The RECKONING: A Jess Williams Western

by Robert J. Thomas

  “You bet. And don’t hold back on those biscuits. I could eat a dozen of them,” he answered as Martha headed back into the kitchen. Jess thought for a minute and then got up and walked over to Sheriff Manley’s table.

  “Sheriff, I’d like to come over and talk to you at your office later today,” said Jess. The sheriff waited a minute to look up at Jess. When he did, he had an odd look of both fear and anger on his face.

  “Well, I suppose that would be okay,” replied Manley. “Say about noon?”

  “Noon it is,” he agreed.

  “Can I ask what this is about?”

  “I’ll let you know when I see you there.”

  Jess went back to his table to eat his breakfast. After that, he took a stroll around town again, stopping in to visit Billy and check on Gray. Then he went to his room to take a short nap. His eyes opened before the first knock. He had unconsciously heard the noise of footsteps while he was dozing. He had the double barreled shotgun up and ready before the knock on his door was finished.

  “Who is it?” he asked.

  “It’s Billy,” said a quiet voice. “Please open the door before anyone sees me.” Jess got up and slowly opened the door to let Billy in.

  “Hastings came back,” said Billy nervously.

  “When?”

  “About ten minutes ago, but he left already.”

  “He left?” asked Jess. “Why and where?”

  “Well, he saw the horse you gave me,” he explained. He noticed it right away and asked about it. The old man told him what had happened and he got really mad when he found out you had killed his two friends. He took off for the Last “C” ranch. He told me to tell the sheriff that he’ll be coming back to town later today and if you’re still here, he was going to shoot you down like a dog. I’m really scared.”

  “Don’t be,” he replied calmly. “I plan on seeing the sheriff today at noon. You go find the sheriff and tell him everything you just told me and then go back to work like nothing else happened. As far as anyone else is concerned, we never talked, okay?”

  “Okay. But I’m still scared,” he said. “Are you sure you can take him? He’s pretty fast.”

  “There’s not much I’m certain about in life Billy, but there is one thing I am sure of and that is before this day is over, Randy Hasting will be dead.” Billy nodded and headed out to find the sheriff like he was told.

  Jess spent a few minutes getting his gear ready knowing he would probably leave town today after he killed Hastings. He walked down to the general store and picked up some supplies and packed his saddlebags. He noticed the townspeople staring at him and he knew it was because they knew what was about to happen. He headed over to the sheriff’s office to talk to Manley about the other two men he was hunting. Manley was sitting on the front porch in a chair when Jess arrived.

  “Sheriff, do you have any information about Randy Hastings’s other two partners that he came to town with originally?” asked Jess.

  “Not really,” replied Manley. “They didn’t stay long after they hit town. I heard Hastings say something about meeting them down in Red Rock, Texas, later.”

  “You got any wanted posters on those two?” asked Jess.

  “Don’t think so,” replied the sheriff.

  “When is the last time you looked at any wanted posters?”

  “Hell, I don’t know,” he answered agitatedly. It’s not like I keep a schedule to look at them,” retorted Sheriff Manley.

  “Maybe you should.”

  “Well maybe you outta…” the sheriff never finished what he was about to say after he saw the look in Jess’s eyes quickly change, a dark look coming forth.

  “Here are some sketches of them I got from Sheriff Diggs over in Black Creek,” said Jess, as he reached into his front pocket and pulled out the two drawings. “Why don’t you take a look at any posters you have and see if any match up?”

  “Ain’t you got something bigger to worry about?” the sheriff asked sarcastically.

  “Like what?”

  “Like getting shot dead this afternoon,” replied Manley. “You know, Hastings is just plain mean and he don’t fight fair. He’ll probably have some help with him. He didn’t ride out to the Last “C” ranch just to visit ‘cause he was lonely. He’ll most likely bring back a couple of toughs with him.”

  “That’ll be his choice,” barked Jess. “They might even get me, but not before I get Hastings; you can bet on that.” The sheriff’s expression changed to more of a look of respect for Jess. It had been a long time since the sheriff had seen such confidence and tenacity; especially in someone so young.

