The Last Run
by Patricia Henry
Chapter Five
For hours, they stayed in the cabin. Andy frequently glanced at Slim, who would smile or nod at him, encouraging his brother that everything would be all right. Jonesy occasionally moaned as pain shot along his spine.
Jess didn't seem to notice. He was too busy huddled with Ben in a corner. A bottle of whiskey and pie were frequently dined on by each. Their whispers were too low to hear, but every now and then, one of them would laugh loudly.
"I had a feeling about your ranch hand," Tom whispered to Slim.
Slim had watched Jess for hours. "I can't figure it out. I always thought Jess...I know he's walked the hoot owl trail in the past, but I thought he had changed. I thought I knew him. Like a brother. I thought I could trust him."
"Men like that never change," Tom criticized. "I know. I seen that kind all my life. You ain't never going to know a man like Jess Harper. So it don't pay to ever trust him. You saw how he turned on you."
"Jess sure fooled us, didn't he, Slim?" Andy's voice was laden with pain.
"He sure did," Slim acknowledged.
"After all you done for him too, Slim," Jonesy whispered, then moaned as pain again shot up his back.
"Jonesy, you all right?'
"I'm fine. To think I made an apple pie just 'cause he enjoys 'em so much. Look at them over there eating, while we sit here, nothing to drink and no food for hours."
"Ain't like Jess, Jonesy." Again Slim studied his ranch hand.
"Aw, Tom's right," Jonesy said with disgust. "Jess was a hard case before he came here."
"I guess I thought deep down.. it's just that Jess seemed happy here. Content. I know I've been riding him hard these last few weeks, but I never thought-"
"You two over there," Ben called. "What are you talking about? Planning on how to escape? Maybe I ought to gag you."
"We're just talking about how Jonesy's back is giving him a fit," Slim replied. "Jess, how about letting Jonesy sit? You know how troublesome his back can be to him."
"He's got a bad back," Jess explained then took a sip of whiskey. He filled his glass then refilled Ben's glass.
Ben pulled his watch from his pocket. "Less than an hour. Reckon he can stand it that long."
"Jess!" Slim barked. "Jonesy's hurting bad."
Jess didn't even look at Slim. "Still ordering me around," Jess said with a laugh. "After this is over, it's going to be a pleasure teaching Slim some manners."
"I almost feel sorry for the boy 'cause I seen that temper of yours." Ben took a huge drink of whiskey.
Jess leaned back in his chair, his legs spread out. "What I don't understand is why didn't you let the marshal ride out of here before you took over? What good is having a lawman here?"
Ben gulped the rest of the liquor in his glass. His tongue snaked out and licked the last few drops off his lips. He then poured another glass full of whiskey. "Well it's like this, if trouble breaks out, I thought the marshal would come in handy. The way he's thought of ain't no one going to want that marshal to die. As famous as he is, he'll be a good hostage if things go wrong, which they ain't. I got this planned out real good."
"What about the driver and the guard?"
"I'm going to kill them. Just like them over there. You ain't got a problem with that, do you, Jess?"
"Even the boy?"
"Well...now I'm remembering...but Jess, we ain't going to want no witnesses...aw, maybe we could take the boy with us, gag him, once we get to Mexico. Sell him to the mines. Ain't a good life, but I reckon he'd still be alive. But the others..." Ben shook his head no. As he drank,
he glanced over the rim of his glass at Jess. "You still in?"
Jess nodded. "Time sure does move slow when you're waiting, don't it?".
"'Spect you want to know how much longer-"
"I sure wish I had a watch like yours." Jess stood up so quickly that Ben's hand dropped to his gun. As Jess crossed the room, he slid the rocker out of his way. The chair glided across the floor several feet, landing close to Jonesy. But Jess paid no attention as he moved to Slim. Jess roughly grabbed the pocket watch out of Slim's vest.
"That was Pa's!" Andy said with anger.
"Well your Pa's dead, boy. He ain't going to need it!" Jess shot back. "And I do!"
"You son of a-"
"Andy!" Slim cut in. "I swear, Jess, someday I'll settle with you."
