Authors: J. Roberts

The Bandit Princess (11 page)

BOOK: The Bandit Princess

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Tate and Del rode into camp with the packhorse dragging behind. Randy, Hunter, and Pearl were standing there, waiting. Tate had a bad feeling and looked at Del. He could tell his partner felt the same way. They were going to have to make their story good.

“Hey, Pearl,” Tate said, “Hunter.”

“Get the supplies unloaded,” Pearl said, “and then get back here.”

“What’s goin’ on?” Del asked.

“What’s goin’ on is that you two idiots are bein’ followed,” Hunter said.

“Followed?” Del said. “What’re ya talkin’ about? We ain’t bein’—”

“Followed by who?” Tate asked.

“Clint Adams,” Pearl said.

Tate and Del looked at her blankly.

“The Gunsmith?” Hunter said. “Ever hear of him?”

“H-How do you know he’s followin’ us?” Del asked.

“Randy?” Pearl said.

“Because Dave is followin’ him.”

“What’s the Gunsmith look like?” Tate asked.

Pearl looked at Hunter, who looked at Randy.

“I ain’t seen him in a long time,” Pearl said. “Randy, you were with Dave when you both saw him, right?”

“Right, and Dave knew who he was.”

“So?” Hunter asked. “What does he looks like?”

Randy shrugged and said, “A man on a horse, ridin’ with another man on a horse.”

“The horse,” Tate said, “tell me about his horse.”

“His horse?” Randy said.

“Tell him about the horse, Randy,” Pearl said.

“His horse,” Randy said, “is big, and black. Really big. And very black. Oh, except for a white blaze on the nose.”

“Oh,” Tate said.

He and Del exchanged a look.

“What’s goin’ on, boys?” Pearl asked. “What’s that look for?”

“Well . . .” Del said.

Tate’s look hardened.

“Tate!” Hunter said.

“Yeah, okay,” Tate said. “We saw this horse in . . . we saw this horse, and I kinda . . . wanted it.”

“So you tried to steal the Gunsmith’s horse?”

“We didn’t know he was the Gunsmith.”

“So what happened?” Pearl asked.

“He caught us,” Tate said.

“Wait a minute,” Hunter said. “He caught you stealin’ his horse . . . and he let you go?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

“That’s easy,” Pearl said. “So he could follow them.” She turned to Tate and Del. “Boys . . . where was this?”

“Um, in town,” Del said.

“What town?” Pearl asked.

“Well . . .” Del said.

“Tate?” Pearl asked gently.

Tate looked at the ground and said, “Briartown.”

THIRTY-TWO

The gang went into one of the tents. When they all had coffee in their hands, Pearl said, “Okay, tell it to us again. Slowly.”

“Yeah,” Hunter said, “start with why you were in Briartown when Pearl told you to go to Whitfield.”

“Okay, stop,” Clint said.

They all reined in.

“Dave, I’m going to guess the camp is over that ridge,” Clint said.

“So?”

“And I’m going to guess that you’re riding with Pearl Starr.”

Dave remained silent.

“We’ve never been friends, Dave, but we know each other,” Clint said. “And I was Belle’s friend.”

Dave took a deep breath, then suggested, “Why don’t we dismount.”

He stepped down, followed by Clint, and then, reluctantly, Alice.

“You’re right, Clint,” Dave Slaughter said. “I’m ridin’ with Pearl.”

“Why?”

“Belle.”

“What about her?”

“She asked me to keep an eye on her girl.”

“Does Pearl know?”

“No,” Dave said. “She just thinks she’s doin’ me a favor by keepin’ me on. The rest of the men think I’m over the hill.”

“But you’re not.”

“No, I ain’t.”

“So tell me,” Clint said, “what happens if we follow this trail over that ridge?”

“Well, you’re wrong about that,” Dave said. “The camp is not over that ridge, it’s over the next one. Spot right on the river. By the time we get there, they’ll have somebody on watch for us.”

“You sent word ahead?” Alice asked.

“Yes.”

“Will they start shooting as soon as we ride into camp?” Clint asked.

“Probably not,” Dave said, “Pearl will know it’s you.” He looked at Alice. “I can’t say what they’d do to you, though.”

