by Ralph Cotton
“Damn it, CC!” Rudy said. “Where the hell have you been? We’d about given you up for dead!”
Ellis nodded to each of the men, then said to Rudy, “You would’ve been dose to right. I got jumped by some riders out in Wolf Valley. I took a bullet in the side.”
Rudy looked him up and down. “You look fit enough.” He nodded in the direction of the big silver stallion hitched out front of the store. “Do you realize who that stud you’re riding belongs to?” He raised a brow before CC could answer and asked, “Do you realize who that woman you’re escorting belongs to?”
“Believe me, I do.” Ellis let out a breath. “It was Callie Mosely and her son who found me and took me in. Hadn’t been for them, I’d be feeding the wolves along a creek.”
“Yeah…?” Rudy gave the story some thought, noting how CC called Sloane Mosely’s wife by her first name. “Did you tell her what happened to Sloane?”
CC took on a troubled look. “No, I didn’t. I never found the right time to tell her.” He stopped, then said, “To tell you the truth, I couldn’t bring myself to tell her. She didn’t seem to know her husband turned outlaw. I couldn’t tell her he got himself hanged.”
Rudy said, “He was still alive when I went through Fort Griffin two months back. But he was due to hang most anytime. That’s why they allowed me a visit with him.” Rudy shook his head, recalling the visit. “I hated looking at him through them bars. He managed to hire Snake-eye Warly as his attorney. I told him it was a waste of time.”
“Then he is dead by now?” CC Ellis asked.
“Yep, I’m sure of it,” said Rudy. “Even Snake-eye Warly couldn’t keep him from pulling hemp. He had eyewitnesses swearing he killed that guard right out front of the bank, dear as day!”
Orsen cut in, saying to CC, “You better hope he’s pulled hemp, the way you’re escorting his wife around.”
“It’s not what you think, Orsen,” CC replied.
“Hell, it never is.” Rudy grinned. “Maybe I ought to tell you, it was Sloane himself who told me about this place. While he was sweating it out waiting to hang, all he talked about was for all of us to be sure and come to Paradise. He wanted this bank here robbed some awful!” Rudy grinned and added, “I wasn’t too keen on doing it a man short, but now that we see you’re back in the saddle, I expect everything is back as planned.”
“No, Rudy, you’re going to have to count me out of this one,” CC said firmly. “I’ve made other plans.”
“I don’t suppose those other plans have anything to do with that warm-looking Mosely woman, do they?” Rudy asked, insinuating.
“No,” Ellis said. “But the truth is I’m impersonating Sloane Mosely for a while, just to keep the woman and her land from being taken over by Malcom Jessup, a preacher who runs Paradise.”
“Damn!” said Rudy. “You sure took on a big set of boots!”
“I know, but that’s how it is,” Ellis said firmly. “I owe her for saving my life.”
“What about what you owe us?” the Gun cut in, his thumbs hooked in his gun belt. “We’ve been waiting here for you. You should have found us sooner and let us know something.”
“I figured as long as it’s been,” Ellis said, addressing Rudy instead of the Gun, “that you’d already been here, got tired of waiting and left.”
“We wouldn’t do that without first checking around,” said Rudy, “to see what happened to our ol’ pard, would we, boys?”
Orsen and Ernie murmured in agreement; the Gun grumbled under his breath, then fell silent.
“I’m obliged,” said CC, “but I’m still not in on this one.” He gave Rudy an unyielding gaze. “I’ve always held up my end, Rudy. This time I’m out.”
“You’re out only if we say you’re out,” the Gun cut in, using a strong tone and taking a step closer to CC Ellis.
Ellis took a step forward himself. Rudy stepped in between the two, saying, “Easy now, both of yas.” He looked back and forth, then said to Ellis, “The fact is, since I thought we might be a man short, I’ve changed our plans some.”
“You never told me that,” said the Gun.
“Not in so many words, Gun, but I told you,” said Rudy. “You just haven’t been paying close enough attention.” He said to CC Ellis, “If you want out of this one, you’re out.” He raised a finger for emphasis. “But if you’re out, stay out. I’ve got something I want to do here. I don’t want anybody butting in once I’ve started picking this place dean.”
