A big day for everyone.
Shaye woke in his hotel room, stood up, and walked to the window. From there he could see the sheriff’s office across the street, where his two sons had spent the night. He was proud of both boys, wondered what they’d decide when this was all over. Stay with him or go their own ways? There was no point in even thinking about it, though, until they were ready to leave Pearl River Junction.
He was about to turn away from the window when the front door of the office opened and James stepped out. He crossed the street and walked out of sight. Shaye assumed he was on his way to the café to pick up breakfast.
This time he did leave the window. He walked to the dresser, where there was a pitcher and basin. He poured water from one into the other and began to wash, hands, face, neck, chest, armpits. When he was done with his whore’s bath, he picked up a towel and walked back to the window. He saw Belinda walking down the street, past the sheriff’s office, where she crossed over. She was probably also on her way to the café for an early breakfast and that meant that Jeb Collier would be there also.
Shaye hurriedly dressed, strapped on his gun, and left the room.
James was waiting for Connie to bring out the food when the door opened and Belinda walked in. She stopped short at the sight of him.
“Oh, James,” she said.
“Good mornin’, Belinda,” he said, trying to ignore the usual flutter he felt in his stomach when he saw her. “I’m pickin’ up breakfast for the jail.”
“I see.”
Connie came out of the kitchen with a tray she had covered with a towel.
“Oh, Belinda,” she said. “Good morning. Take any table and I’ll be with you in a minute.”
“Thank you, Connie.” The place was empty, so Belinda had her pick.
“This should feed all of you,” Connie said, handing the tray to James.
“Thanks.”
He tried balancing the tray with one hand, but realized it would take two to get it across the street to the jail. At that moment the door opened again and Jeb Collier stepped in. Like Belinda, he stopped short when he saw the deputy.
“Well, Deputy,” he said. “We ain’t met.”
“Jeb Collier,” James said. “I know who you are.”
“And you’re Shaye,” Jeb said, “or one of them.”
“He’s James,” Belinda said.
“Thank you, honey.”
The two men faced each other. James knew if Jeb Collier drew on him at that moment he’d have to drop the tray before he could go for his gun. He figured he’d be dead before the tray hit the ground.
Connie, sensing the tension, backed into the kitchen.
“Jeb…” Belinda said.
But it wasn’t until the door opened again that the tension was broken. Dan Shaye stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.
“That the food for the jail, James?”
“Yeah, Pa.”
“Better get it over there, then. I’m sure Mr. Collier wouldn’t want his men to starve.”
“My men?” Jeb asked, stepping aside to let James by, at the same time turning to look at Shaye. “I never said they were my men.”
“You didn’t have to,” Shaye said. He opened the door for James without taking his eyes off of Collier. “Have a good breakfast.”
“Thanks.”
Shaye backed out, pulling the door closed.
Outside he caught up to James and walked alongside him.
“Don’t ever have both hands occupied like that, James.” Shaye thought the world of his youngest son, thought he was very smart. If he went to college, he’d do very well in life, but wearing a badge, living by the gun…this just wasn’t something James was as quick to take to as Thomas was.
“Pa…the tray…”
“You should have brought Thad with you.”
“Yes, Pa.”
“Collier wasn’t going to draw on you anyway,” Shaye said. “That would ruin his plan.”
“What plan is that, Pa?”
“I don’t know, James,” Shaye said. “If I knew that, then we could ruin his plan.”
After both Shayes left the café, Jeb turned and sat down with Belinda. Connie came back out of the kitchen nervously.
“Nothing to worry about, waitress,” Jeb said. “My sweetie and I are hungry, though. We’d like to order.”
“Yes, sir,” Connie said. “What can I get for you?”
Alvin Simon woke, feeling excited and frightened. Belinda had come to see him the night before and he was supposed to meet her at the bank this morning when it opened. She’d told him that she was ready to marry him, but she had to be sure that he had the money he said he had.
“A girl has to make sure she’s secure, Alvin,” she’d told him.
“How do I do that, Belinda?” he’d asked. “How do I show you that I can make you secure?”
“That’s easy,” she said, putting one hand on his chest and kissing his cheek. Her lips were like velvet on his face, her scent heady enough to make him dizzy. She pressed her lips to his ear then and said, “Show me your money.”
So that was what he was going to do this morning. Take her into the bank and prove to her that he had enough money to take care of her and her baby and keep them secure.
70
Samms and Leslie woke, but not well. Both had drank too much the night before.
“Come on,” Samms said, “we got to meet in front of the saloon.”
Leslie groaned. “I hope it’s open. I’m gonna need a little hair of what bit me to get goin’.”
“Just think about the money we’re gonna take out of that bank,” Samms replied. “That should get you going.”
Samms started pulling his pants on.
“We got enough water to wash?” Leslie asked, pointing to the pitcher on the dresser.
“Never mind,” Samms said. “There’ll be plenty of time to wash later. Just get dressed and let’s get going.”
When Cotton arrived at the jail, Dan, Thomas, and James Shaye were all there and awake, as was Thad. There’d been enough food on the tray to feed the prisoners and the deputies, including Shaye.
“You fellas all look well-fed,” Cotton said.
“There might be somethin’ left on the tray for you,” James offered.
“That’s okay,” Cotton said. “I had something before I left home. Belinda was gone when I left.”
“She’s in the café with Jeb Collier,” Shaye said. “James and I saw them a little while ago.”
“What about the rest?”
“No sign.”
“Thad,” Cotton said, “Why don’t you and James take a turn around town, see if you spot them?”
“Yes, sir,” Thad said.
James put down his empty coffee cup and followed Thad out the door.
Samms and Leslie sat on chairs in front of the saloon, waiting.
“Where’s everybody else?” Leslie wondered.
“Overslept,” Leslie said. “Relax, they’ll be here.”
Leslie put his head back, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
It didn’t take long for Thad and James to spot the two men seated in front of the saloon.
“I’ll watch them,” James said, “you go back and tell the sheriff about it.”
“Think they’re waitin’ for the others?”
“Looks like it,” James said. “Go ahead.”
Thad nodded and headed back to the office.
Jeb and Belinda enjoyed a leisurely breakfast—at least, Jeb did. Belinda picked at her bacon and eggs until Jeb started eating from her plate. Picking at her bacon with his fingers.
“Nervous?”
“Yes.”
“But this is what we’ve waited for,” he said. “This is what you wrote to me in Yuma about, taking this bank.”
Belinda was a contradiction, even to herself. Yes, she’d written to him about the bank in Pearl River Junction, but she’d also written to Dan Shaye, to try to convince him to come to town and protect her—and Alvin Simon, for that matter. Once she met him, she thought his money was her way out and didn’t want Jeb to kill him. As for Jeb himself, she really wasn’t sure what he would do when he got there. It wasn’t until he came to the house to see her and her son that she knew he wasn’t going to kill her. That’s when she decided to throw in her lot with him.