by Tony Masero
‘Glad you’re aware of it at last,’ growled Kirby, as he reached across and turned down the wick in the lamp.
Carl arrived late morning for a run-through of their final plans. He had been troubled by the arrangements from the beginning and asked constantly about the scheme and its development. He feared a bloodbath if things went wrong and had only given in and accepted the town’s involvement on Lomas’ say-so.
‘Look here,’ Belle explained patiently, as they stood gathered over a map laid out on Lomas’ dining table. ‘We’re starting to clear corralled land on the outskirts as if building were about to take place. This will mask our agents presence and allow them to cover the eastern end of Main Street and effectively block it off once the payroll wagon arrives.’
‘Where are you aiming to place the wagon?’ Carl asked.
‘Right in front of your office at the center of Main Street. It’ll sit there as a tempting prize. That’ll draw Jesse’s gang right into town and once they’re in we’ll close the trapdoor.’
Belle’s finger moved along the simple but accurate map she had drawn up of Roosterville. ‘Everything moves along an east/west axis. The western end of the street will be blocked by a series of wagons from the livery stable once the outlaws enter the town. We’ll have sharpshooters positioned on rooftops along the length of the street and every alleyway will be blocked by innocent looking items, crates, store supplies and stacked firewood, that sort of thing.’
‘Do you think they’ll make a fight of it?’ Carl asked nervously.
‘Don’t worry, son,’ Lomas said. ‘Once they see a whole array of rifle barrels aimed down at them it’ll sure give them pause for thought.’
‘Just that I worry about the townsfolk,’ said Carl. ‘I wouldn’t like to see any civilians hurt or their property damaged.’
‘We’ll do the best we can,’ interjected Kirby. ‘Our aim is to cut them off quick. To finish it fast before the beggars have time to consider anything else but surrender.’
‘I take note of your concerns, Carl,’ said Belle. ‘ But you have to remember, this what we do. It’s our sworn duty to bring down lawbreakers and Jesse’s been robbing and killing across a whole parcel of States, for a lot of years. We can’t let them run free. This is a good opportunity to bring it all to an end.’
‘It’s also my sworn duty to protect the folks here. I don’t want to see this place blown all to hell and gone.’
‘If folks want to live in peace and prosperity, it means some kind of risk,’ advised Kirby. ‘Ain’t nothing that don’t come without some kind of price to pay.’
‘It still troubles me,’ mumbled Carl.
‘You just do your job and it’ll work out fine,’ promised Lomas.
‘Do we know how many men are in the James gang right now?’ Carl asked.
‘Last reports have them as running at ten since they lost a few when they tried to heist the train. The main old boys are still with him, Frank James, the Younger brothers and so on.’
‘I heard tell the Youngers are a mean old bunch.’
‘They’re all bad news,’ advised Kirby. ‘We can’t afford to give any of them an inch. It has to be quick and like we really mean it or these fellows will certainly cut up rough.’
‘Okay,’ sniffed Carl, still doubtful. ‘When’s the dummy payroll wagon get in?’
‘It’s on its way now, so any time soon.’
There was a hurried knock on the front door that interrupted them. Lomas went to answer and ushered in one of the agents disguised as railroad surveyors who had been encamped in the hills above town.
‘Band of riders coming,’ he reported. ‘They’re keeping to cover and scoping the place out.’
‘They see you?’ asked Belle.
‘We’re in plain sight. It seemed best not to try and hide our presence.’
‘You think they’re suspicious of anything?’
‘No, I don’t think so, one of them dropped by our camp begging a coffee. I believe it was Clell Miller, he was making query but we palmed him off.’
‘How so?’ asked Kirby.
‘Oh, they was asking about all the works in town and we passed it off as no more than civic improvements. He seemed to take it on board as a reasonable explanation.’
‘Okay, good work,’ nodded Belle. ‘Get back out there and keep us informed.’
Once he had gone, they looked at each other.
‘I guess this is it,’ Carl said.
‘Reckon so,’ agreed Lomas. ‘Time to get get locked and loaded.’
‘I’ll advise the rest of the men,’ said Kirby, heading for the door.