“Don’t worry, Rudy,” said Ellis, with relief. “Whatever you’ve got in mind, it’s all yours.”
Rudy grinned. “It’s a damned good one though! Don’t you want to know what it is?”
“No,” said Ellis. “It’s none of my business.”
“You’re not even a little bit curious?” Rudy asked. “All the riches there are for the taking here in Paradise, and you’re not even tempted to know?”
Ellis smiled in reply. “No, I’m not tempted. I’ve got money. I’ve found all I want in Paradise. The rest is all yours.”
“No long rider ever finds all he wants,” said Rudy. “There’s always one more thing he wants to snatch up on his way out of town. It’s an outlaw’s nature.”
“Not mine, not anymore,” said Ellis. “Sometimes a man has to look at all he’s got and be satisfied with it. That’s where I am right now.”
“That sweet little Mosely woman has you turned around and walking backward, CC,” Rudy said. “But I won’t argue with you. Just don’t jump in the middle of my game. I’m glad to learn that you’re still alive. While we’re both here in Paradise, let’s stay off each other’s toes.”
CC Ellis nodded in agreement and backed away, returning Shelby the Gun’s cold stare and bidding a respectful farewell to Orsen, Ernie and Rudy. As soon as he was out of hearing distance, the Gun said, “I don’t like a man walking around who knows my business…especially one who’s fallen for a petticoat. A man falls for a woman shows himself weak as far as I’m concerned. You never know when a man like that might decide to trade you in to the nearest lawdog.”
“Not CC,” Rudy said, gazing off in the direction CC Ellis had just taken back onto the boardwalk and toward the mercantile. He gave the others a glance, then said, “Damned if I might not feel the same way if I had Callie Mosely warming my back of a night.”
“How do you know she’s warming his back?” Ernie asked.
All three gave him a bemused look. “Ernie,” Rudy said with an exaggerated show of patience, “did you ever notice that the longer you keep your mouth shut the less stupid you sound?”
While the others chuckled at Ernie, Rudy Banatell gazed out again toward the street. “We best get back and find Jim Heady, help him get his shirttail stuffed and get ready to meet the preacher, this morning.” He grinned. “I find myself in a religious mood all of a sudden.”
Chapter 10
From the window of the private room above the bank, Malcom Jessup watched Ellis, young Dillard, and a clerk stack a large amount of supplies into the bed of the buckboard wagon. While they loaded the wagon Dillard toyed with a stick of candy in his mouth. “It appears that the Moselys are living well these days,” Jessup commented to Lexar. “Do they owe the bank anything?”
“I haven’t gone through all the ledgers yet,” said Lexar, “but it doesn’t appear that Sloane Mosely owes us anything.”
“That’s too bad,” Jessup said almost to himself, staring closely at Callie, who had stepped out of the mercantile and up into the buckboard seat, Ellis giving her a hand. “I like to see folks support local businesses.” He watched Ellis step up atop the silver stallion. “But I suppose in time he’ll come to us for financial assistance, like all the other settlers…and of course we’ll give it to him.” He watched the buckboard wind its way out of town, the silver stallion and its rider right beside it.
* * *
On the street, Callie glanced back over her shoulder, then said to CC Ellis as they continued on, “Do yo
u think it all went well?”
“I think it all went fine, Callie,” Ellis replied. Beside her, Dillard sat sucking a stick of candy; in the wagon bed Tic sat in a clear space among the tarpaulin-covered supplies. For everyone’s sake Ellis hoped he was right. “Now we’ll just have to wait and see what comes of our visit.”
“What about those men you talked to,” asked Callie. “Will they tell Jessup who you are?”
“They said they wouldn’t,” Ellis replied. Yet even as he said the words, doubts crossed his mind. It was not his custom to stay around a place where anyone knew too much about him. But here he was, his safety and the safety of the woman and the boy in the hands of a man like Rudy Banatell.
“And you trust them?” she asked.
