by Risner, Fay
She tried to keep her voice calm and quiet. “Well, if you say so you say so, Big Ed. I'll make a deal with you. You can have anything you choose in my shopping cart, but I want to keep the jewelry box in the bottom. That’s one thing I will fight you for, Big Ed.”
She stiffened to her full height with a look of steel right into the large man's eyes so he knew she meant it.
Jake, behind her, sucked in air through his clenched teeth like a tire going flat. Push come to shove, she didn't know if she could count on Jake for much help. Who knew he was such a scariedy cat?
Big Ed looked where Annie pointed. He surveyed the bent cornered, scuffed up, dirty jewelry box at the bottom of the shopping cart.
He turned on a snaky smiled as he agreed with Annie in a patronizing tone. “Sure, Annie, you can keep the jewelry box if it's that important to you.” He put his hands up with the palms toward Annie and Jake. “Hey, I ain't out to rob anyone. Just trying to start my protection business to help all you folks out. Don't intend to make it hard on anybody. I got to make a living too you understand.”
Annie parted the junk on top of the jewelry box and lifted the box up with both hands. She hugged it close to her. “Much obliged, Big Ed. This box is real special to me.”
Slowly, she opened the lid toward her. A flicker of sadness passed through her as she remembered she hadn't gone back after the ballerina. It was probably too late now. By now, the ballerina would surely be buried in the mountain of trash at the city land fill.
Annie placed her hand inside the box and slowly drew out the revolver. “But I'm partial to the rest of my stuff in this here shopping cart so I've decided not to share. Skinny Jake is keeping his bag of goodies, too.
Big Ed, you need taking down a peg or two for trying to steal from poor folks. So I'm telling you to keep your thieving hands out of my cart and off Jake's knapsack,” she commanded in a cold voice.
Jake expelled shakily, “Ooooh, Annie!”
“Who do you think you are? Annie Oakley?” snorted Big Ed. He folded his arms over his chest as though he wasn't impressed by the threat even though he was looking down the barrel of Annie's gun.
“Much obliged, Big Ed. I’ve been trying to think of that gal’s last name all morning. Yeah, that’s who I think I am. Want to see how good I can shoot?” Annie gripped the handle of the gun with both hands and pointed it at the man's middle. “Take my word for it, you don't really want to find out the hard way, that I am a crack shot. I was taught by a darn good carnival show shooter back home in Montana. At this range and aiming at a bloated gut like your's I can't miss the target.”
“You aren't being very smart to buck me,” Big Ed warned. “I can back off now, but there will always be another time when you aren't quite so prepared shall we say. I ain't going to forget this sass from you when we meet again.”
“I figured that, but you've gotten a look at how I can protect myself. You best think twice about trying to get too close to me from now on, and Jake, too. We have each other's back covered. We see you coming anywhere near me or him, and I will shoot you. No warning or questions asked,” threatened Annie in a cold tone of voice.
“Are you throwing your hand in with this old heifer?” Big Ed asked, looking over Annie's shoulder at Jake.
“Reckon so. Looks like she's holding all the right cards now, ain't she?” Jake sneered, getting braver as he saw Big Ed and his men backing down. “You won't have much luck ganging up on two of us watching each other's back the way I see it. You might as well go try your bully act on some poor dudes that can't defend themselves.”
The bakery's back door slammed shut.
“Hey, what’s going on out here?” A man dressed in a large white apron with the bakery logo on the bib, yelled.
He dropped his bag of garbage as he stared at all of them, trying to assess the situation. His face paled when he spotted the gun in Annie's hand.
“You should go back inside, Mister. We’re just settling a little dispute,” explained Annie, keeping her eyes on Big Ed.
“Not behind my bakery, you’re not. I’m calling the police,” he yelled as he disappeared inside.
Chapter 9
Big Ed's demeanor changed at the mention of the police showing up. “Let me go now, Annie, before the cops come. No hard feelings I assure you. I won’t bother you or Jake no more,” he pleaded, looking really worried.
