Brides of the West-Part One

by Hestand, Rita

  "What do you want, Harley?" Jo snapped at him when she saw the gun.

  "Just simmer down, Jo, just checking. We're looking for Callie and Sam. They weren't at the funeral so we came to find them. Are they here?"

  Jo screwed up a frown in a hurry, "What on earth would they be doing here? They rarely come to town, you must know that."

  "I don't need none of your smart mouth. Now, you seen 'em?" He asked raising the gun a bit at her.

  "We've been right busy today, no I haven't seen them. What do you want with them?" Jo asked curiously.

  Harley flashed a false smile. "No way I'm telling you, you'd spread it all over town. You seen Lou or Gil?"

  "No, I heard they are out of town, somewhere." Jo commented.

  "You know," he waved the gun under her neck. "For someone that spreads gossip faster than the wind can blow, you sure don't know much today, do you?"

  "I been too busy."

  "Busy huh? Well now, let's step over here to your register and see how busy you been." Harley grinned, pushing her with the gun.

  "You're going to rob me?" Jo shouted. "After I've told you everything I know?"

  "Why not, had a good day, you said. Hand it over Jo." He sneered.

  "They'll get you for this Harley." Jo protested as she took the cash from the drawer.

  Sam watched, wishing he could jump out and save Miss Jo, but that would be playing right into Harley's plans, and Sam had to stay alive and help Callie all he could.

  "I don't think so. We're movin' out of here real fast like. And we won't be back, might as well take as much as we can with us, though. Well, now Miss Jo, I hate to do this but…"

  He pointed the gun at her. She held her breath.

  Sam like to have burst through the door, but something held him still.

  Then Harley head butted Miss Jo and took off faster than greased lightning.

  Sam ran out to Miss Jo. "Oh my God." He tried to rouse her but he couldn't, so he did the next best thing, he went for the doc, running so hard the wind took his breath away. Hoping Miss Jo was still alive when he returned.

  ~*~

  At the line shack, Demus had gone for a walk outside, giving Gil and Callie some privacy. The new freedom he was suddenly enjoying had him wanting to breathe the fresh clean air and stretch himself. He felt grateful to be alive.

  Inside the line shack though, Callie was still very upset, and Gil needed to find the right words to console her.

  Callie was crying. Not a whimper, not an occasional sob, but a waterfall of tears.

  Gil pulled her into his arms. Gently cradling her against him.

  "It's all my fault…" Callie cried holding onto to him like a lifeline. "If I had come to you and Lou when this all first happened, maybe they'd be sitting in jail right now, not out killing people."

  "Things have a way of working out, Callie despite the bad, there is also good. After all the bad, there will be some good. Don't fret so. No one's to blame but Joe and his gang for all of this. You couldn't have stopped them, neither could I. But we will catch them and stop them and we will see justice prevail. That's what the law is for Callie, justice."

  She pulled just out of his arms and looked into his face. "There's something else to tell…something I promised Mrs. Boggs I never would tell. But now, it seems important."

  Gil's head turned in question. "Alright. If you think it needs telling…then by all means, tell me."

  "Mr. Dugan…was Joe's real father."

  Gil backed up a bit. "What?"

  He stood up once more and paced, he put his hands over his mouth and breathed his own breath inside him. He glanced at her, then at the floor. "His father?"

  "It's true. She told me herself." Callie cried. The tension her admission released, felt like a wash tide of a flood inside of her, pouring out the things she knew, it gave her strength.

  "And does Joe know this?" Gil frowned.

  "No…he never knew. She couldn't tell him. She said part of it was shame; part of it was for his own good. She said Joe suffered from low self-esteem. Mr. Boggs had never once shown love to Joe, and for that, she blamed herself. She couldn't face the truth of it herself. If Joe knew that Mr. Dugan was his real father and that he refused to marry his mother, knowing it, he'd feel even more rejected than he had most of his life. She didn't want to do that to him. And it was already much too late to tell the truth."

  "Did Sally know?" Gil's expression held so many emotions at once.

  "No…no one knew but the two of them and then me, and she said she confessed it to Lou once, a long time ago, and made him promise to never tell..."