“I trust them as long as things are going their way. But I think it would be wise if we got things in order and got out of here. We need to be leaving here as soon as we can.”
“Once everything appears normal, we’ll leave,” Callie said. “We want to leave here looking as though we’re going on a trip and will be returning soon. If Jessup should have any reason to want to stop us, we could never outrun his men across Wolf Valley.”
“Judging from the looks I got from townsfolk,” Ellis said, “your husband commanded a great amount of fear and respect. Jessup is going to think twice before he tangles with a man who has that kind of reputation.”
“Yes,” said Callie. “It’s that reputation that has saved me from him so far. But no matter what fear and respect my husband has, when it comes to the Community of Believers, Jessup has more. Jessup is all powerful in Paradise. If he decided to send his men against you, they would all follow his orders blindly…to their death if he demanded it of them. Their faith in him is that strong.”
Ellis shook his head. “Religion,” he murmured under his breath, “who needs it.”
“We all need it,” Callie replied, gesturing a glance toward Dillard as if saying it for his benefit. “We just don’t need Malcom Jessup’s version of it.”
“Yeah,” said Ellis, also for Dillard’s benefit, “that’s what I meant.”
Looking at her, he debated whether or not to sit her down in private and tell her about Sloane Mosely. She needed to know, and he knew he couldn’t put it off forever. But he also knew it was going to hurt her. Maybe it was something he should wait and tell her after they had left the valley, he thought, nudging the stallion forward with a touch of his bootheels. Now that the wheels of their plan were in motion, he didn’t need to complicate their leaving Paradise by telling her that those men, himself and her husband were all at one time members of the same gang.
A feeling of doubt tugged at his stomach. He resisted the urge to look back over his shoulder at the town behind them, knowing that in all likelihood they were being watched. Instinctively he laid his hand on the gun across his stomach and nudged the stallion forward, rounding a wide turn out of town.
Above the bank, seeing the wagon and horseman ride out of sight, Malcom Jessup turned to Lexar and said, “Let’s get downstairs and meet the railroad men.” Together they walked out the door and were joined by Brothers Searcy and Edmunds who flanked Jessup and remained close to him as they descended the stairs and walked to the manager’s office. “The Brothers and I will wait here until you’ve shown them in,” Jessup said to Lexar. “Once they’ve given over their firearms, we’ll come in and you’ll announce me while I enter appropriately.”
“Will I have trouble getting their guns?” Lexar asked.
Jessup grinned. “Not if their hearts and minds are right.”
Returning his grin, Lexar said, “Then I won’t be but a moment.” He stepped away from Jessup and the two bodyguards, through the office door and over to the security door separating the office from the bank lobby. Jessup and the two bodyguards listened to the sound of voices and footsteps as Lexar brought Rudy, Orsen and Ernie into the office. Straightening his tie and smoothing down the front of his black coat, Jessup folded his hands in front of himself and waited.
On the other side of the door Lexar said to Rudy, “I will have to have your firearms, gentlemen.” Seeing the look of hesitancy on Rudy’s face, he added quickly, “Only for a few moments. It’s our rules here, for security sake.”
Rudy looked at Orsen and Ernie and said in a relenting tone, “Fellows, if it’s security we’re looking for, I suppose we ought to be glad to see a place operate with such efficiency.” Realizing that the Gun was close at hand outside the bank building should they need him, Rudy lifted his weapon from his holster and handed it over to Lexar. Ernie and Orsen followed suit stiffly, not liking the idea, but going along with their leader.
With all three gunmen’s firearms in his hands, Lexar stepped away toward the front door, saying, “Please excuse me for one moment please, gentlemen, and we’ll be under way.”
“Of course.” Rudy grinned.
As soon as Lexar left the room, Orsen and Ernie gave Rudy concerned looks. But Rudy whispered, “Relax. We’ve got the upper hand here.”
Before either man could respond, Lexar walked back into the room, crossed the room and stood for a second beside the other door. “And now, gentlemen, I give you the most reverend Malcom Jessup.”
