Righteous Kill

by G. Michael Hopf

  “Invited? By whom?”

  He leaned back in his chair, his weight making it creak. “You’re not aware, but your mother has a reputation for…how do I say this politely?”

  “You disgust me, you know that?” she spat, standing up and giving him a death stare.

  “I’m disgusting?” He laughed.

  “You find my sister’s murderer, and yes, that’s what it is, not a laughing matter, not to mention my ma and grandma being raped. You’re just as my ma said you would be.” She turned and stormed away.

  “Now hold on,” he said, jumping to his feet. He raced past her and placed himself in front of the door. “Don’t go away angry, please.”

  “Get out of my way.”

  “Alice, I’ll look into this, and if I find something, I’ll get some men together and ride out to look for these men, okay?”

  “You need to go now,” she growled.

  Placing his hands on her shoulders, he squeezed and said, “If it will make you happy, me and my deputy will ride out this afternoon, alright?”

  Cringing from his touch, she said, “Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go bury my sister.”

  He frowned and stepped out of her way.

  She threw open the door and left.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  JULY 11, 1895

  TWO MILES SOUTH OF GREAT FALLS, MONTANA

  Alice knelt down and scooped up a handful of the freshly dug earth and held it in her hand. She stared at it and remembered her and Martha working in the field just the other day. Her heart literally ached that now feet below her Martha lay wrapped in her favorite blanket and encased in a pine box. “I love you, Martha Mae.”

  Maggie and Anne stood behind Alice, both weeping.

  “I’m gonna find those men, Ma, I’m gonna do it. If the sheriff won’t, I will. If I do one thing in my life, it will be avenge my sister,” Alice declared, tears streaming down her face.

  Maggie stepped forward, placed her hand on Alice’s shoulder, and squeezed. “You’ll stay here. I won’t lose both my daughters.”

  Alice clamped her hand closed, the moist dirt still in her palm. “But, Ma, someone has to do something.”

  “You’re just upset, that’s all,” Maggie said. She wiped the tears on her cheeks with a handkerchief and walked away.

  Alice watched her go inside the house. She glanced at Anne, who still stood solemnly, and asked, “Grandma, what do you think we should do?”

  “Hon, you need to do what your ma says,” Anne replied. “Now can you help walk me inside?”

  Alice stood, dropped the clumped soil from her grasp, and offered Anne her arm.

  Anne took it and pulled Alice close.

  The two slowly walked across the uneven ground towards the house. Just before they reached the front porch steps, Anne stopped. “Alice, you’re a very smart girl. In fact, if anyone has a future outside this town, it’s you.”

  Alice stood and listened.

  “I know I give many excuses for your ma’s behavior since your pa died, but I have to admit now that I was wrong. Your ma has acted horribly towards you two girls, and there’s no excuse for that. I pray you’ll forgive me.”

  Alice scrunched her face, confused by the sudden apology. “Why are you now telling me this?”

  “On account that poor little Martha is gone, I suggest you find your own way. I don’t know what that is, but your ma will never recover from this. In fact, Martha’s death will only make her life spin fully out of control. I don’t want you here to see that.”

  “Are you telling me to leave?”

  “I’m not telling you to pack your things and leave this very second. I’m suggesting that whatever plans you had for your life, they can include leaving this house and leaving this town,” Anne explained.

  Alice looked away, but her expression told Anne something.

  “Were you already planning on leaving regardless of Martha?” Anne asked.

  “I feel bad saying it, but yes,” Alice confessed.

  Patting her tenderly on the arm, Anne said, “It’s fine, sweetheart, but I’m shocked that you would have left Martha here alone.”

  “It was something I’ve struggled with…” Alice said, tearing her gaze away from Anne to the grave site behind her. “I don’t have to worry about that now.”

  “Where will you go? What will you do?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve thought about Seattle, even San Francisco.”

  “What will you do?”

  “I haven’t gotten that far in my plans. I figured I had time since I’m not eighteen yet,” Alice said.