  "Then Joe shot, or had Mr. Dugan shot himself." Gil shook his head. "It'd be almost a sin to tell him now. There's no way to rectify it, is there?"

  "I guess not." Callie felt a new calm overtake her now, as though admitting this long kept secret was some release for her emotionally.

  "Lord, can this get any more screwed up?" Gil fussed and stood up. "Did Mr. Boggs know?"

  Callie shook her head. "Virginia was never sure. She said there were rumors around about it, but she never confirmed them for him. He might have suspected. It could be the reason he was never close to Joe."

  "Yeah, that would explain a lot. What I can't understand is Mr. Dugan, I mean Virginia was a beautiful woman in her day, he must have loved her at some point, why wouldn't he marry her?"

  "I guess beauty isn't everything. I think he was already into the affair with Virginia before he could tell her about Rena. Supposedly, Rena had been engaged to him all along, but she'd been back east all those years and there was only a vague promise she'd ever return to Hard Knocks. So Mr. Dugan and Virginia had an affair. Then Rena suddenly reappeared in Hard Knocks, ready to make good her promise on the marriage. Since she came from a wealthy family, Dugan couldn't, or wouldn't turn her down. So they married, and right after, Virginia married Howard Boggs. The rumors had it that she only married him to father her child. But thankfully after so many years, the rumors died down and it just became the biggest secret in these parts."

  Gil shook his head, "And I guess Mr. Dugan could keep those rumors at bay if anyone could, with all that money."

  "Yes, that's true." Callie blinked and thought about it. "No telling how many times he was blackmailed about that."

  "Serves him right." Gil said. "You know Callie; I'm beginning to see that you have a keen insight into people. No wonder you felt sorry for Joe all those years. That family had no chance at real happiness."

  "He could have had a better life…" Callie cried. "If only Mr. Dugan had done right by him at some point in time. If he'd shown remorse and made it up to Virginia in some way, but he never did. He just sat back, got richer every year, and never worried about Virginia. He never once offered her support or help."

  "I guess we'll never know for sure though. I mean it's hard to just judge a person on what you think, not what you know. I certainly don't have any respect left for Mr. Dugan after this…"

  Callie folded her hands together and glanced outside again.

  "I sure hope Sam is alright. If Lou wasn't around, where do you suppose Sam went?" Callie began to worry again.

  Gil glanced at her and smiled, "Sam is a smart fella. He'd have taken that money to the bank himself if Lou weren't around. I'm sure of that. He uses his head, which is more than I can say for a lot of others."

  "But where is he? And is he safe?"

  "Honey," Gil came up to her again, and put his arms around her. "Sam is well liked. They wouldn't let any harm come to him." Gil assured her. "Especially now that he is a town hero and brought back the bank money. Mr. Phelps won't be forgetting that. He probably took Sam in himself."

  "Yeah…you're right. It's just been so long…" She said.

  "One thing that has worked in our favor though." Gil said.

  "What?"

  "Demus. We got a little help. And it's nice to know too."

  "It's just so strange that he should be arrested so quickly and trie
d and almost hung…for something he didn't do."

  "Not when you consider he's a black man found holding a gun over a dead white man, it isn't. He's lucky to be alive." Gil informed her. "It's a wonder they didn't just hang him from the nearest tree."

  Callie looked out the window, and saw Demus walking up the yard. "Yes, he is…lucky isn't he."

  Chapter Seventeen

  Harley ran out into the street, straight to the saloon. Joe was waiting for him there. It was a relief that one of their friends in town told them about Lou not being there. No one worried about Walter. Walter was the kind of man that didn't get mixed up in anything dangerous; he was just like a front for a Sheriff when Lou was gone. But no one had much respect for him either. For a dollar, he'd look the other way no matter what.

  Walter wouldn't be bothering them, and Joe knew it. He felt comfortable having a drink at the bar.

  "Well, did you find out anything?" Joe asked when Harley came barreling into the saloon.

  "Naw…but I got us a grub stake from Jo." Harley laughed.

  "You robbed Jo?" he sounded incredulous.

