Tell It Like It Is

By InsideOutlaw

The crack of a pistol shot cut through the dream Kid Curry was enjoying jolting him awake to the cold reality of a frigid leader’s cabin on an early December morning. He sat upright spilling his heavy blankets around him and grappled for his gun dangling in its holster from the bedpost. The chill penetrated his bare skin and he realized what he’d heard. Someone was entering the Hole. It was barely dawn.

Swinging his feet to the floor, he stood up and reached for his pants, suppressing a shiver as the freezing fabric slid up his thighs. From the next room, he heard a shuffling noise while he buckled on his gun belt. A single curse followed by the sound of a chair toppling over confirmed that Heyes was indeed awake. The Kid put on his shirt and pulled open his bedroom door as Heyes was clumsily righting the offensive furniture.

“What the hell, Kid?”

“Must be trouble if someone’s comin’ in at this hour.”

Heyes reached down to his holster, pulled his gun, and reflexively checked the cylinder before tugging on his grey coat and setting his black hat low on his forehead. He watched the Kid button up his sheepskin coat and draw his gun, then his attention shifted to the front window. The men were spilling out of the bunkhouse in multiple stages of dressing, a weapon clutched by each of them. Heyes yanked open the heavy oak door to the cabin and stepped outside into a brilliantly snow-white morning. Sub-zero temperatures froze the breath in his lungs for a moment before he bellowed, “Everybody to your stations!”

“It was only one shot,” grumbled a sleepy-eyed Wheat.

“I don’t recall Heyes askin’ for opinions,” harshly responded Kid Curry.

“He ain’t the one about to get wet in snow.”

“What’d you say?”

The big outlaw turned his head away and mumbled, “Nothing.”

The men broke into pairs and slid into hiding under snow-covered shrubs and trees along the narrow ravine leading into their hideout. Heyes and Curry awaited, their breaths misting the icy air. A few minutes later they could hear riders approaching. It sounded like only a couple of horses and both leaders relaxed. It meant visitors, not a posse.

“What d’ya think?”

“I think whoever it is, is on my bad side already.” Heyes still held his pistol at the ready in an ungloved hand.

“Yep.”

It wasn’t long before Hank appeared riding slightly behind a roan gelding carrying a smallish rider. The horses hooves disappeared in clouds of snow arising from the blanketed ground.

“That a kid?” questioned Heyes, squinting.

“Can’t tell. Either a kid or a woman.”

“Great. One time I feel like shooting someone…”

As one, the two partners twirled and holstered their guns. Heyes stepped off the porch and crossed the yard while the Kid waited with his arms crossed, tucking his hands to the inside to keep them warm and ready. Both riders reined up before the dark-haired outlaw leader. Atop the roan sat a fuzzy-cheeked, red-headed youngster who smiled broadly.

One by one, the other outlaws emerged from their hiding places and shuffled back through the snow to the bunkhouse, muttering and dusting flakes from their clothes as they passed the two riders and their leader. Kyle spit out a large wad of chaw and glared at the young man who quickly looked away.

Once all the other gang members had gone into the bunkhouse, Hank nodded to Heyes, grim-faced. “Fella says he wants to join the gang.”

Heyes stared at the youth, expressionless. “That right?”

“Yessir. I can ride, shoot, and carry my weight.”

Allowing a tiny smile, the Kid said, “How old are you?”

The boy’s attention shifted to the blond man. “Old enough to know better and still want to join up.”

“How’d you know how to find the Hole?” quizzed Heyes.

“I been camped out by Shady Creek. Seen your men go by yesterday. Weren’t hard to follow the trail they cut.”

“Mighty bold of you,” observed the Kid. “Did you give any thought to us not wanting to be found?”

“Well, no sir, I guess I didn’t.”

“Did you give any thought to the chance we might just shoot you dead and go on about our day?” Heyes’ mien had now shifted to menacing.

The Kid’s eyes cut to his partner; brows slightly raised.

The boy’s prominent Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he shook his head, frightened.

“What’s your name?”

“Rufus. Rufus Stahl but everyone calls me Red.”

“Turn around, Rufus, and ride on out of here. Hank’ll take you past the lookouts. Don’t come back or you won’t be so lucky the next time. Are we clear?” barked Heyes, turning back towards the cabin.

“You’re real clear, sir, but I ain’t goin’.”

Heyes swung around, stunned by the impertinence. “What did you say?”

“I said I ain’t going. I can’t…sir.”

“Why the hell not?!”

“There’s a posse out there waitin’ on me.”

The Kid stepped off the porch and joined his partner. His glacial blue eyes locked onto the young man. “You brought a posse to our door?”

A flush of red darkened the boy’s cheeks and he swallowed again, looking from one outlaw to the other. “Everyone knows the law can’t get into the Hole. I didn’t have a choice. They been after me for days and I can’t shake ‘em.”

“And why exactly are they after you?” Heyes was furious and not trying to hide it.

“I robbed a bank. Would’ve gotten clean away if’n that lady with the baby hadn’t stepped in front of my horse. Had to pull up hard till she got outta the way.”

Heyes’ jaw dropped open. “You what?!”

“He said he robbed a bank,” offered the Kid.

“I heard what he said!” snarled Heyes. “I just don’t believe it.”