“Alice—” Clint started.

“I know,” she said. “Take off my badge.”

“Now you’re getting it,” Clint said.

“But why do I have to hide my badge?” she asked, pointing at Dave. “He knows.”

“He won’t say anything,” Clint said.

“I won’t?” Dave asked.

“Not yet anyway,” Clint said. “You’ll want to give Pearl a chance to plead her case to me.”

“She’s young,” Dave said, “but she’s quite a girl.”

“Somebody told me about a man named Hunter.”

“Yeah,” Dave said, “other than me, he’s the only one who isn’t an idiot.”

“Why does she use them then?”

“It’s odd,” Dave said. “Separately they’re useless. Together—me included—we get the job done.”

“I knew a family like that once,” Clint said. “The Sutphens. Individually they were inept. When they worked together, they were almost unbeatable.”

“Until you beat ’em?” Dave asked.

Clint didn’t answer.

“So are we riding in?” Clint asked the other man.

“Can you control her?” Dave asked, pointing at Alice. “I know how eager new deputies can be.”

“She won’t do anything unless I say so,” Clint said.

“Are you sure?” Dave asked. He looked at Alice, who was frowning.

“I’m sure.”

“Okay then,” Dave said, “let’s ride in.”

When Tate had finished his story, Pearl said, “Randy, you’re on watch.”

“You want me to cut them down when they’re within range?”

“No,” Pearl said, “just come back and tell me they’re here.”

“Then we’ll cut them down together?”

Pearl looked at Hunter.

“When did he get so bloodthirsty?” She didn’t wait for an answer. She looked at Randy and said, “Nobody’s get-tin’ cut down. Just watch, and report.”

“You heard her,” Hunter said.

“Yeah, I heard her.”

As Randy walked away, Pearl said to Del and Tate, “Finish stowin’ the supplies.”

“Sure, Pearl.”

As the two men left the tent, Hunter said, “So what are we gonna do?”

“Let’s hear what Clint has to say for himself,” Pearl said. “No shootin’, Hunter. Understand?”

“Sure,” Hunter said, “I understand.”

THIRTY-THREE

When they crested the ridge, Clint could see the camp by the banks of the river. One house, with a tent on either side. There were five armed people standing there, waiting.

“That all of them?” Clint asked.

“That’s it,” he said. “And Daddy makes six.” He thumped his own chest.

“Are you her father?” Alice asked.

Dave looked at her and said, “No, I was just sayin’ . . .” Randy had come running back, yelling that they were coming.

“Okay, already,” Hunter said, “shut up.”

“Get the others, Randy,” Pearl said. “We’ll all stand together.”

“Right.”

When they had all gathered in front of the house, she said, “No shooting unless I shoot first, understand?”

They all indicated that they did, but the four men were thinking the same thing.

This was a mistake.

As Clint, Alice, and Dave got closer, Clint got his first real look at Pearl Starr in years.

My God, he thought, she’s beautiful.

“She’s beautiful!” Alice said.

“Yeah, she is,” Dave said.

Clint could see that the others were going to be keying off Pearl Starr—all except the man to her immediate right. This one had to be Hunter. He was a big man, and he was watching Clint closely, while the others kept looking from Clint to Pearl and back again.

“Watch Hunter,” Dave said to Clint. “He might try to prove somethin’.”

“Yeah, thanks. Alice, you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said, but her voice sounded tight.

“Keep your hand off your gun,” he warned her.

“I know.”

When they reached the five people, Clint reined in, followed by Alice and Dave. Clint and Alice remained mounted, but Dave dismounted and moved to stand with the others.

“Hello, Pearl,” Clint said.

“Mr. Adams.”

“Do you remember me?”

“Of course I do.”

“When you were little, you called me Clint,” he reminded her.

“That was a long time ago.”

“Yes, it was.”

“Your boys look nervous,” Clint observed.

“They are nervous, Clint,” she said. “After all, you’re the Gunsmith.”

Clint sat back in his saddle.

“This can go very badly,” he said.

“Bad for you,” Hunter said.

“You’d be this Hunter I’ve been hearing about?” Clint asked.

Hunter puffed out his chest.

“You heard of me?”

