“The hell happened, Tom?” I walked over and lifted his hand and checked his stomach. He’d been shot.
“Fucker’s quick,” he said, gaspin’ for air. He was breathin’ so hard I thought he’d been runnin’ and sweat was drippin’ over his face.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know. Doolin went after him.”
“Which way?”
“East. They’re heading for Coalville.”
I lifted his shirt and looked closely at the wound. The blood was black. “Ah hell, Tom. What d’ya do ta yourself?”
“I can’t feel my legs, Jesse. My legs are numb. And this desert is fucking cold.”
I didn’t say nothin’ but he was losin’ so much blood he was gettin’ a chill. He would be dead soon.
I searched for tinder and built a small fire next ta Tom and I made some food but he wouldn’t eat so I just gave him water. He drank a lot and choked on it once so I had ta slow him down. Night fell but we didn’t talk none. We just sat there and stared inta the fire. I looked over ta him and he was lookin’ inta the flames unblinkin’.
“We cornered him,” he said. “He was right up there and Doolin said ta come around behind him. I did and he stood there motionless and then he spun around and shot. Just one shot. He hit me right in the center of my body and I collapsed. I heard some yelling and some shots were fired and Doolin yelled that he was going after him. He just left me here. Bastard just left me here.”
He looked ta me.
“Jesse, his eyes were different. I’ve known Andy for years and he always had a smile for me. But there wasn’t a smile there. It was like his mask had fallen off. I saw him for what he really was. And it scared me, Jesse. That’s why I froze and couldn’t fire back. He scared me. It wasn’t normal.”
“Hell, Tom. Ain’t none a this normal.”
He was quiet a moment. “You never did tell me what you did in Swainsville.”
“Why would you bring that up now?”
His breathin’ was harder. “I’m dying, aren’t I?”
“You’re not dyin’ Tom. Come mornin’ you and I are headin’ out and back ta town.”
He chuckled and it made him cough and he grimaced from the pain. “What exactly are we going to do? Have me ride on your shoulders? We’re not going anywhere.”
I checked the wound again. I took out somethin’ from my pack, a small quilt, and wrapped it round his waist real tight. He squirmed and grunted underneath it but he left it on.
“What did you do in Swainsville? You mentioned it once when you were drunk and then wouldn’t talk about it again.”
I sat back down by the fire. “Why you so interested in that outta nowheres?”
“I’ve always wanted to ask. Never thought it was proper.”
I looked inta the flames. “We was marchin’ through and we had orders ta leave people be that surrendered. But we was short on supplies and the orders was changed so that we could take what we wanted. Well the soldiers went inta the homes and came back out with all sorts a things. We was just supposed ta get supplies but they came out with gold and silver and necklaces and rings, anything that weren’t nailed down. I stood outside and didn’t go inta any homes. I didn’t want nobody else’s things so I didn’t go inside.
“But I heard screamin’ somethin’ awful from one a the houses. A woman. I looked round, I was just a major at the time and there was superiors all round but they just glanced over ta the house and didn’t say nothin’. But I heard the screamin’ again. I was young then and young men don’t think none. I headed inta the house. I genuinely didn’t know why a woman would be screamin’ if someone was just takin’ her things. I thought I would explain it ta her that she’d get compensated after the war and get her ta calm down. I went inta the house and in the livin’ room there was bout twelve men. On the floor was the lady a the house. She was nude and a man was on top a her copulatin’ as two other men held her down. They took turns. I saw nother man in the corner. He was tied up in a chair and beaten black and blue with a rag stuffed in his mouth and his hands tied ta the chair.
“Was her husband I figured. I watched as the man on top a her stood up and nother bent down and went inside a her. I was frozen. Some a em men was my superiors. One a em, I don’t remember his name, looked at me with this big smile on his face and said, ‘You wanna turn Jesse?’ So I did what a young man in that instance would do: I ran. I ran outta the house and down the street and out the town and I didn’t stop runnin’. I deserted the army, Tom. I ain’t never told no one that but Betty. I deserted the army and I left that woman there. Was the act of a coward.”
