Five Belles to Hell

by Tony Masero

  ‘What about this one?’ asked Molly, looking down at the thrashing Wayland, who lay sobbing and clutching at his shattered leg.

  ‘We leave him for Lomas and his sister,’ said a stone-faced Kirby. ‘They have first call on that son-of-a-bitch.’

  Chapter Sixteen

  On the far side of the quay a strange cavalcade was making its way towards The Phantom.

  It looked to be that four men and three mules were rattling across the stones of the dockside. The far-off sound of shooting inside the saloon was barely audible to the riders over the sound of slopping waves and the thump of moored fishing vessels as they bumped together in the tidal sway.

  His fat body perched on the lead mule; a nervous Sweet Dean Pye led the baggage-laden train. Behind, at the rear of the line rode three hooded and cloaked riders.

  ‘You’d best ride up alongside that fool,’ Lomas advised Lulu. ‘There’s no telling how long his brass will last, he’s nigh on wetting his britches as it is.’

  ‘I go do it,’ said Lulu, lifting the hood of her cloak further up over her head and urging the pony forward.

  They pulled up alongside the steps leading down to The Phantom’s jolly boat that was moored ready for any final crewmembers that were still shore-side. A lone sailor sat on a bollard beside the steps leading down to the waterline and waited to take on the late arrivals.

  ‘Hey, there,’ mumbled Sweet Dean, only too aware of Lulu close at his shoulder. ‘I’m, um…. Sweet Dean Pye and have a shipment to bring aboard.’

  ‘Oh, yeah,’ said the seaman. ‘We got word from The Grand Knight, that you might be coming by.’

  ‘Oh dear Lord! H…. he’s aboard already?’ stuttered Sweet Dean.

  ‘His carriage arrived earlier. Can you get your men there to bring that load down the rowboat?’

  ‘I g…. guess so,’ mumbled Sweet Dean doubtfully.

  ‘You alright, fella?’ asked the sailor, suddenly suspicious. ‘You look a mite peaky. This is all on the level, ain’t it?’

  Lulu’s cloak swayed out, spreading in the night air like a great bat’s wing and encompassing the curious seaman in its dark shadow.

  ‘What th….’ gasped the sailor. His words were cut off as Lulu’s fingers, sharpened into a blunt spearhead, thumped him with one swift resounding blow in the side of the skull. The man’s eyes rolled up and Lulu covered him with her cloak as he fell unconscious to the ground.

  ‘Impressive,’ said Lomas.

  ‘He sleep, no trouble,’ said Lulu.

  ‘Let’s get this stuff onto the rowboat. Sweet Dean, move your fat ass and start loading the bags.’

  ‘Do I have to?’ whined Sweet Dean. ‘I mean I’ve done all you asked. Couldn’t you just let me go now.’

  Lomas raised an eyebrow and glanced meaningfully across at Lulu. ‘You need some encouragement, fat boy?’ he asked.

  Sweet Dean looked fearfully at the cloaked figure of the slightly built Chinawoman. ‘Alright, alright,’ he said quickly. ‘It’s just my broken finger, it pains me a mite, that’s all.’

  Lulu said nothing but eyed him balefully and Sweet Dean quickly went over to undo the bindings on the saddlebags.

  ‘Are we really going across there?’ asked Ladybell nervously, looking at the anchored vessel. ‘Right onto the ship.’

  ‘That’s the plan,’ her brother answered. ‘I think maybe you should stay here though. Keep ahold of the ponies for us.’

  ‘I don’t think so, Lomas,’ said Ladybell, brushing aside her misgivings and answering him firmly. ‘I want to look that pig Paramount Bliss in the eye as he goes down. I have a lot to thank him for.’

  Lomas shrugged, ‘Whatever you say, sis. There never was any arguing with you.’

  They loaded the small vessel and crowded aboard with Sweet Dean sitting in the prow. Then Lomas pushed off and began to row over towards the ship.

  The Phantom was anchored at stern and bow and smoke was beginning to pump from the funnels as the fires in the boiler room below were stoked up. The sleek and streamlined gray vessel demonstrated her capacity for speed; with a shallow draught she was raked to the stern with two tall tilted chimneystacks and sail masts rising from the deck. She sat low in the water and the giant paddle wheels rose up to half their height above the deck, both positioned center-ship between the stacks on each side. The portholes along the rear half were alight but there was little sign of activity on the deck with only a few crewmen about as Lomas pulled the rowboat alongside the steps of a gangway that hung down the ship’s side.

