, Miss Brannigan? So I can join your little church and be pushed around by every cowboy who just happens to have had too much to drink? So I can sit by and watch this
whole valley go to the highest bidder?" Clarissa asked.
"It is written that the love of money is the root of all evil." Rebecca said.
Clarissa walked around behind Rebecca smiling.
"You know some people should quit while they're ahead." Clarissa said.
Rebecca groaned as Clarissa slammed the butt of her gun into the base of her skull. Fred knelt in front of her and lifted her chin so he could see her face.
"You could have killed her." Fred said.
"Now or later, what's the difference by this time tomorrow she'll be dead anyway." Clarissa said.
The sound of approaching hoofbeats thundered outside and Clarissa walked to the window.
"The Reverend is here. Well, Fred, dear looks like it's show time." Clarissa said.
"No. Brannigan is a preacher, maybe that doesn't mean a whole lot to a two-bit dance hall girl like you, but I'll have no part in his murder." Fred said.
Clarissa cocked her gun.
"You have no choice in the matter." Clarissa said.
"How far will your plan get if you shoot me?" Fred asked.
"Far enough, now get out there." Clarissa said.
"You know for partners, you two seem to bicker a lot." Jess said.
"Shut up." Clarissa said pointing her gun at Jess.
Fred saw his opportunity and flicked his wrist down, letting the dagger drop into his hand. Clarissa's eyes closed tightly as he drove the blade of the dagger under her rib cage. Her soft blue eyes looked
up at him questioningly.
"It wasn't...supposed to happen...this way!" Clarissa gasped as she stumbled back.
Clarissa jerked as she squeezed the trigger of her gun. Fred flew back as an explosion hit his chest. Clarissa stumbled over in front of Jess and Luke and pointed her gun at Jess. Jess let his Derringer
drop out of his shirt sleeve as he pushed his chair back and to the side. As his shoulder hit the floor Jess shot. Clarissa dropped her gun, folded, and fell to her knees.
"You missed." Luke said.
"Everyone missed now and then." Jess said as he fired the other bullet through the ropes that held Luke's hands to the chair.
"I'm glad you didn't miss that one." Luke said as he pulled his hands free.
Clarissa reached for her gun, but Luke grabbed it from her grasp.
Luke untied Jess then Rebecca.
"How bad is she?" Jess asked as he caught Rebecca to keep her from falling.
Clarissa rolled to the floor on her side. A large amount of blood stained her dress around a bullet hole in the center of her stomach and around the dagger.
"She's dead." Luke said.
"What about Robertson?" Jess asked.
"He's dead too." Luke answered.
"Now all we have to do is get out of here without getting killed." Jess said.
"They put our guns on the table outside the door. I saw them when we walked in." Luke said.
Jess sat Rebecca down and pulled the gun out of his boot. He threw it to Luke.
"Use that one. I don't want to have to clean up the mess from those other bullets." Jess said.
Rebecca moaned as she began to awaken. She lay her hand behind her head.
"What hit me?" Rebecca asked.
"She did." Jess said pointing at Clarissa.
"She should have listened." Rebecca said.
"Too late for her now. Can you walk?" Jess asked.
Rebecca stood shakily.
"My father." Rebecca gasped.
"He's outside." Luke said.
Luke cocked his gun as he opened the door. Webb turned around in time to get a gun barrel poked in his head. Jess picked up his guns and Luke picked up his. He took Webb's gun and threw Jess his gun back.
"Do you know how to use this?" Jess asked holding it out to Rebecca.
"Only to hunt for food." Rebecca said.
Jess shook his head as he tucked the gun in his belt.
"At the rate we're going we'll end up crow bait." Luke said.
Jess hit Webb over the head with his gun.
"He would have slowed us down." Jess said.
"Rebecca." Joshua Brannigan said as he came into the hall.
Two cowboys came in behind him holding guns. They looked up and started to raise their guns as Jess and Luke drew their guns. Joshua ducked slightly as Jess and Luke shot together and the cowboys fell back.
"Did you have to kill them?" Joshua asked.
"They would have killed you." Jess said.
"I can't believe that Phil sent you." Joshua said.
"You never can tell with him. I've been assigned to the whole territory." Jess said.
"How many horses did you bring?" Luke asked.
"Just mine." Joshua said.
"Walking out of here wasn't a part of my plan." Jess said.
"What plan, the one you told Clarissa?" Luke asked.
"Well I thought she was on our side." Jess said.
"Will you two quit fighting and let's get out of here before the ranch hands get back?" Rebecca asked.
They went down the hall and out the door to where Joshua Brannigan's horse was tied to a hitching rack. Jess walked toward the bushes some thirty feet away.
"Where's he going?" Rebecca asked.
"After our horses." Luke said as he walked toward the corral.
"Now where's he going?" Rebecca asked.
"Do you plan on walking out of here?" Joshua asked.
Jess and Luke returned with the horses.
"I couldn't find a saddle, so you'll have to ride bare back." Luke said.
Jess pulled the box of Springfield shells out of his saddle bags and opened it. He dropped several into his right coat pocket.
"He's not doing what I think he is doing is he?" Joshua asked.
"At a gallop we should reach those fences about five minutes apart." Jess said.
"Even I know that's a single shot rifle." Rebecca said.
"If I miss with this, Miss Brannigan. We won't get a chance to use anything else." Jess said.
"Call me Rebecca. What exactly are you going to do anyway?" Rebecca asked.
"You really don't want to know." Jess said as he swung up into his saddle.
Jess pulled the gun out of his belt.
"I don't suppose you want this?" Jess asked pushing it toward Joshua.
"No." Joshua said.
"Then, Reverend, you'd better start praying." Luke said as he spurred his horse.