  "Sure did. She ain't seen nobody. She's had a right busy day." Harley patted his shirt. "According to her, Lou and Gil are both out of town, and she ain't seen Callie or Sam. Said they don't come to town too often anyway. I imagine that's true."

  Joe fidgeted. He took the bottle off the bar and they moved to a nearby table. There was one dancehall girl there that Joe had taken a shine to once, Carla, and the piano player, everything was calm. Brisk and loud music blasted through the streets as Robert the blind man played the piano. But as Joe stretched his long legs under the table and poured himself and Harley another drink, he glanced at him. "You're taking too many chances, Harley. We got to get on the move. You didn't hurt Jo did you?"

  Harley propped his foot on an empty chair at the table where they were sitting, and drank the whiskey down that Joe poured for him. "You know me better than that. I don't harm the ladies; I'm like you on that. Jed's the only cold-blooded son of a gun among us. At least I don't …if I can help it. But I did shake her up a bit."

  Joe nodded, satisfied. "I'd have liked to seen that. That old gal is tough."

  "There's one thing we might want to do." Harley suggested as he poured another drink for himself.

  "What's that?" Joe eyed him.

  "If Callie got hold of that money, then she might have returned it to the bank and left town so we couldn't find her. What we could do is pay Mr. Phelps another visit. I mean…if the money is there…why not take it again? This time a night, the Sheriff out of town, it'd be easy-pickings."

  Joe considered Harley's idea. "Good point. Callie just don't strike me as the kind to steal. Too much like Ma, I guess. It's what I liked about her, that honest streak she always had. We need to get out of this town and now. But we could make a quick trip to see Phelps. It wouldn't do any harm."

  "The banks just now closing too." Harley smiled. "But…what about Callie. You still going after her too?"

  "Not if the money is in the bank, I’m not. Ain't worth it. All right Harley, we'll run over there. If she returned it, we'll just take it again. Then blow this town for good. Let's go." Joe nodded.

  "Where's Billy and Jed?" Harley asked him.

  "Down at the stable getting our horses. We'll see Mr. Phelps then join them there. And head out." Joe instructed him.

  "Sounds like a plan." Harley laughed.

  They were right, Mr. Phelps was just pulling the shades down at the windows in the bank, and he hadn't locked the door yet. So they burst in on him suddenly.

  Mr. Phelps turned pale when he saw the two guns aimed right at him and the big smirks on Joe and Harley's face.

  Joe could actually see the old man trembling. His hands shaking at his sides.

  "What do you want?" He demanded, eyeing the guns more than them.

  "Well now, that ain't too friendly Mr. Phelps. But you see, we heard a rumor. We heard someone brought the money we done stole back to this bank. Is that right?"

  "What money?"

  "Don't play games old man. I'm ready to blast you right here and now." Joe snarled knocking the old man against the wall.

  "Did Callie bring the money back?" Joe demanded to know as he poked the gun into Mr. Phelps.

  "Callie?" Mr. Phelps frowned. "What would she have to do with this?"

  Joe shook his head. "Don't play games with me. Where's the money Mr. Phelps?"

  "I don't know what you are talking about." The old man denied.

  "Open the safe." Joe demanded.

  "It isn't locked yet…." Mr. Phelps shook his head.

  Joe and Harley saw the safe standing wide open and bent to fill the sacks on the counter with the money. There was even more there now. Harley was laughing.

  "So she did bring it back. Just what I thought…" Joe was counting the money they already stole and then some.

  They looked at Mr. Phelps. "Never thought I'd have to rob the damn thing twice…" Joe laughed, and they started toward the door.

  Unable to stand it any longer, Mr. Phelps ran for his gun on his desk. Joe saw him and shot him. Mr. Phelps bent over the desk, and then slumped onto it. The look in his eyes told Joe he was dead. Joe stared at the old man a moment, as though shooting him bothered him some, but he finally shrugged and explained aloud. "Sorry Mr. Phelps, hated to do that, but you just don't stay robbed."

  Then Joe and Harley ran out, and down the street to the livery.

