Cross Draw (11 page)

“Ladies, please gather around,” he said.

They all came to the fire.

“I'm sure these men will try to hit us tonight,” he said.

“What if they're watching us right now?” Abigail asked. “What if they have us in their sights—”

“If they did, they probably would have fired by now. And my horse would be acting up.”

“Abigail . . .” Rosemary said.

“I know,” the older woman said, “shut up.”

“Just listen,” Rosemary said.

“The three men who stopped us today know about Rosemary and Abigail, and they know there was at least one person in the back of the wagon with a gun. We're going to use that to our advantage.”

“How?” Delilah asked.

“Only three of us are going to sit around the fire,” he said. “The other three will be in the bushes. With guns.”

“We only have one gun,” Rosemary said.

“I have more,” he said. “A rifle and a handgun. Which of you can shoot, besides Rosemary?”

“I can,” Jenny said.

“Can you shoot well?”

“No,” she said honestly.

“That's okay. You'll probably only have to make noise. Anyone else?”

“I-I think I can,” Morgan said.

“Okay, then Rosemary, Morgan, and Abigail will sit at the fire.”

“Shouldn't I be in the bushes with a gun?” Rosemary asked.

“No,” Clint said, “they saw you this afternoon. You and Abigail have to be at the fire.”

“But . . . I can shoot,” Rosemary said.

“You'll have a gun,” he said. He took his Colt New Line from his belt. “This one.”

“It's very small,” she said.

“It'll do the trick,” he said. “Besides, I expect to do most of the shooting myself.”

“What about us?” Jenny asked.

“You and Morgan will have rifles,” he said. “You won't fire unless I say so, and you'll fire into the air.”

“But why?” Jenny asked. “How can we hit anything firing into the air?”

“You won't,” Clint told her. “I don't want you to hit anything.”

“But—”

“If there's any killing to be done,” he said, “I'll do it.”

“Then why are we going to be firing?” Jenny asked.

“To convince them that they're surrounded.”

“In order to surround them, won't we have to let them into camp?” Rosemary asked.

“Yes.”

“If they don't see a man at the fire,” Abigail asked, “won't they be suspicious? After all, we told them there was a man in the wagon with a gun on them.”

“When they see three women at the fire, they'll just think you lied to them.”

“This is dangerous,” Abigail said.

For once, nobody told her to shut up.

 

Mendez, Dee Cain, and Stretch Conroy started to move in closer to the camp, which they could smell.

“We gonna ambush 'em?” Dee asked.

“We are,” Mendez said.

“Kill 'em all?” Stretch said.

“Sí,” Mendez said, “but not from ambush. I want them to see us.”

“So how do we do this?” Dee asked.

“I take them while they are eatin',” Mendez said. “Let them know it is us . . .”

“And then take them?” Dee asked.

“Sí.”

“I want the younger one,” Dee said.

“Do not worry,” Mendez said. “You will have your pick.”

“He has to share,” Stretch said.

“I'll share,” Dee said, with a grin, “but I go first.”

“Quiet,” Mendez said. “we are getting close.”

“That smells good,” Stretch said. “We get their food, too?”

“We take it all,” Mendez said.

 

Rosemary sat with her bowl in her lap, but found she was unable to eat. However, she forced herself to, so they'd look natural.

“Eat, girls,” Rosemary said. “It has to look right.”

“I can't swallow,” Abigail said.

“Try.”

Delilah spooned some stew into her mouth.

“This is really good,” she said. “When do the rest of them get to eat?”

“We'll switch off if nothing happens in a while,” Rosemary said.

She put some stew in her mouth. It really was good. She put the Colt New Line down on the ground between her feet.

 

Clint watched the three women eat and realized how hungry he was. He was sure Jenny and Morgan were feeling the same. If something didn't happen soon, he'd let them change places with Rosemary and Delilah. As far as Abigail was concerned, he was going to keep guns out of her hands as long as he could.

Clint heard Eclipse pawing the ground at that point, and knew that somebody was approaching the camp. The question was, were they coming in from different directions, or were they together?

Mendez looked at the three women eating at the campfire.

“That's them,” Dee said.

“And a third woman,” Stretch said. “She musta been the one who shot your hat off, Joe.”

“Sombrero,” Mendez said. “She shot my sombrero off.” At the moment, the sombrero, which now had a hole in it, was hanging on his back.

“Looks like they're eatin' stew,” Stretch said. “I could use some of that.”

“Do not worry,” Mendez said. “Everything they have will be ours.”

“How do we do this?” Dee asked.

Mendez drew his gun. “We walk in and let them know we are here,” he said.

“Just like that?” Dee asked.

“Just like that,” Mendez said. “Draw your guns, amigos.”

When the three men walked into camp Rosemary kept herself from grabbing the Colt New Line.

“Oh!” Abigail said.

“Easy, girls,” Rosemary said.

“Ladies,” Mendez said, “we meet again!”

All three men had guns in their hands.

“What do we do?” Abigail hissed.

“Just wait . . .” Rosemary said.

“And we meet the third lady,” Mendez said. “The one who likes to shoot at sombreros.”

“I was aiming at your head,” Delilah said.

Mendez laughed, followed by the other two men.

