HELL HATH NO FURY (A Jess Williams western novel) (22 page)

             
Annie, who looked visibly shaken and scared, finally stood up and brushed off her shirt and pants and straightened her pistol and holster. She looked over and found her hat a few feet from where she had landed and picked it up and put it on after straightening her hair a little. She looked at Jess.

             
“Why in the hell did you throw me onto the boardwalk like that for?” she demanded, now getting her wits about her.

             
“Well, you’re welcome, just in case you want to thank me for saving your life—again,” replied Jess sarcastically.

             
“I didn’t mean it like that. Of course I’m grateful for you saving my life, but did you have to throw me like a sack of potatoes. My shoulder hurts and I think I’ll have one hell of a bruise on my right knee for a while,” replied Annie.

             
Jess looked at her and cocked his head a little. “That’ll eventually heal up. It’s better than getting shot.”

             
“I suppose so,” said Annie, her voice calm now.

             
“Good. Then I accept your apology,” replied Jess.

             
“Apology? What apology? I didn’t apologize for anything,” retorted Annie.

             
Jess shook his head and turned back to Samuel, who was giving Jess a strange look. Jess knew what it meant. “Don’t ask, Samuel. It’s a long story,” said Jess.

             
Samuel smiled. “Mr. Williams, why don’t you come over to the saloon and have a drink while we sort this thing out. I have a good bottle of whiskey that I keep just in case you ever come back to town. I think I know who it was that ran out of town right after the shooting, but I want my two friends to let me know who is up there on the rooftops first.”

             
“Okay, but do you have any objections to Annie coming with us into the saloon?” Jess asked.

             
“Not really, since you can’t leave her alone out here in this damn town. Besides, I’m sure if anyone objects to it over at the saloon, you’ll satisfy their objections right quickly the way if I remember things correctly,” replied Samuel.

             
“You can count on that,” replied Jess, as he gave a hand to Annie to help her step off the boardwalk.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

              Jess and Annie were standing at the bar in the saloon and Samuel poured Jess a glass of the fine whiskey. He poured Annie a hot cup of coffee, which she gladly accepted, although her hands were still a little unsteady. Jess had just finished a few sips of his whiskey when the two men Samuel had sent up to the rooftops came walking in. Samuel looked up at the two of them.

             
“Well, what did you boys find up there?” Samuel asked.

             
“Exactly who we thought we’d find. It was Josh Whitman and Melvin Hurley and they was both dead for sure,” replied one of the men.

             
“I figured as much,” replied Samuel.

             
“Samuel, what is it that you seem to know about all of this?” asked Jess.

             
“Well, the man you saw running out of town after you killed both of his partners was most likely Cliff Hunt and he is one mean son-of-a-bitch. He’s been here in town since yesterday and he brought those two you killed on the rooftops with him. They was carrying on and drinking last night and once the liquor loosened up their tongues a little, I overheard them talking and I heard your name come up. It seems that this Cliff Hunt fellow knew that you were on his tail and they went about planning something that involved you, but I couldn’t hear good enough to find out exactly what it was because of all the noise in here last night. When they turned in early, I knew they had to be planning something big because they usually close the place down whenever they’re in town,” replied Samuel.

             
Jess put his glass down on the bar and both Samuel and Annie could see that Jess’ mind was working hard. Jess lowered his head a little, thinking about what he was going to do. He had again missed Cliff Hunt and this time by mere minutes. He wanted to go after him in the worst way, but what was he to do with Annie? Jess looked back up at Samuel and finally formed a plan in his head.

             
“Samuel, are those two men you sent to the rooftops any good with a gun?” asked Jess.

             
“Not all that good, but they both have shotguns and they ain’t got any reluctance about killing a man, especially if they are trying to do something bad,” replied Samuel.

             
Jess looked over at the two men, who were now seated at a table and drinking coffee. “Samuel, why don’t you introduce me to those them,” said Jess.

             
“Hey, John and Hal, come on over here and meet Jess Williams,” hollered Samuel.

             
The two men sauntered up to the bar where Jess and Annie were standing. Hal Bush was the first to speak. “It’s mighty nice to see you in person, Mr. Williams. I’ve read a lot about you in them dime novels. I’ve got the latest one here in my back pocket and it has a sketch of you in the middle of it. Want to see it?” asked Hal.

             
“Sorry, but no, I’m kind of in a hurry,” replied Jess. Hal looked disappointed so Jess stuck out his hand and shook Hal’s and it seemed to make everything better and he was smiling like a kid at the candy counter.

             
John Henry stuck his hand out next and Jess shook it. “I’m John Henry, Mr. Williams. It’s a pleasure meeting your acquaintance.”

             
“I’m glad to meet the both of you, but I’m in a hurry and I need you two men to do something for me,” replied Jess.

             
“Sure, anything you want, Mr. Williams,” replied Hal.

             
“Here’s what I need you to do. I want the two of you to go and get your shotguns and come right back here and sit at a table with Annie here and guard her with your life if need be. I’ll pay you each one hundred dollars now and another one hundred on my return, as long as Annie is fine. If anyone approaches her, I want you to warn them once and then open up with your shotguns and kill whoever tries to harm her, understand?”

             
“You’re going to pay us two hundred dollars for one day’s work?” asked Hal.

             
“Only if Annie is unharmed when I get back.”

             
“What if something happens that we have no control of and we can’t stop it?” asked John, getting a little nervous.