“Listen to him, Annie. You’ll get in trouble for having that gun. We best all scram fast before the cops show up,” insisted Jake low enough that Big Ed couldn't hear him.
Annie retorted over her shoulder, “I'm here to tell you there's no place around my campfire for a quitter's blanket. Now I’ve kind of forgotten. Is your name Skinny Jake or Chicken Jake?”
Jake flinched. “Aw, Annie, that's just plain mean. This is no time to pick on me. Listen to reason for once. I'm on your side. Be sensible about this.”
“I'm trying to be sensible, but I don't think so clear when I'm mad. Big Ed made me as mad as an old wet hen,” Annie said, wavering the gun barrel in Big Ed's direction.
“You ain't got much time to make up your mind, and I don't intend to stick around until the cops come,” Jake said. Annie didn't offer to move. Jake got in her face. “I've heard there's only two theories about how to argue with a woman, and so far, I don't expect either one to work on you. I figure neither one works so I give up. Stay here and wait for the cops to come, or leave with me, because I'm out of here now.”
“Jake, see ya later, ya hear,” Annie said softly.
The skinny man turned and trotted down the alley to the other end. He paused long enough to look back a second at Annie's back and disappeared from sight.
Annie backed after Jake, keeping the gun aimed at Big Ed. As cowboys were fond of saying if you're brave enough to speak your mind you better ride a fast horse. Annie figured she'd done enough damage. It was time for her to take off.
The big man didn't wait for Annie to get out of sight. A police car siren whined in the distance. He turn tail and trotted back to the street. He stopped so fast at the alley entrance that his men bumped into him.
Annie chuckled. Big Ed wasn't going to make it to his car for a fast get away. The cops already had his car surrounded and were just waiting for him to cross the street.
Her holding a gun on Big Ed wasn't going to be as much of a problem to him as the police arresting him for some peddling charge like disturbing the peace.
After they got him caught, the cops shouldn't have any trouble coming up with a more serious charge. Annie was willing to bet from the way that big man and his men took off there were plenty of charges for the police to pick from what she knew about his reputation.
She backed to the end of the alley and looked both ways. Jake was no where in sight. So much for him having my back.
Annie crossed the street and walked into a wooded area of the park. The sirens blared louder. Strobe lights colored the trees in reds and blues from where the police car was parked in front of the bakery.
By that time, Annie was too far away for the cops to bother her. Her worse worry was finding her chicken livered friend, Jake, again. He had the right idea when he told Big Ed he and Annie would be watching each other's back.
Now she just had to convince Skinny Jake to stick to the plan. If they didn't, Big Ed would pick them off one at a time to get even. He'd make an example of them so he could make the rest of the homeless people in town miserable.
It took quite a while for her to hunt for Jake, and she had about run out of places to look. Later that evening, she found him under the interstate bridge. Jake was standing by an old fuel barrel filled with burning trash. Other shadowy figures sat or lean against the bridge abutment, sharing the warmth from the barrel.
“About time you showed up,” Jake joked when he saw the irked look on Annie's face.
“I've been worried about you with Big Ed sort of hot under the collar. I've been looking for you ever since you turned tail and ran off. I
just about gave up finding you tonight,” Annie complained.
One of the nearby homeless men was Wild Jim. He straightened up and moseyed over to the barrel. With his hands out stretched to enjoy the heat, he stared at the blaze as he whispered out of the side of his mouth, “Trouble is coming, says I. Coming for you two. You aren't going to last out the night unless you hide out of sight, says I.”
“Much obliged for the warning, Wild Jim.” Annie shifted her gaze to Jake. “We appreciate knowing that, don't we, Skinny Jake?”
“Girl, I just was going to tell you the same thing. You best be real careful. Word on the street is Big Ed put a hit out on you,” Jake warned.
“I figured that would happen. On you, too?” She asked.
Jake looked grim as he nodded. “I didn't hear that but I reckon.”
“Take it from this horse's mouth. I hear things, says I. You both are on the hit list. Bounty has been put out by Big Ed I hear. Get away fast, says I,” Wild Jim warned and went back to leaning on the bridge abutment.
