The Last Good Day, стр. 16

“Don’t think he’s goin’ to sell or give it to me.”

“No, but we might relieve him of it,” B.W. said.

“Well when you figure out how, let me know.”

“I’ll do that,” B.W. said as he stared out the window at the hanging gallows at the end of the street.

In the eatery, Julie sat Tommy down and brought him a glass of milk and sat down with him.

“How old are you?” she asked.

“Twelve.”

“Okay, young man. I know you’ve been ridin’ with Rance and B.W. Tell me the truth. What’s going on? Did they murder anyone?”

“Not exactly. B.W. and the major stopped at Whiskey Gulch to get a bath and a whore and everything went wrong.”

“To get a what?” she said, her big blue eyes batting like a flying bird.

“A bath and a whore.”

Julie shook her head. “You sure you’re twelve years old?”

“Yes ma’am. I followed B.W. to the saloon and was watchin’ through the window. Some men was holdin’ the major, makin’ him drink whiskey. One of them pulled a gun and B.W. killed him with his tomahawk and I ran back to the stable and saddled their hoses. B.W. knew I didn’t have any folks and asked me to come with them. I have to get them out of jail. There’s some other things might come up we ran into after that.”

“Like what?”

“Don’t want to talk about it right now,” Tommy said. “Will you help me get them out of jail?”

“I got to live here,” she said. “Don’t have any other place to go.”

“You could go with us,” Tommy said.

“Don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said. “But maybe If I give you my papa’s gun we might can surprise them. The deputy will let me in when I take them their supper. They know I have to keep you in tow so you can come in with me. Usually there’s only one deputy. Hold the gun on the deputy, I’ll tell them you stole it. Tell him to open their cell and you’ll be long gone before anyone else knows what happened, and then I won’t have to leave town.”

“I knew you was a smart lady,” Tommy said.

“I hope so, for everybody’s sake,” she said. “I feed the prisoners about five in the evening. I’ll get the gun.”

B.W. and Rance were stretched out on their bunks when they heard the lock turn. The marshal walked in the cell, put his hand on the butt of his Colt and looked at them, and they sat up on the bunks.

“Had a farmer bring in three bodies,” he said. “Looks like they was blown away and pecked on by some buzzards. Too much of a mess to tell who they were or what they looked like. Sent ‘em to the undertaker. That your doin’ too?”

B.W. and Rance looked at each other then back to the marshal. “Got nothing to say,” B.W. said.

“Well, don’t really matter,” the marshal said. “Can’t hang you twice. Thought you might want to clear your consciences.”

“Hang ‘em for that and let me outta here,” No-Neck said from the next cell.

“This one’s easier with you as a witness,” the marshal said and walked out the door and the lock snapped.

“Told you we should have buried them,” Rance said. B.W. shook his head and laid down.

At five o’clock, Julie and Tommy were ready to put their plan into action. Julie placed the food in a basket and Tommy stuck the Navy Colt in the back of his pants and covered it with his shirt. They headed for the jail.

Julie knocked on the jail door.

“Who is it?” the deputy asked.

“Brought the prisoner’s supper.”

The door opened. Julie and Tommy walked in and Charlie closed the door.

“Sit the basket on the desk,” Charlie said. “I’ll give it to them.”

Julie sat the basket on the desk and Tommy drew the Colt. “Don’t move,” he said.

The deputy looked at Tommy and laughed. “What do you think you’re doin’ boy? Give me that gun ‘fore I take it away from you and spank your butt.”

The deputy eased his hand toward the Colt on his belt.

“Don’t do it, mister. I may not be very big but I don’t have to be with this. I’ll shoot you.” He cocked the Colt.

“Miss Julie, get the keys and open their cell,” Tommy said.

Julie picked up the keys from the desk, unlocked the cell room door and walked up to their cell.

“What you doin’ here?” Rance asked.

“I was bringin’ your supper and Tommy pulled a gun.” She winked at Rance and handed him the cell keys.

“Let me out, too,” No-Neck said.

“You’re on your own,” Rance said.

Rance unlocked their cell and they moved out to the front office. The deputy was standing behind his desk, hands up, Tommy holding the gun on him. Rance laid the keys on the desk, lifted the deputy’s gun from his holster, eyed the gun and smiled.

“Take off the belt and hand it to me,” Rance said.

The deputy took off the belt and handed it to him. He laid the Colt on the desk, swung the belt around his waist with his right hand, held it next to his side with his left arm, ran the belt through the buckle with his right and tightened it, picked up the Colt and pointed it at the deputy.

B.W. picked up the keys, shoved the deputy through the cell room door, locked him in the cell, closed the door, locked it and pitched the keys on the desk.

“You’re somethin’ else, boy,” B.W. said and patted Tommy on the head.

“We better get out of here fast,” Tommy said and stuck the gun in his pants.

“What do we do ‘bout you, Julie?” Rance asked.

“Nothin,’” Julie said. “I’ll be fine. Me and Tommy had a plan, he can tell you ‘bout it later. If you’re ever back this way, I’ll be here.” She planted a big kiss on Rance’s lips.

“Why don’t you go to Texas with us?” Rance asked.

Julie shook her head no. “Not now. I have something to tell you but