Big Easy (Cowboy Craze)

by Sable Hunter

  “Stop!” she hissed. “They’re all locked up tight.” She went to make the other woman stop making the useless noise. “We can use the cabins for cover, but it’s best we keep moving toward the highway.”

  At that moment, Jewel heard the sound of a motor running. The four-wheeler was on their trail.

  “I hear them!” Willie keened her distress.

  “Come down.” Jewel snagged her arm and pulled Willie off the rickety porch. Jewel knew their pursuers were coming. “Let’s go!” Taking off, they darted together, rushing madly to gain some ground and stay out of sight.

  Whiz!

  Jewel almost stopped breathing when she felt the whoosh of an arrow go by so near her head that her hair moved in the breeze.

  At that moment, she realized she might never see Easy again.

  * * *

  As Easy drove down Gentilly Road, he held the velvet box in his hand. He couldn’t wait to pop the question and see her face when he showed her the ring he’d picked out. “She’ll like it. This diamond is almost as pretty as she is.”

  He slowed to ease the big gooseneck trailer over a rough spot. If the parish didn’t send somebody out to work on the road soon, the ruts would take over. Glancing in the side mirror, he could see Jed’s horse checking out the scenery. With his window rolled down, he leaned his head out and yelled, “I know you’re hungry, pal. Won’t be long. We’ll pick up Miss Jewel and head to Belle Chasse to get you guys bedded down for the night.”

  Yea, he was talking to the horses. He was in a good mood. Why shouldn’t he be? He was in love and about to propose to the woman of his dreams.

  When he pulled into the driveway, the first thing he noticed was that both cars were missing. There was no vehicle parked there at all. “Well, that’s odd. She knew I was coming.” Jamming the ring box in his pocket, he climbed from the truck and bounded up the stairs to let himself in. “Jewel!” Of course, there was no answer. Quickly, he looked around for a note – checking the kitchen, the dining table, the cabinets. Nothing.

  And then he saw the reading table.

  The cards Jewel used to do her readings and his chess pieces were used to spell out words.

  JEWEL DANGER

  LAUREL

  As his eyes stared, trying to comprehend, a cold wind blew through the house and one reedy, resonating message resounded around him.

  HURRY

  “Cotton.” There wasn’t a doubt in Easy’s mind that his friend – yes, his friend – was trying to tell him that his Jewel was in danger. “Laurel? What or where the hell is Laurel?”

  He turned in a tight circle, feeling desperate, his hand raking through his hair. “What’s happening to Jewel, man? Where did she go?”

  LAUREL

  Again, the single word message was given, this time in Cotton’s own voice.

  And then he remembered. Laurel Plantation. What type of danger, he didn’t even question – the Hill brothers. “Son-of-a-bitch.” Immediately, he turned to go. “Thanks, Cotton. I’m on my way.” Hurrying to find Jewel’s phone, he called Philip. When his boss didn’t pick up the first time, he tried again. Finally, his boss answered.

  “Hey, where are the horses?”

  “With me. Listen. Jewel’s in trouble.”

  “I’m in town to get takeout. What do you need?”

  His boss and friend’s unequivocal support gave Easy some relief. “She’s at Laurel Plantation. It’s the Hill’s, Philip. They’ve got her. I need a weapon, dude. I don’t even have my tomahawk.”

  “Yea, but you’ve got those guns you’re always packing.” Philip’s joke about Easy’s strength wasn’t meant to be funny. “I’m looking the place up on my GPS now. I’m not far at all. As luck would have it, I was about to have supper with Prescott. I’ll pick him up and we’ll be there by the time you are. He’ll have all the firepower we need. Where should we meet you?”

  “On the west entrance off Highway 308, by the old general store. Let’s meet there.”

  “Will do. As soon as I hang up, I’m calling Wade so he can alert the FBI – so don’t worry. We’ll find her.”

  “Thanks, man. As luck would have it, I don’t have a phone. Mine was lost at the jail, I guess. I’m calling you on Jewel’s landline. When I walk out the door, you won’t be able to contact me.”

  “No problem. I have an extra cell in the truck for emergencies. I’ll bring it to you.”