  “But you’ll be eighteen at the end of the month,” Anne reminded her.

  “I know, but what can an eighteen-year-old girl do in San Francisco?”

  “She can do anything she sets her mind to.”

  “Not in this world, maybe one day a woman will have the same opportunities that men have, but I’m limited, you know this, Grandma,” Alice lamented.

  “And how were you planning on getting to San Francisco or Seattle?”

  “I have some money from selling jams and jellies.”

  “That means you skimmed some money off the top. Weren’t you supposed to give it all to your ma?” Anne asked with a devilish smile.

  “Please don’t tell,” Alice pleaded.

  “Girl, I won’t say a word…about any of this. What I do ask is that you tell me what your plans are before you leave, can you do that?”

  Cocking her head slightly and smiling, Alice replied, “I’ll let you know.”

  “Very good, now please help me to my chair,” Anne said, nodding towards the rocker on the porch.

  “Grandma?”

  “Yes, dear.”

  “All this talk about me leaving makes me feel horrible that nothing will be done about what happened to you, Ma and Martha,” Alice said.

  “What did you say about hoping that one day women will be given the same opportunities?”

  “So we do nothing?” Alice asked.

  “My dear, what can a girl do against those men? Are you going to ride out and find them? And what happens when you do? Are you going to gun them down, arrest them?”

  “But something needs to be done,” Alice urged.

  “I couldn’t agree more, but unless we hire a bounty hunter, or some man who’s willing to help us strolls in here, which I doubt, we don’t have a choice but to pray the sheriff will do his job.”

  “I despise this world,” Alice seethed.

  “It’s cruel, harsh and unfair, but it’s the only world we have. Now please, my bones are aching; help me to my chair.”

  Alice escorted her up the stairs and into the chair. “Grandma, I love you.”

  Patting Alice’s hand, Anne said, “I love you too. Now can you—”

  “Alice, come here!” Maggie hollered from upstairs.

  Anne and Alice looked at each other, with Anne giving her a grimace. “You’d best go see what your ma wants.”

  “You know what she wants,” Alice said, then sauntered inside the house.

  GREAT FALLS, MONTANA

  Harry and Henry exited the telegraph office to find Gus and Joseph missing. “Damn it, I told them to wait.”

  Henry looked down the street and saw where he thought they might have gone. “My money is on them being there.”

  Harry looked in the direction Henry was pointing, and saw a sign that read SALOON. “We don’t have time for this, especially after what I just read.”

  “What did it say?” Henry asked.

  Harry handed him the telegram along with the cypher he used to decode any messages, and strutted off towards the saloon. He burst through the swinging doors and glanced around once his eyes adjusted to the dim light.

  Standing at the bar with a bottle of whiskey in front of them were Gus and Joseph.

  Harry walked over and said, “I said you should wait.”

  “We are waiting,” Joseph said before tossing back a shot. “And
let me remind you that we’ve been waiting on word from the boss for two days now. So much for a telegram would be here for us.”

  “Joe is right. We’ve been camped outside town waiting for about two days now. So, any word?” Gus asked.

  Henry entered, bellied up to the bar next to Gus, and grabbed the bottle. Not waiting for a glass, he tipped it back and chugged.

  Harry gave Henry a displeased look and replied to Gus, “We’re to set up an ambush.”

  “An ambush?” Gus asked. “What does that mean?”

  “An ambush is—” Harry explained before being interrupted by Joseph.

  “It means that Al was arrested and is being escorted to the border, that’s what that means,” Joseph said.

  “He’s been arrested?” Gus asked, wiping his mouth with his shirtsleeve.

  “Marshals caught up with him outside Missoula. He’s now being taken to the authorities near the border,” Harry said.

  “Told you,” Joseph said.

  “So we’re gonna gun down some US Marshals?” Gus asked.

  “It said to remove any threats, so yes, that’s what we’re being asked to do,” Harry said, an uneasy feeling coming over him. He took the bottle away from Henry and took a drink.

