Bushedwhacked Bride (39 page)
Muttering a curse, Billy shot to his feet. “I warned you
rascals not to insult my Dumpling!”
“Boys, hold it,” put in Cole wearily. “Jessie and I are
tired, so quit your bickering. And aren’t you forgetting something?”
Blank looks greeted his question.
Jessica filled the gap. “You’re outlaws, all of you. How
do you propose to marry women from these parts?”
“Easy, we’ll ask their pappies just like Billy did,” as
serted Gabe.
“And we been talking about this among ourselves,”
added Wes. “We figure it’s about time we give up our life
of crime—now that we’re all gonna be respectable mar
ried men.”
Jessica was amazed. “That’s wonderful.”
“But good intentions alone may not be enough,” added
Cole.
“Why not?” Billy asked. “Didn’t you two just tell us Miser is closing the mines? So what’s left to rob?”
Cole replied, “The problem is, we’re all still wanted
men with bounties on our heads. Even if we quit robbing,
lawmen or Pinkerton agents will still be hunting us.”
“And do you boys remember Sheriff Lummety?” Jes
sica asked.
Luke snapped his fingers. “Wasn’t he on the stage the
day we kidnapped you, Jessie?”
“Indeed he was. And I ran into him in
Colorado
City
.”
As the younger boys went wild-eyed, she hastily added,
“Don’t worry, I convinced him I escaped you. But he told
me he plans to visit Mariposa as soon as Woody Lynch
starts up his stage line again.”
“So?” asked Luke.
“So, what if he comes out here and recognizes all of
you?”
“We had masks on,” argued Billy.
“Yes, but if he were to find out there are five brothers
in these parts, all about the same sizes and ages of the
men who robbed the stage . . . “ Ominously, Jessica finished, “Well, it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to put two
and two together.”
Billy scratched his head. “What’s a rocket scientist?”
Cole answered for her. “What Jessie means is . . . Well,
she and I have discussed this, and we’ve decided it may
be best for us all to pull up stakes and move on. He
turned to Billy. “You know, like we discussed, little
brother.”
Although Billy nodded, he appeared skeptical. “Yeah,
but maybe we ain’t all ready yet.”
“And where would you have us go?” demanded Wes.
“Far away,” pronounced Cole. “Perhaps to
Wyoming
Territory
.”
Mutters of alarm poured forth from the boys.
“
Wyoming
? With our sweethearts here?” protested Gabe.
“They might come with you if you persuade them to
marry you,” suggested Jessica.
The boys exchanged dubious glances. “And leave their
families behind?” asked Luke. “That would be asking a
lot.”
“Yes, it would be,” put in Jessica, “but every day we re
main here, the five of you are living on borrowed time.”
Gabe looked unconcerned. “Aw, Jessie, you worry too
much. Everything will be fine.”
Jessica glanced at Cole’s worried face and realized
they both knew otherwise.
Chapter Thirty-five
During the next week Jessica remained gripped by a
sense of foreboding, although no catastrophes occurred.
She and Cole did hear from Joshua Hicks, who told them
that Elijah Miser had sent his secretary, Calvin Stickles,
out to the Aspen Gulch Mines. Stickles had announced
that the mines would close within a month, and had given
the miners details of their pensions, which were modest
but adequate. Of course, Jessica was aware that Cole had
made additional, far more generous provisions for the
men and their families, but the miners would not learn of these arrangements until the Reklaw family was far gone
from
Colorado
.
The family did plan to move on in the near future, just
as soon as the rest of the boys could convince their
sweethearts to marry them and leave the state. Already
the engagements themselves were firming up: Cole and
Jessica were certainly willing; Billy and Dumpling were
discussing wedding dates; Luke soon announced that
Minerva had accepted his proposal; and within days, Wes
declared that Maybelle was willing, too. Although Gabe
still hadn’t quite convinced Beatrice, more and more it looked as if a quintuple wedding was in the offing.
As the days passed and no harm befell the brothers,
Jessica began to relax more and let go of some of her
fears that they might be arrested. In fact, she felt downright happy the following Sunday morning when they all
sat in church together before the service. On one side of
the aisle sat Ma, Jessica, and Cole, with Billy in the pew
behind them, waiting for Dumpling; across from them sat the other three boys with their sweethearts. As the pianist played “Lead, Kindly Light,” Jessica reflected on how far
the Reklaw family had come—from lawlessness to respectability—and she was filled with pride for them.
Then Jessica’s bubble burst as she watched the Hicks
family troop down the aisle—first Dumpling and
Peaches, then Joshua and Wilma—with none other than
Sheriff Jedediah Lummety hobbling along behind them!
