by Ralph Cotton
Orsen thought about Rudy’s words for a moment and finally said, “Yeah, I have to admit you’re on to something here, sure enough. But all this stuff is worrisome to me. I like robbing a bank and leaving town in a hurry—the way we’ve always done it before.”
“Not this time, Orsen,” said Rudy. “This time we’re playing winner takes all. If this preacher can’t run Paradise the way it should be run, I’m obliged to take it over and run it myself.” He gigged his horse into a trot and rode toward the front of the riders, in eager anticipation of what awaited him once they arrived in Paradise.
PART THREE
Chapter 16
Upon arrival in Paradise, Rudy, Orsen and Ernie followed Reverend Jessup to the believers meetinghouse, where they waited out front at the hitch rail while Jessup and his bodyguards walked inside and turned Delphia over to three of Jessup’s other wives. “Look after her,” he said. “Tonight we will all rejoice at having one of our own back among us.” Turning to another of his followers who had stayed behind to watch Paradise, he said, “Now then, Brother Paul, what have you learned for me in my absence?”
“I have learned much, Father,” the tall, gaunt man said, rolling down his shirtsleeves as he spoke.
“I can always count on you, beloved Brother Paul,” Jessup beamed, laying a hand on the man’s broad shoulder. The man bowed slightly, turned and walked to the rear door, with Jessup and his bodyguards right behind him.
“I would never let you down, Father,” said Brother Paul, reaching out and opening the rear door for him and his bodyguards.
Out front Rudy leaned against the hitch rail with Orsen and Ernie, Jessup’s men standing a few yards away. Beyond them Falon and his men stood in a small circle talking among themselves. Instinctively Rudy eyed the street in both directions, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Seeing nothing noteworthy, he relaxed a bit and said quietly to Orsen, “I’m ready to make our move, just as soon as Jessup shows us another opening. Keep your eyes peeled and your gun hands ready.”
Orsen smiled and replied without facing Rudy, “We’re ready when you are, Rudy. I’m just wondering where Gun and Jim Heady are.”
“The Gun will show up when he sees it’s time,” said Rudy. “I expect that he’s got Heady on a short leash right about now, keeping him from doing something stupid.”
Orsen started to say something else, but before he could, Jessup and his bodyguards came walking quickly toward them from the meetinghouse. As Jessup approached, the rest of his men fell in around the bodyguards and walked purposefully forward, causing Rudy a moment of concern.
“Something’s up,” Rudy whispered sidelong to Orsen.
“We’re ready for it,” said Orsen. He blew a chewed-up wooden match from his mouth and let his hand lie poised near his holstered Colt. Beside him, Ernie did the same, none of the three making any move that appeared defensive, yet each of them ready to draw their weapons and began a rain of gunfire with a second’s notice.
But to their surprise, Jessup stopped a few feet away and said in a jovial tone, “Gentlemen, where are my manners?” He tossed his hands as if to chastise himself and said, “Come inside. Let’s have some cool water and rest out of the sun.”
Rudy breathed easier and asked coolly, “While we’re drinking water, maybe you’ll send Mr. Lexar over to the bank and get our money for us, Reverend.”
“Oh, your money, of course,” said Jessup as if the money had slipped his mind. He glanced at Lexar, who stood with the rest of Jessup’s men. “Bother Lexar, go get the money and bring it to us inside the meetinghouse.”
“Yes, Father,” said Lexar. He bowed slightly and hurried away toward the bank across the street.
“Now then, gentlemen,” said Jessup, sweeping a hand toward the meetinghouse door, “if you’ll join me, I have something to show you that I know you’ll find most interesting.” Seeing the slightest hesitancy on Rudy’s part, Jessup added, “It concerns Mr. Sloane Mosely and his current standing in our Community of Believers.”
Rudy, Orsen and Ernie started to step forward, but one of the bodyguards held up a hand stopping them, saying, “First, I’m afraid I have to ask you for your guns.”
Rudy tensed, so did Orsen and Ernie, flanking him. “I’m getting real tired of handing over my firearm every time I turn a corner in this town,” Rudy said firmly.
“It’s the rule,” said Searcy, also firmly. “No firearms inside the meetinghouse.”
