Big Jim smiled and chewed on his cigar with great enthusiasm as he put down a straight flush eight high. Rollie smiled which made Big Jim scowl as he laid down a royal flush and pushed back from the table. The rustle through the crowd was tremendous as the side bets were being exchanged and argued on who was the better player.
The bar stayed open as they celebrated late into the night but none of them drank a lot. The brunette left when the manager gave Rollie the final tally and asked if he wanted the winnings or if he preferred they be placed in the safe. When the manager left with the bag of money he was accompanied by two armed men. If the plan was to rob the winnings they would have to get to the safe before morning and that didn’t look promising. Surprisingly, the night was quiet.
Garnett and Dominic disembarked in Memphis as the rest of the Unit were continuing to St. Louis with another tournament scheduled between the river ports. Garnett stood at the railing of the supply store watching the people loading on and off the boat. It had been a long time since they had crossed paths with men of their Unit but it was a good diversion after a long summer.
Dominic put the supplies in his saddlebag and looked over as Mr. Dobbs stood against the railing taking in the town. The mystery woman walked by him without acknowledgment and turned looking directly at Dominic. A feeling of familiarity washed over him followed by dread as she smiled before strolling out of sight.
They mounted and headed east through Tennessee. The cold weather was starting to set into the foothills as snow dusted the peaks of the highest ridges. The third night out they camped along a fast moving stream. Garnett looked out across the hills as the sun was setting.
“I think it’s time to buy a new horse.”
Dominic put more wood on the fire and sat down on his saddle. “When’s the last time we did that?”
“I think when we were still in Texas. This one has been a great horse but I think she is ready to retire.”
“I enjoyed Texas.”
“It was good for the most part but like anything I always have the urge to move on and try new things. I envy a man who finds a job and starts a family before dying of old age in his own bed.”
“I guess that’s the difference between a settled man and an adventurous man. We’ll be lucky if our bones don’t end up at the bottom of some ravine.”
Garnett laughed. “Well, there’s always that possibility if the two tracking us are off the boat.”
“I really was convinced they were after the money and if played right it would be a very easy and lucrative heist.”
“A lot easier than tracking us but since we have a few weeks before we need to be in Washington maybe we should just see how good they are in the bosom of the mountains.”
Dominic smiled. There were a lot of things they learned while in the Army but the ways of the Indians was something they would always respect and the lessons learned invaluable. Matthew was reading a book when he felt his father’s presence as the wind began to roll down the mountain ready to play.
They changed directions and started further up the mountain following an old trapper’s trail that was trying diligently to disappear into the foliage. They intentionally left signs as they continued higher until they found an old cabin. The place looked like it had been abandoned probably during the war or maybe the owner just met with unforeseen circumstances somewhere on the mountain. Garnett gathered up wood and started a fire before pulling the mattress off of the broken bed and laying down.
Dominic sat down at the table and started to clean his gun. There wasn’t much time between them and the trackers so if they were the target it would happen soon. If not, then they would stay on the lower road and be ahead of them.
The sound woke up Garnett as he rolled pointing his gun in the direction of the small window. The fire was burning low but gave off enough to see clearly into the cottage. The blankets gave the impression of someone sleeping. Dominic slowly stood up and filled his cup with hot coffee before sitting back down facing the fire with his back up against the only wall without windows. The crunching sound moved to the left but Garnett stayed in the darkened corner waiting.
The windows of the small structure were angled for shooting out but difficult to shoot into with any accuracy. They were covered with oil clothes that made everything seem hazy in the firelight. The door latch slowly lifted as the wind blew the door in as a big man stood filling the doorframe.
Dominic sat back and studied him. He looked to be older than dirt with a long white beard that was well kept. He took off his hat and slapped it against his leg. “Didn’t expect to see anyone up here this time of year.”
“We’re heading east and thought we’d seek cover until the storm passes.”
“Might be a mighty long refuge considering it’s going to be a ball busting storm that will wash out the gullies.”
Garnett stayed in the shadows as the man asked if he could spare a cup of coffee. Dominic nodded as the man walked over to the cubbard and took down a tin cup knocking the spider webs out of it filling it with coffee. “Have any sugar?”
“In my saddlebag.” Dominic didn’t move as the old man nodded but didn’t look in the saddlebag. They both knew that mountain men never bothered with luxuries like sugar in their coffee. He moved over to the table and sat down across from Dominic.
“What do you do that takes you east?”
“My children are in New York and I haven’t seen them in a few months.”
“You’re a northerner? You sound like you come from the deep south.”
Dominic smiled. “Mississippi.”
The old man nodded. “Name’s Cutter.”
“It’s nice to meet you Cutter. Is the cabin yours?”
“Naw it belonged to Old Annie who disappeared last spring somewhere up on the southern ridge. We do believe that she tangled with a grizzly that roams them parts of the mountain. She was one crusty ole’ gal who could shoot with the best of them. Took down a grizzly or two on her own she did. Now the cabin is just used by travelers lost since taking this trail takes you nowhere but up the blasted mountain. Been living here most of my time and have watched friends and foes pass on without nary a sound. Some days you get the bear and some days the bear gets you.”
