Vengeance Creek: The Sons of Daniel Shaye

22

Outside on the street, the remaining bank robbers sensed something was wrong.

“They must have gotten inside the bank somehow,” Ed Hurley commented.

Davis, who had abandoned the horses when the shooting started, said, “We better stick together and get inside that bank.”

“There’s still one more over there,” Joe Samuels said. “The others made it to the alleys.”

“If they’re inside, where are Cardwell and Jacks?” Davis asked.

Beau Larkin looked around. “We have to make a move before this town wakes up and decides to help the law.”

“Hey,” Bill Raymond said to Davis. “You were supposed to be holding the horses.”

“They, uh, spooked and ran off when the shootin’ started. I couldn’t hold them.”

In truth, he had been holding only two horses, one for him and one for Cardwell. When he heard the shooting, he tethered the horses a couple of blocks away and came to see what was happening.

“Where’s Mendez?” Hurley asked.

“He took one in the chest,” Samuels said. “He’s dead.”

“One less share,” Hurley said.

“No shares if we don’t get into that bank,” Raymond said.

“And if we don’t have horses,” Larkin said. “Davis, you better go get them. We’ll check the bank.”

“What about the sheriff?” Davis asked.

“He was hit,” Larkin said. “If we make a run for the bank, he can’t stop us.”

Davis was worried now. Not only about where Cardwell and Jacks were, but what these men would do to him if they found out he only had two horses.

“Okay,” Davis said.

“We’ll meet you in front of the bank,” Samuels said.

“Okay,” Davis said. “Go.”

“You get goin’,” Samuels said, “and don’t forget those horses.”

Davis knew a threat when he heard it. He turned and ran toward the horses, still unsure about what he was going to do.

Samuels looked at the other men, Raymond, Hurley, and Larkin.

“So what do we do?” he asked. “Just rush the bank?”

“That’s where the money is,” Larkin said.

“Let’s do it,” Hurley said.