Blood Money
by Holly
Chapter Ten
Andy and Jonesy watched as Bud Carlin scooped stew into his mouth greedily.
�That ain�t half bad. A damn sight better than that pig swill they serve down in the state pen.�
Anders watched, his rifle resting casually across his arm. �When do I get some?� he asked.
�Soon as I finish. Hey, Paul Revere, go dish up Greg�s, and I�ll have more while you�re at it.� He pushed his plate towards Andy. �You get it boy.�
�What did you do to my brother and Jess?� Andy demanded refusing to take the plate.
Carlin carefully wiped his mouth on the tablecloth. �Why nothin� much. Just a little game we play whenever we meet. This time it was Jess� turn to be �it�.�
Andy�s eyes narrowed. �If you�ve hurt them I�ll...I�ll...�
Carlin smiled. �You know, Greg, this here, little whipper-snapper has guts. Why I could see him riding with us one day.�
�Over my dead body!� Jonesy snapped.
�You don�t get that stew, it will be!� Carlin threatened.
Jonesy went to the stove. As he lifted the ladle, there was a sudden tug on his sleeve, and he was yanked towards the door. Jess propelled Jonesy outside, finger on his lips signaling silence.
�Andy?� Jonesy whispered.
�Wait outside. Soon as Andy comes out, get over to the barn and don�t let �em see or hear you!� Jess hissed closing the kitchen door between them.
�Where�s that stew?� Carlin bellowed.
Andy walked in to the kitchen expecting to see Jonesy. He gasped loudly as he saw Jess instead.
�Hey, what�s goin� on out there?� Carlin questioned. There was the sound of a chair scraping back.
Jess pushed Andy behind him protecting him with his body as they backed towards the door. Carlin appeared just as Jess pushed Andy outside where Jonesy was waiting to take him to the barn.
�What?� Carlin was shocked to see Jess free. He drew his gun, and at that instant, there was a commotion outside.
Jess charged towards Carlin as Slim came bursting in through the front door to confront Anders.
Jess had been hoping he could get into the front room before being discovered to get a fighting chance of getting to his gun in its hiding place beside the fireplace. He ducked low and charged, but Carlin was quicker and a shot rang out. Jess spun and fell. At that moment, there was the sound of galloping horses.
Carlin ran past Jess and wrenched open the back door just in time to see Jonesy and Andy riding away at top speed towards Laramie.
Turning, Carlin made his way to where Anders and Slim were fighting, scattering furniture in their wake. He turned to where Jess was struggling towards the fireplace, dragging his leg which was oozing blood behind him. Knocking Jess to one side, Bud Carlin decided flight was better than fight and disappeared through the back door.
Jess fumbled with the stone that covered a small hole in the fireplace and thrust his hand deep inside praying his gun would still be there. It was. He cocked it and dragged himself past the continuing fight and onto the front porch.
At first, he couldn�t see any sign of Carlin, but then he spotted him scrambling onto his horse. Jess fired a couple of shots but missed his target.
Cursing, Jess hobbled across the yard and into the barn. Not bothering to saddle Traveler, he pulled himself astride and galloped off bareback in hot pursuit of Carlin.
He caught up with his target a few miles further down the trail. Not hesitating, Jess leaped and took Carlin down in a roll that took them both over the edge of the road into thorny scrub.
Carlin landed a punch which sent Jess flying backwards. Carlin began to scramble up the steep slope towards the road where their horses waited, but his progress came to an abrupt halt as Jess caught his ankle and yanked him back.
They struggled, throwing punches, scrapping, and struggling for supremacy.
Carlin pulled out his gun and Jess gripped his wrist, turning the barrel away, so as soon Carlin depressed the trigger, the shot went harmlessly into the trees.
Carlin fought with the desperation only a man facing a life sentence or death would. He kicked out at Jess injured leg. Red pain made Jess scream out and let go of the writhing man beneath him.
Carlin struggled free, picked up a rock, and brought it down with all his strength.
Panting with sheer exhaustion,Carlin staggered back and sat down staring at the unconscious man before him.
"Harper, you're a hell of a man. Shame I didn't come across you years ago. Just think of the jobs we could have pulled off." A grin crossed his face. "Why, we could have been livin' high and wide by now instead of me on the run, and you scrappin' around on that piggling ranch. Ah well..."
He slowly reach over to where his gun lay, picked it up, cocked it, and aimed at Jess' head.
Several moments passed, the gun never faltered, but then Bud Carlin carefully holstered his colt. "Maybe you'll get fed up of workin' for a livin' and next time I come callin' you'll cross the line. I've got a gang to re-build and you sure would be a fine addition."
The sound of a rider approaching stopped any further thoughts. Carlin rushed across to his horse, mounted, and with one final look back at where Jess lay, rode off, quickly disappearing into the tree line.
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