Before Rudy could respond, Jessup stepped forward, saying, “Come, come, Brother Searcy. It’s all right this time. These men have trusted us with their railroad’s money. Surely we can trust them to carry their guns in a civil manner. I only created that rule to ensure harmony in cases of solving disputes between some of the nonbeliever settlers when we first arrived here.” He tossed his hands. “Now that there are no more nonbelievers settled in Wolf Valley, I believe we can forgo that ruling.” He smiled amiably. “Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Able?”
“Completely, Reverend.” Rudy relaxed, allowing his hand to come away from his gun butt. Jessup was making this easy for him, he thought, stepping forward, motioning for Orsen and Ernie to follow. “Come on, fellows. The good reverend is making an exception in our case. Now that’s the kind of courtesy I could grow accustomed to. After you, Reverend.”
The three fell in behind Jessup and followed him and his two bodyguards inside the meetinghouse. Once inside, Rudy looked around fondly at polished wooden chairs and pulpits glowing in soft candlelight from brass lanterns that lined walls adorned with religious paintings and tapestries of a quality fit for a royal castle. Hearing Rudy let out a short gasp of admiration, Jessup stopped for a moment, turned and said, “Gentlemen, let us stand here for a moment and drink in the beauty of this most holy place.” He turned to the two bodyguards and said, “Brother Searcy, you and Brother Edmunds go to the bank and see what’s taking Brother Lexar so long. He should have been back with the money by now.”
“But, Father,” Searcy said in a lowered voice, as if to keep his words hidden from Rudy and his men. He flicked his eyes toward Rudy, implying a concern for Jessup’s safety.
“Nonsense, Brother Searcy,” said Jessup. “I have nothing to fear from these good businessmen! Run along! Bring back the money. We’ll wait here for you in this place of peace.” He spread his hands to take in the inside of the meetinghouse.
Rudy gave Orsen and Ernie a sharp glance as soon as the two bodyguards closed the front door behind themselves. “Now’s the time,” Rudy whispered. “Let’s do it!”
Jessup had turned to face a long altar, where candlelight glinted off ornate golden goblets and serving platters. But on hearing the slightest commotion behind him, he turned back toward the three and found himself looking down the barrel of Rudy’s cocked Colt. Startled, Jessup looked all around as if it had suddenly dawned on him that he’d sent his bodyguards away and left himself vulnerable. “Oh my,” he said calmly, raising his hands chest high, “I certainly walked blindly into this, didn’t I?”
Rudy grinned cruelly. “Yeah, I would say so. But be too hard on yourself, Preacher. It happens to the best of us.”
“You’re not railroad men at all, are you?” Jessup asked.
“No, not at all,” said Rudy. “We’re thieves, plain and simple. We came here to rob Paradise.”
“The bank?” Jessup stared at him.
“Of course, the bank,” said Rudy.
“Yes, of course.” Jessup sighed as if chastising himself for not knowing it all along. “And to think I trusted you…took you in among my believers, rode with you on a matter most personal to me. All along this is what you came here to do.”
“Robbing the bank was what we came here to do,” said Rudy, “but things have changed. After seeing the way you’re robbing this whole town on a day-to-day basis, I’ve decided I want more than just a few stolen dollars and a hard ride across Wolf Valley.” His grinned widened. “Besides, you’ve already shown us that nobody is going to es
cape you here on your own ground. I have to say I’m obliged for you showing me that.”
“If not the bank, what is it you want now?” Jessup asked, getting an even warier look on his face.
“I’m taking everything you’ve got going here, Jessup: your women, your money, your power. From now on, I’ll be ruling Paradise.”
Jessup shook his head slowly. “My believers will never allow that, Mr. Able—if that’s your real name.”
“My real name is Banatell,” said Rudy, “but don’t waste your time trying to remember it. You’re not going to be here long. As for your believers”—he shrugged—“they’ll come around. I’ve already talked to your station attendants. They can’t wait to hear I’ve put a bullet in your brain. The same goes with Falon and your trappers. You’ve treated everybody so bad for so long, I’m not going to have a bit of trouble taking this place over.”
“And there isn’t a thing I can do to save my own life?” Jessup asked.