‘I’ll come along, I’d best be at the office now,’ Carl added, striding across to join him.
As the door closed behind them Belle was folding up her map and Lomas watched her as she did so.
‘Belle,’ he began tentatively.
‘Uhuh?’ she asked, looking up at him.
Lomas fidgeted a moment, ‘We’ve known each other a lot of years, ain’t we?’ he mumbled.
‘Sure,’ she said, looking up at him with concern and wondering what was coming next.
‘I want….’ He began, and then petered out.
‘What is it, Lomas? Something’s been bothering you for days now. What’s the problem?’
‘How do you think of me?’ he asked, his features twisted in an awkwardness that was unusual for him.
Belle shrugged, ‘Like a friend,’ she said with caution. ‘A real special friend. Why’d you ask?’
‘It’s just…. ‘ Lomas looked away from her, his eyes fixed on the window although Belle could see he was focused on nothing out there.
‘I want you to stick close to me when this goes down,’ Lomas gushed.
Belle was doubtful, ‘I’ll be alright,’ she said.
‘Yeah,’ said Lomas, recovering himself somewhat. ‘I know you will. But be careful, won’t you?’
‘Of course.’
‘I’d best go see to my hardware,’ said Lomas.
Abruptly, he turned and left the room and Belle watched his departing back with concern. She just hoped and prayed that Kirby had been wrong and that her old friend was not about to embark on some foolish and ill-considered attempt at an aged romance. With a long sigh, Belle completed folding her map then went out to join Kirby and await the payroll wagon’s arrival.
The wagon arrived that night.
Lamps were positioned one each side of the driver’s seat and two men in cavalry dress rode alongside.
‘Any trouble?’ asked Belle as the men clattered into Carl’s office.
They all shook their heads negatively in unison.
‘Alright,’ Kirby cut in. ‘Douse those wagon lights and leave the wagon there. Take the team down to the livery and set yourselves up on the porch outside. It has to look like at least as if there’s some guards paying attention.’
‘Where you going to be?’ Lomas asked Belle.
She looked at him oddly, wondering at his interest, ‘Right here, of course.’
‘Might be better if you take a place higher up. Maybe on the first floor of one of the houses opposite,’ Lomas suggested.
‘Quit worrying about her,’ Kirby said. ‘She’ll be fine wherever she is.’
‘Yeah, I guess so,’ mumbled Lomas, chewing his lip thoughtfully.
‘Do you think they’ll try anything tonight?’ asked Carl.
‘Doubt it,’ Kirby answered. ‘I reckon they’ll want the daylight.’
‘Probably dawn,’ said Belle. ‘First light, when everybody’s still half asleep.’
‘Going to be a sleepless night then,’ muttered Carl.
Kirby nodded, ‘Reckon so, but stay sharp because there’s no telling.’
‘You think its best I make a patrol around town like I usually do?’ Carl asked.
‘Good thought,’ said Kirby. ‘Everything as normal, I’ll come along with you and check out our boys are all on the ball.’
‘I’ll come as wel
l,’ Belle said quickly. ‘Seem less suspicious they see a woman walking out.’
She was concerned about being alone with Lomas. If he was going to make any unwarranted advances that was when it would be and at all costs Belle wanted to avoid such an embarrassing issue.
He was watching her closely across the room and Belle could see that something was bursting up inside him. It was an unsettling experience and it troubled her at a time when she’d rather not have such problems on her mind.
‘Take care now,’ Lomas said softly as they left the office.
As they walked the dark Main Street, Carl carried out his normal procedure and checked that store doors were locked and windows shut tight. Kirby whispered calls to his men positioned on the roofs and made sure they were all attentive.
As he climbed a set of stoop stairs to chivvy up one tardy response, Belle turned to Carl.
‘Has Lomas got a woman now?’ she asked. ‘There seems to be an awful lot of womanly things in his house.’
‘Oh, yeah, Lomas has got himself a real nice lady. A widow woman, Miz Jean Chicanne, she’s away right now. Visiting some relatives I believe.’
‘He alright with her?’ asked Belle. ‘No kinds of problems?’