  Shocked to see Harry drink, Gus asked, “You feeling alright?”

  “No, I’m not. I didn’t sign up for this job to go and kill marshals, or anyone, to be more specific. I’m not a killer,” Harry answered.

  “Son, don’t you know who we’re riding to go get?” Joseph asked.

  Gus grinned, snatched the bottle from Harry’s hands, and took a swig.

  “I don’t know who he is, I suppose,” Harry said.

  Joseph opened his mouth but stopped short of answering the question.

  “Well, who is he?” Harry asked, with Henry and Gus looking on.

  “He’s an important man,” Joseph said.

  “Of course he must be, but who is he?” Harry asked.

  “I don’t know who he is, but if they’re going through all this trouble to get him back, he must be,” Joseph said.

  “You don’t know who he is?” Harry asked, confused.

  “Not specifically,” Joseph lied.

  Grabbing the bottle back from Gus, Harry took another swig. He wiped his mouth and said, “I don’t feel comfortable killing marshals. What do you fellas think about this?”

  “I couldn’t care less,” Joseph said.

  “Me either,” Gus said.

  “If they pay me more, then I’ll do it,” Henry said.

  “We should renegotiate our payment. If we’re being asked to kill lawmen, we need more money,” Joseph said.

  “They did offer that,” Harry said to Henry. “Didn’t you read the telegram?”

  Looking down sheepishly, Henry replied, “I don’t know how to read.”

  “Then why did you take the wire from me?” Harry asked.

  “I asked you what it said; I didn’t ask to read it,” Henry shot back.

  “Do you still have it?” Harry asked Henry.

  Henry produced the folded paper from his pocket and set it on the bar.

  Joseph grabbed it and unfolded it. His eyes scanned the few words written. “It doesn’t say anything, just a bunch of jumbled letters.”

  “And the cypher?” Harry asked Henry.

  “Oh yeah,” Henry said, fishing around in his pocket. He removed the other paper and handed it to Joseph.

  “How the hell do you use this?” Joseph asked, looking confused at both papers.

  Harry rolled his eyes and said, “I don’t have time to educate you on this, but trust me, it says that Al was arrested, he’s being escorted along the northeast trail, and we’re to set up an ambush immediately. The telegram is dated a day ago; this means they’ll be riding through here by tomorrow, I suppose. They’ve offered us an additional one hundred each.”

  Looking confused, Joseph gawked at the paper and asked, “You got all of that from this?”

  “Yes,” Harry said, snatching both papers from Joseph. He folded them back up and stuffed them in his pocket. “I don’t like this, not one bit.”

  “Well, it is what it is,” Joseph said.

  Taking the bottle into his grip, Harry poured a large amount into his mouth and swallowed. He set it back on the wet bar, gave each one a look, and said, “This is where I bid my farewell.”

  “You’re leaving?” Joseph asked.

  “I can’t be part of this anymore. I was given bad information about the job. I can’t be a party to murder,” Harry said. He nodded to each one, turned, and headed for the exit.

  The other three watched him leave, with Joseph getting to his feet.

  “Where ya going?” Gus asked.

  “I think you know,” Joseph said.

  “Oh,” Gus said.

  Joseph started for the door.

  “Where’s he going?” Henry asked.

  “He’s going to talk to Harry privately,” Gus said. Turning back to the bar, he looked at the mostly empty bottle and cried out to the bartender, “Give us another bottle.”

  ***

  Harry signed the guest register and gave the clerk a smile.

  The clerk handed him a key and said, “Room seven, top of the stairs, second door on the right.”

  “Thank you,” Harry said. He picked up his saddlebag and sauntered slowly up the creaking stairs. He found his room, unlocked the door, and entered the tiny room. The first thing that hit him was the musty smell. He immediately opened a window and tossed his saddlebag on a chair. He plopped down on the bed and removed his hat. Looking at the inside rim of his hat, he didn’t just see sweat stains but countless hours of work now gone and for nothing. He was deep inside Montana and had nothing to show for it. He thought about how he’d explain his returning home empty-handed to his wife and came to the conclusion that the best way to break the news was to be honest. She was like him and led a righteous life, so she’d understand. What he couldn’t get past was what he’d do next. He needed money, and now he was unemployed once more with no new prospects on the horizon.