  “You sure got the gonads of a grown man, I’ll give you that,” admitted Manley. “You’d better hope that those gonads don’t get you killed.”

  “You let me worry about that Sheriff.”

  “Well, I’ll check my posters for you,” he replied. “You be on the lookout for trouble though, ‘cause it’s coming at you for sure.”

  “I suppose so, but I’m ready,” he replied.

  “I’ll just bet you are,” the sheriff replied, nodding his head.

  Jess walked away and headed for the saloon. He figured that’s probably where Hastings would look for him when he returned to town. He took a seat at the table in the corner. He had a good view of the batwing doors and the street so he could see trouble coming early. Ray brought Jess a beer and sat it down on the table. Jess thanked him and took a long slow drink as Ray wiped up the table.

  “What are you going to do when Hastings gets back in town later?” asked Ray.

  “Kill him,” he replied candidly.

  “I guess that’s one way of handling it.”

  “I reckon it is.”

  “He’ll probably have help with him.”

  “I already figured as much. It’ll be their choice to throw in with him, not mine. Whoever does is going to die with him.”

  “Well, good luck, Jess. I hope you get to ride out of here.”

  “Me too, since I have two more men to hunt down after Hastings,” he said looking up at Ray with a determined look.

  There were at least a dozen people in the bar. That was more than usual this early in the afternoon, but they knew that the show would soon begin. They heard about the gunfight between Jess and the other two men the other day and knew Jess was good enough to give Hastings a challenge. Jess had been sitting there for about two hours when all of a sudden a few more men rushed into the saloon. When they did, Jess could tell that trouble wasn’t far behind. He could tell by the way the men were looking at him. He stood up and walked over to the end of the bar by the wall so no one could get behind him. All of a sudden it got real quiet in the saloon. Jess removed his hammer strap from his pistol. He had a clear view of the swinging doors as well as the door at the other end of the bar going to the back of the saloon. He knew he would have to keep an eye on both doors.

  Jess heard spurs jingling and footsteps coming up the stairs. A man wearing a six-shooter tied down low walked in and made his way to the opposite end of the bar. Jess noticed that the man had already removed his hammer strap. He was slightly heavyset and acted like he’d been drinking. He ordered a whiskey from the barkeep while keeping a close eye on Jess. Then, the moment Jess was waiting for finally happened. He heard footsteps this time, but no spurs. Jess stared at the man as he came through the door. He wanted to make sure who it was and he wanted it to be Randy Hastings. He wasn’t disappointed. He remembered the two pearl handled Colts that Hastings had been wearing on that fateful day he met him out on the road going into Black Creek, Kansas. He was still wearing the Colts, tied down tight and low on both legs. A flood of emotions hit Jess. He felt excitement, hatred, revenge and satisfaction all rolled up as one.

  Hastings glanced over at his friend at the bar and his friend looked over at Jess, letting Hastings know which one of the men in the saloon had been looking for him. Hastings would have been able to easily pick him out anyway. The strange looking pistol
and holster and the shotgun handle sticking up behind Jess’s back were dead giveaways, but that’s not how he would have known; the look on Jess’s face was enough. It was a look that would make most men shudder with fear, but Hastings wasn’t like most men; he was a cold-blooded killer.

  Hastings took a moment to look Jess over. Jess glared back at him. Hastings had a cocky smirk on his face. It was eerily quiet in the saloon as Jess and Hastings just continued to stare at one another for what seemed an eternity. Jess was savoring the moment of finally catching up with one of the men who murdered his family. Hastings was curiously wondering why this young man was hunting him. No one said a word until Hastings decided to break the silence.

  “I hear you’ve been looking for me?”

  “You heard right.”

  “I also heard you killed two of my friends.”

  “That almost makes us even.”

  “Do I know you?” Hastings asked inquisitively. “What’s your name, boy?”

  “You don’t remember me, do you?” asked Jess.

  “Now why would I remember you?”

  “We met once before.”

  “Really, where was that?”