  Easy wasn’t surprised. “You’re like a Boy Scout. Always prepared.”

  Running to the truck, he fired it up, pulling out in a cloud of dust with the horse trailer behind him. Philip had sounded so sure about finding Jewel. Easy held on to that promise with his whole heart. “I won’t let anything happen to you, treasure. I swear.”

  * * *

  Jewel held her hand over Willie’s mouth, desperate to keep her from screaming. “Quiet!” Her voice was no more than a hiss of air at the other woman’s ear. “They’re close.”

  Huddled on the ground beneath one of the cabins, they tried to make themselves as small as possible. Shaking with fear, Jewel kept her arm around Willie. Her mind was racing, trying to come up with a solution – an answer – a plan. So far, all she could think was bad thoughts. What if the night vision equipment she’d seen on the ground were actually thermal vision goggles? If that was the case, their body heat would give them away easily.

  “Just a little longer. Breathe.” She soothed the woman’s bare back, trying to give her a modicum of comfort. For long moments, they just existed. Survived. Naked and vulnerable. Scared. On her knees, Jewel’s head was bent low, almost touching the ground. She didn’t like to think what might be crawling around near them. Whatever it might be, it couldn’t hurt them any worse than the vile men chasing them.

  “Yoo-hoo, ladies?”

  “Ah!” Willie gasped and Jewel clutched her hard, willing her to stay silent.

  “Where are you, ladies?”

  Holding their breath, the women could hear the footfalls of Everett and Zhang. They’d left the four-wheeler behind and were now tracking them in earnest. Their only chance was to be so still, they wouldn’t be found. As she held Willie tight, the woman shook so hard, she could hear her teeth chattering. With every fiber of her being, Jewel tried to manifest a wall of protection about them. She called upon every power, every quarter, every deity whose name she could remember. Protect us. Save us. Send us help. Dash our enemies on the rocks. Lead us unto the path of salvation.

  “I can’t.” Willie whimpered. “I can’t be still.” Tearing away from Jewel, she crawled from beneath the house, then took off running. Jewel started after her, then froze when she heard the whumpf of an arrow flying through the air, followed by a pitiful cry of pain.

  Willie had been shot and Jewel knew she would be next unless a miracle came her way.

  …With his heart in his throat, Easy parked near the spot where Dana Norman had been run over and killed. Caught up in his own role in this chaos, he hadn’t stopped to consider how the woman’s death could’ve been related to everything else. Now, the memory of how the woman died haunted him. Looking back, the incident reminded him of a deer being struck down trying to flee a hunter or a pack of dogs.

  What if it was connected? What if the Hills had been responsible for Dana Norman’s death? What if… “God, no. No.” Every inch of his skin was covered in chill bumps. What if something happened to Jewel? He hadn’t told her he loved her! “I need another chance,” he prayed. “Please.”

  Jumping from his truck, he walked to the back of the trailer. Now, he was glad to have the horses, they’d be perfect for covering territory quickly. As he opened the gate, he looked down the road, hoping to see Philip and Wade pulling up at any moment. One by one, he saddled the horses and backed them out of the gooseneck. He’d just added full water canteens to the saddlebags when his boss and the agent arrived.

  “Thank God, you’re here.” He met them both with a quick nod. “I don’t have anything to add, other than I believe Jew
el is here with the Hill’s and that she’s in danger.”

  “Who tipped you off? Did she leave a note?” Prescott asked as he handed Easy and Philip a pistol. “I presume you know how to use this.”

  “Yea, I do,” Easy slipped the pistol behind his back and into his belt. “As for who tipped me off…a neighbor named Cotton Briggs talked to her before she left home.”

  As Philip handed Easy a cell phone, he could see his boss was looking at him funny – not because he knew Cotton was a spirit, but because he could tell Easy was reacting oddly to the agent’s question.

  “Look, I don’t know the circumstances. Cotton is old. All he told me was that Jewel was in danger and this was where I could find her.” Easy knew he was raising his voice. “Look, we’re wasting precious time!”

  Philip nodded, then turned to Wade. “We’re here. Let’s check it out. We can settle the details later.”