We was quiet a while fore I spoke again. “Anyways, Sherman marched on down through Georgia. Rest is what it is. But I see that woman in my sleep sometimes. I see battles I fought in and sometimes I see her. And it don’t matter if I tell her I’m sorry cause I don’t think she’d forgive me.”
He was quiet and then said, “It’s not cowardly to save your life. If you would have lifted your weapon against a superior officer they would have hung you. What good would that have done? You did the only thing you could.”
I shook my head. “I doubt that. I highly doubt that. I coulda tried. Least I coulda done was tried.” I took in a deep breath and let it out as I glanced down at my boots near the fire. “Anyway, they had a bounty up for all deserters so I had ta hide out in barns and swamps. Found some other deserters, from both sides, and we all hid out together and did what we could for each other. War ended not too long after. Lincoln issued a pardon ta all deserters.”
“He was a shit of a president but at least he did something right.”
“Now that’s where all you Southern folk is wrong. Ever’ single one. Lincoln’s policy toward the South was forgiveness. That man lived Christ’s word. He wanted us all ta forgive you and was prepared ta pay for fixin’ up the damage gettin’ you back on your feet. But Andrew Johnson hated the South and he treated you as such. Killin’ Lincoln was the worst thing that ever happened ta the South and you folks don’t even recognize it.” I spit inta the fire. “But what the hell do I know?”
“I’m really cold, Jesse. I’m shivering.”
I took off my thin overcoat and put it on him like a blanket.
“I’ve always wondered what this would be like. I wondered if it would be soft like slipping into a warm bath or if I would fight it.”
“Now don’t go talkin’ like that, Tom. You ain’t done yet.”
“My horse went off somewhere to the west. Not far I think. Find him, Jesse. You find him and then you find Andy and you put a bullet in his head for me. Promise me.”
I didn’t say nothin’.
“Promise me damn it!”
I was quiet again. “I promise, Tom,” I said softly.
CHAPTER 37
Mornin’ came like a bad wind. It was suddenly light, like the dark had never even existed. I opened my eyes and sat up. I’d managed ta sleep a few since the fire didn’t go out till just a little ago. I stood and stretched and walked over ta Tom. His eyes was closed.
“I’m a find your horse and we gettin’ ta gettin’ Tom.” He didn’t answer. I reached over and touched him. He was cold like a river in winter. I squeezed his shoulder, said a prayer, and stood up. I looked out west. Far out a ways I saw his horse wanderin’ bout.
The horse was jittery as I came up ta it and I had ta talk some and sooth it. I didn’t mount right away but instead rubbed the muzzle and just talked ta it. Easy talkin’ ta an animal. I told it bout Betty and how me met. Bout the war, bout Amanda…
I stopped talkin’ and we just stood round while the sun climbed in the sky. When I felt she had calmed I mounted and rode her out.
Coalville was likely a good fifty miles from here. The train station was what I was worried bout. If Andy got there, I’d never see him again.
I pushed the horse but I’d let her rest frequently, whenever there was shade. I shared what water there was.
We kept a good pac
e and traveled I would say twenty some odd miles fore the horse needed ta stop for a long rest. I fed her and knew she was too battered ta go any further just now. As I dismounted and went ta hitch her usin’ some stones, I noticed a limp in her front leg. I bent down and examined it. Was a cut that was festerin’.
“Shit.”
I stood and looked round. I couldn’t see nothin’ round here that was dangerous. But I couldn’t rest neither. I led the horse on foot and we continued. I checked our water as we walked. Two canteens left, each half full. Was nuff food though as Tom hadn’t eaten much and I took some provisions from him fore leavin’.
Sun seemed ta grow hotter and I kept my head low. I stripped down some but had ta keep my limbs covered or they’d burn somethin’ awful. The heat does odd things ta a mind. You start thinkin’ a things you don’t normally thinka but you don’t have the strength ta think bout em right and your thought gets jumbled and messy.
I was lost in thoughts and didn’t know which way they was takin’ me. I’d be happy a moment and then melancholy and then angry and I didn’t know why. I stopped and waited a beat and thought clean thoughts and hoped that’d help clear it all. I glanced round and saw a glimmer off in the distance and then turned back ta the horse when it hit me that there weren’t nothin’ in the desert should be glimmerin’.