“Big Ed has plenty of guys working for him. No doubt they're scattered out searching for us. No matter where we go there will be eyes everywhere watching for us. Jake, my advice is stay away from street lamps and highly populated places. Burrow down somewhere out of sight like a mole. That's what I aim to do,” Annie reasoned.
“I'm here to tell you I'm scared there ain't no place safe enough for the two of us to hide since you opened your big mouth and told Big Ed off,” grumped Jake.
“Don't worry none about me bitin' off more than I can chew with Big Ed. My mouth probably has a whole lot bigger bite than you think,” bragged Annie, lowering her jacket pocket to show Jake the pistol handle.
“That gun don't do you a bit of good if you cain't shoot straight,” hissed Skinny Jake.
“What makes you think I cain't?” Annie retorted.
“You told me your pa taught you to shoot so you could hunt with him. You told Big Ed a carnival quick draw taught you to shoot. Which was it?” Jake asked.
“So I lied to Big Ed. I was bluffing cause I wanted to put a scare in him,” Annie said.
“Somehow I knew that without you telling me. So how good can you shoot?” Jake asked.
“Up close I won't miss. I'll just pretend I'm shooting one of them Montana snakes. I hit those varmints every time,” Annie said with confidence.
“Guess that will have to do,” replied Jake. “You got any idea where a safe place to hide from Big Ed is?” Jake asked.
Annie said in a low voice, “I might. Why?”
Jake shrugged. “I just wondered cause we're both going to need such a place. We might as well hide in it together.”
Annie got as close as she could to whisper in his ear so Wild Jim and the others couldn't hear. “Near the end of town is a storm drain large enough for both of us to crawl in until daylight. I've used it many a time in bad weather. That's where I'm headed right now.
Seems to me I heard you say we were going to watch each other's back. You coming with me now?” Annie gripped the bar on her shopping cart, ready to shove off.
Jake shrugged as he shouldered his knapsack. “Why not? Beats standing out here in the open like setting ducks.”
Chapter 10
They walked away from the bridge and ended up on dark streets in the slum district. Annie relaxed some, feeling a little bit safer in the dark away from street lights.
She broke the silence. “Wonder what Big Ed thinks the two of us is worth? Price wise for the bounty I mean.”
“I don't know, and I don't care. We just better be more concerned about keeping anyone from collecting that money on our heads,” scolded Skinny Jake.
They came up behind a man that staggered one way then the other as he took drinks from a cheap bottle of wine. His trench coat was grimy with accumulated layers of dirt like he was used to rolling on the ground in a fit when he'd had too much to drink.
Annie wrinkled up her nose when she got a whiff of the bum in the stiff breeze coming at her. He smelled like a wet dog that had been due a bath ages ago.
Jake speed up to go around the drunk, but Cowboy girl Annie had a bad feeling about that slow moving man. He looked familiar somehow.
She held her arm out to stop Jake and slowed down, hoping she was wrong. Maybe the man would move on ahead of them or hopefully just fall down and pass out.
Jake stopped when Annie's arm came out and gave her a curious look.
Suddenly, the bum wheeled around and aimed a gun in their direction.
“Hey, what are you up to?” Annie squealed as she stopped pushing her cart.
“What you pointing that gun at us for?” Jake asked in a panic.
“Yeah, we don't have anything to steal but our junk,” Annie said. She intended to play dumb about the bounty money. Maybe the bum was just out to rob them for drinking money. “We're in as bad a shape as you seemed to be.”
“Oh, but wasting you is worth the bounty on yer head, and I can always use money,” the bum slurred.
“Is that so?” Now she remembered where she'd seen the bum. It was in the back yard of the shelter house. He was in the middle of a shoving match with some of the other homeless people. “I'm here to tell you that money might be kind of hard to earn.” Annie quickly pulled her pistol out of her blue jean jacket pocket and fired. She hit the man in the upper right arm. He swore as he dropped his gun and grabbed his bleeding arm.
