CHAPTER 8
HIDEAWAY
Elliot rode next to the wagon as they headed for the Vigilante’s base. “So, we’ve got some time before we reach the hideaway. Maybe now you can tell us what’s between you and that feller. Seems like you knew each other.”
Terry came along the other side. “Yeah, Tyler. We’re a might curious. If it’s troubling you, let’s see if we can help.”
Tyler lowered his head. “I don’t want much to talk about it, but I’ll have to some time. That lowdown, dirt-crawling snake was Jonas Lamb. Back in Kansas he come through with his band of Jayhawkers from the South. Texas I think. My family’s spread lay on the edge of the Oklahoma panhandle. Dad and I tried to fight ‘em off, but they killed him and left me for dead. They were mostly right on my bein’ dead. It took months to recover.
“They killed my mom and my sister.” Tyler closed his eyes. “I don’t want to think about what else they might’ve done. They burned our crops and our house. Jonas Lamb was the leader. I came up here to track down that varmint. Tonight’s the first time I’ve seen hide or hair of ‘im.” Tyler looked at Terry. “I would’ve shot him cold-him layin’ there unconscious an all, Terry. I’d be ready to answer my maker for it too. Jonas wouldn’t have been ready. I guarantee it.”
Terry nodded. “Don’t you worry, son. We’ll get ‘im. Bringin’ these boys in is a step in the right direction. You don’t want to lower yourself to the level of a sidewinder like that.”
Tyler nodded. “I don’t. It ain’t always easy to fight my memories.” He looked at Terry. “Thanks for helpin’ me battle my devil.”
“You said you’d fight the devil hisself,” Elliot replied. “Sounds like this Mister Lamb’s your devil.”
“I reckon you’re right, Elliot,” Tyler replied. “Speak the devil’s name an’ you see his tail. Don’t call Jonas ‘Mister’ though, he don’t deserve the respect. I’ve had more than my fill of cowards like him, takin’ advantage of good folks.”
“That’s what we’re doin’ this for,” Terry reminded. “Those good folks deserve to be free. These roughs take away freedom. They don’t deserve the freedom they got if they take it away from others.” He sighed. “One day there’ll be law in this land. Today, we’re all these people got. We’re not the law, but we’ll do in a pinch.”
Tyler nodded. “Yep. These fellers are wolves, and wolves are natural cowards. That’s why they pick on the weakest. If wolves were tough they’d being takin’ on grizzly bears all by their lonesome. What do they do? They pack again a cow.” He shook his head. “Weak and cowardly. That’s what they are.”
Elliot closed his eyes. “Well, don’t worry ‘bout it too much. Good or bad, we all got justice comin’ to us. The good Lord set the wagon a rollin’ that way, an’ there ain’t no way to stop it.” He threw his thumb toward John sleeping in the back of the wagon. “Like your friend there. He done wrong, but it ain’t too late for him neither. Heck, it ain’t too late for the lot by mah reckonin’, but it sounds like he might have a better chance to turn around than the rest of ‘em do.”
Tyler looked back at John’s sleeping form. “I hope so, for his sake. Most ‘specially, I worry ‘bout his family. The boy’s a good ‘un, and that Rose is precious as diamonds.”
“You gotta stop talking like that, Tyler,” Terry whispered low, his words covered by the groaning of the wagon and the crunching dirt beneath its wheels. Those in the back couldn’t hear his words. “It ain’t good for your achin’ heart. She belongs to another man.”
“I know that,” Tyler said. “I just want to watch out for ‘em/ That’s all.”
A few miles west of Alder Gulch, Terry led them down a side road that went through a grove of aspen trees. The horses continued on with the wagon in tow. After many miles they arrived at a two-story house on a small hill set amongst another grove of aspens. Candles burned in the windows of the structure. Terry waved everyone to follow him up the hill. Behind the house rested a barn.
“Pull the wagon in there,” Terry instructed. Tyler pulled the wagon through the open doors. He got off his horse and followed the wagon in on foot.