“Is that stew?” Stretch asked.

“It is,” Rosemary said. “Unfortunately, there's just enough for us.”

“Oh, that won't be a problem,” Mendez said. “Ladies, please put your bowls down and stand up.”

Rosemary put her bowl down between her feet and grabbed the Colt New Line.

 

As the three men moved on the three women around the fire, Clint stepped out of the bushes. He hoped Rosemary wouldn't use that gun until he said so.

“Hold it there,” he said.

Mendez and the other two men turned their heads to look at him.

Rosemary picked up the gun and held it in her lap.

“Shoot them!” Abigail hissed.

“Not 'til Clint says so.”

“And who is this?” Mendez asked. “So, there really was a man in the back of the wagon?”

“That's right,” Clint said. “I shot off your sombrero. And I meant to. I wasn't aiming at your head.”

“It was a nice shot,” Mendez said.

“Thanks.”

“So, you are charged with protecting these women?” the Mexican asked.

“That's right. So you and your boys just put your guns down. You're covered.”

“By you?”

“No,” Clint said. “Fire one shot!” he called.

Both Jenny and Morgan fired a shot into the air. The three men flinched.

“You're surrounded,” Clint said. “And covered.”

Mendez looked at Rosemary. She was holding the New Line in both hands, pointing it at him.

“Your move, señor,” Clint said.

 

Mendez considered the situation. There were four people in camp, two with guns. The man's gun was still in his holster. He didn't know how many more there were in the bushes, but they all had to be able to fit into one wagon. That meant there couldn't be that many more.

“Amigo,” Mendez said, “your gun is still holstered, and I do not believe we are surrounded. Oh, there may be two or three people in the bushes, but I believe you are bluffing.”

Great, Clint thought. He's going to make me prove it.

“What's your name, amigo?” Clint asked.

“Jose Mendez,” the Mexican said, “but you can call me Joe.”

“Well, Joe, this is not a good situation. That lady there has a gun pointed at you.”

“She will not pull the trigger,” Mendez said, “but we will.”

“And so will I,” Clint said.

“Three against one, amigo,” Mendez said. “Your move.”

Clint knew the odds were against him, and normally that wouldn't have bothered him. But he didn't know if he could take them—not left-handed. And he didn't think the women in the bushes would be any help.

“All right,” he said. “All right.”

“Hold it!” Rosemary said, standing up. “Girls, come on out!”

Jenny and Morgan came out, pointing their rifles at the three men.

“It's four against three, Mr. Mendez,” Rosemary said. “We're not very good with these guns, but we're bound to hit something, I think.”

Mendez, Dee, and Stretch looked around them.

“Joe?” Dee said.

Abigail had brought her knees up to her chest, was trying to make herself as small a target as possible. Delilah simply sat still.

Mendez looked at Clint.

“What is your name, amigo?” he asked.

“Clint Adams.”

“Adams?” Dee asked.

“The Gunsmith?” Stretch said.

“That's right.”

“And these women are under your protection?” Mendez asked.

“It seems to me they can protect themselves,” Clint said, “but I am at their disposal.”

“We did not know,” Mendez said.

“Well, now you do,” Clint said. “Leave these women alone.”

Mendez lowered his gun. So did the other two.

“Leave the guns,” Clint said, deciding to push it.

“What?” Mendez said.

“Leave the guns, amigo,” Clint said, “or use them.”

Mendez froze. For a moment, Clint thought he'd gone too far.

“Joe?” Stretch said. “He wasn't asking, he was telling.” He and Dee Cain clearly wanted to lay their weapons down.

“Very well,” Mendez said.

The three men put their guns on the ground.

“Now walk away, amigos, and don't come back.”

Mendez turned and walked away, followed by Cain and Stretch.

Rosemary lowered her arm as if the gun weighed a hundred pounds.

“Can we eat now?” Jenny asked.

They all sat around the fire, eating stew.

“What if they go to their horses for their rifles and come back?” Abigail asked.

“They know who Clint is now,” Rosemary said. “They won't be back.”

“But . . . he couldn't have beaten them. Not with his left hand.”

“They don't know that,” Jenny said.

“They might come back to find out,” Abigail said.

“They won't,” Clint said. “They're done. They'll move on to find easier prey.”

“So we're safe?” Abigail asked.

“From them,” Clint pointed out. “But there are other men out there like those.”

“How does anyone live out here?” Abigail asked. “We should have stayed in St. Louis, where we were safe.”

“There are bad men in St. Louis, Abigail,” Clint said.

“Not like this,” she said. “Not animals who would rape or kill us.”

“I'm afraid there are animals like that all over.”

Jenny tried to put her arm around Abigail, but the older woman shrunk away. She remained silent for the rest of the meal.

 

Clint decided to set watches for the night.

“I'll go first,” he told Rosemary, “then you, then Jenny, then either Morgan or Delilah.”

“I'll tell them to take a watch together,” she said.

“What about Abigail?” Clint asked.

“I don't think she'd be very good as a lookout,” she said.

“You're probably right,” he said.

“Are you having second thoughts about them coming back?” she asked.

“No,” he said. “I just think we should be careful, that's all. You go ahead and get some sleep.”