             
“Let’s just say that if she is hurt and you’re still alive, I won’t be paying either of you the extra hundred dollars. Instead, I’ll put a bullet into each of you so think hard about whether or not you want the job,” replied Jess.

             
Hal looked at his partner John, who nodded in the affirmative. “We’ll do what you ask and we’ll guard her with our lives,” said Hal, as if he had been given a very important mission from the highest authority.

             
“Good, now here is the first hundred for each of you. Also, I want each of you to take one of these,” said Jess, as he reached behind his holster and brought the two cut-down double-barreled shotguns out and handed one to each of the two men.

             
“Damn, you could take out the side of a barn with these things,” exclaimed Hal.

             
“That’s kind of the idea. Trust me when I say that when men are looking down the barrels of these things, they get a quick dose of common sense because you can’t miss with them,” replied Jess, smiling. Hal and John ran out of the saloon to fetch their shotguns.

             
Annie, who had stayed silent up to now, but had been listening to all of this finally stood up. “Don’t I have any say in the matter?”

             
Jess gave her a look of authority and she could tell that he meant it. “Yeah, you can say thank you to those two men,” retorted Jess. “Now, sit down, shut up, and don’t move from this table or leave the saloon for any reason, understand? If you do, I’ll haul you back to Black Creek and leave you there and finish this by myself and you know for a fact that I mean it.”

             
Annie knew that Jess meant what he said, so she just slumped back down in her chair. “Well, can I ask you what you’re going to do at least?”

             
“Yeah, I’m going to go and catch up with Cliff Hunt and bring him back here to Buford so you can finish what you couldn’t do before,” replied Jess.

             
“You mean that you’re going to bring him back here alive?”

             
“I’ll do my best, but I can’t promise.”

             
Hal and John returned to the saloon in a few minutes and they took up position behind Annie like soldiers; each of them holding a double-barrel shotgun and each of them had the cut-down double barrel Jess had given each of them tucked inside the front of their holsters. Annie looked at the two of them and just shrugged her shoulders.

             
Jess turned to Samuel. “Samuel, if need be, will you throw in with these two?”

             
“Hell, you know I will,” replied Samuel. “Do you really think you can catch that Hunt fellow now? I mean, he’s got at least a fifteen minute head start on you.”

             
“I’ve got two of the fastest and longest running horses you could find anywhere. He’d need at least an hour’s head start to get away,” replied Jess, as he started to head out of the saloon and down to the store where he had left his two horses, Gray and Sharps. As he walked toward the door, he noticed a man, nicely dressed and sitting at a corner table. The man was smiling at Jess and the hairs on the back of Jess’ neck started to stand up. Jess stopped in his tracks and stared at the man, who was smart enough to keep his hands on the table and in sight.

             
“Obviously you know who I am, so who are you, Mister?” asked Jess.

             
“My name is Chase Penrod,” replied the man.

             
“Do you have business with me?”

             
“Of sorts, I guess,” replied Penrod. “But it can wait until you get back.”

             
“Not if you mean any harm to my friend Annie here,” replied Jess glaring at the man.

             
“I have no business regarding her. As a matter-of-fact, I’ll be willing to throw in with those two men you hired to guard her if need be, since I’ll be waiting for your return,” replied Penrod.

             
Jess could tell the man was telling the truth by the look in the his eyes. “Well, I’d appreciate it, Mister Penrod.” Jess turned to Hal. “Hal, you keep that cut-down double barrel on this one until I get back. If no one’s threatening Annie and his hands move off the table, let him have both barrels.”

             
“Yes sir, Mr. Williams,” replied Hal, as he lifted the cut-down double barrel in the direction of Chase Penrod. Everyone else who was sitting close to Penrod got up and moved to get out of the line of fire.

             
“I don’t believe that’s necessary, Mr. Williams,” exclaimed Penrod, not too happy about looking down the barrels of the cut-down shotgun.

             
“Well, then don’t make it necessary by doing something stupid,” replied Jess. Jess walked out of the saloon and headed down to where he left their horses. As he was getting ready to climb up in the saddle, the livery owner in Buford walked up to him.

             
“Mister, if you’re staying in town, I can take care of your horses for you if you want,” said the livery owner.

             
“What’s your name?” asked Jess.

             
“Name’s Hank Levine, and what might yours be?” asked Levine.

             
“Jess Williams. Nice to meet you Hank.”

             
“Oh, so you’re that famous bounty hunter I heard about,” replied Hank.

             
“Yeah, but don’t believe everything that you read or hear. Hank, I’m kind of in a real hurry so take this horse and give him a good brush down and feed him the best grain you have. I’ll pay you when I get back,” said Jess, as he climbed in the saddle.

             
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

             
“I’m going to catch Cliff Hunt once and for all,” replied Jess, as he slightly tapped Gray, which was all he needed to do.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

              Jess rode out to the end of town where he had seen Cliff Hunt ride out. He stopped Gray for a moment to look at the hoof-prints and when he did, he noticed that one of the prints from the left side of the horse had a small piece of the iron horseshoe missing.
Good,
thought Jess, that would make it easier to track the horse and find the man riding it. Jess leaned down and whispered in Gray’s ear. “Alright Gray, you’ve got to run hard and fast and I’m going to push you to the limit so don’t fail me.” Gray shook his head and snickered as if he understood.