  “Black Creek, Kansas.”

  “Okay; Black Creek, Kansas. Now who in the hell are you?”

  “My name is Jess Williams.”

  “Well, Jess Williams, what’s your beef with me?”

  “Almost two years ago, three men murdered my family,” replied Jess. “They shot my pa down like a bunch of cowards. Then they raped and murdered my ma, but that wasn’t enough; they also raped and murdered my little seven-year-old sister. You were one of those three men. I remember you from the road that day. I was riding in the wagon. Does that help your memory? Do you remember me now? Do you remember murdering my family?”

  Hastings never flinched. He just stood there, with that same smirk still on his face. The truth was; he did remember that day. He just wasn’t about to admit it.

  “Mind if I have a drink first?” asked Hastings.

  “Go ahead,” replied Jess. Jess watched Hastings slowly walk to the bar and order a whiskey. Jess noticed that Hastings had gotten his left boot heel fixed.

  “I see you got your left boot fixed,” observed Jess.

  “How’d you know that?” asked Hastings cagily.

  “I saw it that day on the trail into town,” he replied bluntly.

  “Really?”

  “I saw your tracks in the dirt in front of my pa’s house, too.”

  “You don’t say.”

  “I saw your tracks in the blood on the floor where you killed my ma too.”

  “Maybe I ain’t the only one who’s ever lost a boot heel,” retorted Hastings.

  “Maybe not; but probably not someone who wears two pearl handle Colts,” replied Jess firmly. Hastings downed his whiskey and glared at Jess.

  “You know, you’ve made some serious accusations,” he said in a sinister way. “You got any proof?”

  “Don’t need any.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Why not?” asked Hastings.

  “You’re wanted by the law, dead or alive,” he replied smartly.

  “Well, if I was one of those three men, and I’m not saying I was, what the hell you plan on doing about it anyway?” replied Hastings, showing no remorse at all.

  “I plan to do what I promised my family I’d do,” replied Jess. “I plan to shoot you down like the dog you are, and I plan to make you suffer like my family did.”

  Hastings was getting a little agitated now. Jess could see Hastings ears actually starting to turn red.

  “Better men than you have tried and died,” retorted Hastings. “You sure you still want to do this? I believe you’re outgunned and outclassed.” Jess looked around the bar and looked back at Hastings.

  “Are all these men in the saloon throwing in with you or just the chubby one down at the end of the bar?” Hastings’ friend straightened up at the insult.

  “Just me and my friend over there,” replied Hastings. “The rest of these men are only here to watch you die.”

  “Well then, I’m neither outgunned or outclassed,” replied Jess defiantly. “The only one who is going to die here today is you and your friend if he reaches for his pistol. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m done talking unless you want to confess before I kill you. Not that it will matter much. I don’t plan on taking you in alive. Just killing you and collecting the five hundred dollar bounty on your sorry ass.”

  Hastings put his right hand down by the butt of his gun. “You know what punk?” said Hastings. “I’m the one that put that bullet in your sister’s head. What do you think about that?”

  “I think your day of reckoning has finally arrived,” retorted Jess.

  Everything happened at lightning speed. Hastings and his friend both went for their guns at the same time. Jess drew and shot the man at the end of bar first, the bullet ripping through his chest. He didn’t turn his body, he just snapped off the shot from the hip keeping the gun close to his side. The man had just barely got his hand on the butt of his pistol. As Jess brought the pistol back toward Hastings, he fanned the next shot with his left hand and the slug hit Hastings in the left arm, but that was no mistake. Hastings hadn’t quite got his gun out of the holster when Jess’s first shot hit him. Hastings dropped his gun and grabbed his left arm where he had been hit. Jess slowly walked forward and shot Hastings in his right arm. Hastings let out another scream.

  “You bastard!” wailed Hastings.