  ‘Who’s that?’ called a voice from the rail above.

  Lulu poked Sweet Dean unceremoniously in the back and he repeated his mission as they had told him to.

  ‘Best come aboard then,’ said the gangway officer.

  The ship was berthed so low in the water that the gap between rowboat and deck was no more than twelve feet and it was easy for the four to ascend with their saddlebags.

  ‘I’ll go let the captain know you’re here,’ said the officer, peering at the foursome in the darkness.

  ‘I think not,’ said Lomas, drawing his pistol. ‘We’re fine where we are.’

  ‘You, what?’ said the man. ‘I don’t think you….’

  Lulu swept back her cloak and spun a massive high kick that landed against the man’s head, knocking his peaked cap off and sending him staggering. Lomas calmly walked over and brought down his revolver, knocking the man to the deck.

  ‘Where’d you learn that stuff?’ he asked Lulu.

  ‘I bad girl when little,’ was all Lulu said in explanation.

  Lomas shook his head, amazed at the young woman’s strange capacity for unique and violent unarmed action, ‘Let’s set it up then,’ he said.

  Quickly they began to unpack the grenades they had carried from the armory in the Bliss house, stringing them alongside the deck housing of the great paddle wheels. The ball shaped explosives were stacked in a line joined to each by paper fuses.

  ‘You sure this will be enough?’ asked Ladybell.

  Lomas shrugged, ‘I don’t know, I ain’t no explosive expert but one things for sure; it’ll make one hell of a mess. If we can damage those wheels then these Golden Circle boys won’t be going anywhere until we can get the army in here.’

  ‘Maybe we should ring the masts and drop those as well so they can’t make sail.’

  ‘That’s a good thought, sis,’ agreed Lomas. ‘You two keep up with the wheels and I’ll go get it done. And keep your eye on the fat man.’

  Sweet Dean stood nervously by watching them, wringing his hands together and shifting from one foot to the other as if he was desperate to urinate.

  Lomas picked up a sack of the explosives and made his way stealthily forward. There were men about at the prow, they stood smoking and chatting together, ready Lomas supposed, to see the anchor raised when the order went out and it was obvious from their presence that the ship was almost ready to sail.

  Lomas began to unpack the grenades, ringing them around the circumference of the great mast.

  Then he heard Sweet Dean begin squealing.

  ‘Help! Help! Get help up here. They plan to blow the ship.’

  Lomas looked over at the crewmen at the prow. The two men looked around curiously and then began to run back down the deck calling out as they came.

  ‘What’s going on?’ one shouted as Lomas stepped out from behind the mast.

  Lomas shot them both, dropping the two with blasts from his revolver. Then he quickly knelt and striking a match across the deck boards set fire to the paper fuse.

  At the sound of gunfire, the decks became alive with activity. Men came, calling out in confusion in the darkness as they ran up to the deck from below. Lomas heard Bliss shouting out orders above the general sounds of mayhem and he began to make his way back towards Ladybell and Lulu.

  As he ran, Lomas bumped into men in the dark. He wielded his pistol and clouted heads where he could, others he buffeted aside with his shoulder.
One man tumbled away from Lomas’ charge and hit the bulwark; he lost his balance and tumbled over the side, dropping with a splash into the water.

  When Lomas made it back, he could see struggling figures gathered in the shadow of one of the big wheels. He heard a cry.

  ‘It’s a woman, Captain. They got grenades here.’

  ‘What!’ roared Bliss and Lomas saw the tall and muscled form looming over the struggling figures.

  ‘Bring her here,’ Bliss ordered, his gold earring a flash in the darkness.

  Behind Lomas, the grenades at the mast went off in a booming sheet of bright light. He felt he blast wave hit his back and push him forward. Behind him he heard a screeching and cracking sound as the mast gave way, its base blasted into splinters. With a rending sound and twanging of wires and snapping of ropes the mast tumbled, crashing against the ship’s rail and then tumbling into the water of the harbor.