  Homer was tied up to a post with his mouth gagged, as the boys brought the horses out. Jed and Billy had all four horses ready to ride.

  "You behave yourself Homer and we'll let you live." Harley laughed.

  Gagged and bound, Homer was helpless and at their mercy.

  "Think we should kill him?" Jed asked before they left, his eyes narrowing on Homer, his gun moving to do the job.

  "Naw…black men have a hard enough time. No use adding to his misery." Joe shook his head. "Let's ride boys."

  The four of them took off north of town.

  No one followed.

  Five miles out of town, they slowed their horses to a normal pace.

  "Where we heading?" Jed asked.

  Joe pushed his hat back on his head. "Not sure yet, but we're done with Hard Knocks, that's for sure."

  Jed rode up beside Joe. "I used to work for an old man up in the hills there, a few years back; he gathered wild mustangs and sold them. He had a line shack up there, not many know of it. It would be a good place for us to stop over and plan our next move. What do you think?" Jed asked, spitting his tobacco to the ground.

  "A line shack. Sounds like a good idea.Think you could still find it?" Joe asked him.

  "Sure…might take me a bit to get my bearings up there, but I'm sure I could."

  "Then that's where we'll go." Joe nodded.

  The others agreed. And they rode on, slowly, taking their time.

  "Kinda funny no one following us, huh?" Billy asked, feeling an unease slide up his back.

  "Yeah, a little. I guess we are home free now." Joe began to relax in the saddle a bit, resting his arm over his saddle horn.

  He turned to look over his shoulder once. He was leaving only one thing behind, his mother, God rest her soul. That was all he'd miss from this stinking town.

  ~*~

  Saul, David, and Lou and the small posse they raised ran into one of Dugan's hired hands, Ralph Sawyer.

  "Ralph what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?" Lou asked.

  "Just gettin' back from drivin' a herd up north for Mr. Dugan. What are you boys doin' out this way?" He asked spitting his tobacco to the ground and pushing his hat back on his head.

  "You been to the ranch?" Lou asked.

  "No, not yet, won't be long though. I'm takin' the payroll to Mr. Dugan now…" Ralph informed him.

  Lou bowed his head. "Then I guess you hadn't heard."

  "Heard what?" Ralph asked looking from one man to the other.

 
"Mr. Dugan…he's dead." Lou said in a low voice.

  "Dead! Hell no I hadn't heard. When did this happen?" Ralph sat up taller in the saddle, still eyeing the men nervously now.

  "A few days ago. Sally and his foreman too." Lou said.

  "My God man, what happened?"

  "We've narrowed it down to Joe Boggs and his gang."

  "But why? What did he have against Dugan?" Ralph asked.

  Lou thought about it a minute and offered to make camp and talk about it.

  Ralph was eager to hear the news and when his boys caught up to him, he told them the news. Everyone was gathered around that campfire to hear the story.

  When Lou was through telling it, no one said a word for a long time. It was so quiet the only sound made was the big fire they made for camp. The wood would crackle and send tiny flames into the air.

  Finally, Ralph shook his head and swallowed his coffee, then looked at Lou and Saul. "I figured Joe for a lot of things. But I never thought he'd kill a woman…"

  "I don't think it was intentional, because of the way she died, she hit her head on the fireplace. But she was obviously shoved. I never thought Joe would stoop to this either. But…they are all three dead and buried. I guess this makes you the head man at the Dugan ranch right now, Ralph."

  "Well, what do I do with all the money we got from the sale of the cattle, Lou?" Ralph asked.

  "If you know the combination to his safe, put it in there. If not, put it in a safe place until we get back to town. We'll go from there. I guess you could pay the men off and yourself right away. The rest should go to his estate I reckon. No time to worry with that. We've got to catch Joe."

  Ralph nodded. "You men going after Joe?"

  "Yeah…"

  "Need any help?"

  "I don't think so. Too many up there would just tip them off we are behind them." Lou said. "Sometimes it's wiser to move with fewer than more."

  Ralph nodded. "Alright, I can take care of things at the ranch until you return. Good luck to you."

  "Thanks…"

  The boys all nodded to each other.