“Not a thing I can think of, Jessup,” said Rudy. “You gave me the opening, letting those bodyguards leave you here with me. There’s nothing left for me to do but kill you.” His eyes narrowed as he extended his arm, leveled the cocked Colt and aimed at Jessup’s forehead from less than six feet away. “Adios, Preacher,” Rudy growled under his breath, his fist tightening around the gun butt, his finger tightening on the trigger. On either side of him, Ernie and Orsen did the same. Jessup didn’t so much as flinch when all three hammers fell with nothing more than an impotent metal on metal click.
“Gawddamn it!” Rudy shouted, already realizing that something had gone wrong with his whole plan. Yet, even as his heart sank with the realization, he quickly thumbed back his hammer twice more, each time hearing it fall with the same result.
Staring at his Colt in wide-eyed disbelief, Ernie cried out in a shaky voice as his and Orsen’s guns made the same dull clicking sounds. “It’s a miracle! He really is God!”
“Shut up, you damn fool!” said Rudy. “We’ve been had!”
“Indeed, you have been,” said Jessup, raising a hand and giving a signal. Doors and windows flew open; gun barrels pointed in at the three hapless gunmen from every direction. “Brothers Searcy and Edmunds, come in here quickly. Take their guns. I’m growing weary of this little charade.”
“Damn, Rudy!” Orsen cried out. “What are we going to do?”
“I expect we’re going to die, Orsen,” Rudy replied, staring coldly into Jessup’s eyes.
“That’s the first time you’ve been right all day,” Jessup said. Over his shoulder he said, “Falon, get in here. Let this fool see just how many of you he had on his side.”
Frank Falon walked in through the rear door, stopped and looked Rudy in the eye. “He didn’t have anybody on his side, Father,” said Falon. To Rudy he said, “You thought Paradise was easy pickings. Now look at you. You don’t look so proud and bold now, do you?”
“You son of a bitch,” Rudy growled. “I’m still bolder and prouder than you! I might die trying to take over Paradise, but your sorry ass will always be enslaved here!” He spit in contempt at Falon’s feet.
“Why did you play along with us, Jessup?” Orsen asked, watching Brother Edmunds take his Colt from his hand and shove it down into his belt. “Why didn’t you just have it out with us to begin with? Why all this?”
“After you came here flashing all that so-called railroad money around,” said Jessup, “I had to see if there was anything to it.” He turned to Falon and said, “Good work, Frank. That will be all.”
Frank Falon gave Rudy a sour smile, saying, “See you in hell,” before he turned and left.
Rudy refused to acknowledge Falon with a second glance. “That money is all yours, Jessup,” he said, making a weak move at saving his life. “All you have to do is let us ride out of here. Call this whole thing a bad dream. We’ll never come back to Paradise. You’ve got my word on that.”
“I think not,” said Jessup, as if he had actually considered Rudy’s proposition. “I won’t need your word on it after you’re dead. Besides, we’ve checked the money over good. It’s all fake, every dollar of it.”
Rudy didn’t flinch. Instead he said, “I’ve still got my best gunman running loose out there. He won’t take this sitting still. You kill us, he’ll hound you till the day he dies.”
“Oh, you must mean Shelby,” said Jessup.
“That’s right,” said Rudy. “If you know anything about him, you’ll know that he’s a straight-up killer!”
“Yes, I’m sure he is.” Jessup shrugged, unconcerned. “But tell me about Sloane Mosely.”
“What about Sloane Mosely?” Rudy asked. “I don’t know anything about the man. First time I laid eyes on him was when we rode to his house with you and your men.”
“I saw the way you and he looked at one another,” said Jessup. “I couldn’t help but think the two of you had crossed trails before. If there’s anything you can tell me about him, I suggest you do so now, before my patience with you wears thin.”
“You mean, if I could tell you anything about Sloane Mosely, that would get us off this spot, save our lives?” Rudy asked, looking for a way to save himself and the others.
“No, I don’t think it would save your lives,” said Jessup. As he spoke, he walked past Rudy to the rear door and swung it open. “But there is something good to be said about dying quickly.”