“Run Jake like your life counts on it cause it does,” Annie said as she bolted away from her cart and way out around the wounded man.
Behind them, she heard a barrel scraping on cement or a trash can skitter. She wasn't sure which, but she hoped the bum had passed out and flopped down on the ground. She turned around to look and walked backward a few steps.
The drunk had retrieved his gun and was sighting down on them.
“Duck, Jake,” Annie shouted as she stepped up behind him and knocked him to the ground.
The bum's gun exploded just before a burning agony punched Annie in the shoulder. She fell beside Jake and turned loose of her gun.
Jake got to his knees, grabbed the gun and shot the drunk. The fellow fell like a sack of bricks and laid still.
Jake stuck the gun in his pocket as he leaned over Annie. “How bad you hit?”
“I got a hole in my shoulder. I think the bullet went clear through. Sure hurts like the dickens,” Annie complained.
“I bet it does. What were you thinking, Annie? You shouldn't have got in that fellow's way. He was aiming at my back not yours,” Jake scolded. “You took that bullet for me.”
Annie's breathing was labored. “You don't think I'm stupid enough to get shot for a stranger, do you? We were suppose to watch each other's back you said, and that's just what I done. Besides, I'm growing real fond of you like I said, and I don't want you killed. You wouldn't be no fun in that shape.”
“Well, that works both ways. I don't want you dead either,” Jake said tenderly. Gathering her in his arms, he hugged her to him.
When Jake moved her, the throbbing pains made Annie groaned instead of laugh. “Can you help me up? We got to make it to that storm ditch to hide before anyone else spots us. You killed that bum. We surely don't want to be anywhere around when the cops find his body.”
Jake looked around. The vacant store fronts remained dark, but that didn't mean much. The windows just might have eyes anyway.
He warned, “The cops are pretty good at figuring out who shoots a guy. Hiding ain't going to do us much good when they find out about this and come looking for us.”
Annie shook her head. “This side of town is full of desperate people in a place filled with violence, drink and diseases. They are all just like that dead man. They might try to kill us for the bounty, but those folks are used to minding their own business when the cops are around.
Besides, you might as well relax. The cops aren't going to be looking at us. The pawn shop owner I talked to said my gun was used in a murder before I f
ound it.
When the cops check the bullets in that drunken bum they're going to match the bullets taken from the last person that was shot with that gun. They have to find the gun first to figure out who did the killing,” Annie said smugly then groaned in pain.
“Reckon it won't take the cops long to put two and two together when they find the gun on you. Tell me the honest truth now cause I don't want to hear no lies. Annie, did you kill someone to get that gun?” Jake asked.
“Nah, I found that gun throwed in the BBQ dumpster just like I said,” Annie declared.
As tight as she held her shoulder, blood still seeped through her fingers and dripped to the ground. “Now help me to my feet,” she ordered. “I'm bleeding bad. I could leave a trail for the cops or Big Ed's goons to follow.”
Jake stood and reached down under Annie's arms. He lifted her to her feet. Annie's knees felt like they were going to buckle. “I hate to ask you this, but I'm plum tuckered out right now and bleeding bad. Do you know anyone that can dress a gun shot wound?”
“I might. Lean on me until we get there,” Jake said, putting his arm around Annie's waist.
Chapter 11
Annie wasn't sure if she was walking with Jake's help or if he was dragging her. She tried to keep her eyes open and fought to keep from passing out so Jake wouldn't have to carry her.
She knew they walked through vacant lots, around old buildings and through unkempt back yards, but how she sensed that was the case was a mystery. Everything around her was a blur.
It seemed to Annie like they walked half the night, but it might have been thirty minutes with Jake half dragging her. Her mind was in a pain filled haze most of that time.
They stopped in front of a shack on the edge of the slums.
“We're here, Annie,” Jake said quietly.
He knocked on a house door covered with peeling white paint. No one answered. He doubled up his fist and hit the door several times as he barked, “Sofie, I know you're in there. Open up and let me in. It's Jake.”