Jess offered Slim a grin. "You best be planning on how to live through this instead of plotting how to hurt me." Jess turned towards Jonesy. "Jonesy, I'm tired of your whining. You say another word, and I swear it'll be your last."
Jonesy said nothing but as soon as Jess walked away, he eased himself into the rocker.
Jess sat back down at the table. "I've had my eye on this for quite awhile." His finger swept over the silver case.
"That's a nice one, all right."
"You give that back!" Andy said as he started to move forward. Slim's hand snaked out quickly bringing Andy to stand behind him.
"Boy, your brother ain't going to need a watch after today," Ben stated. "Now you be a good boy and shut up, or I'm going to have to shut you up."
Jess motioned with his glass. "Drink up." Jess opened the watch, then clicked it shut. "We still got some time." He put the watch into his pocket.
"Always did hate waiting."
"Stage could be early," Jess informed. "You want me to go out and stand watch? Over by the barn, you can see the whole meadow. We'll know at least ten minutes before the stage arrives."
"No, Dawson will go." He nodded at the scrawny man by the window.
Again Dawson studied Jess. Jess stared back with challenge in his eyes, his lips curled into a small smile.
"Go on, Dawson! Get out there and watch!" Ben ordered. "You want that stage sneaking up on us?"
Without saying a word Dawson left. But the slamming of the door told of his frustration.
"Jess, you know you're going to have every lawman on your trail after this is over," Slim warned.
Jess grinned. "I'll be in Mexico. Having me a grand time. No more changing horses or branding,...just pretty Senoritas."
Ben burst out laughing.
Jonesy's lips tightened.
Andy shouted, ""Jess, you are a thieving coyote if I ever saw one."
"I never claimed different," Jess replied.
Slim added, "I sure judged you wrong."
Jess stood so quickly that his chair slid. He moved to Slim. "You know I'm getting awful tired of you lecturing me. I've listened to all the criticism that I'm going to take from you. One more word and I'll kill you."
Slim's face formed a mask of confusion. His eyes roved over Jess's face. Jess's eyes were deadly as he stared back at Slim.
Ben chuckled. "Same old Jess. Temper like a rattler."
Slim wanted to speak, but he didn't. He just continued to stare at Jess.
"You planning to kill us all when this is over?" Jonesy asked, his eyes watching Jess's every movement. "Even Andy here? Andy's been your friend since you rode onto this place."
"Jonesy, I'll do what I have to," Jess replied, his eyes never leaving Slim's face. "I always have."
Ben moved to the window. "When the stage gets to the top of that hill it's got ten minutes to get here, huh?"
"Yeah. I'm going to get some coffee to chase away this liquor. You want some?" Jess offered.
Ben nodded a quick no. He leaned against the wall. He checked his pocket watch then stared out the window watching for the stage.
Jess moved to the kitchen and poured a cup. Steam rose quickly.
Slim leaned towards Tom. His voice was very low as he said, "We can't let that stage arrive. They're sure to kill us all. They ain't going to want no witnesses."
Tom sounded defeated as he replied, "I know, but what can we do? It's best to go along with them for now. Maybe a chance will open up for us."
"He's right, Slim," Jonesy said, "We don't want Andy hurt and-"
Ben turned with fury. "I thought I told you two to get quiet. Now I only need to keep Sherman here alive and-"
"I'll gag them," Jess offered. Without waiting for Ben's agreement, Jess tore strips from Jonesy's apron. Then he tied a strip around each's mouth and bound their hands. He was especially rough with the marshal.
Ben moved back towards the window. "I was told there would only be one guard to make it look like an average run. How long did you say it took to get here once the stage gets to the top of that hill?
"Ten minutes at the most, sometimes less, depending on the driver." Jess leaned against the fireplace. He took a long sip of coffee. He placed the cup on the mantel.
"That's going to be the longest ten minutes," Ben replied, his eyes sweeping the yard, then returning to the top of the hill. "Sure am glad we're riding the same trail on this one."
"You know, Ben, when you said that I ride for the brand-"
"Yeah?" Ben stared hard out the window.
"Well, that was true."
"Yeah, I know-Was?" Ben turned. The words froze in his throat.
Jess had a pistol pointed right at him.
