Leaving Epitaph: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

49

James came up next to Shaye and handed him a cup of coffee. “Worried about Thomas, Pa?”

“Yeah, I am, James.”

They had camped about half an hour before, and James was making them something to eat. The coffee was ready first. They’d made good time and had managed to camp before dark.

Shaye was standing away from the fire, looking off in the direction of town.

“He’ll be okay, Pa,” James said. “Thomas is smart.”

“Yes, he is.”

“And he’s good with a gun.”

Shaye turned to look at his youngest son. “He’s good at shooting at tin cans and bottles, James,” he said, “and varmints. He’s never had to face another man with a gun. None of you has.”

“But we’re gonna have to, ain’t we?”

“Yes,” Shaye said, “yes, it’s unavoidable…unless we just quit and go back.”

“We can’t do that, Pa,” James said. “Not after what they did to Ma. We can’t! Matthew and Thomas, they’ll tell you the same thing.”

Shaye hesitated a moment, then said, “Yeah, I know they would.”

“Pa,” James said, “you told us we couldn’t think about this too much. Don’t you start doing it.”

“You’re right, James,” Shaye said. “Thank you.”

“I better get the food ready,” James said. “Matthew’ll just burn it all up.”

“Okay.”

James went back to the fire, and Shaye went back to staring off into the distance, waiting for some sign of Thomas.

“So what do you plan to do?” Holcomb asked, looking out his window. It was starting to get dark.

“I have to ride out and get my pa and my brothers,” Thomas said. “We’ll come back under cover of darkness.”

“And then what?”

“Then it’s up to you and my pa,” Thomas said. “You’re in charge here, but I think if you listen to my pa, everything’ll go okay.”

Holcomb hesitated.

“They probably won’t do anythin’ tonight,” Thomas said. “We’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

“All right,” Holcomb said. “I’ll wait here.”

“Pull your men in,” Thomas suggested.

“Why?”

“It’ll make them think they’re in the clear. Give them a false sense of security.”

“A false sense of security?” Holcomb asked. “With their numbers, I don’t think it’s so false.”

“My pa will figure out somethin’, Sheriff,” Thomas said. “Just pull your men in and wait for us here.”

“Okay, Deputy,” Holcomb said, “okay. We’ll wait for you and your father and your brothers here, but I hope you’re right about your father comin’ up with somethin’.”

“Don’t worry, Sheriff,” Thomas said, “he will.”

Shaye was the first one to hear the horse, and he looked up from his plate.

“It’s Thomas, Pa!” Matthew said.

Both James and Matthew started to rise but Shaye waved them down and stood himself, his hand on his gun.

“Let’s make sure,” he said. “Just be still.”

They both settled back down, their hands on their guns, like their father. The sound of the horse came closer, and then Thomas came bursting into the light of their campfire, his horse kicking up dust as he reined it in.

“They’re there, Pa!” he said excitedly. “They’re all there.”

James and Matthew jumped up and joined their father in rushing to Thomas’s side.

“Calm down, Thomas,” Shaye said, “and tell me everything.”