Carl shrugged, ‘Not that I know of. They have some kind of history. People talk, you know how it is?’
‘What’s that? I never heard of no lady in Lomas’ life before.’
‘I guess you’ve known him a lot longer than me. Surprised you haven’t heard anything on that score.’
‘Lomas can hold his water when he wants.’
Carl laughed, ‘He sure can. But it’s odd you know? He’s changed a lot since that thing with his sister.’
‘That a fact? How so?’
‘Well, ever since he got back he’s been a mite different. More solemn somehow. I put it all down to the bad things that happened to his sister at first. He stayed down there with her a spell, a few years, you know? Just to get her back on her feet, he said. I reckon something happened whilst he was there, I ain’t sure quite what, but the old Lomas changed a bit since he got back.’
‘How do you mean ‘changed’?’
‘I don’t know. He seems to feel his age more, is more preoccupied with time and its passing.’
‘Well, I guess he is getting on.’
‘No, its not that. It’s like something got hollowed out of him. I can’t put my finger right on it. On the surface he seems the same old Lomas but there’s stuff going on underneath that I can’t figure out.’
‘Yes, I’ve seen it,’ agreed Belle. ‘That’s why I asked about a lady in his life. I wondered if that was what was troubling him.’
‘I don’t think so. Miz Chicanne is real swell with him, she cares for him and they get on fine. I’ve been meaning to try and ask her but I don’t like to pry, you know how it is? Lomas is likely to go off the deep end if you push where you ain’t supposed to.’
Belle nodded agreement; ‘He can be an ornery cuss when he wants.’
‘So, I reckoned I’d just let it play out. He’ll speak up when the time is right.’
‘I reckon so,’ agreed Belle.
Chapter Seven
They came from the west in a combat line, as if cavalry advancing at the walk.
The rising sun was in their faces but they kept hats pulled low and some wore bandanas over their lower faces.
‘You think this is wise, Dingus?’ asked Frank, riding alongside his brother. ‘Riding into the light.’
Jesse shrugged, ‘No option. They got too much going on the other side of town with all that construction work; it would break up our formation. And I want to come in fast and surprise them whilst they’re still half asleep.’
‘Sure looks quiet enough.’
‘It’ll be fine. Let’s go!’
With a wave of his arm, Jesse urged them on and the line moved down off the ridge at a fast gallop much as they would have done back when raiding during the war.
Under the sheriff’s porch one of the two soldier-dressed Pinkerton guards knocked gently on the wall behind him.
‘You see ‘em, Mister Langstrom? Here they come.’
‘Okay, boys,’ said Kirby from inside the office. ‘Play it cool, just like regular soldiers.’
Lomas glanced out of the window and noted that heads peeked up from rooftops all along the street. He prayed the outlaws did not notice the rifle barrels and hats on the town’s skyline.
‘I’m going up on the roof,’ Kirby said. ‘Be a better view from up there.’
‘I’ll come along,’ said Lomas, pulling down the hatch that led up onto the flat roof above the sheriff’s office.
‘Belle?’ asked Kirby. ‘Can you hold the fort down here with Carl?’
‘Will do,’ she answered as her husband levered himself up.
Kirby offered his hand to Lomas and as the Marshal gripped his wrist, Kirby asked with a teasing smile, ‘Can you make it, old man?’
‘Shut your mouth, Kirby Langstrom,’ growled Lomas, grunting as he heaved himself up on Kirby’s lift. ‘I might have to put you across my knee yet, you young whippersnapper.’
Kirby laughed and hauled the older man up.
‘For an elderly bag of bones, you sure is heavy, Lomas.’
The two knelt behind the low wooden wall on the flat roof and peered over cautiously.
The James gang was coming in fast and they fanned out across the wide Main Street filling it from side to side. They had their rifles drawn and swept down the road raising clouds of dust that shone golden in the rising sunlight.
Kirby’s face went grim as he levered a shell into his Winchester. ‘You ready?’ he asked Lomas.
‘Bet your life.’
The gang pulled up in a swirl of dust before the wagon and Jesse stepped his pony forward, a pistol in his hand.