I looked again. The glimmerin’ was gettin’ close. I didn’t move as I wanted ta see what it was. Slowly, two figures came inta view. Two men on horses, the sun gleamin’ off their weapons. Relief washed over me. Doolin’ had caught the bastard.
I started ridin’ out ta em as quickly as I could. Thank the Lord, I thought. Thank his might. He don’t suffer evil men.
Then I saw it weren’t Doolin. It was two Indians.
The Lord sure don’t suffer fools neither.
I stopped. They was too close ta run now cause they was certain ta give chase. So I stood my ground and showed strength. Though it was clear they weren’t buyin’ it.
The two a em stopped just ahead a me and was eyein’ me over. I made sure they saw the Colt at my side and the rifle that was strapped ta the horse. Didn’t matter though cause one a em had a rifle too. Weren’t unusual ta see Indians with rifles so I didn’t think nothin’ a it till I looked real close. No make, no model. It was Doolin’s rifle.
“Where did you get that?” I said. They didn’t move. I pointed ta the rifle. “Where?” I made a motion over the desert. “Where?”
They glanced ta each other and didn’t say nothin’. But they pushed forward and strolled right past me. They was comin’ from the south and so that’s where I was headed.
I tried ta keep the pace light but I found it too hard and my horse would break inta a sprint and I’d have ta slow it down. I ran it too hard over cactus and rough shrubs and rocks and the limp got worse. At one point it stopped and wouldn’t move again and I had ta whip her ta keep her goin’.
A small path came inta view. Not a road really but somewheres that at least some wagons and horses had been down before. It was clear a shrubs and cactus so I took it and kept headin’ south. Came upon some hills all round me. The hills was made a red sandstone and at the very top it was white as snow from the lime layers that was exposed. There were plenty a shade and so I thought this was good a place as any ta stop as my horse was bout ta collapse. I dismounted and looked at the leg. Blood was dribblin’ outta it now and over the hoof. She wouldn’t last much longer on that.
Just outta the corner a my eye I saw movement. It startled me and I jumped and pulled out my pistol. One a my rounds went off and I heard it ricochet off the rocks.
A horse ran from the sound and mine darted off the path but had ta stop cause a the leg. I looked round but didn’t see nobody else. I started over for the horse, keepin’ my eyes out for anyone. As I got closer, I saw it was Doolin’s horse.
“Doolin,” I shouted. I listened but weren’t no reply so I kept goin’.
I got ta his horse and said, “Shh,” and patted its muzzle. I wondered why the Apache hadn’t taken the horse too. The rifle musta been dropped somewheres else. I checked the horse’s legs and it was fine. As I came up ta check what was in the saddlebag, I noticed blood smeared on the saddle.
I hitched the horse ta a cactus and then began walkin’ over and checkin’ the ground, my head low. An awful feelin’ had tightened my guts but I ignored it best I could and kept goin’. I searched for a bit when I saw vultures up in the sky. Just two a em, for now. I headed over ta where they was circlin’. Laid flat on his stomach with his face in the sand was Doolin. His boots and most a his clothes had been taken, guessin’ from the Apache. Most a his head was gone too leavin’ only bits a brain and skull. I closed my eyes and said a prayer for him.
“Don’t think he’s listenin’, Sheriff.”
I opened my eyes but didn’t turn round. “Didn’t need ta be like this, Andy. Lotta innocent people got hurt.”
“Like who? The bounty hunter you sent after me?”
“Dr. Haywood never hurt nobody in her life. She thought you was sick. Moral insanity she called it. She thought she could help you.”
“You know what she said to me? She said I weren’t evil. That there was somethin’ wrong with me that a lotta folks suffered from in history. She thought Napoleon had it too. That’s what she said. She said Napoleon had it too.” He paused. “She told me that right fore I raped her in the sand and cut her tits off.”
Lord have mercy on her, I thought.
“End it, Andy. Come on back with me and turn yourself in.”
“So I can get the hangman’s noose? Why in the hell would I do that?”
I turned and looked him in the eye. He had a rifle pointed right there at the center a my body. “Cause this has got ta stop. I know you, you wanna stop. This ain’t you.”