“That about sums up life.”
“Why are you this far up?”
“I thought it might be a faster pass into the valley.”
Cutter cocked his head and set his shoulders back as his dark brown eyes seemed to recess with intensity. He was layered in skins so that you couldn’t see much of him but it was hard to tell if his intentions were harmless or if he was just another roadblock to their journey. “You don’t appear to be a city bred gentleman and that there gun you are cleaning isn’t a gentleman’s gun. Are you hiding out?”
Dominic smiled. “Just seeking someplace to rest.”
“Long way from the river and a long way to the valley.”
“I reckon that it might be.” Dominic watched as his right shoulder moved slightly and his hand dropped down to his lap while he sipped his coffee. “Tell me Cutter, what was your pleasure?”
“Pleasure?”
“Well, I haven’t figured out your angle.”
“I’m just an old man of the mountain making my way home.”
“Heading up or down?”
“I’m further down below the big road. Doesn’t get as cold down there. Thought I would just take a break and see who was squatting.”
“I think you use this cabin to prey on travelers.”
“That so? And why do you think that?”
“First, you are a lot younger than your appearance and a lot more spry than your walk implies. You spin a good tale and you engage your victim deciding whether or not you will reap enough to kill them. I imagine your bottom line is anything of value from the horses, the guns and hopefully money.”
“Well, that is not a very hospitable attitude to a stranger. Don’t know why you would speak ill of someone you don’t know.”
Dominic put the pin in his gun and spun the cylinder that was so quiet that it mesmerized Cutter.
“Only the Army wore the Colt Revolver and yours appears to be particularly fine.” Dominic put the gun on the table and relit his cigar. Cutter narrowed his eyes as Dominic watched. Only one of them was going to get up from the table and they both knew it. Cutter had to determine whether Dominic had another gun under the table. He looked at the peg on the wall that showed a belt with one holster. He turned back to Dominic and smiled showing good teeth instead of the normal dental problems that plagued the mountain men.
Garnett steadied his pistol and waited for the movement. The room was eerily quiet as the sound of the wind whistled under the cracks of the door. He squeezed the trigger half way and fired. Cutter’s face showed confusion before he fell over on the table with a heavy thud.
“You know Dominic, one day you are going to play the wrong man.”
“It will never happen when I have backup.” He stood and reloaded his gun putting it in the holster before he walked over to Cutter and reached under his skins lifting them over his head as his body fell on the floor. He was wearing normal clothes under the deer skins which had a musty smell to them. Garnett searched his pockets and pulled out a wad of bills.
“Dominic, don’t move.”
Dominic looked at Garnett who had his eyes trained on the little window next to the door. “Roll left when I tell you to.” Dominic continued to appear to be searching the man when Garnett trained is gun on Dominic. “Now.”
As Dominic rolled, the gun simultaneously fired ripping through the oil cloth as a scream let out. Dominic picked up Cutter’s gun and slowly opened the door. Lying on the ground was a small figure in obvious pain. Garnett walked around Dominic who kept his gun trained on the figure. When the gun came up, Garnett kicked it out of her hand sending it flying across the small yard. He watched as she struggled to sit up and her sleight of hand was so brief that it made him smile. Garnett hit her over the head with the butt of his gun as she crumpled back into the wet leaves.
When she woke up she was tied to a chair across from Dominic but she didn’t know where the other man who shot her was and the body was against the wall. She looked at him and realized that his beard and wig had been removed. “Let me go.”
“Not without answers.”
“I was looking for somewhere to get out of the storm when I saw the smoke.”
“Who hired you?”
“I don’t understand. I am travelling to Memphis.”
“It isn’t safe for a woman to be riding through the mountains unescorted. Especially since there are safer ways to travel.”
“I’m running from an abusive husband.”
“He must be an awfully bad man for you to risk your life.”
“Please untie me.”
Dominic slid his chair back and stood up. “I have two choices. One is to kill you and the other is to leave you bound to the chair with your boyfriend attracting hungry animals.”
“I don’t know that man.”
“Coincidences are for fools to believe and you appear to be very professional.” Dominic walked over and pulled her head back looking at her face. “I believe you may be the woman they call the black widow.”
“You are crazy.”
Dominic sat down on the table close to her. “Never track a man up a mountain unless you are intimately familiar with the territory. Who put out the hit?”
She glared at him as he took her chin in his hand and pulled her face up while she resisted. Before she could say anything, Dominic backhanded her throwing her back with such force that the chair fell over. “You son of a bitch.”
“Who put out the hit?”
“You might as well shoot me because I can’t answer your questions.”
“Oh, trust me you will willingly answer the question.”
“You won’t get away with killing me.”
