The Great Pilgrim Heist by Wesley Ellis

Author:Wesley Ellis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2010-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Jessie froze beside the Abrams’s wagon, the look of pure insanity in the eyes of Luke Simmons clearly telling her he would kill the boy without hesitation.

“That’s far enough, allaya!” he yelled. “Not another step!”

Jessie saw the deputy venture another half-step forward, then stop. “Sam, don’t,” Jessie told him when she saw his hand fall over the butt of his Colt.

“That’s right, Deputy” Luke Simmons said. “Seen how you were so moved by this little brat’s bawlin’ a while ago, I’m sure now you don’t want his blood on yer hands!”

“Bastards,” Sam Stills muttered, but he moved his hand away from his gun.

Jessie read the look of pure terror in the boy’s eyes, as he shook uncontrollably in Simmons’s grasp. If he killed the boy, even if he fired a shot accidentally into the boy’s brain while the child struggled, Jessie determined she’d kill Luke Simmons personally.

And yet more of the awful truth was revealing itself, Jessie thought.

“Be still, ya little shit!”

“Let him go!” Henry Abrams moved to stand beside Jessie.

“Sure, Hank,” Simmons cackled. “We’ll let ‘im go, soon as we load up all that gold and get usselves on some horses and outta here! You three! Real slow. Unbuckle them gunbelts and drop ’em on the ground! One wrong move, I’ll kill the brat, so help me God. That’s right, God, Hank, God, people. I don’t see no God here now to help ya!” he added, and laughed harshly.

Jessie looked at Ki and the deputy, and nodded. Perry and McCulski cocked the hammers on their Colts as Jessie, Ki, and Sam did as Simmons asked. Jessie saw a third revolver tucked inside Perry’s gunbelt.

“Oh, yeah, that’s good, real good. We’re all gonna get along just fine now,” Simmons said. “Hey, Hank, you know, you were right, God’s got something good in store for all of us. Right now, I believe it’s His will we take this gold and git. Huh? Not a bad move, gotta say, puttin’ a false bottom on your wagon like that. Damn, don’t know how I could’ve missed it. Should at least have heard that gold jinglin’ around, but I’m sure you packed it good. Well, shucks, Hank, don’t be like that, all solemn and pissed off at life. I mean, life is sweet, it’s beautiful. I mean, you was the one who let us hook up with your clan ’bout a week ago. Remember?”

Jessie glanced at Abrams, who felt compelled to explain yet another lie to her.

“I had no choice,” Abrams said, looking from Jessie to Ki to the deputy. “They rode up on us from out of nowhere. They had guns. They threatened to kill the women and children.”

“No, Hank, don’t lie now!” Simmons laughed. “There ya go, lyin’ again! Not kill the women and children, but screw the women first, right in front of yer eyes, then kill ‘em. Forgot the screwin’ part! What’s with you and screwin’? You don’t like to screw or somethin’!”

A woman gasped.

“You filthy-mouthed vermin!” Abrams snarled. “Hold your tongue!”

“Oh, c’mon, Hank, calm down now, it’s all right,” Simmons chided.

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