“See I don’t think I agree. I think this is the real me and what I showed you was somebody else. All that bein’ nice to folks. You know why I was nice to em? Most a the time I wanted to rip their guts right outta them but I didn’t. You know why?”
“Why?”
“Cause when you nice to folks and you’re liked you can get them to do things for you. How you think Rebecca Wools came back to my house unaccompanied? She just walked right in cause I said I need some help with some seamstressin’.”
“Did you see the look in her father’s eyes, Andy? They was vacant. You killed him too right along with her.”
“And it felt great, Sheriff.” He laughed. “It felt fuckin’ great. To see him and have him cry to me bout her. He was worried she went through a lotta pain fore she died and I couldn’t help but laugh. She was screamin’ like a pig gettin’ cut up. And he was worried she felt a lotta pain.”
I shook my head. “There ain’t no humanity in you, is there? There just ain’t nothin’ there. Why is that, Andy? Why do these things?”
“Ain’t no reason for it, Sheriff. I enjoyed it, I ain’t gonna lie, but sometimes I didn’t even enjoy it. But I did it anyway.”
“Sometimes? How many girls we talkin’ bout?”
“My whole life? Don’t know, lost count. In Cosgrove, maybe twenty, maybe thirty. Lotta girls comin’ through and nobody thought nothin’ a them not comin’ back.” He shook his head. “That was just stupid bout Missy though. I shouldn’t a taken her. I knew someone mighta noticed. But you shoulda seen her that night. She looked…I don’t know. I had to have her. But I was interrupted fore I could drag her away. Some drunk fool. Imagine that? Some drunk fool stumblin’ home is the only reason you caught me.”
I looked at him a long time and neither a us said nothin’. “What now?”
“Now I’m gonna leave you out here for the coyotes and I’m a head to another town. And I’m a start over. Start right on over the way I did a hundred times.”
Somethin’ hit me just then and it sent a wave a disgust through me. “Andy ain’t your real name, is it?”
“Bye, Sheriff.” He lifted the rifle and pulled the trigger…
&nb
sp; Nothin’ happened. I looked ta the rifle and then up ta him and his eyes were wide.
“Misfire,” I said.
I pulled out my Colt and fired two rounds and he sprinted behind rocks and slid down there and all but his feet were covered. I aimed for his feet and shot and nothin’ happened. I aimed again but he’d already pulled em in behind the rock. I kept walkin’ toward him and anytime I’d see a hand or a foot or a knee I’d fire.
The Colt clicked dry and I went ta reload and saw Andy stand up. He pulled back on my bow that’d been on Lucile and let loose with an arrow and it struck me right underneath the neck. I screamed and flew back off my feet. Nother arrow whizzed by my face as I was layin’ there and I could hear him laughin’.
I turned over and broke off half the arrow and the sprays a pain that went through me I thought I’d faint. But I broke it off and started ta crawl. Didn’t know where I was goin’ but I had ta get away so I was crawlin’ when nother arrow entered my leg like a hot knife through snow and I toppled over onta my back.
He came up and stood over me. I looked up inta his eyes and they was empty and black, like a jackal’s. He reached down ta the arrow that was stickin’ outta my leg and twisted it and I screamed. He laughed and jumped giddy-like, as if he were a schoolboy.
“Actually, Sheriff, you have changed my mind bout somethin’. I think I’m goin’ back ta Cosgrove for a minute. I’m gonna pay little Betty a visit right quick fore I head outta town.”
I grunted and reached for him but he just stepped back and laughed again. He pulled back on the bow and shot nother arrow inta my other leg. It scraped bone cause I felt myself black out a moment. Don’t know how long but when I was up he was still standin’ over me with a smile on his face. He threw the bow and arrows down and ripped the pistol outta my hand. He searched me and found the spare ammunition and took it.
“You know, Sheriff, I think it’d be a lot more fun if I just left you out here to starve to death. Or maybe get eaten by them wolves. And the whole while you just gotta sit there and think about what I’m doin’ to Betty. I tell you that does fill me with a type a joy I can’t quite describe.”
Black Sky (A Mystery-Thriller) Page 15