When Lexar opened the office door, both bodyguards flanked the doorway as Jessup entered. “Gentlemen,” Jessup said with enthusiasm, his folded hands coming undone and his arms spreading as if embracing the three of them, at the same time avoiding any offer of handshakes. “Welcome to Paradise! Please tell me who you are and what I might do for you!”
“I’m Mr. Able, Reverend,” said Rudy, stepping forward as he unsnapped the carpetbag. “As I’m sure Brother Lexar has told you, we have a rather large amount of cash. I’m hoping you can make me feel safe about leaving our railroad’s money in the bank of Paradise.”
While Rudy introduced the other two and opened the carpetbag for Jessup to take a look inside, outside the back door of the bank, the Gun had already jimmied the lock on the door and held it open an inch with the toe of his boot. But instead of allowing Jim Heady to enter right away, he held him back while he kept track of the passing minutes on a large pocket watch. Beside the Gun, Jim Heady fidgeted impatiently, saying, “Has it been long enough yet? Let’s get on with it!”
“Take it easy, assassin,” the Gun said with sarcasm. “Rudy said the preacher would keep them waiting for a while. We’re going to do this just as we said we would.” He looked at the pocket watch in his gloved hand.
Heady grew even more restless, the pain across his back throbbing with no letup. “I can’t stand this waiting!” he said. “I want to get this over with. I want to kill this son of a bitch so bad I can taste it!”
Finally, the Gun lowered the watch into his vest pocket and said, “All right, it’s time. Slip on in there real quiet-like and do your killing.” He drew an extra Colt from beneath his black suit coat and shoved it into Heady’s hand.
“It’s about damn time,” Heady growled. He checked the gun quickly, then eased into the dark back storage room behind the bank. The Gun waited outside the door, keeping an eye on the alley.
Inside the bank office, Malcom Jessup and Rudy had just finished getting acquainted and were about to get down to business when all heads turned toward an urgent sounding knock on the office door. Brothers Searcy and Edmunds both stood in the doorway as Searcy opened it and caught young Anderson Farnsley before he could barge in. “Please!” said Anderson, out of breath. “I have to see Father! Something terrible has happened!”
Searcy turned toward Jessup.
“Yes, let the lad in, Brother Searcy,” Jessup said with a slight smile. To Rudy and the others he said, “Excuse me for one second, gentlemen.” He leaned near to Anderson, who bent over and whispered in his ear. “Oh! I see,” said Jessup, sounding perplexed by the news.
Rudy Banatell, Orsen and Ernie gave one another a glance, realizing that at any second Jim Heady would come charging in from the back room to kill Jessup.
Rudy, Orsen and Ernie looked at one another, not sure what to say for a moment. Finally Rudy jiggled the carpetbag. “I’m afraid it would be irresponsible of me to take this money on a jaunt of this nature.”
“Nonsense, sir,” Jessup insisted. “Leave the money here for the time being with my personal guarantee. If your money isn’t safe until we return, it will be reimbursed out of my pocket.”
Feeling all eyes upon him, Rudy knew he had to make a move. “Yes then, of course we’ll come along! I can’t argue with an offer like that! What better way to see how you handle things here in Paradise.” As he spoke, he handed the carpetbag to Lexar.
“I’ll take very good care of your money, Mr. Able. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Now then,” said Jessup, watching Lexar step back with the carpetbag in his hand, “while Lexar prepares your receipt, the Brothers and I will go gather our horses. Please join us at the livery barn.” He raised a finger for emphasis. “Be prepared for a rather short adventure, gentlemen…but one whose outcome has already been determined. I predict that we’ll catch this miscreant and return to Paradise before nightfall.”
Before Rudy could say another word, Jessup and his bodyguards turned and left. So did Lexar, with the carpetbag under his arm. No sooner was he out of sight than the rear office door swung open and Jim Heady stepped in quickly, the Colt cocked and ready in his hand. He looked stunned when he saw no sign of Malcom Jessup.
“Get out of here, Heady, you fool!” Rudy hissed. “The plan has been changed. You’ll have to wait!”