"What are you doing?" Ben asked, his eyes moving back and forth from the gun to Jess's face. "Where'd you get that from?" Ben suddenly noticed the stones pushed back revealing a hidden compartment in the fireplace wall
"You were wrong," Jess replied. "I like working here. I like working here a whole bunch. I signed on to work for Slim. And like you said I ride for the brand. So I'm not switching sides, even though I said I would ride with you. You got to know I will lie when it's going to save a friend's life. And Slim has been more like a brother than a friend. Now keep your hands away from your gun. That's right. Because I'd sure hate to shoot a friend. But I will."
"You skunk! I trusted you."
"Now slowly take your holster off. Use your left hand, Ben. If I see that right hand drop, you're a dead man."
Ben's fast breathing showed his anger.
Jess snarled, "Go on, take it off! Now! You know I won't have no qualms about killing you."
Ben slowly unbuckled his gun belt and dropped it to the floor. The soft thump seemed loud in the room.
"Slide it away from you."
Ben pushed the gun belt with the tip of his worn boot. His mouth formed an ugly, angry line.
Jess moved to the others. He bent down and united Andy's ropes. "Get the others."
"Jess, what I said-"
"It's all right, Andy," Jess said with a smile. "Now untie Slim and the others."
"You sure had me fooled," Slim said as the gag dropped from his mouth. "Couldn't understand how I could have been so wrong about a person. I should've known."
Jess flashed a grin. "Once maybe I could have been a part of this. But not now." His eyes moved to Andy. "Not now," he softly repeated.
"Don't know why you had to hit, Slim," Jonesy complained.
"I wanted to be convincing that I was switching sides," Jess explained.
Slim touched his chin. "Oh, you were. Next time though don't be so convincing."
Jess laughed, then sobered as he explained,. "I did everything I could
think of to get them to hand me a gun. Thought for sure Dawson would fight
me. I tried to liquor Ben up. But I forgot how much this boy can drink. But
I finally got a chance to get to the fireplace. Sure hated it took me awhile
to do that. Jonesy, I know how bad it was for you especially."
"You got the drop on them, that's all that matters," Jonesy replied.
"That was quick thinking," Tom praised after his gag was released. "I sure
judged you wrong."
"I should have known," Andy said with a smile.
"Oh, here," Jess handed the pocket watch back to Slim. "I had to have a reason to get a chair to Jonesy for him to sit."
Jonesy nodded. "I did appreciate it."
"Slim, I reckon that stage will be here any moment," Jess said.
Tom stretched. "Jess is right, Slim. This is what I figure we need to do-"
Jess eyed Barner as if he was the enemy. "Who said you're running the show?"
"Jess!" Slim cried out. "The marshal has experience on what we need to do."
"I know what we need to do," Jess countered. "We need to signal the stage as soon as we see it on top of the hill. All we have to do is fire a gun. As soon as the driver hears gunfire, he'll turn the stage around and be out of here."
"That's precisely what we don't want to happen," Tom argued.
"And why's that?" Jess faced the marshal as if he were going to have a shootout.
"Because we want the stage to get to Laramie. Not turn around and head back. The miners are counting on that money. If they don't get it, trouble is bound to break out in Laramie."
"Tom, what do you have in mind?" Slim asked.
"Dawson is sure to come tell us when he sees the stage come over the hill. When he walks in the cabin, we'll surprise and jump him."
"Sounds easy enough." Slim glanced at Jess who was frowning. "What do you say, Jess?"
"I reckon that will work," Jess replied without any enthusiasm.
"Sure it will!" Slim agreed.
"I figure Dawson will come in the front door," Tom reasoned.
"That's what I'm thinking," Jess stated.
"I hate to admit it but my eyes ain't what they use to be. You two are younger than me, sure to be a better aim, so you take the front door, and I'll watch the back door."
"What about me, Slim?"
Tom spoke up before Slim could reply, "Jonesy, you stay right in that rocker. I know your back must be hurting something fierce. Slim, Jess, and me can handle this."
"Andy, you stay with Jonesy," Slim ordered.
Tom started for the gun belt that Ben had dropped to the floor. Jess stepped in front of him.
"Jess, I'm going to need a gun," Tom explained. "What if Dawson does come in that back door? I got to be able to shoot him if he does."