  With their attention diverted, Lomas dashed in amongst the group grappling under the paddle wheel. He fired once dropping one sailor who held Ladybell by the arm. Twisting he aimed and fired again at a man alongside. Both figures cried out and fell away.

  He saw the huge figure of Paramount Bliss lean in and sweep Ladybell up, holding her protectively before him. A figure flew out of the darkness from above, seeming to rain down as if a pouncing panther. Both feet of the figure struck Bliss in the side, driving hard into his ribcage. With a groan, Bliss released Ladybell and turned to face his attacker.

  Lomas tried to pick off a shot but Ladybell stood wavering in a dazed state between them, unsteadily staggering on her feet.

  ‘Get out the way, Ladybell,’ Lomas called.

  Bliss roared angrily as the small figure of Lulu leapt at him again, swirling on the spot and delivering a high kick to his face. Bliss twisted his head aside and raised protective arms as Lulu attacked; he blocked her kicks and blows on his broad arms before reaching out and slapping both hands on each side of Lulu’s head. He held her there, gripping her ears and lifting her frail figure free of the deck. Lulu climbed up him, using his body as a ladder and twisted free, completing a somersault to bring her down on her feet facing him.

  Lomas’ aim was impeded again by the presence of Lulu as the fast moving pair battled it out. He gave up the task and dragging Ladybell to one side, knelt and began to fire the grenade fuses at the base of the nearest paddle wheel.

  Strangely, Lomas heard a child crying. He turned his head but could not define where the sound came from with all the rushing feet and shouting men running around the deck. He guessed it had travelled across the water, coming from somewhere inside the town. Disregarding the wailing sounds of the child, he scratched another match alight and touched it to the last paper fuse. He was about to rise to his feet when he felt the revolver being drawn from his holster.

  He looked up to see Ladybell, the pistol in both hands as she awkwardly levered back the hammer with her thumb.

  ‘Ladybell?’ he said. ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Paying back in full measure,’ she said, turning from him and making her way over towards the struggling pair.

  The captain had caught hold of Lulu by her long black hair and was jerking her hard towards him. Lulu gritted her teeth and uttered a small moan as she was dragged in.

  ‘Got you now, you slit-eyed bitch,’ Bliss snarled, his teeth shining white against his black beard. He clasped her small head in his broad hands. The hands were so big they almost covered her entire head. Lulu twisted, her fists punching hard at the unseen chest before her.

  The muscles in Bliss’s tattooed arms bunched, the great biceps rising taught with the pumping solidity of huge rocks. Blood vessels stood out like writhing snakes under the skin and the ligaments tightened in cordlike strings as with a grunt, Bliss twisted the head sharply sideways in a sudden jerk. There was a soft crunch like a boot pressing into overnight snow and Lulu jerked once and hung lifeless, her body hanging limp in the big man’s hands.

  ‘Hah!’ Bliss sighed with contentment as he dropped Lulu to the deck as if she were a discarded wet towel.

  Then he felt something hard prod him in the small of the back; he started, raising one questioning eyebrow.

  ‘Die, you filthy beast,’ he heard a voice say.

  Then Ladybell pulled the trigger and blew the base of his spine out through his stomach in a sweltering bloom of bloody intestinal slime.

  Ladybell spat down at the twitching body, ‘Now tell me the world isn’t a better place without you, you abominable swine.’

  ‘We have to go, sis,’ said Lomas, grabbing her by the arm.

  Together they ran to the ship’s rail and Lomas lifted her bodily and threw her clear of the ship’s side. He quickly climbed the rail and leapt over himself.

  They landed in the water as the first grenade exploded, in a chain the others quickly followed. One great flash after another, the resounding ring of torn iron fragments and metal rivets ricocheted into the night air. Another and then another great boom sounded, sending flaring reflections of orange light rippling in broken facets across the surface of the water.

  ‘Swim for it!’ Lomas ordered the black outline of Ladybell’s bobbing head.

  They thrust out heading for the quayside as debris began to patter into the water around them. Lomas risked a glance over his shoulder and he saw the great wheel beginning to fold at the middle, the metal wrenching and screaming as the heavy weight gave way. It fell inwards crashing through the superstructure, crushing the cabins and decking, driving a great hole into the belly of the ship.