The boy reached for his saddlebag but jerked his hand back and stuck both arms up when the Kid’s gun appeared, aimed at him. “Don’t shoot! I just want to prove it to you. Got the loot in my bag.”

Curry gestured with his gun and growled, “Go real slow, Red.”

Carefully, the boy extracted a small sack from his saddlebag, held it up triumphantly, and tossed it to Heyes who tugged open the bag and reached inside pulling out a stack of bills wrapped with a currency strap. “Farmer’s Bank of Goldville. Hmm.” Heyes flipped the bundle back and forth then shoved it back into the sack before looking up at the boy. “Can you read, Rufus?”

“It’s Red, sir, and no I ain’t never learned my letters. My folks are farmers, don’t need to read to know a pea from a potato.”

“I guess you also never learned to count.”

“Sir?”

“I’d say you’ve got about two hundred dollars here. Maybe less.”

Red smiled broadly and puffed out his chest with pride. “Pretty good, huh?”

Heyes turned to the Kid and rolled his eyes. Curry stared back at the boy. “Seems like a lot, don’t it?”

“More than I ever seen in one place.”

The blond head shook. “That may be so but there’s probably gonna be a flyer out on you sayin’ your life is worth five hundred dollars to anyone who decides to take it.”

Frowning, Red sputtered, “No one knows who did it! There weren’t no one I knew in there!”

“What about that lady you almost ran down? I bet she got a real good look at you.” Heyes held up his hands as though reading a paper. “I can see it now…Wanted: Young man, hmm…age 15?, five foot six inches, one hundred twenty pounds, red hair, green eyes. Freckles. Small scar over left eyebrow. Armed--I’m guessing this part--and Dangerous. Will pay reward Dead or Alive.”

Thoroughly alarmed now, Red’s eyes began to water. “I didn’t hurt no one. My gun weren’t even loaded! I was scared I might shoot someone by accident!”

“I’m pretty sure the folks you pointed it at didn’t know it wasn’t loaded.” Heyes passed the sack back to Red. “What do you think, Kid?”

Red’s head swiveled to Curry and he swallowed hard again. “You’re Kid Curry?”

“Yep.”

The boy went white and his head pivoted back to Heyes. “Then…”

“He’s Hannibal Heyes and I’d say he’s pretty darn pissed off with you,” contributed Hank, who’d been silently watching from his horse.

“Mr. Heyes, sir, I…I…really need your help. I guess I messed up and I’m real sorry for it but, if you kick me out, that posse’s gonna take me. Will I hang for what I did?” Sweat was pouring freely down the boy’s face and mixing with the tears that fell from his eyes, all of it freezing on his pink cheeks.

Heyes hardened expression remained. “Only if they think it’s too much trouble to take you alive.”

“Please, sir, I don’t want to die! I got family who needs me. The only reason I robbed that dang bank was my Pa’s losin’ the farm. It’s killin’ him and we’ve got nowhere else to go. I’m gonna take him that money soon as I’m able.”

“I thought you wanted to join the gang?” challenged the Kid.

“Well, I thought if you took me in the gang, the posse’d give up on me. No one wants to mess with the Devil’s Hole gang.” He looked down at the ground, sniffed mightily, and tried to compose himself. “I don’t really want to be an outlaw. I’m a farmer. I just want to go home and forget I ever did such a darn fool thing.”

The Kid nodded sagely, “Now you’re talkin’. Heyes, what do you think about helpin’ Red out?”

Heyes rubbed his chin doubtfully. “I don’t know, Kid, he brought a posse to our door. Put us all in jeopardy. I ought to let the gang do the justice.”

“Please!! I promise if you just let me go I won’t ever show my face here again. I can draw that posse off. Get ‘em chasin’ me again.”

“Will you spit on it? You won’t ever steal anything again?” Heyes spit into his palm and held up his hand, waiting.

The boy spit into his own hand and clasped Heyes’ like a lifeline, shaking it profusely. “Yessir, I swear on my mama’s life, sir!” Red’s head bobbed emphatically underscoring his sincerity.

“All right then, but I’m telling you if I ever see a wanted poster from another robbery describing you, you can bet the Kid and I will find you and make you sorry you were ever born.” With a last hard glare, Heyes stepped away from the roan. “Hank, fetch a blindfold. Make sure it’s on good and tight. You and Lobo take him out the back way and stay with him until he’s clear away.”

“Got it, Boss.” Hank dismounted and jogged towards the bunkhouse then into the barn with Lobo trailing behind him. He returned with a length of cloth dangling from his hand. Red slipped to the ground and stood passively in the snow while the blindfold was securely fastened. Hank nearly threw him back into the saddle; only a quick clutch of the horn saving the boy from sliding off the other side of the roan.

Lobo emerged from the barn leading his horse, quickly mounted, and snarled angrily at the boy. “You’d best not give me any trouble, boy. I had to fold a good hand and I ain’t feeling charitable.”

Red gulped, “No sir, I won’t trouble you.”

The two outlaw leaders watched Hank and Lobo escorting the boy on either side of the roan until they were out of sight before the Kid turned to his partner. “You had me goin’ for a while there, partner.”

“Think he’ll keep that promise?”

“Yep, I do. You did a real good thing and you know what?”

“What?”

“Sometimes I wish someone had scared the hell out of us.”

The two partners laughed all the way back to their cabin