‘You soldier boys best lay down your arms,’ he called. ‘I ain’t got no liking for blue-bellies so you make a move and I’ll cut you down where you stand.’
Both men threw aside their weapons and raised their hands in surrender as Kirby had instructed them to do so.
‘Well done,’ said Jesse. ‘Now I reckon we’ll be taking on this wagon you got here.’
‘Ain’t nothing but beans and flour due for Fort Miles,’ one of the guards called.
‘That’s what you say,’ Jesse said. ‘But it ain’t what I heard.’
‘And just what did you hear, Mister James?’ asked Kirby, getting to his feet, rifle held couched on his thigh.
Jesse started and quickly spun around as Kirby stood up, his eyes suspiciously scanning the surrounding buildings. The gang behind Jesse cocked their rifles noisily at Kirby’s appearance.
‘Yeah we got you cold, Jesse,’ Kirby said, as twenty-five rifles and pistols on the buildings behind the gang were raised into view. ‘I’m Kirby Langstrom of the Pinkerton Agency and I’m taking you in. We got a lot of guns on you. So I wouldn’t recommend making a fight of it.’
Jesse calmly dropped his revolver back in its holster and smiled, ‘You the same Kirby Langstrom that travels with a Mrs. Belle Slaughter and messed up my train raid a while back?’ he asked, lifting his chin and squinting at Kirby speculatively.
‘The very same,’ said Kirby with a thin smile.
‘I been meaning to pay you a visit sometime,’ Jesse answered.
‘Well, here I am and now’s the time.’
The gang behind Jesse where turning their ponies restlessly, each man nervously watching the array of guns pointing down at them.
‘Don’t even think on it,’ advised Kirby. ‘You all drop your weapons and you’ll get out of this alive, otherwise it ends here on the street.’
‘What you got in this wagon then?’ asked Jesse. ‘I reckon it won’t be no eighty thousand dollars in payroll money.’
‘You heard the man, Jesse. Beans and bacon, he weren’t lying.’
‘Holy Bangles,’ cursed Jesse. ‘It sure seems to be all your way, don’t it?’
&n
bsp; Kirby watched the outlaw’s face drop from a pleasant smile to a rock hard mask of coldness and with a sinking feeling he knew that Jesse was going to make a fight of it.
‘Stand aside!’ bawled a voice. ‘Get back, you heathens, I got business here.’
All heads turned to see Claus Bennerheim and his family pushing their way through the crowded ponies.
Bennerheim’s head was pasted with bandages made of newspaper, the strips fluttering over the knocks he had received from his wife. He hobbled on a rough wooden crutch for his wounded side and carried his rifle in his hand. Behind him came his pale, florid wife supporting Abner, whose leg was bandaged and gave the giant boy an irregular limp.
‘What the hell!’ spat Frank James as the rest of the wired crew looked on in surprise as the stumbling party forcing their way through.
‘I am here to claim recompense,’ roared Bennerheim. ‘Where is the sheriff? I have complaint against Marshal Lomas Bell.’
Lomas climbed to his feet and quirked an eyebrow at the irate farmer, ‘Best clear the street, Mister Bennerheim,’ he called down. ‘This is a dangerous place to be right now.’
‘What is this?’ said Jesse, wrinkling his nose and looking down at the battered farmer.
‘None of your concern, sir,’ said Bennerheim. ‘I have been outrageously assaulted by a peace officer and….’
‘You ain’t alone there, mister. Best you stand in line,’ joked one of the Younger boys and the rest of the gang chuckled in agreement.
‘Stand aside,’ snapped Kirby. ‘You want your fool head blowed off?’
‘You speak to one of the Chosen,’ Bennerheim roared back. ‘He shall not be cast down or abused, so sayeth the Lord.’
Jesse urged his pony forward and brushed up close against Bennerheim, who stumbled away a step. ‘On your way, you fool,’ Jesse advised coldly.
Carl opened the office door and he and Belle stepped out onto the porch with raised rifles.
‘Mister Bennerheim,’ said Carl in frustration. ‘Will you and your family please step aside? We are in the process of taking Jesse James into custody and you are interfering with the course of justice.’