Even as Jessica’s heart lurched at the sight, Dumpling rushed ahead, face aglow as she joined Billy in his pew. Then as the parents and Lummety passed, Wilma and Joshua smiled and waved at Cole and Jessica. But the sheriff all but stopped in his tracks, staring hard at Jes
sica, at Cole, at Billy with Dumpling, then across the
aisle at the rest of the brothers. At last, frowning in per
plexity, he trudged on, sitting down with Joshua and
Wilma at the front of the church.
Noting Cole’s grim expression, Jessica whispered in
his ear. “Did you see that?”
“Yep.”
“Should we leave?”
“Nope. That’d only make things worse. Just be calm and everything will be fine.” He turned away to speak
with Billy.
Jessica wished she could share Cole’s confidence, but
also realized he was right. For all of them to flee now
would be a blatant statement of guilt.
She felt Ma nudging her and turned. “Yes?”
Her expression worried, Ma whispered, “Who’s the
newcomer with the Hickses?”
Jessica lifted an eyebrow and slowly replied, “The
sheriff from
Colorado
City
. And Cole says we should all
stay put.”
Although Ma blanched, she revealed no other sign of agitation, calmly nodding to Jessica.
Then Jessica spied Luke desperately trying to catch her
eye from across the aisle. Turning toward him, she
watched him nod curtly toward Lummety, then mouth the
words
What do we do?
Jessica solemnly shook her head
and pressed a finger to her lips. Although Luke waved a hand in exasperation, he remained in his pew and turned
to pass on her message to his brothers.
Reverend Bliss climbed the pulpit and announced an
opening hymn. Standing with Cole, Jessica caught sight
of Lummety turning to stare suspiciously at her again.
She flashed him a brilliant smile, and he lowered his gaze
to his hymnal.
Jessica felt ready to jump out of her skin throughout
the service, but managed to maintain a calm facade. The
minute church was over, Billy whispered urgently to
Cole, “Shouldn’t we leave?”
“No,” he answered adamantly. “We’ll take our time.”
He turned toward his brothers across the aisle—all of
whom were expectantly watching him and appeared
ready to bolt—and soberly shook his head.
Thus the entire crew spilled slowly out into the
churchyard with the others. But the Reklaw brothers
gathered in a tight circle with their women beneath a
large oak tree.
Jessica felt sickened as she watched Joshua and Wilma stroll up with Lummety. But she smiled and extended her
hand to Lummety. “Well, Sheriff. How nice to see you
again. So Buck Lynch finally brought you out here?”
Lummety shook her hand. “He did, indeed.”
Jessica glanced about. “I don t see his stagecoach.”
“He brought me here to Mariposa yesterday and
headed back to
Colorado
City
just before church this
morning. He’ll be passing back through in a week or so
to carry me home.”
“I see.”
The sheriff jerked his thumb toward Joshua. “I was just
asking my brother-in-law here to introduce me to the
family my niece Dumpling is marrying into.”
Dumpling spoke up brightly, breaking the tension.
“Why, Uncle Jed, I’d be happy to do the honors.” Wrap
ping her arm around a tense Billy’s waist, she announced,
“This here’s my fiancé, Bobby Lively, and his brothers,
Clay, Walt, Gill, and Lyle. The two ladies is Bobby’s ma,
and his cousin from back East, Miss Jessie Garrett.”
Lummety glanced sharply at Jessica. “You’re related to
these people?”
She raised her chin. “Yes, indeed.”
Lummety studied the five brothers with a scowl. “So,
five men in the same family. Rather reminds me of a
group of outlaws I know of—also five brothers in the
same family. The initials of their Christian names are
even the same. Kind of peculiar, don’t you think?”
As Joshua and Wilma exchanged glances of alarm,
Billy stepped aggressively toward Lummety. “Just what
are you implying, Sheriff?”
His harsh words brought a gasp from the women as
more churchfolk pressed forward to observe the confrontation. Cole stepped between the two men. “Easy,
brother. The sheriff here didn’t mean anything by his
words. Did you, Sheriff?”
Ignoring Cole, Lummety turned to the crowd that had now gathered. “Folks, I’d like to tell you a story. Couple
months back, I attempted to come out here to visit my
kin, in the company of Miss Jessica Garrett here. That’s
when the Reklaw Gang robbed the stage we was on, and
kidnapped Miss Garrett. Now, when I finally make it out here, I find this young lady in the company of five men who appear very much like the outlaws who robbed the
stage and bushwhacked her.”