  “I hope this isn’t some wild goose chase,” Wade muttered as he proceeded to adjust the stirrups to fit his legs.

  “It’s not. I can feel it,” Easy muttered as he led his horse to one side to mount. “This place is big. We probably need to split up, because I have no idea where to begin to look.”

  “He’s right.” Philip climbed on his horse. “There’s fifteen miles of railroad track on the property and forty-three miles of canals and drainage ditches, not to mention five thousand acres of land, most of it planted in sugar cane. There are also over thirty structures, including the main house, a school house, a general store, a ruined mill, and rows and rows of slave cabins.”

  “Shit.” Wade took out his phone. “I’ve called for reinforcements and now I’m glad I did. We should have some help, but it’ll be about ten minutes before they get here.” He held up his cell. “To stay in contact, let’s keep the lines open. Philip call me, put me on hold, then call Easy and hit merge. If you see anything alert us ASAP.”

  Philip followed the agent’s instructions. Once they were connected, Easy was already on the move. “Since the gates are closed, we’re going to have to jump.” He rode a few yards out, then popped the reins to urge his mare up and over the fence. The others weren’t far behind. “Okay. I’ll go south. Boss, you go north. Mr. Prescott, you head due east.”

  Aiming in the direction he’d chosen, Easy kept the horse at a slow pace. He sat up straight in the saddle, his head cocked – listening. As he rode through the historical complex, Easy felt as if he was moving back in time. Almost a century ago, this was a bustling, working plantation. Now, it was a testament to a time gone by.

  With every sense on full alert, he continued his search. A movement to his right caused him to jerk and he was shocked to see a little girl go riding by on a bicycle. The sight shocked him. He started to call to her when she disappeared right in front of him. With a gasp of shock, Easy felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. Despite being stunned, he continued on fully determined to find Jewel. A few seconds later as he was passing the large main house, he was surprised to see an old woman dressed in period clothing sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch. Like the little girl, when he drew near – she vanished, this time evaporating in increments until she could no longer be seen. “Damn.” Was he going mad? His question seemed to be answered when a little farther along, he witnessed a prisoner chain gang in striped suits shuffle across his path, then fade into nothingness as they entered the cane field. “What in the fuckin’ world?”

  Easy felt as if there was a rip in the fabric of reality, like he’d ridden beyond the veil and entered the twilight zone. As worried and desperate as he was to find Jewel, he couldn’t help but ponder how this wasn’t normal. Not even in Jewel’s magical world was this normal. He still recalled what she’d said…when something very traumatic happens, the energy generated by the event can awaken and empower the paranormal.

  Something very traumatic.

  Easy felt sick in his gut when he realized this whole thing with the Hill’s, their killing spree, the horrors they’d inflicted on these women – that was the traumatic event she’d been talking about.

  And now…Jewel was caught up in this nightmarish vortex and he’d be damned if he let anything happen to her.

  Guiding his mount deeper onto the plantation proper, his eyes searched the landscape in vain. He saw no light. He heard no noise. Easy had no idea whether she could respond even if she heard him.

  No matter, he needed to let her know he was there to help her.

  Edging off the beaten path, he sought cover in the trees – just in case there was someone sitting out there with a high-powered rifle. “Jewel! I’m here! I’m not leaving until I take you home with me!”

  …The sound of Willie in pain tore Jewel up. At least she knew the other woman was still alive. Trying to evade capture herself, she crawled to the other side of the house and took off running. She knew she couldn’t fight the armed men, but if she could find help – maybe Willie could be rescued. As she hurtled down the row of cabins, dashing behind one and around another – every muscle was stiff with the anticipation of an arrow whizzing through the air and piercing her body.

  After running what seemed like miles, she darted behind a tree and bent double, trying in vain to catch her breath. Her pulse was pounding like a jackhammer. She was so thirsty, her mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Her body was drenched in sweat and covered in a film of dust. At times she could hear the motor of the four-wheeler, but then it would stop. Honestly, she didn’t know if they were near or far. Knowing she needed to move, Jewel allowed herself only seconds more. After whispering another plea for help to whoever might be listening, she pushed off to run into the night – praying that every step wouldn’t be her last. With legs and arms pumping, she kept turning her head from left to right, watching for any tell-tale sign of the mad men who were intent on taking her life.