"Jess, you can trust the marshal," Slim said. "Let him have the pistol. You know he'll need it if Dawson tries to come in through the kitchen."
Jess's eyes moved slowly across the marshal's face. Jess finally took a step back. Tom picked up Ben's gun belt. As the lawman fastened the gun belt around his waist, Jess kept his eyes locked on Tom. Though lowered, the gun remained in Jess's hand. Its barrel slightly tilted, ready to fire in a split second.
Slim gently pushed Jess towards the window, "Come on, Jess. Let's see if we can spot Dawson out the window."
Jess motioned with his revolver and Ben moved away from the window.
"You better tie him up," Slim ordered as he pulled back the curtain.
"I'll do it," Tom volunteered. "You go help Slim. Slim, do you see Dawson out there?"
Slim peered harder through the glass, carefully hiding himself from view. "I think Dawson is behind the tree near the corral. Can hardly make him out. Jess, what do you think?"
Jess watched as Tom pushed Ben towards a chair.
"Jess!" Slim glanced over his shoulder. "Come look."
Jess quickly joined Slim, pulling back the curtain ever so slightly before peeking out, "I think so. With the sun, hard to tell."
Slim said, "You know if this plan don't work, all we have to do to warn the stage is fire one shot and-"
"I wouldn't do that, Slim." Both Slim and Jess turned towards Tom. The marshal had the gun pointed at both.
Jess started to raise his gun.
Tom's thumb pulled back the hammer. "Don't try it, Harper."
"What are you doing, Tom?" Slim asked.
"I want your gun, Jess."
"Jess has proved that he's on our side," Slim argued. "If you're thinking that you can't
trust him-"
"Now!" Tom demanded.
Jess stared so hard at Tom that his eyes narrowed to slits.
"Drop it!" Tom's voice roared through the room.
The pistol fell to the floor as Jess released the weapon.
"Tom, you're making a mistake," Slim defended.
"That's right," Jonesy echoed.
"No Slim. You made the mistake," Tom replied as he kept the gun pointed at both men. "You shouldn't have trusted me."
"You? You're in with them?" Slim asked, his face not registering the information he had just heard.
Ben laughed loudly. "I bet you never figured I'd be partners with the law, did you, Jess?" He picked up Jess' gun. Suddenly he slammed the butt of the gun into Jess's shoulder. Jess fell to his knees crying out in pain.
Jonesy started for Jess.
"Sit back down, Jonesy. I'd hate to hurt you after all these years. But I will," Barner threatened.
"If you didn't have that pistol-" Jonesy began.
"But I do. Now sit back down!" Tom instructed.
Though anger torched his face, Jonesy followed instructions.
"I told you not to cross me," Ben said as he kicked Jess in the side.
Jess grunted from the pain, curling into a ball, as he held his side.
Ben added, "You'll regret doing it, Jess. You have my word on that. Now get up."
Slim moved quickly to Jess and helped him stand. "You all right?"
Jess only nodded. But the grimace of pain on his face showed that he was hurt.
Slim turned with fury. "Tom, I don't understand. Why? After all these years of being a marshal, why would you take up with the likes of this one?"
"I told you once before. I'm no longer a marshal. I retired. You want to know what they gave me? A supper and a gold watch. For thirty years I watched out after those people and that's all they gave me for my time. Thirty years! Well, I knew about this gold shipment. Helped arrange the travel myself. I even picked out your place. I knew all about Matt dying. I knew you couldn't afford to hire help. Don't understand where you got the money to pay this boy. No one was suppose to know I was part of this. That was our deal. They'd go to Mexico; I'd go back East where no one knew me or questioned where I got so much gold. Planned on living the good life. No one would have got hurt. But Jess, you had to go and spoil my plans. And now I'm going to have to kill each of you to keep my secret."
"Ben was going to kill everyone all along," Jess disagreed.
"No. That wasn't part of the plan," Tom glanced quickly at Ben.
"Maybe Ben has other plans, Tom," Slim stated. "Like cheating you out of the gold. Maybe you're going to be killed too."
Tom looked worried. "Ben?"
