Mr Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett

Author:Robert Jackson Bennett [Bennett, Robert Jackson]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: 2010-01-21T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

In the morning they readied to leave. Pike accepted the food the Hopkinses could spare, though he denied it first out of politeness. Connelly was looking over the cars and their packs once more when Lottie came to him.

“We need to talk,” she said.

They walked away from the ring of cars. She led him down to the creek and said, “I’m not going.”

“I know,” he said.

“You do?”

“Figured as much.”

“Are ... are you mad?”

He shook his head.

“I thought you would be,” she said.

“No. I’m not.”

She shut her eyes. “I thought you would be. I said I was in this, I said I wanted to see this man dead.”

“I know,” he said again.

“Yes, but do you know why?”

“No. I don’t need to.”

“But I want you to. Let me speak my peace.” She rubbed her temple. “Back there on the train, did you see?” she said.

“See what?”

“When I ... When I shot that man, you could see him ... Did you see what I... What I...”

“I saw.”

“Did I... Did I kill him?”

Connelly thought. He looked at the ground and said, “No.”

She let out a breath. “No? I didn’t?”

“No. You missed. It scared him. He moved away and while he was trying to reload he lost his balance and fell.”

“I could have sworn I-I...”

“You didn’t,” said Connelly flatly.

She touched her cheek, fingers caressing where the drops of blood had fallen. She shook herself. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to kill a man. I don’t ever want to have that on me. If the man we’re chasing was dead and gone it would be all right but I think there’s more killing between all of you and him. Do you know that?”

Connelly nodded.

“I was thinking... Connelly,” she said. “You...you shouldn’t go, either. I don’t think I can convince any of the others but, well... I don’t think this is worth it anymore. I mean, you met this family. They’d let us come with them. They’re nice and there’s good things waiting for them. I know. I know it in my bones.”

Connelly stood for a long time. Then he shook his head.

“For God’s sake, Connelly, men are dead—”

“There were dead before this,” said Connelly. “Long before.”

“But—”

“We speak for them. We speak for the dead. To do right by them.”

“And this is the way you’d do it?”

“Doesn’t seem to be another.”

“Connelly, nothing good will come of this. There are people looking for you. And if you all keep on like this, more people are going to be after you. More bloodshed. More tears. More dead to speak for. We got a chance at something good here. Don’t pass it by. Don’t.” She smiled. “There are people who like you here, Connelly. That family. They like you. That girl, I think she likes you. And she... she isn’t the only one,” she said softly, and touched his arm.

Connelly breathed deep, then bowed and shook his head again. “It isn’t good to me.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“That’s the way it is. I look at these people and I just know.

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