  And then she heard it – in the distance. So faint, she thought she might’ve imagined it.

  “Jewel!”

  With a tiny gasp of amazed shock, she stopped still in her tracks – every cell of her body primed to hear her name called again.

  “Jewel!”

  “Easy!” she answered, calling at the top of her lungs.

  Whizz! An arrow flew by, missing her by mere inches.

  “Oh, God.” She couldn’t be still. Which way should she run? Turning in the direction she hoped she’d heard Easy’s voice coming from, she took off. Jewel wanted to call again, but Everett and Zhang were too close.

  “Jewel!”

  “Oh, Easy,” she whispered. “I’m coming. Wait for me. Please.” How he found her – she didn’t question. She’d called for him and he’d come. Their souls were connected, Jewel didn’t doubt this.

  “Jewel! Where are you?”

  Hearing his voice clearer, she pivoted to head in the right direction – and ran headfirst into Everett Hill’s chest.

  “Gotcha!”

  …Bringing the phone to his mouth, Easy spoke with a shaky voice, “I think I heard her.” He glanced around to see if he could see any landmark to tell them where he was located. “I’m east of the old sugar mill.”

  Easy didn’t wait to hear their answer, he shoved the phone in his pocket and touched his heel into the mare’s flank to take her to a gallop. “Jewel! Answer me. Jewel!” As he ducked to ride under the spreading limb of a big oak, there was a sudden thud right next to his head. Pulling up, he looked back to see what he’d heard – and was flabbergasted to see an arrow sticking in the branch. The damn thing had missed impaling his skull by fractions of an inch.

  Whiz! Thud!

  “Son-of-a-bitch!” He was under attack.

  Pulling his phone out, he reported. “They’re armed with fuckin’ crossbows, guys.”

  Moving deeper into the thicket of trees, Easy sought to stay clear of attack while he figured out what to do. Those bastards had Jewel – of that he had no doubt. Taking the gun from his belt, he cocked it and listened. Hearing her cry out in pain, Easy flew in
to a rage.

  “No!” Unwilling to wait for backup, he was about to charge out into the open when a voice rang out – addressing him.

  “Blackhawk, nice of you to join us.”

  Everett Hill.

  Easy’s lip curled into a snarl. “Let her go, you prick.” He began to move out into the open.

  Whizz!

  Another arrow flew by. This time Easy winced because it grazed his shoulder, taking fabric and a layer of skin with it as it passed. Heedless of the pain, he raised his gun to aim.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Easy-Peasy. I’m using your woman as a shield. She’s a little short on clothes, but all of this lush woman flesh will absorb your bullet quite nicely.”

  “You might as well give up, Hill! You’re outnumbered.”

  “You’re alone. You know how I know? I can see you as plain as day. Night vision, baby.”

  When Everett laughed, Easy almost lost it. “I’m not alone. The FBI is here. They can hear every word I’m saying. It’s just a matter of time, asshole. Right, Philip? Right, Wade?”

  To Easy’s alarm, there was no answer from the phone. Not a damn word. Were they out of range?

  “Easy, go back! Get away! There’s two of them and they’re armed!” This came from Jewel. “They’ve already shot Willie. I don’t want them to hurt you too.”

  “Shut up, witch!”

  Easy heard a slap contact flesh and he saw red! He had to save her.

  “Let’s get rid of this interloper. I’m not getting my money’s worth,” complained a man with a distinctive accent.

  “Just keep holding your dick in your hand, Zhang,” Everett said with a sneer in his voice. “We’ll have our fun. I’ll even let you skewer these two. I have some pecan limbs already cut and ready.”

  Knowing how the pervert had tortured the other women, Easy knew he couldn’t let this happen to Jewel. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m going to save you,” he whispered from his heart to hers. Louder, he addressed the psycho holding Jewel captive. “The FBI is closing in on you, Everett! They’re closing in on your whole family. You’re not going to get away with this, Hill.”