"Don't listen to him. He's trying to turn us against each other. Now we got a plan. A good plan. In a short time, that gold is going to be ours. As far as what happens to them, you decide, but Jess is mine to kill."
"You shoot us now and if that stage is close by, they'll be sure to hear," Slim said quickly.
"Oh I'm not going to kill you now, Slim," Tom assured. "I need you, at least until the stage drives into the yard."
"What makes you think I'll help you?" Slim asked. "If you're going to kill me anyway."
Tom glanced at Andy. "Because if you don't, I'll hurt your brother and the old man right now." Tom pointed his gun at Andy. "It's your decision, Slim."
Jonesy slowly moved towards Andy to hide the boy from the marshal's aim.
Tom warned in a deadly voice, "Don't!"
"Jonesy, do what he says!" Slim cried out with alarm.
Jonesy stopped walking. He stood near Andy, but he was not close enough to shield the young boy's body. "You know, it's a poor state of affairs when a man lays down with coyotes. Tom, I reckon you're about as low as a man can get."
"Now Jonesy, don't get high and mighty with me. If Matt hadn't taken you in, where would you be right now? Well that's where I am. I never saved a dime. Didn't have one to save. You know what they pay lawmen?"
"I know how you like the ladies. Matt used to tell me. You had money. You spent it. And now you want what others worked hard to get."
Tom grinned. "And I'm going to get it. More gold than you've ever seen." His eyes moved to Slim. "Well it's your choice, Slim. Are you going to help or do we end this right now?" The Marshal pulled back his trigger.
"We'll do what you want us to do," Slim agreed, the words rushing out. "Just don't hurt Andy or Jonesy."
"Slim, don't worry about me," Jonesy said quickly. "I ain't scared of this polecat."
Tom grinned even more. "You might just have to eat those words, Jonesy, before this is all over." He glanced at Ben. "I'll watch Slim. You take care of Jess."
"Tom, no!" Slim said hurriedly. "I said we'd do what you want. We ain't going to cause trouble. None of us, including Jess."
Tom laughed nastily. "I only need to keep one of you alive. Two of you might cause me trouble. So guess who I pick to stay alive? Sorry Jess, but with the way you handle a gun, I can't afford to keep you around. 'Sides I figure a man like you probably should have been hung a long time ago. Somehow you cheated the hangman, but boy now you ain't going to dodge death no more."
"You shoot Jess, and you'll be wanted for murder," Slim said.
"You think Jess will be the first I've killed?" Ben taunted. "'Sides who's going to be around to tell the law who killed Jess? Not any of you. And with Tom here, reckon they'll believe what the marshal says. Jess, I'm thinking you were part of the gang that robbed the stage. Ain't that right, Tom? Why the miners will be cheering that you're dead. I might even say I come along and killed you after you killed all these folks. Why I might even get a reward, even if your partner got away with all the money. What a tale I'm going to tell. All about what happened here. How Slim's ranch hand, the one with the jail record, really was a low-down thief. And you know what? I'm going come out as the hero."
"Just get it over with," Tom demanded. .
Jess drew in his breath sharply as Ben raised his gun, pointing it right at him. "Will be my pleasure."
Tom jerked Ben's arm down. "Don't be a fool! You want to alert the stage? It should be here any moment."
"You said to kill him!" Ben snarled.
"Use a knife. There's one on the kitchen table."
"Tom, you can't do this! Robbery is one thing, but murder!" Slim reasoned. "You'll hang for sure."
"You stay out of this, Slim. I seen men like Harper. You don't let them live if you want to live. Jess has already proved that he bears watching. This boy can be deadly. I ain't taking the chance especially when the stage arrives."
"Then tie him up," Slim suggested. "He can't do nothing if you've got him tied."
"I'm going to kill him anyway. You didn't think I'd let him live did you? So why not do it now? Be rid of him before he causes us more trouble," Tom countered. "Go on, Ben, take care of him. And be quick about it. Stage should be here shortly."
Ben picked up a knife by the pie pan. His thumb slid along the knife's edge. "Good and sharp," he said with a smile. "Ain't no one going to hear a sound."
Andy's eyes began tearing.
Slim pulled Andy close to his side to blind his view. But Andy peeked, refusing to look away.
