Blackjack

61

I rode Ajax by the Gallows Door Cantina and Eloise stepped out from the shadows of the three-sided lean-to and waved to me as I passed. I continued on toward the gallows where the crowd was gathered to watch the hanging of Boston Bill Black. I did not see Virgil, Valentine, or Allie, or Chastain or Book, but the Denver contingent was there: Detective Lieutenant Banes, Detective Sergeant King, Captain McPherson, District Attorney Payne, and Roger Messenger’s father, Chief Brady. They were all present, expectant, and waiting.

Everyone watched me as I rode up, dismounted, tied off Ajax, and climbed the gallows steps. The executioner was atop the structure, wearing a black hood along with two local ministers. Both I recognized, but I didn’t know either one’s name. We all said our how-do-you-dos and I stepped up to the noose and gave it a tug. I looked up to the rope draped over the gallows’ top beam and turned to the executioner.

“Let’s get this over with,” I said.

The executioner nodded his head slowly, walked over to me, and put the noose around my neck. I looked into his eyes; all I could see were his eyes. He slipped the noose around my neck, then walked to the lever and pulled it. But it did not work. He kept working the lever back and forth, then... the rhythm of the lever was replaced by a knock on my door... followed by...

“Everett?”

I sat up in my bed...

“Everett?”

I looked around and could tell by the light it was the earliest part of daybreak. Daphne was sound asleep under my arm, and I eased myself out of the bed so as not to wake her and opened the door.

It was Deputy Book. He saw Daphne behind me in the bed and kind of lowered his head and took a step back.

“Sorry,” he said with a whisper.

“Give me a sec,” I said.

I put on my trousers, then stepped out the door.

“What is it?” I said, closing the door behind me.

“Bill Black,” he said. “He escaped and took Truitt Shirley with him.”

“Are you... what?”

“They are out, Everett,” Book said.

“Anybody hurt?”

“No,” Book said.

“How the hell did this happen?” I said.

“Looks like Black pried the bars from the window,” Book said.

“What?”

Book nodded sharply.

“The strong sonofabitch pulled up the iron railings of his bunk that were bolted to the floor.”

“You sure he didn’t have help?” I said.

“Don’t know for a fact, but it does not seem like it, Everett,” Book said. “You just have to see for yourself.”

“I’ll be goddamn.”

“I know,” Book said. “I could not believe it. Just up and gone like that.”

“Chastain and Virgil know?” I said.

“I came to get you first,” Book said.

“When was this?”

“Well, I just this minute found out, so I’m not sure, no idea, really,” Book said. “When I got in they were gone.”

“How the hell did Truitt get out?”

“Looks like the bars were bent out on the backside of Truitt’s, Black helping him, after he was free... Did the same thing but from the backside. Both are gone.”

“What about the damn night watch?” I said. “Can’t tell me they didn’t hear anything.”

Book shook his head.

“They did not hear a damn thing. We even had four guards on last night,” Book said. “Two outside on the porch just in case of any shenanigans, someone trying to break Bill out, and two deputies inside. With the thickness of the door separating the office from the cells, they... well, apparently, they did not hear anything.”

“Apparently,” I said.

“Secure the outsides of this town. Get a man on each trail and road out of town, tell them to stay out of sight and to only try and stop them if they know for certain they can get the drop on them. Last thing we need is to lose one or some more of ours.”

“What about Marshal Cole and Sheriff Chastain?”

“Send someone to get Chastain, I’ll get Virgil, but get the deputies out now... right now, and get Virgil’s horse and my horse saddled and ready. Get supplies, too, in case we are on the chase again, just need to be prepared.”

Book nodded and turned to go.

“And Book,” I said stopping him to look back at me, “just make sure nobody is on their heels.”

“You got it,” Book said, then descended the stairs.

I stepped back in the room and Daphne was still sound asleep. She looked like her namesake, an angel.

I sat on the bed next to her.

“Daphne,” I said. “Daphne?”

I put a hand to each side of her shoulders.

“Daphne.”

Her eyes snapped open, wide, full of fear. She reached up with both hands around my neck and choked me, staring at me in terror, as if she had no clue who I was.