  Jess said nothing as he slowly moved toward Hastings, who continued to back up. Jess fired another shot that hit Hastings in the gut. Hastings fell back against the wall and slid down to the floor. He was screaming in pain trying vainly to cover his stomach wound. Jess smiled at Hastings as he shot him in his left kneecap, shattering it into little pieces. His sixth shot took out the right kneecap, bits of blood and bone splattering Hastings in the face. Jess walked up to him and looked at him for a moment, worming around on the floor holding his gut with both hands, which wasn’t easy since both his arms had been shot. There was blood all over. The only noise in the bar was coming from Hastings who was moaning and cursing. Everyone else in the bar was silent watching the event unfold.

  Jess reloaded quickly and watched the room carefully. If anyone tried anything, he still had his pa’s Peacemaker tucked in his front belt. Then, Jess brought the pistol in line with Hastings’ forehead and pulled the hammer back slowly allowing Hastings to hear all four clicks of the hammer separately.

  “What do you think my sister felt when you put that bullet in her head? Ever wonder? Will you actually hear the gunshot? What do think it will feel like? Well, you’re about to find out because that’s exactly what’s going to happen next,” Jess said with deadly intent.

  The bullet sprayed Hastings’s brains all over the wall and floor. It was an ugly sight, but not one that hadn’t been seen before by most of the men in the bar. Jess replaced the spent cartridge, holstered his gun and walked back to the bar taking another long drink from his beer. No one said a word. He looked over at the barkeep and Ray brought him another beer.

  Sheriff Manley walked into the saloon. He was surprised by what he saw, but he sure wouldn’t miss Hastings. He’d been nothing but trouble since he arrived in town. Manley walked over to the bar and Ray brought him a shot of whiskey. Manley slugged it down and turned around to survey the scene. The man at the end of the bar was lying face up on the floor in a pool of blood, shot in the middle of the chest. Hastings’ head was still leaning up against the wall and there were pieces of his brain matter all over the wall and floor. Manley turned back around to the bar and ordered another whiskey.

  “Well, I guess you did what you came here to do,” said Manley.

  “I suppose I did,” replied Jess.

  “Don’t suppose you feel bad about it neither, do you?” Manley asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Not even a
little,” Jess responded.

  “Well, you earned six hundred dollars in the process,” offered Manley. “I’ll make arrangements to have the money transferred to that Jameson fellow at your bank in Black Creek.”

  “I thought the bounty was five hundred?” inquired Jess.

  “Well, I looked through those wanted posters like you asked me. I found another poster on Hastings and wouldn’t you know, they raised it,” exclaimed Sheriff Manley. “I also found a wanted poster on one of the other two men you’re looking for. The man’s name is Hank Beard. He’s wanted for murder and two bank robberies. The last bank robbery was in a town called Halstad, down in Texas. There’s a three hundred dollar bounty on his head. I also found an old telegraph notice from the sheriff in Halstad. The notice said that Beard had been spotted around a small town called Timber, about one hundred miles southeast of Halstad. I got nothin’ on the other guy you showed me. I’m sure he’ll surface sooner or later though. Those types usually do. Hell, he may even be with Beard. Suppose you’re leaving town and heading down that way?”

  “Matter of fact, I’ve decided to stay in town tonight and leave tomorrow. I have one more thing to do,” said Jess curiously.

  “Can you do me a favor?” asked Manley.

  “What?”

  “Try not shootin’ anyone else before you go?”

  “I’ll sure try, Sheriff.”

  Jess finished his beer and headed to his room to turn in for the night. He felt good about killing Hastings. He had no business living after what he had done to other people. He hadn’t wanted to kill the other man, but that was his choice. As he dozed off, he kept thinking about Texas and a little town called Timber, and what he would find there. Hopefully, he would find the next part of his destiny.

  ***

  Back in Black Creek, Kansas, the funeral for Red Carter was a quiet and solemn one. No one from town came to the funeral. No one really liked Red except for his father Dick Carter. Carter owned the largest ranch in the area, the Carter “D.” He was a hard man who had no problem with stepping on anybody who tried to get in his way. He bought out some of the smaller ranches around his, and the ones he couldn’t buy, he simply forced them out. Carter didn’t have much use for Red either, but Red was his only son and he loved him despite all the problems Red had caused him.