“Not a lot,” Clint said. “Right now I’m talking to your boss.”

Hunter’s face scrunched up and he started to take a step forward until Pearl put her hand on his arm. Clint admired her for not embarrassing the man by scolding him in front of people. Instead, she leaned in and said something in his ear. He stopped in his tracks and stepped back.

“There’s not gonna be any trouble, Clint,” Pearl said. “You’re my guest. Step down and have something to eat and drink.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Clint said. “I’m hungry and thirsty.”

Clint dismounted, followed by Deputy Alice Eads. Randy stepped forward to accept the reins of both animals.

“Be careful,” Clint warned him. “He bites.”

Randy looked at Clint to see if he was kidding, then walked all three horses away.

“Come inside,” Pearl said. “We have some food and coffee.”

“Sounds good,” Clint said. “Maybe we can introduce everybody?”

“Well, you met Dave and Hunter. That was Randy who took your horses away. And you followed Del and Tate here, so I assume you know who they are.”

“Just their names, Del and Tate,” Clint said. “This is Alice Eads. She’s been riding with me for a while.”

“Hello, Alice,” Pearl said.

“Miss Starr.”

“Now that we know who everybody is, let’s go and have something to eat. Hunter made some beef stew. It’s his specialty.”

“He cooks?” Alice asked, eyeing Hunter.

“Why not?” Hunter asked.

“Del, you, Tate, and Randy will eat in one of the tents. Dave, you’re with us.”

“Why Dave?” Hunter masked.

She looked at him and said, “I want him with us. Is that okay with you?”

Hunter didn’t look happy, but he didn’t complain.

Dave made himself useful and brought everybody a plate of beef stew and a cup of coffee, then sat down with his own meal.

“What brings you around here, Clint?” Pearl asked.

“Actually, I thought I might find your mother around here.”

“So you followed Del and Tate thinking they’d lead you to her?”

Clint shrugged.

“They tried to steal my horse,” he said. “I figured they were part of some gang.”

“My gang,” Pearl said.

“You’re a little young to be the leader of a gang, aren’t you, Pearl?”

“I’m twenty,” she said. “Most girls my age are married by now, and have children. I don’t want a husband and children. Not now. So . . .”

“A chip off the old block, huh?”

“What?” she asked.

“Like mother, like daughter,” Dave said.

Pearl looked at him.

“I guess you’re right,” she told him. Then she looked at Clint. “So now what? Now that you’ve found a gang?”

“I don’t know,” Clint said.

“I never heard any stories about you being a lawbreaker, so you’re not looking for a gang to join,” Pearl said.

“Like I said,” Clint replied. “I was just looking for your mother.”

“And I think I asked what for?”

“We’re old friends, and I was passing through—that is, until those other two tried to steal my horse. That gave me the idea to follow them.” He washed some stew down with the weak coffee. “Stew’s not bad, Hunter.”

Hunter just grumbled.

“Do you know where your mother is, Pearl?” he asked then.

“No.”

“When’s the last time you saw her?”

“Not for a long time,” she said. “Not since Sam was killed.”

“Yeah, I heard about that,” Clint said. “That was too bad.”

“Do you think she went into hiding after that?” Alice asked.

“My mother doesn’t hide,” Pearl said. “I just don’t think she wants to be found right now.”

Alice looked at Clint, who knew at that moment she didn’t know the difference.

THIRTY-FOUR

After they’d finished their meal, Pearl stood up and said, “Let’s go for a walk.”

Hunter immediately stood up, followed by Dave Slaughter and Alice Eads.

“No,” Pearl said to them all, “not you, just me and Clint.”

“What for?” Hunter demanded.

“I want to have a private talk with him,” she said. “Just stay here.” She looked around and added, “All of you.”

Hunter didn’t like it, but he sat back down. Alice looked at Clint, who shook his head slightly. She didn’t look frightened, just concerned, so he assumed she’d be all right with them. Besides, Dave knew who and what she was, and he wasn’t saying . . . yet.

“Clint?”

He stood up and followed Pearl to the door and out, closing it behind them.

Once outside, Pearl took them a short way from the camp, then slowed to a stroll.

BOOK: The Bandit Princess

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