“I didn’t know this place existed,” Tyler commented after pulling the wagon inside. “What is it?”
“It’s an old spread like yours,” Terry said. “The family that build it got waylayed by road agents and killed. Hardly anybody knew about this place, ‘cause the owner was pretty secretive in building it. All of the men that helped him were Masons, and we thought it would be a great place to operate the Vigilantes from. We put some barred windows in the basement so’s we could hold prisoners for a short time.”
Tyler nodded approvingly. “Seems like a good place to work out of.”
“It is. This ain’t the first time we’ve had prisoners. We don’t try ‘em here, though. If there’re proceedings, we do ‘em right in town.” He shrugged. “That’s if it’s possible.”
Elliot said, “Let’s not stand out here jawin’ the night away. Come on inside an’ meet the fellers an’ their wives.” He licked his lips. “I reckon there’s some fresh pies they baked today. They always got somethin’.”
Three men came out of the house and spoke to Terry. They began unloading the prisoners. Tyler helped John leave the buckboard and followed Rose and Luke into the house.
An older lady greeted Rose at the door. “Why, hello there honey. We’ll take good care of you. We’ll take better care of you if’n you tell me your name.”
Rose smiled. “My name’s Rose.” She put her arm on Luke’s shoulder. “This is my son, Luke. My husband came with. Tyler’s helping him out of the buckboard.”
The lady smiled. “Well, I’m Esther. You’re welcome here, Rose and Luke. Come with me and will get you comfortable.” She lead them into the living room and sat them down. “Can I get you some coffee or tea?”
“Coffee, please,” Rose said. “Some milk for Luke if you have some.”
“Of course!” Ruth said. “Maybe a piece of pie too?”
Luke nodded emphatically. “Yes please. I’d like that very much.”
Tyler came in with John on his shoulder. “Hey there.” He said as another woman walked up. She was in her twenties and attractive. “I’m Tyler, and this is John.”
“Hello,” the woman said. “I’m Phyllis. Pleased to meet you! You two look like you’ve had a time. Do you need to lie down?”
Tyler touched the bandage on his neck. “I’m fine for now, ma’am. John’s not feeling so well, so if he could find a bed…”
Phyllis nodded. “Sure! Follow me an’ we’ll get him a room to sleep.”
Tyler followed the woman to a bedroom and set John to bed while she lit a lamp on the dresser. John fell asleep right away while Phyllis worked on changing the dressings on his wound. “He’s got an infection, I think,” she whispered to Tyler. “He needs time to heal.”
“He ain’t had much of that lately,” Tyler said lowly. “Time to heal, I mean.”
Phyllis nodded. “I see that. This might sound improper, but I see he’s got a weddin’ ring. I see you ain’t got one.”
Tyler blushed. “No, I ain’t. You sure got an eye for detail.”
“I suppose. With so many men around these parts and so few women, a good man’s still hard to find.”
“Not for a good woman like yourself,” Tyler said.
Rose walked in the room and disrupted their conversation. “How’s John doin’?”
Tyler blushed even further. The heat of embarrassment showed on his face. “He’s asleep. We should go so he can rest up.”
Phyllis followed Rose and Tyler outside the room and shut the door. “I’ll check on him tomorrow.”
“No,” Rose said. “You’ve helped plenty. He’s my husband, an’ I’ll watch out for his health.”
Phyllis shrugged. “That’s alright by me. Let me know if you need anything else.”
Rose nodded. “I will.” She walked with Tyler down the hall. “Want to go look at the full moon, Tyler?”
Tyler nodded. “I’d like that. Let’s go.”
They stepped out into the night air and walked to the grove of trees. Rose turned. That Phyllis girl makes me jealous.”
“Why’s that?” Tyler asked. “She was real helpful.”
“I know, and I should appreciate it more. I come into the room to see John, and here’s an attractive woman with both men that I love.”
Tyler laughed. “She weren’t doin’ nothin’. Just getting John comfortable.”