Rudy tried another weak threat as he followed Jessup out into a yard surrounded by high stone walls. “I’m not sure who’ll be doing the dying here once the Gun hears what’s going on. For all I know, he could be putting you in his rifle sights right now.”
“I hardly think so,” said Jessup, directing Rudy’s and his men’s attention toward the body of the Gun hanging from an iron rack with a long steel spike driven through his forehead.
“Good God!” said Rudy, stopping cold and swallowing hard at the gruesome sight. He noted that the Gun’s fingers were missing from both hands and that his lips had been sliced away, leaving the corpse with a wide, sardonic grin. Most of the skin had been carved away from the Gun’s chest. Short, bloody strips of viscera still hung limply down from the corpse’s lower belly.
“As you can see, your friend the Gun was hard-headed to the end, and this is the end he chose for himself.”
“Where’s Heady?” Rudy asked
“Young Mr. Heady has seen the light since last we met,” said Jessup. “Brother Paul tells me that the dear fellow has done a complete turnaround in his thinking and is at this very moment being administered religious instruction by some of my qualified believers at a quiet location. I can’t wait to have him stand at my side.”
“Jesus,” Rudy whispered, shaking his head slowly at the prospect of Jim Heady standing by Jessup’s side after what Jessup had done to him. “I’ve got to hand it to you, Preacher,” he said. “You know how to bend and mold people into whatever shape you want them in.”
“You made a common mistake,” said Jessup, “thinking these folks wanted out from under my thumb. This is where they are secure. They feel safe with my whip always looming above their heads. If not for my stern discipline, Paradise would be no different than any other hell hole in this godforsaken wilderness.”
“Give me five minutes and a bottle of whiskey and I can change Heady’s mind all over again, Preacher, and I believe you know that.”
“Yes, I do know that,” said Jessup, “and that is all the more reason why a weak person like Heady needs someone like me to keep him beaten into submission.” Jessup tossed the matter aside. “Be that as it may”—he looked at the face of each of the three men in turn—“I wonder if any of you will have the good sense to tell me about Sloane Mosely.” He raised a hand toward the corpse of the Gun. “Or is this sort of harsh, terrible death more preferable to you?”
Seeing the look on Orsen’s and Ernie’s faces, Rudy said to Jessup, “Why are you so worried about Sloane Mosely.”
“Because his gun skills are legend
ary,” said Jessup. “I’m not ashamed to admit that I don’t want to risk the lives of my followers against someone like Mosely.”
“You got the drop on us without firing a shot, Preacher,” said Rudy, “so I don’t think you’re too afraid of Mosely.”
Before Jessup could reply, Searcy escorted Frank Falon back into the yard and walked him up close to Jessup’s side. “Yes, what is it, Falon?” Jessup snapped.
Falon leaned closer and whispered between Jessup and himself. Jessup’s expression changed as he nodded and considered Falon’s words. “Well, then,” Jessup said, “it appears I won’t have to squeeze any secrets out of you three after all. Falon has just informed me that the man we’ve all thought is Sloane Mosely is actually a ne’er-do-well named CC Ellis.”
“Falon’s lying,” said Rudy, doing what he could to protect Ellis.
Jessup gave Falon an expectant look.
“My brother, Kirby, and Willie Singer just told me. This is the man they had the shootout with along the creek. They both heard him say he’s CC Ellis.”
“CC Ellis, the long rider,” Jessup mused. “Now we’re starting to get somewhere.”
“You never heard it from me,” Rudy cut in.
“No,” said Jessup. “Yet the look on your face at this moment tells me Falon’s information is correct.” He paused, considering the information. “I’m beginning to understand. Sloane Mosely is not around. His young wife has been taken over by this man, who is impersonating her husband. That poor, dear woman. I’ll have to make things right for her. I won’t allow her to be used by some two-bit gunman.”
“If you think Ellis is nothing but a two-bit gunman,” said Rudy, “I’d give anything to be alive and see your face when he opens your belly with a fistful of bullets.”
“But sadly for you, you won’t be alive,” said Jessup. From the open doorway, Brother Paul appeared with Jim Heady standing shakily beside him. Turning toward them, Jessup said, “Yes, Brother Paul?”