  The Phantom rocked and leaned over dangerously, its low siding dragged closer to the waterline. Then, in only a moment water began to slop over the edge and flow across the deck pulling the ship down further. She took on water at a terrible rate, the great hole excavated by the fallen wheel quickly filling. The ship rolled over and there was a huge explosion of steam as the flooding water hit the hot furnaces primed for the ship’s leaving. A cataclysmic uprising of churning seawater flew skywards, blasting the night air in a huge bubbling fountain that rose high into the air. Such was the force, it lifting the shattered vessel in a sullen upswing before dropping it back down again.

  Softly, the ship submerged, its sleek outlines ravaged with burnt holes of twisted metal as the sea poured in. The ship lay there her hull half out of the water, unable to sink lower in the shallow water of the harbor.

  Lomas helped Ladybell up onto the steps of the dock and they sat together a moment, gasping from the exertion and wiping water from their panting faces.

  ‘Poor Lulu,’ Ladybell said, watching the dull glow of the ship surrounded by turbulent water as it settled.

  ‘What happened to Sweet Dean?’ asked Lomas.

  ‘When Lulu went around to plant the bombs at the other wheel, he started bawling. I tried to stop him but he pushed me away. He was stronger than I thought. Then Lulu was there and she made short work of him. She did some kind of throw that sent him overboard. We could hear him in the night; he was crying out that he couldn’t swim. He stopped his noise after a while.’

  Lomas climbed to his feet, water dripping in runnels from his clothes. He held his hand out to his sister.

  ‘Come on, girl. Let’s get you home.’

  Epilogue

  ‘And the railroad money?’ asked Allen Pinkerton.

  They were meeting in the new offices of the Pinkerton Agency, except that is for Lomas and Ladybell who had returned to reclaim the Rolfe House in Columbine. Belle and Kirby sat opposite Pinkerton who occupied his paper-strewn desk and watched them from under furrowed brows.

  ‘It went down with the ship, along with Xavier Bond,’ Belle supplied with a shrug. ‘A few divers should manage to resurrect it.’

  Pinkerton cleared his throat and looked awkwardly away from them. He drew a deep breath, ‘Well, in point of fact that’s not quite accurate I’m afraid.’

  Kirby frowned, ‘How so?’

  ‘The train robbery money will be there
, I’ve no doubt of it. But as for the other, I’m afraid not.’

  ‘Xavier Bond didn’t go down with The Phantom, is that what you’re saying,’ Belle asked.

  ‘That’s correct.’

  ‘But his carriage brought him aboard, it was seen.’

  Pinkerton shook his head, ‘No, unfortunately what was seen was in fact his wife and child being brought on board. Both of them were found, along with many others, amongst the drowned.’

  Belle covered her mouth with her hand, ‘Oh, my God!’ she whispered.

  ‘That’s bad,’ Kirby agreed.

  ‘Unfortunate, to say the least,’ Pinkerton added briskly. ‘And doubly unfortunate is the fact that Bond will not let us rest in peace now. He and the Knights of the Golden Circle will be intent on revenge and it appears that one of his acolytes, a certain ex-Rebel and committed servant of the South named Jesse James is playing a part in this. The outlaw is plaguing our railroad company customers; he seems to have set his eye particularly on those we are employed to defend. But despite that particular problem, thanks to your efforts, with all their recent losses we can be sure the Knights will be quiet for a wee while until they have built up their resources again.’

  ‘Are you going after this James fellow?’ Belle asked.

  ‘In due time,’ Pinkerton promised somberly. ‘I shall make it my personal business to bring him down, but one other thing. Tell me what happened to the cash this Sweet Dean Pye character and his cronies inveigled?’

  ‘We thought it best it went back to where it came from. Lomas has taken Miss Ladybell home to reclaim her property and they plan to use the cash doing what it was intended for originally by the Freedmen’s Bureau. We considered that the fairest use of the cash.’

  ‘I agree,’ said Pinkerton. ‘I’ll clear it with the Bureau and arrange for Miss Ladybell to act as due agent down there. Least we can do after all she’s been through. As to the other criminals involved in her kidnapping, Sweet Dean Pye turned up on the beach drowned and the leader of his gang, Captain Wayland will not come through either. Gangrene, a slow and painful way to go. It appears the wound in his leg has turned rotten and the infection creeps up his body at a pace, he will not last the week, I fear.’