Rose looked into Tyler’s eyes and kissed him on the lips. Tyler grabbed her around the waist. “Oh Tyler,” she whispered with hot breath. “I don’t know what to do.”
Tyler gently removed her arms from around his neck. He looked at the moon. “I do, even if I don’t want to. You’re John’s wife. I can’t get between that. Not anymore than I already have, at least.”
Rose moved toward Tyler again. “I know you love me.”
Tyler’s head drooped. “Can’t pretend you’re wrong, Rose. It’s because I love you I’m steppin’ back. Don’t you see that?”
She pursed her lips. “What we did weren’t wrong, Tyler. We both thought John were dead. He was gone for two years! Maybe we shoulda been married first, but that wouldn’t have made it a lick-bit easier when John came back.”
Tyler smiled sadly. “We didn’t do anything wrong. That’s true. As much as it pains me, the fix is easy. We gotta stay away from each other.”
Rose shook her head. “It ain’t nearly so easy. Not by a long shot. You see, I’m pregnant.”
Tyler’s eyes widened. “I…I’m happy for you two…”
She shook her head. “It’s your child, Tyler.”
Tyler leaned against a tree for support. “You sure about that? Might be John’s.”
She shook her head. “I’m sure. John an’ I ain’t had a chance for relations since he come back. Besides, I knew before that.”
“Whyn’t you tell me?” Tyler asked.
“I was gonna Tyler! What else would I do? I didn’t want people thinkin’ I was a woman of loose morals, an’ I don’t want my baby to be a bastard.”
She put a hand on his cheek. “When you said I should stay with John, I din’t know what to do. I thought him an’ me could make love an’ make him think it were his.” She looked deep into Tyler’s eyes. “I couldn’t do that, Tyler. Don’t you see? I’m too deep in love with you. I don’t think I could allow another man to touch me that way and live with myself.”
“But you love John!” Tyler protested, a tear in his eye.
“I do love John,” Rose agreed. “It ain’t the same. I love the John I once knew. He’s changed. Worse’n that, I’ve changed. I don’t want to see anything happen to him, but I can’t love him like a wife loves a husband. I only love you that way.”
Tyler pushed her against a tree and kissed her deeply. They fell to the ground, the needles poking through their clothes. The moonlight bathed the scene as they succumbed to their passions. They both knew it was wrong, but the moment would not allow them to pass it by. They became slaves to their desires.
Tyler awoke next to Rose, slipping his hand beneath her open blouse and touching her soft belly. He closed his eyes, knowing his child grew inside. Dawn invaded the grove, killing the magical night. Rose twisted beneath his hand and let out a sigh. She woke up with a start. “What have we done?”
Tyler removed his hand. “I’m so sorry, Rose. I couldn’t help myself.”
She shook her head. “I don’t regret last night. I regret we didn’t tell John. It’ll be worse to tell ‘im now.”
“I don’t see much choice,” Tyler said. He leaned against a tree. “I can’t abide a lie, and especially when I’m tellin’ it.”
Rose stood and brushed the needles off her skirt and blouse with her hands. “I won’t have you tellin’ John. It’ll hurt him worse than that bullet. There’s got to be another way.”
Tyler stood. “There is. Neither of us are strong enough to see it through.”
Rose looked at the ground and nodded. “I know I’m not, Tyler.” She looked into his eyes, tears in her own. “It’s selfish, but it would kill me if you were strong enough. Is it wrong to love somebody so much? We weren’t betrayin’ John. I was movin’ on. I love him, yes, but part hates him for comin’ back.”
“We’ll get through this, Rose. I promise. For now, you need to be strong for Luke and John. Can you do that?”
Rose’s eyes moved away as she nodded. “I’ll have to do that. The question is can you? Last night wasn’t a great showin’ of your fortitude.”
Tyler frowned. “Goodbye Rose. We’ll have plenty of explainin’ to do if John wakes up an’ you ain’t around. I’ve got a bit of explainin’ I need to do to myself.”