“No?” Dominic sat the chair back up as he checked the ropes to make sure they were tight. “You should have stayed at home with the abusive husband because his behavior will seem mild compared to tonight.”
“I’ve had worse.”
Garnett smiled because no matter how tough a woman pretended to be they always caved in when the pain started. The problem with this one is that she was crafty enough to make up believable stories. Garnett put his hand on her injured shoulder and squeezed his fingers into the wound as she screamed and threw her head back in grimacing pain. He let go and walked around so he was facing her.
“I can go all night.”
Her breaths started to come in short spurts until the pain subsided and she slowly opened her eyes. “What do you want from me?”
“Just the name.”
“I don’t know. I was hired by an agent.”
Garnett took out his gun and spun the cylinder pointing it at her other shoulder as her eyes became round and dark. “You could survive with just one shoulder injury until gang green set in which it will but it will be hard to do with both shoulders injured.” He pulled the trigger and she jumped until she realized he didn’t have a bullet in the chamber. Garnett spun the cylinder again and she looked at it noting it had three bullets and three empty chambers. She tried to calculate whether the bullet was ready to be fired on in the bottom chamber where she couldn’t see it. He pointed it at her again.
“I was hired by a man named Thomas. He wouldn’t tell me who was hiring me only that I was to kill you before you made it to Washington.”
“What did he look like?”
She looked from Dominic to Garnett who seemed to want an excuse to shoot her. “Medium height…”
Dominic backhanded her again. “I want details.”
“He’s…” She took in her breath thinking it was far easier to kill a man then to be looking down the barrel of his gun knowing that life was over. The black widow had had a great career and her lust for killing was obvious. “…he is known to work for Mr. Sampson.”
“The purpose of this assignment is political?”
“I don’t ask and frankly I don’t care. I’m just a gun for hire.”
“You have impressive credentials but obviously you were over confident. Who is the dandy?”
“Just an associate that I use occasionally.”
“Namely someone to take the bullet for you?”
“Yes.”
“What is Thomas’s last name?”
“LaBelle.”
“How much did they pay you?”
“More than any other hit which means your death is personal. You must have really pissed off Mr. Sampson.”
“Not really but some men just can’t back down when humiliated.”
“What are you going to do with me?”
Dominic blew smoke rings as she watched. “Well, we can take you to the nearest town and turn you over to authorities, we could just end it right here or we could leave you here to see how good you are at getting yourself untied. Do you have a preference?” She glared at him and Dominic smiled. “See, the problem with leaving you here injured is that I believe you have the tenacity to actually survive. I’m not sure I want to look over my shoulder waiting for you to seek revenge. By not completing this hit, you pretty much become a target as big as I am so it would be necessary for you to repair your reputation.”
“I don’t seek revenge. I am a professional.”
“What’s your real name?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“And as a professional how do you explain my still breathing and walking?”
“I don’t have to. I’ll just go underground.”
“We both know that once you kill for money that the pleasure never goes away. So you can either take out your target or your boss. I assume you have worked for Louis before.” Dominic watched as her body moved slightly as she attempted to get out of the ropes without being noticeable. “The life of a killer though quite exciting always ends when you make the mistake of not knowing your target.
Going after a professional requires far more preparation and it is obvious that your marks have been easy.”
“You are awfully arrogant.”
“That’s something you should have known and used. You had the opportunity to take me in Mississippi and on the boat so why in the world would you wait until the middle of the mountain?”
“Because we couldn’t get to you in Mississippi and you made us on the boat so we had to pretend to be interested in the money.”
“Did you get it?”
“What?”
“The money?”
“We could have without a problem but we didn’t want the law on our trail over a pittance.” The black widow grimaced as the pain in her shoulder throbbed.
Dominic leaned back and stood up reaching for his holster buckling it on. “Louis must have paid an awful lot to hire someone without the credentials to do the job. I’m really surprised that he was so sloppy.”
“I am very good at my job.”
Dominic laughed. “Circumstances might argue with you.”
“This is just temporary. For the right amount, I can eliminate your problem.”
“I really don’t need him eliminated because he isn’t a problem only an annoyance. He will soon tire of the game plus I don’t believe you have the ability to be discreet or loyal.”
“Well, I would think you would at least negotiate.” Garnett walked over to the fire as she watched him out of the corner of her eyes. He poured a cup of coffee and leaned up against the mantle.
“Now I remember where I have seen you before. You work at his house. I would imagine you are security since you don’t look like a threat.”
She smiled. “I am a little more than that.”
Garnett shook his head because she basically sealed her own fate with her smugness.
“I am sure if I leave you tied up that he will send someone to find you.” Dominic turned with such precision and fired through the door as the body fell knocking over the old pile of firewood. She closed her eyes just hoping that he would leave her to die tied to the chair.
Garnett opened the door and pulled in the gentleman putting him in front of the fire and behind the girl. He went through his pockets and handed a card to Dominic who nodded.
The Visitor_The Bell Tower 1873_1875 Page 26