Mumblings of fear poured forth from the crowd. Ap
pearing very concerned, Joshua Hicks glanced from Cole and the others back to Jedediah. “How can you be so sure
of that, Jed?’’
“Yes, there must be a mistake,” put in Reverend Bliss.
“Did you see their faces during the robbery, Sheriff?” added Henry Holler.
“No, they wore masks, but any fool could tell they’re the same men. They all have similar names, plus they’re
all the right sizes. One is big, three are tall and skinny,
and”—Lummety’s gaze came to rest with contempt on Billy—”one’s a runt.”
“How dare you!” declared Billy.
“Yeah, Uncle Jed, I won’t hear you insulting my sweet
heart!” put in a fuming Dumpling.
“Look, Sheriff,” reasoned Cole, “you’re jumping to the
wrong conclusion. This is all just coincidence.”
“Coincidence, my butt.” Lummety hauled out his Colt
pistol, raising gasps from the crowd, and leveled it on Cole.
“I’m placing the five of you under arrest for robbery and
other crimes. You can explain the rest to the judge, boys.”
As the Reklaw men stood grim and white-faced,
Dumpling turned desperately to her father. “Pa, do some
thing! Don’t let him take my Bobby away!”
Expression torn, Joshua pleaded, “Jed, don’t you think
you’re being a bit hasty—”
“Hell, no,” Jed cut in, shifting his pistol to Billy just as he was reaching inside his coat. “Now hold it right there,
son. You boys got any shootin’ irons, I want ‘em hitting
the ground right now.”
Billy dropped his hand. “And what if I say no?”
“Then I’m dropping you where you stand.”
“No!” screamed Dumpling, thrusting her body in front
of Billy’s.
Amid more shocked sounds from the congregation,
Billy tried to shove her aside. “Woman, get out of the
way before you get your fool self killed. I don’t need
you protecting me.”
Jessica glanced frantically at Cole.
“Do something.”
But even as he was stepping forward, a new shudder
rippled over the group as Joshua Hicks tried to grab Lum
mety’s pistol. Shrieks rose from the women as the two
men began wildly struggling over the weapon; then the
pistol discharged into the air, scattering the group like
panicked sheep.
A second later Joshua seized control of the pistol and
pointed it at Lummety. “Back off, Jed!” he yelled, red-
faced.
Jed trembled in fury. “Joshua, I’ll have you know
you’re interfering with a lawman in the performance of
his—”
“I said back off! You always were a sanctimonious
blowhard, and I’m about ready to shoot some of that hot air out of you.”
Even as Lummety trembled in fear, a panicked Wilma
beseeched Joshua. “You ain’t gonna shoot my cousin,
Josh!”
“I will if he don’t mind his manners,” Joshua replied
obdurately. “Hands up, Jed.”
Glaring, Lummety complied. “I’ll see you in jail for
this, Joshua.”
Now Wilma shook a fist at Lummety. “You ain’t lock
ing up my husband, Jed, or I swear I’ll wring your fool
neck myself.”
Lummety gulped, and the crowd thrummed with ten
sion.
Joshua raised his free hand. “Now hush, everyone.” As
the congregation quieted, he turned to Cole. “Well, Mr. Lively—or Mr. Reklaw, or whoever you are—I ‘spect
you’d best gather your kin and get out of town. I’ll keep Jed
here locked up till tomorrow to give you folks a head start.”
“You won t,” declared Lummety.
“Shut up!” ordered Joshua.
Lummety grimaced and clamped shut his mouth.
Cole stepped toward Joshua. “Then you believe we’re the Reklaw Gang?”
Joshua laughed. “Several of us men have had our suspicions for some time now. But we kept our hunches to
ourselves ‘cause we liked what the gang was doing for
the miners.”
Henry Holler added, “But, folks, the cat is out of the
bag now. You really do need to hightail it.”
Cole glanced at the grim-faced Jessica and his equally
sober mother. “I suppose you’re right.”
“What about our women?” Billy asked.
Joshua glanced sternly at Billy. “Son, you can’t take
my daughter with you.”
Henry Holler stepped forward, speaking to the other three boys. “Nor can you men take my girls.”
As wails rose from the girls, Luke demanded, “Why
not?”
“How can you even ask that?” Henry retorted. “That’s
no life for decent young women, on the run from the law with a gang of outlaws.”
“But I want to go with Bobby!” protested Dumpling.
As she spoke, the three Holler sisters consulted tensely among themselves, then Beatrice declared, “And us three
want to leave with our men, too.”