Tyler gave Rose a peck on the cheek and headed for the house, brushing off dirt and needles as he went. Terry and Elliot was sitting at the table eating breakfast. Terry looked up as Tyler entered. “Where you been, Tyler? The ladies got breakfast all ready to go.”
‘“I’ve been takin’ a walk an’ thinkin’,” Tyler replied. He rubbed his hands together and yawned. “Any coffee?”
Elliot nodded. “Go ask one of the ladies an’ they’ll get you some.”
Tyler did just that. He walked out of the kitchen with a cup of steaming coffee. He took a sip. “That tastes awful good. Just what I needed.”
“How’d you sleep?” Elliot asked.
Tyler yawned. “I had me a good sleep.”
“Next question,” Terry said, “where’d you sleep? The ladies said they never gave you a room.”
“I slept under the stars,” Tyler replied. “It was a gorgeous night.”
Terry started to talk, but Tyler held up his hand. “I’m not ready for conversation, fellers. Can we discuss this later?”
“No,” a voice said from behind. “I got a question or two myself, Tyler.”
Tyler turned to see John walk into the room, aiming his pistol at Tyler. “Put that away, John,” Tyler said. “There ain’t no call for bullets.”
Terry and Elliot moved away from the table, but John said, “You two fellers put your hands on the table an’ stay where you’re at. This is between me an’ Tyler.”
“If’n you’re aimin’ to kill Tyler,” Elliot said, “this is between you an’ the Vigilantes.”
Tyler waved Terry and Elliot to stand aside. “John’s right fellers. This is between me an’ him.” He turned to John. “Can we discuss this outside?”
John nodded. “I was just gonna propose that.” The two men walked outside.
“What did you an’ Rose do last night?” John demanded, his gun still leveled at Tyler.
Tyler turned to face John. “You sure you wanna hear this?”
John closed his eyes and nodded. “Tell me everything, an’ start at the beginning.”
Tyler sighed. “It’s like this, John. When Rose thought you were dead, she needed help around your place. I helped out where I could, an’ we grew close.” He dropped his head. “There ain’t much more to it. We didn’t do it thinkin’ you were still alive.”
John waved his gun. “What about last night then? You didn’t think I was dead then.”
“No, we didn’t,” Tyler admitted. “Me an’ Rose were just talkin’. It became more. Her feelings run deep, John.”
“What about your feelings?”
“Those are just as deep. I told Rose she should give up on me an’ rebuild your marriage.” Tyler crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head. “If you want to shoot me John, I’m ready. It might be the best thing. Don’t hurt Rose. We both did enough of that.”
John cocked his revolver and gritted his teeth. Tyler took a deep breath. John shot a bullet into the tree behind Tyler. “I can’t do it, Tyler. You think you’re the only one feelin’ guilty about this? My wife an’ son thought I was dead for nary two years! It ain’t neither of your faults for thinkin’ so. It’s mine.”
Tyler looked up. “What do we do now?”
John shrugged. “We go on livin’. If we can. This ain’t the toughest thing I’ve had to face, though it feels like it.”
“I sure wish things were different, John. I hope you know that.”
“I know, Tyler. I just ain’t sure the knowin’ makes it easier.”
Tyler nodded. “Shows you’re a strong man to know what makes it easier an’ still not do it.”
John cocked his gun again and aimed it at Tyler. “Don’t know you’d think very highly of me in a minute or two.” Tyler backed away as the Innocents they brought back last night surrounded him. “You see, I woke up to find you an’ Rose gone. I figured what’d happened. I figured it right from what you told me. I also figured this’d be a good way to get Plummer off my back for good an’ protect my family.”
Tyler smiled. “You got Plummer off your back, but you just set the Vigilantes after you.”
John shook his head. “Nah. After we kill you, we’ll go clean the house out. Nobody to see, nobody to tell ‘em what happened.” John aimed his gun at Tyler. “Goodbye Tyler. This’ll set off the Vigilantes in the house, but we can take ‘em. It ain’t fun ‘less there’s a bit of sport in it nohow.”
