Pearl River Junction: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

16

By the time Dan Shaye and his sons reached Pearl River Junction, Jeb Collier and his men were still about a week away. They were making camp for the night while the Shayes were eating supper.

“We got enough money now, Jeb?” Ben asked as they sat around the fire.

“We got enough, Ben,” Jeb said. “We’re headin’ straight for Pearl River Junction, come mornin’.”

“You still gonna go after that gal?” Ben asked. “That ain’t smart, Jeb—”

“Next time I need you to tell me what’s smart, Ben,” Jeb said, “I’ll go back to Yuma.”

“Aw, Jeb—”

“Go and get some more wood for the fire.”

“Jeb—”

“Git!”

Muttering, Ben got up and went out into the woods to look for wood.

“We could hit another bank on the way, Jeb,” Clark Wilson said. “I know of one—”

“Clark, you picked out two sweet banks for us and we hit ’em,” Jeb said. “We got enough money to outfit ourselves and head for Texas, and that’s what we’re gonna do now.”

“This bank I’m thinkin’ of is on the way.”

“In Texas?”

“Yeah.”

Jeb shook his head.

“Ain’t gonna hit no Texas banks until we’re done in Pearl River Junction,” he said. “Once we’re done, we’ll hit that bank and light out for Mexico.” They had already hit one bank in Arizona and one in New Mexico. Wilson had chosen the banks, but it was Jeb’s planning that enabled them to pull those jobs off successfully—without killing or injuring anyone.

“We gonna be takin’ the woman and child with us?” Wilson asked.

“I don’t know that, Clark,” Jeb said.

Dave Roberts sat across the fire from them, but did not take part in the conversation. Wilson and Jeb Collier had been friends—or partners—for a lot longer than Roberts had known either one of them. He didn’t feel he had anything to add to their discussion.

“I got to find out if this kid is mine before I decide somethin’ like that,” Jeb added.

“Well…he’s the right age,” Wilson said.

“I’ll know,” Jeb said. “As soon as I look at the boy, I’ll know if he’s mine or not.”

Wilson looked across the fire at Roberts, who just shrugged.

“Okay, then,” Wilson said. “You’re the boss.”

“Pearl River Junction,” Jeb said. “We head there tomorrow.”