"At least do it outside away from Andy," Jess bargained. "He shouldn't see this. Take me outside. You owe me at least that, Ben."
"I owe you nothing!"
"For old times sake. We rode together once."
"Take him outside," Tom ordered.
"But-"
"I owe Matt that," Tom explained. "Do it out back! That way if the stage comes they won't see nothing. Go on! Get going! And be quick about it. I need you back in here. "
"Jess!" Andy cried out. "Jess!" Tears began falling from Andy's eyes.
Jess gave him a small smile. He then looked at Slim. There were no words spoken. Yet an understanding of appreciation and friendship passed between the two men.
"Come on." Ben pushed Jess so hard towards the door that Jess stumbled. "Get up!" Ben snarled.
Jess stood. He took one step towards the door before suddenly bolting. As Jess threw his weight against the kitchen door, Ben threw the knife. As the door burst open, Jess' grunt of pain proved that the knife hit its mark. Ben raced to the door, but Jess was nowhere to be seen.
"He got away!" Ben said angrily. "You should have let me shoot him!"
"And have the stage driver wonder?" Tom touched the frame of the door. He rubbed the blood between his fingers. "He couldn't have gone far. Where are you going?" Tom's arm snaked out in front of Ben, blocking him from leaving the kitchen.
"I'm going to find Jess and finish what I started."
"He's bleeding something fierce. Look at the door frame. It don't matter that he got away. He can't go far. And he'll be too weak to do anything."
"But what if goes and warns the stage? Or has a gun hidden? Or-"
"Then go look!"
With his revolver drawn, Ben cautiously stepped outside the cabin. His eyes slowly traveled the length of the yard. But he saw no one. He followed a track of blood to the edge of the woods. Again his eyes wandered from bush to bush, from tree to tree. But he saw and heard nothing.
"Well?" Tom asked as Ben walked through the back door.
"All I found was a trail of blood. He must have made it to the woods. But he's bleeding bad."
"Well if had managed to get a gun, he'd have used it. Mostly likely he's passed out. He ain't going to be in any shape to chase the stage or cause us any harm. After we get the gold, we'll deal with him. We'll make sure that he's dead before we clear out."
"I don't like it. I know Jess. He's a tough hombre. I aimed for the gut but-"
"You said you saw a lot of blood."
Ben nodded.
"Harper won't live long. Now forget him. He's as good as dead."
Andy glanced at Slim. Slim gave him a nod of assurance but worry creased outlines on Slim's tan face.
Dawson ran into the cabin drawing everyone's attention. "I seen the stage. What you doing-"
"They know," Ben explained.
"Where's Harper?"
Ben replied, "I wounded him. He's out there somewhere dying."
Dawnson shouted. "He's gone?"
Tom ordered, "Dawson, get inside the barn where you got a good view of the yard."
Dawson didn't move. "What about Harper?"
"He can't stop us. Not the way he's wounded. If he ain't dead, he'll be dead shortly," Tom explained. "Now we ain't got much time. Dawson, get out there!"
Dawson didn't ask any more questions. He took off running.
"The rest of you. Get over there where I can see you. You try anything, and you'll regret it. I'll hurt the boy first. You have my word on it."
Jonesy drew Andy to him, his arm protectively around his shoulder.
Ben and Tom hurried back to the window. Ben opened his pocket watch. "Right on time."
Tom chuckled. "Unusual, huh Slim? Usually the stage is late. Must be anxious to get to Laramie." He then warned, "Ben, I want that stage to pull up in the yard. I don't want no gun play. If that driver even gets a sniff that something's wrong, that stage will be out of here."
"It's still not too late," Slim advised. "You don't have to go through with this."
Ben looked at Tom as if judging whether he could trust the Marshal.
Tom directed, "Ben, you position yourself across the yard. With Dawson in the barn and you across the yard, we'll have them in a cross fire. Well, go on, hurry before they see you."
"What about them?"
"Slim will be with me. Tie up Jonesy and the boy. Be quick! The stage is almost here."
Ben pushed Jonesy and Andy to the floor and tied them back to back. Then he tore out of the cabin and raced to the other side of the yard as the stage started down the side of the hill.