Tyler leapt behind a tree as John pulled the trigger. The bullet tore a chunk out of the aspen as Tyler’s hand went beneath his duster and retrieved his pistol.
The Innocents took cover as they heard the sound of shouts and footsteps coming from the house.
“It came from the grove!” Terry’s voice shouted. “Those toughs got out! We gotta rein ‘em in, and fast!”
John shot at the tree Tyler hid behind. Tyler ran to another tree and through the grove as the Innocents fired between the trees. The shots missed him and he came out of the grove. Elliot drew a bead on him as he emerged. Fifteen other Vigilantes stood around Terry and Elliot.
Tyler said, “Don’t shoot!” Elliot let the gun down. “Tyler? What plumb fool thing’re you doin’, runnin’ out like that?”
Tyler turned to look at the grove. “Those trees are full of toughs!” he explained. “John let ‘em out! He’s with ‘em, no question!”
“Like I ever had a question,” Terry grumbled. “I only put up with him ‘cause you said he was okay.”
Tyler shrugged. “Sorry ‘bout that. I hoped we could do somethin’ to help him out. I guess I was wrong.”
“That’s ground we travelled already,” Elliot said. “No good discussin’ it now. Let’s clear out some of those coyotes.”
The Vigilantes ran to the trees, taking cover behind them. “They’re hiding out,” Tyler said. “Be careful to not get bushwhacked.”
“We done this before back east,” Terry assured. “These owlhoots don’t got a chance in hell in this grove.”
“Don’t be too sure,” Elliot said. “They can be tricky.”
Tyler rushed to a nearby tree. A shot rang out, tearing up the bark on one of the aspens. “Give yourselves up!” He shouted. “You’re outnumbered!”
A gunshot gave Tyler his answer. The Vigilantes rushed through the forest, moving from tree to tree. Ineffective gunshots rang out sporadically as the roughs missed their marks again and again. The Vigilantes took note of where the gunshots came from but never returned fire. They spaced their movements to make it more confusing and to make their numbers seem larger.
Tyler moved along with the rest of them as they squeezed the roughs, who began retreating from the Vigilantes.
“I want to give up!” John shouted. “Just don’t shoot, and I’ll come out!”
Someone threw a gun into the clearing. John stepped out from behind a tree, his arms above his head. He shrugged. “I’m out of bullets, an’ you guys will catch me anyway.”
One of the Vigilantes moved forward to grab John. “Don’t!” Tyler shouted. It was too late. A hail of bullets struck the man dead as John grabbed his gun again and rushed behind a tree.
“Things are goin’ to go bad for ya’ll!” Terry shouted. “We ain’t gonna let you go! Givin’ yourselves up is the only chance! Don’t try a trick like that last one, neither!”
A volley of gunshots answered Terry’s statement.
The Vigilantes opened fire into the trees. Two of the roughs fell into the dirt, one of them being Dylan and the guard. “That leaves John an’ the other one. I think Mike was his name.”
Terry spit out some tobacco. “It don’t matter much, but we can put it on his headstone.”
“Just two of ya now,” Tyler shouted. “You can’t win this one. You got a better chance dependin’ on our good graces.”
Mike stepped out with his hands in the air and walked toward the Vigilantes. A shot rang out and Mike fell to the ground. “John!” Tyler shouted as they all rushed the rough. “You didn’t have to kill him!”
They came to the spot where they thought John was and heard a laugh behind them. “So long, fellers!”
They ran back to the sound of horse hooves beating the ground. When they got to the house they saw a horse was missing.
“Damn!” Elliot said. “Saddle up, boys! We can’t let him get away an’ tell the Innocents where this place is!”
Tyler narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “Ya’ll stay here. I’ll get ‘im.”
He leapt on Milton, thankful John had taken a different horse, and spurred the bay into action. The rest watched Tyler disappear past the curve in the road.