  Tired from the long ride, he removed his boots and rubbed his sore feet.

  In the corner of the room he spotted a tin plunge tub. The idea of having a bath sounded pleasing. All he needed to do now was make it happen.

  After an hour of waiting, the last of the buckets of hot water were delivered. When the door closed, leaving him alone in the room, he gawked at the steaming tub. Not wanting to waste another second, he stripped down. Slowly he submerged himself into the water. The heat felt good and soothed his aching muscles. Using a towel as a pillow, he rested his head against it and closed his eyes; not a minute later he dozed off.

  “Wake up,” Joseph barked.

  Harry opened his eyes, blinked repeatedly, and asked, “What the hell are you doing in my room?”

  Sitting on the edge of the bed, with his pistol firmly in his grip, Joseph replied, “I’ve come because you’re not riding with us anymore.”

  Sitting up, Harry barked angrily, “I’m not going and that’s that.”

  “You see, Harry, that’s a problem.”

  Spotting the pistol finally, Harry asked, “What are you going to do, shoot me?”

  Looking at the pistol, Joseph chuckled and said, “I thought about doing that at first, but I’ve changed my mind.” He holstered the pistol and continued, “Harry, I don’t know you, and I’ll be honest, I never cared to.”

  “The feeling is mutual.”

  “I’m really an easygoing fella. I don’t care what another man does as long as it doesn’t interfere with what I’m doing.”

  “Listen, Joe, what is it you want?”

  “I have a dilemma, and I’m vexed about how to proceed,” Joseph said.

  “I don’t care about your dilemma. Now leave my room,” Harry ordered.

  “You see, Harry, I can’t leave because you’re the dilemma. I came here to shoot you, then I thought that doing so would cause too much att
ention, and I don’t want that. So I’m sitting here thinking just how to handle this.”

  Unsure of how to act now that he’d been threatened, Harry was careful about how he spoke. “You’re a smart man, Joseph. I saw that the first time we met. You have to understand that, as a family man, I can’t participate in this any longer. Feel free to take my share of the job and just leave me be.”

  “I do plan on taking your share, but I’m not leaving here with you alive.”

  Sensing that Joseph wasn’t lying, Harry grew tenser. His eyes darted around the room, looking for his pistol, only to see it on the chair in its holster and feet away from easily grabbing it.

  “I’m a thorough man and planned everything out except how I’d do it, until I came up here. I suppose I thought that I’d have to get quite the jump on you, but now that I’ve found you naked and in the tub soaking, there’s no need to cause such a ruckus.”

  “You’ve planned on murdering me since I left the saloon?” Harry asked.

  “I did the very second you walked away. When you made your decision, you set your fate. I can’t have someone all high and mighty running around, possibly talking to people about this job. Nope, that can’t happen. The second you decided to leave, you made yourself a liability.”

  Raising his hands defensively, Harry pleaded, “I’m not going to say a thing. I just want to go home to my wife.”

  “Harry, that’s just not going to happen. I’m sorry,” Joseph said even though he wasn’t really sorry.

  “What can I do? Tell me, what can I say so you’ll believe me?”

  “There’s nothing you can say, but what you can do is just go peacefully, don’t make it difficult. I promise I’ll make it painless.”

  Knowing now that Joseph was intent on killing him, Harry had only one choice, and that was to fight back. He leapt for his gun belt but came up inches short. Falling to the floor, he scrambled like a fish out of water, his wet feet and hands unable to get a grip.

  Joseph jumped onto Harry’s back, wrapped his right arm around his throat, and pulled back hard.

  Harry lashed out as best he could, but Joseph had him in a naked rear choke hold.

  Joseph squeezed as tight as he could while pulling back harder until he heard Harry’s neck snap.